News Translations

Many of you have reached out asking for an update on our Learning Model and when it will change. I will do my best to articulate what I know. Things are continually changing, including today with the most recent update from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE).

MDE’s SCALPEL APPROACH: The state is now asking districts to use the “scalpel approach.” This allows school districts within the same county to have different learning models. For example, a county may have four school districts within its boundaries, giving them the same county base data. However, when each school district reviews their community and school data, their viral spread might be vastly different. 

ACTIVITIES: If a school district is required to be in distance learning, extracurricular activities must be discontinued for at least two weeks, see page 10 of the Safe Learning Plan.

DISTRICT PLAN: Data indicates that Anoka and Isanti Counties are over 30 per 10,000 thresholds. The Department of Education seems to be taking a more local control approach. Districts are encouraged to use zip code data, local case rates, and confirmed positive cases, quarantines, and close contacts in the schools, in addition to the county data drops. 

On October 26, St. Francis Area Schools School Board voted to review the data for the next three weeks with the possibility of moving secondary schools to Distance Learning on November 16. The school board meets again on November 9, to evaluate the path moving forward. As long as the district is in a hybrid model, sports and activities will follow suit.

As Superintendent, I was directed by the School Board to enact the following clause in Executive Order 20-82 which states, if the data indicates that you must move to distance learning and you choose not to move, we must submit our reasonings to the Commissioner of Education within 24 hours. I submitted this request and the district has been approved to stay in hybrid at our secondary schools at least until November 16. I will be watching the data very closely. Please remember, ALL students have the right to move to distance learning at any time. If staffing shortages occur due to COVID-19 cases and quarantine, this plan could change and the learning model may need to shift quickly.  

I know you are all as frustrated as I am with anything related to COVID-19. I am trying to communicate what I know and will continue to update you when I learn more. WE can get through this SAINTS, challenging, yes, but we can do it. 

St. Francis Area Schools is experiencing a shortage of school bus drivers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With these staffing constraints, arrival times to and from school may be impacted. This shortage is so significant that the district has created a Bus Driver Shortage Plan.

The Driver Shortage Plan covers the impact on student arrival to school (morning) and student arrival home from school (afternoon) and communication procedures to alert parents when the plan is in effect. Most likely the bus route(s) affected would not be known until the day of the driver shortage. A message will be sent as an emergency message. Parents will receive a phone call, email, and/or text depending on their selected preferences in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

Bus Driver Shortage Plan • Students Arrival at School

• When the Driver Shortage Plan is in effect, families on the affected route(s) will be notified as soon as logistically possible, via Campus Messenger. 
• This delay would not affect the student's daily attendance or be counted as truancy.

Bus Driver Shortage Plan • Students Arrival Home from School

• When the Driver Shortage Plan is in effect, families on the affected route(s) will be notified as soon as logistically possible, via Campus Messenger.
• Students on the affected route(s) would remain in the Cafeteria or Media Center until a bus is available.
• Students will be supervised during this time, and a snack, study space, and activities will be provided should the wait be more than 15 minutes.
• Students on the affected route(s) will be delayed arriving home.
• Parents/guardians will have the option of picking their student up at school if their route is affected.

Campus Messenger Information

St. Francis Area Schools uses Campus Messenger for important communications. Now would be an ideal time to verify your contact information in the parent portal. Visit www.isd15.org/campus. If you do not have access to Campus Parent Portal, please call your student's school. An Infinite Campus Mobile App is available for Android, iPhone, and iPad Touch devices.

We appreciate your patience and flexibility. 

We are hiring school bus drivers. Salary starts at $17.64/hour. Paid on-the-job training will be provided if needed. Apply online now at www.isd15.org/jobs or call 763-753-7040.

St. Francis Area Schools provides transportation provides service daily for more than 4,400 students from preschool to grade 12. The Transportation Department covers 165 square miles and logs 1,238,830 miles over a school year and takes pride in their work and safety record.

The form to confirm the learning model for your student(s) for Trimester 2 is now available in your Infinite Campus Parent Portal. This form pertains to the learning model you are selecting for Trimester 2 only, which runs from December 14, 2020 to March 19, 2021.   Based on the current Anoka County COVID-19 data, the learning models available to students are distance learning and hybrid.

Before you fill out the form, please note:

• Once you submit the form, you will not be able to make changes. 
• Complete one form for each student in kindergarten through grade 12 and T15.
• The learning models offered align with current data and are subject to change.
• The deadline to complete the form is Monday, November 2.

Additional Information:

• Learn more about the St. Francis Area Schools Back-to-School Plan 2020. 
• Learn more about the hybrid model see the Hybrid Classroom and Hybrid School infographics.
• Students participating in distance learning will have scheduled synchronous learning (online interaction with teachers, classmates or participate in other scheduled learning activities) and asynchronous learning (online, independent). 
• If you need assistance with your Parent Portal in Infinite Campus, click here, call 763-753-7158, or email campus.help@isd15.org.

Revised times for elementary hybrid learning bus routes will be available on October 7 in your Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Stops and bus numbers should be the same, but times may be different depending on where you are located on the route. Please note these new times, and as always, have your child ready 5 to 10 minutes before the pick-up time.

Also, please check the last letter of the bus number to make sure that it matches the
Group A or Group B that your student is in. If the letter does not match, please contact the Transportation Department as soon as possible at 763-753-7080.

The buses will run on the current schedule until Friday, October 9. The hybrid bus routes start on Monday, October 12.

Remember to submit a Student Transportation Form for any changes regarding an address, daycare, split custody or other. Space is provided on the form for specific change request information.

Thank you for your patience as we work through these changes together.

Please join the St. Francis Area Schools Community Education Advisory Council for a Meet the School Board Candidate Facebook Live event to learn more about the candidates running for school board.

When: Tuesday, October 13, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Where: On the St. Francis School District Facebook Page

The public is asked to submit questions for the candidates to answer. Click here to submit questions. Questions must be submitted by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 12. Any questions received after that time will not be included in the event.

Your questions are important, but due to time constraints, the moderator may not be able to ask all the questions submitted. Similar questions will be combined wherever possible. If your question was not asked during the event, please feel free to contact the candidate directly. Detailed candidate profiles and contact information may be found on the district website at Election 2020.

This event will be recorded and available for viewing on the St. Francis Area Schools Facebook page and also on the district website.

This event is presented by the St. Francis Area Schools Community Education Advisory Council. The Advisory Council and/or St. Francis School Area Schools does not endorse or promote any candidate. This is an informational event.

Elementary Learning will Shift to Hybrid Model - Group A

Hello Group A elementary families,

As of October 1, 2020, Anoka County was at 20.78 COVID-19 cases per 10,000 people, up from 17.38 and the data continues to trend upward. According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), this number crosses a threshold from Level 2 to Level 3 in the structure of case ranges and associated learning models established by the state (see the table on page 1 of the Stay Safe MN Plan-Data for K-12 Schools). St. Francis Area Schools has worked with MDH to determine the appropriate learning model based on this data. The District will transition to hybrid learning for kindergarten through grade 5 students. Students in grades 6-12 will remain in hybrid learning. Early Childhood Family Center will continue with classes as scheduled due to hybrid model guidelines already in place.  

Elementary students will continue to attend school in-person the week of October 5-9. All three elementary schools will transition to hybrid instruction for kindergarten through grade 5, starting Monday, October 12. On October 12, students designated in Group A will attend school in-person and Group B will attend virtually. Weekly Group A students will attend school in-person on Mondays and Wednesdays, and Group B students will attend school in-person on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All students attend virtually on Fridays.

Your student is in: GROUP A 

Essential childcare is available for Tier 1 workers for free under extreme circumstances in which no parent or guardian is home due to employment as a critical worker. You must be registered to receive priority. To determine if you are Tier 1, see the MN Safe Learning Plan, page 23.  If you qualify and are not already registered, please contact Kids Connection at Care15@isd15.org or call 763-213-1616. To qualify, families will need to submit a letter from their employer. Childcare for families with one Tier 1 parent or outside of Tier 1 will be available for a fee as space allows. 

• Information about the elementary hybrid model can be found here. The school district calendar identifying A/B days can be found here.
• Nutritional Services will be sending information next week about meal options on virtual days.
• Bus numbers and stops will not change for hybrid routes.  The times will be different.  These new times will be available on the Parent Portal and Here Comes the Bus App by Wednesday, October 7.  
• If your student is a full-time distance learning student please disregard this message.

Elementary Learning will Shift to Hybrid Model - Group B

Hello Group B elementary families,

As of October 1, 2020, Anoka County was at 20.78 COVID-19 cases per 10,000 people, up from 17.38 and is continuing to trend upward. According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), this number crosses a threshold from Level 2 to Level 3 in the structure of case ranges and associated learning models established by the state (see the table on page 1 of the Stay Safe MN Plan-Data for K-12 Schools). St. Francis Area Schools has worked with MDH to determine the appropriate learning model based on this data. The District will transition to hybrid learning for kindergarten through grade 5 students. Students in grades 6-12 will remain in hybrid learning. Early Childhood Family Center will continue with classes as scheduled due to hybrid model guidelines already in place.  

Elementary students will continue to attend school in-person the week of October 5-9. All three elementary schools will transition to hybrid instruction for kindergarten through grade 5, starting Monday, October 12. On October 12, students designated in Group A will attend school in-person and Group B will attend virtually. Weekly Group A students will attend school in-person on Mondays and Wednesdays, and Group B students will attend school in-person on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All students attend virtually on Fridays.

Your student is in: GROUP B 

Essential childcare is available for Tier 1 workers for free under extreme circumstances in which no parent or guardian is home due to employment as a critical worker. You must be registered to receive priority. To determine if you are Tier 1, see the MN Safe Learning Plan, page 23.  If you qualify and are not already registered, please contact Kids Connection at Care15@isd15.org or call 763-213-1616. To qualify, families will need to submit a letter from their employer. Childcare for families with one Tier 1 parent or outside of Tier 1 will be available for a fee as space allows. 

• Information about the elementary hybrid model can be found here. The school district calendar identifying A/B days can be found here.
• Nutritional Services will be sending information next week about meal options on virtual days.
• Bus numbers and stops will not change for hybrid routes.  The times will be different.  These new times will be available on the Parent Portal and Here Comes the Bus App by Wednesday,  October 7. 
• If your student is a full-time distance learning student please disregard this message.