Dear D49 Family,

On Monday, September 28, we will continue our gradual return to in-person learning as we scale up to a 50 percent attendance capacity at D49’s “big three” traditional high schools, increasing from the current 25 percent capacity.

Public health data indicating positive or stable trends with overall improving conditions supports the decision to increase capacity. Our schools and departments are responding quickly and appropriately to presumed or confirmed positive cases of COVID-19. Even with quarantine disruptions and other considerations, the vast majority of in-person students and teachers have been successful at carrying on with in-person learning.

Welcoming more students to campuses of Falcon, Vista Ridge and Sand Creek high schools will address our observation that in-person classes work better when a critical mass of students are present to energize discussions or other class activities. In addition, stepping up to 50 percent is part of a long-term strategy for safely returning to full-population, full-schedule learning later this semester.

Schools will remain in close contact with families to provide specific planning and scheduling information. Please check our regular channels of communication for any updates.

Thank you for your attentiveness and commitment to making our Return to Learn safe and successful.

D49 is on track to continue our cautious and purposeful return to in-person learning by welcoming our middle and high school students back to campus in a hybrid model starting Monday, Sept 14. Although COVID-19 conditions in the larger community are still serious, the major indicators all point toward improving public health and low risk to students and adults. Even media reporting about isolated incidents of exposure and quarantine demonstrate that schools can operate safely, contain transmission, and adjust to E-learning status rapidly when that is the prudent option. 

(Edit: Many have asked if full-time E-learning is still an option for this semester. Yes, it is. Please contact your school for any questions.) 

To date, although we are taking the pandemic seriously by implementing precautionary quarantines, we have no evidence of any at-school transmission across El Paso County. Furthermore, an overwhelming majority of students and staff in area schools have been able to deliver in-person-learning without experiencing a quarantine or closure. When we decided to delay in early August, we were honoring the data and conditions at that time. Now, in early September, conditions have improved and we have observable evidence that schools can deliver safe, in-person learning. (Supporting data provided below)

Middle School Plan and Schedule Overview

• Students will return to in-person learning beginning the week of September 14.
• Middle school students will attend at a 50% rate in cohorts defined by alphabet and grade level.
• Zone priorities will dictate the need for school schedules and plans.
• Falcon Middle School has already begun distributing schedules and plans for in-person learning. The FMS cohorts will split A-J and K-Z.
• Horizon Middle School has already begun distributing schedules and plans for in-person learning to support a significant population of impacted students. The HMS cohorts will split A-L and M-Z.
• Skyview Middle School has already begun distributing schedules and plans for in-person learning. The SMS cohorts will split A-L and M-Z. 

	Falcon MS	Horizon MS	Skyview MS
Cohort	A-J	A-L	A-L
Cohort	K-Z	M-Z	M-Z

• Middle schools will follow a consistent schedule Monday through Thursday.
• Fridays will be flex days for independent learning, small group instruction, and specialized services for individual students.
• Students who currently attend most/all days of the week will continue to do so (such as program-based special education students).

High School Plan and Schedule Overview

• Students will return to in-person learning beginning the week of September 14.
• High school students will attend at a 25% rate in cohorts defined by alphabet.
• All three conventional high schools will follow the same basic schedule and plan.
• Schools will implement a two-week cycle of block scheduled classes Monday through Thursday.
• Fridays will remain a flex day for in-person and online support, intervention, tutoring, individualized student services, etc.
• Smaller and unconventional schools (PHS, PPEC, SSAE) will follow unique schedules (see details below in the iConnect Zone section).
• SAT assessment will occur on Wednesday, September 23, and Friday, September 25 will make up for the Wednesday in-person instruction.
• High schools will assign students to cohorts and provide schedules as soon as possible. 

	Falcon HS	Sand Creek HS	Vista HS
Cohort	A-D	A-E	A-D
Cohort	E-J	F-L	E-K
Cohort	K-P	M-R	L-Q
Cohort	Q-Z	S-Z	R-Z

• Students will attend in-person on a day scheduled for their cohort each week – Monday through Thursday.
• Students will attend online and on the same schedule (synchronously) for the rest of the week.
• A limited number of junior/senior level classes (which may include concurrent enrollment) will remain exclusively online to limit the number of students in the building at one time.
• Our intention is to increase in-person attendance to 50% of students after fall break – again, depending on county and district health data.
• Students who currently attend most/all days of the week will continue to do so (such as program-based special education students).

 iConnect Zone - District Operated Schools:

• The iConnect Zone district-operated schools (Falcon Homeschool Enrichment/Academic Program (FHP), Patriot High School (PHS), Pikes Peak Early College (PPEC), and Springs Studio for Academic Excellence (SSAE) will follow the district’s plan to bring small cohorts of students back into buildings.
• The iConnect Zone is purposeful in designing student schedules that allow for both remote and in-person learning and allow students to remain in cohorts while at school. Examples of in building cohort learning include: culinary and construction course work at PHS, staggered days for grade-level cohorts at SSAE and PPEC, small enrichment and academic support groups at the FHP, and intervention groups throughout the zone. Student groups who meet at schools are less than 25 per cohort. 
• The iConnect Zone district-operated schools will maximize the use of facility space five days a week. With rotating schedules, some staff will work from district facilities while others work remotely. This is more typical for SSAE, PPEC, and FHP where facilities are shared. PHS staff will operate out of the Falcon Legacy Campus five days a week with a prep/planning “flex” day scheduled for Fridays.
• Charter schools in the iConnect Zone will operate according to the plans established at each charter school location. Charter school plans are available at the school as well as on the school website. 

Supporting Data

Our plan reflects county and district health data with improving levels and beneficial trends. On the key population health measures, this is the status as of Friday (9/4) morning:

Public Health Data from El Paso County and District 49 as of September 4

• Key Measure #1:  14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better

Rating:  Acceptable Level with Improving Trend

The case rate has declined from a high of 157, to today’s level of 65. While still in the “High” range (50-100) it is significant that we are below the “Very High” band and well on our way toward medium. The level is still a concern, but the trend is improving. If we continue the trajectory of declining cases, we will cross under the 50-case benchmark into the medium band sometime in mid-September—just as D49 returns to in-person learning for 3-12th grade. Of note, El Paso County measured 1,157 active (contagious stage) cases on July 27. One month later, that number is down to 466.  CAVEAT: Regional return-to-school dynamics and the Labor Day holiday will almost certainly impact the levels and trends, so we anticipate the positive trend may slow down, flatten out, or even reverse slightly. We will be monitoring very closely.

• Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better

Rating:  Very Good Level with Stable Trend

The test positivity rate is at 3.69% today, under the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so being under 5% is good. The long-term trend and level are both positive. CAVEAT: The new testing site at the Citadel Mall might cause some daily spikes to this measure as more people are tested.

• Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Capacity

Rating:  Very Good Level with Stable Trend

This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Over the last 14 days, EPC has tracked 28 hospitalizations and 6 deaths, numbers that, while concerning and tragic, are well within the county’s health capacity to care and support. The county only recently (9/3) began reporting an overall measure and rating for hospital capacity, which provides more specific and accurate information for our decisions.

• District Incident Data

Rating:  Acceptable Level with Improving Trend

Over the past 14 days District 49 has tracked and traced 3 incidents of confirmed COVID-19 infections at our district-operated and chartered schools within district boundaries. Although we have hundreds of staff and students in our schools daily, we have not tracked a single incident of transmission at a district school or other facility. We continue to follow best practices for tracking, reporting, and precautionary quarantines consistent with public health guidelines.

 

49 Voices for High School and Middle School

In addition, in the past week we gathered input on our secondary return to learn proposals from our staff and middle and high school families through two robust conversations hosted by the crowdsourcing platform Thought Exchange, receiving more than 2,000 original thoughts from approximately 1,200 and 1,400 participants respectively. Just over half of those participants in both conversations rated thoughts, showing their support for comments that align with their perspectives about our approach to return to in-person learning. The thoughts and ratings aggregate into the following general themes:  

• Support Plan For In-Person Learning

Comments in this theme generally supported the general idea of returning to in-person learning either as soon as possible or on a gradual basis as described in the plan. Many who support in-person learning also support the option for some families to choose E-learning. Many of the concepts that informed this plan were derived from suggestions and comments collected during August Thought Exchange sessions with families and staff, especially a frequent recommendation to adopt a hybrid or blended model as we transition back to full-time, in-person learning.

• Plan Is Unclear, Inconsistent Or Complicated

Comments in this theme observe aspects of the plan that are complicated or unclear--especially aspects of attending based on cohorts in a rotating schedule. Although individual school plans and even individual student schedules will add clarity, there is no question that a transitional configuration (hybrid or blended) will be more complicated than a configuration of 100% E-learning or 100% in-person learning. We believe that complexity is a necessary constraint permitting a more cautious and gradual return to in-person learning. Many comments in this theme call for an immediate and absolute return to full-time, full-population, in-person learning, but we judge that a graduated return will be safer and more sustainable than a full-scale launch.

• COVID-19 Health Concerns

Most of the comments in this theme echo larger community concerns about the spread, severity, or prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The most intense objections under this theme correlate strongly with families that intend to remain in E-learning for the full semester, so the theme validates our plan to continue offering a fully online E-learning option.

• Hybrid Learning Is Too Problematic

A majority of the comments in this theme (which was both the top number and top-rated theme overall) observe the difficulty of teaching to a dual audience of in-person and online students. Participants pointed out the challenges associated with managing in-person and online classrooms at the same time. Some described the challenges of teaching, parenting, and working while managing rotating schedules. Many of the examples addressed the limitations on performing arts, science labs, or specialized instruction. We do not disagree that a blended model will limit options and quality for some learning activities, which is why we are planning and positioning this as a transition plan, aimed at returning us to full-time, full-population, in-person learning. While undesirable, we consider those limitations a necessary tradeoff to begin our return to in-person learning. Others, especially teachers, pointed out that effective instructional methods for online learning differ from effective methods for in-person learning. In our responses, we grant that hybrid learning presents instructional and scheduling challenges. It is not the model we advocate for large-scale instruction. However, we believe the hybrid model is a safe and necessary transitional form as we return to a primary mode of in-person learning.

• Recommend An Alternative Proposal 

A limited, but significant number of comments suggested an alternative way of forming cohorts, or rotating class schedules. Some of the suggestions address student and teacher cohorts, while others recommended different schedules to separate students into small-size cohorts.

 

Overall Report: We value your feedback and we have used it to refine our proposal into a return to learn plan. Although Thought Exchange limits responses to 600 characters for each thought, we engaged and provided deeper context by responding to the ten top-rated thoughts in each conversation. You are welcome to view all the thoughts as well as our responses to top thoughts by following the links below:

HS Conversation: 

MS Conversation 

Dear D49 Families, 

We are pleased to announce School District 49 will provide meals at no cost for all learners through December. This is an official extension of the service that began at the outset of E49 this spring, which is fully supported by the United States Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch and Breakfast Program. D49 will continue to offer grab-and-go meals for families who choose to learn remotely. 

We will provide grab-and-go meals from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Monday through Friday at the following locations through Sept. 11 (excluding Sept. 4 and 7): 

• Horizon Middle School - 
• Skyview Middle School - 
• Falcon High School -  

Starting Sept. 14, families who choose remote learning will soon have the opportunity to order meals ahead of time at the nutrition services webpage and to select the most convenient pick up location. Families with students at multiple schools may pick up all meals at the school of your choice. We will be sending out the reservation website information soon. 

And a reminder, We will not be offering meal service Friday, Sept. 4, and Monday, Sept. 7, due to the Labor Day holiday.

Thank you for your time and attention. Please continue to watch our regular channels of communication for updates, and email questions to Monica Deines-Henderson at md-h@d49.org 

 

Sincerely, 

Monica Deines-Henderson

Director of Nutrition Services 

Thought Exchange for Seconday Return-to-Learn Proposals

On Wednesday, August 26, the Board of Education reviewed a proposal for middle and high school students to return to in-person learning.

The proposals (below), along with the health conditions that support them, are included in the Thought Exchange online forum links. Your important feedback will help us develop our best plan from these proposals.  

Balancing safety, quality, and choice is difficult, but your thoughts and ratings give us the best possible chance to calibrate our decisions properly. 

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018 As always, we value the Voice of the Workforce to help shape our planning process. Thanks for sharing your insights and priorities for middle and high school return to learn.

 

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018All in-person learning depends on community and district health as determined by two data sets:

1. Public Health Data from El Paso County

Key Measure #1:  14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better

• We consider a level in the medium (25-50) or low (0-25) range with a stable or declining trend as a clear indicator in support of in-person learning. If the level is in the high band (50-100), or case rate trends increase, then we will reevaluate with other measures.

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better

• The public health target for this measure is a maximum) of 5%. We consider anything under 5% as a clear indicator in support of in-person learning. We also monitor the test results turnaround, where anything under a 2-day average supports effective contact tracing and containment. If the positivity rate exceeds 5% (14-day average) or test result turnaround time exceeds 2 days on average, then we will reevaluate with other measures.

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Capacity

• This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. While this measure does not yield a specific quantity, when our partners at El Paso County report that hospitals have sufficient capacity, we consider that report a clear indicator in support of in-person learning. If we reach critical levels that may cause hospital capacity shortages, then we will reevaluate with other measures.

2. School/Workplace Health Data from District 49

In-District Incidents and Clusters

• We are tracking individual cases and clustered cases of exposure and infection as well as related isolation, quarantine, and closure actions. Although we have no external standard or benchmark, we are using our performance to date as a baseline to identify adverse trends and levels. In general, if we see increasing numbers of individual cases, increasing numbers of clustered cases, or increasing cluster sizes, then we will reevaluate with other measures.

In-District Transmission and Outbreaks

• We are collaborating with our partners at El Paso County to trace and determine any incident of transmission at a school or workplace within District 49. Operating with zero transmission or outbreaks is a clear indicator in support of in-person learning. Any transmission at school indicates a breakdown in our safety system, and any incident that matches the definition of an outbreak creates a vulnerability to staff or students. Either of those would cause us to reevaluate our school plans along with other key measures for possible quarantine or closure.

 

Middle School Return To Learn August 27 Thought Exchange

High School Return To Learn August 27 Thought Exchange

These Thought Exchanges are no longer active. 

---

High School Return To Learn

Givens:

• All three conventional high schools will follow the same basic schedule and plan
  
  
• Schools will implement a two-week cycle of block scheduled classes Monday through Thursday.
  
  
• Fridays will remain a flex day for in-person and online support, intervention, tutoring, individualized student services, etc.
  
  
• Smaller and unconventional schools (PHS, PPEC, SSAE) will follow unique schedules
  
  
• SAT assessment will occur on Wednesday, September 23^rd, and Friday, September 25^th will make up for the Wednesday in-person instruction

 

Proposal Details:

• Start date of September 14th – if County and District Health Measures remain at supportive levels
  
  
• We will start with four cohorts of approximately 25% of students divided by alphabet (all grade levels)
  • Cohort A: A-D*
  • Cohort B: E-J*
  • Cohort C: K-P*
  • Cohort D: Q-Z*
    
    
• Students will attend in-person on a day scheduled for their cohort each week – Monday through Thursday
  
  
• Students will attend online and on the same schedule (synchronously) for the rest of the week.
  
  
• A limited number of junior/senior level classes (which may include concurrent enrollment) will remain exclusively online to limit the number of students in the building at one time
  
  
• Our intention is to increase in-person attendance to 50% of students after fall break – again, depending on County and District Health Data

• Students who currently attend most/all days of the week will continue to do so (such as program-based special education students)

 

iConnect Zone - District Operated Schools:

• The iConnect Zone District operated schools (Falcon Homeschool Enrichment/Academic Program (FHP), Patriot High School (PHS), Pikes Peak Early College (PPEC), and Springs Studio for Academic Excellence (SSAE)) will follow the district’s plan to bring small cohorts of students back into buildings.
  
  
• The iConnect Zone is purposeful in designing student schedules that allow for both remote and in-person learning that allows students to remain in cohorts while at school. Examples of in building cohort learning include: Culinary and Construction course work at PHS, staggered days for grade-level cohorts at SSAE and PPEC, small enrichment and academic support groups at the FHP, and intervention groups throughout the zone. Student groups who meet at schools are less than 25 per cohort. 
  
  
• The iConnect Zone District operated schools will maximize the use of facility space five days a week. With rotating schedules, some staff will work from District facilities while others work remotely. This is more typical for SSAE, PPEC, and FHP where facilities are shared. PHS staff will operate out of the Falcon Legacy Campus five days a week with a prep/

Middle School Return To Learn

Givens:

• Zone priorities will dictate the need for school schedules and plans
  • Falcon Middle School and Skyview Middle School will follow the same plan as their zone high schools in order to keep alpha splits the same and simplify communication and support family transportation
  • Horizon Middle School will adjust its schedule and plans in order to have more in-person learning to support a significant population of impacted students
    
    
• Schools will follow a consistent schedule Monday through Thursday
  
  
• Fridays will be flex days for small groups

 

Proposal Details:

• Start date of September 14th – if County and District Health Measures remain at supportive levels
  
  
• Start with 25%-50% of students to create cohorts by alphabet. (Middle schools already have natural cohorts with grade levels and teams within levels, so they may be able to support overall higher attendance rates while still maintaining smaller cohorts for any necessary contact tracing and containment efforts.)
  • Cohort A: A-D*
  • Cohort B: E-J*
  • Cohort C: K-P*
  • Cohort D: Q-Z*

*Schools and zones are still collaborating to determine the best alpha split for optimal cohort membership

• Students who currently attend most/all days of the week will continue to do so (such as program-based special education students)

As announced on August 10, and confirmed at the Board of Education work session on August 26, District 49 is on track to begin full-schedule in-person learning for PK-2^nd grade students on Tuesday, September 8 and for 3-5^thBắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018 grade students on Monday, September 14. 

County and district health data support the planned return to learn as indicated by the following two sets of measures:

Data Set 1: Public Health Data from El Paso County

County health data continues to move in a positive direction, with mixed levels and beneficial trends.

On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of August 26:

Key Measure #1:  14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018The Case rate has declined from a high of 157, to today’s level of 85. While still in the “High” range (50-100) it is significant that we are below the “Very High” band and on our way toward medium. The level is still bad, but the trend is improving. If we continue the trajectory of declining cases, we will cross under the 50-case benchmark into the medium band sometime in mid-September. Of note, El Paso County measured 1157 active (contagious stage) cases on July 27. On month later, that number is down to 606.  CAVEAT: Regional return-to-school dynamics will almost certainly impact the levels and trends, so don’t be surprised if that trend slows down, flattens out, or even reverses slightly.

Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018As of August 26, the test positivity rate is at 3.5% today, under the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so being under 5% is good. The long-term trend and level are both positive. CAVEAT: The new testing site at the Citadel Mall might cause some daily spikes to this measure as more people are tested.

 

Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Capacity

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Over the last 14 days, EPC has tracked 24 hospitalizations and 4 deaths, numbers, that while concerning and tragic, are well within the county’s health capacity to care and support.

 

Data Set 2: School/Workplace Health Data from District 49

1. In-District Incidents and Clusters

We are tracking individual cases and clustered cases of exposure and infection as well as related isolation, quarantine, and closure actions. Although we have no external standard or benchmark, we are using our performance to date as a baseline to identify adverse trends and levels. In general, if we see increasing numbers of individual cases, increasing numbers of clustered cases, or increasing cluster sizes, then we will reevaluate with other measures.

2. In-District Transmission and Outbreaks

We are collaborating with our partners at El Paso County to trace and determine any incident of transmission at a school or workplace within District 49. Operating with zero transmission or outbreaks is a clear indicator in support of in-person learning. Any transmission at school indicates a breakdown in our safety system, and any incident that matches the definition of an outbreak creates a vulnerability to staff or students. Either of those would cause us to reevaluate our school plans along with other key measures for possible quarantine or closure.

 

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Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018<P>Hello D49 Family!

We think we can all agree this is a strange start to the school year, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a great year. We invite you to hear a few words from D49 Chief Education Officer Peter Hilts, who welcomes students and staff back to school for 2020-21, while taking a look at the weeks ahead. We’re just getting started, and there’s hard work to come. It's a tough season, but a season where we can still have great learning. We can still be the Best Choice to Learn, Work and Lead. That's our commitment to you, it's our invitation to you, and it’s our way to say welcome back to ‘20-’21.
</P>

Health Screening at Home

With small groups, and eventually classes returning to D49 buildlings, students needs an at-home health screening.

ALL D49 students MUST go through a health screening AT Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018 conducted by parent/guardian PRIOR to being dropped off at school, walking to school or catching bus transportation EVERY SCHOOL DAY to include a baseline temperature check.

• Is my student feeling well today? Yes=go to school
• Does my student have a normal body temperature? Yes=go to school
• (temp above 99.2=see exclusion criteria below on temp monitoring)

Exclusion Criteria:

 Students are NOT to report to school if they are experiencing: 

• Sudden onset of cough/short of breath
• Fever 100.4F or above (if temp 99.2 or above-100.3-required monitor throughout the day)*contact school health room to notify health assistant/nurse when temp is above 99.2 during morning health screening
• Sore throat
• Chills/body aches/muscle aches
• New onset of loss of sense of taste/smell
• GI (Nausea/Vomiting/Diarrhea)
• Other signs of illness requiring exclusion (see illness guidelines “How Sick is too Sick?”) 

Q: What if my student tests positive for COVID-19 or if my student is exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or my student was exposed to someone with symptoms possibly linked to COVID-19?

A:  KEEP YOUR STUDENT Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018, seek advice from your student’s primary care physician (by calling your child’s doctor ahead) and notifying the school nurse at your child’s school immediately

• Return to school release MUST be provided by the student’s medical provider or local public health

 **See exclusion guidelines on positive test/negative test with symptoms from El Paso County Public Health under references below:

 

What if my student becomes ill during school? 

If your student becomes ill during school, the school health room will contact the parent/guardian listed under student emergency contact immediately.

• We encourage parents/guardians to ensure emergency contact information is up to date.
• We encourage parents/guardians to have a plan developed to pick up an ill student from school quickly, including a secondary or back-up contact should the parent be unable to pick up the student.
• Any student presenting with respiratory symptoms, potentially linked to COVID-19 will be immediately placed in an isolation area/room outside of the school health room and away from others.  
• We will ensure the student is wearing face cover  AND the student will be supervised by an adult staff until he/she is picked up from school.
• Students who become ill during school and are picked up WILL NOT be allowed to participate in any athletics, clubs until cleared to return to school under illness guidelines “how sick is too sick” AND due to current COVID-19 Pandemic cleared by a medical provider is required.

 

References & Resources

K?

Dear D49 Families, 

We are pleased to resume our grab-and-go meal service as we return to learn in our virtual, E49 status. Starting Tuesday, August 18, we will serve lunch and breakfast to D49 registered families at three of our campuses (note the locations have changed)  from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. 

We are offering meal service as we would during a typical school year. We invite families who would normally take advantage of our meal program to come join us. For families qualified for free, or reduced meal benefits for 2020-21, there is no cost. 

Our families without meal benefits are welcome to purchase meals. Please note this is not the same program we could offer to our entire community this spring and through the summer. We thank you for your understanding.  

Meal Pickup Information:

• Student District ID numbers are required
  
  
• Locations: 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Monday - Friday 
• Horizon Middle School -
• Skyview Middle School -
• Falcon High School -  

• Families who would like to purchase meals:
• PreK-5: $2.70 lunch, $1.65 for breakfast
• 6-12: $3.00 lunch, $1.85 breakfast 
• Checks are accepted
  
  
• Families who qualify for free or reduced meals can collect meals at no charge
• All families need to reapply annually for Free and Reduced benefits--  
  
  
• Rocky Mountain Classical Academy is providing its students with lunches, both for in-person learning and grab-and-go for off-campus days. Check with the school for more details.  

We are excited to serve you as we kick off the 2020-21 school year! Thank you for your trust and your hard work during this unprecedented season of learning. See you soon!

August Menu:

8/18: Chicken Patty Sandwich

8/19: Three Cheese Cavatappi

8/20: Hamburger

8/21: Chicken & Waffles

8/24: BBQ Pork Rib Sandwich

8/25: Oven Fried Drumstick

8/26: Grilled Chicken Sandwich

8/27: Twin Beefy Tacos w/Rice

8/28: Hot & Spicy Chicken Sandwich

Offered daily:  Salad Mix, Carrots sticks, Cucumber slices, kidney Beans, Fresh Fruit, Canned Fruit, Juice and Milk

District 49 will begin the 20-21 school year on August 17, with remote learning as our primary mode, with a plan for a staggered, in-person return, after Labor Day.

Decision Factors

At an important meeting this afternoon with El Paso County Public Health, D49’s chief officers learned that multiple critical population health measures remain higher than state and county maximum levels. In addition, we conducted two robust conversations with over 2,000 members of our workforce and parent community to identify priorities and concerns about our return to learn. These three data sources (county health, workforce, and parents) all indicate the same thing: for our community and our district, August 17 is too early to safely return to in-person learning. 

In addition, the current state guidelines about quarantines and closures at school would almost certainly require us to close multiple schools shortly after opening them. In the past week, we have experienced that infections from our surrounding community have triggered testing, notifications, contact tracing and precautionary quarantines among staff members currently on campus. At the same time, we have heard parents and the workforce voice a strong preference to take more time to enhance our safety system and compliance practices.

Although county health leaders support our schedule and planned return to learn for smaller populations and more defined cohorts of elementary learners, they remain concerned about the practicality of gathering secondary students on larger campuses with more mixing of class groups. Leaders from El Paso County Public Health have pledged to continue meeting with area superintendents weekly to advise us about conditions and strategies for a safe return to in-person secondary education.

Plan and Schedule Details

• We will open the district August 17 with remote learning as our primary mode.
• Beginning next week, our campuses will be open for special sessions with small student groups for extra support, services, and to utilize specialized spaces and equipment.
• We will bring K—2nd students back in person on September 8, the day after Labor Day, followed by 3rd—5th  on September 14.
• We will bring secondary students back in person later in the semester if we continue to observe improving health data and increasing proficiency with operating our safety system.
• We will set Monday, 8/17 as a professional day to connect with students and colleagues and launch E49 2.0 (similar to what we did last Spring).
• We will expect all employees to be at the worksite at least two days each week through Labor Day. Some employees will be at the worksite more often, in consultation with supervisors.
• Until students are on campus, we support our staff members bringing their own school-aged children to the workplace.
• We will consult with principals and other leaders tomorrow about dynamics of providing on-site supervision for children of staff members.
• Update: Preschool will begin Tuesday, Sept. 8 with the first group of students returning for in-person learning. Learn more about our preschool program on our website:
  http://melcozsk.com/domain/1770

 

Schools are not islands or in any way independent of our host community. More accurately, we are “downstream” from our community, which means that infection in the larger community will flow into our schools. Despite positive trends, the infection rates in our community remain “very high” and are projected to be at those levels at least for the rest of August. Even with vigilant safety practices, our schools are not designed, ventilated, staffed or programmed to eliminate transmission in an environment of high community transmission. The only way to eradicate the virus is to deny it new hosts, and so far, our community has not been successful at keeping the virus from finding new carriers.

District 49 leaders, in close collaboration with El Paso County Public Health, are tracking key metrics on the . This collaboration helps us ensure that, to the greatest extent possible, decisions about school both at the start of the year and in the months to come are based on science and facts, not popularity, pressure, perception or politics. Specifically, we are tracking four metrics:

Population Health Factors

Metric		Status on August 10
Daily Case Rates		The daily case rate has improved since mid-July, but it is still consistently measuring well above levels from April-June. The rolling average as of August 10th is 60 new cases per day on a 14-day rolling average.
Cases per 100,000  (14-day Avg.)		The state defines three bands for this metric. A 14-day average below 25 is low, from 25-50 is medium, 50-100 is high and above 100 is very high. El Paso County has been very high since July 11, and even though the measure is trending in the right direction, it is persistently high, measuring 138/100K as of August 10.
Daily Test Positivity Rate		As a measure of how many tested individuals are confirmed positive, Test Positivity is a leading indicator for further transmission. The state’s target is 5% or lower. Our county measure has been at or above 5% since July 1, and the rolling average for that metric continues measuring above the target maximum. Total tests continue to grow as we have more capacity, but the time to receive test results remains a limiting factor for prompt contact tracing and outbreak containment. As a new testing site adds capacity, we project to see these numbers improve.
Daily Hospitalization and Death Rates		Hospitalization and death rates are the most well-controlled of all the public health metrics. New hospitalizations measure single digits since July 20, while deaths in El Paso County have been at or near zero since July 20.

Other Community Factors

• Although the county also measures infections by zip code, we know that hundreds of our students and staff cross district boundaries every day, which makes zip code boundaries less relevant. Our community is deeply connected, especially along the I-25/H-24 corridors, so infection anywhere can lead to exposure and transmission everywhere.
• Increased case rates have put so much pressure on testing sites and laboratories, that we cannot depend on rapid testing results. That means confirmed or presumptive positive cases are much more likely to require large-scale closures while we await testing results. 
• The most recent state guidance about exposure, quarantine, and closure requires dramatic responses to school exposure and transmission, meaning that schools would open to in-person learning with a heightened probability of rapid and unpredictable closures.
• We judge that unpredictable and open-ended, rolling closures would be more disruptive than operating with remote learning to start the year. As districts move the start of the year online, we commit to coordinating closely with health experts, each other, and our community to set the criteria and plans for a safe and successful return to in-person learning. 

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018District 49 conducted two Thought Exchange opportunities in August 2020 to hear from the community and from staff in regard to Return to Learn. These documents contain the details of the comments, suggestions, concerns and their ratings of the Thought Exchanges. 

 

Community Thought Exchange, Aug. 5-10, PDF Document

Staff Thought Exchange, Aug. 3-5, PDF Document

Return to Learn: August 17 Start

Monday, July 27, 2020

Dear D49 Family,

Today our Board of Education approved delaying the start of school to Monday, August 17 with a mix of E-learning and in-person options. In addition to this guidance, the BOE also directed the chief officers to publish a final decision about the balance of in-person and E-learning by August 10. As teachers begin returning to work this week, the delayed start will give an extra gift of time for more detailed planning, problem-solving and communicating with parents and students.

In recent weeks we have seen a steady increase of COVID-19 cases in the Pikes Peak Region. As these numbers climbed, so did feelings of uncertainty among our D49 family…shared directly through feedback from our teachers, and reflected in greater requests from our families to take advantage of our developing E-learning options. Multiple D49 campus leaders report the requests for E-learning equal nearly half of their school’s student population. Based on these factors, along with expert guidance from El Paso County Public Health, delaying our return to learn extends our planning window to ensure we effectively meet the needs of the D49 family.  

Moving forward, our chief officers will offer the board up-to-date conditions and the district’s response during regular scheduled meetings throughout the COVID emergency. These updates will lay out our decision-making process for potential adjustments as we move through the school year. We will rely on expert guidance from EPCPH and remain agile if conditions require us to change our strategy quickly. 

Please continue to watch our regular channels of communication for updated information. Our return to learn for the ‘20-21 school year will be like no other that we can remember, but we are committed to walking forward together, serving with purpose, respect and care in the very safest way possible. 

Sincerely,

David Nancarrow

Director of Communications

 

Click the video and select Watch Video on YouTube to see the Board of Education meeting from Monday, July 27:

 

Return to Learn:  Answers to Community Frequently Asked Questions

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018July, 14, 2020

When we announced all students and staff will have to wear a mask for in-person learning, numerous questions were raised by the community. Here are answers to some of the frequently asked questions.

Let us know what other questions you have. Please be patient with us as we continue to navigate this ever-changing situation. Plans are still being finalized, so if we don’t have an immediate answer, we will provide one as soon as possible. And, as we have seen with this situation, as it continues to evolve, some of these answers might be altered. 

1. Will Preschool and Kindergarten students have to wear masks? 

 At this point, no. The range is 1st - 12th. There may be customized plans per school, so continue to look for info from your school leaders as the first day approaches. The differential guidance is based on medical recommendations and the balance of young student capacity vs. risk of exposure. We still recommend that younger students wear masks, and we will manage individual situations at the classroom level with other options like dividers, clear shields, extended distancing, or E-learning.

 

2. Will E-learning be available if I don't want to send my student to in-person learning?  

Yes. In almost all cases where students are unable or choose not to wear a mask, we will provide school-based E-learning options. As we did during the spring season of E49, we will rely on teacher teams to adapt classroom curricula to online formats. That is a major task, so we don’t expect to have fully-developed plans until we have full teacher teams back from break.

 

3. If I enroll my student in E-learning, will they be able to return to the classroom when we are comfortable with the situation? 

Bắn Cá Đổi Thưởng Trực Tuyến 2018Yes, your student is welcome to return to the classroom for in-person learning when you feel the timing is right. Or if you enroll your student for in-person learning and decide that is not a good fit, you can switch to E-learning. 

 

4. How and when do we register for D49 E-learning? 

Our team of planners is meeting weekly to finalize elements of our return to learn strategy, including school-based E-learning options. Participation and registration information is in the works, and we will share in the coming days when it's complete. There will be a process, and we will make it as straightforward as possible.

 

5. How will the district handle students with special needs who can’t wear masks? 

In the very limited number of cases where our obligation to an individual student requires in-person learning without a mask, we will depend on individualized learning plans or an exemption process to provide consistent, equitable accommodations on a case-by-case basis.

 

6. Will there be exemptions to masks? How do we ask for an exemption? 

 Yes, there will be a medical and special needs exemption process that is among the plans we are finalizing. Exemptions will be reviewed and considered on a case-by-case basis by nursing and/or counseling staff. Submitting a request will not guarantee an exemption. Exemption information is in the works, and we will share in the coming days when it's complete.

 

7. How will the district make sure all students comply with this new mask rule? How will the district make sure all masks are clean? 

 Compliance with these requirements is part of the ongoing planning process among other important topics we will work to clarify in the coming weeks. We acknowledge we can’t guarantee 100 percent compliance 100 percent of the time, but we learned during our summer pilot with BASE49 that students are highly adaptive and very capable of wearing masks in educational and active settings.

  

8. Will students have to wear masks in P.E., recess and lunch? 

The county guidance for athletics, PE, and other activities is very limited, but in settings where masks are impossible (band or eating) or impractical (aerobic activity) we will practice alternate safety strategies like rigid cohorting, increased distancing, and moving outdoors.

 

9. What are other options for masks? Will a face shield work? 

 Our planning teams along with our lead nurse will work with guidance from health experts to determine the effectiveness of other options including face shields and will update our information as needed. We have ordered large quantities of different styles of clear masks and shields to test what is effective and practical.

 

10. What happens when a student or teacher tests positive for COVID? 

Our response to any single or cluster of infections will depend on the number of individuals both detected and exposed. We will use contact tracing methods to decide if it is most appropriate to apply quarantine measures to individuals, cohorts of students/staff, or an entire school. All our responses will be coordinated with county health leaders, and compliant with our districtwide protocols for an assertive and measured response to any outbreak of any size. The county has already been practicing robust protocols for testing, tracing and notification for months, so we are following their lead for training and implementation.

 

11. Will the school district provide masks for students and staff?

The school district will not be providing masks for students and staff. Though schools and busses will have extra masks available for situations where a mask is damaged or lost.

With approval from our Board of Education, D49 will delay the start of school to Monday, August 17 with a mix of E-learning and in-person options. In addition to this guidance, the BOE also directed the chief officers to publish a final decision about the balance of in-person and E-learning by August 10. As our staff returns to work, the delayed start will give an extra gift of time for more detailed planning, problem-solving and communicating with parents and students.

 The document you can view by clicking the link below is our working document for communicating our plans and considerations for in-person learning. It is not our purpose to answer every possible question, as many answers will need to be school or site-specific, but we are trying to capture all the high-frequency questions and responses in a single location. 

Return to Learn: Questions and Answers