Our District

I hope you are all having a good Spring Break to the extent feasible given the circumstances!  Parents are starting to think about the new way of doing school for their kids. We are too!  Teachers will be preparing all week next week (April 13-17) so we can begin teaching and learning efforts on Monday, April 20.  We’ll have more details next week on that.  But, today, I need to provide a few more details about next week so you can prepare.  You’ll notice our focus will be on meals, technology, and personal belongings left at school that kids need in order to learn at home.  We are making plans to accommodate learning for ALL students.  If you do not have reliable internet or a device, we are preparing to provide paper material to support those households in a safe and healthy manner with the guidance of Public Health Muskegon County.  We’ll provide more information on that next week.

Have a Blessed Easter with family.

Tom Livezey

 

GOVERNOR WHITMER EXTENDS “SHELTER IN PLACE” ORDER

Today, Governor Whitmer signed executive order 2020-42, extending her prior “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order through the end of April. As with the prior order, Executive Order 2020-42 limits gatherings and travel and requires all workers who are not necessary to sustain or protect life to stay home. Executive Order 2020-42 also imposes more stringent limitations on stores to reduce foot traffic, slow the spread of the coronavirus, and save lives. Click here to read the full order.

CHANGES TO STUDENT MEAL DISTRIBUTION

Our Meal Program will continue on Friday, April 10 and Tuesday, April 14 as scheduled.  Beginning Friday, April 17, the Task Force for Meal Provision will be transitioning to one day per week at the same six locations here.  We will begin distributing packaged boxes of food that will contain 7 breakfasts and 7 lunches per student every Friday. This will reduce exposure for cooks, drivers, employees, and families picking up food.

Times for all dates remain 11:30am – 12:30pm

Friday, 4/10
4 breakfasts + 4 lunches

Tuesday, 4/14
3 breakfasts + 3 lunches

Friday, 4/17 (and all following Fridays)
7 breakfasts + 7 lunches

For those that are unable to pick up their student’s meals and have signed-up for our volunteers to deliver to you, deliveries will begin at 1:00 PM each Friday. If you need to sign up for this delivery service and cannot access the form, email Melissa Corbitt at mcorbit@oakridgeschools.org or call 788-7525.

HOW TO PICKUP PERSONAL BELONGINGS FROM SCHOOL

Your child may have left something in their desk or locker that they really need to support their learning at home.  Unfortunately, the Governor’s Executive Order does not allow parents/students in our buildings at this time.  However, we will allow parents to arrange a scheduled pickup of Essential Items for Learning like eyeglasses, Chromebooks, power chargers, or prescriptions.   So, please follow the directions below for each building to keep everyone safe and healthy.

OAKRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL/MIDDLE SCHOOL/FUSION

Beginning Tuesday, April 14th, you may call the main office of the building your child attends at 788-7300 (High School/Fusion) or 788-7400 (Middle School).  You must tell the secretary the items you would like retrieved from their locker.  The item(s) will be allowed to be picked up from the main entry vestibule at a scheduled time.  We will only allow Essential Items of Learning to be retrieved/picked up.  These items include things like eyeglasses, Chromebooks, power chargers, or prescriptions from the office.  Other personal belongings will not be retrieved.  We will allow locker cleanout after the school year ends and the Governor lifts the Stay Home order.

OAKRIDGE UPPER/LOWER ELEMENTARY/GSRP/ECSE

Beginning Tuesday, April 14th, please contact your child’s teacher regarding scheduling a time to pick up your child’s Essential Items for Learning. Your child’s teacher will then ask for specific information about the item(s) and their location and will schedule a time for you to pick up those items. The items will be retrieved on behalf of your child, labeled, and brought to the main office vestibule. We will only allow Essential Items for Learning to be retrieved/picked up.  These items include things like eyeglasses or prescriptions from the office.  Other personal belongings will not be retrieved.  We will allow desk/locker cleanout after the school year ends and the Governor lifts the Stay Home order.

ELEMENTARY CHROMEBOOK DISTRIBUTION

Elementary students who indicated to their teachers the need for a device during last week’s communication will receive a device on Tuesday, April 14th at the following days/times. If your child’s teacher wasn’t able to get a hold of you, you will still be able to get a device during our make up time on Thursday evening.

Upper Elementary – Grades 4-6

For those who registered, Chromebook distribution will take place in the parent pick up loop along South Wolf Lake Road in front of Upper Elementary. Please stay in your car and wait for someone to come to you.

Device distribution will take place at the following times:

• Last name’s A-G- Tuesday 9-10am

• Last name’s H-M- Tuesday 10-11am

• Last name’s N-Z- Tuesday 11-12pm

Makeup Time- Thursday, April 16th from 6-7pm

Lower Elementary – Grades 1-3

For those who registered, Chromebook distribution will take place in the bus loop in front of the Lower Elementary. Please stay in your car and wait for someone to come to you.

Device distribution will take place at the following times:

• Last name’s A-G- Tuesday 9:30-10:30am

• Last name’s H-M- Tuesday 10:30-11:30am

• Last name’s N-Z- Tuesday 11:30-12:30pm

Make Up Time will be Thursday, April 16th from 6-7pm

Lower Elementary – Kindergarten

For those who registered, Kindergarten iPad Distribution will be Thursday, April 16th from 6-7pm and will take place in the bus loop in front of the Lower Elementary.

GSRP/Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE)

Unfortunately, we do not have enough devices to provide to our pre-school programs.  As stated above, we will accommodate ALL students with teaching and learning

K-12 CHROMEBOOK/iPAD SUPPORT AND REPAIR

All students/parents can submit requests for tech support on their iPad or Chromebook via this Remote Learning Device Repair Request form. We will work to troubleshoot the problem remotely and perform a device exchange if we are unable to resolve it remotely.

Device exchange and repairs will be done by building. There will be a bin in the office vestibule of each building to quarantine devices collected and in need of repair. A new device will be issued ASAP. This will be done on a case-by-case basis

INTERNET ACCESS

If you are in need of high-speed Internet, we have several options shown below:

• Xfinity WiFi Hotspots (Free WiFi)

• Spectrum Hotspots (Free WiFi)

• Internet Essentials from Comcast (Low-Cost Internet)

• Access from AT&T (Low-Cost Internet)

• Spectrum Internet Assist (Low-Cost Internet)