Divide County School District

DCE Distance Learning Schedule Good afternoon DCE Families! I would like to give you some basic information so you can start making plans for distance learning. Not every detail is ready to go yet, but here are some basics to help you get some planning started: LIVE Class - Attendance Required Monday - Thursday ONLY Except for 10/9 - There WILL be LIVE instruction this Friday. Friday will only be for students who need additional assistance from their teacher, or have an intervention time scheduled that day. K – 9:00 - 10:30 1 – 9:00 – 10:30 2 – 9:00 - 11:00 3 – 9:00 - 11:00 4 – 9:00 – 11:30 5 – 9:00 - 12:00 6 – 9:00 – 12:00 Please note that these blocks of time WILL include short, frequent breaks to allow students time to get re-energized and stay focused. Music/PE/Library - There will not an assigned required time to participate. However, there will be a weekly video posted with viewing required. PE will require a weekly activity log and Music will have a brief required follow up activity to the once weekly video. These will be used as part of this quarter's grading for music and PE. Band - 6th Grade band will include individual virtual lessons. 5th grade band is on hold. Student Contact Time: Each student will receive at least 1 individual contact throughout the week. Teacher Office Hours: Teachers will be available for parent or student emails, calls, video calls, etc, during the hours of 1:00-4:00. Please contact them whenever your child needs help. We can schedule a block of time to provide extra help with work during office hours if needed. Counselor: Our guidance counselor is available to all students.

DCSD will be making breakfast and lunches available for pick-up beginning Monday, October 12 during distance learning. To sign-up, call the district office at 701-965-6313 by Friday at 12 noon.

Due to the school transitioning to distance learning, the flu shot clinics scheduled for DCE & DCHS have been cancelled. We are checking to see if this will be rescheduled.

Devices (iPads or Chromebooks) will be sent home with all students today for distance learning. Each student has been assigned a device along with charger cords. Please make sure all items are taken care of and returned when on-campus learning resumes. Thank you!

Dear DCSD Families, As you are aware, our community is experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases. At both DCE and DCHS, we are recording very high numbers of student and staff absences due to COVID related incidents. In order to protect student, staff, and community health, we feel it is necessary for our schools to begin distance learning for a period of two weeks. School will dismiss at regular time today, Wednesday, October 7. Distance learning will begin on Friday, October 9 and continue through Wednesday, October 21. Classes will resume on campus on Monday, October 26, assuming that COVID circumstances have subsided and it is safe and feasible to return to in-person instruction. During this period of distance learning, it is imperative for all students and their families to take extra measures and precautions to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community. If everyone does their part to slow the spread, we can get our students back in the building after the two-week quarantine. This time is not intended for students to be gathering outside of school, which will defeat the purpose. Please stay home, continue to practice good hygiene, social distance, and wear a mask. Everyone’s efforts are necessary to get our students back in school. All extra-curricular activities and practices will be suspended until October 21. Our heartfelt concerns go out to our students, staff, and community members who are experiencing COVID related illnesses at this time. We wish you all a speedy recovery!

COVID-19 UPDATE: There have been positive COVID-19 cases identified at both DCE and DCHS. It is very likely that members of the community are hearing pieces of information that may or may not be accurate. Please take note that the school is required to follow the NDDOH protocol when notifying families regarding any of these incidents involving the school. The information provided by NDDOH sometimes appears to conflict with what the public understands about the contact tracing and quarantining process. Consequently, in some instances in school, students have been required to quarantine at home for 14 days, while other students, who may be perceived as close contacts, are not required to quarantine, but instead self-monitor, or maybe no extra precautions are required. This is because every situation is unique. Several factors are taken into consideration when the NDDOH is working with the school COVID team to determine level of contact. Some of these factors include social distancing efforts, amount of time spent with the positive case, whether or not both parties were wearing masks, and when the infectious period began. Unfortunately, there are times that the public may become aware of an incident before the school can officially notify affected families due to NDDOH, FERPA, and HIPAA protocols that the school must adhere to. During the investigation of reported cases, the school takes allowable precautions to protect all students and staff until final notifications can be made. This investigation is a careful process to ensure the health and safety of all involved and takes time. Some cases take longer than others to complete. We apologize for any confusion and frustration you may experience. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we continue to manage new circumstances for our school and community.

There will be no Elementary volleyball practice tomorrow and no scrimmage on October 12th.

School COVID Close Contacts: In "close contact" situations involving the school classroom/teams/clubs you will be contacted by the school through a letter. The NDDOH works closely with the school COVID team to determine who the close contacts are and the notification is made by the school. Families will not be contacted by a contact tracer from the NDDOH when the case involves the school. The exception to this would be if your contact with the positive case was outside of the school in a social setting.

Volleyball has postponed all matches Elem, JH,C,JV, V at this. We are looking into rescheduling. Stay tuned for updates.

Due to Covid related reasons all volleyball matches from Oct. 6-16, 2020 have been postponed. We are working on rescheduling, more information to come.

Attention Grades 9-12 Volleyball Families: Please make sure to view the information that was sent home with players today.

Attention 5th Grade Parents: Please check your email this evening regarding an important notice for 5th grade families. Thank you!

Divide County Maroons Weekly Activities Oct. 5-10, 2020 Mon. Oct. 5 FB RayPL @ DC JH/JV Football JH 5:00 JV 6:00 Tues. Oct. 6 VB Powers Lake @ DC Elem. 4:00, JH 5:00, JV 6:00, V 7:00 Thur. Oct. 8 VB Tioga @ DC JH 3:00, JH 4:00, C 5:00, JV 6:00, V 7:00 Fri. Oct. 9 FB DC @ Trenton V 7:00 Sat. Oct. 10 JH FB DC v. TGU JH 11:30 AM (Game will be played at Mohall)

DCE will be hosting their annual influenza (flu) clinic on Thursday October 8 between the hours of 9 and 3. Information from UMDHU went home with students yesterday. The vaccine consent form needs to be completed and returned by Monday October 5. The school letter and consent form are located in the documents section of the school website/app if your students form did not make it home. https://5il.co/lqzw https://5il.co/lqzy. If you have any questions please call 701-965-6324.

DCSD make-up day for school pictures will be held on October 1st between 9 & 10 at the elementary school. This is for Pre-K students enrolled in DCE, virtual students enrolled in DCSD, enrolled students that were absent for picture day and any newly enrolled students. If you have any questions please call the elementary school office at 965-6324.

Homecoming Week! September 28-October 2

Attention Please: Grades 9-12 volleyball practice will now be held tomorrow after school. Do to the cancellation of the elementary games.

Monday’s Elementary volleyball games vs Trenton have been cancelled. Our next practice will be Wednesday, September 30th at the Elementary School.

DCE Homecoming Week Dress-Up Days!

DCSD has just been notified that ALL volleyball games scheduled for tonight vs. Trinity Christian in Williston have been cancelled.