Garrison Public Schools

Good afternoon from Mr. Dangel. Students, the 2019-2020 school year is quickly coming to an end. Even though it ended in a much different way than we were hoping, I am very proud of you. Students and teachers did extremely well with our distance learning plan. You all made the very best of a crummy situation. If you meet with your teacher’s this week on zoom or are going to send them an email, please thank them for all of the work they have put into our distance learning plan. Students, I can’t find the words to tell you how proud I am of you. Thank you. Thank you for all you have done. With that being said, this is a reminder that all assignments are to be turned into your teachers by Monday, May 18. Since there is no finals this year, we will use May 19 and 20 to turn in ChromeBooks/textbooks/other school materials and pick up your personal locker items. Just like when we picked up our items at the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak, I have broken students down into small groups to return items. Students will come to the main office door. Mrs. Honrud or Mr. Dangel will grab your school items and give you a bag with all your locker items. If you still have items in your PE locker, we also have those bagged up. Since the Governor’s Executive Order is still in effect, we can’t allow you in the school. 7th Grade — Tuesday May 19 Andrews — Houser — 9-9:30 Iglehart — Perkins — 10-10:30 Poitra — Zeiszler — 11-11:30 8th Grade — Tuesday May 19 Baker — Krzmarzick— 12-12:30 Meyers — Torno — 1-1:30 9th Grade — Tuesday May 19 Aasand — Franklin — 2-2:30 Gehring — Kallberg — 3-3:30 9th Grade— Wednesday May 20 Keller -- Pochant 9-9:30 Schenfisch — Zook — 9:30-10 10th Grade — Wednesday May 20 Aasand — Minoza — 10-10:30 Meyers — Zeiszler — 11-11:30 11th Grade — Wednesday May 20 Alyea — Huesers — 12-12:30 Jeffrey — Mautz — 1-1:30 McCullough — Zook — 2-2:30 12th Grade — Wednesday May 20 Bendickson — Lagge — 2:50-3:20 Mautz — Young’s — 3:30-4 If you are part of the Yearbook Staff or you are taking Drivers Education from us, you will be allowed to keep your ChromeBook for now. You will still need to come to the school and let us know the reason for keeping your ChromeBook and also pick up your personal items from your locker. I hope you all finish strong and have a great summer. Seniors, I will miss your leadership, positive attitudes, and the overall excitement you brought to our building. 7th-11th graders, I will be counting down the days to August 19, 2020. I can’t wait to have my students back in my building. Mr. Dangel

Parents, The end of the school year is quickly approaching! We ask that parents of PreK-6 students come exchange your students’ materials on Friday, May 15, 2020, with the following schedule. You will need to use the North East Gym door, and we will limit the number of people in the gym at a time. Children will not be permitted into the gym. Letters are being mailed to families with specific items we need you to return to school. Please bring your items in bags labeled with your child’s name. Here are the groups and times for material pickup: Parents of students with the last name beginning: A-B can come on Friday, May 15 from 10–10:20, C-D 10:20-10:40, E-F 10:40-11:00, G-H 11-11:20, I-J 11:20-11:40, K 11:40-12:00, L-M 12:00-12:20. N-O-P 12:20-12:40, R-S 12:40-1:00, T 1:00-1:20, U-V-W-X-Y-Z 1:40-2:00. If you have students with multiple last names, please pick up materials at the time for your oldest child’s last name. Please try to stick to your time as much as possible. We have set tables up by teacher in the gym. Teachers have bagged items by student name on top of the tables. You may return items to the floor below the tables so we can keep the materials organized. We have several boxes if you need them to help you take for multiple children in your family. Our last day of Elearning will be May 14, 2020, as we will be collecting Chromebooks. Friday, May 15, is scheduled as a No-Tech Day. You will find plans for students for the final week of school for May 18-20 in the materials you collect on May 15. We will mail final report cards home to you upon the conclusion of the school year. Please stay tuned for an announcement about our end-of-the-year awards as we get more information about restrictions and regulations. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all of your support and assistance with your students during this unprecedented time. I am so proud of how our students, families, and teachers handled this challenge, with a great deal of communication, flexibility, and grace extended between everyone! You have all made the best of a “not-so-great” situation, and you make me so proud to be your principal. Thank you for all you do. Your partner in education and your principal, Mrs. Fuller

May 4-8 is Teacher Appreciation Week! Teachers, we see you go above and beyond each day to help your students in any way you can, showing you care about them and their families! Thank you to our amazing faculty at Garrison Public Schools!

School board elections in June. Please review the attached information. Incumbents are Lisa Maki running unopposed, Duane Hummel running unopposed (filling the term of former board), and Kelly Cooper. Julie Retterath will be running against Kelly Cooper for a rural position.

Tuesday, April 28th, is Superhero Day! The day is all about GRATITUDE – for essential workers, doctors, nurses, first responders, grocery employees, teachers, families helping to teach kids from home, KIDS who are learning from home, and so many more. Not all superheroes wear capes! Feel free to dress as a superhero if you'd like! Come together with your family or with friends virtually and show your appreciation and your personal superheroes! This can be someone in your community or a family member. Share your pictures on social media with the American Heart Association hashtag #NationalSuperHeroesDay.

A huge thank you to Bailey and Tara Cooper. They brought bagels for staff still working at elementary and high school. Thank you so much. They were absolutely phenomenal!!

Last week a survey went out to all juniors and seniors concerning prom. There were 3 questions asked: 1. Grade — We had 36 respond, 18 juniors and 18 seniors 2. Would you attend prom in June? We had 83% respond yes and 17% said no 3. Should we cancel prom? We had 69% respond no and 31% said yes Students have spoken. As a school we have decided our make-up date for prom will be Tuesday June 30. This date was chosen over a weekend out of respect for families that may want to go camping. We have been quarantined in our houses a long time. If we are up and moving families will want to get out of the house. We also decided on the last day in June. This will give the governor time to open up ND. It also allows us time to see what, if any repercussions may occur from social distancing measures being lapsed. The safety of all who attend is our top priority. Thanks for your understanding and we are all hoping that prom will happen in June. Thanks Mr. Dangel

Reminder... The following are going to be listed as “no tech days". April 17-Do two additional chores around your house to assist your parents. April 24- Spend two hours outside, not in groups, enjoying the weather. May 1-Create a hands-on project using materials found in your homes (ex. Build rockets out of legos, art project, paint, draw, build, etc..) May 8- Go for a walk, ride your bike, rollerblade, etc….for 2 hours May 15-Help make or make a family meal for all to enjoy with all family members sitting at the table together. During these “no tech days”, teachers will NOT be available for contact. However, we are still providing lunch/breakfast go bags from 11-1 at the elementary school.

Reminder... Our free lunch and breakfast is available for pick up to ANY child in our district age 1-18, from 11-1 at the elementary school. No signing up required. This will be available on all school days including “no tech” days just not weekends.

The NDHSAA Activities Board met this morning.  The recommendation coming out of that meeting in regards to Winter Sports Tournaments, Fine Arts, and Springs Sports is continue to suspend until further notice.  CDC guidelines of social distancing carry us through April.  The Board will be meeting again on Friday, May 1st to discuss further.  From the discussion we can tell you that if on-site school happens to resume then there is certainly a possibility of some of these things happening.  If school does not resume this year - the likelihood of these events happening is quite slim. In other news from the meeting.  The board approved to move forward with sanctioning E-Sports as a NDHSAA sponsored activity.  What this looks like still needs to be determined.  But it is the hope of the NDHSAA to have this up and running for the 2020-2021 school year.

For the week of of April 6-9, you do not need to register for lunch/breakfast online. Please just continue to show up between 11:00-1:00 to pick up your meals. These meals are free to any currently enrolled student. There will be no food served April 10 or April 13 since there is no school. Thank you.

Garrison Public Schools is joining in to turn on stadium lights. We will be turning on the football field lights in Garrison on Friday April 3, from 7:00 to 9:30PM as a way to honor our students, staff, and community members in this time of distance learning while school buildings are closed due to Covid-19 concerns. These lights are a symbol of hope and an assurance that you students are in our hearts and on our minds. Thanks to our friends at the Minnesota High School Activities Association for the idea!

There is no school April 10 and April 13 per the school calendar. Additionally, the following are going to be listed as “no tech day". April 14-Write two letters to a loved ones you have not been able to see since this started. April 17-Do two additional chores around your house to assist your parents. April 24- Spend two hours outside, not in groups, enjoying the weather. May 1-Create a hands-on project using materials found in your homes (ex. Build rockets out of legos, art project, paint, draw, build, etc..) May 8- Go for a walk, ride your bike, rollerblade, etc….for 2 hours May 15-Help make or make a family meal for all to enjoy with all family members sitting at the table together. During these “no tech days”, teachers will NOT be available for contact.

Today, April 3, the High School office will be closed at noon. Thanks for understanding and have a great day and weekend. Mr. Dangel

Hi, Families! Let me start by thanking you for all you have been doing! You are amazing. We have all been disrupted by COVID-19 and our world is a whole lot different than it was a few weeks ago! Thank you for all of your help and support to keep education going in the midst of this health crisis. Right now, you as parents are seeing the “backside of school,” with the teachers giving you our plans of instruction and you doing the implementation. We usually plan AND implement, and you see the results while supporting those efforts at home. We are missing seeing how the implementation is going and being able to set up the parameters—you as families are doing that. Do what works. You may not know that we make adjustments to our plans continually based on how it goes in real time. We aren’t able to see how it’s going to be able to adjust our plans to give to you! We need your feedback! We struggle to know is it too much, not enough, too fast or slow, etc., unless you tell us. Independence is definitely a trait to foster and nurture and we are trying to give things they should be able to do independently. Please reach out and tell your classroom teacher what is going well and what is not. You are doing what is working for you when you do school from home. You should set parameters that work for you. This doesn’t have to be “school day hours” if supports for your kids aren’t available then. Structure with what works in your situation, but try to set a routine for your kids to follow, as everyone needs a schedule and structure. That being said, allow for down times and know that one day doesn’t always look like the next. We all have days where we feel “off” and days we feel GREAT! We miss your kids more than we can say. That’s why we are checking in. Not to be pushy but to keep our connections and so they don’t think we forget them. We are all navigating this together. It’s new. We will make mistakes, and so will you. Help us learn. The best thing you can do for your kids right now is hug them and love them and help them understand that what we’re doing is to keep them at home safe and healthy because we all love them. Have them read, have them play, do their best with school, and the rest will be OK. Again, THANK YOU for your supports. We are here for you to help however we can. Please reach out if you need more support. ~Mrs. Fuller

With President Trump's order of social distancing until April 30 (at least), Prom will be postponed. Prom advisors and administration will discuss options and will share our decision as soon as we are able.

Here are some online safety videos for to checkout. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/video/advice/privacy-and-internet-safety

This weeks free meal pick up request link: https://forms.gle/J4y1MBosmxYwhHxd8 Please complete by 9:00 am. If you select all 5 days, only complete the survey one.

We received formal approval of our eLearning plan from the Governor today. We will continue down this path until permitted to have students back in our schools.

All.... it was just clarified to us that our school playground is an extension of our facilities and therefore are considered to be part of the Governor’s order to shut down school facilities. We kindly ask the people adhere to this order. Our playgrounds will be closed for the duration of the Governor’s order. Please share.