Arcadia This week 12/21/2021
Hello, Arcadia families, students, and friends,
I hope that you are all doing well! Here is the plan for the remainder of the week:
Tuesday: HS Day 1 and HS Potluck; MS Field Trip to Children’s Theater Company
Wednesday: Day 2
Thursday: No School–Winter Break!
Friday: No School–Winter Break!
Online Class and COVID-19 Testing, 1/3/2022-1/7/2022
Due to the rapidly spreading omicron variant, we have decided to move to one week of online classes following the Winter Break. During that week, we hope to have at-home test kits available for pickup from the school, along with CUE rapid testing available at the school building on 1/6/2022 and 1/7/2022, giving all staff and students the opportunity to test before returning to regular classes on 1/10/2022.
I will send an even more detailed plan, including the schedule and class links, on Wednesday. Here is an overview.
Monday, January 3, 2022: Catch-up Day
–All students check in for attendance.
–MS students will go to their grade-level PWT Google Classroom to check in
(PWT 6, PWT 7, or PWT 8)
–HS students will go to their advisory Google Classroom (Red or Blue Advisory) to check in
–Paraprofessionals are available online in Google Meets to support all students
in completing any missing work, or revising work that needs to be fixed
–Teachers will be available by email, but will primarily use the day to prepare for
the four days of online classes.
Tuesday-Friday, January 4-7, 2022: Synchronous online classes (“synchronous” means that the students all meet together with their teacher online at the same time)
–Students will have synchronous online classes in the morning from 8:30am to 11:30am (30 minute classes), followed by an hour-long lunch, and two hours of extra help in the afternoon (teachers will be available in a Google Meet from 12:30pm-2:30pm).
Attendance Policy Changes
Just a reminder that the changes to the school’s attendance policy go to the Board for approval at the 12/21/2021 board meeting.
As noted before, the attendance policy in the Student Handbook was not in compliance with Minnesota Statutes. Previously, according to our handbook, seven unexcused absences would lead to a truancy letter. The Minnesota Statutes require that after three unexcused absences, a letter be sent, as that is the definition of “continuing truant.” From the State:
"Continuing truant" means a child who is subject to the compulsory instruction requirements of section 120A.22 and is absent from instruction in a school, as defined in section 120A.05, without valid excuse within a single school year for:
(1) three days if the child is in elementary school; or
(2) three or more class periods on three days if the child is in middle school, junior high school, or high school.
From this point on, if your child has more than three unexcused absences, you will receive an attendance letter. After seven unexcused absences, the county may be involved.
The Rice County website notes about truancy:
Truancy petitions may be filed after a child has been absent from school for a period which exceeds the statutory limit. Attending school is essential, not just because it is the law, but also because it is the key to opportunity and earning potential as an adult.
If you are interested in the Minnesota Statutes surrounding truancy, here is a link: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/260A
COVID Update
Rice County’s COVID-19 case rate for the one-week period ending December 18, 2021 is 367.32/100,000 in a one-week period. A case rate above 100/100,000 in a one-week period indicates a high level of community transmission. Here is a link to the CDC explaining more about the transmission levels: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/aboutcovidcountycheck/index.html
For detailed information about this area, here is a link to the Rice County website: http://www.co.rice.mn.us/492/Coronavirus-disease-COVID-19-Current-Sit
Here is a link to the CDC’s page about the Omicron Variant: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/omicron-variant.html
Upcoming Events
Dec. 21, all day: MS Field Trip to Children’s Theater Company for Annie
Dec. 21, 6:30pm-8:30pm: Arcadia School Board Meeting (in person at Arcadia or online: https://meet.google.com/buw-nxop-qmd; (US) +1 321-465-5002 PIN: 929 499 461#)
Dec. 23-31: Winter Break
Jan. 3-7: Online classes/COVID-19 testing
Jan. 10: In-person class resumes
Jan. 21: End of Quarter 2
Have a great week!
Sincerely,
