This page will be where the community, parents and students can come for the latest information and links related to GIPS and the district’s COVID-19 plans.

At this time, we do not know when school buildings will return to normal. All GIPS buildings are closed until further notice.

The Latest

March 26

Thursday, March 26, we will host an online town hall for parents to discuss eLearning and ask questions of our staff. The event is at 6 p.m. on the GIPS Facebook page.

Any student with a technology issue can submit a ticket with the GIPS IT Help Desk team on this special Let's Talk: Student Technology FAQ & Question Submission page.  

Recent news

• GIPS Foundation starts emergency fund for COVID-19 situation
• GIPS Update for March 20: Chromebooks, Clever and Classroom
• GIPS Update for March 18: Meals update: Shoemaker site added, extended hours
• GIPS Update for March 17: eLearning Plan, meals, wireless
• GIPS Update for March 16: GIPS to provide meals during COVID-19 closure
• GIPS Update for March 15: GIPS to close due to COVID-19

Contacting us

To contact GIPS, the best way is through our Let’s Talk feature. We pledge to respond to all questions within 24 hours.

To contact district administrators, you can still call the main Kneale Administration Building phone number, (308) 385-5900, and leave a voice message for the specific department you are trying to reach. These are forwarded to department staff working remotely, who will respond.

All GIPS staff are currently working remotely and are expected to respond to email.

Principals and teachers are responding throughout the day.

SECTIONS:

eLearning  | Meals | How to help | Let’s Talk

eLearning

GIPS eLearning begins Monday, March 23. All students should have their materials. If not, parents should contact their school principals to make arrangements.

Parents should work with students to develop schedules and routines during this period of eLearning. 

Teachers are available via email and have created lessons for eLearning. Students should check in with their teachers daily.

During this time, grades will be frozen until classes resume. However, in accordance with GIPS grading policy any student concerned or wanting to improve their current grade can work with their teacher to develop an individual plan to be provided opportunities to correct work, complete alternative assessments, redo work, make-up missing work or submit additional work to improve their grade. No new work will be graded during this time.

Students will access Google Classroom. Here is a video explaining Google Classroom for parents.

Here are the roles and responsibilities for students:

• Establish daily routines for engaging in the learning experiences.
• Identify a space in your home where you can work effectively and successfully.
• Identify a space in your home where you can participate in live online learning. During live online learning, sit at a table and wear school appropriate dress.
• Monitor online platforms daily.
• Engage in all learning with academic honesty.
• Communicate proactively with your teachers if you cannot meet deadlines or require additional support.

Here are the roles and responsibilities for parents:

• Establishing routines and expectations.
• Defining the physical space for your child to study.
• Monitoring communications from your child’s teachers.
• Beginning and ending each day with a check-in.
• Taking an active role in helping your child process his/her learning.
• Establishing times for quiet and reflection.
• Encouraging physical activity and/or exercise.
• Remaining mindful of your child’s stress or worry.
• Monitoring how much time your child is spending online.
• Keeping your child social, but set rules around their social media interactions.

Parents are not alone. Our teachers and principals will be helping you as you go through this. We don’t have a timeline for returning to school, so we are taking the needed steps to ensure our kids continue to learn.

Families will receive more information and guidance for eLearning as we move forward.

Let's Talk: eLearning FAQ & Question Submission

Let's Talk: Student technology FAQ & Question Submission

Meals: GIPS Eats

GIPS is dedicated to ensuring all students have access to breakfast and lunch at no cost. 

Grab ’n’ Go breakfast and lunch will be available for children ages 1-18, regardless of free and reduced lunch eligibility or their school of attendance. Meals will be provided each day while supplies last. No application is needed.

This service is available for students from non-GIPS schools as well, including Northwest, Central Catholic, Heartland Lutheran, Trinity Lutheran and any kids who need meals who attend a preschool or daycare that has been closed.

Meals will be distributed via a drive-through model. Children will be given a breakfast bag intended for the next day and a sack lunch. One meal per student will be available from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., while supplies last.

Meals will be served from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at each site. Please note that no one will be allowed inside the building for any purpose.

Grab ’n’ Go meals for children will be served at the main entrance of the following locations, unless noted otherwise:

• Walnut Middle School; 1600 N. Custer Ave.; Door 23 (east entrance)
• Knickrehm Elementary; 2013 N. Oak St.
• Seedling Mile Elementary; 3208 East Seedling Mile Rd.
• Dodge Elementary; 641 S. Oak St.
• Howard Elementary; 502 W. 9th St.
• Lincoln Elementary; 805 N. Beal St.
• Starr Elementary; 1800 S. Adams St.
• Shoemaker Elementary; 4160 W. Old Potash Highway

Special dietary accommodations will be available at all feeding sites for peanut allergies, and soy milk will be available for students with lactose intolerance. If your child requires more specific dietary accommodations, please call Nutrition Services at 308-385-5900 extension 1126.

Let's Talk: Meal FAQ & Question Submission

How to help

If someone would like to help, there are multiple ways to do so:

DONATE

The Grand Island Public Schools Foundation is setting up an Emergency Fund to help assist in many ways students and families who are impacted by the COVID-19 situation. Donations will be able to be made on the GIPS Foundation Page.

PREVENT THE SPREAD

The best thing anyone can do is help prevent the spread of the virus. 

• Wash your hands often, and for at least 20 seconds.
• Practice social distancing by staying home unless it is critical to go out in public, do not gather in groups of more than 10 people and avoid unnecessary trips to stores.

SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES

In the event you do need to go out, we ask that you support local businesses. Many restaurants and other businesses are offering deliver and curbside services. Many of our students’ parents and families rely on local customers at local businesses to maintain an income. In order for our community to recover when this situation ends, we need to support local businesses as much as we can now.

SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY

The Heartland United Way has started this Facebook page to help connect people with resources.