Q. Do you have a date when a majority of the decisions will have been made? 

A. We are updating parents on the planning process weekly and we expect to have a majority of the initial protocols ready by August 24th. If the Covid-19 numbers in Carver County stay relatively consistent, ISD 110 will open the school year on September 8th in the models we have been communicating. Kindergarten starts on September 10th. 

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Q. What happens when a student or staff tests positive for Covid-19? 

A. When we get notification of a positive COVID-19 case in either a student or staff member: 

  • The district will follow the recommendations of the MN Dept. of Health and Local Public Health  
  • Work with public health to communicate with families and staff in the school/building where there is a positive case
  • Work with public health to contact all students and/or staff who were in close contact with a person who has a confirmed case
  • Continue to monitor symptoms of students and staff
  • Send students and staff home if they become ill at school
  • Continue to provide important health information to families
  • Conduct additional cleaning

The district will not provide personally identifiable information of an infected person or immediately close schools for one case, but will work with public health to conduct case investigation, surveillance and safety and health guidance.

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Q. Will the district be offering Covid-19 testing? 

A. At this time, we do not anticipate conducting testing, however, we will work with public health around the area of testing. 

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Q. When will 2020-2021 supply lists be posted? 

A. Supply lists for Bayview and Laketown have been posted and Southview expects to post their list on Friday, August 14. Click on the school to go to the supply list. 

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Q. When will students know who their teachers will be?

A. Teacher assignment back to school email will be sent by Friday, August 28, at 1:00pm. 

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Q. What about elementary open houses?

A. Open House will be virtual.

Wednesday, September 2

Families can choose one of three times: 8:30 - 9:00am  or 11:30am - Noon or 2:30 - 3:00pm

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Q. Will kindergartners be able to come to school before the school year begins?

A. There will be in-person Kindergarten Listening Conferences 

Tuesday, September 8 and Wednesday, September 9

Kindergarten families will receive an email from the school office on Tuesday, September 1 to pick a 25 minute time period to come in (parents and child) to meet with the kindergarten teacher. 

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Q. When will drop off and pick up procedures at the elementary schools be available? 

A. These procedures are still in development and we are planning to have finalized procedures developed and communicated to families during the week of August 24th.

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Q. How many students will be in the elementary Learning Pods? 

A. An elementary Learning Pod will be between 42 and 54 students with three learning spaces for each pod. This will allow student numbers in a learning space to be between 14 to 18 students. 

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Q. Will masks be worn on the playground? 

A. Yes. Masks will be required to be worn on the playground. We are aware that mask breaks are needed throughout the day. Mask breaks will be provided using health and safety protocols. 

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Q. Will there be 5th grade band?

A. We are planning to continue with 5th grade band instruction. A new instructional delivery model is being developed to ensure safety of all students and staff. 

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Q. Can parents drop off elementary students early?

A. School doors will open at 8:30am and students will use a variety of doors to go directly to their pods. Playgrounds will not be open before school. 

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Q. What are the Early Childhood protocols? 

A. Here are the links. Preschool   ECFE   Early Childhood Screening

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Q. When will we be informed of bus assignments if our children will be riding the bus? 

A. Koch Bus is working on routing right now with information gathered in the recent parent survey. Their hope is to send bus information out on August 19th. They will then update people with changes after the first mailing. 

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Q. How often will recess take place? 

A. Recess will be 30-minutes daily at the elementary level. Students will be assigned to a recess zone that consists only of students in their learning pod. 

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Q. Under what circumstances would we switch over to a hybrid model in the elementary schools? 

A. The K-5 Learning Pod model meets the requirements of a hybrid model including 50% room capacity and social distancing. The terms "hybrid model" and "Learning Pods" are basically one in the same at the elementary level.

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Q. Will online teachers have more training?

A. Instructional staff will have additional professional development and planning time during the week of August 31st to September 3rd. This will include training in the area of online instruction. 

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Q. Why did the elementary school day get shortened? 

A. The K-5 Learning Pod Model (daily instruction at 50% capacity with social distancing) requires all faculty and staff to be engaged with students full time between the hours of 8:30am and 2:30pm. The shortened school day is to provide teachers with necessary preparation time as required in their teaching contract. 

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Q. With the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year being moved by a week, will the school year be extended by a week in the spring?

A. The last day of school in the spring of 2021 has not changed. View Updated 2020-2021 Academic Calendar

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Q. What type of device do I need for my elementary student? 

A. District 110 Technology plan does not require students in K-4 to bring a device to school. Our K-4 classrooms are equipped with one device per two students. All shared resources in classrooms, including technology, will be disinfected between uses. 

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Q. What will you be using to clean the schools?

A. We are using a Hillyard product called "Non-Acid Restroom Disinfectant/Cleaner 19". This is very effective against the Covid-19 virus. We will use the same product to mist the rooms. Learn more about Non-Acid Restroom Disinfectant/Cleaner 19

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Q. What are the drop-off times for Waconia Wildcat Preschool? 

A. Children can be dropped off between 8:20am - 8:30am

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Q. Can I start my child in Distance Learning and have them placed in a Learning Pod at a later date? 

A. Preliminary conversations lean toward allowing students/families to change preferences at designated times throughout the academic year. The plan will be shared when a decision has been made. (posted 08/10)

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Q. Will students be leaving their classroom spaces for such things as art, gym and music? 

A. Spanish and art will deliver lessons to the Learning Pods electronically. Music and phy ed delivery will vary depending on the weather and the activity. Some lessons will be delivered to the pods electronically and the students will leave the pod to do the activity. Our elementary schools we will be embracing the great outdoors and getting students outside as much as possible.. 

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Q. Will teachers make efforts to hold class outdoors?

A. As an elementary team, we are looking at ways to utilize our outdoor learning spaces to the fullest extent possible. 

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Q. What will special education look like for students? 

A. An outline is being developed for delivery of special education services in hybrid and distance learning models. When special education staff return to work, they will be communicating with individual families regarding the plan for their students. 

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Q. How will we pick up supplies that we ordered? 

A. For those who chose distance learning and ordered school supplies last spring, you will be contacted by your school once those supplies arrive so you can pick them up. 

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Q. What happens if a student or staff gets something other than Covid?

A. We will follow the Minnesota Department of Health's Exclusionary Guidelines. If a student receives a medical diagnosis other than Covid-19, such as strep throat, the district will follow the exclusionary guidelines for that specific diagnosis. View MDH Decision Tree

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Q. With school starting later this year is the ending date of Kids' Company going to change? 

A. Kids' Company will end on Wednesday, August 19th as originally scheduled. This is so custodians can clean and have the building ready for staff on August 24th. 

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Q. What type of device do I need for my elementary student? 

A. The ISD 110 Technology Plan does not require students in K-4 to bring a device to school. 

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Q. Can siblings be placed in the same pod? 

A. Siblings can be placed in the same POD. Please contact your school's principal to let them know your wishes. 

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Q. How will lunch be distributed? 

A. Menus have been written to appeal to our students. View Menus

Elementary meals will be pre-ordered at the beginning of each school day. They will be packaged in the main kitchen, then transferred to each POD by a teacher & distributed to students.

Meals can be purchased for Distance Learning students. Purchase Distance Learning Meals 

We will not be serving "hot" food in our to-go meals this fall. There are too many limitations on our ability to maintain the meal quality of a hot meal and meals will be cold or warm. All of which will fall into safe food handling practices. 

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Q. Can students bring home lunches?

A. Students will be allowed to bring home lunches. 

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Q. Will there be free child care for essential workers? 

A. Child care is only free for Tier 1 workers during the school day. Since, in the current model, K - 6 kids are going to school every day, there would not be a need for free child care. 

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Q. Can an elementary student do an in person model along with online for the school year? 

A. Since our hybrid model has students in all day for 5 days a week, students need to come in person all 5 days. Learners may not do a combination of in person and distance learning at the same time. There may be times throughout the school year when we change models, but at this time, students will need to be in person 5 days a week or distance learning 5 days a week. 

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Q. Will students be able to request to be in the Learning Pods with their friends? 

A. We will do our best to honor requests but there are no guarantees. 

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Q. Where will students keep their supplies?

A. We will use lockers, backpacks, cubbies and cabinets. Teachers will organize the use of individualized supplies within their Learning Pod. 

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Q. Are there different teachers for in person versus online? 

A. Yes. Online teachers will have their own online class. 

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