As the anticipation for start of the 2020-2021 school year grows, I know there are still many questions in regards to how things will look and feel this school year. I hope the information contained in this newsletter helps with any anxiety that you may be feeling. Please know that when the students are here we've got them. They will be safe, we'll get them where they need to go, and we'll help them learn how to be middle schoolers in this challenging time. A quick list of links that are interspersed throughout the Newsletter.

The second newsletter communication will come out on Friday afternoon and will include:

• IMS Virtual Open House
• All Things Start of the Year tutorial
• Isanti Middle School Staff Slide Deck
• Building map with Cohort/Homeroom numbers
• IMS Staff Phone Directory
• IMS Drop-Off & Pick-Up Procedures Fall 2020
  
• Handbooks: IMS Student Handbook 2020-21 & Covid Addendum to Student Handbook

There is a lot of information available in this newsletter. Don't feel you need to see it all in one time. My hope is you can use this document as a resource over the next few days and weeks so your transition back to school, whether as a student, parent, or family member, is as smooth as we can possibly make it.

• IMS Virtual Open House - Video welcome and tour of your school.
• All Things Start of the Year tutorial - Mr. Pauly talks through student schedules, map layout of the school, what to expect as students come into the building and exit the building at the end of the day. (It is kind of long, 22 minutes, you may not want to listen to me speak all in one seating.)

We have two handbooks for you this year. The first handbook is our IMS Student Handbook that was updated in May. The Addendum has all the things that have changed as a result of the changes that have happened over the summer. These are documents that students will be expected to understand and will be a part of our transition Hybrid phase instruction.

• Isanti Middle SchoolStudent Handbook 2020-21
• Covid Addendum to Student Handbook

This is in here again because I truly think it will help answer many of the questions you may still have. Please also know that we've got this. We might stumble here and there, but from the time the kids get on the bus, or get dropped off by parent, or arrive by walking, we have the kids and they will be safe and taken care of.

• All Things Start of the Year tutorial

This is Group B's "Homework" for their Distance Learning Day on Tuesday the 8th. Group A students, this is GREAT for you as well. Before you come to school:

• Locate your schedule on Family Access
• Explore the IMS Building map. See if you can identify which classrooms you'll be in, and which room will be your "Homeroom" for most of the day. **7th Grade schedules have a glitch in the classroom number. Those will be fixed on Monday, the 7th. So if you want to wait till Monday night to check that would be great.
• Review All Things Start of the Year tutorial
• Explore the Isanti Middle School Staff Slide Deck and match your teachers on your schedule with their photo.

• Mask Requirements at IMS - Masks or face coverings must be worn throughout Minnesota in all indoor public spaces. This rule includes school buildings and indoor facilities.
  
• School Supply List: IMS School Supply Lists
• School Supplies: Feel free to take a couple of days to bring these in. Bring them in your backpack to your first class and your teacher will let you know what to do with them.
• Lockers and Backpacks - Hallway lockers will not be assigned at the beginning of the year. Students will be permitted to bring a backpack to be stored under their desk or in a location determined by their teacher.
  
• Gym Lockers: There will also be no gym locker/locker room use as we start the year. Therefore students will not be changing for Phy-Ed. We want to help students be more thoughtful as they get ready for each day. Check your schedule, if it is a Phy-Ed day please dress comfortably so you can be active in class. Also, Phy-Ed shoes are encouraged.
• Drinking Fountains / Bottle Filling Stations: The drinking fountains are turned off for the start of they year. We do have 7 Bottle Filling Stations throughout the building and in close proximity to all classrooms. Every student should BRING a WATER BOTTLE for use each day.

We need “C-I Schools Chromebook User Agreement” for all students as soon as you are able. The two options:

Option #1 - Electronic Submission and Payment

1. Log on to Cambridge-Isanti Schools Web Store
2. Complete C-I Schools Chromebook User Agreement Online Form
3. Select your student's grade, school, and insurance option.
4. Provide your student's name.
5. Click Add to Cart.

Option #2 - Paper Copy Submission and Payment

If turning in a paper copy and a fee applies, students will need to turn in a check made out to Cambridge-Isanti Schools to their first hour teacher.

A paper copy can be printed here or obtained at the main office at IMS.

Update Skyward FAMILY Access

• The start of a new school year is a great time to check the information we have on file for your child. Did you know you can access your student's grades, schedule, or teacher contact information from home? Follow the link below to login to your Family Access account. Contact the IMS Main Office at 763-691-8600 with questions about your login credentials. Also, please make sure that your contact information is up to date. Email is the main form of communication used by Isanti Middle School.

• Link to Skyward Family Access

IMS Drop-Off & Pick-Up Procedures Fall 2020

We will be releasing students in three waves this year. We have 15 buses which need to come in in two waves. Our priority is student safety. With this in mind, we need to stagger our departure of bus students and walkers/riders so we can maintain as much physical distance as we can AND so that we don't have buses and cars getting in each others way getting into the lot and on the street. These times below are tentative and we will adjust as the process develops.

• About 3:12 we release the students who ride the first 8 buses.
• About 3:17, or as soon as the second wave of buses is set in the bus lot, we release the second group of bus students.
• About 3:22 teachers will walk the remaining students, walkers and riders, down to the lobby and they will depart.

**Please know that if you are picking up your student from school. We will not release them early. My recommendation is to take your time and if you arrive a bit after the walkers/riders are released that is OK. Building patience is always a challenge for middle school students. Giving your student an opportunity to wait a few minutes for you to pick them up is another opportunity for them to practice patience.

Student busing information will be available in Family Access the week of August 31.

As a reminder, families can add lunch money to their account and apply for free or reduced meals through our website.

If you have medication for your student that needs to be dropped off at school please contact our School Nurse, Malanie Winger, at mwinger@c-ischools, or by phone at 763-691-8602 to schedule a time to stop by.

Student lockers WILL NOT be assigned to start the year. Instead, students will be permitted to bring a small bag or backpack with them to the classroom where it can be stored under their desk, on the back of their chair, or in a location determined by the teacher. As the year progresses we will look to updated health guidelines to make decisions about the appropriateness of assigning a lockers.

Students participating in extra-curricular activities requiring equipment being brought to and from school will work with their coaches and advisors regarding storing equipment during the school day.

We will continue to offer three grade level lunch shifts this year. However, do to spacing requirements, the need to manage the flow of students into the cafeteria, and additional time to clean and sanitize tables and chairs between the lunches, we are spreading out our lunch times this year.

• 8th Grade - 1st Lunch (11:04-11:39) right after 3rd period

• 7th Grade - 2nd Lunch (11:57-12:32) right after 4th period

• 6th Grade - 3rd Lunch (12:50-1:25) right after 5th period

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*Times may change as we are still working on the schedule.

Tables will be spread out even more than they have been in the past. Additionally, seating at each table will be limited to allow for social distancing. Typically 12 students tables will be limited to 6 students, and 8 student tables will be reduced to 4 students.

• Hybrid Model: We anticipate ALL students attending each day will be able to fit into the cafeteria.

• In-Person Model: We will utilize the auditorium as our secondary cafeteria when we have all students in the building. I am looking to have students who bring cold lunch to school going directly to the auditorium for their lunch. This will allow us to limit the traffic in the cafeteria along with limiting the seating.

Students - Please bring a water bottle to school.

All drinking fountains will be turned off at this time. However, the water bottle filling stations will remain in use and will be added to the high touch list of cleaning items. We encourage students to bring water bottles to school to fill throughout the day.

Email: rpauly@c-ischools.org
Website: https://www.c-ischools.org/domain/33
Location: 201 Centennial Drive Northwest, Isanti, MN, USA
Phone: (763) 691-8600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Isanti-Middle-School-Minnesota-Center-1616822051697940/
Twitter: @IMSANDMNC