Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Where can I find accurate up-to-date information about COVID-19?

Snohomish County Health District
Washington State Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
WA State Department of Health novel coronavirus call center: 1-800-525-0127

We are continuing to collect and update answers to frequently asked questions, which are organized by subject below.

Schedules

When is the first day of school?

The first day of school for grades 1st-12th is Wednesday, Sept. 9. The first few days of school will be spent establishing connections between families, students and teachers.

The first day of school for kindergarten students is Monday, Sept. 14. Kindergarten teachers will spend September 9th-11th engaging in the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (WaKIDS) with kindergarten families. This is a transition process that helps to ensure a successful start to the K-12 experience and establish a solid parent-teacher partnership.

As of now, the 2020-21 school year calendar will stay the same.

What will a daily schedule look like?

Our schools have developed DRAFT daily schedules* for distance learning, which can be found here:

*These schedules are subject to change and reflect the daily learning schedules for distance learning only (not the Monroe Virtual Learning Academy or hybrid in-person models). Daily schedules will change once students are able to return in-person to our schools.

Attendance

Will you be taking daily attendance?

Yes, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) requires school districts to take daily attendance for each student enrolled on any day when there is planned instructional activities. This includes days with in-person, remote, or hybrid instruction. The intent of daily attendance is to measure when a student is missing instructional time. Marking a student absent is not intended to be punitive and will not be used as such.

Learn more about OSPI's attendance requirements here.

How and when will attendance be taken each day?

Elementary teachers are planning to take attendance first thing in the morning through an online check-in form; however, if a student is unable to fill out the online check-in form in the morning, daily attendance may also include:

Daily login to the student’s Canvas account;
Daily student interaction with teacher(s) to acknowledge attendance (including messages, emails, phone calls or video chats); or
Evidence of student participation in a task or assignment.

Middle School and High School teachers are planning to take attendance at the end of each school day for the corresponding classes that were held that day, based on student participation in at least one of the following activities:

Daily login to student’s Canvas account;
Daily student interaction with teacher(s) to acknowledge attendance (including messages, emails, phone calls or video chats); or
Evidence of student participation in a task or assignment.

Return to in-person learning

How and when will you decide if the district will make the switch to hybrid learning (some days of in-person learning and some days of online learning)?

We will continue to collaborate with Snohomish County Health District and Washington State Department of Health to help guide our next steps and decisions. Our goal is to continuously review the return to school benchmarks set by the Snohomish County Health District. We anticipate planning around a quarterly (11/13/20, 1/29/21 and 4/2/21) determination if school will continue as distance learning, move to a hybrid model or fully return to school in-person. We believe this provides a predictable timeframe for our families to coordinate their schedules and childcare while our system can prepare for the potential return to classrooms for our students.

Schools are not islands and what happens in the community impacts what can happen at schools. The risk of COVID-19 being introduced into the school depends on the level of COVID-19 spread in the community. The recommended metrics from the DOH are based on three COVID-19 activity levels:

75 or more cases per 100,000 in 14 days is considered a high COVID-19 activity level for a community. At this level, DOH recommends distance learning with the option for limited in-person learning who need it most – such as children with disabilities.
25–75 cases per 100,000 in 14 days is considered a moderate COVID-19 activity level. At this level, DOH recommends distance learning as described above, with gradual expansion of in-person education, beginning with elementary students.
Below 25 cases per 100,000 in 14 days is considered a low COVID-19 activity level. At this level, we recommend full-time in-person learning for all elementary students and hybrid learning for middle and high school, eventually moving to in-person for middle and high school.

Washington Department of Health Decision Tree for Providing in Person Learning

Monroe Virtual Learning Academy

What is the Monroe Virtual Learning Academy?

The Monroe Virtual Learning Academy (MVLA) is a program that will be fully online for the entire 2020-21 school year. This program will be overseen, assessed and managed by Monroe teachers, and delivered through Canvas (the MSD online learning management system), where students will be able to access content for the 2020-21 school year. While the curriculum and learning materials for this program are from a third-party online curriculum provider (Florida Virtual Learning School), they are fully aligned with Washington State learning standards.

How does MSD distance learning and the MVLA differ?

Students in the MVLA will be using online curriculum and materials from the Florida Virtual School, overseen and taught by Monroe School District teachers. Students in MVLA will be placed with teachers and students from throughout the district, but not necessarily from their home school. It is our hope that students who enroll in this program, stay in the program for the entire school year for program continuity.

MSD distance learning refers to a phased-approach where students will begin the year with distance learning from home and then transition back to the classroom at their home school when it is deemed safe to do so. Students in this model will be assigned to teachers from their home school and placed in classes with other students from their own school. Teachers will be using the standard Monroe School District curriculum in this model.

See our “At-a-glance” sheet for more information.

Why would you pick an online school in Florida and not do something local with Monroe teachers?

We are only using the curriculum and materials from the FVLS, and our own Monroe School District teachers will be teaching the content. FLVS is an OSPI approved online course provider and we believed it was the best fit for our district because it integrates with all of our systems and it had the robust curriculum we needed for K-12. In addition, FLVS allows us to differentiate for students of varying ability levels. The instruction for this model will be a combination of live online learning with a teacher and peers and independent learning that can be completed when it fits a student’s daily schedule.

Will MVLA run on the same holiday/break schedule as the rest of the district?

Yes. The MVLA is a part of the Monroe School District and will have the same calendar.

What is the daily schedule for MVLA?

While we don't have a finalized schedule just yet, we will provide a combination of live instruction (Zoom) and independent learning times. New learning/instruction (watching pre-recorded videos) will be during the independent learning time (whenever your children are able to access) with the live portions of the schedule designated for further explanation, Q&A, tutoring, etc.

Elementary teachers will be taking attendance first thing in the morning through an online check-in form.

Middle School and High School teachers will take attendance at the end of each school day for the corresponding classes that were held that day, based on student participation in at least one of the following activities: live learning activities, evidence of completion of independent learning activities, and/or direct communication of a learning task provided to a teacher.

Can we move from the MVLA to Monroe SD’s Hybrid Model at any time?

While we will do everything to accommodate students’ needs, we cannot promise that we will be able to move students from MVLA to MSD’s hybrid model. This will depend on our ability to accommodate students and teachers moving from online to hybrid/hybrid to online and how many students and in which grades/subject want to move (we cannot overload teachers and classes). It will also have to be done at set times; it would be too disruptive to have students moving around at all times. We identified the quarters and semesters as natural opportunities to make these changes. Again, we want to do everything we can to help students and families as they decide what will work best for them and we need to do it in a way that does not impact the overall learning experience for all our students.

Why is it a 1-year commitment? Why can't we switch back to in-person if/when that becomes available?

We want to be able to accommodate all of our families' needs. We also have to staff our schools in September with the number of teachers needed for the number of students in each of the models. If enough students in the right grade bands decide to move to the hybrid model and then back to an in-person school setting, we could potentially have the appropriate number of teachers transition with them. Unfortunately, this is not something we can promise, but will work very hard to accommodate. Please see the response to the question above.

Will the students in the virtual learning academy do daily Zoom meetings with their assigned teachers (similar to the students in the distance learning program)?

This will depend on the grade level and the subject. We will be prioritizing daily Zoom meetings with our early learners who may struggle with independent learning. For our more experienced students, there will be teacher check-ins and support, but it may not be daily.

If a special education student chooses the fully virtual learning academy, will accommodations be made in the virtual academy classes, and will the familiar special education staff from MSD be the ones supporting them?

Yes! The Monroe Virtual Learning Academy is a part of the Monroe School District, and as such all students have the same rights as students engaged in our hybrid model and fully in class model. This includes students with IEPs, our ELL students, and our students in the Highly Capable program. Depending on the number of students with IEPs who are enrolled in the Monroe Virtual Academy, students' IEP services will either be served by their usual service provider or by a different special education teacher who has all virtual academy students.

Can we see what courses they offer before we commit to the MVLA?

We still have to determine if we will be uploading the whole catalogue or a few specific classes. We are committed to offering core classes (reading, writing, math, science, and world languages) for our students. We may add more classes later depending on demand.
https://www.flvsglobal.net/students-families/courses/
https://www.flvsglobal.net/elementary/

Does the Florida online school curriculum have anything to do with the State of Florida’s education system? Florida ranks in the bottom half of the U.S.

There are a number of online schools across the country and the world that serve students beyond the location of their central office. FLVS is an OSPI approved online course provider that aligns with the Common Core State Standards. While FLVS offers districts the option to use their teachers, we are choosing to use our amazing MSD staff to deliver the curriculum.

What is the cost per student for the MVLA?

The cost (to the district) for using the FLVS content within Canvas, and with our teachers is approximately $173/student/year. There is an additional cost for each course that we upload to Canvas ($500/course with discounts for bulk uploads).

Will these students have access to any extracurricular activities at their school?

While we will do what we can to include students in extracurricular activities, if they're enrolled in MVLA, they will have less access to school based activities that take place during the school day as Distance Learning and MVLA will be following different schedules.

Approximately how many students per teacher at Monroe in this model?

Teachers will have approximately the same student count as they would normally have.

What if I want more than 4 credit-bearing courses each semester in high school (for example, if I need to catch up on credits or want to accelerate?

High school students enrolled in MVLA have the option to co-enroll at Leaders in Learning High School in order to take additional coursework. To apply, begin by completing the application here.

If my child is signed up for the MVLA, will they be matched/placed with students from their school?

A: Students enrolled in the MSD Virtual Learning Academy will be placed in classes with other students from throughout the district and not necessarily with those from their home school.

If seniors attend their final year via the Monroe Virtual Learning Academy, will they still receive a diploma from Monroe High School?

Yes, students in the Monroe Virtual Learning Academy will still technically be enrolled in Monroe High School and will receive an MHS diploma.

Who can we talk to if we have more specific questions about the virtual learning program?

For more information on the MVLA, you can reach out to Kim Whitworth, our Chief Academic Officer at whitworthk@monroe.wednet.edu or you may reach out to one of the two principals who will be overseeing the program: Blake Baird, grades 6-12 (bairdb@monroe.wednet.edu), and Jennifer Murphy, grades K-5 (murphyj@monroe.wednet.edu).

Changing Programs

If I have already submitted my choice for my student, can I change it?

Yes, if you need to change your previous selection, please call your school office. We are starting to build classes and schedules now, so any changes need to be made as soon as possible.

What if we choose the Monroe Virtual Learning Academy and it doesn't work out, can we return to "school-provided distance learning?" And vice-versa?

Special Education / Support Services

All IEPs SHOULD be changed because the setting has changed. How will you address this?

OSPI’s expectation is that all students on IEPs will receive services in all identified areas regardless if they are in a remote environment or participating in in-person learning. Special education is a service, not a place, so as long as all areas continue to be served, an IEP amendment is not necessary. If an area of service is not being addressed, an IEP amendment must be completed.

For those students on IEPs or 504 plans that require in person learning, that will be with their actual teacher, correct?

Yes, we anticipate that a student’s current provider will be the individual serving the students.

We had my student’s IEP without current assessments. I would like to see where he is at and modify if needed. Is this possible?

If a student’s evaluation was postponed last spring, the evaluation will be completed within thirty school days from the first day of school. Even if an evaluation is not required, the student’s providers will be gathering data to determine the growth they are making toward their goals. This information should be shared with you.

What will the Community-Based Program (18-21yr) be like? Will the students be able to get out in the community (job opportunities)?

Community job opportunities will occur when the placements are confirmed and when the Health Department says it is safe to do so.

If an IEP student is struggling with the online general education simply due to attention, how will that be managed if it is not a specific part of their IEP?

The school district has a full time Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) that can consult with the special education and general education teachers to develop strategies to help children access online learning more successfully.

What about IEPs that require one on one support from a staff member? Can we still have the same staff member from last year continue with the student this year to keep a good continuity going?

While the service will continue to be available to your child, the particular staff member cannot be guaranteed.

Monroe High School

Will you be doing a freshmen orientation day on Tuesday, September 8th as previously planned?

Yes, we are planning a virtual orientation for freshmen on the 8th. The morning is dedicated to having set times when our 9th graders can swing by and pick up their Chromebook and an MHS “swag bag”. The afternoon will be dedicated to virtual orientation activities with our 11th and 12th grade Link Crew leaders and our 9th graders.

Are the hour and 10 minute periods at MHS live instruction?

No … there may be days when students will be live with their classmates for the full 70 minutes, but most of the class time will be devoted to some live instruction and some non-live learning activities. This will depend on the subject area and the day, but our teachers have been working on how to provide a quality distance learning experience for students that includes both live and non-live learning opportunities. Students and families will know the Wednesday prior as to live sessions for the coming week so they can plan accordingly.

How much of periods 1-4 are the teachers actually instructing the class?

This will vary between classes and days of the week, just like when students are here in school. So, depending on what students are learning, one day may be more devoted to live instruction by the teacher and the next day may be more devoted to students working in groups or working independently on a project or task. We have worked with teachers this summer to better understand the best practices for distance learning, so you will see a different approach than what your students likely experienced in the spring.

For the high school, Advanced Placement (AP) tests are in May. Will this be taken into consideration when creating schedules? It would be difficult to take an AP class first semester and then take the test in May.

We have some AP classes running 1st semester and others running 2nd semester and our AP teachers know that it will be more challenging to prepare students for the AP exam in this schedule. While we still need to work through solutions to the problems this presents, some of the ideas we’ve discussed are running before/after school AP prep sessions for students and using the time built into the schedule throughout the week to give AP students the added support that they need to learn the material and prepare for the AP exam. Most of our classes also have an Everett CC College in the High School component, so students can get college credit that way also.

Given the MHS schedules has 4 courses instead of 8 per semester, does that mean that core courses like English, math, and languages will only be taken half of the year and not throughout the entire year?

This is also one of the bigger challenges we are facing. Some students already have an extra support class built into their schedule for Math specifically, so they will have Math all year as a result. For those that don’t already have a support class, we will approach this like we are approaching the AP question above … offering before/after school options for students as well as using the time built in the schedule throughout each week for students that need it. We also know that, heading into next school year, we will need to take a couple of weeks to start the year to review and fill in any gaps in learning so that students are ready for their next course and our teachers are committed to that.

Will (previously) semester long classes only be a quarter in this new schedule? So students can take the same amount of classes they signed up for and so the time scales down equally.

Yes, that is accurate. Students will take the same classes this year, just not all of them at the same time. The semester classes that were every other day are now quarter classes that will meet every day. The required number of credits that students will earn has not changed.

If seniors attend their final year via the Virtual Academy, will they still receive an MHS diploma?

Yes, students in the Monroe Virtual Learning Academy will still technically be enrolled in Monroe High School and will receive an MHS diploma.

When will students receive their class schedules?

We are currently calling all families that didn’t respond to the survey to determine exactly how many students are coming to MHS this year. Once that student count is firm, we need to adjust our current master class schedule. We intend to have schedules in the hands of students by the end of the day on September 4th like originally planned. This will require a monumental effort on behalf of our counseling team, but they are already working hard to ensure this happens.

How will band classes at MHS operate?

Like other classes, band classes are now run either 1st or 2nd semester. Our band teacher, Ms. Ray, will also be running a morning “0” period type club where students that want to stay connected to band throughout the year can do so. While the details aren’t fully figured out yet, she is excited about this opportunity so that she can maintain consistency for the year and maintain a strong band program at MHS.

Will any of the daily MHS instruction be recorded and posted so parents who work during the day can possibly watch class to help students at a later time?

Yes, many teachers and departments are recording lessons so that students can watch them in preparation for the next live session of learning. The actual live class sessions will not be recorded, but the information students will need to prepare for the live class sessions is what will be recorded. These will be accessible through Canvas and students have access to watch them whenever time allows.

How are the Seniors going to be made to feel special during this time? If the class of 2021 parents can help at all PLEASE keep us in the loop as we would LOVE to help!

Thank you for this! We want our Seniors to have an amazing year and we will be working with various stakeholder groups to ensure we plan activities and opportunities for them to feel special this year. We would love to have parents partner with us on this so please feel free to reach out!

Middle School

Do you have the daily schedule for middle school?

Yes, the Hidden River Middle School schedule can be found here and the Park Place Middle School schedule can be found here.

Why are the Park Place and Hidden River schedules so different?

Hidden River and Park Place Middle Schools are doing more work than ever before to align our instructional program and strategies. Each school, however, is a unique learning community and is focused on meeting the needs of their specific students and families. This uniqueness stems from the culture that is developed at each school, which is an ever-changing experience due to the students and staff members changing.

In short, the differences in each school's schedule represent a way of organizing many of the same priorities. "Puma Time" at Park Place offers the same connection, community building, and celebration opportunities as the "Connections Groups" and "Weekly Webcast" offered at Hidden River. Park Place's plan to connect with every class at the end of the week offers each teacher and student another opportunity to connect around specific learning targets for that week, which allows Park Place teachers to respond to the learning needs of their students. In the same way, Hidden River's teachers are planning to use Friday "Hawk Time" for teaching that responds to specific learning needs that surface through the week. The goal with any two schools at the same level is alignment on the essential, critical learning processes while having the flexibility to uniquely serve the context of that specific school.

Are you offering middle school electives this year?

Yes, middle school electives will be offered through our typical 1-6 class period schedule within the week.

Are you planning anything to help 6th graders transition to middle school?

Both middle schools are in the planning processes for 6th grade orientation, which will be held on September 8th. Detailed information will be coming out from each school about orientation day soon.

When will the kids be getting their class schedules?

Student schedules will be released as soon as possible, but very close to the start of the school year. Student schedules are built based upon enrollment, and the Monroe School District is in the process of still gathering information from families about their enrollment decisions.

How are you planning to address band class for middle school students with distance learning?

Band will continue to be one of our electives. Our middle school band teachers collaborate closely together during typical years to discuss the best strategies and ways of providing an excellent experience in music education for our students. That is no different this year in distance learning, as they are trading resources and ideas for how to create the best possible experience for music education for our middle school students. Detailed information about what this looks like can be provided for students and families from each of our respective band teachers at the start of the year.

Will the REACCH Program still be active for those kids currently enrolled in that program at Park Place Middle School?

Because of the Distance Learning Schedule the REACCH program will not be implemented until the students return to in-school learning.

Montessori Program at Maltby Elementary

Is the Maltby Montessori schedule going to be the same as the rest of elementary?

Yes, we will be following the same daily schedule as all of our elementary schools. We understand that families’ needs are different, but creating a routine is recommended. When not in meetings or a learning experience outside the home, children should be practicing follow-up work from lessons, choosing work from a set-aside space at home, taking breaks as needed, and then returning to work. (These are similar expectations as in the classroom, so will be excellent skill building practice for when we return to in-person learning).

Meals for Students

Will meals be available for students during the school week?

Yes, meals will be available for students much like they are during the regular school year at all elementary schools and Monroe High School. Students may purchase meals and those who qualify** for free or reduced price meals will receive breakfast and lunch at a discounted price or at no cost.

During the spring, we were able to offer free meals to all children because we were receiving additional state funding and federal waivers to provide food under the Summer Food Service Program. But next month, when school starts remotely, we have to revert back to the National School Lunch Program and the additional funding sources are no longer available. This means students must enrolled in the Monroe School District to receive a meal, and they will have to pay for meals or be qualified to receive free or reduced price meals.

We are, however, continuing to seek additional resources to potentially provide meals to students in need at additional locations that would be more convenient for families.

**Free and reduced price meal applications must be resubmitted every year. To find out if your family qualifies, please visit our website here.