Hortonville Area School District - Parent Communication

HASD Update - April 3, 2020

Dear HASD families,

The Hortonville Area School district will be sending weekly communication to our parents and guardians to make sure you have the latest information during the COVID-19 school closure.

On March 18^th, Governor Tony Evers directed that “all schools should remain closed for instructional and extracurricular activities for the duration of the public health emergency or until a subsequent order lifts this specific restriction.” The previous anticipated re-opening date of April 6th has been rescinded.
Our district is committed to continuity of learning during the closure. We know this is a different way of learning and are here to helping you. We have two call centers that are staffed during business hours to support you and your students. If you have a need for technical support, please call 920-779-7942. If your student needs academic support, please call 920-779-7943. If you have any questions, concerns or feedback, we encourage you to contact your school principal.
The Hortonville Area School District will be providing free pre-packaged meals (both breakfast and lunch) to children while schools are closed. All children in the community age 18 and under can participate in this program (this includes both public and private students). To make a request, call the call center one day in advance of the day you would like a meal. The call center can be reached at 920-779-7924, and will be in operation from 8:00 a.m. until noon, Monday through Friday. Food will be delivered on APRIL 10^th.
The district is observing strict social distancing. Therefore, all schools have closed the front office, but phone calls are being processed by work at home employees. Please do not attempt to enter the buildings. Parents and families will not be allowed to enter district buildings to retrieve student items. We will communicate a process when it becomes known.
April 9 had previously been scheduled as a professional development day but is now a digital learning day. This means your children will be getting assignments through Canvas on that day. No instruction will be given on April 10th, 2020.
The United States Department of Education has waived the requirement of standardized testing this spring. Therefore, there will be no Wisconsin Forward or STAR assessment given.

We want you to know we care about your child and family. We know this is not an easy time for anyone and want to share some resources you may find helpful in these trying times: https://casel.org/covid-resources/ Please stay safe and well.

Food Service Update During School Closure - March 17, 2020

Hortonville Area School District

March 17, 2020

This is an announcement regarding food service for students of the Hortonville Area School District.

The information that follows can also be found on the District website.

Beginning on Thursday, March 19, the Hortonville Area School District will be providing free meals to students while schools are closed due to the current pandemic situation. These meals are available to enrolled students of the District, ages 18 and under. Meals will be available to all children 18 and under in the household as long as one child attends HASD. In order to know how much food to prepare and how much food to have available at each pick up location, we have established a call center.

In order to request a meal for your child or children:

Call the call center one day in advance of the day you would like a meal. The call center can be reached at 920-779-7924, and will be in operation from 8:00 a.m. until noon, Monday through Friday. For example, you will need to place a call on Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. until noon to request a meal for your child or children for Thursday. You will need to indicate the number of meals you need and indicate the location where the food will be picked up. Location information is noted below.
All meals will come pre-packed in a lunch bag, commonly referred to as a “grab and go” lunch, and will be available Monday through Friday. Lunches will consist of a cold sandwich, fruit, vegetable, and milk. There will only be one menu choice per day. Menu choices may be listed on the District website in the future.
Meals will not be available during the HASD scheduled spring break, March 23 through March 27. We will resume service on Monday, March 30. If you wish to request a lunch for Monday, March 30, please inform the call center on this Friday, March 20.
Two district buildings will be used and we will have off-site drop off areas as noted below. All deliveries to off-site locations will be made using a school district bus.

Locations -

Site	Time	Location
Greenville Elementary	11:30-12:30	Main Door
Hortonville High School	11:30-12:30	Main Door
Cottages On Main in Hortonville, 818 W. Main	11:30-12:00	Parking Lot
Michael Ritger and Birch Street, Hortonville	12:05-12:30	Corner of Ritger and Birch
Baake & Mill Street, Hortonville	11:30-12:00	Intersection Area
St. Paul’s Church, Stephensville, Mason Street	11:30-12:00	Parking Lot
Trinity Church, Hwy O	12:05-12:30	Parking Lot
St. Edwards, Mackville	11:30-12:00	Parking Lot
Country Crossing, Greenville, Hwy BB	11:30-12-30	Main Office Parking Area
Immanuel, Greenville, North & Julius	11:30-12:00	Parking Lot
Redwing & Craftsmen, Greenville	12:10-12:30	Intersection Area

Additional updates may follow as we move forward. Please visit the HASD website for the latest updates during this school closure period.

HASD School Closure Update - March 16, 2020

March 16, 2020

Dear Hortonville Area School District Parents and Guardians:

We are thankful for your patience and understanding as we work through meeting the needs of students in these uncertain times.

This document addresses key components of your student’s learning plan for the upcoming weeks. The Hortonville Area School District facilities will be closed to students beginning on Tuesday, March 17^th.

Plans are in place to provide Distance Learning at home for students during the school closure as shown in the schedule below:

Student Schedule

March 16^th- Students are attending school as usual

March 17^th- No School for students-Staff preparation day-Student tutorials available on Canvas

March 18^th-March 20^th-Distance Learning Days for Students

March 23^rd- March 27^th-HASD Closed-Spring Break

March 30^th-April 3^rd-Distance Learning Days for Students

Minimum Student Expectations

The district recognizes that the minutes outlined below are minimum expectations for students during the closure. We encourage students to continue physical activity, music practice, drawing, and reading during this time.

Kindergarten-2^nd Grade-Minimum of one hour of learning per school day

3^rd Grade-5^th Grade-Minimum of two hours of learning per school day

6^th Grade-12^th Grade-Minimum of three hours of learning per school day

Teachers and other professional staff are available to provide resources and work digitally with students and families throughout the school closure. will provide resources on Canvas and answer questions via email on the Canvas learning management system. 4K and elementary students also received learning go kits to take home with them on Friday, March 13^th. Middle school and high school students were also asked to bring home course resources on Friday.

If students need to collaborate, we encourage students to work digitality to comply with social distancing which is recommended by the CDC. “Social distancing” is a described infection control measure emphasized by public health officials to stop or slow down the spread of a highly contagious illness. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) social distancing is one of the best strategies in preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

While your student is out of school, please consider the following:

Practice staying 6 feet away from others when able
Avoid any large gatherings, including malls, movie theatres, adventure parks, or any other location that would require close contact with others
Consider video-chatting with friends and family rather than meeting in public places

If you develop symptoms of cough, fever, or shortness of breath, contact your physician.

Medications and Health Related Items

If your student receives medication or other health-related items at school and you will need them during the school closure, please stop at the school office Monday, March 16^th-Friday, March 20^th, between 730 a.m.-400 p.m., to pick them up. We are unable to send medication home with students.

How to contact Staff

All Staff members including administrators, school counselors, paraprofessionals, aides and teachers will be checking their emails regularly. The link below allows you to search for any district employee.

https://www.hasd.org/staff-directory.cfm

If you have any other questions, please contact your building’s main office which will be open during regular hours. Building administrators will be in daily to answer questions.

Food

A Skylert message will be forthcoming outlining a potential student food program that may become available.

Device Procedure

If you have previously requested a device. Device checkouts will be available on Tuesday, March 17^th from 8am-6pm at your child’s school.

The district is currently working on acquiring additional MiFi devices and district staff will reach out to people who inquired previously.

Spectrum is currently offering 60 days of internet service for families in their service area. The phone number to enroll in this program is 1-844-488-8395.

Student Canvas access information (Digital learning portal)

Canvas can be accessed by visiting www.hasd.org and click the Canvas link.

Students are asked to login daily to Canvas to view course content, progress, and feedback. The following steps is your student’s daily checklist in Canvas.

Use your username (with @hasd.org at the end) and password used for school computer use
Submit assignments
Keep track of course work with to do lists and calendar
Send and receive messages to the teacher for support
Receive push notifications for new feedback, course updates, and much more

Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource

A new type of coronavirus, abbreviated COVID-19, is causing an outbreak of respiratory (lung) disease. It was first detected in China and has now been detected internationally. While the immediate health risk in the United States is low, it is important to plan for any possible outbreaks if the risk level increases in the future. These are uncertain times for everyone, especially children. Here are some resources that may be helpful to you as parents.

Additional Resource Links:

For the latest coronavirus information and updates:

Just for Kids:

A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus by Malaka Gharib, Editor NPR. Download and print a comic book or a 3 min. Podcast for listening.
Brain Pop Coronavirus

Your continued support as we maneuver the current school closure is greatly appreciated. We are excited to have our students back in our buildings as soon as it is safely possible.

Hortonville Area School District

UPDATE - Spectrum number correction - March 13, 2020

Spectrum number correction. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395.

Parents may contact Charter for free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription at any service level up to 100 Mbps. Installation fees will be waived for new student households. Parents may contact your child’s school office staff to request a computer or Internet MIFI device if they do not have such resources at home. School officials will document and assist with requests.

The original announcement listed an incorrect Spectrum number. Sorry for the confusion.

UPDATE - School Closure Announcement - March 13, 2020

Good Evening HASD parents,

Governor Evers ordered the state closure of public and private schools. Hortonville Area School District will be open for students and staff on Monday, March 16th. The district will be closed to students beginning on Tuesday, March 17th. All school-based activities are cancelled during the closure. The anticipated reopening date from state government is to be determined.

As part of our ongoing commitment to live our mission of “ensuring that all students learn at the highest level,” educators today worked to provide a variety of resources to ensure your child continues to have access to a great education due to this event. So today, we asked teachers to send home educational materials. You might hear your child refer to them as “Learning Go Kits.” Students in higher grades were asked to bring home textbooks and other critical learning materials as well. Thank you for taking great care of these resources and returning materials in the condition they were sent in.

Additionally, each child will have access to an online learning management system called “Canvas” where you and/or your child will be able to access additional educational resources and experiences. Login information for students K-4 will come in the Learning Go Kits and students in grades 5-12 will use the same username and password they use to access school computers. Assessment of learning will continue through Canvas, so it will be important to login and support a continuation of learning.

Students who receive special services will be supported by the classroom teacher and educational specialists within Canvas. Specially designed instruction that is committed through any students’ Individual Educational Plan will be provided via Canvas. Parents of the students who are physically or academically unable to benefit from online learning, or students receiving services that cannot be provided virtually, will be individually contacted by the Director of Pupil Services, Lori Smits. Compensatory services will be provided at a mutually agreeable time between parents and the school district.

We are being as proactive as possible to find ways for HASD students to be engaged in learning without physically being at school. For families without Internet access at home, parents may contact Charter for free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription at any service level up to 100 Mbps. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households. Parents may contact your child’s school office staff to request a computer or Internet MIFI device if they do not have such resources at home. School officials will document and assist with requests.

Thank you for your continued cooperation during this process.

UPDATE - Access to Technology - March 13, 2020

As part of the HASD Pandemic Plan, HASD will provide a continuity of learning in the event of an extended school closure. HASD will provide computers and Internet MIFI devices for families without such resources at home. For planning purposes only, please notify your school office staff if you do not have a computer and Internet services at home.

UPDATE - March 12, 2020

February 28th we updated you on the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Hortonville Area School District holds the well-being, health and safety of our students as our highest priority and feel it is important to share updates with you. HASD administrators and staff are continuing to monitor the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak locally, across the United States and globally. Information is changing rapidly, and new guidelines are coming from the CDC, Wisconsin Department of Health, and Outagamie County Health Department. We are staying briefed on new information as it becomes available and are in continual communication with public health officials. We will keep our families updated as new information arises.

Emergency Planning

HASD has been working together to develop a pandemic plan that aligns with COVID-19. This pandemic plan addresses what is done before, during, and after a potential outbreak, and will provide guidance if an outbreak of COVID-19 occurs in the area schools and community.

Travel

It is essential we share current travel recommendations we have received from the Department of Health and Human Services as well as the CDC in regard to how spring break and other upcoming travels could impact future school attendance for your students. The current recommendation is that “people who travel to places where there is community spread of COVID-19 (international and domestic locations) are asked to self-quarantine and monitor for symptoms for 14 days. If symptoms of fever, cough, or difficulty breathing are present, individuals should contact their local health department and health care provider for possible testing. People should call ahead before arriving at the health care facility for testing.” This would include layovers and airport visits in states considered to have community spread. In these situations, your student should not return to school until the recommended quarantine period is over. Please see the following link and review the state level spread to determine if self-quarantine is needed: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html

Families of students attending the Hawaii band trip will receive further communication, the communication will be sent by the end of the day.

Precautionary Measures

Public Health officials continue to recommend that the best approach to addressing COVID-19 is to take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of respiratory disease which includes influenza and COVID-19. The CDC recommends the annual influenza vaccination for everyone 6 months and older. Other actions include:

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water
Help your students to wash their hands well
Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing
Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms
Keep children at home when:
- Fever of 100.0 degrees or greater
- Persistent cough
- Shortness of breath
- Additional HASD Illness Guidelines

Health Services staff will continue to follow our current Health Services Guidelines around fever, cough and sore throat. If a student presents with these symptoms, they will be advised to go home and return to school 24 hours after they are fever free. If a student is determined ill and must go home, we are requiring that a parent or representative pick up the child within 30 minutes.

Our custodial staff is providing cleaning to our school per guidelines determined by the CDC.

Continuity of Learning

HASD continues to prepare if the current situation would change to require school closure. Due to this possibility we are working to provide online learning for students. For families without internet and/or computers, devices and internet hotspots will be available for check out. Again, more information on this process will be provided if school is to be closed.

Talking to Your Student - Information from National Association of School Psychologists

Here are some suggestions for talking with your children regarding COVID-19:

Stick to the facts. It can be scary to hear about a disease outbreak but learning the facts can help ease your mind.
Help the student remain calm and assure them their risk is low.
Remind your family that it is best to be prepared in difficult situations.
It is important to avoid assumptions or stereotypes about who you think might be sick. Viruses cannot target people from specific populations, ethnicities, or racial backgrounds. A person’s race does not make them more or less likely to be sick or to get sick.
The following website is a great resource for parents addressing your children’s needs. https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-(coronavirus)-a-parent-resource

Additional Resource Links:

For the latest coronavirus information and updates:
Just for Kids:
- A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus by Malaka Gharib, Editor NPR. Download and print a comic book or a 3 min. Podcast for listening.
- Brain Pop Coronavirus