August 26, 2020

RTL Update – Cohort Groups / Device Pickup

When will I know what day of the week my kid goes to school?

As the online request form closed last week Friday, we are working to roster students within our student information system, Infinite Campus. We are finalizing that process this week and will communicate which cohort group your student will attend to start the school year along with their teacher (elementary) on Friday, August 28. Ames Middle School and Ames High School will release student schedules on Friday as well. 

 

How and when do I get a device for my student?

In the spring, we did not do a mass collection of technology devices. For that reason, many students still have a device that they should bring to school on Day 1. For families who do not have a device, turned their device in, or are new to the District (i.e. kindergarten students), each building will communicate pick up times for next week. 

For Remote Campus (100% online students that do not already have a device), the Technology Department will have pick-up opportunities at the District Office (2005 24th Street) on Tuesday, September 1 and Thursday, September 3 from 4-6 p.m. If you are not able to pick up during those times, you can email the Technology Department at acsdtechsupport@ames.k12.ia.us.

 

How will my student get lunch on days they are not on-site?

The Ames School District will offer breakfast and lunch to all students who are enrolled full-time (not homeschooled) on days when they are in virtual learning either 100% or in the hybrid model. We have posted a PDF of food service information for the 2020-2021 school year for both on-site and virtual learning on our website. If you would like your student(s) to receive meals while in virtual learning, please fill out the Google form below. You will need to fill out a form for each student.

You can pick up meals at any of the elementary schools or the middle school (this does not have to be your student’s school of attendance). We are not offering meals at the high school because of construction. If you have students at different levels, you can pick up all the meals at one site. Because the elementary and secondary meals are different, we need an approximate number of meals to be picked up at each site.

We ask that you fill out the form no later than August 28th.

ACSD Virtual Learner Meal Request Form

 

When will I know what bus, bus stop, and bus times will be assigned to my students?

Durham Bus Services will finish routing students on September 1st. That information will be routed to the school district, which will be emailed to parents on September 3rd. 

New stops will not be added between September 1 and September 11. During that time, new student bus requests will be routed to the closest existing bus stop. From September 11-12, families will receive an email with final bus routes that will begin on September 14. 

 

If I have physical paperwork that needs to be turned into the District, where can I drop it off?

A drop box is located outside of the District Office (2005 24th Street) where physical paperwork can be dropped off. 

 

Ames High Athletics

Ames High Athletics has done a great job implementing COVID-19 mitigation recommendations for fall sports as laid out in the guidelines from Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union. The following sports are scheduled to compete this fall: football, girls swimming, volleyball, boys golf, boys and girls cross country and cheer. The Athletics Department also recently released ticketing information for the upcoming football season. If interested, be sure to follow them on Twitter (@AmesAthletics). 

 

Return to Learn Delivery Model Vocabulary

On-Site – When instruction is delivered in our buildings with face-to-face instruction. On-site delivery will be used within a hybrid approach as well as if all students and staff return to campus. 

Remote Campus – The parent-selected 100% online instruction delivery model is organized as a separate instructional site. This delivery model was formerly known as “Hybrid 2”. 

Hybrid – Delivery model where students will experience 50% of their instruction on-site and the other 50% online. Students would be organized in A/B cohorts and assigned days. 

Phased-In Hybrid – Represents the delivery model that will begin the 2020-2021 school year where students will attend 1 day a week for the first 4 weeks. Those days will represent approximately 25% of the student population who did not select the Remote Campus 100% online option. 

Required Continuous Learning – This delivery model will be utilized in the event that sections of the District (a student, classroom, building, or all buildings) need to close due to the pandemic. Opportunities to interact with staff and students would occur virtually.