Because of a high number of absences due to quarantine, students in Grades Seven and Eight will engage in remote learning beginning on Wednesday, December 16 through Friday, December 18. 

• Students in Grades Seven and Eight will access instruction, coursework, and assignments digitally.  Most, if not all, MUMS teachers are using Microsoft Teams and have prepared students to continue meaningful instruction remotely.

• Students in Kindergarten through Grade Six will continue to attend in-person classes and follow their regular schedules through Friday, December 18, 2020. 

ATTENTION:  The district experienced an increase in the number of COVID-19 positive students and staff members following Thanksgiving and the long holiday weekend.  To avoid a similar situation following Christmas and New Year’s Day, ALL STUDENTS will engage in remote learning Monday, January 4, 2021 through Friday, January 8, 2021.  This step is to help avoid the same issues following Christmas Break, and provide parents and caregivers lead time to arrange supervision and childcare.

The following information is relevant to all students participating in remote learning at any level throughout the district. 

Attendance

• Students must “attend” their first classes every day to be counted present, just like a regular, in-person day of school.  Teachers will also be monitoring attendance and communicating with office staff throughout the day. 
• Students “arriving late” must sign-in as they normally would for a regular day of school. 
• Attendance information including sign-in and late arrival procedures for remote learning can be found at the following link.  https://5il.co/nn52

Staffing & School Schedule

• Teaching and administrative staff members will continue to report to the buildings for the remainder of the current week (i.e., week of December 14).  Beginning on January 4 and depending on individual circumstances, district teaching staff members will be working both remotely and from their classrooms. 
• During remote instruction, teachers will be available to students during typical time periods.
• Students and families should not expect their teachers to respond to e-mail, Microsoft Teams, or Seesaw messages after school hours. 
• Middle and high school students will continue to follow the regular schedule.  

• Elementary students participating in remote instruction the week of January 4, 2020 will follow the schedules established by their grade-level teachers. 

Transportation

• District transportation will be available for K-6 students from Wednesday, December 16, 2020 through Friday, December 18, 2020. 

Athletics

• In an abundance of caution exercised by both teams, the Seventh and Eighth Grade Boys and Girls Basketball games scheduled for Tuesday, December 15 will be postponed.  Middle School basketball and wrestling practices are also canceled for Tuesday evening December 15.  Additional information and next steps will be communicated by the Milton-Union Athletic Department. 
• We will continue to monitor middle and high school athletics daily and plan to maintain practice routines and game schedules for as long as it is safe to do so. 
• Students who need technology support should e-mail questions, concerns, and needs to techhelp@muschools.com.  Appointments may also be made with Mr. Blackburn or Mr. Nealeigh who can assist remotely through Microsoft Teams video chat. 
• These circumstances do not affect students and families already participating in fully remote instruction through SchoolsPLP.  These students should continue their work as they have been since the beginning of the school year. 

Technology

• Students who need technology support should e-mail questions, concerns, and needs to techhelp@muschools.com.  Appointments may also be made with Mr. Blackburn or Mr. Nealeigh who can assist remotely through Microsoft Teams video chat. 

SchoolsPLP

• These circumstances do not affect students and families already participating in fully remote instruction through SchoolsPLP.  These students should continue their work as they have been since the beginning of the school year. 

District staff members are constantly monitoring the situation and will continue to do so throughout the week of January 4.  Please remember this precaution will only be as effective as our collective ability to make good choices in our daily lives.  Collectively, practicing the following can help the district maintain operations for as long as possible and for as long as it is safe to do so.  

• Stay home when you are sick.
• Practice Social Distancing.
• Get adequate sleep and eat well-balanced meals.
• Wash hands often with water and soap (20 seconds or longer). 
• Dry hands with a clean towel or air dry your hands.
• Cover your mouth with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing. 
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth with unwashed hands after touching surfaces. 
• Practice good hygiene habits. 

As always, we are grateful for your understanding and patience.  We look forward to what the new year might bring for our students, parents, caregivers, and community members.  We hope to continue the collaborative work that has helped maintain us through a global pandemic.  Our students, parents, caregivers, community partners, classified staff members, Board of Education members, teachers, and administrators have all been indispensable in the service of our young people.