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VIRTUAL LEARNERS TECH HELP SITE
Click Here for a parent resource site for tech help for students in the virtual learning program.

Participation in schoolwork is no longer optional for students like it was during the spring shutdown. Participation in instruction and school work is now MANDATORY, which means attendance will be taken and grades recorded. Attendance and truancy policies will be followed.

REQUESTS TO SWITCH FROM VIRTUAL TO IN-PERSON/IN-PERSON TO VIRTUAL:
If you are requesting a switch for your child, your child has been put on a waiting list for consideration as we work to solidify rosters before making additional changes. Please be sure to let the school know if your child will be absent so it can be coded as excused; otherwise it will need to be coded as unexcused.

REQUESTS FOR EAST/WEST STUDENTS TO SWITCH GROUPS:
If you are requesting a switch for your child from Group A to Group B or vice versa, your child has been put on a waiting list for consideration once class schedules and rosters are finalized.

MEAL ASSISTANCE FOR VIRTUAL STUDENTS
Virtual learning families already signed up for food, can pick up meals every Monday from 1-2 p.m. for the week. Families can pick up meals at the front entrance of their child’s building except for Lowell and East.
-Lowell families will pick up meals at Kittrell Elementary located at 1304 Oregon Street
-East families will pick up meals in the back parking lot of the school

BUSING:
Bus routes have been assigned to eligible students whose families did not permanently opt out of busing this school year. Through Infinite Campus, parents can click on MORE, then on Transportation to see the route pick up and drop off information. Please have a conversation with your children to ensure they know their correct route number, stop location and pick-up time.

To reduce the number of bus riders and support health and safety restrictions, we are currently unable to offer bus seats to riders who do not qualify for busing from their home address.

COVID EXPOSURE PROTOCOL/COMMUNICATION:
-We want to remind you that we have prepared for potential COVID exposures and have plans in place to address safety concerns. If a staff member or student is exposed to COVID, we will immediately alert any individuals involved, adhering to HIPAA and FERPA privacy restrictions. Please be sure your phone number, email address and emergency contact information are all current in our system so we can contact you in a timely manner.

-If we need to temporarily cancel in-person instruction for a portion of a class, a classroom or a grade level, we will contact families involved as soon as we can.

-While it is our goal to ensure in-person learning continues on schedule, we ask you to plan accordingly. Just like weather-related contingency plans, please proactively think about how you would handle child care and transportation issues if your child cannot attend school in-person. We will provide as much learning support as possible for students isolating at home, using district-issued technology devices and/or paper-pencil work.

VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION
Students approved for virtual instruction will start on Monday, August 31.

East and West students in grades 9-12 choosing in-person instruction:
East and West students should check their school district @wloo.org email to view whether they have been assigned to the A group or B group.

Parents can also log-in to Infinite Campus, click on Calendar, click on the Schedule tab above the calendar, click on a day and it will indicate VIRTUAL at the top of their schedule for the days the students are not in-person.

Students assigned to Group A started on Monday, August 24. Those assigned to Group B started today on Tuesday, August 25. Household members were assigned to the same group.

The high school schedule runs on two-week rotations (at least through the end of September when it will be re-evaluated) with the following 5-day schedule:
Week 1: ABABA
Week 2: BABAB  (repeat)
Expo students started on Monday, August 24 and attend daily.

Waterloo Career Center: Students at East and West will attend the WCC on their A or B days, with the option of attending WCC classes every day (with busing provided daily from their home school to the WCC). Expo students will attend WCC classes daily.

SCHOOL START TIMES:
-Preschool: Information will be coming from your child’s building.
-Elementary except Cunningham (Grades K-5): Doors open at 8:30am, Class starts at 8:45am, Dismissal at 3:45pm
-Cunningham: Doors open at 7:30am, Class starts at 7:45am, Dismissal at 2:45pm
-Middle School (Grades 6-8): Doors open at 7:30am, Class starts at 7:45am, Dismissal at 2:45pm
-High School: Doors open at 7:30am, Class starts at 7:45am, Dismissal at 2:45pm

HEALTH & SAFETY:
-Facial PPE (masks and/or face shields with masks) required for staff and students.
-Plastic desk shields used as an additional protective measure PreK-8 only.
-Social distancing implemented as much as feasibly possible.

MASKS SHOULD BE WORN FROM HOME AND/OR WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO STUDENTS AT BUS STOPS OR WHEN THEY ARRIVE AT SCHOOL.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
-Middle and high school students will be allowed to carry and keep their backpacks with them in the classroom. At this time, lockers will not be in use.
-K-8 students will be eating breakfast in their classrooms, but may be able to eat lunch in the cafeteria with additional safety measures in place.
-Specific arrival and dismissal procedures will be communicated from your child’s school.
-Reminder that drinking fountains will only be in use to fill up bottles when feasible. Students are allowed to bring a water bottle.
-No visitors will be allowed in our buildings at this time, including volunteers, parents, etc.

Over the past week, we have continued to collaborate with Black Hawk County Public Health and the Iowa Department of Public Health. With the Governor’s proclamation on Thursday, August 27th and continued guidance from Public Health, we are announcing modifications to the portion of our plan on face coverings (CDC guidance attached.)

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Current language on face coverings (pg 2)

• All students in grades PK-12 will be required to wear face coverings (mask/face shield) on buses, in school buildings and on school property unless directed otherwise.

  • Face masks/shields are most essential in times when physical distancing is not feasible.

  • Waterloo Schools will provide at least two (2) cloth face masks to each student.

  • Students may bring face masks from home as long as they are appropriate:

    • Face masks with school slogans and/or mascots (Waterloo schools/ college/professional teams), or patterns(i.e. plaid, tie-dye, polka dot, etc.) are appropriate.

    • Face masks with disruptive/offensive graphics or images, slogans or phrases will not be allowed.

• All staff will be required to wear a mask and/or face shield at all times.

  • Face masks/shields are most essential when physical distancing is not feasible.

  • Waterloo Schools will provide two (2) masks and one (1) face shield to each staff member, as needed.

  • Staff may bring personal masks/face shields from home as long as they are appropriate:

    • Face masks with school slogans and/or mascots (Waterloo schools/ college/professional teams), or patterns (i.e. plaid, tie-dye, polka dot, etc) are appropriate.

    • Face masks with disruptive/offensive graphics or images, slogans or phrases will not be allowed.

New language beginning, Monday, August 31:

• All students in grades PK-12 will be required to wear cloth face coverings on buses, in school buildings and on school property unless directed otherwise.

  • Face covering options include a cloth face covering (i.e. mask) OR a cloth face covering and face shield. Face shields alone will no longer suffice as protective gear.

  • Face masks/shields are most essential in times when physical distancing is not feasible.

  • Waterloo Schools will provide at least two (2) cloth face masks to each student.

  • Students may bring face masks from home as long as they are appropriate:

    • Face masks with school slogans and/or mascots (Waterloo schools/ college/professional teams), or patterns(i.e. plaid, tie-dye, polka dot, etc.) are appropriate.

    • Face masks with disruptive/offensive graphics or images, slogans or phrases will not be allowed.

  • This new guidance will be in effect until further notice. We, in collaboration with Public Health, will monitor this guidance weekly and scale up or scale back as necessary and guided.

• All staff will be required to wear cloth face coverings at all times.

  • Face covering options include a cloth face covering (i.e. mask) OR a cloth face covering and face shield. Face shields alone will no longer suffice as protective gear.

  • Face masks/shields are most essential when physical distancing is not feasible.

  • A face shield alone will be allowed in temporary situations when direct instruction is being given, communication is impaired and safe distancing can be employed.

  • Waterloo Schools will provide two (2) masks and one (1) face shield to each staff member, as needed.

  • Staff may bring personal masks/face shields from home as long as they are appropriate:

    • Face masks with school slogans and/or mascots (Waterloo schools/ college/professional teams), or patterns (i.e. plaid, tie-dye, polka dot, etc) are appropriate.

    • Face masks with disruptive/offensive graphics or images, slogans or phrases will not be allowed.

  • This new guidance will be in effect until further notice. We, in collaboration with Public Health, will monitor this guidance weekly and scale up or scale back as necessary and guided.