BISMARCK

BSD End of Year Covid-19 Planning Tool

This tool was developed to guide districts in preparing updates to school operations based on previous directives, now considered guidance, and assist districts in eliciting community feedback via the district website.  

• Please see bottom of document for updated guidance. 

Considerations:

• Current Guidance 

The Arkansas Department of Health and Arkansas Department of Education strongly advise districts to continue to follow all measures that have allowed successful in-person learning to occur.

• The success can be attributed to the multiple layers of mitigation strategies that have been implemented by schools, such as social distancing, reduced class sizes, mask wearing, disinfecting and cleaning, handwashing, and physical distancing to the extent practical. 

Considerations:

• Masks-Continuation of mask policies and proper wearing have benefits

• Proper mask wearing may be a consideration when identifying individuals as close contacts in K-12 schools that continue to implement mask requirements.  This means that if both individuals – the person diagnosed with COVID-19 and the person exposed to the positive case – were wearing masks correctly at the time of exposure, the individual exposed does not need to quarantine. 

• Close Contact Identification

Considerations:

• Physical Distancing

CDC has updated guidance to reflect the latest science on physical distance between students in classrooms.  

• CDC now recommends that, with universal masking, students can maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings.  

• The CDC still recommends social distancing of 6 feet between adults, as well as adults and students, in common areas, when masks can't be worn (such as while eating), during activities with increased inhalation like sports or band practice (which would preferably be held outside), and in community settings outside the classroom.

Considerations:

• Responding

• Schools with mask mandates that promote proper mask wearing may now exempt individuals from being identified as close contacts in K-12 schools if both the confirmed and exposed individuals are properly masked.

• A fully vaccinated individual does not need to stay at home following close contact exposure to a test-confirmed individual if certain conditions are met

• Individuals who previously have had COVID-19 and recovered and are within 3 months of their original diagnosis may not have to quarantine

Revised by the Bismarck School Board April 19, 2021: 

Required for all students through May 4th K-12 on the bus due to the intermingling of all grade levels. 

Elementary:

Right now our biggest concern is the completion of elementary testing without having to quarantine. ADH has said if you are wearing a mask and are exposed to a positive person, you no longer have to quarantine. Having elementary students and staff wear a mask for 10 more school days, until the testing completion date of May 4th will get us where we need to be in order to ensure that we don't have to quarantine a large group of students, an entire classroom, or much needed certified staff and risk missing our testing completion window. However, you no longer have to wear the mask while outside since social distancing is possible on the playground, sidewalks, etc... We're almost there so please just hang in a little longer! Thank you so much for your patience!!

Middle/High School:

Since testing is complete, you will only be required to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible and when on the bus. 

Districtwide:

Effective May 5th testing will be done districtwide and masks will be recommended but not required across the district, including buses. We will still have masks available for anyone who may still want/need one. 

Thank you for doing your part to keep all BSD students and staff safe!!

SCHOOL CHOICE ANNOUNCEMENT

This is a public announcement.  Public School Choice in Arkansas allows students to attend a public school in a district other than the one in which they reside.  Applications for students in the following counties: Clark, Grant, Hot Spring, Pike, and Saline, (must be made by May 1, 2021 to qualify for provisions under the Arkansas Public School Choice Act of 2013.)

Pursuant to standards adopted by a non-resident school board, a non-resident district may reserve the right to accept and reject applicants based on capacity of programs, class, grade level, or school building.  Likewise, a non-resident district’s standards may provide for the rejection of an applicant based upon the submission of false or misleading information to the above listed request for information when that information directly impacts the legal qualifications of an applicant to transfer pursuant to the School Choice Act.  However, a non-resident district’s standards shall not include an applicant’s previous academic achievement, athletic or other extra-curricular ability, handicapping conditions, English proficiency level, or previous disciplinary proceedings, except that an expulsion from another district may be included pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. 6-18-510.  Priority will be given to applicants with siblings attending the district.  The non-resident district shall accept credits toward graduation that were awarded by another district and award a diploma to a non-resident applicant if the applicant meets the non-resident district’s graduation requirements. Applications must be postmarked or delivered to the Superintendent of Schools no later than May 1 for a child to be able to enroll for the fall semester.  Transfers shall be granted on a non-discriminatory basis.  Students who have been accepted and enrolled in previous years do not have to reapply as approved transfers remain valid for as long as the student attends that public school. 

Superintendents of both school districts must be notified by the parent of their school choice request. 

Bismarck School District COVID-19 Point of Contact

Kimberly Turner:  501-617-3464 or POC@bsd-lions.net

*The POC phone does NOT accept text messages

**Please report all positive COVID-19 test results and close contact with persons that have tested positive for COVID-19 IMMEDIATELY.

September 1, 2020

Dear Parent/Guardian:

We were so happy to welcome our students back last week! Although we are still adjusting to some of the necessary changes, it was a great week. We continue to focus on student/staff safety and a return to student instruction.

We have asked all students choosing to enter the Bismarck Virtual Academy to commit to a 9-week period. The deadline for any changes between virtual and onsite has passed unless there is an emergency situation. We are working to establish not only consistency and structure, but high quality instruction for both our onsite and virtual students. We are hoping that conditions across the state will improve over this first 9 weeks and virtual students will feel comfortable returning to campus at that time.

We continue to sanitize buses and every campus throughout the day, in addition to following all CDC/ADH/DESE and Governor’s mandates in regards to the wearing of masks, social distancing, etc… Safety is priority #1!

Students have done a great job adjusting to these mandates, have kept a positive attitude, and expressed so much happiness at returning to campus. Many students thrive on routine/structure and we know how difficult it can be to not see your friends, classmates, and teachers for so long. We are so proud of how our students have made this return so successful!

We appreciate you as well parents/guardians. Your support for your child and the district, in addition to the encouragement and positive guidance you give your child every day will help to make this year a great one. As I’ve said before, these are unprecedented times that we are all navigating together. Your support and positive communication is greatly appreciated!

Please contact your child’s campus office for any questions. We are in this together!

Sincerely,

Susan Kissire

1 de septiembre de 2020

Estimado padre / tutor: ¡

Estuvimos muy felices de dar la bienvenida a nuestros estudiantes la semana pasada! Aunque todavía nos estamos adaptando a algunos de los cambios necesarios, fue una gran semana. Continuamos enfocándonos en la seguridad de los estudiantes / personal y el regreso a la instrucción de los estudiantes.

Hemos pedido a todos los estudiantes que elijan ingresar a la Academia Virtual de Bismarck que se comprometan a un período de 9 semanas. La fecha límite para cualquier cambio entre virtual e in situ ha pasado a menos que haya una situación de emergencia. Estamos trabajando para establecer no solo consistencia y estructura, sino instrucción de alta calidad tanto para nuestros estudiantes presenciales como virtuales. Esperamos que las condiciones en todo el estado mejoren durante estas primeras 9 semanas y que los estudiantes virtuales se sientan cómodos regresando al campus en ese momento.

Continuamos desinfectando los autobuses y todos los campus durante el día, además de seguir todos los mandatos de CDC / ADH / DESE y del Gobernador con respecto al uso de máscaras, distanciamiento social, etc. ¡La seguridad es la prioridad # 1!

Los estudiantes han hecho un gran trabajo ajustándose a estos mandatos, han mantenido una actitud positiva y han expresado mucha felicidad al regresar al campus. Muchos estudiantes prosperan con la rutina / estructura y sabemos lo difícil que puede ser no ver a sus amigos, compañeros de clase y maestros durante tanto tiempo. ¡Estamos muy orgullosos de la manera en que nuestros estudiantes han logrado que este regreso sea tan exitoso!

Les agradecemos a ustedes también a los padres / tutores. Su apoyo a su hijo y al distrito, además del aliento y la orientación positiva que le da a su hijo todos los días, ayudarán a que este año sea excelente. Como dije antes, estos son tiempos sin precedentes en los que todos navegamos juntos. ¡Su apoyo y comunicación positiva son muy apreciados!

Comuníquese con la oficina del campus de su hijo si tiene alguna pregunta. ¡Estamos en esto juntos!

Atentamente,

Susan Kissire

Bismarck Elementary is selected as 2019 National ESEA Distinguished School