**Attention Fitness Center Members**
Floodwood School is currently having technical difficulties with the door system. If you access card is not working, please contact the main office.
Thank you for your patience as we get this issue solved as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
Jaimen Davis
Community Ed/Communications Coordinator
Some faces will be missing this school year. Ms. Deb Torvick, Ms. Sue Vance and Ms. Sherilee Prusi have retired. Thank you for your hard work with our Floodwood students and families - you will be missed!!
More news, Ms. Rachel had a baby boy, Levi, at the end of July - congratulations!
WE HAVE OPENINGS... PT Cafeteria Assistant (updated to 6 hrs/day, $12.70/hr); FT Educational Assistant including recess supervision ($13.20/hr starting per union contract); Math & Literacy Tutor (training provided); Youth Development Specialist (training provided); and Asst. Boys Basketball Coach. Go to https://www.isd698.org/employment-opportunities--54 for more information and to apply!
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Welcome back to school! The first day of school for K-12 students is Tuesday, September 8th. Preschool will start the following week.
Considering all that we have encountered over the last six months, we are preparing for a whirlwind start of the school year. Some changes to expect…
*Open House will be a scheduled day and time for each grade level. A virtual option is available rather than coming into the building, if you choose.
*All paperwork will now be digital. Expect an email with the links to complete the forms.
*All students and staff will be wearing face coverings.
*Parents will complete a screening on their children prior to coming to school each day.
*Social distancing will be practiced throughout the day.
*Parents who bring their children, or pick up their children, will not come into the building. Children will be greeted by school staff. There will be designated locations for parents to pick up and drop off students. Details will be provided.
*Buses will load and drop off at the bus garage parking lot and students will walk the paved path to/from school with staff supervision.
*There will be designated doors for students to use in the morning and afternoon, depending if they ride the bus, walk, or get picked up/dropped off.
*Student drivers must park in the designated space at the bus garage parking lot.
*Upon arrival, unless the student is eating breakfast, all students will go directly to their classroom.
*Students will not enter the school until 8:10AM. Hand sanitizer will be provided to all students upon arrival.
*Distance Learning is now called "Floodwood Connect." With the new name comes the updated expectations for the school and state guidelines. Students are expected to log in to class and attend during class hours or they will be marked absent. High School will need to attend virtually and log in each hour, each day they have class. Elementary students will take direction from their teachers about Floodwood Connect expectations. There are many components to the elementary schedule. Each teacher will determine the level of virtual activity.
*Preschool - The 4 year old group will attend M,T,Th, and F, full days. The 3 year old group will attend Wednesday mornings (8:25-11:00) and will need to be picked up at 11:00 (before lunch) by the parent/guardian.
*The $25 technology fee will apply to students in grades K-12. The amount may be reduced if your family qualifies for free or reduced lunches.
*The free and reduced lunch application is now available only on Campus Portal. If you need a portal set up, or have questions, contact attendance@isd698.org.
*Floodwood Connect learners may receive breakfast and lunches, and have them delivered each school morning. The meals will cost the same as if In-Person Learning. There will be a deadline to request the meals. The first deadline is 8/28/20 for the first week of school’s deliveries. The meals will be a state approved bag lunch vs. what is on the regular school menu.
*Picture Day for the 4 year old Preschool group and K-12 will take place on September 28th. Retakes and 3 year old Preschool group pictures will be November 11th. Parents may order pictures all online. Details to follow.
*The sports schedule has changed. There will be no fall volleyball or football games.
Welcome to our new staff, Mr. Joshua Bestul, Ms. Deb Dillard, and Ms. Melanie Skripsky! Mr. Bestul will be teaching 6th grade. Ms. Dillard will be a long term substitute in the preschool classroom as well as our new Early Childhood Family Education teacher. Melanie will be replacing Deb Torvick in the front office as Deb is retiring on September 4th. We wish Deb a relaxing and enjoyable retirement!
If you have not read the Blueprint Restart (our plan to return to school), please do. It explains the learning plans as well as plans for classroom space, lunch, recess, instruction with specialists, the cleaning schedule, what to do if your child is not feeling well, community use of the building, as well as many other items. If you have questions after reading through it, please feel free to contact me.
As you may have heard, we are starting the year based on the number of COVID19 cases in the Greater St. Louis County. This link: https://gis.stlouiscountymn.gov/portal/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=a845cd8507e54ed1a2c1e66413d6e7cb
shows us the number used to determine whether we are In-Person, Hybrid, or Floodwood Connect (virtual learning). If the number for Greater St. Louis County rises to 10, we will need to change our learning plan. We will give one week’s notice if a change is required. At this point in time, the number for our area is 3.25 so we are safe to have In-Person Learning. Our In-Person Learning plan is to have all students in the building five (5) days a week unless families have chosen Floodwood Connect.
We recognize that students and parents are anxious about coming back to school. We have spent many hours planning the processes and procedures for keeping the students and staff healthy while allowing children to be children. This means learning new expectations and procedures. Our plan is to ensure that it is a great year of fun and engaging learning activities.
School year 2020-2021 is going to be a great year because we are choosing it to be! Thank you for being part of the Floodwood School District where the pride in our school, students, and staff is ever growing!
As always, please let us know if you have any questions. We are here to help.
Sincerely,
Dr. Rae Villebrun
Floodwood School: Preparing all students to succeed.
OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE--If the day or time doesn't work for you, please contact the office at (218) 476-2285 or email attendance@isd698.org.
After planning for 3 options for operating school during the COVID-19 concerns and reviewing the latest MDE and MDH requirements for each, the school board adopted a descriptive learning plan on August 17th. Based on the low number of COVID-19 cases in the district, Floodwood School will be in session 5 full days a week as in the past while taking precautionary measures going above and beyond the requirements. This is one of the many benefits of small class sizes. Families do have the choice to have their students learn from home while streaming the live classroom. Those students must be logged on just as they would be required to be there for class.
Beginning August 31st, we will be changing the Floodwood School Fitness Center hours to the following:
Mon - Fri: 5:00am to 7:45am and 4:00pm to 9:00pm
Sat & Sun: 5:00am to 9:00pm
Holidays: 5:00am to 9:00pm
To become a member, you may print a form off of our website or by contacting the school office at (218) 476-2285.
Individual Membership: $20/month or $50 for 3-months
Couple's Membership: $30/month or $80 for 3-months
Upon application and payment, you will receive an access keycard to the north entry of the building.
*Availability is subject to change for facility maintenance.
30 SECOND SPEED TEST
A few months ago we asked our student households and area residents to take a broadband speed test in order to help determine what areas in Minnesota need updating. Now more than ever we need to make sure we have the best speed. Please take this 30 second speed test that will reveal what service you have and if it has adequate bandwidth, especially to support online learning.
Click on this link http://mnruralbroadbandcoalition.com/speedtest.
If you complete your address it makes the results better. If you do not have any internet connection, filling out your address will identify that location on the map with a black dot and that is also important information. The results of the speed test will help secure a broadband connection for our area.
Please share as anyone can take the test. In fact, the more the better. If you have previously taken this speed test, you would not need to do it again, but it will not hurt to do it twice. Thank you!
We have a couple of positions available from a basketball coach, cafeteria assistant, to tutors and youth development specialist with training provided... check it out at https://www.isd698.org/employment-opportunities--54
Parents/Guardians,
One of the biggest differences between this back to school season and last year’s is the importance of face coverings and masks. Nearly all school-age children can and should wear a mask at school to protect themselves and others.
Even though back to school time is much different this year, we have tips to help parents and kids make the most of the school year. We need your help getting the kids used to the new normal of wearing a face covering.
Things you can do to help encourage wearing a mask: https://5il.co/jrzo
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 698
FLOODWOOD, MINNESOTA
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE SCHOOL BOARD
Thursday, August 20, 2020, 7:45PM
Media Center & via Google Meet:
meet.google.com/fve-zuns-ads
Phone: 1-252-776-9064 PIN: 420 377 496#
AGENDA
1. Call to Order of special meeting and roll call of Board Member attendance.
2. Consider Resolution relating to determining the necessity of approving a new referendum revenue authorization and a capital project levy authorization and calling a special election and referendum thereon (deadline for November 3rd election is 8/21/20)
3. Second Reading of 522- Student Sex Nondiscrimination
4. Adjournment
Earlier this week we had a parent informational meeting both in person and via Google Meets. Here is a recording of that meeting https://youtu.be/VBzR0SpVS80 and some Q&A’s https://5il.co/jiw4 from that meeting. If you have any other questions, please email attendance@isd698.org.
Parents are asked to screen their child every morning before sending them to school using the screening checklist which is outlined in the Q&A.
Please watch for an updated school supply list to be published to the website soon. We are also in the process of changing our back to school forms to be all or mostly online. Next week we plan to email preschool families with enrollment forms and Mrs. Bartsch will be reaching out to the Kindergarten families. If you do not get any information by Friday, August 21st, please email attendance@isd698.org as maybe we do not have current contact information for you. You can always check your Campus Portal to see what we have listed for you and what you have selected as preferences for communications.
The MSHSL has made a change to the sports schedule. There will not be any football or volleyball games this fall, but there may be a plan to have training in the fall (pending coaches’ approval) with games in the spring instead. More information will be coming out about what that looks like.
Here is a link to the PreSchool Calendar https://5il.co/h8ox and K-12 Calendar https://5il.co/clcq .
Thank you in advance for your patience as we work through these uncharted areas. Take care!
Attention Parents/Guardians,
Last Wednesday all families (Prek through 12th grade) should have received an email with a link to a survey for pre-registration. If you didn’t already fill it out, please do so today. We need to hear from you in order to help us plan for school opening on September 8th.
If you have questions regarding the restarting of school plan, we will have an informational meeting tomorrow at 4PM in the media center. If you prefer to join virtually, a Google Meet link is attached to today’s email to you and it will be available on the website as well.
If you have questions, but are not able to attend the meeting, please email your questions to attendance@isd698.org.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to plan and organize for the start of the school year!
Meeting ID
meet.google.com/ocv-edvu-bbe
Phone Numbers
(US)+1 402-322-2160
PIN: 265 227 269#
Attention Parents/Guardians: A pre-registration form was just sent to you via email, text, and Campus Portal. Please help us in our back to school planning by completing the form online by August 10th. If you have any questions, please contact attendance@isd698.org. Thank you in advance!
Dear Parents/Guardians,
As you may have heard, Governor Walz gave school districts the option to choose how they would open in the fall. He gave us guidelines to help us make a good decision. Based on the guidelines, Floodwood School District will open with everyone in the building. The district has been working on the three plans (in-person with everyone in the building, distance learning for everyone, and a hybrid model of in-person and distance learning) since the middle of July. The three plans were discussed and approved at the school board meeting on July 27th.
The district is ready to implement each plan depending on changes in the number of COVID-19 cases in Saint Louis County. At this point in time, we will have all students and staff in the building. However, it is an option for your family to choose Distance Learning rather than coming into the building.
As you read through the Restart Blueprint (link: https://5il.co/j57d ), you will find a comprehensive school plan. It will answer some of your questions. I am planning on a meeting on August 11th at 4:00 p.m. in the media center to address questions not answered in the Restart Blueprint. I will offer a virtual option to attend the meeting for those not comfortable with coming into the building.
A pre-registration form will be emailed and available on social media to help us plan. Please complete the form by August 10th.
If you have questions, but aren't able to attend the meeting, please email your questions to attendance@isd698.org.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to plan and organize for the start of the school year!
Dr. Rae Villebrun
Superintendent/Principal
Floodwood School: Preparing all students to succeed.
Interested in running for School Board? Individuals may file for candidacy NOW during the filing period (July 28th - August 11th) for the November 3rd Election. The deadline to apply is 5PM on Tuesday, August 11th. The office will be open 8AM-5PM on August 11th.
To make an appointment to apply on a different day, please contact Lois Persons at 476-2285 ext. 70108 or lpersons@isd698.org.
MSBA Candidate Guide: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/793872/RunningForSchoolBoard_brochure.pdf For more information, go to: https://www.isd698.org/o/floodwood-school/browse/143104
Floodwood ISD 698 is seeking a PreK-12 School Secretary to work approx. 200 days a year starting 8/18/20. Candidate must be dependable, able to work under pressure and multi-task, be confidential, organized with attention to detail, proficient in computer/technical skills, acquire accounts payable experience, with the ability to work independently and as a part of a team. Wage relative to position. Two year post-secondary education or experience in a school setting preferred. Position closes 8/13/20 or until filled.
For more information and to apply, go to https://www.isd698.org/employment-opportunities--54
The Floodwood School District #698 does not discriminate based on sex, disability, race, color, and national origin.
Today, we’d like to honor City Administrator, Jess Rich, on her last day at City Hall. Thank you for your years of service to the City of Floodwood. We wish you all the best on your next adventure. They are lucky to have you!
Parents and Guardians,
The link to the document describing the three plans for what Floodwood School may look like in the fall is below. This document is fluid and may be changed based on student need and new information from the Minnesota Department of Education or Governor Walz's plan.
Please send any comments or concerns to attendance@isd698.org. We will be scheduling a parent meeting as a way for open discussion.
Together, we will make the plan work for our students.
Rae Villebrun, Superintendent/Principal
https://5il.co/iu13
