Greetings Parents of Archuleta School District Students,
I truly hope that you and your families are coping during these challenging times. While we don’t want to overload you with information while you are trying to work, care for your families and also help your children with their school work, we do want to make sure you have clear and current information from us here in the district and schools. To that end, this correspondence to you.
School Closures
Earlier this week, Governor Polis extended his Executive Order closing all public and private schools to in person instruction until April 30th. While there has been no official extension beyond April 30th, the governor has said, in multiple public meetings that schools should plan for an extension of this order until the end of the 2019-2020 School Year. As soon as any official order is delivered, we will let you know.
Meal Distribution
Archuleta School District continues to provide meals to children ages 0-18. While we are experiencing some shortages, and may have to make some adjustments, we have been able to accomplish this by having our food service teams create bagged meals. A typical meal contains a breakfast bread item, a juice, a sandwich, chips or a vegetable, milk (frozen or shelf stable), and a fruit. Currently, meals are delivered by our transportation team to established bus stops, which are listed on our website at www.mypagosaschools.com or may be picked up at Pagosa Springs High School between 10 am and 1 pm.
For more information on delivery stops, please leave a message at 970-264-0392, extension 0. A representative from the Transportation Department will return your call with accurate information.
Remote Learning Resources
During this challenging time, our goal as educators is to keep students connected to their school community and engaged in their learning. Teachers have been trained in using remote resources like Google Classroom and these resources are available through district owned Chromebooks. A Chromebook, much like a laptop, allows students to participate in video chats with classmates, read online books and participate in quality educational activities. If your child is experiencing frustration with a district Chromebook, please contact your school office and a technology help ticket will be created. Someone will return your call to help solve the problem. Office numbers are below:
Pagosa Springs Elementary School Office: 970.264.2229
Pagosa Springs Middle School Office 970.264.2794
Pagosa Springs High School Office 970.264.2231
Pagosa Springs Family School: 970.264.2228 ext.5408
Pagosa Peak Open School: 970.317.2151
Internet Access
We recognize that some of our families may not have internet access in their homes. To help those families who do not, we have been working with our partners to provide a variety of resources for our families. Currently, there are several companies that provide home access. They are: Visionary, Zito and CenturyLink in Archuleta County and Windstream in Dulce, NM. Also, Chromebooks can work off a cell phone Hot Spot. Finally, we have installed an access point at Pagosa Springs High School. This access point allows parents and students to pull into the high school parking lot and log on to the district internet and access the internet for school lessons. We ask that you DO NOT exit your vehicle or congregate outside when using this service. THIS ACCESS POINT DOES NOT WORK FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. The following are links and additional information regarding internet access:
Reduced Cost Home Internet Options:
If you are planning to use Zito, please inform your school principal so that they can work with local IT consulting firm ECHO IT to help bump up your install in the queue.
Contact: 1-800-365-6988 or see link at archuetacountybroadband.com/covid-19/
Contact: Contact your schools to begin process to see if your household qualifies for their program
Contact: TBA
Contact: Click on the Windstream link found at archuletacountybroadband.com/covid-19/
District Wi Fi Access Point - This option is ONLY for current ASD students with a school email login and only provides internet connectivity at Pagosa Springs High School.
Contact: Contact the secretary at your child’s school for more information by calling the school office.
Cell Phone as Hot Spot
T-Mobile & Metro Active Customers: All current T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers who have plans with data will have unlimited smartphone data for the next 60 days (excluding roaming).https://www.t-mobile.com/news/t-mobile-update-on-covid-19-response T-Mobile is offering all current customers unlimited data and waiving late fees for next 30-60 days
Mint Mobile: New and existing customers can get Unlimited 4G LTE Data for free. https://www.mintmobile.com/unlimited/
AT&T: AT&T is suspending broadband data caps for home internet customers. https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/12/21177538/att-broadband-internet-data-cap-coronavirus-suspend. They’re also waiving late fees for next 30-60 days. They’ll also provide free access to its public Wi Fi hot spots.
Sprint: Sprint is offering unlimited data for all users and waiving late fees for next 30-60 days
Verizon: Verizon will waive late fees and keep residential and small business customers connected if negatively impacted by the global crisis. https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-help-customers-and-small-businesses
Student Grading and Reporting
The needs of our students vary by grade span and we are adapting our grading policies to reflect the current situation and what we believe is best for our students and makes the most sense for the requirements and expectations, as well as the flexibility that is allowed at each grade span. Therefore, for the fourth and final quarter of the 2019-2020 school year, these are the ways in which grades will be calculated at Pagosa Springs Elementary, Middle, and High school levels:
Pagosa Springs Elementary School
PSES will concentrate on monitoring student growth and progress through the many platforms teachers are using (Lexia, Happy Numbers, Spellcity and other age appropriate platforms). For those students who don’t have access to the platforms right now, teachers will be working with parents to provide alternative learning activities. We are focused on student learning and student growth in the different subject areas so that we can support where needed. Teachers will be reviewing for the purpose of grading, just a few items a week, depending on grade level, with an emphasis on reading and math, while not ignoring all of the other subjects. We are focused on student learning and learning experiences.
Pagosa Springs Middle School
The middle school will continue to utilize the same grading system that we have used all year with a few changes.
We will remain flexible with deadlines and accept work including redo's throughout the quarter. Staff will reduce the number of assignments as well. Should a student not be able to, or choose not to engage in the learning and complete the learning tasks for 4th quarter, the school will provide learning opportunities in Fall, 2020, that will allow them to learn and demonstrate that learning of the important concepts they missed during the COVID 19 pandemic.
Pagosa Springs High School
In an attempt to lessen the pressures that accompany this transition to new modalities of learning, for FOURTH QUARTER only, all classes will be assessed as pass/fail. We want our students focused on learning and activity completion more than the grade they will receive.
With this change, the letter grade on a student’s transcript will reflect the average of the 1st three quarters, when instruction occurred in a face-to-face, high quality, rigorous environment. However, in order to earn the credit for this year, students will still need to pass 4th quarter, that grade will just not be averaged into the final grade of the year. We want this to open up the opportunity for students to have multiple ways to show you they are learning. The high school is hoping to engage ALL students in learning. They know that there will be some students who will need support at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year and their goal is to provide that support.
Pagosa Peak Open School
PPOS will continue to implement the same grading system they have utilized throughout the 2019-2020 School Year. In addition, PPOS will be working toward a standards-based communication tool that will help teachers, students, and families assess the students' progress toward standards. Please contact the school office should you have questions.
2020 Census
If you have not yet responded, please respond to the 2020 US Census. April 1 was Census Day, a key reference date for the 2020 Census—not a deadline. This day is used to determine who is counted and where in the 2020 Census. When you respond, you'll tell the Census Bureau where you lived as of April 1, 2020, and include everyone who usually lives and sleeps in your home. You can respond before or after that date. We encourage you to respond as soon as you can.
Student Engagement and Support
Finally, as I said at the beginning of this correspondence, we recognize that many of you are still working, sometimes in challenging circumstances, while also trying to support your children. While this is a new and different way of providing educational services to your students, I want to share my deep appreciation for the way so many of our parents are working with our teachers, paraprofessionals and school leadership to support your children. Education is a right and a responsibility in our state and country. While these are challenging times, our district is still legally bound to provide educational services to your students and we truly WANT to be able to do this. So, please walk with us on this journey. If you, as a parent, need support, please reach out to your child’s teacher. They are ready, willing and able, to support you and your child. Together, we will make it through these challenging times. Remember, out of adversity, comes amazing things. As Oprah Winfrey once said, “Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.” May you all find strength within yourselves and from each other.
Kind regards,
Superintendent Linda Reed