What's New at Dubuque Community Schools

Good Evening Families and Staff,

As we prepare to welcome students back to school in the safest way possible, tonight I recommended to the School Board that the district move the first day of school back to the originally scheduled date of Monday, August 24, pending approval at the School Board meeting on Monday. In the proposed modification, orientation days would be on Thursday, August 20, and Friday, August 21.

Professional development days for teachers will now move from Friday, August 7, to Tuesday, August 11. More information about teacher professional learning will be forthcoming.

Most questions we are receiving from families seek more specifics about contact tracing and how the district will determine when to transition from one learning model to another. We have been unable to provide these specifics as we awaited state guidance.

Late last week, new guidance released by the Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa Department of Public Health left additional questions unanswered and placed much additional responsibility on local public health officials and school districts to determine specifics we expected to receive in the guidance.

This recommended move in start date will give us the extra time needed to ensure strong collaboration with local public health officials and ultimately provide families with the specifics they seek. Our goal is to keep you as informed as possible and, with these late changes, we want to be sure you have the information you need to make the best learning decisions for your family. As our work with public health progresses, we will share specifics with you as soon they are available.

We know that this calendar change may require you to make childcare arrangements for the week of August 17, so we wanted you to be aware of this recommendation for planning purposes.

In the next few days, we will also continue to move forward with the assignment of A/B hybrid learning days and plan to share those assignments with families.

We are thankful for your ongoing support of our students and thank you for your continued flexibility during these challenging times.

Sincerely,
Stan Rheingans
Superintendent of Schools

KOMMOL ELAP n̄an baamle kooj ad kin aer kar kadredreiklok boom in kōkāālel in katōk eo ilo ad wōj jino jinoin iiō in jikuul in an Hybrid kab katōk wōt oonlain.

Kim ej mōnōnō in kwalok ke kobaan 8,800 boom ko rar kanni, im koba ibben kōnnaaniklok jejjōt in 1,800 rijikuul ro jen jijjōt in building tiim eo, emōj am bōk elōn rijbaan ko jen ebajwōt 95% jen rijikuul ro ad!

Ekkar n̄an riijool ko, 78.3% jejjot in karōk ko an baamle ko n̄an jino iio in ilo karōk eo an hybrid im 21.7% jijjōt in karōk ko an baamle ko n̄an jino aolepen ilo oonlain.

Tiim eo emoj an jino buul jerpale kajjojo bun̄tōn laajrak ko. Rej ekkeljel wōt lok ibben kōkal in drouluul ko an A im B, me emōj aer kakkobabaik droon. Kimij jerpal ibben droon n̄an kadredreilok drouluul kein bwe ren mōkaj lok im nej lewaj ennaan in wāwein drouluul kein nej jinoin lok wiik in lal.

Bar juōn alen, kommoltata kin jiban̄ ko ami – Elap amwōj mōnōnō in kadruwaineneik tok rijikuul ro ilo aer rool im jikuul.

THANK YOU to our families for completing the Learn Method Selection Form as we prepare to begin the school year in hybrid and online learning models.

We are pleased to share that with over 8,800 form submissions, and follow-up calls to approximately 1,800 students by our amazing building teams, we have received responses from 93 percent of our students!

Based on these initial results, approximately 78.3 percent of our families plan to begin the year in the hybrid format and approximately 21.7 percent of our families plan to begin fully online.

Our teams are now working hard on the next steps in the process. This includes creation of A and B groups, which involves many interlocking systems. We are working to complete the groups as quickly as possible and will send an update on groupings to you early next week.

Again, thanks for your ongoing support – we are very excited to welcome our students back to school!

Ilo ad bojak im kajjitõk ibben baamle ko ñan kālet ikijjeen Hybrid ak Katõk wõt oonlain objen ko ilo jinoin iiõ in jikuul in, emõj kõllaajraki uaak kein ñan kajjitõk kein ekkā kajjitõki ke kim ar rijiib.

KATÕK LOK IKIJJEEN KAJJOJO KÕKĀLEL KEIN IM LALE LOK KAJJITÕK KO EKKĀ KAJJITÕKI IKIJJEEN JÕKJÕK IN AER AJI KATAK KEIN

Jejelā bwe enaaj wõr kõkobaba in nej kajjitõk ko ilo ad nej ilo am nej bukõt mejlan tore kein im kanooj kammolol kom kin kijenmij ko ami ilo am jerpal imaan lok. Jenaaj wõnmanlok wõt im update peij eo an kajjitõk ko ekkā kajjitõki ilo itõk wõt melele.

Kim ej kõjatdrikdrik bwe jerpal kein renaaj lelok ñan baamle ko jet melele ko ñan jibañ er kõmman kālet ko remman ñan baamle eo aer ilo an iiõn jikuul in ijjino.

The selection form for families to select their desired learning method (hybrid or fully online) to begin the school year is now available and was sent to families via ParentSquare.

In the hybrid option, each primary household in the district will be assigned an A day or B day on which they would attend school in person. On opposite days, students would participate in at-home learning.

In the fully online option, students will learn in a completely remote setting. In this option, students will remain students of their school and the district.

Families are asked to complete the form no later than Monday, July 27, to select either the hybrid or fully online option for each student in their household. If you have problems accessing the form, please email parentsquare@dbqschools.org.

We understand that this is a difficult decision for many families. Please know that we are here to support the decision you feel is best for your family.

As we prepare to ask families to select either the hybrid or fully online learning option for the start of the school year, we’ve compiled answers to the most common questions we have received.

LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH OPTION AND VIEW FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LEARNING DELIVERY METHODS

We know that there will continue to be additional questions as we navigate these times and appreciate your patience as we work through them. We will continue to update the Frequently Asked Questions page as additional information becomes available.

We hope this information provides families with the information needed to make the best decision for their family as the school year begins.

Good Evening DCSD Families,

As you know, we have been continually engaged in planning for our return to learning in August. We have researched best practices across the nation, attended return-to-learn webinars by top experts at the University of Iowa College of Public Health, consulted with local public health officials, and more.

I am writing to share with you that at this afternoon’s School Board committee meeting, I officially recommended that the district begin the year in a HYBRID MODEL for all grades PreK through 12. In this model, each primary household in the district will be assigned an A day or B day on which they would attend school in person. On opposite days, students will participate in at-home learning.

The district will also offer a completely online option, with dedicated district staff, for families not comfortable sending their children to school for in-person learning.

VIEW THE POWERPOINT FROM TODAY’S MEETING

The safety of our students and staff remains at the forefront of our planning. The hybrid option will allow us to most effectively implement the key prevention measure most often cited by medical experts: social distancing. Students and staff will also be required to wear face coverings and many other safety and prevention protocols will be put in place. Through this format, we will begin to welcome students back at a slow, measured pace.

I know that this decision brings with it many questions – many of which we are not able to answer today. The decision also brings with it the opportunity for families to begin planning for the start of the school year and for staff to increasingly focus our work as we move through the next month.

Much more information will follow in upcoming days and weeks. This is uncharted territory for all schools and we appreciate your ongoing work and support.

Sincerely,
Stan
—
Stan Rheingans
Superintendent of Schools

Day in and day out, the work of our district begins and ends with our people.

Each year, we say thank you to our staff members who are celebrating retirement. We thank them for their continual dedication to students and families, and we wish them well as they move into the next chapter of their life.

VIEW A LIST OF RETIREES (PDF)

Thank you to our retirees! We salute you!

Iakwe nan Baamle ko im Rijerbal ro,

Rainin, Ikonan kojelaik kom kon elmakot in karok eo an Dubuque Community School District nan bar jeblak tok nan ekatak im jikuul. Kojela in ear bok ellon allon ko in jerbal jen elon kumi in jerbal ko, aolep ro rar erre maanlok im lomnak nan kobooj jinoin iio in jikuul in 2020-2021.

Karok in ej nan kwalok juon kolmenlokjen eo edibakbak ikijen karokan wewen katkain eo jej kobooje einwot jikin lolorjake ekatak im jelalokjen

• Komman ekatak-ilo-likieo in armej
• Komman ekatak ilo internet im kon kampiutor
• Kobaan kilen katakin kein jimor, ilo likieo in armej im kab bareinwot ilo online.

Elmakot in karok in ej kwalok jonak im kilten ko naj kojerbali nan kojparok ejmuur in bwe en jab laplok naninmej.

LALE KAROK IN NAN AN BAR JABLAK TOK EKATAK

Ij kalikar ijin ke ejkab maanjen ad jok na lomen wewen Bar-Jeblak-In Jikuul itok wot jen jokjokin an COVID-19 jab bojrak, im ilo an rijerbal ro ad komman maanjabpopo nan jinoin iio in jikuul ej pedo tok, elmakot in im ebar lon komadmod ko jet mottan renaj bolon ukooktak jen iien nan iien.

Ejja ilo iien in wot, ewor ad tomak ke eaorok bwe jen kalimomoik elmakot in karok kein ibami im bareinwot bok am lomnak. Jej kojatdikdik bwe kom naj bok jidik iien im uaake kajitok kein waj ikijen Bar-Jeblak in-Jikuul, eo im enaj jerbal nan kanuj jiban ad ejake elmakot in kottobar in ad.

UAAKI KAJITOK KEIN KON BAR- JEBLAK IN-JIKUUL
(Jouj im uaaki kajitok kein mokta jen Wonje, Julae 8)

Jej kaorok uaak ko ami im naj likkuun monono in jiban komleleiki elmakot in Bar-Jeblak in-Jikuul in im bok uaak ko ami. Elane kwoj konaan bwe en iwoj am komlele kon karok in inem letok uaak ko am ilo kajin eo kwoj konan kojerbal, jouj im kur tok Taj Suleyman, director eo an equity, ilo tsuleyman@dbqschools.org bwe en maron kojerbal rukook ro renaj maron jiban.

Einwot ilo aolep iien, kon jela ke emman im ejmuur eo an rijikuul ro nejid im rijerbal ro ad rej kotobar ko ad raorok im imaan tata ilo jerbal im karok kein. Ej lap wot jerbal ko nan kommani ilowan wiik kein rej pedo tok, im jej kotmane bwe ej maron naj wor wot ukooktak ko renaj walok tok nan koj. Ejja ilo iien in wot, jej erre maanlok nan ad karuwaineneik tok rijikuul ro ad nan aer bar jino jikuul im jej likkuun kamolol kon jiban ko ami nan rijikuul ro nejid im nan jikuul kain ad.

Ilo wot kautej,
Stan Rheingans
Superintendent

Dear DCSD Families and Staff,

Today, I am pleased to share the first version of the Dubuque Community School District’s Return-to-Learn Plan with you. This document represents months of work by a variety of groups, all focused on preparing for the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.

The plan is intended to provide an overview of the three educational delivery scenarios that we are prepared for as a district:

• Fully in-person education
• Fully online education
• Hybrid education, delivered as a combination of in-person and online education

The plan also outlines the health and safety measures that will be put in place to deliver in-person learning.

VIEW THE RETURN-TO-LEARN PLAN

I emphasize that it is the first version of the Return-to-Learn Plan because as the COVID-19 situation continues to progress, and as our district team continues to prepare for the beginning of the school year, this plan and its many components will continue to evolve and change.

At the same time, we believe that it is important for us to share our current plan and invite your feedback. We hope you will take a few moments to complete our Return-to-Learn survey, which we will use to inform the continued development of our plan.

TAKE THE RETURN-TO-LEARN SURVEY
(Please complete this survey no later than Wednesday, July 8)

As always, be assured that the safety and well-being of our students and staff is always at the forefront of our planning. There is much work to do over the next six weeks, and we know that much is likely to change in the world around us. At the same time, we look forward to welcoming our students back to school and we appreciate the tremendous amount of support you provide to our students and the district.

Sincerely,
Stan Rheingans
Superintendent