Mahnomen ISD 432

Reminder that tomorrow, January 4th, is the return to school. Remember to please conduct daily health checks of your students before sending them to school. Thank you and see you tomorrow.

COVID-19 Quarantine Guidance

Due to the forecasted winter storm warning for Wednesday, December 23rd Mahnomen Public Schools will be in Distance Learning for all students and the buildings closed to In-Person.

This weeks Elementary Newsletter https://5il.co/o682

Mahnomen Public Schools 12/21/2020 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) 12/14-15/2020. 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

This weeks Elementary Newsletter https://5il.co/o2kx

Pandemic-EBT Benefits for Families Students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals may be eligible for Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) to purchase food for days they are not in the school building. To be considered, households must submit an application for free or reduced-price meals for the 2020-21 school year or be approved for Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Families who received P-EBT benefits last summer are not automatically eligible; eligibility is based on the current school year. Benefits may be retroactive to September 2020, depending on when eligibility for free or reduced-price meals is determined. To ensure you qualify for the most benefits, please submit your application as soon as possible.

Please see the new COVID-19 decision tree for people in schools, youth, and child care programs.

Mahnomen Public Schools 12/14/2020 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) 12/7-11/2020. 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

Mahnomen School Community Members, The past 2-week have seen a decrease in the number of absences in the school population due to COVID related isolation or quarantine. 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. We will continue to watch the data closely and as stated in the past it can change rapidly. 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.

In preparation for the upcoming term, we are asking our distance learning families to begin filling out the Return to In-Person form if they are wishing to return to in-person learning at the beginning of Quarter 3. The deadline to notify us of your student's return to in-person learning is Friday, January 8th, 2021. If you are unable to access this form for completion, please contact either the Elementary or High School office for assistance. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfVD8dcCLaqxV2I7z0iONq0q3gMXMFWWZmhML8ZSOZ3OgDW1g/viewform?usp=pp_url

The Mahnomen Kindergarten Class made Christmas Present for the Mahnomen Nursing Home Residents. They were given money from the Mahnomen PTSO to help with classroom needs and projects. The Kindergarteners enjoyed making these gifts and will wrap and make cards to go with them. They hope to pass along some Holiday Cheer!

Picture Retakes are scheduled for December 17th from 8-11am in the concessions area. Distance learners can use the gym doors #14.

This week's Elementary Newsletter: https://5il.co/nt9n

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