CLEVER BLUEJAY
DISTRICT UPDATE APRIL 6, 2020
Superintendent's Message
Clever Family:
First and foremost, I hope this message finds each of you doing well. Maintaining your overall health and well-being is the most important thing right now.
As you all know, we are traveling on an uncharted path. As a community, we need to do everything possible to move forward collectively. We will get through this together!
I want you to know that we are here for you now and in the future. While we are determining our next steps today, plans are also being made for next year and beyond. We are so fortunate to be part of a community and school district that looks to the future and consistently finds ways to improve opportunities for our students. It is that foresight that will help us get through our current challenge.
As for the here and now:
We will continue to do everything possible to stay current on important information. Daily updates from the federal and state government, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and local health agencies provide needed guidance to school districts throughout the state.
We will also continue to provide Grab N Go meals each weekday for all kids 18 and under. This service is currently scheduled to run through April 24th. Please take advantage of this if you can. All you have to do is show up between 11:00 and 12:30 on the K-8 bus lane and meals will be delivered to your vehicle.
We will also continue to provide educational resources and activities for students of all ages. Please remember these resources have been created to support students at home and to give them an opportunity for enrichment. Do not feel overwhelmed and go at your own pace. For those of you who have students enrolled in dual credit courses, however, please encourage them to stay on track for completion.
Finally, my hope is that you share my belief that the Bluejays will soar again. Take care of yourself and each other. Stay strong!
During this time of uncertainty and new ways of learning, there are many questions. Quite honestly, we don’t have definitive answers for all of them. However, here are some questions we are being asked:
Q: When are we going back to school?
The answer is, “We don’t know.” Right now, Christian County has a “stay at home” order through April 24, but could be extended past that date. We will look to federal, state, and local authorities as they continue to update their orders. As soon as we have new information, it will be communicated to all our families.
Q: What about summer school?
Due to the COVID - 19 situation, our Summer School registration is on hold and more details will be provided once our district re-opening dates are confirmed.
Q: What learning resources are available?
Students’ teachers have reached out through Seesaw (Grades K-5) and Canvas (Grades 6-12) with learning resources. Activities at this time are enrichment in nature except for dual credit courses. Students in Grades 6-12 who need to make up assignments from the 3rd quarter will be allowed to do so. We do not want anyone to feel overwhelmed or stressed and each family should go at their own pace. Learning will look different for a while. Take breaks, go outside, and do things that you enjoy. Right now, our children’s physical and mental health are the most important things.
Q: What can I do to support learning at home?
Parents, families, and guardians play a critical role in learning at home. Because no two households are alike, families can support their children in a variety of ways. Please check out the following resource page--Learning at Home, provided by the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education.
Q: What about extracurricular activities?
All school sponsored activities and events have been postponed until school resumes or further instructions are given. We will update the community as we receive new information from state and local authorities.Q: How do I sign up for food service?
No sign up is necessary. At this time, we are providing Grab-N-Go meals Monday through Friday from 11:00 am until 12:30 pm in the EleMiddle bus lane. Each meal consists of a lunch and a breakfast for the next day. ALL Clever residents age 18 or under are eligible for meals.Thank you for your continued support during this difficult time. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your building principal.
PK-2
Mikki Teague, Principal
3-5
Kelli Hobbs, Principal
6-8
Justin Sullivan, Principal
High School
Joe Casey, Principal
Anne Hickman, Assistant Principal
Your building principals are working hard to keep learning opportunities available and to keep everyone updated on all the topics that are important to students and to teachers. Click the links below for each building newsletter.
INTERNET OPTIONS
As learning moves online, we understand that internet access is a concern for many of you. We have found a few services offering free or discounted services for our area.
AT&T: Offering two months of free service to new Access customers who order by April 30, 2020.
To be eligible for this offer, you must meet one of the following criteria:
Household income 135% or less than the federal poverty guidelines
Households participating in National School Lunch Program/Head Start
Cable America is offering Internet 25 free for 60 days. This will be for 25 mbps. There will be a $12.95 per month rental fee for the modem, and a $39.95 installation fee. You must have a K-12 student in the household, and you will need to mention Internet 25 when you call. For more information, call 800-338-1808.
Verizon has gifted all of their customers 15 GB of hotspot data.
Clever District issued Chromebooks can access the school wifi from spots outside the school buildings. Outside the 6-8 building and outside the high school building near the ag classroom are areas that will have wifi access. This may at least give you a chance to get online to download information given from the teachers.
PLEASE STAY AT HOME
We need your help in keeping COVID-19 (coronavirus) from spreading in our community. With known positive cases in Christian and Greene counties, it is up to us to make sure this doesn’t continue to spread. The best way to keep this from spreading is by practicing social distancing.
To practice social distancing, look at the following:
- Only one person goes into the supermarket vs. the whole family. Think one cart = one person.
- Avoid all other public places
- Keep six feet away from people
- Don’t have play dates with other kids or families
- Don’t have friends over for dinner
- Wash your hands as much as possible
- Don’t play group games in the park
- Avoid playground equipment since it cannot be cleaned
You should self-quarantine if you have any COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to the virus. If you have any symptoms, you can use the FREE online Cox clinics (see information below).
We understand this means sacrificing some things, but the more we do that, the faster we can recover.
Free Cox Virtual Visits for COVID-19 Symptoms
CoxHealth is offering free Virtual Visits to people in southwest Missouri experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (coronavirus).
To be evaluated, individuals should simply use code COVID when beginning a Virtual Visit. This service is available to anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, which include a fever, cough, and respiratory distress. Patients at risk may also have traveled to areas with widespread disease. If a provider feels a patient should be tested, he or she will make a referral so that it may be conducted.
The availability of Virtual Visits by anyone, regardless of insurance or ability to pay, aligns with public health goals of keeping the disease from spreading throughout the community. This approach also prevents the spread of illness in medical facilities and protects the local health care workforce so they can be ready to help those who need assistance.
To start a Virtual Visit, click here. Download the CoxHealthNow app for even quicker access to Virtual VisitsEmotional Health
At this time, taking care of your emotional health is imperative. Our counselors have put together information you can access here.
The CDC also has information on Daily Life and Coping.
Remember that now is not the time to put academics first. Our teachers have provided supplemental enrichment activities as a guide to help you and your student(s) during this stay at home order, but learning can be done in so many ways. Spend time together, take breaks, take walks, cook together--do things that keep you and your children sane while you are keeping everyone safe.
Many of you are feeling pressured or overwhelmed. You don't have an opportunity to see family or friends. On top of that, many of you are still trying to work full time while managing digital learning in your home. No one can give 100% of themselves in two different directions at the same time, so please give yourself some grace.
Each of us is equipped to lead our children. Not everyone is equipped to teach geometry, and that's okay. There are online tools and resources available to help, but that's not the most important thing at the moment. Our kids no doubt feel anxious, both about the virus itself and about how crazy their world is right now.
If our kids miss out on a few weeks of formal education, but in exchange they are given the feeling of security and safety in their homes, then together we've succeeded.
It's okay to put away the books, turn off the cumputer, put the phone down, and just know that today they are safe. That's enough.