---

As of Monday this week and lasting at least until April 30, Minnesota school districts have moved forward on “distance learning.”  

The state’s teachers themselves and their students, are keeping the educational torch lit working from home.  

Students gathered their materials and personal belongings from local schools all last week, before the Governor’s stay at home Executive Order went into effect March 27.

District officials in Chisago Lakes and North Branch have finalized their Distance Learning Plans and distributed Chromebooks (portable computers) for the kids who did not already have digital devices.  

Sarah Schmidt, Chisago Lakes District spokesperson, said in some cases teachers were preparing by making their own videos, so that an image familiar to the student, was covering classroom lessons.  

Some classes through the Internet will be a version of a packaged curriculum product, like Second Step, used for imparting required social skills curriculum.  

Daily schedules and instructional advice went out to families in both districts by email, and those without access to Internet were getting printed materials.

The electronic classrooms went live at 9 a.m. Monday this week with attendance collected to 9:30 a.m.  

Youngest students  are counted through parents submitting a form daily.  

Older kids are responsible for checking in using their usual morning attendance systems.

Schmidt said the numbers of students “in class” on a daily basis is how the state calculates the per pupil unit funding formula.  It is imperative schools have a reliable accurate headcount during these remote sessions of school.

Classes and instructors are accessible online depending on the grade and/or subject, until about 2:15 p.m.  Teachers are mostly available to video chat or be reachable by phone until 3 p.m.

Schmidt explained that if there are students who do not make contact with their teacher for three consecutive days, principals of the schools will be notified to reach out and see what the issue is in the home.  

If your child is ill during this distance learning time period, and skips any on-line sessions, please notify the school attendance number just as you would normally do.
High school-aged students are recommended to plan on spending three to four hours daily on learning.  Grades two to five will spend about one to two hours each day directly on lessons.

For art, music phy ed and science in some instances-- there will be individual videotaped segments at least once per week.  The activities are up to the teacher for on-line ease of completing.

North Branch supt. finalists another item on the to-do list
In North Branch this need to transition to distance learning and all the necessary hours leading to set-up, is another straw on the proverbial camel’s backpack.  

The North Branch superintendent is leaving at the end of this school year and in order to stay on track, the hiring process calls for remote electronic interviewing of superintendent candidates  this week.  There are three finalists to be interviewed by live stream.

The finalists are Todd Felhofer, a grade 7-12 principal and district administrator for Greenwood Wisconsin, Sara Paul, White Bear Lake School District assistant superintendent for teaching and learning and Christine Bembloom, Eden Prairie School District senior director of student support services. Applications were due by end of February.  There were about 25 applicants, (story Press 12) and the School Board and hiring subcommittee narrowed the field to three.

North Branch Area Public Schools spokesperson Patrick Tepoorten said the school board’s plan is to vote and enter into contract negotiations immediately after the April 9 interviewing in the regular board session.  

The first set of interviews will begin April 2 and will be on the North Branch YouTube channel.  There will be an opportunity for the public to submit questions to School Board Chair Kirby Ekstrom by email.  April 2 interviewing will begin at 2:30 p.m.

---