Monroe Messages
A Newsletter of Monroe County Schools
Due to the COVID19 situation, the Monroe County Board of Education is making plans to conduct its regularly-scheduled April 14, 2020 board meeting on an online platform.  To ensure the public has access to this meeting, audio will be streamed via a YouTube Live session. A link will be made available during the day on Tuesday, April 14. This information will be posted on the system website and distributed through normal system messaging and social media avenues.

The agenda will be abbreviated to expedite the meeting process. A planned school board budget/personnel/training session will not be held. Additionally, the annual Teacher of the Year recognition normally held during the April meeting is being rescheduled to a later date.

The Monroe County Board of Education's regular monthly meeting for Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. will be conducted via the on-line GoToMeeting platform. The public is invited to listen to this meeting via YouTube Live by following this link:
 
Monroe County Schools Youtube Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwUUtxkP_yHjJwp27mIE-HQ
 
The agenda for this meeting has been abbreviated and is posted on the system's Simbli portal at https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/SB_MeetingListing.aspx?S=4117
 
A previously-planned budget/personnel/training session will not be held during this meeting. Additionally, the annual Teacher of the Year recognition normally held during the April meeting is being rescheduled to a later date.
Alternative Learning Days resume Monday, April 13 through Friday, April 17 for Monroe County Schools students. Learning packets for elementary and middle school students will be available on Tuesday, April 14 for pick up between 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Please observe social distancing and other safety guidelines when picking up packets at schools. 

Grab and Go Meals will be available Monday, April 13 and Wednesday, April 15 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Hubbard Elementary School. Students must be present to receive meals. 
Alternative Learning Days
In making sure we are following recommended federal and state safety protocols and hoping to minimize the chance of contracting or spreading this virus, Monday, March 30 through Friday, April 3, are designated as Alternate Learning Days for students. Students will be able to work from home this week. These 5 days will count as regular school days for Monroe County Schools students. Thanks for being supportive and flexible during this most uncertain time. We also appreciate your patience and understanding as we work together to overcome this disease. Details concerning plans for this week are below. At any time, if you have questions or concerns, please contact your child's school or central office.

Instructional Resources- Digital Learning Extending Beyond the Classroom
Due to the potential number of days students could be out of school, our schools will provide the opportunity for students to continue to engage in learning. Students will participate in Alternative Learning Days through reading traditional books, traditional "at home" paper-based assignments, and through use of personal devices, GoogleClassroom, email, and other electronic and digital media to ensure uninterrupted instruction.

What will an Alternative Learning Day look like for students?
All staff and students in our district access and can utilize GoogleClassroom and GAFE (Google Apps for Education), in addition to other digital media, online texts, forums and resources, on a regular basis to communicate, collaborate, research and complete assignments and lessons. On Alternative Learning Days, students may access assignments from their teachers through their GoogleClassrooms (or other digital sources) just as they would normally do while present at school.
  • Alternative Learning Day assignments for students in grades PK-5 are posted on each school's website here.
  • Alternative Learning Day assignments for students in grades 6-12 can be accessed in the students' GoogleClassroom by logging into their @mcschools account.
  • Parents should contact their child's school or email their child's teacher if they need assistance logging into their child's account. 
  • Students who do not have internet access at home will have the opportunity to complete paper copies of assignments. Parents should contact their child's school and make arrangements to pick up their child's work at the front office at each school.

Classroom teachers will be overseeing their students' digital learning platform throughout the time students are out of school. Teachers will be available to communicate with students and parents through email, GoogleClassroom, Remind, and other forms of digital media.
The Overdrive collection is getting lots of usage while we are having Alternative Learning Days. More titles are being added daily! Contact your school media specialist for login assistance.

Every 10 years, the United States Census Bureau undertakes a mammoth task: counting all the people residing in the United States. This count affects the allocation of funding for our community's public resources (e.g., roads, hospitals, schools), how we plan for the future, and our voice in government. Learn more about the importance of the #2020Census and how to participate:   2020census.gov .
Are you curious about how many people in your community are responding to the 2020 Census? Stay up to date with a map of self-response rates from across the United States!
A Message from Monroe County School Nurses: Tips to Prevent Germs From Spreading
Click here for more ways to help prevent the spreading of germs within your household.
Public Notice: Destruction of Old Special Education Records
The Monroe County Public School will be destroying old Special Education records in July 2020. The records scheduled to be destroyed are for persons who were served in special education and born in 1998. If you desire to have your records, please contact the Department of Instructional Student Support 478-994-2031 x 1604. Records not picked up by August 1, 2020 will be destroyed.