March 17, 2020

Dear Families,

As you know, Milaca Public Schools is closed for students March 18-27, 2020 in response to COVID-19 and the statewide closure. All in-person school-sponsored activities that are scheduled during the statewide school closure are suspended until in-person school resumes.

During the closure, Milaca Public Schools will be joining school districts and charter schools across the state to create plans to equitably distribute distance learning to our students, should we need to close schools statewide for a longer period of time. Our educators will use this time to develop our distance learning plan, offering careful consideration for students in a variety of areas, including students receiving special education services, students experiencing homelessness, and students who rely on meals served at school. Once our distance learning plan is finalized we will communicate the plan to families. Starting March 30, 2020, per the direction from the Minnesota Department of Education, student learning will resume in the classroom or via distance learning. Distance learning, as defined by the Minnesota Department of Education, is providing students daily interaction with their licensed teacher(s) and appropriate educational materials.

In addition to staff preparations for distance learning, Milaca Public Schools is planning the following:

• Parents of students with daily medications at school have been directly contacted by the Health Office to make arrangements for pickup. If you have as needed medications, such as oral medication, epi-pens, inhalers, etc. that you would like to pick up, please contact the Health Office at 320-982-7338.

• If students have belongings left at school, parents may stop by to pick them up. Please contact the Elementary Office (320-982-7301) or High School Office (320-982-7206) to make arrangements before arriving.

• Milaca Public Schools will provide child care to district school-aged students, grades PreK-6, who are children of emergency workers. There will be no charge for this care. These parents will have access to care 6:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, and Thursday, March 19. Friday, March 20, is a scheduled non-school day for students; therefore, child care will not be provided on that day. As we continue to plan, child care details for next week will be communicated. We have sent a survey to identify the families who qualify for this child care and are currently contacting them with the details. Please call the Elementary Office (320-982-7301) if you are one of these workers and were not able to complete the survey.  

• Meal distribution for students will begin Wednesday, March 18. Students and/or their parents may pick up meals from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Milaca High School Cafeteria doors on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Friday, March 20, is a scheduled non-school day for students; therefore, meals will not be provided on that day. The meals will be distributed in a drive up, curbside manner. Meals will include lunch for that day and breakfast for the following morning. We anticipate developing additional distribution sites for next week. Additional notifications will be issued at a later time.

As always, our first priority is the safety and well-being of our students and staff. We also want to ensure every child has access to the education they need and deserve.

We will continue to keep you informed as we navigate COVID-19.

Superintendent Tim Truebenbach
Milaca Public Schools