March 20, 2020

Good Evening Everyone,

Governor Burgum has closed schools to students indefinitely.  Prior to his decision, the district had decided to call off school through April 6th.  We wanted to give families time to prepare for childcare. Now that we are under Governor Burgum’s executive order, we will not have to use the days we had built into our school calendar. The staff at Grenora Public School has been working hard at creating a distance/online academic platform so our students will be able to continue their learning during this pandemic.  Transitioning from face-to-face learning to distance/online learning is going to be a challenge for all of us. I ask for your patience and support during this time. We are planning to begin that transition next week starting Tuesday, March 24, 2020. This will give us time to work out any issues before the mandatory April 1st date set by the Governor for having plans in place.  We have compiled a list of students who need electronic devices and internet access. If you have not yet contacted the school regarding a need for either of these items, please do so as soon as possible. Our main concern through all of this has been the health and wellbeing of all students, employees and the community.  

Teachers will be reaching out to students and families to explain how they will be connecting electronically.  If you have any questions, please contact teachers or the office. All staff email addresses are available on our website at www.grenorapublicschool.org and a list of staff telephone numbers will be given to families to ensure everyone is able to stay connected during this transition.  The teachers are planning by the week--that schedule runs from Tuesday to Tuesday. The delivery and pickup of materials will happen every Tuesday. 

The following will be the weekly schedule:

Saturday/Sunday: Teachers will be gathering all materials that students will need for the first week of distance/online instruction.

Monday:  1. Staff will bag and label all materials and prepare them for curbside pickup and/or delivery to bus families.  2. On March 23rd the grab and go lunch program will begin. Curbside pickup will take place between 11:30-12:30 and will be located on the Southeast side of the parking lot.  Rural grab and go delivery will begin at 11:30. We will be practicing social distancing and leave the lunches by the front door. School buses will be used for this delivery.  If you have not yet signed up for the lunch program and would like to, please contact the office as soon as possible.

Tuesday: 1. Grab and Go lunch program will continue.  Schedule will be the same each day. 2. School materials will be ready for pickup at curbside pickup 11:30-2:30 and 4:00-5:30.  Please contact the office if you cannot pick up materials during those times. School materials will be delivered to the homes of bus families during the rural lunch delivery starting at 11:30.  If you are in need of an electronic device, a signed agreement for Student Check Out of District Owned Computer, Tablet or Device will be required prior to check out. These can be signed during the curbside pickup hours.     

Thursday/Friday: Instruction/at home work will begin and continue on the weekly schedule

Consecutive Tuesdays: 1. Completed Student work will be dropped off/New work picked up during the curbside times for in town students.  Rural student work will be exchanged during the scheduled daily bus deliveries. 2. Electronic student work will be exchanged via email or google classroom as required per teacher.  Reminders will be sent a day ahead for these exchanges.

All school activities and events have been postponed at this time.  The school and all classrooms are currently going through a deep clean.

Please continue to check your email, text messages, phone messages, district website and district facebook page for information that is changing rapidly.  This is an unprecedented situation that is continually changing and we are making plans for those changes as they come to us. 

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time and keeping our school safe!

Aaron

Aaron Rudningen

Aaron Rudningen

Superintendent/High School Principal

Grenora Public Schools