Dear Families of the Cook County School District;

Following an Executive Order issued by Governor Walz, schools are closed until March 27 and will resume instruction through distance-learning on March 30, 2020. 

Providing Education During School Closure

During school closure, the Cook County School District will provide instruction to students in all affected grades.  This will primarily be accomplished through distance-learning using personal devices or District-issued devices, such as Chromebooks. The use of packets of educational learning materials will also be used. Distance-learning will count toward instructional hours.

Distance-learning will require the full cooperation of students, teachers and parents to make this instruction meaningful and in compliance with the full expectations of Minnesota statutes.

This week and into next, principals, teachers, and paraprofessionals will be in touch with parents and students to communicate expectations for distance-learning.

What we do know is that we will operate providing education through distance-learning through April 30, 2020. Based on current information teachers will tentatively return on May 1, 2020 with students returning on May 5, 2020. If Governor Walz deems it necessary to continue distance learning beyond this period, staff and students will not report until the newly identified dates. The Cook County School District will be following Governor Walz’s direction regarding his expectations for the duration of closing.

Athletics and Fine Arts

• All athletics, activities, fine arts and clubs are shut down for the foreseeable future.

• Effective from Wednesday, March 18, 2020 through May 4, 2020 the Minnesota State High School League has decided that there will be no MSHSL activities and athletics at any member school.

• This includes all participation including, but not limited to training, practices,
  scrimmages, and contests.

• The previous MSHSL directive prohibiting scrimmages, contests and competitions with other MSHSL programs for Spring activities and athletics will continue until May 4, 2020.

• Additional information will be provided as it becomes available and as decisions are made.