What's New at Eisenhower Elementary

First up in today’s update, an important informational note: We continue to receive many messages and inquiries regarding online learning moving forward. This is an issue that school districts across the state are currently wrestling with and seeking guidance on. This afternoon, we learned from the Iowa Department of Education that a state task force is being formed on this issue that will meet later this week. We will look forward to receiving additional guidance and clarity from this task force as we continue to move forward with providing resources to our families and students.

Today, as we provide this update, we also take a moment to simply pause, breathe and focus.

As we have long said, it is truly the people who make the Dubuque Community School District amazing – and that has never been truer than in these times of uncertainty.

Our world today is different than it was a week ago, and we want to assure you that we are working tirelessly to provide resources, support and comfort as we face this challenge together.

As you read this message,

• administrators and teachers from across the district are preparing educational resources for students and are working to roll those out to families in the next few days
• district staff and many community partners are preparing meals to serve students throughout our community, all at no-cost
• custodians are busy deep-cleaning our school buildings
• central office staff are ensuring that critical functions such as payroll, accounts payable, technology infrastructure and more continue to operate
• counselors are preparing resources to support the emotional well-being of our families
• teachers have or will be reaching out families to check-in
• parents are adjusting schedules and helping students continue learning at home
• our community is rallying around those who are most vulnerable

Many questions remain – some we can answer now, and others that we are working to answer. Some answers may change over time. We are with you in navigating this new, unknown territory.

While we won’t always have an immediate answer to every question we receive, we can tell you with unwavering certainty that our entire district is wholly focused on the education, safety, health and wellbeing of the students and families we serve.

We take great pride and responsibility in being a critical community link and we are grateful for your support and partnership as we move forward.

The Dubuque Community School District is not, and will never be, simply a collection of buildings. Our schools are the collective of our students, families, staff and community members who provide critical services for our students.

We will work through COVID-19 together, we will continue to provide you with updates from the district for as long as necessary, and we will look with hope to the day we can learn and serve together in person.

Look for our regular updates and additional information to resume tomorrow.

Here are the latest updates from the Dubuque Community School District:

SOCIAL DISTANCING IS CRITICAL TO FLATTEN THE CURVE
At the time of this update, there are six confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Dubuque County. We again encourage all families, students, staff and community members to take steps to practice social distancing in order to “flatten the curve” and reduce the spread of coronavirus COVID-19. Everyone plays a role in helping. VIEW PREVENTION RESOURCES on our Coronavirus Webpage.

FOCUS ON WELLNESS
In addition to taking preventative measures to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, it is also important to be aware of the emotional wellbeing of your family during this pandemic. As a reminder, the Child Mind Institute has developed a resource called Talking to Kids About Coronavirus recommended by the American School Counseling Association that you may wish to use to support conversations with your student.

EDUCATIONAL DELIVERY
We continue to receive a number of questions about educational delivery during this time of closure, and many people are making comparisons to steps being taken by our neighbors in Illinois. It is important to note that at the time of this message, Iowa law does not allow for online delivery of instruction. This continues to be an evolving situation, and state and federal guidance are subject to change, but right now it is not possible for Iowa school districts to resume classes in a virtual format.

While guidance from the state prohibits the delivery of required instruction, our school administrators and educational support teams are working hard this week to provide suggested educational resources for students during this ever-changing situation.

MIDDLE SCHOOL OUTREACH BEGINNING TOMORROW
Beginning tomorrow, middle school teachers and staff will begin reaching out to families to connect during the closure. These calls will mostly be made from non-district numbers, so if you receive a call from an unknown or a blocked number, please consider answering it so we can connect with you.

Here are the latest updates from the Dubuque Community School District:

FIRST CONFIRMED CASE OF COVID-19 IN DUBUQUE COUNTY
Yesterday, March 19, the Dubuque County Public Health Incident Management Team announced that the first case of coronavirus COVID-19 was confirmed in Dubuque County. READ THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT.

We encourage all individuals to continue practicing recommended social distancing and prevention methods to help reduce spread of COVID-19.

VIEW PREVENTION RESOURCES on the district’s Coronavirus Update webpage.

STUDENT MEAL SERVICE BEGINS MONDAY
Beginning Monday, March 23, the district and a variety of community partners will offer no-cost GRAB-AND-GO meals each weekday (Monday-Friday) for individuals 18 and under (note that infant formula or food will not be available).

In addition to these sites, there are a number of organizations and food pantry sites serving those in need.

VIEW FOOD RESOURCES on the district’s Coronavirus Update webpage.

AP TEST UPDATE FROM COLLEGEBOARD
CollegeBoard, which offers AP Exams nationwide, provided an update this morning regarding its plans to offer an at-home testing option and to provide resources for student preparation. READ THE FULL AP UPDATE.

KINDERGARTEN WELCOME EVENTS CANCELLED
As with all other events in the district, the Kindergarten Welcome Events scheduled for March 31 have been cancelled. The district will reach out next week to families of students entering kindergarten next year with additional information about how to submit the necessary paperwork.

Here are the latest updates from the Dubuque Community School District:

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS

As mentioned in yesterday’s update, the district is working to provide enrichment resources for students during this closure and we know many families are anxious to have access to learning resources. At the same time, during this unconventional and stressful spring break, we hope you will take a moment to remember that our students have not yet lost any instruction. With so much going on around us, we also hope that you can find a chance to disconnect and recharge, even if only for a few moments.

We all desire to provide resources and information to families as quickly as possible. While seemingly easy on the surface, this issue is incredibly complicated and we have many teams working hard to provide resources.

As a large, complex district serving the needs of many student populations, we are focused on how we can provide educational resources in an equitable way that meets the needs of all students, while also meeting our legal requirements and navigating guidance from the state and federal Departments of Education.

While we can never match the education gained from being in school, know that we are committed to providing as many resources as possible to students. We are paying especially close attention to those students preparing for graduation this year to ensure that they remain on track to graduate.

We look forward to sharing additional information with you next week as it develops.

Here are the latest updates from the Dubuque Community School District:

ENRICHMENT RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES
As we reach the mid-point of our scheduled spring break week, our Educational Support Team is currently planning and compiling enrichment resources for parents to support keeping students engaged during this school closure. We plan to begin sharing these resources early next week. While we know nothing can replace the learning that happens within the strong relationships between our teachers and students, we hope these resources provide parents with a variety of fun, engaging learning opportunities for students at all levels. This will be a developing set of resources that will continue to grow over time.

PLEASE PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING
As this closure continues, public health officials continue to reinforce the importance of significant social distancing. During this time, the district encourages all students, families and staff to take this situation seriously, practice social distancing and eliminate all non-essential interactions with others.

DRIVER’S EDUCATION CANCELLED
There will be no driver’s education courses held during the shutdown period.

Here are the latest updates from the Dubuque Community School District:

STUDENT MEAL AVAILABILITY
We are pleased to share that the district and a number of community partners will provide meals for students during the school closure. These grab-and-go meals are available at no cost to any individual ages 18 and under (note that infant formula or food will not be available). Breakfast, lunch and dinner options are available throughout the community. VIEW THE FULL LIST OF LOCATIONS AND TIMES

STATE ACTION REGARDING MAKE-UP TIME
Late last night, the Iowa Legislature took official action to waive a school districts’ requirements to make up lost instructional time due to the coronavirus-related closure. At this point, we believe this action covers the closure in place through April 13. We will provide updates regarding the calendar for the remainder of the school year later in the closure.

MEDICATION PICK-UP: UPDATED TIMELINE
If you have a request to pick-up medication from school, please contact Lead Nurse Allie White at awhite@dbqschools.org by NOON ON MONDAY, MARCH 23 to schedule an appointment. For requests received after that time, the district will be in a reduced staffing mode and cannot guarantee the ability to obtain the medication.

Thank you to our families and staff for their patience and understanding as we move through these uncertain times. We are uplifted by the overall positivity and support shown by our families and community partners.

As a reminder, all schools are currently closed until Monday, April 13. We are working hard to answer all of your questions and appreciate your patience as information is developing and changing quickly. We also expect further guidance from the State of Iowa on a number of issues and will provide details as soon as we are able.

Here are the main updates for today:

DISTRICT ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
During this closure period, all school events and activities (both athletic and non-athletic) are cancelled, following guidance from the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union:

“All IHSAA and IGHSAU sports are now in a prohibited period for practice, competition, and sanctioned activity until the closure is lifted. This prohibition means no in-person contact between coaches/administrators and student-athletes for the duration of the period.”

NON-DISTRICT ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
All outside events and activities by rental permit holders in district facilities are also cancelled. The district will work directly with renters to refund any rental fees paid during this period.

MEDICINE PICK-UP AT SCHOOLS
Families with students who have medicine at school, and who need that medicine during the closure, can contact Lead Nurse Allie White at awhite@dbqschools.org to arrange a time to pick it up. Medication not needed over break will remain in the health office to be used following the closure.

MEALS FOR STUDENTS
School is a key provider of meals for many of our students – and we are committed to maintaining this resource during the closure. The district will begin providing meal options for students on Monday, March 23, with specific locations and times to be announced in the next few days. We are also collaborating with community partners who are providing meals and will collect and share information with families regarding all community meal options.

ACT EXAM CANCELLED
ACT announced this morning that the ACT exam scheduled for April 4 has been postponed to June 13, 2020.

Again, thank you for your continued support. Please continue to look for updates each day around 3 p.m. via email, on our Coronavirus Update Webpage and on our official district Facebook and Twitter channels. Also, please remember to look for the most accurate, up-to-date information on these official district channels and be conscious of the misinformation that is sometimes shared by other sources, especially on social media.

Tonight, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced that she is recommending that all Iowa schools close for four weeks to assist in reducing the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The district learned of this unprecedented move as the general public did, and we realize that you are likely to have questions. We share in many of those same questions and expect more details to be available tomorrow and over the next number of days.

Schools in the district will remain closed until April 13. Knowing that this decision was a possibility, our leadership team has been working diligently to prepare. We are finalizing our plans for this closure, which for the district begins impacting us next week following spring break. Throughout this situation, we will work hard to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date information possible.

While we have few details tonight about the implications of this closure, in these challenging times we can tell you that we will remain committed to serving our students, families and staff to the best of our ability.

As a reminder, we will plan to send an update to families and staff each day this week at 3 p.m. (at a minimum) and will post the most up-to-date information on our website at www.dbqschools.org/coronavirus.

Thank you for your continued support.

Eisenhower Express March 2020

Eisenhower Express February 2020