COVID-19 (2020-2021)

Here are the latest updates from the Dubuque Community School District:

WEEK 10 ELEMENTARY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES NOW POSTED
Week 10 of educational materials developed by the district’s Educational Support Team are now available on our EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES WEBPAGE. This week’s resources again include Suggested Learning Resources + Activities, a Social Emotional Learning Guide, and a variety of Student Handouts and Worksheets.

As a reminder, the district’s team has worked to be sure these resources meet the needs of learners across grade levels and of all abilities. Activities not marked with a specific grade level can be used by a wide range of students – look in the accommodations section of the resources for tips on making the learning accessible to your student!

This will be the final elementary educational resources packet for the school year. Printed copies of these packets will be available at meal delivery sites on Friday, May 29.

MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADING
At the conclusion of the scheduled school year, middle school students and families will receive report cards that include grades for trimesters one and two. Because learning occurring after the school closure was ungraded, third trimester courses will show a grade of “Ex” to indicate that the class was excused due to the closure.

Families with additional questions can reach out to their school directly.

Here are the latest updates from the Dubuque Community School District:

NO MEAL SERVICE ON MEMORIAL DAY (MONDAY, MAY 25)
Due to the Memorial Day holiday, there will be NO MEALS SERVED at district and community meal sites on Monday, May 25. This includes ALL community meal sites operating by the Dubuque Community School District, Boys & Girls Club, DREAM Center and Project Rooted.

Meal service will resume on Tuesday, May 26, at the normally scheduled times.

RETRIEVING ITEMS FROM SCHOOLS
Next week, between May 26 and 29, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS will coordinate pickup of any student items left at school. Schools will communicate directly with families to share specific times and logistical information for this retrieval of items.

At this time, students will return district-issued laptops, hotspots, textbooks and library books. Please refer to communication from your school for other items that may need to be returned, including heart rate monitors, instruments, etc.)

Students will also have an opportunity to clean out their locker.

Please remember to engage in appropriate social distancing during these pick-up times.

Families with ELEMENTARY SCHOOL students who were unable to pickup item during their school’s scheduled pick-up time can contact the school directly to make arrangements to do so.

WEEK 9 ELEMENTARY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES NOW POSTED
Week 9 of educational materials developed by the district’s Educational Support Team are now available on our EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES WEBPAGE. This week’s resources again include Suggested Learning Resources + Activities, a Social Emotional Learning Guide, and a variety of Student Handouts and Worksheets.

As a reminder, the district’s team has worked to be sure these resources meet the needs of learners across grade levels and of all abilities. Activities not marked with a specific grade level can be used by a wide range of students – look in the accommodations section of the resources for tips on making the learning accessible to your student!

If you are having difficulty with the resources or have questions about how to accommodate the activities for your child, please reach out to your child’s teacher(s) by email or Seesaw for assistance.

Printed copies of these packets will be available at meal delivery sites on Friday, May 22.

Here are the latest updates from the Dubuque Community School District:

HEMPSTEAD MEAL SITE LOCATION CHANGE
Beginning on Monday, May 18, meals will no longer be served at Hempstead High School due to renovation of the school’s kitchen. The meal site will move to Roosevelt Middle School, where meals will be served during the normal 11 a.m.-1 p.m. timeframe.

ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE SCHOOL INFINITE CAMPUS GRADE INFORMATION
As we move through the completion of the school year with student learning, elementary and middle school grading information will not be accessible in Infinite Campus, as the current learning for students remains ungraded at this time.

Elementary and middle school students/families will receive end-of-the-year grading information at the scheduled conclusion of the school year.

WEEK 8 ELEMENTARY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES NOW POSTED
Week 8 of educational materials developed by the district’s Educational Support Team are now available on our EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES WEBPAGE. This week’s resources again include Suggested Learning Resources + Activities, a Social Emotional Learning Guide, and a variety of Student Handouts and Worksheets.

As a reminder, the district’s team has worked to be sure these resources meet the needs of learners across grade levels and of all abilities. Activities not marked with a specific grade level can be used by a wide range of students – look in the accommodations section of the resources for tips on making the learning accessible to your student!

If you are having difficulty with the resources or have questions about how to accommodate the activities for your child, please reach out to your child’s teacher(s) by email or Seesaw for assistance.

Printed copies of these packets will be available at meal delivery sites on Friday, May 15.

Here are the latest updates from the Dubuque Community School District:

RETRIEVING ITEMS FROM BUILDINGS
Next week, pending any change in conditions, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS will be coordinating pickup of any student items left at school. These items will be pre-packaged for families to pick-up outside the building.

• Schools will communicate scheduling and logistics details directly with families of elementary school students.
• All schools will have social distancing measures in place and families will not be allowed inside the building.
• Items will be pre-packaged for families to pick-up outside the building.
• If students have items from school they wish to return (district-owned instruments, library books, textbooks, etc.), they can be dropped off at this time as well. Please note that there will be no penalties for items that remain with families until the beginning of next school year.

MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS will be scheduling pickup of student items for late May/early June to coincide with textbook, computer and hotspot returns. Schools will reach out to families with details as plans are finalized.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT/NO-CREDIT GRADING OPTION
As shared previously, high school students have the option of taking second semester courses with a Credit (P)/No Credit (N) grading option. The deadline is May 15 for seniors to choose this option and June 1 for students in grades 9-11. Credit/No Credit courses are not included in a student’s grade-point-average, but they will receive credit for the class if a grade of 60% or higher is earned.

The request form for each school follows (students will be asked to login to their district Office365 account to complete the form):

Hempstead Credit/No-Credit Request Form

Dubuque Senior Credit/No-Credit Request Form

IMPORTANT NOTE: Students planning to move on to post-secondary education should consult the institution they plan to attend to determine which grading option will be best for their individual circumstances. Students planning to play intercollegiate athletics may also wish to review guidance from the NCAA Clearninghouse or the NAIA Eligibility Center.

YARD SIGN PICK-UP FOR SENIORS
Dubuque Senior High School and Hempstead High School will hold pickup for yard signs celebrating seniors on Tuesday, May 12. Pick-ups will be held at each school in a drive-up format with social distancing measures in place. Schools will communicate pick-up times and details directly with seniors and their families.

DON’T FORGET TO #ThankATeacher
Our teachers rock! This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and we hope you’ll take a few moments to #ThankATeacher for the amazing work they do to support our students and families. Be sure to share your pictures and posts on our district Facebook and Twitter pages. And, don’t forget to use #ThankATeacher and #DbqSchoolsProud.

WEEK 7 ELEMENTARY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES NOW POSTED
Week 7 of educational materials developed by the district’s Educational Support Team are now available on our EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES WEBPAGE. This week’s resources again include Suggested Learning Resources + Activities, a Social Emotional Learning Guide, and a variety of Student Handouts and Worksheets.

As a reminder, the district’s team has worked to be sure these resources meet the needs of learners across grade levels and of all abilities. Activities not marked with a specific grade level can be used by a wide range of students – look in the accommodations section of the resources for tips on making the learning accessible to your student!

If you are having difficulty with the resources or have questions about how to accommodate the activities for your child, please reach out to your child’s teacher(s) by email or Seesaw for assistance.

Printed copies of these packets will be available at meal delivery sites on Friday, May 8.

In order to assist in providing support for students and families needing internet connectivity, the Dubuque Community School District has purchased and installed outdoor wireless access points to provide free Wi-Fi access in parking lots at all 19 school buildings in the district. The district will be adding signage to these locations in the future.

These access points provide free internet access between 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. District-owned devices issued to staff and students will connect automatically to the district network as they do normally. Users with non-district devices can select the “DCSD-Public” Wif-Fi network. Those utilizing a Wi-Fi zone will be able to do so from their vehicle in order to reinforce appropriate physical distancing efforts.

Locations are as follows:

• Alta Vista Campus: Bus Lane
• Audubon Elementary School: Staff Parking Lot
• Bryant Elementary School: Staff Parking Lot
• Carver Elementary School: Bus Lane
• Eisenhower Elementary School: Upper Staff Parking Lot
• Fulton Elementary School: Staff Parking Lot
• Hempstead High School: Bus Lane and Main Entrance (Flagpole) Parking Lot
• Hoover Elementary School: Staff Parking Lot
• Irving Elementary School: Main Parking Lot
• Jefferson Middle School: Rear Parking Lot
• Kennedy Elementary School: Bus Lane
• Lincoln Elementary School: Bus Lane
• Marshall Elementary School: Staff Parking Lot
• Prescott Elementary School: Bus Lane
• Roosevelt Middle School: Front Drop Off by Library and Rear Bus Lane
• Sageville Elementary School: Bus Lane
• Senior High School: Bus Lane and Main Parking Lot Near Dalzell Field Ticket Booth
• Table Mound Elementary School: Main Parking Lot Near Entrance
• Washington Middle School: Parking Lot Near Smokestack

Here are the latest updates from the Dubuque Community School District:

FREE WI-FI ZONES NOW AVAILABLE
In order to assist in providing support for students and families needing internet connectivity, the district has purchased and installed outdoor wireless access points to provide free Wi-Fi access in parking lots at all 19 school buildings in the district. The district will be adding signage to these locations in the future.

These access points provide free internet access between 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Users can select the “DCSD-Public” Wif-Fi network. Those utilizing a Wi-Fi zone will be able to do so from their vehicle in order to reinforce appropriate physical distancing efforts.

Locations are as follows:

• Alta Vista Campus: Bus Lane
• Audubon Elementary School: Staff Parking Lot
• Bryant Elementary School: Staff Parking Lot
• Carver Elementary School: Bus Lane
• Eisenhower Elementary School: Upper Staff Parking Lot
• Fulton Elementary School: Staff Parking Lot
• Hempstead High School: Bus Lane and Main Entrance (Flagpole) Parking Lot
• Hoover Elementary School: Staff Parking Lot
• Irving Elementary School: Main Parking Lot
• Jefferson Middle School: Rear Parking Lot
• Kennedy Elementary School: Bus Lane
• Lincoln Elementary School: Bus Lane
• Marshall Elementary School: Staff Parking Lot
• Prescott Elementary School: Bus Lane
• Roosevelt Middle School: Front Drop Off by Library and Rear Bus Lane
• Sageville Elementary School: Bus Lane
• Senior High School: Bus Lane and Main Parking Lot Near Dalzell Field Ticket Booth
• Table Mound Elementary School: Main Parking Lot Near Entrance
• Washington Middle School: Parking Lot Near Smokestack

WEEK 6 ELEMENTARY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES NOW POSTED
Week 6 of educational materials developed by the district’s Educational Support Team are now available on our EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES WEBPAGE. This week’s resources again include Suggested Learning Resources + Activities, a Social Emotional Learning Guide, and a variety of Student Handouts and Worksheets.

As a reminder, the district’s team has worked to be sure these resources meet the needs of learners across grade levels and of all abilities. Activities not marked with a specific grade level can be used by a wide range of students – look in the accommodations section of the resources for tips on making the learning accessible to your student!

If you are having difficulty with the resources or have questions about how to accommodate the activities for your child, please reach out to your child’s teacher(s) by email or Seesaw for assistance.

Printed copies of these packets will be available at meal delivery sites on Friday, May 1.

TESTIOWA WEBSITE NOW AVAILABLE
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds recently announced the TestIowa initiative, designed to increase testing across the state and increase data collection and contact tracing related to COVID-19. As part of the initiative, all Iowa residents are encouraged to complete a short online assessment to assist in prioritizing testing. Learn more about this initiative and take the assessment at www.testiowa.com.

GRADUATION UPDATE
Yesterday, Superintendent Stan Rheingans shared plans with the Class of 2020 to hold graduation on Saturday, June 27, with a backup date of Saturday, July 25, if we are unable to gather in June. The ceremony will be held outdoors at Dalzell Field with social distancing measures in place. READ THE FULL GRADUATION UPDATE.

As a district, we are determined to find a way for the Class of 2020 to celebrate its graduation in person. While some districts are opting now to schedule virtual ceremonies, the feedback we have heard from students and families indicates that there continues to be a strong desire to have the celebration in person even if it is delayed.

While it will not be possible to have graduation on May 30 as scheduled, we are hopeful that as conditions evolve in the months ahead there may be some easing of restrictions on public gatherings that would allow us to hold a graduation ceremony.

We also know that significant physical distancing measures will still be needed. To accomplish this, our plan is to hold an outdoor ceremony in the district’s largest space – Dalzell Field.

Graduation Date
To assist families in planning, we have identified Saturday, June 27, as the target date to hold graduation, with a backup date of Saturday, July 25, if we are unable to gather in June. We ask that graduates and families please hold both of these dates in their calendar.

As originally scheduled, the Hempstead graduation will be at 10 a.m. and Dubuque Senior will be at 3 p.m.

Development of a full logistics and safety plan is underway and we are confident that we can safely follow physical distancing guidelines. Each graduate will be given a very limited, specified number of tickets based on seating capacity and physical distancing guidelines at the time. While limited attendance is not what anyone hoped for, we want to do everything we can to honor our graduates with a ceremony and provide families a safe space to join in the celebration.

Given the reduced-capacity setting, we are also working on plans to live stream the ceremony so additional family members may view it.

Our Commitment to Graduates
Students and families of the Class of 2020 will experience graduation under never-before-seen circumstances. While not ideal, we hope you know that the entire Dubuque Community School District, the administration and staff at both Dubuque Senior and Hempstead High Schools, and supporters throughout our community share in a commitment to honoring your accomplishments.

As we look to the months ahead, student and staff safety will continue to be at the forefront of our decision making. We remain hopeful that one of our selected graduation dates will be possible despite the constantly evolving coronavirus situation. At the same time, we will continue to monitor current data and projections. Should conditions significantly change or further prevent gatherings during our established dates, we will discuss alternate virtual options for graduation at that time.

Here are the latest updates from the Dubuque Community School District:

LEARNING AT ALL LEVELS CONTINUES
As you know, the district continues to provide learning opportunities for all students. These learning opportunities will continue through the remainder of the scheduled school year. While voluntary and not graded, we strongly encourage students to continue engaging in these opportunities as much as possible.

At the elementary school level, resource and handout packets, Seesaw learning activities and even classroom Zoom meetings are keeping students connected to learning.

At the middle school and high school levels, teacher-guided learning continues with students receiving lessons from teachers in many ways, including through Canvas, video lessons, and teachers and students connecting via Zoom.

We encourage our students to keep up the great work and stay connected to learning in whatever ways their individual circumstances allow.

HIGH SCHOOL GRADING
With the Governor’s announcement to close schools for the remainder of the school year, we have also been working to determine next steps with grading, particularly at the high school level.

Second semester grades for ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS were frozen as of Friday, March 13, before spring break. Students will have the following options regarding grades in these courses:

GRADING FOR SENIORS
Graduating seniors are an important consideration with grading and we remain committed to ensuring that all students on track to graduate will do so. Schools will be reaching out to students and families to discuss any barriers to graduation that may exist.

Seniors may choose to:

• • Keep the grade earned as of March 13
    • If this option is chosen, there is no action required by the student.
  • Work to improve the grade
    • To do this, students will work directly with the course instructor to turn in late work, resubmit work collected and graded prior to the closure, or retake exams.
    • Students with grades lower than they aspire to (for example, a student with a B wishing to improve to an A) may work to improve grades by re-submitting work completed prior to March 13.
    • Seniors will have until May 15 to improve grades.
    • Seniors with non-passing grades will have until May 15 to remediate to 60% or greater and receive a passing (D-) grade or higher.
  • Choose to take the class with a Credit/No Credit option
    • Students may request to change their class to a credit (C)/no credit (NC) option by May 15. Schools will be sending additional guidance on the process for selecting this option.
    • C/NC courses are not included in a student’s grade-point-average, but they will receive credit for the class if a grade of 60% or higher is earned.
    • IMPORTANT NOTE: Students planning to move on to post-secondary education should consult the institution they plan to attend to determine which grading option will be best for their individual circumstances. Students planning to play intercollegiate athletics may also wish to review guidance from the NCAA Clearninghouse or the NAIA Eligibility Center.

GRADING FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 9-11
Students in grades 9-11 may choose to:

• • Keep the grade earned as of March 13
    • If this option is chosen, there is no action required by the student.
  • Work to improve the grade
    • To do this, students will work directly with the course instructor to turn in late work, resubmit work collected and graded prior to the closure, or retake exams.
    • Students with grades lower than they aspire to (for example, a student with a B wishing to improve to an A) may work to improve grades by re-submitting work completed prior to March 13.
    • Students in grades 9-11 will have until June 1 to improve grades.
    • Students in grades 9-11 with non-passing grades will have until June 1 to remediate to 60% or greater and receive a passing (D-) grade or higher.
    • Incomplete (INC) marks may be given for students in grades 9-11, if warranted based on individual student circumstances. INC marks must be given by June 1, with further extensions given as warranted.
    • The incomplete option will allow students, including those with Individualized Education Programs, ELL services, or internet connectivity barriers, to work to improve that grade in the Fall 2020.
  • Choose to take the class with a Credit/No Credit option
    • Students may request to change their class to a credit (C)/no credit (NC) option by June 1. Schools will be sending additional guidance on the process for selecting this option.
    • C/NC courses are not included in a student’s grade-point-average, but they will receive credit for the class if a grade of 60% or higher is earned.
    • IMPORTANT NOTE: Students planning to move on to post-secondary education should consult the institution they plan to attend to determine which grading option will be best for their individual circumstances. Students planning to play intercollegiate athletics may also wish to review guidance from the NCAA Clearninghouse or the NAIA Eligibility Center.

WEEK 5 ELEMENTARY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES NOW POSTED
Week 5 of educational materials developed by the district’s Educational Support Team are now available on our EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES WEBPAGE. This week’s resources again include Suggested Learning Resources + Activities, a Social Emotional Learning Guide, and a variety of Student Handouts and Worksheets.

As a reminder, the district’s team has worked to be sure these resources meet the needs of learners across grade levels and of all abilities. Activities not marked with a specific grade level can be used by a wide range of students – look in the accommodations section of the resources for tips on making the learning accessible to your student!

If you are having difficulty with the resources or have questions about how to accommodate the activities for your child, please reach out to your child’s teacher(s) by email or Seesaw for assistance.

Printed copies of these packets will be available at meal delivery sites on Friday, April 24.

Here are the latest updates from the Dubuque Community School District:

RETRIEVING ITEMS FROM BUILDINGS
With the school-year closure announced by the Governor on Friday, we have received many questions about how families can retrieve student items that remain in schools. We are working on plans that would allow for pickup of these items while also following state and federal guidelines for social distancing to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. We will share these plans as they are finalized. If you need to collect an urgent item from school, such as a needed medication, please contact your school’s principal.

CLASS OF 2020 YARD SIGNS
As you know, we are committed to honoring members of the historic Class of 2020. There are many independent companies currently promoting and selling yard signs to recognize seniors. The district is in the process of ordering yard signs to celebrate the Class of 2020 at NO COST TO FAMILIES. We are working on a plan to distribute these signs to each student/family wanting one and will share those details with families as soon as plans and timelines are finalized.

GRADUATION CEREMONY
It continues to be our desire to celebrate graduation in some form with the Class of 2020. Knowing that there are many variables as the COVID-19 situation continues to unfold, we are working on various scenarios for holding a celebration. These scenarios are being developed over the next few weeks, and our plan is to provide an update to families on May 1.

Dear Families and Staff,

This afternoon, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced that Iowa schools will remain closed through the remainder of this 2019-2020 school year. In addition to no school during this time, all sports, activities and events are also cancelled. The district learned of this news today as the Governor announced it during her daily press conference.

To our students, staff and families: Know that we are tremendously grateful for the sacrifices you continue to make during these trying times – not only regarding education, but in so many areas of your daily life. While a closure for the remainder of the school year is most certainly not what any of us hoped for, the past few weeks have shown us that together, we are capable of tremendous things.

Thank you to our amazing students and families who are working hard to continue learning during this trying time. Since last week, almost approximately 4,300 of our secondary students (over 75 percent!) have logged in to Canvas, the district’s learning management system. At the elementary level, the district is averaging 19,266 daily interactions and 7,690 daily parent interactions.

Our students and teachers are amazing!

Through the remainder of the scheduled school year, we will be here to support this continuous learning and we will continue to actively develop our plans for a return to school next year with a focus on addressing any learning gaps that occur as a result of COVID-19.

For the Class of 2020, we can only imagine the heartbreak that comes with this announcement. We are committed to honoring them and, while we know it will be in untraditional ways, it is our hope that we can provide an opportunity for them to celebrate together as soon as we are able.

Be assured that as a district, we are also 100 percent committed to ensuring that all students on track to graduate will do so. We will share more details next week with seniors regarding course grading options and graduation requirements.

During the remainder of the school year, we will also continue our work to remove barriers to student learning:

• We will continue serving meals each weekday to students who need them, and will continue providing printed elementary educational resources at those sites on Fridays.
• We will work to expand options for internet connectivity and student devices at the secondary level for students needing them.
• We will continue providing educational resources and teacher outreach at the elementary level through Seesaw, email and phone.
• We will regularly reach out to our students and families with special education and English Language Learner needs.
• We will continue checking on the well-being of our students and families, and offer assistance when possible as well as connecting them to community resources.

We will continue to provide regular updates to families and staff as we move forward – and together, we will overcome the challenges we are facing. We are #DbqSchoolsProud and our commitment to our students and families will remain unwavering.

Stay safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Stan Rheingans
Superintendent of Schools