Sanders County schools finalize year-end plans
School officials in Sanders County have mostly finalized plans for the end of the 2019-20 school year.
With the COVID-19 pandemic leaving its mark, officials at Plains, Thompson Falls, Hot Springs and Noxon have opted to continue distance learning.
When surveyed, parents in the districts largely supported the idea of keeping their chilren at home.
Here’s a look at what the schools are planning:
Plains
The Board voted to continue with the current model of off-site distance learning (including both online and paper/pencil packets) for the remainder of the regular school calendar concluding May 21.
Graduation will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 24 in the high school parking lot.
Plains Superintendent Thom Chisholm said it is to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
“The graduation will be held in the high school parking lot where attendees will remain in their vehicles during the ceremony,” Chisholm wrote in a statement on the school website. “While we would like to accommodate as many people as possible, the parking lot is limited in size and will require restrictions on attendance.”
This is the procedure for the ceremony:
• Attendees will enter the parking lot from Rittenour Street;
• Graduates will be provided three vehicle parking passes. Passes will be distributed in advance and will be required to be presented to enter the parking lot ceremony. Parking for those with vehicle parking passes will begin at 2 p.m. and conclude at 2:30 p.m.
Additional parking spots, if available, will be filled after 2:30 p.m. on a first come first serve basis. Only personal vehicles will be allowed. Buses or large vehicles are not allowed.
Vehicles will be parked with the assistance of school staff. School staff will usher parents/family members to their parking spots.
Attendees are required to stay inside their vehicle prior to, during, and after the ceremony. Graduates will also stay inside their vehicle unless called to the podium.
Parents and students will be welcome to hang posters and decorate the parking lot area prior to the ceremony Friday, May 22, and Saturday, May 23. Participants are asked to not paint on the parking lot surface. Parents are asked to adhere to social distancing and large gathering restrictions while decorating.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a digital device so that they can access the senior slide show presentation.
The graduation ceremony will be streamed online through the school facebook page for those who cannot attend.
For the education aspects, the school issued the following guidelines:
• Due to the unusual circumstances, the grading scale for the fourth quarter of the 2019-2020 school year only has been changed to a Pass/Fail mark for K-12. Students must have at least a 60% and have completed at least 60% of the work assigned to them to receive a Pass grade.
• Teachers will be on site (8 a.m.-noon) during the weeks of May 11 and 18 to answer any questions or communicate via the various technological methods which have been used. A time for students to clean out their lockers, return instruments and library books, and collect their gym shoes will be scheduled.
Elementary (K-6)
The last learning packet was sent home May 4. The remaining two weeks of the quarter (May 11 & 18) will be spent completing and/or correcting all eight weeks worth of packets.
Junior High (7 & 8)
New work won’t be assigned as of May 4. This will give students three weeks to get caught up and improve their grades.
High School
Eligibility for next fall will be based on the MHSA standard eligibility rules.
New work won’t be assigned as of May 4. This will give students three weeks to get caught up and improve their grades.
High School Students will be allowed to come to school for face to face assistance from 8 a.m.-noon beginning May 11. A designated day and time for each high school grade level will be established. See below for designated times.
May 11 and 18 - Seniors
May 12 and 19 - Juniors
May 13 and 20 - Sophomores
May 14 and 21 - Freshmen
The Grab and Go lunch program will continue through May 21. The summer lunch program will then take its place. The location of the program will be announced at a later date.
School educational and food services will continue to be offered during the school closure. The school office will remain open from 7:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. each school day.
In order to adhere to social distancing standards, the homework return boxes will be placed in the entryway of the main office until 4 p.m. each school day.
Thompson Falls
The last day of school will be Friday, June 5. High school graduation is scheduled for Sunday, May 31 and eighth grade promotion will be Wednesday, June 3.
According to information on the school website, traditional in-door ceremonies will not be an option for safety reasons.
The school is considering outdoor options which will incorporate safety and social distancing requirements.
Here is the off-site instruction/assignment school schedule for remainder of the year:
• May 18: assignments/packet pick-up
• May 19: non-instruction day – teachers in training/meetings
• May 26–29: instruction/assignments offering a preview of next school year
• May 29: final day of instruction – all assignments, textbooks and materials due back to the school
• June 1–Friday June 5: instructors completing review of assignments, grading and wrapping up school year
School officials are planning to provide summer school, in-person or online. It won’t be known which option is provided until there is more information on safety precautions being adjusted.
The Board will review the situation at its June 1 board meeting.
For the kindergarten roundup, a date will be selected for it by appointment and likely outside with social distancing, mask protections required.
Hot Springs
The Hot Springs School Board voted to continue with the distance learning option for the rest of the school year.
The school will send out a letter next week outlining its proposal to finish the school year. There will be one more week of packets sent out on Monday, May 11.
Tutoring will be offered at the school Monday, May 11 to Thursday, May 14.
Students will check out according to a schedule starting Monday, May 18.
The last day of school will be Thursday, May 28.
Graduation will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 24 on the football field.
Noxon
Noxon Public Schools will be continuing with remote learning for the remainder of the school year, according to Superintendent Jon Martin.
The district will be continuing with its food delivery program utilizing school buses and delivering and picking up school work.
“We’re doing 200 meals a day,” Martin said. “It’s been a great success for the county.”
There will be limited campus access available for one-on-one or small group assistance when deemed necessary by teachers and approved by administration.
Graduation will be held Sunday, May 24 on the football field in accordance with health guidelines from the Montana Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control.
Martin said only family members may attend graduation and social distancing guidelines will be followed.
Google Classroom or send-home packets will be used for classroom work, but there will be no finals.