The Boeckman Buzz
September 11, 2020
Message from Principal Blazek
BMS Families,
This week our Farmington Academy learners started their school year, and it has been impressive seeing screenshots and hearing about how learners are engaging in their distance learning classes. Here at school the hallways and classrooms are much quieter than during a typical September, but in all of these models, you can feel the cumulative joy around being back at school. These are monumental moments in education and I am so impressed with how our children, families, and staff are persevering through a pandemic.
There has been an abundance of information sent to families, and this week's newsletter will again be lengthy. We understand there may be questions or moments when important information may be missed. We are committed to providing you with the grace to seek understanding and help you confirm the best learning environment is set up for your child.
This week I need to draw attention to attendance. With COVID-19 guidance, hybrid learning, and full distance learning the management of attendance can be confusing, and our goal is to make sure your child's safety and educational needs are met.
Daily Attendance and Auto Caller
In all models of learning, we are going to be taking daily attendance in Tiger Connections. Starting next week our auto-caller will be calling at 10:30 if your child is marked absent and the absence is unverified in Tiger Connections. To verify an absence call our attendance line to 651-460-1405 to let us know why they will not be attending classes that day. We will need this verification for learners in all models of learning all five days of the week.
COVID-19 Related Absences and At Home Learning
Over the course of the year, many families will be required to isolate or quarantine as a household as a result of COVID-19 symptoms, exposure or positive test results. The isolation and quarantine time periods vary in length and can cause a learner to be out of school for an extended period of time. All COVID-19 related absences must be called into our attendance line 651-460-1405. You will need to leave detailed information on your child's symptoms or exposure. Jen Darrington our nurse will call to confirm symptoms, the amount of time your child and household members will need to be out of school. She will also work with parents to determine if they are well enough to engage in At Home Learning or need to be marked Ill. We are committed to keeping your child engaged in learning at home if they are in isolation or quarantine.
Below are two guidance documents from MDH that help explain COVID-19 attendance. Stay home if your child or anyone in the household is symptomatic, waiting for a COVID test and symptomatic, or has a positive COVID test. This will help us keep our schools open and our nurse will work with you on a return to school date for your household.
MN State COVID-19 Attendance Guide for Parents and Families
COVID-19 Decision Tree for People in School, Youth, and Child-Care Programs
Thank you,
Megan Blazek
First 5-day Week of School
Schedule Clarifications:
Next week, we will be experiencing our first full 5-day week of learning. Below are short descriptions of aspects of our schedule that hopefully help clarify the intention behind how this year is designed.
In-Person Learning Days
Cohort 1 will attend school in person on Monday & Tuesday. Cohort 2 will attend on Wednesday & Thursday. Every learner will start the day in their Tiger Connection classroom at 9 am.
Remote Learning Days
When not attending in person, learners should be continuing their learning from home. Learners are expected to start their day by connecting with one of their Tiger Connections teachers at 9 am. This connection will take place in a variety of forms and it is important for your child to check Schoology and follow the directions of the Tiger Connections teacher. As a staff, we will mark attendance and if your child does not interact with the teacher by 9:15, they will be marked absent and you will receive an automated phone call.
Below is a schedule of when teachers will be available to connect with your child. These specific times are called Virtual Coaching Sessions and at times your child will be required to attend and other times your child may have the option to attend. It will be important for your child to advocate for their learning needs. The schedule below is a structure that your child can follow throughout their remote learning day.
Flex Learning Days
Friday, September 18 will be our first Flex Learning Day. At 9 am, we are going to remain consistent and start our day by having your child check-in with their Tiger Connections teacher. This will allow us to mark attendance and again if they have not connected by 9:15, you will receive an automated phone call. Flex Learning Days will be time for your child to continue their learning but will not include any “new” learning as teachers will be unavailable after 10 am. Teachers will communicate the plan for learning and what virtual coaching will be offered from 9:00 - 10:00 am on Flex Learning Days.
iPad Tech Help
This is the first stop for troubleshooting issues with iPads. If you are not able to troubleshoot your issue please make an appointment with Mrs. Tredinnick or call the district tech helpline.
In-Person or Virtual Appointments with BMS Tech Support
Using this link you can schedule an in-person or virtual appointment with Mrs. Tredinnick our BMS Tech Support. These appointments are for iPad Help or Repair.
Phone Number
For help with your iPad or other technology questions that might be able to be solved by phone while off-campus, please call our student and family tech helpline during normal school hours: 651-463-5090. If after school hours, please leave a message and include the student’s name, school, your contact information, and a brief description of the issue.
Parent Drop Off & Pick Up
With our new start times, we now have more activities using our facilities during the time we are dismissing from school. As a result, cars are parking in our bus loop and driving through our parent pick up. We are working on changing our signage on the bus loop and asking coaches of those activities to have their players to park in the east parking lot.
If you are picking your child up we ask that you do so at the curb and do not park in the north parking lot. This will help us keep them safe by not crossing the street that leads to our east parking lot. We also ask that parents pull up as far as they can. We are spacing kids out as much as we can outside and you may drive past them. Thank you for your cooperation in helping to keep our kids safe and to make pick up go as smoothly as possible.
Free Meals This Fall
Please be aware funding is likely to run out before December 31 without much notice. We expect funding to last at least until MEA weekend (October 15-16) and we plan to send another foodservice update at that time.
How will students get their free meals?
Students learning from home can pick up bagged meals (breakfast and lunch):
- On regularly scheduled school days (typically Monday through Thursday) you will be able to pick up a bagged breakfast and lunch at your school of enrollment between 9-10 a.m. If you have students in multiple schools you will be able to pick up all student meals at one school.
- On Flexible Learning Days (typically Fridays) bagged meals (breakfast and lunch) will only be available at Akin Road Elementary, Farmington Elementary, and North Trail Elementary between 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Pre-registration is required; you can find the form on the Chartwells Food Service website.
- When picking up a to go meal, pins and proof of enrollment are not required at this time but maybe when we return to regular breakfast and lunch service.
- Please contact the school office at your pick up location to find out which door to enter for food service.
When learning in-person at school, breakfast and lunch will be available at no cost to students.
- Students must take a complete meal.
- Milk on it’s own will be charged as usual.
- Premium meals at the high school will be charged as usual.
- When learning in-person at school, all students will be asked to provide a pin for inventory purposes. Their account will not be charged unless they do not have a complete meal or they have a premium meal.
Free meals will only be provided for scheduled school days. Please see our hybrid calendar or Farmington Academy calendar if you have questions about which days are school days.
Do I still need to fill out a Free & Reduced Application (Educational Benefit) form?
Yes! Even though meals are free for the first few months of school, you still need to fill out your Free & Reduced Application form. This ensures you’ll have help paying for meals after funding runs out, and also helps you cover costs for other school-related activities. In addition, it grants our district access to state funding to support our schools.
Please complete your Free & Reduced (Educational Benefit) form before October 1st. Families MUST fill out a new application for benefits at the beginning of each school year or benefits will expire.
If you have questions about your food service account you can email foodservice@farmington.k12.mn.us or call 651-460-3820.
NWEA Testing
The week of September 21, we will be having students take the NWEA Map Assessment. Cohort 1 will take the math assessment on Monday, September 21, and then the reading assessment on Tuesday, September 22. Cohort 2 will take the math assessment Wednesday, September 23, and then the reading assessment on Thursday, September 24. This data will allow us to collect important baseline data on your child’s current level of learning and allow teachers to plan instruction to fit all needs.
Farmington Academy learners will be offered the opportunity to take the NWEA Map Assessment and more information is coming out next week.
Looking for Parent Ambassadors
Meeting Dates and Times
Tuesday, September 29th @ 6:30 pm
Tuesday, November 17th @ 6:30 pm
Tuesday, February 16th @ 6:30 pm
Tuesday, April 20th @ 6:30 pm
Picture Retake Days
September 22nd - Cohort 1 (will be called down during the school day)
September 23rd - Cohort 2 (will be called down during the school day)
September 22nd and 23rd - Farmington Academy and Full Distance Learning Students (7:00 - 8:30 am at Boeckman Middle School in the Little Theater)
Before coming in for pictures retakes you must complete the daily health screening.
Students cannot enter the building if they are in isolation because of COVID symptoms they or a household member has COVID symptoms in the last 14 days, they or a household member is waiting for COVID test results, or they themselves or a household member have a positive COVID test and are in quarantine.
Hiring For School-Age Care Positions
The Farmington School District/Farmington Community Education is working to provide school-age child care to our essential tier 1 and other community members. The number of staff needs has increased. Positions still needing to be filled are: one on one positions that assist primarily one student with special needs during the day (workdays Wed-Fri) as well as instructor positions in charge of a small pod of children (Mon-Fri). If you know of anyone who loves kids, is responsible, and is age 18 or older and would be interested and available to work in our child care programs, please ask them to review our job openings list on the district website and apply. We start on Monday, so we’d love to get a few more people hired by then.
We also have a number of paraprofessional positions available as well.
If you know of someone who would be interested in the positions but can’t commit to a regular schedule, we are in need of substitute staff as well. They may call (651) 463-5040 or (651) 460-3200 or the Community Education office for more information on subbing.
Open positions are on our website at:
IGNITE After School Programs
Good Afternoon! IGNITE After School Clubs will look a little different this year, but we are offering some opportunities at the TLLC at 510 Walnut Street! Drama Lab and Acrylics on Canvas! We are also still looking at running Co-Ed Intramural Basketball this fall. You will not be charged until 5 days before the start and only if the club runs. So register early to get your spot! Space is limited. http://bit.ly/IGNITEAfterSchool
Additionally, there will be a Virtual Video Production class that is starting on Saturday, take a look if you are interested: http://bit.ly/192CEVideoProduction
To view the update, click the link below:
http://farmington.schoology.com/group/85270077/update/3014002477
Distance Support Options for K-Grade 8 students
Grades 6-8 8:30-3:30 pm
Grades 2-5 8:30-3:30 pm
Grades K-1 8:30-11:30 am
Sign-up for individual days your family needs distance learning support!
Looking for an active, supervised option for your youth to get their schoolwork done and burn off some energy on their distance learning days? Check out the Distance Support In-Person options at the newly renovated Twist ‘N’ Tumble gym! This is a great opportunity for youth to receive assistance on their school work, while also having access to a gym. Distance Support In-Person options are run by dedicated, experienced staff and are available on days youth do not attend in-person school, excluding Fridays.
Sessions run from 8:30-11:30 am for youth in Kindergarten through 1st grade, and 8:30-3:30 pm for youth in 2nd-8th grade. Cost for K-1 is $40 and for 2nd-8th grade, $60. Age appropriate activities and assistance will be provided. To register or to receive more information please visit:https://bit.ly/ISD192TNTDistanceSupport. Questions can be directed to youthenrichment@farmington.k12.mn.us or 651-460-3200.
Farmington Area Public Schools Face Covering Procedures
Boeckman Middle School Hours
Office Hours: 7:45am - 4:15pm
Buildings Open for Students: 8:40 am
IGNITE Before School Program
Has been canceled due to low enrollment. Will be reconsidered when we return to full in-person school.
Useful Phone Numbers
School: 651-460-1400
Nurse: 651-460-1406
Food Service: 651-463-5025
Bus Company: 651-463-8689
School Fax: 651-460-1510
School Athletics: 651-252-2514
School Closing Line: 651-985-1100
Community Education: 651-460-3200
About us
- Personalization that honors the uniqueness of each learner
- Mistakes and reflection as essential components of learning
- Openness to new ideas and innovation
- Safe environments that support a growth mindset
- Partnering with the community to champion our learners
Email: mblazek@farmington.k12.mn.us
Website: https://bms.farmington.k12.mn.us/
Location: 800 Denmark Avenue, Farmington, MN, USA
Phone: 651-460-1400
Facebook: facebook.com/boeckmantigers
Twitter: @BoeckmanTigers