COVID-19 Correspondence Blog
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COVID-19 Parent Letter 7-14-2020
Posted by Web Master on 7/14/2020Please see the attached letter from Mr. Hagemann, Superintendent, regarding the reopening of the Valley Road School in September. Also, please have one parent from each family complete the embedded survey no later than Sunday, July 19. If you have trouble accessing the survey, please contact the main office. Your response is a critical component of the district's plan to establish a safe learning environment for all. Thank you for your time and support!
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Correspondence - 5/4/2020
Posted by Web Admin on 5/4/2020Today, Governor Murphy announced that all school campuses will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. Remote and virtual learning will continue through the anticipated last day of school and all student activities are cancelled indefinitely. Clarification and information regarding scheduling, retrieving belongings, graduation, summer programs and other end-of-year events and activities will be provided in the coming weeks. Additionally, student assessment and grading will be modified for the last quarter or trimester this year. More information will be sent to parents this week.
I’m certain that this decision brings disappointment to many of our students and families, especially those looking forward to the celebration of milestones like 8th grade graduation and class trips. Please understand that our District will be investigating alternative ways to recognize the accomplishments of our students and bring closure to what has been a tumultuous school year. I ask that you please exercise patience as we plan and make arrangements, but don’t hesitate to contact us with questions.
I hope that everyone is healthy and safe, and I look forward to an eventual reunification of our school community.
Mr. Hagemann
Superintendent
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Correspondence - 4/9/2020
Posted by Web Admin on 4/9/2020Please see attached COVID-19 Letter to Community from Mr. Hagemann
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Correspondence - 4/1/2020
Posted by Nick Lalama on 4/1/2020Good afternoon,
Please see the attached letter from Mr. Hagemann.
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Correspondence - 3/25/2020
Posted by Nick Lalama on 3/25/2020Message from Mr. Hagemann - March 25, 2020
Good afternoon, Stanhope families. I hope this message finds you and your families well. I’d like to begin by stating how proud I am of our teachers and students for how quickly they’ve adapted to online and virtual learning in our new circumstances. Although I believe there is no replacement for live, face-to-face, hands on instruction, I also know how important it is to keep our kids moving in the right direction and progressing academically. Each grade level and subject area still has expectations, and we will be doing everything in our power to ensure our students meet them, wherever and however this learning will take place. I also can’t express how proud I am of our parents that are supporting their children and our teachers at home. So many of you are balancing your own work, your child’s education, and so many other things right now. We know this is a difficult situation and we greatly appreciate your efforts.
All teachers across all subject areas are providing work and/or instruction for all students, and it is important that our students engage in this work and that there is communication with their teachers. If a teacher is unable to make contact with a student or parent, or if our students are not responsive to the work that is assigned, our administrative staff will be reaching out to families to make sure everything is okay, and that they are supported with internet connectivity and electronic devices. If your children are struggling with this new routine, or if they are having any other social and/or emotional concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs. Jardine (ajardine@stanhopeschools.org)
, our guidance counselor, as she is still holding counseling and social skills sessions online. You can also reach out to Mrs. DiCataldo or myself and we can put you in touch with one of the school’s talented counselors. It is also important for parents or students to track attendance each day in the Genesis Parent Portal. If you are still unclear on how to do this, please contact Mrs. Frank (jfrank@stanhopeschools.org). As of today, the expected date for us to reopen the school is Monday, April 20. If this changes, I will communicate new information to parents as soon as possible. I’d also like to remind parents to check their email accounts daily for important information and updates coming from the school. I am sorry to say that we have been directed to close our entire campus, including the outdoor playgrounds and basketball courts. I ask that everyone please respect this and stay off all equipment. Thank you for your time and continued support. I hope that everyone is healthy, and that we are all making safe decisions to protect the health of others.
Steve Hagemann
Superintendent
Supervisor of Special Services
Stanhope School District
Stanhope, NJ
(973) 347-0008
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Correspondence - 3/19/2020
Posted by Web Admin on 3/19/2020Broadband Options
Parents, please see the information below regarding acquiring broadband for students at home and local internet providers. If you do not have access to the internet for your children to participate in virtual instruction, please contact Mr. Hagemann at shagemann@stanhopeschools.
org. Broadband Options: COVID-19
The following information was shared with us by our NJSBA TEC partner, E-Rate Consulting, Inc. (ERC).
Acquiring Broadband for Students at HomeFederal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai recently issued a release referencing the Keep Americans Connected Pledge. Highlights are summarized below
Major telecommunications providers are have agreed to the following for a period of at least 60 days:
They will not terminate service to any residential or small business customers due to an inability to pay.
They will waive late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their economic circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
They will open their Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.
Over a dozen companies have signed the pledge, including Comcast and Altice USA.
Comcast Customers
Comcast is offering free access to its network for 60 days. Individual households can sign up online. After the 60-day period ends, the cost will be $9.99/month. Additionally, Comcast has opened up all of its hotspots to anyone in need. Students may check to see if they are in the range of Xfinity WiFi hotspots by visiting www.xfinity.com/wifi.
Altice Customers
For households with K-12 and/or college students who may be displaced due to school closures and who do not currently have home internet access, Altice is offering Altice Advantage Internet solution for free for 60 days to any new customer household within their footprint. Learn more.
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Correspondence - 3/18/2020
Posted by Web Admin on 3/18/2020Dear Parents,
Please allow this message to remind you that while participating in Online Home Instruction during the school closure, it is necessary to "take attendance" for your child(ren) each day. To do this, you will need to log into the Genesis Parent Portal. Everyday, the default setting will be 'absent' and after you submit your response, Mrs. Frank will update our system. The link to the Parent Portal and directions for attendance are listed below. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have questions.
https://parents.genesisedu.
com/stanhope/sis/view?gohome= true Attendance:
Parents are responsible for taking their child(ren)’s attendance each day through the Genesis Parent Portal. If a student is not marked “present”, they may be considered“absent” for the day. Please see directions below:
Once logged into the Parent Portal, click the attendance tab.
Click the “Notify Attendance Office” tab
For each child, choose the option of “present” or “absent” based on their ability to complete assigned coursework for the day
If marking your child absent, please submit a “reason for absence”
Once finished, click “Submit to Office”
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Correspondence - 3/16/2020
Posted by Web Admin on 3/16/2020Good afternoon, Stanhope families. Earlier today, Governor Murphy directed all schools to close due to the Coronavirus outbreak, no later than Wednesday, March 18. Because of this directive, and the recommendations from the Centers of Disease Control (CDC), the Valley Road School will be closed for all students effective immediately, through April 17. April 10 through April 17 is still considered spring break for students and staff. All teachers are prepared to deliver online instruction beginning tomorrow and students should expect a minimum of one hour per week of work for each class. I’ve included a letter from Principal DiCataldo in this alert and I’ve also distributed the letter as an email. Please review this letter carefully, as it outlines expectations for student attendance and instruction. Parents will need to utilize the Parent Portal each day to mark their child “present” or “absent”. Directions on how to do this are included within the letter. Chromebooks were distributed today for families that indicated a need. Any family that was unable to pick up a requested Chromebook should email me directly (shagemann@stanhopeschools.org
). There are still a few families without internet access at home, which is something we are currently working on. I will contact those families directly for support. If your children are without internet access, and the school has not yet been notified, please do so as soon as possible. I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to our parents, teachers, and school staff for your support and patience during this uncertain time. Again to summarize, the Valley Road School is closed to all students through April 17 and each student should engage in online instruction. Any new information will be communicated to parents as soon as it becomes available. Remote Instruction Letter (PDF)
Steve Hagemann; Superintendent
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Correspondence - 3/15/2020
Posted by Web Admin on 3/15/2020Good evening, Stanhope families. I am contacting you to provide additional information about school closures and virtual instruction. As a reminder, the Valley Road School will be closed to all students tomorrow, March 16 for the purposes of staff professional development. All parents are asked to keep their students home from school indefinitely, until further notice. Several media outlets are reporting that Governor Murphy expects to close all New Jersey schools tomorrow afternoon, for what will likely be a period no less than four weeks. This directive may prevent our District from opening the building to students without childcare and/or internet access. I will continue to monitor the situation, provide timely and transparent communication, and support our families as best as we can. For any family that participates in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program, “grab and go” lunches will be available for pick up in the Valley Road School parking lot between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm tomorrow. Families without access to a computer at home can pick up a school-issued Chromebook in the parking lot between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. If you haven’t already requested support for a school-issued device through our recent survey or directly through administration, please complete the survey as soon as possible so that a device can be prepared for your child. A direct link to the survey can be found on the District website. Please check your email frequently and be tuned in to communication from your child’s teachers. Online and virtual instruction will begin on Tuesday. Parents will be sent additional details about taking attendance and expectations tomorrow. Again, thank you for your continued support and patience as we navigate these uncharted waters. For your convenience, this message has been posted to the District website.
Mr. Hagemann
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Stanhope School - Health Related Closure Emergency Preparedness Plan
Posted by Web Admin on 3/13/2020Stanhope Families, please see the Health Related Emergency Preparedness Plan that the Stanhope School District will implement in the event of a long-term closing. This document was approved by the Sussex County Department of Education, and is inclusive of the information that I've shared with you over the last several days. Again, please contact me or our main office if you have any questions.
Stanhope School - Health Related Closure Emergency Preparedness Plan Revised 5-19-2020