Mahnomen ISD 432

Mahnomen Public Schools 12/9/2020 Dear Families, We were notified by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) that a member of the Mahnomen Public School community has tested positive for COVID-19. It is possible the person was able to spread the disease while in the community on this/these date(s) 11/30/2020, 12/1-2/2020, 12/4/2020. We cannot for privacy reasons share details about the person. At this time, they have been told to stay home and away from other people (in isolation) until they are well and can no longer spread the disease. We have worked with MDH to identify those who were in close contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19, and have told them directly to stay home and/or to work from home for 14 days, even if they have a negative COVID-19 test during that time. This is how long it can take to show signs of the disease. If you have not been contacted, your child is not considered a close contact, and there is nothing special you need to do. Because the spread of COVID-19 from unknown sources is widespread in Minnesota, you should continue to watch your child for COVID-19 symptoms, which include:  Fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher  New cough or a cough that gets worse  Difficulty/hard time breathing  New loss of taste or smell  Sore throat  New nasal congestion/stuffy or runny nose  Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea  Muscle pain  Extreme fatigue/feeling very tired  New severe/very bad headache  Chills If your child gets symptoms, they should stay home and you should talk with their doctor or other health care provider to decide if they need to see a doctor and/or to get tested for COVID-19. Please review the following resources:  Home Screening Tool for COVID-19 Symptoms (PDF) (https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/homescreen.pdf)  COVID-19 Attendance Guide for Parents and Families (PDF) (https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/attendance.pdf) We understand that this news may make people feel uneasy. We have taken action to clean and sanitize the building and are working closely with MDH to watch the situation. We are asking all members of our community to lower the chance of spreading illness by taking the following actions:  Protect yourself and others by wearing a face covering.  Wash your hands often with soap and water.  Cover your coughs and sneezes; do not touch your face with unwashed hands.  If you are sick, stay home from school, child care, sports, and other activities.  Clean all commonly touched surfaces often, such as telephones, doorknobs, countertops, etc. Resources that you may find helpful:  MDH Coronavirus Disease 2019 (https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/index.html)  MDH Schools and Child Care: COVID-19 (https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/index.html)  CDC Coronavirus (COVID-19) (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html) If you have questions, contact Ashley Braun, RN Mahnomen School Nurse 218-280-3085. Thank you for helping to keep our school community safe. Mahnomen Public Schools

In case you missed our Student/Staff of the Month ceremony last week, here are our winners from the month of November! Students of the Month; L-R Dawson Darco, Majestic Murray, Katrina Deegan, Kale Goodwin Not Pictured; Jayceon Stone, Aliviah Stock, Emaleah Vanderplaats-Giard, Damya Rose Ramsey, Alrick Accobee, Emma Accobee, Asondra Weaver On the left, Ben Dahlin technology integration, and Bus Driver Myron Hendrickson

12/4/2020 Dear Families, We were notified by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) that a member of the Mahnomen Public School community has tested positive for COVID-19. It is possible the person was able to spread the disease while in the community on this/these date(s) 11/30/2020. We cannot for privacy reasons share details about the person. At this time, they have been told to stay home and away from other people (in isolation) until they are well and can no longer spread the disease. We have worked with MDH to identify those who were in close contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19, and have told them directly to stay home and/or to work from home for 14 days, even if they have a negative COVID-19 test during that time. This is how long it can take to show signs of the disease. If you have not been contacted, your child is not considered a close contact, and there is nothing special you need to do. Because the spread of COVID-19 from unknown sources is widespread in Minnesota, you should continue to watch your child for COVID-19 symptoms, which include:  Fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher  New cough or a cough that gets worse  Difficulty/hard time breathing  New loss of taste or smell  Sore throat  New nasal congestion/stuffy or runny nose  Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea  Muscle pain  Extreme fatigue/feeling very tired  New severe/very bad headache  Chills If your child gets symptoms, they should stay home and you should talk with their doctor or other health care provider to decide if they need to see a doctor and/or to get tested for COVID-19. Please review the following resources:  Home Screening Tool for COVID-19 Symptoms (PDF) (https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/homescreen.pdf)  COVID-19 Attendance Guide for Parents and Families (PDF) (https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/attendance.pdf) We understand that this news may make people feel uneasy. We have taken action to clean and sanitize the building and are working closely with MDH to watch the situation. We are asking all members of our community to lower the chance of spreading illness by taking the following actions:  Protect yourself and others by wearing a face covering.  Wash your hands often with soap and water.  Cover your coughs and sneezes; do not touch your face with unwashed hands.  If you are sick, stay home from school, child care, sports, and other activities.  Clean all commonly touched surfaces often, such as telephones, doorknobs, countertops, etc. Resources that you may find helpful:  MDH Coronavirus Disease 2019 (https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/index.html)  MDH Schools and Child Care: COVID-19 (https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/index.html)  CDC Coronavirus (COVID-19) (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html) If you have questions, contact Ashley Braun, RN Mahnomen School Nurse 218-280-3085. Thank you for helping to keep our school community safe. Mahnomen Public Schools

Student of the Month starting soon! Catch the livestream on Facebook!

As we gear up to return to the classroom after our short break, we ask that you review your student's health and continue to complete the daily wellness check before coming to school! See you Monday! Go Thunderbirds!

Dear Families/Students/Staff of Mahnomen Public Schools, We were notified by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) of a lab confirmed case of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) in a member of the Mahnomen Public School community with exposure date(s) of 11/23 and 11/24/2020. We have worked with the MDH to identify those who had close contact with the case, and have communicated with them individually. The risk of exposure for other individuals present in the building on that date is no greater than the risk of contracting the virus in the general community. If you were not identified to have close contact with the positive case you should still monitor for symptoms of illness, but do not need to stay home unless symptoms develop. If symptoms develop, stay home and consult with your physician to determine if medical evaluation is needed. We understand that this may create unease in our community. We have taken action to clean and sanitize the facility and are working closely with MDH to monitor the situation. We are asking all members of our community to minimize the spread of illness by taking the following actions: • Protect yourself and others by wearing a face covering when it is hard to stay 6 feet away from people; washing your hands often with soap and water; covering your cough and sneeze; and avoiding touching your face with unwashed hands. • If you are sick, stay home from child care and other activities. • Be prepared in case you get sick and need to stay home. Keep enough food, regular prescription drugs, and other necessities on hand in case you need to stay home and are not able to go out easily. • Frequently clean all commonly touched surfaces (e.g., telephones, doorknobs, countertops, etc.). If symptoms develop, stay home and consult with your physician to determine if medical evaluation is needed. If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, MDH recommends: 1. Stay at home for at least 10 days, and for 24 hours with no fever and improvement of other symptoms (Your fever should be gone for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medicine). 2. Use the CDC website on how to Care for yourself at Home with COVID-19. 3. If your household contacts were exposed to you while you had symptoms, they should try to stay home as much as possible for 14 days. This is a challenging time and I know many of you may be feeling stress or anxiety. We will get through this together as a community, and will be stronger when we emerge. Resources that you may find valuable are: • MDH Coronavirus: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/index.html • MDH If You Are Sick: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/sick.html • CDC Coronavirus: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html Sincerely, Ashley Braun, RN Mahnomen Public School Nurse (218)280-3085 Tracy Johnson, RN, MSN Investigation and tracing (218)280-3125

This weeks elementary newsletter https://5il.co/nc58

As we celebrate thankfulness this season, we'd like to show our area health care workers that are putting their health and lives on the line during this pandemic that we are THANKFUL for all that they are doing! We are fortunate to have three health care centers in our communities that are taking care of our families-Sanford, Essentia, and White Earth. As a big THANK YOU our elementary organized a fun parade of waves, cheers, and signs while visiting outdoors at the Mahnomen Health Center today!

Mahnomen School Community Members, This past week the absences in the school population due to COVID related isolation or quarantine have remained similar to the previous week with the addition of 5 more positive cases confirmed. To date we have not recorded a transmission of COVID-19 within the school’s population due to a school related close contact. We believe this is due to the safety procedures that are in place: social distancing, mask wearing, frequent hand washing and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces. Kudos to our students and staff for their vigilance on these safety practices. Our goal is to keep our students whose families have chosen the in-person/hybrid learning model in those models as much as possible as long as it remains safe for students and staff. Families do have the option of choosing the distance learning model at any time if they are feeling uncomfortable with in-person. We will continue to watch the data closely and as stated in the past it can change rapidly. The school will do its best to give families a few days notice of any transition to a more restrictive model like distance learning but due to the fluid nature of the pandemic that notice may be short. Families need to be prepared and have a plan in place if this happens. The amount of time students spend in school is small in comparison to time spent out of school. Thank you families for following safety protocols at home amidst pandemic fatigue. We ask the entire community to limit their exposure and follow safety precautions. Thank you.

Dear Families/Students/Staff of Mahnomen Public Schools, We were notified by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) of a lab confirmed case of COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) in 3 members of the Mahnomen Public School community with exposure date(s) of 11/12-13/2020. We have worked with the MDH to identify those who had close contact with the case, and have communicated with them individually. The risk of exposure for other individuals present in the building on that date is no greater than the risk of contracting the virus in the general community. If you were not identified to have close contact with the positive case you should still monitor for symptoms of illness, but do not need to stay home unless symptoms develop. If symptoms develop, stay home and consult with your physician to determine if medical evaluation is needed. We understand that this may create unease in our community. We have taken action to clean and sanitize the facility and are working closely with MDH to monitor the situation. We are asking all members of our community to minimize the spread of illness by taking the following actions: • Protect yourself and others by wearing a face covering when it is hard to stay 6 feet away from people; washing your hands often with soap and water; covering your cough and sneeze; and avoiding touching your face with unwashed hands. • If you are sick, stay home from child care and other activities. • Be prepared in case you get sick and need to stay home. Keep enough food, regular prescription drugs, and other necessities on hand in case you need to stay home and are not able to go out easily. • Frequently clean all commonly touched surfaces (e.g., telephones, doorknobs, countertops, etc.). If symptoms develop, stay home and consult with your physician to determine if medical evaluation is needed. If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, MDH recommends: 1. Stay at home for at least 10 days, and for 24 hours with no fever and improvement of other symptoms (Your fever should be gone for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medicine). 2. Use the CDC website on how to Care for yourself at Home with COVID-19. 3. If your household contacts were exposed to you while you had symptoms, they should try to stay home as much as possible for 14 days. This is a challenging time and I know many of you may be feeling stress or anxiety. We will get through this together as a community, and will be stronger when we emerge. Resources that you may find valuable are: • MDH Coronavirus: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/index.html • MDH If You Are Sick: https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/sick.html • CDC Coronavirus: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html Sincerely, Ashley Braun, RN Mahnomen Public School Nurse (218)280-3085 Tracy Johnson, RN, MSN Investigation and tracing (218)280-3125

Good Morning from MHS! Activities and Announcements for today include: -HS Homework Club w/Mr. Thomas -3rd Grade Targeted Services until 5:30 Go Thunderbirds!

A note from MDE regarding no-cost at-home COVID-19 testing

Good Morning from MHS! Activities & Announcements for today include: -Elem STEAM grades 3-6 *Football playoffs begin on Saturday, Nov. 21st! Game will be in Mahnomen at 2:00 vs Ada-Borup/West

Mahnomen School Community Members, This week the school population continues to have students and staff related absences due to COVID factors. Many of these absences are due to 1st contact quarantines for 14-days per the guidance from MDH and are relating back to last week’s exposure. Multiple new cases of close contact exposures have also occurred from contacts outside the school in the greater community. Thank you to our families for being cautious at home and taking steps to slow the spread. It is critical that parents conduct a health screening of their children daily before they come to school. If you are ill please stay home. Thank you.

Good Morning from MHS! Announcements & Activities for today include: -Conferences 4:00-7:00 pm *Reminder that there is NO elementary school tomorrow 11/13 due to elementary conferences

It was our intention to honor area Veterans with a parade today, but unfortunately the activity was canceled. Here are some signs one of our 4th grade classrooms made to share! They are now in our display case! Thank you to all our area Veterans from all of us at Mahnomen Public Schools.

Help slow the spread. Stay home if ill.

Good Morning, welcome to Q2! Activities & Announcements for today include: -VB vs. Ada-Borup/West in Waubun (C-team @ 5:00) -Conferences 4:00-7:00 pm *Knowledge Bowl practice will begin next Wed, Nov 11th at 8am in Mrs. McMullen's room. If you are a distance learner you can join via discord at that time.

Parents/Guardians, Each morning please complete a health screening of your child at home before sending them to school each day. If your child signs of illness please keep them home and call the school. The school has partnered with public health and will use MDH's COVID-19 Decision Tree for Schools to determine when your child can return to school. Thank you for your cooperation.

School Buses are operating at 50% capacity using every other seat. For the safety of all passengers the following procedures have been put in place: Face masks are a requirement to ride. Students will sit in their assigned seat. Students will be assigned seat with household members only. To maintain separate student groups and meet space restrictions no bus passes will be given out. Parent/Guardians are responsible for make alternative transportation arrangements. Thank you for your cooperation.