Arcadia This Week 2/16/2022
Hello, Arcadia families, students, and friends,
Here’s what’s up at Arcadia the next two days! Also, I’m including information about the Gertens fundraiser, our new security system, and an update to our COVID plans.
Thursday, 2/17: Day 5–Asynchronous Day, Conferences
Friday, 2/18: Day 6–Asynchronous Day, Conferences
Student-Family-Teacher Conferences
Conferences are the next two days, February 17 and 18! Students, remember, you are also part of the conference, so please come to your conference! To sign up for a conference or check on your time, please click on the link for your child’s advisor:
Amy Merritt: Amy's Conference Sign Up
Christopher Hunt: Christopher's Conference Sign Up
Lori Coleman: Lori's Conference Sign Up
Angela Heidtke: Angela's Conference Sign Up
Tami Kasch-Flugum: Tami's Conference Sign Up
Scott Grave: Scott's Conference Sign Up
Tammy Prichard: Tammy's Conference Sign Up
Asynchronous Learning Days
Students, please log into Google Classroom for your classes and complete the assignments before 2:45pm each day. You can also use this time to get caught up in classes where you may have missing assignments or be falling behind. The paraprofessional staff is available all day to help you!!
High School:
Christine: https://meet.google.com/zay-ymdx-kir
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World History, Algebra II, Biology, HS Lit, Social Studies, Singing, Greenhouse
Alyssa: https://meet.google.com/vah-erfv-gkd
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Geometry, US History, Physical Science, Basic Composition, Performing Arts
Middle School:
Alex: https://meet.google.com/xcr-jhyi-ytk
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Science 7, Health 7, Social Studies 7, PWT 8, Spanish
Adam: https://meet.google.com/whk-rqkg-djy?
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Science 6-8, PWT 6-8, Language Arts 7 & 8, Social Studies 7
Maggie: https://meet.google.com/zdd-tcow-fmp
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6-8th Grade Language Arts, Cheryl’s Math, Krista’s Reading, 6-8th Grade History/Geography, 6th Grade PWT
Jena: https://meet.google.com/xdg-ssfw-vuc
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8th grade: Science, Language Arts, Algebra, PWT, Social Studies, Art 8, Junk Art
Morgan: https://meet.google.com/bob-uhqw-sft
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Art 6 & 8, Social Studies 8, Math 6 & 7, Science 6, Junk Art, MS PWT
Juli: https://meet.google.com/zcr-qogs-oht?pli=1
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PWT 6, Science 8, LA Foundations, Reading Foundations, PWT 7, Health 7, Social Studies 7, Romeo & Juliet
COVID Update–New Information about Masking
Rice County’s COVID-19 case rate for the one-week period ending February 12, 2022 is 570.39/100,000. 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 Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12-guidance.html
With Northfield’s move to remove their mask requirement, I’ve fielded a number of questions from concerned students and parents. We are a different setting with a different set of variables to take into account. Therefore, our plan is somewhat different.
For example, distancing is very difficult in our smaller classrooms. Also, our HVAC system has limitations, and it’s too cold to leave doors open, so the circulation of air in rooms throughout the building is okay, but not ideal. When thinking about layers of mitigation strategies, masks remain an important part of our ability to prevent the spread of COVID within the school building. (And we have been very successful at preventing that so far!)
That said, we don’t really want to require masks forever. Therefore, based on CDC guidance and input from Rice County Public Health and our school nurse, we have established criteria for when masks will become recommended instead of required at Arcadia. The criteria are:
1) The Rice County case rate is at the CDC-recommended case rate of <50/100,000 in a one week period.
2) The Rice County test positivity rate is at or below 5%.
3) Our student vaccination rate is above 80%. (We've already met this criterion!)
4) Our Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) rate in the school is 5% or lower. (We have generally stayed below 5%.)
At this point, we believe it is in our best interests to stay masked until after Spring Break, and we will wear masks for the week following Spring Break (March 14-18), since a number of people will be traveling. However, starting March 21st, masks would become recommended and not required as soon as we meet the four criteria, based on the data reported weekly by Rice County, and our local data. I would send out an announcement via email letting the community know masks were no longer required.
We would require masks again if we could not meet criteria 1 and 2, or criterion 4. (I.e., the county case rate rises beyond 50/100,000 in a one-week period AND the county's test positivity rate goes above 5%, OR Arcadia's ILI rate rises to greater than 5%.)
New Security System
We have a new security system! Our previous system had become non-functional. There are now cameras monitoring entrance/exit doors and hallways. Security cameras are not in instructional spaces, because that creates educational data, which has different retention requirements.
We also added environmental sensors in the bathrooms that can alert us to potential issues–everything from mold to vaping! (Vaping hasn’t been a significant issue here, but if it comes up, now we will definitely know.)
Gertens Fundraiser
Yay, flowers and plants and money to support Arcadia!
I am attaching a better electronic version of the catalog to this email that you could send. Here is a sample email you could send to people you would like to invite to participate:
Hello, family and friends!
My school, Arcadia Charter School, is raising money to support experiential learning opportunities for all Arcadia students. Gertens created an online site where you can order plants to support us! We receive 30% of all plant sales, and 15% of gift card sales. The plants are high quality, and Gertens guarantees them.
Orders must be completed by 10 PM on Thursday, April 7–Gertens does not accept late orders.
The plants will be delivered to Arcadia on May 5th, in time for Mother’s Day!
To access the site and place an order:
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Enter the Store ID code provided into the text field and click ‘Enter ID to Continue’.
Store ID code for Arcadia Charter School: 43
Thank you for supporting me!
Sincerely,
Upcoming Events
Feb. 17: Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences, Asynchronous Learning Day
Feb. 18: Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences, Asynchronous Learning Day
Feb. 21: No School, Staff Development Day
Have a great weekend!
Sincerely,