The Cardinal Letter

I hope this letter finds everyone safe and healthy and ready to enjoy a long holiday break. This 20-21 school year feels like a yo-yo as we go back and forth between in-person and remote instruction. We are all hoping for a decrease in covid cases in our high school age students, so we can return to normal. For now, we are doing our best to keep the students engaged in their four classes. Remote learning has been working well from the feedback that we have gotten from staff, students, and parents.

We want to thank our parents as you have been an integral part of keeping students on track with learning at home. Thank you for joining us for our virtual parent-teacher conferences. The attendance has increased using this format due to the convenience and accessibility of having students be a part of the conversation has been a benefit as well. Thanks for taking the time to learn how to support your student at home.

We are fortunate that we will be able to have winter sports in person. We will be working with all the BRC schools to set up competitions and adjust when needed. Athletics is completely voluntary for participants, so it is an option, not a requirement to be involved. This allows families to participate only if they feel safe. We are continuously getting feedback from our community on the importance of meeting the mental health needs of our students. As usual, we will monitor the safety and health of our athletes as we follow the strict guidelines of the department of public health. We are committed to working within our parameters to keep our students safe.

We look forward to working with all of you in 2021! I am sending wishes for a healthy, happy new year.

Respectfully yours,

Donna Goodman

Chippewa Falls Senior High School Principal

Here is an update on how meals for pickup will be distributed January 4-21, 2021

• The Middle School, High School, and Chippewa Valley High School will offer meals for pickup Monday - Friday from 11 am to 1 pm.
• Elementary schools will only be available for meal pickup on Fridays from 11 am to 1 pm.
• We will not be serving meals on January 22nd (in-service day).
• Meals for all students will continue to be free through the end of the school year.

The Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District Foundation Scholarship application opens online in early February. The application can be found at the following link: http://www.cfausd-foundation.com/. All paper applications and required materials are due in Student Services no later than 4PM on Monday, March 1, 2021. If the high school is on remote learning there will be an alternate plan posted on the website with instructions on how students may submit scholarship applications electronically.

Additional scholarship information is updated regularly, and applications are available on the Student Services website under College Planning at https://sites.google.com/chipfalls.org/chi-hi-studentservices/college-planning. Please email questions or concerns to Tiffany Michaud at scholarships@chipfalls.org.

FFA set a goal this year to complete 2 service projects per month. Here's what we've been up to:

• Adopt-a-Highway: 10 members clean-up our section of County B in September
• Cardinal Market: meet the food delivery truck to accept delivery, organize, and shelve the products in groups of three
• 4th Grade Teaching Project: two members organized and facilitated a "Snacking Around Wisconsin" activity that was used by 4th graders at Parkview Elementary
• Sold "Support Local Farmers" yard signs and donated profits of $227 to the Cardinal Market
• Irvine Park Zoo Tour & Clean-up: two groups (16 members total) helped zoo staff prep outdoor enclosures for winter along with our educational care tour
• Made and donated 11 tied fleece blankets to the "Helping Kids of the Chippewa Valley" organization's blanket drive
• Currently working with FBLA to hand-make Christmas cards and collect goodies to give to the Veteran's Home

Are you wondering how you could further your second language study and improve your language skills and proficiency in the middle of a global pandemic? Are you interested in learning more about French culture or the cultures of countries in Latin America and Spain? Are you sad that we are not able to plan school field trips to Concordia Language Villages this year? Look no further! Concordia Language Villages is offering virtual participation in virtual immersion courses, either weekly “Club” meetings for 6-weeks, or a more intensive program which meets twice a week for six weeks. New sessions begin Jan. 11, so if you’re looking for a new experience during the second semester, click on the links below for more information.

Opportunities for Spanish virtual village experiences

Opportunities for French virtual village experiences

Hey French Students! Are you dreaming of a chance to travel abroad in 2022? We have good news for you… we are planning another trip to FRANCE in June 2022. All students enrolled in French 2-5 and in good academic standing are eligible. More detailed information regarding itinerary and pricing will be available this spring. If you have any questions, please contact Madame at nuttelml@chipfalls.org. Start saving your money now for a life-changing experience!

For more information, click here: France 2022 travel promo

YouTube Video Links:

IC Student Portal App

IC Parent Portal App

IC Student Portal Computer

IC Parent Portal Computer

Google Drive Video Links:

IC Parent Portal App

IC Parent Portal Computer

IC Student Portal App

IC Student Portal Computer

The CFSD Tech Department wants to remind everyone to use these two documents, Trouble Shooting Chromebook Tips for Students at Home for any student Chromebook issues, and Student Chromebook and iPad Repair Information if the troubleshooting tips fail and you need further assistance.

Trouble Shooting Chromebook Tips for Students at Home

Student Chromebook and iPad Repair Information

Blended & Remote Tools for Teachers and Students

Tips for Teaching and In-Person Students Simultaneously

Course scheduling for the 2021-2022 school began on Monday, December 14. Students watched a short video during their homeroom and course selection materials were made available. This information can also be accessed on the Student Services website under Course Scheduling. Students will need to input their course selections into the Academic Planner in Infinite Campus by Friday, January 8.

Check out the latest issue of the Guidelines Newsletter!

"Guidelines" is published by the high school Student Services department. They will be sending this newsletter to you several times throughout the school year. You will find information pertaining to post-secondary planning information, testing dates and preparation tips, course scheduling, and much more.

The Chippewa Falls Public Library (CFPL), at 105 W. Central St., is rolling out a new book subscription service, called TBR, for ages 13-20. Chippewa Public Library staff and your school librarians invite teens and young adults to sign up now for this free service. Share a little bit about yourself, including your snack and reading preferences, on this form. Each free of charge, personalized TBR will include a snack, 3-5 library books to read and return, a book to keep, a literary surprise, and more! Learn more about TBR here then sign up to get your snacks, books, and more either monthly or every other month. Teens will have the option to pick up their TBRs from the public library or the high school (details to come). TBR book subscriptions will begin in 2021.

Contact Chippewa Falls Public Library to learn more about current library services, to get or renew a library card, explore our online and virtual services, receive our youth services and/or teen e-newsletters, and so much more. Visit www.chippewafallslibrary.org, call 715-723-1146, or email the youth services and young adult librarians at jgillesturner@mycfpl.org or jlpeterson@mycfpl.org .

The high school attendance line is accessible 24 hours per day: 715-726-2406

Press 2 for Attendance (listen for the prompt)

To request a Pass to Leave or an Excused Tardy Pass: Press #1

To report or excuse an absence: Press #2

Regular student attendance is required by law (State Statute 118.16) and is essential if students are to make satisfactory progress in school. Students are required to attend all class periods. It is the responsibility of the student and the parent to see that the student attends school each day school is in session. Excused absences include: illness or injury; medical, legal, DMV or military appointments, college visits, funerals, school related activities including sporting or competitive events and field trips, family vacations (please notify the school in advance) and family emergencies.

MEDICAL EXCUSE REQUIREMENT: Excessive student absences may result in the student being placed “On Medical”. Parents will receive a letter notifying them that their student has been placed “On Medical” and all future illness-related absences may require a medical excuse from a physician.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES: Any absence that is not cleared by a parent or guardian within 5 school days of the absence (the day of the absence and 4 additional school days) may be listed permanently as unexcused, which will generate a major behavior referral.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions!

Patrina Gunderson

Attendance Office

Please read below regarding the Chippewa Falls Winter Spectator Policy due to restrictions related to COVID-19. This is intended for events hosted by Chippewa Falls.

• All HOME parents/guardians will be issued a pass and can attend a competition when his/her son or daughter is competing. This pass is transferable ONLY to someone within the household. (example: a sibling would be allowed to utilize one of the passes, given the sibling lives in the same household)
• All VISITING spectators to Chippewa Falls will be allowed 2 passes per individual competing in that game. Those passes will be distributed from that school. (EXCEPTION: due to limited seating capacity at our pools, only HOME parents will be allowed at swim events in the BRC during the 20/21 season.)
• No tickets will be sold at the event.
• All passes will be distributed by Monday, December 14th, and will go to your son or daughter to bring home. We will use Infinite Campus to determine the recipient of passes.
• Please have your passes available to show upon arrival at the event. We will ask you to give your name for contact tracing purposes.
• Strict mitigation procedures must be adhered to at all events hosted in Chippewa Falls. Face coverings must be worn properly at all times and social distancing must be observed while in the facility.
• Each school we play may have a different spectator policy when they are hosting games/events. Please respectfully observe these policies. If spectators are allowed, please use this pass for entrance to other host schools.
• Each school will share their live streaming links for contests the week of the game, if available.

BRC SCHOOLS' STREAMING LINKS

The reasoning behind the decision to hold HS activities at this time (In no particular order)

1. We have data that shows we did not have spread within our teams that competed this fall.

2. These activities are not able to be done virtually. Remote instruction can be done virtually, and all of you are doing it really well!

3. Our entire Big Rivers Conference is competing this winter in all sports/activities.

4. We have significant mitigation measures in place to help control spread and compete as safely as possible.

5. Playing/competing on teams is voluntary for students and families deciding to join the team.

• Dorais Field Livestream
  
• Chi-Hi Main Gym Livestream
  
• Save money with the All Season Sports Pass
  
• Chi-Hi Athletics & Activities Website
• Photos of Events happening at Chi-Hi taken by Dan Loomis

1. Who is the child that tested positive?

Chippewa County Department of Public Health cannot release any further information on the identity of the child. Please refrain from speculating about the identity of the child or the family.

2. I was not contacted about my child being a close contact. What should I do now?

If you did not receive a communication from Public Health, your child was not identified as a close contact during a joint investigation by the school district and CCDPH. You should continue monitoring your child for symptoms. If your child does not develop symptoms, they are able to continue attending school, unless your family would prefer to use virtual learning opportunities.

3. My child is a close contact of a positive case. What should I do now?

Follow the guidance given by Public Health. Keep the child home for 14 days from the last contact with the positive case. If your child develops symptoms, get him or her tested. However, a negative test does not exclude a child from the 14 day quarantine.

4. My child is a close contact of one of the students that was a close contact to a positive. What do I do now? There are no restrictions to contacts of a contact, as long as both children remain well. If any child develops symptoms, keep your child home from school. If symptoms develop, we also recommend testing.

5. My child is sick. What should I do?

You should remove your child from school and schedule a test with your provider.