Weekly Update
January 9, 2021
New Information:
COVID Related Changes
Assemblies, Dances and Concerts: The district has canceled most large gatherings including whole school assemblies, dances and concerts until further notice.
Final Exams: Final exams for 1st Semester are canceled. More details will come out this week. School will still be in session on January 19 and 20. Teachers will be using this extension of instructional time to wrap up the first semester which may include finishing final projects and papers, taking tests that may have been part of the final exam process or providing additional opportunities for students to finish work and improve their grades. The district expectation is that students still be given an opportunity to improve their grade which was possible through final exams. Stay turned for more information this week about how this change will be implemented including whether or not we are using the regular schedule or the adjusted final exam block schedule and whether or not CITS (College In The Schools) classes will be giving final exams to satisfy agreements with the colleges they partner with.
Rapid Tests: Rapid testing kits are still available in the Nurse's Office for students who need one.
New Guidance from the CDC
Last week the CDC announced new guidance in regards to the COVID isolation and quarantine period. In consultation with St. Louis County Public Health, ISD709 Duluth Public Schools has reviewed this guidance and will implement the following procedures starting Friday, January 7th, 2022. The guidance is as follows:
Isolation following POSITIVE COVID-19 RESULTS
Isolate for 5 days, returning on day 6, if the positive individual wears a well fitting mask, the individual is fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and other symptoms have improved.
If the positive individual cannot wear a well fitting mask or continues to have a fever or other symptoms that have not improved after 5 days of isolation. The individual will isolate for 10 days, returning on day 11.
The start date, Day 0 is the day symptoms started or the day of positive test, if no symptoms.
Optional- Testing after positive COVID-19 result:
If the individual has access to a test and wants to test toward end of their 5 day isolation period:
Positive test- continue to isolate through day 10
Negative test- end isolation
Students that are currently on a 10 Day quarantine. should contact their school's nurse. If they are a-systematic and beyond their 5 Day period. Staff who are currently on a 10 Day quarantine, should follow the new guidance and consult the Districts COVID Coordinator.
Close Contact Exposure to COVID-19
Wear a well fitting mask for 10 days from the last date of exposure to the individual who tested positive for COVID-19
Monitor for symptoms for 10 days. If symptoms develop, stay home and be tested. Return to school/work once a negative test result is received. If a positive test result is received, isolate for 5 days from the start of symptoms.
Testing for COVID-19 is recommended regardless of symptoms 5 days after exposure
No quarantine required if:
Individuals are ages 18 or older and have received all recommended vaccine doses, including boosters and additional primary shots for some immunocompromised people.
Individuals are ages 5-17 years and completed the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines.
Individuals had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days (tested positive using a viral test).
In the K-12 indoor classroom setting:
If both the infected individual and the exposed individual correctly and consistently wore well-fitting masks the entire time.
Quarantine for 5 days (Day 0 is date of exposure) if:
You are ages 18 or older and completed the primary series of recommended vaccines, but have not received a recommended booster shot when eligible.
You received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine (completing the primary series) over 2 months ago and have not received a recommended booster shot.
You are not vaccinated or have not completed a primary vaccine series.
Quarantine for 10 days (Day 0 is date of exposure) if:
You are unable to wear a mask
Household Contact
If a household member has tested positive for COVID-19, unvaccinated household contacts and those in the household who have not received the recommended vaccine doses must stay home and quarantine during the positive person’s 5 day isolation period.
The quarantine period for the unvaccinated household contacts and those in the household who have not received the recommended vaccine doses will extend past the 5 day isolation period for an additional 5 days (total quarantine period is 10 days, returning on day 11).
If symptoms develop anytime during the quarantine period, the household contact should be tested for COVID-19. A negative COVID-19 test will not shorten the quarantine period. Positive test results must be reported to the school health office.
Household contacts who have received the recommended vaccine doses do not need to quarantine unless symptoms develop. If symptoms develop, the household contact must stay home and be tested for COVID-19.
If an individual has recently tested positive for COVID-19, the return to school or work date may be affected. The date the individual may be able to return to school or work may be sooner as long as the following are true:
The individual wears a well fitting mask
The individual is fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication
Other symptoms have improved
Please contact your school health office prior to returning to school or work for an updated return date, if needed.
Potential Exposure Notification Change
State Energy Assistance Program
Ruby’s Pantry Duluth West No Longer Using Mission Creek Church for Monthly Food Distribution
Elders at the church voted to end the Ruby’s Pantry ministry after the December 2021
distribution. The church has limited space and its usage for this ministry was no longer feasible.
Ruby’s Pantry Duluth West would like to thank all of the media outlets, community centers,
churches, schools and local businesses that helped promote its monthly distribution. Please
remove any posters that promote this distribution site. During its four plus years of operation,
more than 7,000 bundles were distributed to the local community. Hundreds of volunteers
served throughout the years, faithfully helping customers extend their monthly grocery budget.
Ruby’s Pantry is interested in finding another host location. A sponsoring location must be a
Christian church and provide adequate facilities, parking, volunteers, equipment and supplies.
Potential new sponsors should visit www.rubyspantry.org to complete an inquiry application.
Until a new distribution site becomes operational in the western Duluth area, the community is
encouraged to visit Ruby’s Pantry at Peace in Christ Lutheran Church in Hermantown and/or
Ruby’s Pantry Coppertop (First United Methodist Church) in Duluth.
What is ACT-SO?
The NAACP's Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics is a
yearlong achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high
academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students.
ACT-SO includes 33 competitions in STEM, humanities, business, and performing,
visual and culinary arts. Almost 300,000 young people have participated from the
program since its inception.
Who Is Eligible to Participate
Students of African descent who are U.S. citizens enrolled in grades 9-12 and are
amateurs in the categories are eligible to participate.
From the Guidance Office and Career Center:
Seniors: Scholarship Deadlines Approaching!
Seniors, Need Help Finishing Your Scholarships?
Career Talk with Dental Assistant Recruitment Specialist during WIN on Wednesday
ACT for Juniors on March 29
Ongoing Reminders:
Buy a Yearbook Now at the Lowest Price of the Year!
Please DO NOT send checks to school. If you need to pay by check please contact Mr. Shaw so he can give you the correct amount with tax included.
A Self-Care Reminder from Nystrom and Associates
Hunter License for Home Basketball Games
Students must physically present both their home game pass and their lunch ID in order to attend the game. Students who do not have either item with them will not be able to purchase a ticket.
The Hunter License criteria (from December 6 - 21) listed below were used for the current Home Game Pass.
- Passing all classes (grade of D or higher)
- No more than 2 class periods of unexcused absences (total, not per class and includes both study halls and WINs)
- No more than 3 unexcused class period tardies (total, not per class and includes both study halls and WINs)
- No more than 1 major and/or 2 minor behaviors
- No assigned OSS time
Attendance Recovery Opportunity: If a student has 4 or fewer unexcused class periods or 6 or fewer unexcused tardies, they may decide to attend attendance recovery in order to earn back their Home Game Pass privilege. For the Home Game Pass, attendance must be made up this week. Attendance recovery will be held from 3:30 - 4:30 in the SmartBoard Lab on: Tuesday, January 4th Wednesday, January 5th Thursday, January 6th.
Home Game Pass eligibility will be reviewed again in two weeks. At that time we will be looking at expectations from January 4 - 20. Students who are not currently eligible, have the opportunity to meet grade, attendance and behavior expectations for the next Home Game Pass.
Hunter License for Open Lunch
Reminder: Students must have their lunch ID with the current month Open Lunch sticker every day to be able to leave the building for their assigned lunch period.
The Hunter License Open Lunch criteria used each month is listed below. For January Open Lunch privileges, we looked at the period of December 1 - December 21.
- Passing all classes (grade of D or higher)
- No more than 3 class periods of unexcused absences (total, not per class and includes both study halls and WINs)
- No more than 4 unexcused class period tardies (total, not per class and includes both study halls and WINs)
- No more than 2 major and/or 5 minor behaviors
- No assigned OSS time
Open Lunch eligibility is reviewed at the end of each month.. At that time we will be looking at expectations from January 4 - 31. Students who are not currently eligible, have the opportunity to meet grade, attendance and behavior expectations for February Open Lunch.
Looking Ahead to 2nd Semester and Attendance Policy, Process and Expectations
- 2nd Semester starts on Monday, January 24 and with it your attendance resets.
- The reset is a perfect opportunity to break bad habits and re-establish good ones
- Absences must be excused within 24 hours by a parent or guardian with a phone call or signed and dated note.
- Remember, teachers do not have to give credit for any work (homework, quizzes, tests, projects, papers etc.) assigned or due when a student has an unexcused absence.
Per district policy, for total unexcused absences in each class:
Any time a student is absent without prior notification, parents/guardians will receive a phone call from the school indicating the child has been absent.
at 3 unexcused absences a letter is mailed home to your parent/guardian
at 5 unexcused absences:
you will complete an attendance contract with the Assistant Principal AND / OR
you will attend attendance recovery through Destination Graduation after school Monday through Thursday from 3:30 to 4:30 to make up time for your unexcused absences
at 7 unexcused absences another letter is mailed home
on your 9th unexcused absence you will lose credit for the class
Regarding Tardiness: A student is considered tardy up to 10 minutes late for a class. After 10 minutes it is considered an absence. Three (3) unexcused tardies will equal one (1) unexcused absence.
ACT, SAT, PSAT Test Prep
From the Duluth Public Library:
Attention, high school students taking the ACT, SAT or PSAT this coming year! The Duluth Public Library offers free ACT, SAT, PSAT and more test prep programs and free practice tests.
LearningExpress Library https://duluthlibrary.org/databases/
Keep Your Child Healthy and Keep Your Child in School
- Please send your student to school with a mask everyday.
- Please remind them to wear their mask so that it covers their nose and chin.
- Please remind them to wash or sanitize their hands frequently.
- Families are asked to check temperatures and conduct home symptom screening before sending children to school. Keep children home if they have a fever or symptoms.
COVID19 Signs & Symptoms:
- Fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
- New cough or a cough that gets worse
- Difficulty/hard time breathing
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Nasal congestion/stuffy or runny nose
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- Muscle pain
- Extreme fatigue/feeling very tired
- Severe/very bad headache
- Chills
Families, please use the Student COVID Reporting Form for sharing the following COVID information with your school:
- Student tested positive for COVID-19 (lab confirmed case)
- Student experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and awaiting test results
- Student experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 but has not been tested
- Student's been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19
- Student's household member experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19
COVID-19 Testing for Kids and Families
- Testing has never been easier – you can visit a community testing site, order an at-home test kit, or get tested through your health care provider. All options are quick and free to you.
- You can sign your entire family up to get tested at the same time at a community testing site.
- Visit Getting Tested for COVID-19 or contact your health care provider to schedule an appointment.
Free COVID Vaccinations Available for Ages 5 years and Older:
- Contact their pediatrician, health care provider, local pharmacy or family medicine clinic about appointments.
- Visit mn.gov/vaxforkids for COVID vaccines for children and teens.
- Use Minnesota’s Vaccine Locator Map to find a vaccine provider near you.
- Check for vaccine appointments using the CDC’s Vaccine Finder. You can search for appointments by vaccine type (e.g., Pfizer) and find pharmacies offering pediatric vaccinations.
- Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Public Hotline: 1-833-431-2053
- St. Louis County Vaccine Opportunities: stlouiscountymn.gov/vaccineregistration
The MN Dept of Health’s About COVID-19 Vaccine web page includes information on the vaccine and what to expect before, during and after vaccination.
The What You Should Know About COVID-19 Vaccines document provides answers to many questions families may have.
Blended Learning Resources:
Student / Family Help Desk and More:
- Online tutoring
- Student / Family Help Desk or
- Support with Wi-Fi
Image Credit: givainc.com
Free Tutoring Available
Free tutoring for K-12 students is available through the CSS/ISD 709 Tutor Program.
We have tutors in a variety of grade levels and subjects. They've completed training and are ready to work with Duluth students!
Click here to book tutoring appointments.
- Once there you will be able to choose the grade level needed, the content, the tutor and the time they are available.
- Once you book a tutoring session you will receive an email with the details of your appointment.
- Appointments are online. A link to the video conference session will be sent with the email.
If you have any questions please feel free to email Beth LaVigne blavigne@css.edu