Although we've been able to accommodate requests to move between learning models fairly easily and quickly up until now, this process will be changed due to maintaining student capacity of both our distance learning and in person classes. For health and safety reasons, we need to make sure that transitions are handle carefully.

If you would like to be considered for a transfer between the Safe Learning Plan and the Distance Learning Option or vice versa, please call the Dakota Meadows Middle School office at 507-387-5077 and talk to one of our secretaries. Mr. Sill or Ms. Strahan will review your request and if necessary contact you for more information.

We anticipate all changes between models to take place weekly on Mondays.

Depending on the capacity of both our distance learning and in person classes, approval to change learning plans may come as early as the following week, but could also take weeks to accomplish. Once your request has been approved, you will be notified of the change to begin the following Monday.

Now that we are in our Hybrid Rotation of Scarlet and PRIDE Days along with our fully online Distance Learning Students, here is just a quick reminder of the attendance expectations for students when they are not in-person at DMMS. These attendance expectations and protocols apply to BOTH Hybrid Students when they are at home for their Distance Learning Days as well as all of our Distance Learning Students.

Students will need to log into their Infinite Campus Portal and “check-in” for EACH class period throughout the day. Student check-ins do NOT need to be done during a specific time class period time window, but must be completed before 11:59 p.m. Here is a video that walks students through the check-in process. Students that have not completed the Infinite Campus check-in will automatically be marked as “NP” at 4:45 p.m. and an automated reminder to complete daily attendance will be sent to students and guardians. At 11:59 p.m. an “NP” will rollover to and be treated as an unexcused absence.

For all distance learning days and distance learning students, normal and standard attendance expectations apply. If you are sick or need to be excused from a class period or school day, you must communicate with the office to have an absence recorded as excused.

Here is one final document that again outlines the procedure students must follow to record their daily attendance. This must be done for each class on all distance learning days.

Wednesday, September 23rd is a Professional Development day for all District 77 School Employees. DMMS teachers will have their lessons posted by 9 a.m. that morning for students to accomplish. Teachers will not be available to communicate with students due to training sessions. Again, NO IN PERSON SCHOOL WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD. EVERYONE IS DOING DISTANCE LEARNING.

Within the MAPS Hybrid Model it is more important than ever that students arrive at school with the materials they need in order to move successfully through their school day. Our teachers have worked very hard to develop a curriculum that is engaging, aligned to the standards, and uses technology in new and exciting ways. If a student arrives without a Chromebook it is very difficult for them to participate; many of the classroom activities do not translate to paper and pencil assignments. Also, due to health and safety guidelines we do not have loner Chromebooks available for student use like we once did. If your student arrives without a Chromebook and charger, we will contact you to see if it would be at all possible for you to bring it to school. Thank you for partnering with us to ensure that your student has the best possible experience during the school day.

Distance Learning Schedule

A suggested distance learning schedule has been created to support student learning at home. Please feel free to use it as it is or modify to meet your families need.

It is important that your mobile device is working properly for the 2020-2021 school year. If your Chromebook is in need of repair, please send an email to familytechhelp@isd77.org and set up a time to get it repaired or replaced. Please take care of this as soon as possible.

Tips and Tricks for you to incorporate into your families routine. Click here to see what could help your families distance learning experience.