SES Restart 2020-21
SES Specific Information for the 2020-21 School Year
Hello SES Students and Families,
The District 196 Hybrid plan for the start of the 2020-21 school year includes the following details approved by the school board on August 10th. The information and details contained in this document are a draft; school learning models are fluid and can change depending on Dakota County COVID-19 health data. We want to communicate this information to you with specifics for the School of Environmental Studies.
SES Schedule Modifications
For the 2020-21 school year, SES has temporarily modified our traditional 4-period block schedule to match the 7-period schedule offered throughout district 196 to make alignment with the hybrid model during the COVID pandemic more straightforward. Below is a table summarizing the changes for the 3 types of courses offered at SES as well as some sample schedules to help give context to the changes.
If your student is taking a course at their home high school, their schedule will allow for travel time to safely drive between SES and the high school where they are enrolled in their course(s). Typically we help to coordinate carpool connections to help students without their own transportation find a ride to their home high school courses. This may be more difficult with the COVID scenario, but we will do our best. If a ride cannot be arranged, a schedule change may be required.
Student Schedules
Hopefully, you saw our message yesterday stating that schedules were ready to view through Infinite Campus. Once in the program, the menu containing the schedule information can be accessed through the three lines in the upper left corner of the main page. If the student has a class at their home high school, there will be an option to toggle between SES and their home high school schedule to view course details. Please note: the times written on the schedules in Infinite Campus are not correct for each class. Please see the daily schedule below in this email to better understand when each period starts and stops.
If you have any questions, concerns or need to make a change regarding your schedule, please click this link to schedule a time to talk with us and get it resolved. We believe asking you to complete a request via the link will expedite the process.
First Day of School: September 14
Cohort B: Distance learning from home (First day of In-person school: September 15)
Cohort C: Digital Academy distance learning from home
Daily School Hours
Doors Open: 8:00 AM
Arrival of Buses at SES: 8:00 AM (approx.)
Start of School (1st or 5th hour): 8:05 AM
End of School (4th or 7th hour): 1:13 PM
Doors Close: 1:20 PM
196 Digital Academy Synchronous Zoom Sessions: 2:00 – 3:00 PM
*Our start and end times are slightly different than those posted by the district due to the timing of shuttle busses from the home high schools to/from SES each day.
Note: Under pandemic circumstances, the school is not to be a place for students to congregate before or after school. The social distancing precautions combined with limited supervision mean that students are not to be dropped off before 7:50 AM and must exit the building by 1:20 PM. Students will NOT be allowed to congregate and will be directed to their 1st period class (Monday & Tuesday) or 5th period class (Thursday & Friday).
School for Hybrid Learners
Students will begin school on Monday, September 14. Those that are participating in the hybrid option will be following their schedule with periods 1-4 on either Monday or Tuesday and periods 5-7 & Advisory on either Thursday or Friday following the times in the table below.
Cohort A: Last names A-K (In-person school Mon/Thurs)
Cohort B: Last names L-Z (In-person school Tues/Fri)
If a student travels to their home high school for a class, they will be dismissed from SES with enough time to safely drive to their home high school. If they return to SES after their home high school class, at a time that would make them late to an SES course, they will NOT be marked tardy and a plan with the SES teacher involved will be developed to ensure the student does not miss out on important course content.
Additional timing details:
Building doors open AND busses arrive at 8:00.
Building doors lock AND busses depart at 1:20.
If students need to be in the building beyond these hours, it MUST be arranged with a faculty or staff member in advance.
On the days that students are NOT physically attending school, they will still be responsible for an attendance check in (see below) and for completing assignments independently in all of their courses. These assignments will be available through Schoology.
On Wednesdays, all students will participate in distance learning at home. The mornings will be used by teachers for professional development, collaboration, planning and preparation time. The afternoons will provide opportunities for student support through Teacher office hours for Zoom check-ins, interventions, enrichment opportunities and small-group meetings with students and families.
School for Digital Academy Learners
Attendance Information
Cohort A: Last name letters A – K (attend school on Mondays and Thursdays)
Cohort B: Last name letters L – Z (attend school on Tuesdays and Fridays)
196 Digital Academy: Students/Families opting for full-time distance learning
We want to be sure students are safe, in a routine, and responding to our learning.
- On days when your student attends class at SES, teachers will take their attendance during each period.
- On all other school days students, including Digital Academy students, will log in on their student Campus app to check-in for their attendance for the day. Navigate to Attendance->Check-Ins and then click "Yes, I'm here to check in for the day". Students in Cohorts A and B will use this process on school days when they are not scheduled to be at SES. Students in Digital Academy will do this every school day.
Please watch this Attendance Check in Process video if you would like to see the flow described above.
No Assigned Desks for Fall Trimester
Students should plan on carrying their backpacks with them throughout the day every day. At SES, we typically assign students their own desks in “pods.” However, public health guidelines are such that we can’t do that at the beginning of the 20-21 school year. Students should manage their materials in their backpacks and plan on taking everything home, every day.
Health & Safety Precautions
At SES we will be diligent in providing a safe environment for our students, faculty and staff:
- Everyone has a responsibility in achieving a school that is safe.
- The face covering policy and physical distancing (6 feet) protocol will be strictly enforced.
- Every student will receive 1 cloth face mask. We will also have disposable masks available for students.
- Students will walk in a single file line (right side/left side of hallways).
- When students arrive to school in the morning, they will go directly to their first class for the day. At the end of the day, students will leave the building unless they have a pre-arranged meeting with faculty/staff.
- Students and teachers will disinfect their surfaces at the beginning of each period.
Let's commit to each other to:
- Be Aware and Monitor our health each day (see list below for a symptoms checklist)
- Wash our hands properly.
- Maintain six feet of physical distance.
- Wear masks/face coverings.
- Show care for our community
Symptoms Checklist
- I am not exhibiting any of the following symptoms associated with COVID-19 (see image below)
- I have not been in close contact with anyone within the last 14 days who has been quarantined or isolated due to COVID-19.
- I have not been advised by any medical provider or health authority that I may have been exposed to COVID-19.
- I have not traveled out of the country in the past 30 days, or been in close contact with anyone who has traveled out of the country in the past 30 days.
- I understand that in the case that I am notified that I have been exposed to COVID-19 or start to exhibit any of the symptoms above, I will immediately notify Jenni Greseth (the SES school nurse).
Any student or faculty/staff member who is in close contact with another person who tests positive for COVID19 will be required to quarantine for 14 days and is encouraged to get a COVID19 test. The 14 day quarantine is required regardless of the outcome of their own test. Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of the person testing positive (masked or not) for 15 minutes or more or living in the same household.
Our plan at SES has been developed to reduce incidents of close contact. Please contact our school nurse, Jenni Greseth, if you have any questions or concerns regarding the SES Health and Safety plan outlined above. Phone: 952-431-8796. Email: Jenni.Greseth@district196.org
SES Technology Support
We are committed to supporting you in any technology needs related to iPad use, Schoology, and other district programs and apps.
iPad Issues: https://www.district196.org/techhelp
Schoology Issues Email: school@district196.org
Setting up your Family Schoology account: How to set up {your access code may be found in your Infinite Campus Portal under Schoology}
District Food & Nutrition Service
Information regarding Food & Nutrition Services or to apply for Free/Reduced Meals, click here
Please make sure you have set up your PayPAMs account so that you are able to add money to and check the balance of your student’s lunch account.
Instructions (English, Spanish and Somali) to set up a PamPAMs account can be found on the District 196 Community tab under Families – Family resources. Balances will show up 1 – 2 days after the account is set up and the student is added to the Parents account.