Frequently Asked Questions:
1.
What is the Governor’s Executive order?
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has
signed an executive order suspending in-person learning in public and private
schools across the state from March 23 to April 17. This means that we will
have NO in-person classes for the next 4 weeks or until the Governor change the
timeline.
2.
If there’s a closure, will the school
year be extended into June?
We are not sure yet. The
Colorado Department of Education waived the state requirements for in-person
instructional hours, school days, or seat time for this school year. That means
that we don’t have to make up any lost instructional time.
3.
What do "remote learning
opportunities" look like during a closure? What if my student needs
technology help to engage in remote learning?
The district distributed devices
to all grade 2 – 6 students. Students in 7 – 12 already have a device that they
are taking home.
If your child needs help they
have to send an email to this address: [email protected] We have a small group of
people available for tech support and we ask you to be patient and
understanding during this time. They will do their best to respond to every
email as soon as they can. Wednesday March 25 is the last day of distribution
so they will have more time after that.
4.
My student left something at school. Can
they get it while schools are closed?
Wednesday March 25 will be the ONLY time for student to go
to school and collect anything they need from school. There will NO access
after this day.
5.
How will students and families who need
it get food during the closure?
The district made sure that our
students have access to nutritious meals while schools are closed. Students can
get meals during the closure at these locations ONLY on Tuesdays and Thursdays
(they will receive 2 meals):
Pete Mirich Elementary School
South Valley Middle School
Valley High School
Any student may pick up a FREE meal between 11:am and
12:30 pm. To minimize the possibility of infection we ask everyone to follow
the physical distance rule of 6 feet.
6.
Can I still use a district facility
during the closure?
No, All Re1 buildings and
facilities are NOT available to the public during the closure. This includes
the pool, weight rooms and gymnasiums.
7.
Will employees still be paid if schools
close?
Yes. The district has
articulated a plan to ensure that payroll will be processed.
8. What
if my child is feeling anxious about what's happening? What's the best way to
talk with them?
The following are some resources
for parents/guardians to guide conversations: the Child
Mind Institute’s “Talking to Kids about Coronavirus” and
the “Families Cope with Coronavirus.”
9.
What's happening with athletics, activities
and events? CHSAA's latest update is posted here.
The Colorado High School
Activities Association announced March 17 that it is extending its spring
sports moratorium through April 18; this includes practices, competitions and
meetings. All CHSAA music events have been cancelled for spring 2020. For more
information, visit the CHSSA website.
10. What is happening with graduation?
No decisions have been made yet
about Valley high school commencement ceremony, following Gov. Jared Polis’
order to close schools. We know many families are anxiously awaiting
information about this important milestone in their students’ lives, and we
will share more information as it is available.
11. My child has an IEP. What services will
they be getting?
Just as we will be providing
general education during this closure, we will also provide special education
and related services to students with identified disabilities. We are following
federal guidance closely and are working to develop the specifics of what these
learning opportunities will look like when remote learning begins for all
students. The best way to get information about your child’s instruction is
from their school.
12. What happens with state assessments and
SAT testing?
On March 17, the Colorado
Department of Education announced that the Colorado Measures of Academic
Success, or CMAS, assessments are canceled for the 2019-2020 school year. CDE
is working with The College Board to generate possible solutions for the
administration of the PSAT and SAT tests, which offer unique roles in
Colorado’s system in terms of scholarships and college entrance. Additional
information will come from CDE as it becomes available.
13. What is happening with AP tests?
The CollegeBoard released
information about how Advanced Placement (AP) tests will be administered this
spring. The following are highlights; read the full announcement from
CollegeBoard here.
• Traditional
face-to-face exam administrations will NOT take place. Students will take a
45-minute online, free-response exam at home.
• The
full exam schedule, specific free-response question types that will be on each
AP Exam, and additional testing details will be available by April 3, according
to CollegeBoard.
• To
be fair to all students, some of whom have lost more instructional time than
others, the exams will only include topics and skills most AP teachers and
students have already covered in class by early March.
• Colleges
support this solution and are committed to ensuring that AP students receive
the credit they have worked this year to earn. For decades, colleges have
accepted a shortened AP Exam for college credit when groups of students have
experienced emergencies.
• Students
will be able to take these streamlined exams on any device they have access
to—computer, tablet, or smartphone. Taking a photo of handwritten work will
also be an option.
14. What can families do to protect
themselves from becoming ill?
Parents and guardians can help
by continuing to implement the same critical illness prevention practices:
• Clean
hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub.
• Cover
nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing.
• Avoid
close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
• Getting
a flu shot if you haven’t gotten one this year.
• If
they have a positive influenza or COVID-19 diagnosis, please also share that
information.
15. Will Safe2Tell still work during a
closure?
Yes.
Safe2Tell is available for students, parents and staff. For more information
and to make reports: https://safe2tell.org or 1-877-542-7233.