Per Governor Doug Burgum, all North Dakota school districts, including Grand Forks Public Schools, will continue remote learning through the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. This is a precautionary measure against the transmission of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), a respiratory illness that passes through person-to-person contact.

There will be a wide range of emotions for each individual as they find out we will not be returning to our buildings this school year. This will be difficult for our students who will be transitioning to a new school next year, and especially hard on our graduating students. 

What We Know

• We will continue remote learning through the end of the school year, May 28th.
• Our certified employees will have a remote clerical day on May 29th.
• Packaged meals will be available at participating schools on regularly scheduled school days through May 28th. The packaged meals are available to all children 18-years-old and younger. Please visit https://www.gfschools.org/domain/27 for participating locations. 
• This closure affects all activities at the school, including before- and after-school activities, practices, and weekend events.
• It remains important for everyone to limit outside contact. Healthcare experts strongly recommend everyone not be in close contact with others.
• If you must leave your home, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend using a mask or face covering. Please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html for more information.
• All Grand Forks Public Schools and Grand Forks Park District playgrounds are closed. We do not have the staffing to continuously disinfect playground equipment, which we know sanitizing is vital in slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

What We Don’t Know

• When or how we will hold elementary and middle school summer school programming. We will continue to work with the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction on this.
• When or how we will hold Summer Performing Arts (SPA) and behind-the-wheel Drivers Education.
• How we will honor our Adult Learning Center, Community High School, Grand Forks Central High School, and Red River High School graduates. We are awaiting guidance from Governor Burgum’s office and will evaluate several alternatives in the event we are unable to safely hold graduation on the scheduled dates. A change in how we may celebrate will not diminish anyone’s achievements.

Our collective efforts are making an impact at slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we all work together to keep our students, families, employees, and schools safe and healthy. We will provide updates as more information becomes available. Please continue to monitor our website and social media for updates.

Grand Forks Public Schools

Elementary School Families,

First of all, thank you for all your support and dedication to student learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our principals and teachers have been soliciting feedback on how distance learning is working for families and students as we conclude the 3rd week in this new format.

What we have heard is it's very challenging and stressful for many families to manage this 'new normal.' Based on that feedback we'll be making some adjustments to the weekly schedule starting Monday, April 27.

Here is a summary of those changes:

• We have reduced the number of required assignments in both Reading and Math.
• We will move to a 4-Day Week, Mondays through Thursdays.
• We have set aside Friday, now called Flex Fridays, for the following activities;
  • Complete an attendance task.
  • Complete any assignments still due.
  • Optional extension activities.
  • Specialists will continue to post their activities each Friday. Additional Physical Education, Music, and Spanish activities will be available - no assignments though.
  • A chance for students or families to check in with teachers if they have any concerns or need assistance.

We hope these adjustments will ease some of the challenges and stressors you are dealing with.

If your child needs any extra assistance or support, please reach out to your child's classroom teacher, school counselor, social worker, or principal.

Thank you again,

Mr. Jody Thompson, Associate Superintendent of Elementary Education

PDF version is available here.

GFPS Employees and Families,

The North Dakota Department of Health announced earlier today an increase of novel coronavirus cases in Grand Forks.

It is extremely important that we each do our part to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. We would like to take this opportunity to reinforce key information:

• It is extremely important for our students and families to limit outside contact. Healthcare experts strongly recommend everyone stays home and not be in close contact with others.

• For those individuals who are working outside of the home, do not go out if you are feeling sick. Visit https://www.gfschools.org/Page/8919 for more information.

• If you must leave your home, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend using a mask or face covering. Please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html for more information.

• All Grand Forks Public Schools and Grand Forks Park District playgrounds are closed. We do not have the staffing to continuously disinfect playground equipment, which we know sanitizing is vital in slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

It is also important to reduce the risk of getting sick. The following steps can be taken to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds before leaving home, on arrival at work, after using the restroom, before food preparation, before eating any food (including snacks), and when arriving back at home.

• This video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZw4Ga3jg3E) from the CDC is a great resource to show young children.

• The use of gloves in public may offer a sense of false security. Please continue to utilize and reinforce frequent and proper handwashing.

• The use of a cloth face mask when you are in the presence of others is strongly encouraged to prevent the spread of this illness. Homemade mask usage is acceptable and cleansing tips can be found at https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/09/how-to-use-and-clean-homemade-face-mask-to-prevent-covid19.html.

• Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.

• Cough or sneeze into your flexed elbow or in a tissue.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

• Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.

For questions related to the novel coronavirus, call the North Dakota Department of Health hotline at 1-866-207-2880 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. Altru has established a screening hotline, 1-701-780-6358, that is now open 24/7 (twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week). Patients are asked to call this number prior to visiting an Altru location if they meet the following guidelines:

• Experiencing symptoms, which include fever or signs of respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath.

• And have had close-exposure to persons with confirmed novel coronavirus in the past fourteen days.

• Or have traveled outside the country in the past twenty-one days.

Thank you,

Grand Forks Public Schools

Grand Forks Public Schools is working diligently to provide students with the most appropriate and engaging distance learning program. In order to provide your student(s) with meaningful learning experiences, teacher(s) will likely be using online meetings (video conferences) using tools such as Zoom or Google Meet. The meeting may resemble actions that may have already occurred in the teacher’s physical classroom--whiteboard lessons, resource sharing, discussion, etc.. In the virtual classroom, during instructional time, actions may include:

• Viewing a student’s webcam,
• Hearing the student through their microphone, 
• Reviewing student’s questions and answers,
• Engaging students in peer discussion,
• Asking students to share work.

The benefit of these meetings for teachers include:

• Creates teaching presence,
• Helps build a rapport with students,
• Allows a way to address different learning styles,
• Engages students,
• Encourages and motivates students to participate in group work,
• Builds camaraderie among students,
• Creates opportunities for students to present to one another,
• Increases student satisfaction with the course and the instructor,
• Helps eliminate student isolation and supports student social-emotional needs.

These meetings may also be recorded to ensure students who miss the synchronous meeting can review the lesson(s) on their own. The recordings will be protected and only shared with students, parent(s)/guardian(s) of students, and/or district personnel with a legitimate educational interest. Note: Students/Families WILL NOT record nor disseminate the classroom session without consent from teachers and/or students.

Recommendations:

• Prepare a quiet and neutral area for students to engage in the meeting (i,.e. dining room table).
• Ensure the student has dressed appropriately during the meeting.
• Ensure the student understands ALL their behavior may be recorded and they can be removed from a session.
• Review district Technology Acceptable/Responsible Use Policy for acceptable behavior and consequences.
• Prepare you and your students for online ethical behavior by reviewing Raising Digital Citizens.

Please contact your teacher if you do not want your student to participate and an alternative assignment will be prepared.

March 31st, 2020

GFPS Families,

Thank you again for your patience and understanding over the past several weeks as we work to implement remote learning at Grand Forks Public Schools. As we move forward with remote learning, there are a few things we wanted to call to your attention.

1. Remote learning for all of our schools begins on Wednesday, April 1st. Your student(s) have/will receive information from their teachers via the packets you picked up last week and/or via Seesaw or Google Classroom (for our elementary school students) or through Google Classroom (for middle/high school students).
2. We understand this change in learning may bring some anxiety. Our employees are ready to take on this opportunity and work with you as our partners in education. To help focus on the unique opportunities this brings, and to help create a positive memory of this time for your family, please feel free to use the First Day of Remote Learning signs we have created, which are available at bit.ly/GFPSremote.
3. We will still observe the holidays / no school dates on our calendar, which are April 10th, April 13th, and May 25th.
4. While we are remote learning, we will not have elementary early releases or high school late starts.
5. We have created a Remote Learning page that will continue to be updated with more resources. This is available on the top toolbar of all of our websites and our smartphone app. A copy of our district Distance Learning Plan is also available here. Quick link: https://www.gfschools.org/remote.
6. There are a number of new resources on our Mental Health Hub for you to check out at your convenience, https://www.gfschools.org/mentalhealthhub.

If you have any questions, please contact your student’s teacher(s) or school administrator. We will get through this together.

Thank you-

Grand Forks Public Schools

Families,

This certainly has been, and will likely continue to be, a stressful time for many in our community. Without the routine that schools help to provide, many students and families are experiencing stressors these changes have brought about.

There have been many communications recently...regarding your student’s belongings at school, their access to technology, and of course the plan to begin learning remotely. We also recognize the need to support our students’ mental health and overall well-being!

As remote learning progresses, teachers will be communicating with families and they will find ways to support students from a distance. In addition, we want to remind you that our team of mental health professionals are here to help
support you and your students too!

The school social workers are already hard at work connecting families to resources in the community and helping to remove barriers to ensure that students will have the tools needed to continue their education!

Our school counselors have been creating a structure to provide virtual school counseling through online platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet. They are also preparing social-emotional lessons that will be made available to help students cope with the changes they are experiencing.

In addition, our mental health specialists, such as our Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor, are available to help families who are in need of support. To find contact information for all of these individuals and learn more about supports that are in place during school closures, we ask that you click on the Unified Mental Health Team link on our Mental Health Hub,
which can be found at www.gfschools.org/mentalhealthhub.

Here you will also find a wealth of information and resources such as:

• Mental health resources specific to COVID-19
• An online mental health screening tool
• Links to mobile apps & videos to increase coping skills
• Student guides to mental health
• Info regarding telehealth services available for students
• Helplines and crisis text lines

On our Mental Health Hub, you will also find information about a suicide prevention program known as Sources of Strength. We encourage you to learn more about this strengths-based program and we also suggest you download some of the at-home activities we’ve made available, such as QUINGO (Quarantine Bingo). I also feel it is appropriate to share insight from Sources of Strength founder, Mark LoMurray, who recently stated,

“May we use our Strengths to remain physically isolated, but relationally connected. May we be creative finding and exploring new healthy activities that energize, calm, and balance our lives. Even in the midst of our difficulty, challenges, and burdens, may we be open to growth. May we share our own resources to those in financial, emotional, physical, or spiritual need. May we ask for help when we need it.”

We are here to help! Please reach out to our mental health team for support. Again, contact information and resources can be found at www.gfschools.org/mentalhealthhub.

Sincerely,
Geoff Gaukler
Mental Health Coordinator

Per Governor Doug Burgum’s executive order, all North Dakota school districts, including Grand Forks Public Schools, will be closed until further notice. This is a precautionary measure against the transmission of COVID-19.

This closure affects all activities at the school, including before- and after-school activities, practices, and weekend events. 

The goal of school closure is to limit the spread of COVID-19, a respiratory illness that passes through person-to-person contact. It is extremely important for our students and families to limit outside contact as well. During this school closure, we join our health care colleagues in strongly recommending that everyone stays home and not be in close contact with others.

Packaged meals will be available at participating schools on regularly scheduled school days. The packaged meals are available to all children 18-years-old and younger. Please visit our website www.gfschools.org for participating locations. 

We will provide updates as more information becomes available. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we all work together to keep our students, families, employees, and schools healthy.

Grand Forks Public Schools

March 16, 2020

Families,

We continue to monitor the evolving situation regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). There are two pieces of information we would like to share with you today.

(1) Grand Forks Public Schools’ Child Nutrition Department will provide grab and go meals to students (18-years-old and younger) on regularly scheduled school days at no cost. Lunch and Breakfast will be served at the same time (lunch for today and breakfast for tomorrow). These meals will be served as a sack lunch from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the following schools this week on Tuesday, March 17th:

• Ben Franklin Elementary School (1016 S 20th St.)
• Century Elementary School (3351 17th Ave. S)
• J Nelson Kelly Elementary School (3000 Cherry St.)
• Lake Agassiz Elementary School (605 Stanford Rd.)
• Phoenix Elementary School (351 4th Ave. S)
• Viking Elementary School (809 22nd Ave. S)
• Wilder Elementary School (1009 N 3rd St.)
• Winship Elementary School (1412 5th Ave. N)
• Elroy Schroeder Middle School (800 32nd Ave. S)
• Valley Middle School (2100 5th Ave. N)
• Grand Forks Central High School (115 N 4th St.)
• Red River High School (2211 17th Ave. S)

Please pick up the sack lunches at the labeled door and take the meal home to enjoy. Meals cannot be eaten on site. All students can eat for free and are able to access meals at any of the locations listed above, even if it is not their home school.

If any student or chaperone of a student is exhibiting cold or flu-like symptoms, please stay in the vehicle.

(2) Grand Forks Public Schools is taking a proactive approach to planning in the event there is an extended school closure beyond March 20th. At 7 p.m. today (Monday, March 16th), you will receive a phone call from 701-746-2212. A recorded message will play that will ask you three questions:

• Do you have Internet at home that would support online learning for your student(s)? (press 1 for yes, 2 for no)
• Does your student have access to a reliable device at home (other than a smartphone)? (press 1 for yes, 2 for no)
• How many students do you have that would need a school-sponsored device for learning at home? (use keypad to select number)

Please answer the call and respond accordingly. If you do miss the call, a survey will be emailed to you to complete.

Thank you for your continued support as we all navigate the days ahead.

Grand Forks Public Schools

Grand Forks Public Schools’ Child Nutrition Department will provide grab and go meals to students (18-years-old and younger) on regularly scheduled school days at no cost. Lunch and Breakfast will be served at the same time (lunch for today and breakfast for tomorrow). These meals will be served as a sack lunch from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the following schools this week on Tuesday, March 17th:

• Ben Franklin Elementary School (1016 S 20th St.)
• Century Elementary School (3351 17th Ave. S)
• J Nelson Kelly Elementary School (3000 Cherry St.)
• Lake Agassiz Elementary School (605 Stanford Rd.)
• Phoenix Elementary School (351 4th Ave. S)
• Viking Elementary School (809 22nd Ave. S)
• Wilder Elementary School (1009 N 3rd St.)
• Winship Elementary School (1412 5th Ave. N)
• Elroy Schroeder Middle School (800 32nd Ave. S)
• Valley Middle School (2100 5th Ave. N)
• Grand Forks Central High School (115 N 4th St.)
• Red River High School (2211 17th Ave. S)

Please pick up the sack lunches at the labeled door and take the meal home. 

Meals cannot be eaten on site. All students can eat for free and are able to access 

meals at any of the locations listed above, even if it is not their home school.

If any student or chaperone of a student is exhibiting cold or flu-like symptoms, please stay in the vehicle.

Grand Forks Public Schools has announced all schools will be closed beginning March 16-20 per Governor Doug Burgum’s order. This is a precautionary measure against the transmission of the COVID-19.

This closure affects all activities at the school, including before- and after-school activities, practices, and weekend events.

The goal of this closure is to limit the spread of COVID-19, which passes through person-to-person contact. It is important for our students and families to limit outside contact as well. During this school closure, we join our health care colleagues in strongly recommending that students stay home and not be in close contact with others. 

The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to influenza, which include a fever, cough, sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, headache, body or muscle aches, and fatigue/tiredness. If you have any of these symptoms and believe you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, call the office of your health care provider before you go and tell them about your travel and your symptoms. They will give you instructions on how to get care without exposing other people to your illness.

For questions related to COVID-19, call the North Dakota Department of Health hotline at 1-866-207-2880 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday. Altru has established a COVID-19 Screening Hotline, 1-701-780-6358, that is now open 24/7. Patients are asked to call this number prior to visiting an Altru location if they meet the following guidelines:

• Experiencing symptoms, which include fever or signs of respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath.
• And have had close-exposure to persons with confirmed COVID-19 in the past 14 days.
• Or have traveled outside the country in the past 21 days.

It is also important to reinforce to your student how to reduce their risk of getting sick. The following steps can be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before leaving home, on arrival at school/work, after using the restroom, before food preparation, before eating any food (including snacks), and when arriving back at home.
• For young children, suggest they hum the “Happy Birthday” song twice from beginning to end twice while washing their hands. This video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZw4Ga3jg3E) from the CDC is a great resource to show young children.
• If soap is unavailable, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Rub the sanitizer over all the surfaces of your hands, which also takes approximately 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover your cough/sneeze with a tissue, throw the tissue in the garbage, and wash your hands. If a tissue is unavailable, cough/sneeze into your flexed elbow.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
• Stay home if you are sick. Do not send your student to school if they are feeling sick. See “When to Stay Home from Work or School” for more information.
• Influenza vaccinations are still available, which you can obtain through your student’s health care provider or at Grand Forks Public Health (Tuesday/Thursday/Friday by appointment - please call 701-787-8100).

We will continue to work with Grand Forks Public Health and the North Dakota Department of Public Health to monitor this situation and provide any updates if further action is necessary.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students, employees, and schools healthy.

Grand Forks Public Schools

 

GFPS Families,

We continue to monitor the evolving situation regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

While there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Grand Forks community, we are following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the North Dakota Department of Health regarding travel restrictions to and from affected areas.

As many of you will soon be leaving for conference trade days/spring break, please read the following information closely.

We request that families notify their principal if they or a member of their household have been to a country listed on the CDC’s Level 3 Travel Health Notice list and return to our community. Out of an abundance of caution, we also request those individuals contact Grand Forks Public Health and follow the 14-day self-isolation period (beginning on the day of return to the U.S.) before coming to school/work.

Information for travelers can be found on the CDC’s website, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html or https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel. As of the time of this email, the countries under the CDC’s Level 3 list are China, Iran, South Korea, and many countries in Europe.

Upon your return from travel, please visit the North Dakota Department of Health “COVID-19 Survey for Contacts/Travels from High Risk Countries” and fill out the form available at https://ndhealth.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eb7sJjKhR2UfB7n.

It is everyone’s responsibility to use common sense and exercise good judgment about travel. We each play a role in reducing the likelihood of a COVID-19 outbreak in our community.

Please remember that if your student is sick, they should not be at school. Please refer to the guidelines on our website for more information: https://www.gfschools.org/Page/8919.

Once again, the CDC offers the following proper precautions to keep you and your families healthy:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before leaving home, on arrival at school/work, after using the restroom, before food preparation, before eating any food (including snacks), and when arriving back at home.

• For young children, suggest they hum the “Happy Birthday” song twice from beginning to end twice while washing their hands. This video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZw4Ga3jg3E) from the CDC is a great resource to show young children.

• If soap is unavailable, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Rub the sanitizer over all the surfaces of your hands, which also takes approximately 20 seconds.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

• Cover your cough/sneeze with a tissue, throw the tissue in the garbage, and wash your hands. If a tissue is unavailable, cough/sneeze into your flexed elbow.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

• Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.

• Influenza vaccinations are still available, which you can obtain through your student’s health care provider or at Grand Forks Public Health (Tuesday/Thursday/Friday by appointment - please call 701-787-8100).

For questions related to COVID-19, call the North Dakota Department of Health hotline at 1-866-207-2880 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday. Altru has established a COVID-19 Screening Hotline, 1-701-780-6358, that is now open 24/7. Patients are asked to call this number prior to visiting an Altru location if they meet the following guidelines:

• Experiencing symptoms, which include fever or signs of respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath.

• And have had close-exposure to persons with confirmed COVID-19 in the past 14 days.

• Or have traveled outside the country in the past 21 days.

Resources on how to prevent COVID-19, as well as how to talk about COVID-19 with students of any age, can be found on this webpage, in addition to information and mental resources for our families and employees.

We work every day to keep our students and employees healthy from all viruses that contribute to illness and appreciate your continued support in doing the same. We will continue to work closely with health officials as we all navigate this changing situation.

Thank you,

Grand Forks Public Schools

Cold and influenza (flu) season in the Midwest is in full swing. Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms include cough, sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, headache, body or muscle aches, fatigue/tiredness. Not everyone with the flu will have a fever.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer the following proper precautions to keep you and your families healthy:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before leaving home, on arrival at school/work, after using the restroom, before food preparation, before eating any food (including snacks), and when arriving back at home.
  • For young children, suggest they hum the “Happy Birthday” song twice from beginning to end twice while washing their hands. This video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZw4Ga3jg3E) from the CDC is a great resource to show young children.
  • If soap is unavailable, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Rub the sanitizer over all the surfaces of your hands, which also takes approximately 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover your cough/sneeze with a tissue, throw the tissue in the garbage, and wash your hands. If a tissue is unavailable, cough/sneeze into your flexed elbow.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.
• Stay home if you are sick. Do not send your student to school if they are feeling sick. See “When to Stay Home from Work or School” for more information.
• Influenza vaccinations are still available, which you can obtain through your student’s health care provider or at Grand Forks Public Health (Tuesday/Thursday/Friday by appointment - please call 701-787-8100).

The flu season has been complicated by a cluster of respiratory illnesses caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Recent reports in the media have increased awareness and concern. We are working with Grand Forks Public Health, Altru Health Systems, and other entities on receiving information through regular updates as this evolves. 

We want to provide you with some basic, but important, facts regarding the novel coronavirus:

• It was first identified in the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province in China.
• There are no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in North Dakota.
• The North Dakota Department of Health has provided information to healthcare providers to rapidly identify any possible cases.

Grand Forks Public Schools is taking a number of precautions, which include: 

• Promoting and reinforcing proper handwashing, which will include hanging posters by handwashing sinks,
• School nurses sharing information about proper handwashing with our students and employees,
• Having hand sanitizer widely available throughout our schools,
• Checking our cleaning product inventory and purchasing additional materials as needed,
• Custodial teams increasing sanitization of high-contact surfaces,
• We will also monitor absentee patterns and share information with Grand Forks Public Health in the event the novel coronavirus is found in Grand Forks, which at this time has not taken place.

For more information, please visit the websites for the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html) or the North Dakota Department of Health (https://www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus). If cases are identified in our community, we will work closely with medical experts to determine the next steps.

We work every day to keep your students and our employees healthy from all viruses that contribute to illness and appreciate your continued support in doing the same. We will share updates when new information or guidelines need to be communicated.

Thank you,

Grand Forks Public Schools