COVID-19 School Closure Update April 3

Governor Reynolds announced yesterday the extension of school closures through April 30, 2020.  I want to provide an update to you as students, guardians, and parents on what is known at this point and what we are still working through. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to our community for your outpouring of support and understanding during this difficult time. What I ask of you is to continue to give us and yourselves grace as we move to our new world together.

  1. Making Up Days: The Senate and House have agreed to waive the requirement for Iowa schools to reschedule days canceled following Governor Reynolds’ recommendation. Any classes previously scheduled from March 16, 2020 to April 30, 2020 will not be required to be rescheduled, assuming we choose to provide either voluntary educational opportunities, required distance learning opportunities, or a combination of both. This allows flexibility for districts to assess the situation as it moves forward. To be clear, we will have the plan ready for the Iowa Department of Education by the April 10 deadline, and we will communicate additional, specific details of the proposed plan by early next week.
  2. Access to Buildings: All District facilities, stadiums, and playgrounds are closed through April 30.  However, we will be providing more information to you regarding a potential to retrieve items from buildings.
  3. Meals for Students: We will continue to provide breakfast and lunch to our families through this school closure as long as supplies are available. In addition to current serving sites, grab and go meals will be offered at Waukee High School bus lane at the Southeast corner daily from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
  4. Childcare: All District provided child care services are closed through April 30.
  5. Online Learning and Technology Deployment options: Buildings and teachers will continue weekly communication with resources for your student(s). We will contact those families indicating a technology need as those resources are available.
  6. Additional information related to school closure is available on our website.

REMINDERS:

All school events are postponed and canceled until April 30, 2020. We are working through graduation, prom, and other large events as we navigate through the next phase.

EFR is prepared to continue serving our students and families. Their phone services will not be interrupted and many of the EAP counselors have access to telehealth counseling options. Do not hesitate to reach out if you would like assistance during this difficult and uncertain time. There are three, easy ways to connect with EFR:

I will say it again, thank you for your patience and willingness to help our community. Many examples in our district have already shown ways of connecting to students and families. We will be in touch as items unfold so please stay tuned to your email and our website for updated communication.