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Updates to this page will be made as needed and as new information is released. This page was last updated on July 28, 2020.
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Monona Grove schools are closed.
MGSD buildings and facilities remain closed.
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After weighing many factors, including requirements from Public Health Madison & Dane County, as well as guidance from local, state and national health experts, responses from families and staff through surveys and staff meetings, and regular consultation with area districts, we have determined that it would not be safe to begin the school year in person, even using a hybrid model. We have made the difficult decision to begin the 1st quarter of 2020-21 with virtual learning for all (enhanced Virtual Learning 2.0), with continued monitoring and evaluation regarding each subsequent quarter of the school year. Per policy 8220, school buildings and facilities will remain closed except to essential personnel. At their special meeting last night, the Monona Grove School Board approved the district plan. Materials from that meeting are here and a link to the recording is available here on the Monona Community Media YouTube channel. A new, more detailed flowchart is available here.
We all want nothing more than to get back to a version of normal that includes all students and teachers safely together in classrooms. The teachers, staff, and administrators of Monona Grove School District are committed to the health, education, and safety of our students and families. I acknowledge that not all families will support this plan. There are many unknowns and no single right choice for every family in our district, but we have the best interests of all students in mind. There is still a lot of work ahead of us and many more details still need to be worked out. We may not be together in person, but we are in this together. I am confident we will once again join together as a community and respond with grace, dedication, and resolve.
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When we hear families or students themselves say they miss school, we know it isn’t the bricks and mortar you miss. Our educators, specialists, and support staff are intrinsically linked to our students and families. They want you to know they miss you and your students, too. When schools first closed in March, our teachers and staff responded to an emergency and learned how to teach and serve students in this new environment on the fly. Living rooms turned into classrooms, school buses turned into food service vehicles, Google Meet became a way to connect. I have said it before but it bears repeating: I am proud of how our staff, families, and community responded. At the same time, staff and family surveys from June tell us we know we can improve on the virtual experience from this spring. Virtual learning (“Virtual Learning 2.0”) will look and be different this fall. Students, families, teachers, and administrators can expect that Virtual Learning 2.0 will be different from the virtual/at-home learning that took place in the spring. Virtual Learning 2.0 is enhanced by using what we learned from emergency virtual learning, from our all-virtual summer school, and from staff and family survey feedback. Enhancements to this iteration of virtual learning include the following:
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Increased synchronous (live) instruction and interaction with peers and teachers
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Attendance and participation expectations for students; grading and progress reporting by staff
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Focus on social-emotional learning, relationship building, and mental health monitoring
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The MGSD Fall Planning Core Team will continue to prepare responses that may be necessary throughout the 2020-21 school year, including the following:
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Providing teachers with training on new districtwide Learning Management Systems (Canvas for grades 6-12 and SeeSaw for 4K-5) and other tools that increase effective virtual teaching and learning. Student/Family training on tools is being planned as well.
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Continued virtual lesson development by co-planning teacher teams.
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Planning with staff to intentionally address social-emotional learning and mental health needs.
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Planning for meal distribution and working with the community to support childcare needs.
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Continued planning for reducing barriers to access, including technology device updates, wifi hotspots, and providing devices for all students 4K-12.
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Continued planning for the hybrid learning model, including safety measures, transportation, and student cohort and staff schedules.
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Finalizing a process to determine limited in-person instruction as necessary for students with disabilities or other students with specialized needs.
As planning continues and details are finalized, families will receive regular updates regarding family training on tools, student schedules, teachers, devices, etc.
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If you would like to consult with a Student Services team member regarding your child's social-emotional wellbeing, a mental health issue or any challenge you're experiencing during the school closure, please complete this brief form and a School Counselor, Psychologist, Social Worker or Nurse from your child's school will respond to you within 1-3 days.
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The student services team is working hard to support all our families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our MG community is filled with generosity and we have had several individuals reach out, inquiring about ways to support those in need. If you find yourself in a position to offer assistance, donations of gift cards are the biggest need. Please contact kelsy.dieckhoff@mgschools.net (Cottage Grove) or leah.kutschke@mgschools.net (Monona) if you would like more information on how to donate.
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Some schools are reporting an increase of student anxiety related to illness and pandemic planning. Consider talking with your student(s) as a family. Some suggestions include:
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Stick to the facts. It can be scary to hear about a disease outbreak, but learning the facts can help ease your mind.
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Help your student remain calm, and assure them their risk is low.
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Remind your family that when we are prepared for difficult situations, we make informed decisions and have more control.
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It's important that we avoid assumptions or stereotypes about who you think may be sick. Viruses cannot target people from specific populations, ethnicities, or racial backgrounds. A person’s race does not make them more or less likely to be sick or to get sick.
Additional resources for talking with your family:
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The coronavirus situation changes virtually every day. For the most up-to-date information, visit the pages below.
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