This page represents the most current learning plans and safety protocol information for Wayzata Public Schools during the 2020-2021 school year. For information on the district's COVID-19 response and other learning models, visit our COVID-19 Response page.
As of January 19, K-2 students are in school for in-person instruction (5 days/week). Preschool also returned to in-person instruction (the same as this fall). In addition, special education and EL students in grades 3-5 will return for half days of instruction. This does not include students in our Distance Choice learning model.
As of February 1, students in grades 3-5 are in school for in-person instruction (5 days/week). This does not include students in our Distance Choice learning model. Bus transportation is under normal operation.
As of Monday, March 15, middle school students are back to school for full in-person learning.
Previous Semester 2 selections for Hybrid/In-Person and Distance Choice learning models will remain in place for middle school students. In alignment with the guidance from MDE, requests to move between learning models may be denied for reasons other than a documented health issue.
As of Monday, March 8, Wayzata High School is in "full" in-person instruction 4-days per week, while still allowing our families the choice to remain in distance learning through the end of the school year.
Students in grades 9-12 who elected in-person instruction will attend school each week Monday-Thursday. Students who chose distance learning will attend their classes remotely each week Monday-Thursday. We will continue to provide distance (asynchronous) learning and individual student support for all students on Fridays.
Approximately 40% of our students selected distance learning to finish out the 3rd term, while 25% of our students selected distance choice learning for 4th term. In order for staff to plan accordingly and maintain effective health and safety protocols, it is important for students to abide by their choices.
Students receiving Special Education and English Learner services will continue to attend school five days a week.
Wayzata Transition students will move from half-day hybrid instruction to full-day programming. Case managers will be in contact with families about the details of their schedule.
Wayzata Distance Choice is an option for K-8 families who are not comfortable with hybrid or in-person learning.
The Minnesota Department of Education asked districts to create plans for three different learning scenarios: 100% in-person learning, 100% distance learning, and a hybrid of the two with an assumption of 50% school capacity. School districts are also required to offer a 100% distance learning alternative, referred to Wayzata Distance Choice, to families with students who may be medically vulnerable or otherwise unable or uncomfortable about returning to in-person or hybrid learning during the 2020-21 school year.
As described in the level plans below, the Distance Choice option reflects the experience for students in the Hybrid (In-Person/Distance) learning group. Students in both settings will experience a balance of "live" (either in-person or via video conference) and asynchronous instruction. Teachers will be collaborating throughout the year to develop and enhance asynchronous activities that are engaging and relevant, covering standards consistent with what would be covered in a typical school year.
The following health and safety protocols are in place at all of our schools:
Complete at-home health checks and make the responsible decision to stay home when experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
Wear a well-fitted or double mask throughout the entire school day.
Maintain Minnesota Department of Health/Minnesota Department of Education social distancing requirements in effect for in-person learning.
Practice frequent hand washing and use of hand sanitizer at one of many designated locations throughout the school.
MDE strongly recommends that students and families that are learning in-person be tested for COVID-19 every two weeks. There are many locations providing free COVID-19 testing.
The following procedures for quarantine are in place as of March 8, 2021. Please note that all decisions regarding which quarantine is most appropriate will be dependent on each situation and determined by the school nurse who is conducting contact tracing.
Who may qualify for a 7-day quarantine?
Students who complete and secure a negative molecular test, not an antigen or antibody/blood test, at least five full days after you had close contact. Negative results must be submitted to your school LSN and approved prior to returning.
Your student has not had any symptoms.
No one in your home is sick or has COVID-19.
Your student must quarantine the entire seven days even with a negative test. The quarantine period can never be shorter than seven days. Your student may return on Day 8.
After seven days, continue to watch for symptoms. If symptoms develop, stay home. Be extra cautious about following safety protocols. It is recommended that you maintain social distancing at all times during the 14 days after the exposure.
Who may qualify for a 10- day quarantine?
In this situation, your student is not required to have a negative test however; completing a molecular test between days 8-10 is strongly recommended to reduce the risk of spread at school. You may return on Day 11.
A student who is not displaying any symptoms.
A student who has not had a positive test for COVID-19.
No one in your household has symptoms of or a positive COVID-19 test.
After 10 days, continue to watch for symptoms. If symptoms develop, stay home. Be extra cautious about following safety protocols. It is recommended that you maintain social distancing at all times during the 14 days after the exposure.
Who may qualify for a 14-day quarantine or longer?
A student who lives with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, or who is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.
Staying home when you are sick is one of our best ways to fight COVID-19. Keeping sick children and children who are exposed to COVID-19 away from others helps stop the spread of the virus to other children, staff, and the surrounding community. Parents and guardians can use the documents below to understand when their child can attend school, youth programs, and child care during COVID-19.
We are busy preparing our buildings and staff for the start of the new school year, with a big focus on preventing the spread of COVID-19 within our staff and student body. All of our buildings have optimal ventilation and enhanced cleaning and sanitation procedures are in place. Our school principals have established new guidelines for everything from entering the building to eating lunch. We need you to understand and follow them so that we can all stay safe and prevent the spread of the virus.
Here is an overview of those guidelines and ten things you can do to keep yourself and classmates safe. Your teachers will help guide and support students by teaching about our site-specific protocols. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Know the symptoms
COVID-19 symptoms include a fever over 100.4º F, new onset and/or worsening cough, difficulty breathing, new loss of taste or smell or if you have 2 of the following symptoms:
been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive
Remember to report your absence in Skyward. We will assist the Minnesota Department of Health with tracking individuals who have tested positive or been in contact with someone who has tested positive. If there is an incident in one of our schools that requires you to quarantine, you will be contacted by the Minnesota Department of Health.
Home-Based Symptom Screening
Caregivers: If your child has any of the following symptoms, they might have an illness they can spread to others.
Check your child for these symptoms before they go to school.
Check a symptom only if it has changed from usual or baseline health.
Temperature 100.4º Fahrenheit or higher
Sore throat
Cough (for students with chronic cough due to allergies or asthma, a change in their cough from baseline)
Difficulty breathing (for students with asthma, a change from their baseline breathing)
Diarrhea or vomiting
New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever
If your child has any of the symptoms above:
Keep them home from school
Consider whether your child needs to see a healthcare provider and possible COVID-19 testing. CDC has a Coronavirus Self Checker available in its website, which may help you make decisions about seeking medical care for possible COVID-19
Contact your child’s school and report that your child is sick. The school may ask some additional questions to help determine when it is safe for your child to return to school.
If your child does not have any of the symptoms above:
Send them to school as usual.
Wear and care for your face coverings
All K-12 students must wear cloth face coverings as required by the State’s Executive Order and our district’s policy and regulations. Face coverings for preschool is encouraged, but only if the student can safely do so. Face shields may be worn by students who have been granted an exemption due to a disability or special health need. Wash your face covering each night. Arrive at school wearing a clean one and bring an extra with you in your backpack.
Wash your hands, again and again
Follow proper handwashing procedures using soap and water or hand sanitizers that will be available throughout our buildings. We will ask you to wash your hands multiple times a day, including:
Upon arrival at school
Before putting on and after removing your face covering
Before eating snacks and meals
When transitioning to indoor from outdoor activities
When transitioning from one space in the building to another.
Keep your distance
Follow the physical distancing protocols in your schools, classrooms and cafeterias.
In all of our schools, we will:
have many printed and verbal reminders to help you get in the habit
organize learning spaces to keep everyone six-feet apart as much as possible, have a defined teaching wall and have all desks face forward.
In our elementary schools:
teachers we will keep students in small groups and avoid mixing groups
students will stay in one room as much as possible; teachers will be the ones to move
students will not be allowed to congregate in common areas
In our middle schools and high school, where students move about more independently, teachers will help guide decision-making related to physical distancing.
Stay safe at mealtime
You must wash your hands before you eat - whether you are going through the line in our cafeteria or bringing your own lunch. Elementary students will take their masks off and leave them in their classroom prior to going to lunch and recess, while maintaining social distancing. Middle and high school students can remove their mask while eating.
We’ve also made some changes to how we serve our meals.
No self-serve of bulk or items that are not individually wrapped.
More individually wrapped and disposable food service items.
New plexiglass barriers separate students from servers and cashiers.
No need to touch PIN pads - or pretty much anything else.
And we have to physically distance while eating and moving about.
At our Early Learning School and elementary schools
Our preschool students will eat in their classrooms.
At our elementary schools
We will seat one or two students per table with social distancing.
Ask you to remain seated until directed to go to the serving lines or trash/recycling area.
Ask you to please keep a safe distance when you go to lunch and outside for recess.
Kindergarten students will eat in their classrooms.
At our middle schools
We will seat one or two students per table with social distancing.
Ask you to remain seated until directed to go to the serving lines or trash/recycling area.
Ask you to wait to be dismissed at intervals to avoid grouping in the hallways.
Ask you to please keep a safe distance when you go outside for recess.
At our high school
Seats in the cafeteria will be identified where students will be able to sit.
Stay safe outdoors
We will hold outdoor recess and physical education classes when possible at our elementary schools, with the following adaptations.
You must wash your hands before and after going outdoors.
The number of students on the playground at one time will be limited.
Outside play areas will be divided so that students can gather in small groups while maintaining safe physical distance.
If you are six feet away from other students and staff you may remove your face covering.
Move about, with caution
Preschool and elementary students will generally stay in one classroom for the full school day. Their teachers will come to them, with the exception of physical education, which will be held outdoors when possible or in the gymnasium.
Middle and high school students will move about between classrooms with the following adaptations.
Don’t use the lockers.
Follow visual reminders (decals and signs) guiding physical distancing, safe behavior and traffic flow.
Middle school students will also follow these rules:
After passing through the temperature check/screening, report directly to your first hour class.
Move quickly between classes and avoid hallway chatter. Passing times will be shortened to help you out.
All students at all grade levels (with the exception of preschool) must wear their masks when they are in the hallways, common areas and restrooms. An exception is for elementary lunch and recess. Elementary students will take their masks off and leave them in their classroom prior to going to lunch and recess, while maintaining social distancing.
Some things will have to wait
Unfortunately, we won’t be able to do off-site field trips, in-person family events or have guests in our schools while we are dealing with COVID-19.
Licensed School Nurses assigned to each building will serve as the onsite COVID-19 coordinator, they are responsible for communicating and coordinating all issues related to COVID-19 including all lessons learned as related to preventative actions with staff, students, and parents.
Cases that involve athletics should be reported to the Athletics Director.
We are taking every precaution to reduce the spread of the virus in our schools.
Ventilation & Filtration Systems
We have maximized the efficiency of our building ventilation and filtration systems. All air recirculated in the building, including each classroom, is filtered.
Since systems are reliant on pressurization to circulate air, windows should not be opened as they will negatively impact the system's ability to properly treat and filter the air.
We are continually working to improve the performance of the building systems and are confident that they meet or exceed industry requirements.
Sanitizing Protocols
Sanitizing wipes, sanitizing sprays and gloves are available for use in all areas of the building that are in use.
Our custodians clean high-touch areas throughout the day and will conduct a deep cleaning/sanitizing every night.
Staff will routinely clean, sanitize and disinfect surfaces and objects that are frequently touched and shared.
Learning equipment of every kind will be cleaned prior to being used by a new group of students. If equipment can’t be sanitized it won’t be used.
High Touch Areas Cleaned Frequently
High touch areas in our building—like door knobs, light switches, vertical door framing, horizontal ledges, desk, tables, chairs, handrails, hand soap and towel dispensers—will be cleaned frequently during the day when people are in our buildings.
The Wayzata Public Schools COVID-19 Dashboard has been created to track positive COVID-19 cases present in our students and staff. This dashboard will be updated each Wednesday with new information from the previous week. No COVID-19 data will be posted April 7 or 14 due to the district's spring break.
Positive cases will be reported when there have been 5 or more cases of COVID-19 in students or staff. The numbers will indicate who has been identified as tested positive or as a close contact during the past 7-day period. Reporting when we have 5 or more cases is consistent with how the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is reporting school data and is being done to protect the health privacy of our staff and students. Schools with fewer than 5 new cases will be indicated with a "-" in the chart."
