September 4, 2020 - Important news for all parents from the Food Service, Transportation, Athletic, and Technology Departments
Dear Parents:
As we conclude our first full week of remote instruction, we would like to express a huge thank you to our students, families, and staff for what was, truly, a very successful start to school in a strange new way. You are to be highly commended.
As we proceed a few more weeks with remote instruction, and at the same time, prepare for our return to in-person instruction, there are several news items we would like to share with you.
(Our target date for returning to in-person instruction is September 28, 2020.)
1) IMPORTANT UPDATES FROM OUR FOOD SERVICE DEPARTMENT
Starting Monday, September 14, 2020, and continuing until in-person instruction resumes, meal pick-ups will be on Mondays from 1:00 – 6:00 p.m., with the process resembling the summer program. Parents will be able to pick up meals from a single location (at their choice of any one of our schools) for any child in their household (18 years of age or under). No advance sign-up will be necessary. The meal bag will include meals (breakfast and lunch) for the whole week. Curbside, contactless pickup will be available at each location. Please note: food distribution at any particular site may close before 6:00 p.m. if the supply of prepared food bags is depleted.
Once in-person instruction resumes, the Food Service department will resume operation via the school lunch program. This will mean meals will be available only for students enrolled in Grant County Schools, with In-person students receiving their breakfasts and lunches at school, while virtual students will have the opportunity to sign-up and pick-up meals each week. (More information for virtual students will follow as we get closer to in-person instruction.)
2) IMPORTANT UPDATES FROM OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
In preparation for returning to in-person instruction on September 28, it has been necessary to make several operational and route changes within the transportation department. The state guidance we have received, including the requirement that we have the capability to contact trace a positive COVID-19, has required that we strategically re-assess and tighten all of our operations. Therefore,
a. Routes are substantially different this year. If your child will be riding a bus, please take a moment to review the bus schedule available
here.
b. Students will have only one pick-up location and only one drop-off location. The pick-up and drop-off location will be to/from the child’s home, or as specified by parents on transportation surveys/forms submitted earlier this summer. Any modifications to those plans should be addressed with your child’s school and will be permanent. There will be no bus passes permitted. Also, students who have routinely used one of the elementary schools as their pick-up/drop-off location to/from GCMS or GCHS will not have this service available.
c. Please recall that state guidance requires that the parents of all bus riders sign a statement agreeing to affirm each morning their child’s heath before boarding the bus. This commitment statement was included with the release agreements signed as part of the online registration. To review, please refer to page 60 in the Student Code of Conduct available
here.
3) IMPORTANT UPDATES FROM OUR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
The prospect for having organized middle and high school sports has been very uncertain the past several weeks, but we do now have guidance for moving forward. Our coaches and administrators have adapted practices, games, and facilities to operate within the recommendations. Fans will be permitted at each event, however, there will be attendance limits and specific procedures to follow. Due to the fan limits, no passes will be available this year. For additional information regarding high school athletics, please review the documents available below.
4) IMPORTANT UPDATES FROM OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
The Grant County community is again showing its support for our schools and students! Realizing that connectivity to the internet is difficult (or impossible) at some locations throughout the county, several organizations have offered their internet to our students. For a list of locations, please contact the Family Resource Center for your child's school.
Again, thank you for the wonderful response we have had. We know this is stressful, but hope you've found value in the shared time and experiences with your children.