All,

In response to the Governor's latest directive, please see the following information.

The Governor is defining essential workers in accordance with the Department of Homeland Security, which includes K-12 public school employees. Specifically, "Educators supporting public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities for purposes of facilitating distance learning or performing other essential functions, if operating under rules for social distancing"

You can find the DHS document here:
https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/CISA_Guidance_on_the_Essential_Critical_Infrastructure_Workforce_508C_0.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2GIdRUymCKKMbMA4oIf-BzDJIGsMHsv-xwihbEKFR97j3-DH3aGyIk2Uw

With this, we will continue to offer instruction through our current platforms. Please continue to practice the 6' social distancing guidelines.

Please be advised,
Greg

ACT
Due to mandatory school closures on the initial March 24th testing date, the Office of Public
Instruction has tentatively rescheduled statewide ACT testing for Juniors scheduled for
Tuesday, April 21st. The OPI is exploring with ACT the option for an additional test date in May;
details will be shared as they become available.

• AP Exams will be offered online only (no face-to-face exams will take place) Each exam will be 45 min.
• Additional test information will be released on April 3rd
• Any students can cancel the exam at no charge
• Only units covered until early March will be covered on the exam
• Instructional resources will  launch on 3/25/20-- free remote learning resources. 
• The online exam will be offered on two dates (pending)

Smarter Balanced and Montana Science Assessment
On March 20th, 2020, the US Department of Education announced they will not be enforcing
standardized testing requirements for K-12 students for the current year. Billings Public
Schools will provide more detailed information regarding the rescheduling or cancelation of
state and federal accountability tests once school is back in session.

• State and Federal standardized testing requirements have been officially waived by the US Department of Education and the Montana Board of Education for the 2020 school year.

District NWEA, FastBridge, and PreACT Testing
District NWEA, FastBridge, and PreACT testing will be postponed until further notice. These
exams must be administered in a school setting by qualified testing proctors. Individual schools
will share out more details regarding testing schedules once schools are reopened.

Updated March 20th, 2020 2:00 PM

*Locations
- Castle Rock Middle School
- Lewis and Clark Middle School
- Riverside Middle School
- Medicine Crow Middle School
- Bench Elementary (new)
- Boys and Girls Club Bair Family Clubhouse (new)

Mobile Food Trailer
 McKinley – 9:00 – 9:30
 Washington – 9:45 – 10:15
 Newman 10:30 – 11:00
 Ponderosa 11:15 – 11:45
 Olympic Village Apartments 12:00 – 12:30 (new)
 Big Sky 12:45 – 1:15
*Other locations added as needed.

Orchard (closed – 3/23) Meals offered at Riverside

Service Times:
Breakfast: 7:45 – 9:00
Lunch: 11:00 - 12:30

Meals will be provided Monday through Friday
Meals may be picked up at the bus turnaround curbside.
Meals are free of charge to all children 18 years and younger. Adult Meals available for $2.00 Breakfast and
$4.00 Lunch

CHILDREN MUST BE PRESENT TO RECEIVE MEALS

Questions? - Please call 406-281-5878

• If you, or someone you know, are experiencing thoughts of suicide, please call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for immediate, confidential help, or go to the nearest emergency room.  
• The CRISIS TEXT LINE offers FREE 24/7 access to crisis counselors. To access this service, text MT to the number 741-741 and a crisis counselor will respond immediately to provide assistance.

Billings Public Schools will be hosting another Facebook live Special Board Meeting this evening at 5:30 PM. We will begin taking responses from the community via this link beginning at 5:00 PM:

https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSe5M3fx4ZVg-OXh…/closedform

Please tune in at 5:30 PM tonight. Continue to check our Facebook page and the COVID-19 updates page on billingsschools.org for the most recent information.

*Locations
Castle Rock Middle School
Lewis and Clark Middle School
Riverside Middle School
Medicine Crow Middle School (New)

Mobile Food Trailer (New)
 McKinley – 9:00 – 9:30
 Washington – 9:45 – 10:15
 Newman 10:30 – 11:00
 Ponderosa 11:15 – 11:45
 Orchard 12:00 – 12:30
*Other locations added as needed.

Service Times:
Breakfast: 7:45 – 9:00
Lunch: 11:00 - 12:30

Meals will be provided Monday through Friday
Meals may be picked up at the bus turnaround curbside.  
Meals are free of charge to all children 18 years and younger. Adult Meals available for $2.00 Breakfast and $4.00 Lunch

CHILDREN MUST BE PRESENT TO RECEIVE MEALS
Questions? - Please call 406-281-5878

The MHSA Executive Board, during a conference call to conduct Association business on Monday morning, took the following action regarding MHSA spring activities:

• All MHSA spring activities will be indefinitely suspended until further notice. This includes practices and contests/meet/festivals.  The Executive Board will reevaluate this situation on April 13th and any additional information regarding spring activities will be provided as it becomes available.
• If spring activities are resumed, the practice requirement for sports at that time will be five practices from resumption except for golf which will be the normal two practices required.
• Post season formats will be adjusted by conferences as necessary with MHSA approval.

Billings Public Schools Board Meeting

Due to the directives and recommendations of national and state officials, Billings Public Schools will be hosting a virtual board meeting this evening.

We wish to provide the opportunity for the public to observe and participate; however, we also do not want to present a further danger to our community by creating a gathering that could undermine the advice and direction from our health professionals. The public can observe the meeting through a Facebook Live event by accessing the Billings Public Schools Facebook page located at https://www.facebook.com/billingsschools.

We will accept public comment in writing, between 5:00-5:30 via web submission.

Directions for Public Comment:

If you wish to publicly comment on the Board Meeting Agenda, please fill out the form at the following link https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSetri411CgZUYWEbQ4we8gTP8d8ngyLv749Q1Y-BVPwttdxQQ/closedform.

You may also access this link from School Board section of the district website: https://www.billingsschools.org/board. Please keep public comments limited to 400-500 words which is comparable to the standard 3 minute public comment limit.

____________________________________________________

Student Medication Pick-Up - Tuesday March 17, 2020

This notice is for parents who are in need of picking up their student's medication from the school. School Nurses will be available at the listed times to sign-out medication. Parents will be required to show proof of identification; a student under 18 cannot pick-up any medication from the school. Parents will also be required to sign the BPS Documentation of Medication Pickup form. In the event this schedule does not work for you, please contact the school to schedule a different time.

Schedule for Pickup of Meds for Tuesday, March 17, 2020:

Billings Public Schools Emergency Closure Meal Service

*Other locations added as needed.

Parents and Staff, 

Governor Bullock has directed the closure of all Montana public K-12 schools from March 16-March 27; this includes all of Billings Public Schools. If you are in need of breakfast and lunch for students, please refer to the district website for more information.  We will be providing more details in the near future regarding the delivery of educational content, access to pick up critical items, such as medication, at schools, and such.

Please continue to remain steadfast in practicing social distancing.

Respectfully, 


Greg Upham 
Superintendent 
Billings Public Schools 

Governor Bullock Closes Schools

Governor Bullock directed Montana's public K-12 schools to close starting tomorrow, March 16 until March 27. During this time, schools will engage in planning to provide arrangements to provide free meals to students who need them, pursuant to a waiver obtained from the United States Department of Agriculture, and to provide for all other matters and services that students need in the event of future or ongoing closure. Schools will continue to receive all state funding during this two-week closure.

Superintendent Update:

All,

I would like to update you on the status of our district in response to the unfolding events of COVID-19.  Please know we are in constant contact with the Yellowstone County Health Officer for guidance and wanted to inform you that school is scheduled as normal unless otherwise announced.  Please continue to monitor our website for current information.

Respectfully,

Greg 

Greg Upham

Superintendent

Billings Public Schools

415 N. 30th St.

Billings, MT  59101

Ph.:  406-281-5066

Fax:  406-281-6186

REVISED: COVID -19 Billings Public Schools Nutrition Services Emergency Feeding Plan

Current Operations Modified Plan

Effective Monday, March 16^th all sites will not offer self-service salad bars.  All fruits and vegetables will be served by Nutrition Staff.  In between classes areas will be cleaned and sanitized, including POS keypads, condiment stations and service areas.

All employees will continue to follow all Sodexo procedures for Personal Hygiene, Handwashing, and HACCP protocols.

In the event of a full District closure:

Nutrition Services will complete non-congregational waiver from USDA/ OPI.  Serving sites must be approved SFSP sites. (the three identified are approved)

Breakfast and Lunch will be offered as a “grab and go.”  

Nutrition Services will operate the Meal Service at a curb side kiosk for parents/ students to drive up and receive meals.  All children ages 0 – 18 may receive meals free of charge. 

The following sites will be open for meal pick-up at the following times:

Communication:

Menus and service updates will be posted to the Billings Public Schools Nutrition Services webpage. 

If closure continues, we will evaluate the participation and may need to adjust sites and/or deliveries.  All changes will be communicated at sites and on our webpage.

If a parent has a dietary needs form on file please contact Elizabeth Terrel @ Elizabeth.Terrel@sodexo.com to notify which site you will be picking up from and the dietary need.

**Backpack Meals will be distributed to feeding sites for pick-up for weekend meal coverage.

Operations:

Sysco, Franz, Meadow gold milk will be delivered by vendors as needed.

Staffing will follow Union seniority scale.  All other employees will be placed on Temporary Unit Closing. 

Staffing schedules will be posted by Operations Manager once needs are determined.

District Commodities will be delivered weekly by District warehouse.  

**pending confirmation

Billings Public Schools’ Protocols for Students and Staff

Returning from Travel or New Enrollees

In the interest of the safety and well-being of all students and staff, and per the recommendation from RiverStone Health and The Center for Disease Control (CDC), we are asking that you following these guidelines.

Out-of-State Travel
Please follow the self-monitoring guidelines within the first 14 days of returning from your travels.

• If you develop fever, cough, or shortness of breath, stay home and speak to your healthcare provider.
• Notify your building principal or supervisor if you exhibit symptoms.
• You may return to school or work after 24 hours without a fever (and without use of over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen, to reduce symptoms).
• Please know that a cough can continue for an additional length time, but does not necessarily mean that the individual is contagious.

International Travel

The CDC is assigning travel advisory levels with accompanying advisory recommendations regarding international travel and COVID-19 outbreaks. The levels can change on short notice, so please verify the status for each situation at https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices and https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/.

• Any student or staff member returning from a country with the nonessential-travel designation (Level 3 or Level 4) will be required to stay home for 14 days after returning to the United States. Anyone in this situation should practice social distancing, which means staying away from mass gatherings and maintain distance from others when possible. You may return to school or work after 24 hours without a fever (and not using of over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen to reduce symptoms). 

Any student or staff member returning from a country with Alert and Watch designations (Level 1 or Level 2) is asked to following the self--monitoring guidelines within the first 14 days of returning from your travels. 

• If you develop fever, cough, or shortness of breath, stay home and speak to your healthcare provider. 
• Notify your building principal or supervisor if you exhibit symptoms. 
• You may return to school or work after 24 hours without a fever (and without use of over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen, to reduce symptoms). 
• Please know that a cough can continue for an additional length time, but does not necessarily mean that the individual is contagious. 

If a person has a respiratory infection and fever after interacting with someone who recently traveled to an impacted area, they should contact their health-care provider as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this time.

Effective March 13, 2020

Parents,

In response to the ever-changing dynamics related to the COVID-19 virus, I would like to thank you for your calmness and support in dealing with this situation.  Please be assured my office is in constant contact with the Yellowstone County Health Officer who is providing assistance and recommendations of actions to be taken as the status continues to rapidly evolve. This information and all updates will be posted on our district website, www.billingsschools.org.

In an effort to be proactive, the following measures, of which the Yellowstone County Health Officer has authorized, are designed to minimize/reduce close contact and minimize/reduce outside entities from the learning environment.  

Billings Public Schools COVID-19 Updates, effective March 16, 2020

Parents and Guardians, 

In response to the issues surrounding the coronavirus I want to update you on the status of our planning and preparation as we navigate the issues surrounding the Coronavirus outbreak. 

We are working directly with RiverStone Health to assist with guidance in dealing with all aspects attached to the Coronavirus. We will be communicating through our schools on our website and on Facebook. The main point of emphasis as of now, by our medical professionals is to maintain clean areas and communicate proper hygiene practices. All schools have received a district communique listing resources for teaching and practicing good hygiene along with increased cleaning support for high contact areas. 

I have also authorized the purchasing of ionized mist cleaners, https://evaclean.com/ for all schools. This new technology emits a disinfectant spray that wraps droplets of solution around all highly frequented areas, bathrooms, door handles, desks, etc. We have used this device on a smaller scale when we have had an outbreak of other contaminants. We also have additional spray cleaners that are effective in mitigating all viruses including the Coronavirus. 

We will continue to be vigilant in our communication with local health providers to ensure we are receiving up-to-date and accurate information. 

Please see the following information that has been shared with all schools. 

• Print and post hygiene posters/visual aids throughout your building. The below CDC link has age-appropriate resources for you to use. 
  • https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/materials.html
• Send information home to families in your newsletter or other forms of communication. The below CDC link has family-friendly information and a PDF that can be printed for you to use. 
  • https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/handwashing-family.html 
• Work with your staff on how to educate students on the importance of good hygiene and illness prevention tactics. Please devise a plan for your teachers to utilize the following approved video links with their students. Due to the large amount of misinformation available online, please avoid utilizing videos or other information that is not from the CDC, World Health Organization, or first approved by your School Nurse particularly regarding coronavirus 2019. 

Educational Videos approved by BPS School Nurses for Handwashing Technique and Prevention of Illnesses including COVID-19 

Younger Elementary Age Students:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBGsoimPXZg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoxdS4eXy18 

Older Elementary Age Students:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neUTmGOLJys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBGsoimPXZg 

Middle School and High School Students:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOV1aBVYKGA&t=20s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1APwq1df6Mw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vETQr9 JoTM 

Optional Video for Older Elementary through High School:
Mythbusters “Hidden Nasties” is a great video discussing the presence of microorganisms on commonly touched surfaces. You may choose to utilize this video to lead into a discussion on the importance of handwashing to prevent illness. The section regarding microorganisms begins at minute 20:46 and goes through 28:25 then skip ahead to 47:42 for final results of the testing: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2n9dyt 

• Encourage all students and staff to appropriately wash their hands with soap and water prior to eating any meal or snack.
• Until otherwise directed, please continue to refer to the District Guidelines for Sick Children regarding which students should not be in attendance at school for illness related symptoms: https://billingsschoolsorg.finalsite.com/school-nurse-health services/guidelines-for-sick-children
• Help staff and parents remain calm, direct them to the CDC website (the link is below), and direct them to my office if they have questions you are unable to answer. 

For more information about the coronavirus, please see the following links: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html and for specific school guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/guidance-for-schools.html 

In addition to posting preventative information on our district website and Facebook page, my office will work with Mr. Felton from RiverStone Health to assist us with scenarios that may impact our district. We are also accessing information from the CDC to guide us with appropriate planning and implementation of procedures. 

Mr. Felton has shared the following focus points: 

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick 
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. 
• Stay home when you are sick. 
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. 
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. 
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty. 
• Follow CDC's recommendations for using a facemask. 
  • CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. 
  • Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a healthcare facility). 

I will continue to communicate more information as it becomes available. Thank you for your calm diligence. 

Respectfully,


Mr. Greg Upham
Superintendent