|
September 2, 2020
Updates in this email:
As educators and students return to school buildings for the upcoming school year, please read these important reminders about the use of face shields.
Face shields should be used in addition to a face mask, and should generally not be used as a replacement for a face mask.
This excerpt from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on face shields highlights some of the public health data behind face shields:
“A face shield is primarily used for eye protection for the person wearing it. At this time, it is not known what level of protection a face shield provides to people nearby from the spray of respiratory droplets from the wearer. There is currently not enough evidence to support the effectiveness of face shields for source control. Therefore, CDC does not currently recommend use of face shields as a substitute for masks.”
While there are some circumstances in which an exception is needed; those should be limited to situations outlined in the Face Coverings section of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) 2020-21 Planning Guide for Schools:
"A face shield (a clear plastic barrier that covers the face) allows visibility of facial expressions and lip movements for speech perception and may be used as an alternative to a face covering in the following situations:
- Among students in Kindergarten through grade 8, when wearing a face covering is problematic.
- By teachers (all grades), when wearing a face covering may impede the educational process.
- For staff, students, or visitors who cannot tolerate a face covering due to a developmental, medical, or behavioral health condition.
- For staff providing direct support student services, when a face covering impedes the service being provided.
For optimal protection, the face shield should extend below the chin anteriorly, to the ears laterally, and there should be no exposed gap between the forehead and the shield’s headpiece."
The Learning Model Portal has officially been launched and is ready for school districts and charter schools to report learning models. The portal is integrated in the District and School Site Verification application, and accessible through the Education Identity & Access Management (EDIAM) system.
Before entering the Learning Model Portal, please read the user guide. District and school site verification coordinators have also received these instructions, as they will be entering the data on behalf of the district or school.
School districts and charter schools should report their learning models through the system by Friday, September 4, 2020. This needs to be done even if you have already reported through the interim process.
Additionally, any time a school district or charter school changes their learning model throughout the school year, they must notify the education commissioner through the Learning Model Portal within 24 hours of beginning the new learning model.
As the 2020-21 school year starts, remember that state statute directs all academic standards in physical education, the arts, science, mathematics, English language arts, and social studies including history, geography, economics, government, and citizenship are required for all students through the grade level benchmarks (Minn. Stat. §120B.021, and 120B.023).
Instruction must be provided in each of the standards area by a licensed instructor (Minn. Stat. §120A.22) for all students from kindergarten through high school.
Physical education, the arts, science, mathematics, English language arts, and social studies are critical for students’ education and well-being. Therefore, so that students may receive a well-rounded, standards-based education, districts and schools are encouraged to work to avoid reassigning discipline specific teachers.
If a district or school determines education needs can be best served by out-of-field permissions, the teacher must sign off on the reassignment, indicating that they accept the reassignment.
For specific questions regarding the requirements of instruction in all standards, please contact mde.academic-standards@state.mn.us.
MDH has created a helpful decision tree to follow if a student or staff member is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, in order to help prevent further spread. Note that you will always work with your Regional Support Team through this process.
On Monday, August 31, 2020, at 9:30 a.m. CDT, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued a press release announcing an extension of the flexibilities to enable operation of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) into the fall months. View the press release USDA Extends Free Meals for Kids Through December 31, 2020.
This was an unanticipated announcement for us and we are currently awaiting guidance from our USDA regional office. We are unsure at this time how this affects school sponsors and non-school SFSP sponsors. Please wait until you receive guidance from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) before making changes to the meal pattern, counting and claiming processes you have initiated for the fall.
This week, MDH is sending superintendents, charter directors and COVID-19 program coordinators emails with codes to secure COVID-19 saliva tests for all public school employees. These are not back-to-school tests, meaning they are not required before coming back to the classroom. Instead, educators, staff, and other employees providing direct services to students or families should use it when they need it.
Once the codes are recieved, they should immediately be sent to the organizational email of every employee of the district or school, regardless of the current learning model being implemented. If your COVID-19 program coordinator does not receive an email with your school’s codes by Wednesday, September 2, 2020 please email COVIDTesting.MDE@state.mn.us.
|
