Glendive Public Schools

Board Meeting: November 9, 2020 Watch Live: https://youtu.be/db_d1XtYRP0 Agenda: https://5il.co/mw1f Public Comment: https://forms.gle/QPZCVLRY6DVRt8GK9 Will be open from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Monday, November 9.

Please check out the GPS Active COVID Cases sheet (link below) to see all updates on active cases and quarantines in the schools.  Things have been changing quickly and this is the best way to see our current numbers.  If you have any questions, please contact us at gps@glendiveschools.org. GPS Active COVID Cases: https://rb.gy/50iklu Current New Active Cases added:  DCHS - 0 WMS - 0 LES - 1 (Staff) JES - 1 (Staff) Also, if you haven't downloaded our app, please download it from your phone's app store.  The app is the best way to see all updated information from GPS.  Thank you!

Earlier this week, staff, parents, and the community were notified about the new protocols of Glendive Public Schools in regards to meetings (https://www.glendiveschools.com/o/gps/live_feed). Monday, November 9, 2020 we will be conducting our regularly scheduled board meeting virtually. The following are some of the reasons the board decided to move the meeting to a virtual platform: 1) More people will be able to participate. --With current restrictions, we will no longer have to worry about possibly limiting the number of people who can attend. --We have been contacted by many people asking for our meetings to be live streamed. We are now able to stream our meeting without the use of Facebook as not everyone has a Facebook account. --More people will get the opportunity to address the board through public comment. If you are interested in giving public comment at our next meeting, please see the directions below. 2) Consistency --The board meeting will now be in line with what the school district is doing in terms of meetings 3)Safety --Moving the meeting to a virtual meeting will help mitigate the spread of the virus and reduce the risk of staff, parents and community members being named as a close contacts. 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: If you wish to publicly comment on the agenda, please click on the following link (https://forms.gle/3yhGf2NdJSUYHJ4J7). This link will be open from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Monday, November 9, 2020. All appropriate comments will be read during the public comment section of the agenda. If you have questions, we ask that you write an email to gps@glendiveschools.org and someone will try and get back to you within 48 hours. 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞-𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: Please go to www.glendiveschools.org on the day of the meeting and follow the directions on the popup window to watch it live. After the meeting, the recording will be put on the website within 24 hours of the meeting.

Please watch the following video (3:33) from Mr. Schreibeis about the dire need for staffing. https://youtu.be/bPGZalPceZ0

Please check out the GPS Active COVID Cases sheet (link below) to see all updates on active cases and quarantines in the schools. Things have been changing quickly and this is the best way to see our current numbers. If you have any questions, please contact us at gps@glendiveschools.org. GPS Active COVID Cases: https://rb.gy/50iklu Current New Active Cases added: DCHS - 0 WMS - 0 LES - 1 (Student) JES - 0 Also, if you haven't downloaded our app, please download it from your phone's app store. The app is the best way to see all updated information from GPS. Thank you!

Please check out the GPS Active COVID Cases sheet (link below) to see all updates on active cases and quarantines in the schools. Things have been changing quickly and this is the best way to see our current numbers. If you have any questions, please contact us at gps@glendiveschools.org. GPS Active COVID Cases: https://rb.gy/50iklu Current New Active Cases added: DCHS - 0 WMS - 1 (Staff) LES - 1 (Staff) JES - 2 (Staff) Also, if you haven't downloaded our app, please download it from your phone's app store. The app is the best way to see all updated information from GPS. Thank you!

GPS is dedicated to promoting behaviors that reduce COVID-19’s spread in order to maintain healthy operations of our schools. Social distancing requirements and protecting our staff against becoming ill as well as being named as a close contact are making traditional in-person meetings challenging to nearly impossible. In order to maintain in-person schooling at GPS, we must be able to staff all positions. Not having enough subs has made it very difficult to fill positions when staff gets sick or are named as close contacts. We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure that we are able to continue to have in-person learning and not be forced online. In order to maintain educational continuity and a safe school environment, GPS will adhere to the following protocols when holding meetings: 1). Meetings in the schools will be held virtually whenever possible. If a meeting needs to take place in person, the room needs to be big enough so there is at least 6-feet between each person. In addition, the meeting must last less than one hour. If the meeting is going to last more than one hour, it must be moved online. 2). The following will pertain to school-related weekday meetings held off school grounds: First, staff members should determine if they can join the meeting virtually. If they must attend in person, there must be at least 6-feet between participants. If the meeting organizer is unable to accommodate either an online option or maintain adequate social distancing, the district employee is not allowed to attend the meeting. Our goal is to reduce the risk of GPS staff becoming quarantined as a result of attending a meeting with a potentially infected attendee. Following these procedures will help GPS protect staff and keep them healthy so we can continue to have students on-site. As you can see, we are implementing procedures to help mitigate the spread of the virus and reduce the risk of staff being named as a close contact. If we are unable to staff our buildings, we will be forced to go online. These procedures will be followed if we are in the Hybrid or Restricted model. This is especially important given the District’s small pool of available substitutes. We appreciate the community’s patience, understanding, and GRACE during these challenging times. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any of our administrators or you can reach out to us at gps@glendiveschools.org.

​Please check out the GPS Active COVID Cases sheet (link below) to see all updates on active cases and quarantines in the schools. Things have been changing quickly and this is the best way to see our current numbers. If you have any questions, please contact us at gps@glendiveschools.org. GPS Active COVID Cases​: https://rb.gy/50iklu Current New Active Cases added: DCHS - 2 (Students) WMS - 0 LES - 1 (Student) JES - 0 Also, if you haven't downloaded our app, please download it from your phone's app store. The app is the best way to see all updated information from GPS. Thank you!

Please check out the GPS Active COVID Cases sheet (link below) to see all updates on active cases and quarantines in the schools. Things have been changing quickly and this is the best way to see our current numbers. If you have any questions, please contact us at gps@glendiveschools.org. GPS Active COVID Cases​: https://rb.gy/50iklu Current New Active Cases added: DCHS - 0 WMS - 0 LES - 2 (staff) JES - 0 Also, if you haven't downloaded our app, please download it from your phone's app store. The app is the best way to see all updated information from GPS. Thank you!

Congratulations to our very own Mary Svenvold on being awarded the 2020 Leadership award from the MMEA!  We appreciate all you do for GPS and our community.

To clarify, there has been no date set to move to the Restricted Model. On October 12, 2020, the board tasked the administration to prepare to move to the Restricted Model. A checklist of the items needed for the District to move was created. GPS Restricted Checklist: https://rb.gy/w256qs On November 9th, the administration will be presenting this checklist to the GUSB. Currently, one of the major obstacles for moving to the Restricted Model is staffing. We are in dire need of substitutes. In order for GPS to move to the Restricted Model, the District must have sufficient substitutes to cover the open paraprofessional and custodial openings as well as subs for staff that have to be absent for a variety of reasons. Please, consider applying and encouraging others in our community to apply. Process for Applying for Sub: https://rb.gy/aytl1l The GPS Administration and Glendive Unified School Board (GUSB)

Please check out the GPS Active COVID Cases sheet (link below) to see all updates on active cases and quarantines in the schools. Things have been changing quickly and this is the best way to see our active numbers. If you have any questions, please contact us at gps@glendiveschools.org. GPS Active COVID Cases: https://rb.gy/50iklu

Thank you to those of you who have already reached out to your respective principals if you would like to change your child's current learning model (online to in-person or in-person to online). If you are planning to make a change, please contact your student’s principal as soon as possible. As a reminder, the change will take place at quarter for K-8 and at semester for 9-12. For Clarification: --If your child is currently online only, and you would like to switch to in person learning, we need notification (K-8). --If your child is currently in-person, and you want to switch to online only, we need notification (K-8). --If your student is currently in-person and you want to stay in-person, no action is necessary. --If your student is currently online only and you want to stay online, no action is necessary. Please note: A date to return to the restricted model has not yet been determined. We are continuing to work on completing the items on the checklist that was shared last week. We will announce a date as soon as it is determined so that everyone has time to prepare and plan for the change. Thank you!

Please check out the GPS Active COVID Cases sheet (link below) to see all updates on active cases and quarantines in the schools. Things have been changing quickly and this is the best way to see our active numbers. If you have any questions, please contact us at gps@glendiveschools.org. GPS Active COVID Cases: https://rb.gy/50iklu

Glendive Public Schools wants to be sure that the public stays informed on important issues pertaining to our school districts. Please refer to the Timeline Reports regarding the Washington Middle School and Lincoln Elementary School boiler issues that resulted in moving to online instruction on October 19th and 20th, 2020. Please click on the link below for each report: Lincoln Boiler Issue Report - 10/23/20 - https://rb.gy/rhmvsh Washington Boiler Issue Report - 10/23/20 - https://rb.gy/blt9wa Also, please check back to our new Facilities Page on the Glendive Public Schools website for important facilities information in the future! GPS Facilities Page - https://rb.gy/jrsyld Thank you!

The GUSB has tasked the GPS administrators to actively pursue moving to the Restricted Model. As a reminder, the Restricted model is all students onsite M-Th. Since social distancing will not be able to be maintained, face coverings will be mandatory and need to be worn all day. GPS admin have been working diligently for weeks to make the necessary changes and arrangements to make the switch from the Hybrid model to the Restricted model. The following link is a checklist which summarizes the items that will help GPS make this shift successful. You will notice that some of these items are still in progress. We understand that there are a lot of people that want this shift to happen; please look at each section to see what you can do to help. One example is to help GPS by becoming a substitute. Another example would be letting your respective principal know if your student will be changing from online to in-person or vice versa as soon as possible as explained in the previously released message (K-8 can make a switch at quarter, 9-12 can make the switch at semester) to allow us to finalize certain plans. Please note that more information will come out about this in the coming weeks. GPS Restricted Checklist https://rb.gy/w256qs

We made a change to the calendar as we noticed that Parent-Teacher Conferences fell on election day. Parent-Teacher conferences will now be on November 5th. We will also be moving the early out from the 3rd to the 5th along with the conferences. We are sorry for the inconvenience. This year we will be having the conferences virtually and more information will be coming out later on that once we get closer. To view the updated calendar, please click on the following link (https://5il.co/mf47) or go to our website at www.glendiveschools.org.

Parent/Guardians, At the last school board meeting, the board directed the GPS administration to move to the restricted model where students will attend 4 days a week M-Th onsite wearing masks all day (once everything is able to be put into place). In preparation for this move, we felt it appropriate to allow elementary-age students (K-8th) to shift back onsite or move online at the start of the 2nd quarter if it was agreed that it is in the student's best interest. This request is only for students K-8. High School students would be allowed to make the switch to or from online at the end of the semester. We are asking that you notify the building principal of the school your child attends if you would like us to consider moving your student from online learning back onsite or vice versa. We are asking for this contact to be made by Wednesday, October 28th so we have accurate numbers to plan for. The first day of the 2nd quarter is November 2nd. Please contact the individual school principals if you have any further questions. Please note that a date to move back to the Restricted model has not been finalized, but more information about that will be coming out soon. John Larsen (interim principal) Jefferson Elementary School 406-377-4155 Cindie Togni Lincoln Elementary School 406-377-2308 Mark Goyette Washington Middle School 406-377-2356

It was just brought to our attention that there are many people who took the last email to say that we were going online. Glendive Public Schools is not going online. The last email was referencing the emails and messages from the district that notified everyone that we were going to go online because of the two boiler situations at LES and WMS. The purpose of this last email was to have everyone make sure they are getting the messages that we are sending out by updating their information. We are sorry for any confusion that this caused.

Recently, we had to notify everyone that school was going online for WMS and LES. When we send messages out to the community, we send the message out in a variety of ways (Website, App, Facebook, Email, Text, Voice, etc.). This school year we have been shifting away from Facebook as it is not a great way to get all parents information. Currently, the Glendive Public Schools App is the best way to receive information about what is happening in each school. In the last month, we have decided that we are going to utilize Infinite Campus (our School Information System) to deliver messages by email, text, and voice. In order for this to be effective, we need everyone to make sure they have an account set up and that their information is correct in the system. If you are seeing this message on Facebook, our website, or app, but did not get an email, you will need to check with your student’s school to make sure you are set up. Below you will find the Parent Portal Link. Please click on it and login. If you do not have a login, please call your child's school and they can help you set one up. Moving forward, this is how we are going to send most of our information out to parents. This will also be the way for all emergencies that we will get the information out. You need to have a phone number and email address as a minimum. Please note that in order to have a text sent to you, you have to have a cell phone entered and opt in to get that (information on how to do that below). Please log into your Parent Portal: https://mtdecloud3.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/glendive.jsp Navigate to Settings (in the top right corner) and Select Contact Preferences. Once there, scroll to the bottom of the page to update your Contact Preferences to receive Text Messages from the District. Thank you for your help with ensuring that we are able to reach you with our important information.