COVID-19 District Information
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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has issued and executive order to close all schools in Wisconsin as a measure to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Therefore, the School District of Janesville will close school for students beginning Monday, March 16, 2020 through the end of the 2019-2020 school year: June 30, 2020. Information about summer school for 2020 will be provided when it becomes available.We will continue to provide updates as the situation progresses.
- District Updates
- Food Service During Health Emergency
- Optional Educational Resources for Families
- IT Support for Students and Parents
- Community and Emotional Support
- Talking to Your Kids About COVID-19
- Other Information
District Updates
- May 15, 2020 End of Year Letter From Superintendent Pophal
- April 17, 2020 Family Letter
- March 17, 2020: Letter from Supt. Pophal to Janesville Families
- March 18, 2020: Letter from Supt. Pophal to SDJ Class of 2020
- March 16, 2020: Important Update
- March 15, 2020: Important Update, Details for the Week of March 16-20
- March 12, 2020 - SDJ to Cancel all after-school events per State Health Department Recommendation
- March 4, 2020 Best Practices and Safety Measures – Coronavirus (COVID-19)
May 15, 2020 End of Year Letter From Superintendent Pophal
May 15, 2020
Dear School District of Janesville Families:
As we move through mid-May, thoughts of the end of the school year become louder. With the extraordinary circumstances we are working under due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, we have to adjust some of the traditional processes. This letter is being sent to parents with initial information regarding the end of the school year. More specific information as it relates to your child’s respective school will be sent later by your school principal.
Instruction and the End of the School Year Online instruction for students continues through May 29, 2020. K-12 buildings will continue to provide new instruction and feedback during online instruction through May 29. During the week of June 1 - 5, 2020, students will receive optional enrichment and extension activities for the week from their schools.
Students and families will also have the opportunity to return or collect materials from their school.
• Grades will be posted to Infinite Campus by June 5, 2020.
• Friday, May 22, 2020, and Monday, May 25, 2020 (Memorial Day), are non-instructional days.
End of School Year Returns/Close-outs Teachers and schools will use the week of June 1-5, 2020 to wrap up student grades for the year and collect items from families that need to be turned in. Each school will develop its site specific processes to have students/families return textbooks, library media materials, school owned musical instruments (for seniors, 8th-grade students, those who discontinue music study), uniforms, etc. This also includes, if applicable, the return to families of any student medications that remain in buildings since the Mid-March school closure.
Again, school principals will provide specific details for their respective schools’ plans. End of Year Medication Pick Up (If Applicable) Per state law for businesses and institutions managing medications, school districts are required to turn over all leftover medications, both prescription and non-prescription, to law enforcement for proper disposal at the end of each school year when medication is not picked up from the school building.
School districts are not allowed to store medications over the summer months for students. Parents are encouraged to pick up any prescription and non-prescription medications their students have at school on June 1-4, 2020. School principals will provide specific details for their respective schools’ medication return plans.
Any medication not picked up by the end of the day on June 4, 2020, will be manifested for pick up and disposal by the Janesville Police Department on Friday, June 5th.
May 15, 2020 Technology Devices Your son/daughter was provided either a Chromebook or an iPad at the start of the pandemic. You are allowed to keep this device over the summer months, unless (a) you are moving away from Janesville over the summer, or (b) you no longer need it. If you would like to return your Chromebook or iPad, you may return it to your school during the week of June 1-4, 2020.
Your school principal will provide more specific information in the coming weeks. Graduating seniors should return their Chromebook or MacBook to their school before graduation. High school principals will provide more specific information shortly. Graduation We celebrate our Senior Class of 2020 by providing a video virtual graduation on June 6, 2020.
Additionally, the SDJ reserved July 25, 2020, as a tentative date for in-person graduation, if allowed under recommendations from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Rock County Health Department. High school principals shared details with the seniors from their respective schools.
Meals Lunch and breakfast meals will continue to be available weekdays at no cost to any child 18 years old and younger through at least June 30, 2020. We will offer a meal program after June 30, 2020, but we are waiting for more information from the state of Wisconsin and the US Department of Agriculture to determine if our meal program will continue with the current set-up after June 30, 2020. The meals, which consist of a lunch and a breakfast for the following day, are available for pickup from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM (Monday-Friday, excluding holidays) at 8 sites located around Janesville:
• Craig High School
• Parker High School
• Marshall Middle School
• Edison Middle School
• Wilson Elementary
• Van Buren Elementary
• Jefferson Elementary
• Madison Elementary
Families may also request home delivery of the meals by sending a text to 608-921-1874, and must include the following information:
• Their name, home address, and telephone number; and
• The number of meals requested for children 18 and younger in the household. Text orders for meal delivery MUST be received by 1:00 PM the day before. Example: To receive a meal delivery on Thursday, you must send your text before 1:00 PM on Wednesday. Texts received after 1:00 PM will be added to the next day's requests. Example: Texts received at 5:00 PM Wednesday will be added to the list for Friday delivery. Deliveries begin at 9:00 AM until completed, and will be left at your front door/step/porch. To request a full week’s worth of meal delivery, submit your text order no later than 1:00 PM on the previous Friday. 3 May 15, 2020 Summer School Online virtual summer school is scheduled to run from Monday, June 8, 2020, to Thursday, July 2, 2020. Registration for courses begins on Monday, May 18, 2020.
All SDJ Elementary and Middle School will have their own version of virtual summer school and each day, students in the following grades are provided fun and enriching activities in a variety of subjects:
• Kindergarten-2nd Grades: A total of approximately 1 hour of a lesson and activities.
• 3rd-5th Grades: A total of approximately 2 hours of lessons and activities.
• 6th-8th Grades: A total of approximately 3 hours of lessons and activities.
High School courses for credit recovery are also available virtually through our summer school program. Summer School account creation and course sign-up is available online via the Summer School Registration site: https://www.registrationcenter.net/janesville/
NOTE: At this time, we do not know if additional courses will be offered for summer school after July 2, 2020. Please watch for announcements as we learn more. Again, thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate through the difficult circumstances created by this public health emergency. Please be on the look-out for additional information coming from your child’s school which will provide more specific details to help all of us finish the school year strong. As always, your school leaders and our district leadership team stand ready to answer your questions and provide more information as you need it.
We are stronger together.
With Gratitude, Steve Pophal, Superintendent
April 17, 2020 Family Letter
April 17, 2020
Dear School District of Janesville Community: While not completely unexpected, yesterday we found out that our school buildings are now closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. We understand the importance of keeping students, families, and staff safe. We also remain committed to providing quality educational instruction for your students to close out the session.
This is new territory for all of us, and I can assure you that our employees are working hard for your students, making the best out of a challenging situation. One month ago, Governor Evers declared the public health emergency closing all Wisconsin schools.
When students left school on Friday, March 13, no one knew that it was going to be the last ‘regular’ day of school for this term. Obviously we are all sad that this is how the school year will finish out. Our teachers and building principals will continue working to provide quality online instruction for your students, and our school nutrition team will continue to provide access to lunch and breakfast, free of charge, for any child 18 years old and younger through the last day of school (June 5, 2020).
We will provide more information about summer meal options by the first week of June. There are however, many other concerns and matters for us to consider now that we know the public health order is extended.
Some of these issues include details with respect to end-of-school-year matters, including how to handle/manage refunds for canceled events/field trips, how to distribute yearbooks, etc. We don’t have the answers yet, but I promise that we will provide you with updates when we have them.
One matter of particular concern for many is how we will acknowledge our seniors in the class of 2020. To be clear, we will absolutely celebrate these seniors—what we need to determine now is how to do that. Over the coming days, I will work with our high school principals to find the best way we can honor and celebrate the seniors through alternative celebrations. We must take into consideration that social distancing guidelines that may continue into the summer, so, please stay tuned for more details regarding our seniors.
Usually in April, parents and students have already finished looking through our summer school course offerings and signed up for classes. At this time, we do not know if we will be offering summer school in the traditional sense, or if it might be offered through virtual learning. We will send you more information about summer school as we move into May.
Throughout this COVID-19 public health emergency, this community has been tremendously supportive. We ask for your continued support as our SDJ team works to finish out the school year in a meaningful way that is considerate of the current situation and the stress it has caused for students, families and school staff.
There are a lot of ‘unknowns’ right now, but we join you in making the most out of this unique situation.
With warm regards,
Steve Pophal, Superintendent
March 17, 2020: Letter from Supt. Pophal to Janesville Families
March 17, 2020
Dear School District of Janesville Families:
I want to thank each of you for your patience and understanding as we all navigate the unchartered and almost constantly changing territory surrounding the public health emergency that closed our schools.
Everything we assumed to be constant and stable last week, is now in an ever changing state of flux. Please understand the District leadership team and administration are doing all they can to provide you with information, updates, and practices that will help us get through this together.
We know this has been a frustrating experience for you, and be assured, we are trying to do everything we can to lessen that frustration. We have sent a lot of information to you over the past several days, and we realize that the information we provide may not answer all of your questions. We are, however, providing you with the best information we have at the time.
When we have new information, we will provide it. When we have new guidance from health officials, we will adapt/modify our actions. We promise to remain true to our core mission – which is to serve the children and families of Janesville. All of our employees will continue to serve this community in the best way they are able to, attending to the needs of children far beyond traditional norms and community expectations.
When this situation first broke on last Friday afternoon, the message from the Governor and state health officials was that we should close schools until April 6, 2020. They indicated then that the closure could continue depending on the severity of the public health emergency due to COVID-19. With a new declaration from the Governor today, we now know that schools are “closed for the duration of the public health emergency.” In other words, we do not know when schools will reopen for students.
Because of the abrupt nature of the school closure, children left school for the weekend expecting to return for a week of school before their spring break. They didn’t have time to gather personal belongings, instruments, devices, etc. With the new declaration of an indefinite end date to our closure, we are asking families to come to their school(s) on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, sometime between 7:30 AM and 6:30 PM, to remove all belongings (much like they would at the end of a school year). Families will be able to collect their children’s items, clear out lockers, and receive details about online enrichment learning resources and how families will be able to access meals during the closure.
If you cannot make it to school on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 to retrieve items and check out a device (Chromebook, for example), then we ask that you email your child’s principal to make other arrangements.
We have already implemented a plan to provide families with access to meals during weekdays, and those meals will continue to be available throughout the closure. Details are available on our SDJ COVID-19 web site (https://www.janesville.k12.wi.us/resources/covid-19-district-information). On the same site, we will be posting a list of online learning resources parents can use with their children during the closure. We are in the process of creating more substantive online virtual learning lessons/plans that will be used as school closure extends beyond April 6, 2020. This is another reason we have asked parents to come to school to make sure they are able to check out an internet accessing device for their child(ren).
Thank you does not adequately express my gratitude for how our community has rallied for the safety of all. We will do right by our children, and appreciate the trust you have put in us to prepare them for a brighter future.
Respectfully,
Steve Pophal, Superintendent
School District of Janesville
March 18, 2020: Letter from Supt. Pophal to SDJ Class of 2020
March 18, 2020
Dear School District of Janesville Class of 2020:
Congratulations! You’ve made it to the final stretch, rounded the last corner, and you are about to become the School District of Janesville’s graduating class of 2020. Despite the COVID-19 madness that swirls around us, forcing us to close schools for an undetermined amount of time, I can promise that you will be given the opportunity to become graduates from Janesville’s high schools as the class of 2020.
I know, and your parents and families know; you are disappointed, upset, confused, and sad—this is not how the last three months of your senior year was supposed to go. You’re potentially missing out on being able to enjoy the final months of your senior year – hanging out with your friends, dreaming about one last summer before you all head in different directions. You may lose experiences like competing with your classmates on spring sports teams, the chance to attend senior Prom, the chance to ‘cram’ with your friends for your AP exam. It is natural that you may be feeling sad—this situation has certainly created a sense of loss.
You are no strangers to adversity. Nineteen years ago, you entered the world at another tumultuous time – when the world, post 9-11, was forced to adjust and change our way of life as a result of the worst terrorist attack our country had ever experienced. You were our first students who’ve always had to go through security checks when going to a Packers game at Lambeau, or have always had to take off your shoes when going through airport security. You came into the world during a time of chaos, and chaos is now ushering you out of high school and pushing you into adulthood. You are used to uncertainty, and you know how to handle unpredictable times.
Maya Angelou once said, “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
There is wisdom in her words. You see, life is not an endless series of pleasant experiences—we all learn from adversity. We learn about our character, our resolve, and we develop plans to move us forward.
With what you have experienced over the years, and especially now, you are not rookies in the game of life. You are veterans, with a lot of playing time left, and plenty more to learn and share with others. One of our School District of Janesville’s Promises is that our students will graduate from high school, ready for career, college, and life. You’re ready, and everyone in the School District of Janesville is going to do everything in our power to help you get to the finish line.
A century ago, the world was struggling to rebuild from the devastation of World War I and a worldwide pandemic. What they learned then is guiding our actions and response to the current pandemic of COVID-19. Guess what? How you react and act now will certainly guide our community in the future when the next crisis reveals itself.
I am proud of your dedication and resolve. I admire your ability to face adversity and keep moving forward. While it may not be the senior year ending that you had dreamed of, it will be your senior year, unique among your peers, and you will reap the rewards. Stay flexible, stay patient, and be ready for your next chapter. When we return from spring break, we will be scaling up online learning opportunities for all students. Learning will go on, granted in a different format, but we will help you meet graduation requirements.
Remember, you won’t only become members of Janesville’s graduating Class of 2020, you also become members of the greater Janesville community. This is your home, regardless of where you end up living, studying, working. We enjoy watching you learn and grow, and look forward to seeing you succeed in all you choose to do.
Good luck, and remember that you are always welcome here!
With anticipated congratulations,
Steve Pophal, Superintendent
March 16, 2020: Important Update
March 16, 2020
Dear School District of Janesville Community:
Please consider the following information regarding:
Student/Family Access to SDJ Buildings on March 18, 2020
“Grab & Go” Meal Distribution begins Thursday, March 19, 2020
Travel Restriction Guidance and Considerations
Student/Family Access to SDJ Buildings on March 18, 2020
The School District of Janesville (SDJ) will open school buildings on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 between the hours of 7:30 AM and 6:30 PM. All families are encouraged to come to school during that day to retrieve supplies and personal items students have left in their school when school let out this past Friday (before school closure was announced).
During that block of time, school staff will be available to help students and families retrieve items left in classrooms, hallway lockers, gym lockers, and pick up (if applicable) any medications for students.
Additionally, families will be able to check-out a district provided device (Chromebook, iPad, depending on grade level) and will receive more information about enrichment learning opportunities/resources that the SDJ is compiling for families.
NOTE:Families not able to get to school on Wednesday should send an email to their building principal to make alternative arrangements.
“Grab & Go” Meal Distribution
begins Thursday, March 19, 2020
Beginning Thursday, March 19, 2020, and continuing weekdays Monday through Friday (including Spring Break), the SDJ will provide free “grab and go” lunches and breakfasts to any child, 18 years of age and younger. This service is expected to continue throughout the duration of the public health emergency school closure.
The “grab & go” meals will be available for pick-up between the hours of 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM at the following locations:
- Craig High School *
- Parker High School *
- Marshall Middle School
- Edison Middle School
- Madison Elementary
- Wilson Elementary
- Van Buren Elementary
- Jefferson Elementary
Travel Restriction Guidance and Considerations
As an additional consideration, the CDC has very clear guidelines for those considering any travel in the coming days, weeks, and months. Please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html and https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html to see their full listing of areas/regions to avoid.
Please carefully consider any non-essential travel in the coming weeks. On behalf of everyone in the community whose health would be adversely affected by the rapid spread of COVID-19, we are asking families and staff to consider the request to avoid travel to areas of higher COVID-19 concern. Airlines and hospitality industry leaders have almost universally created no-fee change/reschedule options for customers, which we hope could help ease your family’s concern with respect to delaying/changing vacation plans. If you do travel, we ask our district family to consider the following:
- In light of the seriousness of this spreading pandemic, we ask that you please follow the CDC guidance and avoid non-essential travel.
- Be prepared for the possibility that upon return from any trip, you might be directed to quarantine or isolate.
We all play a role in reducing the impact of a disease outbreak in our community. We share this community with thousands of others, many of whom have health concerns that might make contracting COVID-19 a more serious and life-threatening reality. If we can slow the spread by social-distancing (canceling events, and avoiding large crowds, etc.), we have a better chance of not overwhelming the healthcare system with a rapid spike in patients. Hence the trending #FlattenTheCurve, which is explained through the information available at the following link: https://infogram.com/flatten-the-curve-1hzj4omzw71p6pw.
Thank you for your support and cooperation as we work together to slow and reduce the impact of a COVID-19 disease outbreak in our community. We continue to encourage everyone to practice good habits such as washing your hands regularly using soap and hot water, for at least 20 seconds, and staying home and away from crowded areas when you are sick. We encourage everyone to practice good habits, including:
- Wash your hands regularly using soap and hot water, wash for about 20 seconds.
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue, and throw the tissue away, or cough/sneeze into your arm.
- As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.
- Avoid close contact in crowded areas and stay home when sick.
See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/workplace-school-and-home-guidance.pdf for more preventive measures.
Respectfully,
School District of Janesville Administrative Team
March 15, 2020: Important Update, Details for the Week of March 16-20
Dear School District of Janesville Community:
The School District of Janesville (SDJ) takes the health and safety of its students and staff seriously, and recognizes that there are many points to consider as we collectively respond to the Governor’s Executive Order to close all Wisconsin schools as an effort to address the COVID-19 global pandemic.
To remind everyone, SDJ is closed to students beginning Monday, March 16, 2020, through at least Friday, April 3, 2020.
- Academic Resources and links will be shared with students and families via email and through our district website starting on Thursday, March 19 – www.janesville.k12.wi.us (click on the COVID-19 District Information pop-up).
- There will be no required classwork or assignments during this period.
- During the extended school closure, our district maintenance and custodial team will conduct a deep clean of all buildings. This includes sanitizing frequently used/touched surfaces.
For the week of March 16-20:
- Monday, March 16: No student/family access to schools. District leaders are finalizing plans.
- Tuesday, March 17: No student/family access to schools. District staff are preparing enrichment learning activities for students to enjoy during this extended school closure.
- Wednesday, March 18: Students/families will be able to come to schools to pick-up items between the hours of 7:30 AM and 6:30 PM.
During this time students/parents will be able to pick up school developed learning resource materials, Chromebook/iPad, musical instruments, books, school supplies, meds, and personal items. Staff will be available to greet kids and families and assist them to gather up everything they need to take home. We will also provide families with information about where children will be able to access the “Grab & Go” breakfast and lunch meals that will begin on Thursday, March 19, 2020.
- Thursday, March 19: No access to schools, Food Service is expected to begin providing lunch/breakfast at multiple locations around the community, in a “Grab & Go” manner. Each meal pick-up will include a lunch for that day and a breakfast for the following morning (more information will be provided via email on Monday, March 16 to parents). Academic resources will be provided to parents via email and through our district website.
- Friday, March 20: No access to schools.
Our administrators continue to coordinate with local health officials to stay as up-to-date as possible as this situation evolves. We will continue to provide accurate information to our SDJ community. We ask that you continue to monitor our social media pages and our website at https://www.janesville.k12.wi.us/resources/covid-19-district-information for updates or information.
While preventing the spread of this global pandemic is very difficult, we can all take measures to slow it down. If we can slow the spread by social-distancing (canceling events, and avoiding large crowds, etc.), we have a better chance of not overwhelming the healthcare system with a rapid spike in patients. Hence the trending #FlattenTheCurve. The link that follows provides an excellent description of why we should all be trying to 'flatten the curve': https://infogram.com/flatten-the-curve-1hzj4omzw71p6pw.
Thank you for your support and cooperation as we work together to slow and reduce the impact of a COVID-19 disease outbreak in our community. We continue to encourage everyone to practice good habits such as washing your hands regularly using soap and hot water, for at least 20 seconds, and staying home and away from crowded areas when you are sick.
FAQ’s
Where can I find out if schools will stay closed after April 6?
Governor Evers and the Department of Health Services (DHS) will continue to put out the latest information on social media, as well as issuing media releases to ensure the public is aware of the latest decisions and guidance. Additionally, the DPI will continue to share information with schools around the state.
Will school playgrounds be open?
School grounds and facilities cannot be used for instructional purposes or for extracurricular activities. This includes athletics practices or other extra-curriculars that regularly occur on school grounds. At this time, parents should use their discretion to decide if their children are allowed to use school playgrounds.
Are all athletics and club sports canceled?
The order requires all K-12 school buildings to be closed to extracurricular activities. If your child is involved in athletics or extra-curriculars that regularly take place in a non-school building, you should contact the provider organization regarding cancellations and follow DHS guidance regarding social distancing.
What conversations should parents have with their children at home?
The DPI recommends the following resource: Talking to Children about COVID-19 (Coronavirus) - A Parent Resource.
Respectfully,
School District of Janesville Administrative Team
March 12, 2020 - SDJ to Cancel all after-school events per State Health Department Recommendation
NEWS RELEASE
Tuesday, March 12, 2020
For Immediate Release
Contact: Patrick Gasper, Public Information Officer, 608-743-5091
SDJ cancels all after-school special events per State Health Department Recommendation
JANESVILLE—Governor Evers today declared a public health emergency in Wisconsin in response to the growing concern over the COVID-19 virus that is spreading across the world and nation. As part of the announcement, Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary Andrea Palm, recommends that entities cancel events of more than 250 people to help slow the spread of the virus. Therefore, the School District of Janesville (SDJ) is canceling ALL afterschool special events of any size beginning Friday, March 13, 2020, through the end of the SDJ spring break (Sunday, March 29, 2020). As an additional precaution, the 11th and 12th-grade Career Fair, which was set for Tuesday, March 31, 2020, at Parker High School is also canceled.
The SDJ continues to monitor the situation and follows guidance from local, state, and federal health officials. These measures are precautionary and serve to mitigate and slow the spread of the illness associated with COVID-19. As we move closer to the end March, the SDJ will make decisions about special events in April, again following guidance from health officials available at that time.
The cancelation of events includes (but is not limited to) the “Chaplin” musical at Parker High School, the “Into the Woods” musical at Edison Middle School, the Spotlighters Spectacular show choir competition, the middle school wrestling meet, and the Craig High School honors ceremony. For events where tickets have been sold in advance, the district will provide information regarding refunds at a later time.
We all play a role in reducing the likelihood of a disease outbreak in our community. We encourage everyone to practice good habits, including:
- Wash your hands regularly using soap and hot water, wash for about 20 seconds.
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue, and throw the tissue away, or cough/sneeze into your arm.
- As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.
- Avoid close contact in crowded areas and stay home when sick.
See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/workplace-school-and-home-guidance.pdf for more preventive
March 4, 2020 Best Practices and Safety Measures – Coronavirus (COVID-19)
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: March 4, 2020
Contact Kimberli Peerenboom, Director of Pupil Services, (608) 743-5061
Patrick Gasper, Public Information Officer, (608) 743-5091
Best Practices and Safety Measures – Coronavirus (COVID-19)
JANESVILLE—In the School District of Janesville (SDJ) the health, safety, and well-being of our students and staff are our top priorities. With the recently elevated discussion regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the news, we want to take a moment to reinforce preventive safety measures and reference our process and communications.
First, it is important to remember that at this time, there have only been a small number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United States. As a school district, we are closely monitoring the situation and making guidance from the Rock County Department of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There is currently no recommendation to close schools in the United States.
The SDJ is closely monitoring the situation and is making the necessary preparations in case the COVID-19 becomes more prevalent in our community. For now, there are no indications of a coronavirus outbreak, but
that could change as time goes on. Within our schools, the SDJ is continuing with its standard cleaning/sanitizing practices in all rooms. This includes, but is not limited to, daily cleaning and sanitizing of all classrooms, cafeterias, and bathrooms.
We all play a role in reducing the likelihood of a coronavirus outbreak in our school district community. To remind our students and staff of best practices, the CDC has provided a poster we will be placing in all buildings on how to “Stop the Spread of Germs”. We also encourage everyone to practice good habits, including:
- Wash your hands regularly, especially after using the restroom and before preparing or consuming food. Using soap and hot water, wash for about 20 seconds. Be sure to also wash your fingertips.
- Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands or in the air. Always try to cough or sneeze into a tissue, and then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough/sneeze into your arm.
- As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.
- If children are feeling sick, please keep them home from school. Allow them some time to feel better so that they do not risk infecting others. Students need to be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to class after any illness. Keeping children home when they are sick is critical to prevention.
We will continue to communicate with you in the days and weeks to come. It is possible that we may need to
cancel classes if it appears the coronavirus has affected our community in a significant way. As always, the
safety of our students, staff, and families remains our top priority.
Food Service During Health Emergency
- UPDATED: SDJ providing meal options for children during COVID-19 public health emergency
- "GRAB & GO" MEAL DISTRIBUTION BEGINS THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020
UPDATED: SDJ providing meal options for children during COVID-19 public health emergency
“Grab & Go” stations are complemented by text delivery option
Continuing on all weekdays during the public health emergency as declared by Governor Evers, the School District of Janesville (SDJ) is providing any child 18 years old and younger with access to a free lunch and breakfast.
The meals are provided in a “grab & go” set-up at 8 school locations across Janesville between the hours of 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM.
For the “grab & go” meal distribution, SDJ is using a drive through model, with walk ups welcomed. Children are able to stop and get out of vehicle to pick up meals. Per federal law, families are only allowed 1 meal per child 18 years old or younger. Each “grab & go” meal
includes a lunch for that day, and a breakfast for the following morning.
The “grab & go” meal distribution sites are:
- Craig High School 401 S. Randall Street Eastside of school, lower cafeteria level
- Parker High School 3125 S. Mineral Point Road Westside parking lot
- Marshall Middle School 25 S. Pontiac Drive Main entrance
- Edison Middle School 1649 S. Chatham Street Main entrance
- Jefferson Elementary School 1831 Mt. Zion Avenue Main entrance
- Madison Elementary School 331 N. Grant Avenue Main entrance
- Van Buren Elementary School 1515 Lapham Street Door #2, Circle Drive
- Wilson Elementary School 465 Rockport Road Main entrance
• Their name, home address, and telephone number; and
• Number of meals for children 18 and younger in the household.
Text orders for meal delivery MUST be received by 1:00 PM the day before. Example: To receive a meal delivery on Thursday, you must send your text before 1:00 PM on Wednesday. Texts received after 1:00 PM will be added to the next day's requests. Example: Texts received at 5:00 PM Wednesday will be added to the list for Friday delivery. This also applies to full week deliveries. Please submit your text order for a full week of deliveries by the previous Friday by 1:00 PM.
Deliveries begin at 9:00 AM until completed, and will be left at your front door/step/porch.
"GRAB & GO" MEAL DISTRIBUTION BEGINS THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020
"Grab & Go" Meal Distribution begins Thursday, March 19, 2020
Beginning Thursday, March 19, 2020, and continuing weekdays Monday through Friday (including Spring Break), the SDJ will provide free “grab and go” lunches and breakfasts to any child, 18 years of age and younger (does not need to be an SDJ student). This service is expected to continue throughout the duration of the public health emergency school closure.
The “grab & go” meals will be available for pick-up between the hours of 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM at the following locations:
- Craig High School *
- Parker High School *
- Marshall Middle School
- Edison Middle School
- Madison Elementary
- Wilson Elementary
- Van Buren Elementary
- Jefferson Elementary
- Craig HS, where they will set up at the back of the school at the lower cafeteria level.
- Parker HS, where they will set up by the west-side entrance (main student entrance).
Summer Menus
Free Meals Information
Optional Educational Resources for Families
The School District of Janesville has developed the SDJ Online Learning Portal to provide optional learning opportunities for students P4J-12. At this time, the learning opportunities are optional for families through April 3rd.
- The online learning opportunities provide students with access to age-appropriate digital resources that will remain free to families to explore during the COVID-19.
- The K-8 learning portals provide a sample schedule with a recommendation for creating a learning routine or schedule at home.
- We will periodically provide new and updated links for students to access.
- Students also have access through the district website to ClassLink, which provides student access to the majority of our school district’s digital curriculum, and resources students are familiar with.
The district is developing plans to address student learning needs as the COVID-19 public health emergency extends beyond April 3, 2020. We are in a very challenging and unpredictable time for our families, students, and staff. We appreciate your patience and support in continuing to provide learning opportunities for your child.
School District of Janesville
Online Learning Portal
(Portal de Aprendizaje Digital en Línea)
El Distrito Escolar de Janesville ha desarrollado el portal de aprendizaje en línea SDJ Online Learning Portal para proporcionar oportunidades de aprendizaje opcionales para los estudiantes de P4J-12°. En este momento, las oportunidades de aprendizaje son opcionales para las familias hasta el 3 de abril.
- Las oportunidades de aprendizaje en línea brindan a los estudiantes acceso a recursos digitales apropiados para su edad, que las familias podrán explorar durante el COVID-19.
- Los portales de aprendizaje de K-8° proporcionan un horario de muestra con una recomendación para crear una rutina o horario de aprendizaje en el hogar.
- Periódicamente proporcionaremos enlaces nuevos y actualizados para que los estudiantes tengan acceso.
- Los estudiantes también tienen acceso a través del sitio web del distrito a ClassLink, lo cual proporciona acceso a los estudiantes a la mayoría del currículo digital de nuestro distrito escolar y recursos con los que los estudiantes están familiarizados.
El distrito está desarrollando planes para abordar las necesidades de aprendizaje de los estudiantes a medida que la emergencia de salud pública de COVID-19 se extiende más allá del 3 de abril de 2020. Estamos en un momento muy desafiante e impredecible para nuestras familias, estudiantes y personal. Apreciamos su paciencia y apoyo para continuar brindando oportunidades de aprendizaje para su hijo.
IT Support for Students and Parents
Elementary School Outdoor WiFi Connections
The SDJ has installed a WiFi router on the exterior of each of the district's 12 elementary schools to provide no-charge internet access for students and families. They are set up to work with the same internet filtering and protections a student would have as if they were connecting from inside the school building.
The WIFI routers are located on the outside of the elementary schools, near their parking lot, and are a gray-colored box with a red reflector attached.
Just like any wireless connection, the closer you are to the WiFi router, the stronger the signal your device will receive.
To access the Wifi signal, students should connect to: SDJ-Student network
Password: Wisconsin
As always, if you have any technology-related issues/questions, please visit the IT Technology Support page at https://tinyurl.com/SDJ-
Community and Emotional Support
Talking to Your Kids About COVID-19
Other Information
Information on COVID-19 can be found at the websites for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and the Rock County Public Health Department:
- https://211wisconsin.
communityos.org/ - https://www.cdc.gov/
coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index. html - https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/
disease/covid-19.htm - https://www.co.rock.wi.us/
publichealth-familycommunity/ publichealth- communicabledisease/ coronavirus-disease-2019 - https://www.cdc.gov/
coronavirus/2019-ncov/ downloads/workplace-school- and-home-guidance.pdf - https://www.ci.janesville.wi.us/Home/Components/News/News/13346/29?backlist=%2f
- https://www.ci.janesville.wi.us/government/city-manager-s-office/strategic-communications/covid-19-and-coronavirus-information
Staff Resources
- Content
- L&I site to guide curriculum and instruction during C-19
- Work Assignments/Expectations Beginning Monday, March 30, 2020
- March 21, 2020: Update and some additional guidance regarding curriculum, instruction for the Week of March 30, 2020
- March 20, 2020: Work Assignments / Expectations Beginning March 30, 2020
- March 20, 2020: Superintendent Pophal Letter Thanking All-Staff, Looking Ahead
- COVID-19: Mercy Care and Dean Health--What You Need to Know
- March 16, 2020 Travel Letter