New England Public Schools

New England Public School will be utilizing off-site learning strategies starting Wednesday, March 25th. Please call the school to set up a time to get your child's necessary school material from their locker.

Parents of students in grades 7-12 should check their emails (check inbox, junk, and clutter folders) for information regarding their history classes for the remainder of the school year.

Hello Everybody, I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy. This is an extraordinary time for our community, state and our nation. While we have no way to predict how the days ahead will unfold, we strongly encourage you to follow the guidance we are receiving each day from the health professionals to contain the spread of the virus. We all want to be responsible citizens and do our part to stop the spread. We understand the anxiety and challenges that COVID-19 is placing on families. We also know our families are concerned about instruction and learning for our students. Please know our teachers care and want to support their students. Behind the scenes, we’ve been working hard to plan for the days and weeks ahead as we prepare for the opportunities distance learning will afford us. I will be providing you more details early next week about our distance learning plan and other instructional updates. It is our plan to begin distance learning either online, or by learning packets sent home beginning Wednesday, March 25th. Our transportation personnel will be in touch with you to coordinate their arrival. During the past week we began distance learning training for teachers and gave teachers the opportunity to plan and prepare for distance instruction in order to reconnect with their students. We will also begin distribution of mobile devices to students who do not have access at home. We will also provide for an essential/critical items pickup or delivery for our students so they have the necessary items needed at home. More details will follow. North Dakota schools were closed by order of the Governor's office last week and will continue to be closed until further notice. Listening to your concerns is important to me and so I invite you to join me Monday, March 23rd, for a Facebook Live Chat beginning at 4:30 PM to answer questions regarding our operations during the COVID emergency. Stay connected to the latest information, regarding the COVID-19 emergency, by visiting our website at http://www.nepstigers.com/. Sincerely, Kelly Koppinger, Superintendent

Governor Burgum has issued an executive order closing schools until further notice. New England Public School will be utilizing off site learning strategies starting next week. If you have not completed the school surveys sent out, please do so as soon as possible.

We need more information regarding internet service. Please click on the link below and answer each question thoroughly to ensure we can provide adequate service to everyone. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/J8D9ZFW

Dear New England Public School Families, During the past week, in preparation for the possibility of school closing due to COVID-19, our faculty and staff have been developing self-directed enrichment opportunities for students. In the event of a prolonged closure, this supplemental learning material will be presented through hard copies or posted to a Learning Management System. These learning opportunities are being designed to reinforce previously learned concepts, practice established skills, preview upcoming curriculum, and keep students intellectually active in the event we can return to school. Depending on what the Governor decides we may be transitioning from our students being in school to a distance learning model. In the event we transition to distance learning setting, daily assignments will be posted by teachers and assignments will be required work for students. Teachers will be communicating with students daily, providing assignments, guidance, and support. Ongoing feedback will be shared with students and will contribute to their class or course grades. These are uncertain times. I hope you understand that we are in the midst of a fluid situation that will likely require modifications and adjustments - particularly if school is closed for a lengthy period of time. Thank you for your ongoing support and flexibility during this challenging time. Together, I am confident we will be able to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and community, as well as provide our students with a strong distance learning program while schools are closed. Respectfully yours, Kelly Koppinger Superintendent, New England Public School

Thursday, March 19: Parents of students in grades 4-12 need to have their children try to log onto their Office 365 accounts. If they have problems, they should contact Mrs. Witte TODAY at 579-4160 from now until 3:00 PM. This is VERY important. Please check your email for further instructions and the web address. Thank you!!!

As of Tuesday, March 17, school administration is still formulating a plan for this rapidly evolving situation involving school closure. We are in contact with the governor’s office, DPI, and NDCEL twice daily. The are many variables to consider yet. As soon as we know something more concrete, we will notify everybody. We appreciate your patience.

If you or ANYONE you are aware of in the New England and Amidon areas are in need of food or other supplies due to the shortages, please contact the school. We will do our best to get you in contact with the help needed including delivery to people who are without transportation.

During this unknown time, there are a couple pieces of information we need from you that is crucial to our continuing education. Please complete this short survey. This is a private survey only seen by school administrators. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9F6PSKL

All faculty and staff will be required to attend a mandatory planning meeting on Wednesday, March 18th starting at 9:00 AM.

Seniors are required to turn in the following photos ASAP and no later than March 25: 1. Baby picture—digital preferred but hardcopy is acceptable 2. Wallet-sized head shot—DIGITAL 3. Wallet-sized head shot—hardcopy 4. Family photo—digital preferred but hardcopy is acceptable Email to julie.opdahl@k12.nd.us and turn in hard copies to a Julie as well.

Governor Burgum made an executive decision at 6:30 PM Sunday night to close all K-12 schools for one week. No school until further notice.

The booster club will meet Wednesday, March 18, at 6:30 PM at the CITY HALL meeting room. All are welcome!

All water fountains, at the school, will be shut down. Please send a water bottle with your child. The bottle filler, on our water fountains, will remain open.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided guidance for schools to plan, prepare, and respond to coronavirus (COVID-19). Working together with state and local health departments, we all have an important role in slowing the spread of diseases to help ensure safe and healthy learning environments. While the risk to those living in the U.S. remains low, we want you to know that New England Public School is monitoring the situation, and we are planning our response to the health and academic needs of students in case of an outbreak. The guidance we have received from the ND Department of Health is as follows: schools will remain in session; however, all extra-curricular activities have been suspended until further notice; wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands; cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and throw it away; clean and disinfect frequently-touched surfaces/objects regularly; get plenty of rest, drink fluids, and eat healthy foods; avoid close contact with people who are sick; stay home when you are sick. New England Public School stresses these same things with students each year during normal cold and flu season, and we ask that you continue to reinforce this at home. Symptoms of the COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath. The symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. If you develop symptoms, please call your health provider and tell them about your recent travel or exposure. New England Public School takes the safety of our students and staff very seriously. We will continue to monitor the situation, work with state and local health officials, and follow recommended guidance as it becomes available. We will continue to post Coronavirus information on our website. Thank you for your attention to this matter. If you have questions, contact us at (701) 579-4169. Sincerely, Kelly Koppinger, Superintendent

Statement on the Suspension of all remaining 2020 NDHSAA Winter Postseason Tournaments, Fine Arts Contests, Spring Sports & Activities March 13, 2020 2:45 pm FARGO – On Friday, March 13, due to the Emergency Declaration issued by President Trump the NDHSAA will suspend play at the 2020 NDHSAA Class A Basketball State Tournament and all remaining 2020 NDHSAA Winter Postseason State Tournaments including the 2020 NDHSAA Class B Boys Basketball State Tournament. In addition to the remaining 2020 NDHSAA Winter Postseason Basketball State Tournaments being suspended, all remaining fine arts and spring sports seasons have been suspended indefinitely, which includes practices and game contests. Further information will be released as it becomes available. Refund Policies for the 2020 NDHSAA Class B Boys Basketball State Tournament will be announced at a later date.

Dear Families: Our school has been working with our public health partners monitoring the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). When responding to infectious diseases, it is important to know that our school follows the directions and recommendations made by the state and county health departments. Recent information from the state is that there is a low health risk to people in North Dakota from 2019 novel coronavirus. It is important that you keep up to date with information from reliable sources and know the facts. What is coronavirus? Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath. These viruses spread through coughing or sneezing, much like the flu. What is school doing? Thorough cleaning of surfaces is an important part of any prevention strategy. Keeping our students and staff safe is our top priority. In our school, we will be following high standards and strict procedures for frequent and thorough cleaning and disinfecting. You can also help keep the school healthy by following the recommendations below. What can I do to stay healthy? The risk to the general public from this virus is considered low, and the same precautions recommended for avoiding colds and flu can help protect yourself and others against the coronavirus. Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds Cover your cough and sneeze with tissue Clean surfaces that are frequently touched Avoid close contact with anyone who has flu symptoms Stay home if you are sick Please know that administration is monitoring this situation. Our focus is maintaining the safety of students and staff. We will continue to update staff and families with any new information. Please feel free to contact us anytime with questions you may have. Sincerely, Kelly Koppinger Superintendent, New England Public School

At this time, we are suspending our EF Tour trip to Washington DC. More information regarding this issue will be coming soon.

The Booster Club Raffle Winner for March 13th is Gabe Sorenson - New England! $100.00! Congratulations, Kiddo!!