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Coronavirus Resource Page
Posted on 04/17/2020
Posted on June 3, 2020

To all USD 345 staff and families:

The tragic death of George Floyd, protests, social injustice, and racism have affected my family and me deeply and I know we have other families in our school community struggling to process the turmoil they are seeing unfold across the nation. Our kids and families are slowly coming out of a COVID-19 quarantine and entering a time of civil unrest unlike they (and many adults for that matter) have ever seen. The Seaman School District is here to provide you the necessary support to help navigate these uncertain times.

As your superintendent, my highest priority is always to provide a safe and healthy learning environment, and right now, our children may be experiencing an array of emotions and feelings as our nation and communities respond to the civil unrest and continued COVID-19 concerns. In our traditional school environment, we would be addressing these current events with an educational approach, but so much has happened in our world since our buildings have been closed. I would like to provide an opportunity for us to come together before the new school year begins in the fall to have a conversation.

In order to address these important matters of concern and to ensure everyone in our school community is treated with dignity and respect, free from destruction, discrimination, and fear we will be planning an event later this summer; “Seaman Community Conversation: Navigating 2020.” This event will allow us an opportunity to come together with our kids and families once COVID-19 phase out is achieved. We share in this responsibility with you to provide support and guidance during what has been a trying time. We are looking forward to open conversation around topics your family has encountered and we will be here to listen, understand, and support each other. More information on this summertime event will be sent out at a later date.

Cloth Mask Collection Drive
I would like to thank our community members for reaching out and asking how they can help our schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. As we quickly approach the opportunity to meet with kids again, through summer camps and summer learning, we anticipate a need for additional cloth masks. We will follow KSHSAA’s recommendations on summer activities asking coaches, staff, and students to wear a mask when applicable. We will have our first of two cloth mask drives on June 5 from 1:00-3:00 at SMS. We will be collecting all sizes, patterns, and styles to have onsite for staff and students. We will plan to hold another mask collection closer to the beginning of school.

Summer Learning and Camps
We have invested a significant amount in expanding summer learning opportunities to help fill gaps for students who were less successful with the continuous learning plan this past spring. As a result, we are implementing longer summer sessions and reaching more students by partnering with parents, teachers, principals, and staff. We have been working with families to identify kids who may benefit from additional learning during the summer months.

Summer camps will begin as early as June 8, and will follow KSHSAA recommendations as well as county health guidelines. It is exciting to see kids and staff coming back for summer learning and camps.

Public Use of Facilities
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced schools across the nation to adapt their facility use policies to ensure student and staff safety remains the top priority. Please be advised of USD 345 changes, effective immediately.

Due to continued precautions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, facility use requests by in-district and out-of-district groups (not school sponsored/affiliated) are subject to the following timelines for reservation and use:

Outdoor facilities reservations: Begin June 8
Indoor facilities reservations: Begin June 22


Facility use continues to be subject to any county health guidance and restrictions still in effect at that time. Facility reservations may be submitted through an online facility use request form to the office of the Director of Facilities and Grounds.

Board Meeting - June 8
We are excited to reopen our regular board meetings to in-person guests as restrictions on gatherings are lifted. The June 8 board meeting will occur at Seaman High School, 4850 NW Rochester Rd, in the band room. We will begin at 6:00 pm and will also be live streaming via YouTube. This space will allow for up to 45 participants per our county guidance. We ask that guests in attendance maintain social distancing.

Continuous Learning 2.0
As we continue to plan for school this fall, our teaching and learning department will be working with a newly formed Continuous Learning Task Force. Members will include parents, teachers, board members, and administrators. This committee will guide our district in the decision making as we make plans for the possibility of alternate learning environments. This team will ensure we are prepared for the many different scenarios we may be faced with for the 2020-21 school year. I am grateful for our community support and resilience as we continue to do what is best for kids with health and safety as a priority.

In closing, we have a considerable amount of work ahead of us and I know our community is dedicated to working together through the challenges we face now and will face in the future. We must continue to take care of each other, welcome new faces to our Seaman family, and celebrate our diversity.

Sincerely,

Dr. Steve Noble
Superintendent



Posted on May 15, 2020

To all USD 345 staff and families:

May 20, 2020 marks our last day of continuous learning and the last day of the 2019-20 school year. This Friday evening is our final #BeTheLight commemorative event for our seniors. I want to let our seniors and their families know our thoughts are with you as we wind down our school year with the Class of 2020. You will forever be linked worldwide because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but you will persevere and we are so proud of you. I look forward to seeing all of you on August 2 for your graduation ceremony!

With summer around the corner and the reopening of Kansas, we are developing plans that could potentially allow us to bring students back to campus over the summer with health and safety as a priority. This includes summer camps and summer learning opportunities. Click here for details on our plan as it aligns with the governor’s and local health department’s reopening plan. We will continue to monitor and modify our plan, as needed, to follow local health and safety guidelines.

We have also begun to explore the many different scenarios for school next fall to ensure our students will be educated in a safe and healthy environment. Things we are considering include: smaller groups for classes; spacing students during lunch; hand-washing routines, social distancing on bus rides, sanitization procedures, etc. As you can see, there are many items to contemplate as contingency plans are developed.

While school buildings remain closed, USD 345 meal distribution continues to serve families at Seaman’s designated food distribution sites. We will continue meal service at our current sites through May 20, 2020. Beginning May 21, 2020, mobile sites will be discontinued and meal distribution will move forward with two drive thru sites: Mathes Early Learning Center (2032 N Kansas Ave) and Seaman Middle School (5530 NW Topeka Blvd) from 11:00-11:20 am, Monday-Friday until July 31, 2020.

While the closure of our school buildings was a decision that was made to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we understand the negative implications this has had for some of our students; from falling behind academically to social and emotional needs. We will continue to work closely with families as we address these challenges. Our commitment to our children, employees, community, and families will remain firm and unwavering through any uncertainties we will face. We will get through this together.


Sincerely,

Dr. Steve Noble
Superintendent



Posted on May 1, 2020

Please see the following note from Dr. Noble.


On May 4, 2020, Governor Laura Kelly will lift the statewide “Safer at Home” order and allow Kansas communities to begin a phased reopening by following the Ad Astra: A Plan to Reopen Kansas.

I would like to take a few moments of your time to provide information on how this recent news relates to the Seaman School District.

Regarding district operations and facilities, there will be no immediate changes. Facilities will remain closed and continuous learning will remain in effect until the end of the school year. We anticipate more information and guidance to be released by the Shawnee County Health Department that will help us plan for events and activities that are scheduled to begin after the school year is over. Potential activities and programs that may be affected by local health department restrictions include: summer camps, driver’s education, summer school, Boys and Girls Club, etc.

We will continue to monitor and keep you informed once we know more. Protecting the safety and health of our students, staff, and community continues to be our top priority as final decisions are made about summer programming. I remain hopeful we will have some semblance of summer programming and camps available for our students beginning with the priority of an Extended School Year (ESY) for our students with disabilities.

I would also like to thank you for taking the time to complete the continuous learning survey from last week. We had a tremendous response. Your support and constructive feedback is critical to us as we review this new method of instruction. Your grace, empathy, and hard work in connecting with each other during this time away from traditional school is evident and I look forward to sharing our findings very soon.

Enjoy this beautiful evening as we celebrate our seniors with the first of three Friday night #BeTheLight commemorative events. All stadium lights at the Seaman High School / Optimist Club facilities will be illuminated beginning at 8:20 pm for 20 minutes. Remember to please refrain from congregating around the schools but a drive by would be welcomed. Also, don’t forget to participate from home by lighting your front porch light.

Please continue to check the coronavirus resource page for updated information, as we remain committed to keeping you all informed. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work together to keep our community healthy and safe. We all remain #SeamanStrong as we all stay true to our vision of #LearningWithoutLimits in USD 345.



Posted on April 17, 2020

Feedback Surveys
We are always examining ways to improve this new way of doing school. In order to gain meaningful feedback and deeper insight on your experiences thus far, please take a moment to complete this parent survey (link below). Your feedback will help us make any needed adjustments. Students will also be asked to complete a survey so we can gauge their learning experiences. Students in grades 5 & 6 will find a link to a survey in their weekly bulletin, and grades 7-12 will be emailed a survey from our partnering company, Tripod. Teachers will also be emailed a survey, so we know how we can better support our classroom leaders, during this time. By participating in these surveys, you and your family will be providing valuable feedback to help us make enhancements, as we continue to improve learning while our buildings are closed.

Parent Survey Link: https://tinyurl.com/SSDFamily

Food Service
We continue to serve around 600 families each day for meal service and we are so grateful to our staff who make this happen for our community. Beginning on Monday, April 20, weekday meal distribution times at Seaman Middle School will change to 11:00-11:30 am. With this change, all USD 345 meal distributions will be 11:00-11:30 am, including our nine mobile sites. Click here more information on locations and other area food resources.

Student In-District and Out-of-District Transfers
Since the district office and buildings are not open to the public, the Transfer Request Application for next school year has been made available as a fillable PDF and can be emailed or mailed, for your convenience. Parents of both in-district and out-of-district transfer students must fill out a new request each year. Applications will be accepted through July 31. If you have questions about the transfer process, please email Theresa Dunham at [email protected].

Summer Camps
There are still many questions and uncertainty regarding summer camps and summer school in our district, at this point in time. We continue to work closely with state and local health officials as we follow their recommended guidelines. All summer camps and summer school are tentatively scheduled to continue as planned, with the expectation that refunds will be provided, if we have to cancel. Some refunds may be prorated, depending on costs the camp has incurred, as coaches and sponsors begin preparing for kids. Protecting the safety and health of all our students and staff is our first consideration in making final decisions.

Class of 2020
We are so proud of our students and how they’ve handled this uncertain time and especially proud of our seniors. Our high school administration has been working hard to find a way to properly recognize and celebrate their accomplishments. At this time, we have a tentative rescheduled date for a graduation ceremony and prom. Seaman High School Graduation 2020 will plan to be held on Sunday, August 2, 2020, at 4:00 pm at the Stormont Vail Events Center. The SHS Prom is planned for Thursday, July 30 from 8:00 to 11:00 pm at Stormont Vail Events Center, Exhibition Hall. Of course, as with everything during these times, schedules are subject to change, but we will find a way to recognize the many talents, contributions, and legacy of the class of 2020.

While we are all anxious to return to our normal routines, we thank all members of our Seaman community for continuing to be flexible and patient for the safety of our students and staff. We appreciate your support and remain committed to serving our students and families during these unprecedented times, while keeping you informed.


Posted on April 3, 2020

We have served meals to around 630 families each day. Our food service folks, nurses, security team, bus drivers, and other staff members have all pitched in to keep this essential service available for our kids. We thank you for your patience as we make adjustments to optimize this service for our families. Beginning on Monday, April 6, the grab-and-go drive thru meal service will operate out of Seaman Middle School only. This change was made after the addition of nine mobile sites (seven in the Logan area). Folks in the Logan attendance area are welcome to pick up meals at any mobile site or the SMS drive thru. Click here for more information on the location of the mobile sites and other food resources in our community. New regulations now allow an adult to pick up a meal for a child.

We will also be offering a limited home delivery service for those who meet the following criteria: 1.) The family qualifies for free or reduced lunches 2.) No transportation is available or the family is in a quarantine status and can’t make it to a site. Please email [email protected] for this request and all other lunch/breakfast questions. In the event of severe weather, meal service will be suspended for the day. We will notify families through social media, email, and text if this happens.

Thank you to everyone for filling out the tech/internet access survey. Our first round of district-issued device distribution is complete. All families should now have at least one device per household with USD 345 staff and secondary students sharing devices with their family. If your family is having trouble with continuous learning, due to a lack of access to additional devices, please let your classroom teacher know. They will either make accommodations or make a request on your behalf, after communication with the principal, to borrow a district-issued device from our technology department. The second round of district device distribution will be loaned out based on need and by principal’s requests. We have also been made aware of several internet access opportunities available from local providers in our community. Click here to view these offers.

New answers to your frequently asked questions have been added to our FAQ page. Please continue to submit your questions through the online form so we can answer and post for everyone's benefit. With news changing daily, answers may change as we keep the health and safety of our community in mind.



Posted on March 25, 2020

A Safer at Home Order has been issued for Topeka and Shawnee County. Beginning Thursday, March 26 at 12:01 a.m., residents will be directed to stay at home to help limit the spread of COVID-19. This order is in effect until April 26, 2020. Please click here to review more details on this order. Educational institutions, for the purposes of facilitating distance learning, are exempt. We will, however; support this order and make changes to best protect our staff, families, and community.

Lunches
Grab-and-Go lunches will continue to be available at Logan Elementary School and Seaman Middle School, Monday-Friday, from 11-noon. 

Effective Monday, March 30, USD 345 Food & Nutrition Services will be offering mobile sites at various locations as an added convenience to our families from 11:00-11:30 am, Monday-Friday.

Mobile Site Locations
Meadowood Mobile Home Park (clubhouse)
1900 NW Lyman Road 66608

Brittany Place Mobile Home Park (south of office)
1735 NW Lyman Road 66608

Garfield Estates (near mail boxes)
1800 NE Burgess Ct 66608

Wilcox Trailer Court (parked on Independence)
1940 NW Wilcox Ct 66608

Sunflower (caravan) Front Entrance
106 NW US Highway 24 66608

Coachlight Village Mobile Home Courts North (office 195 Coachlight)
195 NE Coachlight Drive 66617

Evening Star Mobile Home Park (near mailboxes/storm shelter)
1441 N. Taylor 66608

Emery Lake Apartments (next to the playground/bus stop)
4800 NW Fielding Pl 66618

Woodland Park at Soldier Creek (entrance of Magnolia at Redbud Cir)
NW Redbud Cir 66617

We will also be offering a limited home lunch delivery service to families who qualify for free and reduced lunch status and meet one of the below requirements. Please email [email protected] to request home delivery.

1.) No transportation is available.
2.) The family is in a quarantine status.

School Supplies and Technology
School supply and technology distribution will proceed as previously scheduled. Principals have been in contact with students and families regarding supply and technology pick up. Please follow the Principals’ schedules to help protect the health and safety of our staff and families.

Continuous Learning Plan
The Seaman USD 345 Continuous Learning Plan (CLP) is ready for our students and families.

Click here to view our USD 345 Continuous Learning Plan webpage.

Please take the next few days to familiarize yourselves with this plan. The CLP provides guidance to our teachers, students, and families as we shift to this new way of teaching and learning. You will also find a CLP Parent Guide for a one page explanation of our continuous learning plan’s philosophy, areas of focus, and minutes of instruction per day.

Building Access
All USD 345 Seaman School District buildings will be closed to the public during the Safer at Home Order. The district is still open for business but asks the public to conduct such business by telephone or email. Staff will only be able to access the building during regular school hours through the front entrance and on a very limited basis. All staff must sign in at the front office upon entering. We can’t stress enough how important it is to make these visits as infrequent as possible and very brief. All USD 345 fitness and gym areas will continue to be closed to everyone. Our custodians and other essential staff will be working hard to keep our services running and the buildings sanitized for your health and safety so please be mindful of your footprint.

Frequently Asked Questions
New answers to your frequently asked questions have been added to our FAQ page. Please continue to submit your questions through the online form so we can answer and post for everyone's benefit. With news changing daily, answers may change as we keep the health and safety of our community in mind.

Our top concern is the health of our students, their families, our staff, and community. We’re looking forward to partnering with families more than ever, as we navigate this new opportunity for continuous learning.

Please stay abreast of the latest information on the CDC and the KDHE COVID-19 website. We continue to stay in close contact with public health officials as we respond to this ever-changing situation.


Posted on March 20, 2020

As you all know, the decision to close schools for the rest of the school year does not end our year of learning for our children. We will rise to the challenge of truly providing “Learning Without Limits” during this unprecedented time and we are looking forward to partnering with our families as we experience this new form of learning. As we navigate these uncharted waters together, I ask all of us to have grace and patience for each other while keeping the best interests of our students in mind.

We know there are many questions on what continuous learning will look like in our district. On Wednesday, March 25, you will receive the district’s continuous learning plan. This plan will be guidance for USD 345 educators to meet the immediate need of supporting learning outside of our normal practices. Your principal(s) are available at your school(s) to answer questions about the continuous learning plan for your child(ren). Please contact your principal(s) during the week of March 23, if needed. Instruction from our teachers is set to begin on Monday, March 30. Once instruction begins for your child(ren) March 30, your first point of contact for questions would be your teacher(s) just like normal school.

On March 19, the USD 345 Board of Education held a special meeting to discuss and take action on items related to the COVID-19 school closure. You can watch the special board meeting here for more information.

To quickly recap, the board approved the release of school lunch refunds upon request. Parents should call 785-575-8650 if they would like to request a refund on their remaining school lunch balance.

The board also voted to reduce the credits required for graduation from 25 to 21, for the class of 2020. Graduation requirements will be modified to follow the state’s minimum requirements for this school year. Click here to view the KSDE requirements in comparison to Seaman High School.

The board also approved the district to submit a waiver that will allow USD 345 to reduce the required school hours and provide continuous learning. This waiver will allow USD 345 to keep our scheduled last day of school as May 20, 2020.

Technology
If you have not filled out the district technology/internet access survey, please take a few moments to do so. We will be working closely with families to meet their needs, as continuous learning takes place.

FAQs
Click here to view our FAQ page. We are still accepting submissions, and will answer as best we can and in a timely manner, to help keep our staff, students, families, and community updated with news around the COVID-19 school closure.

Lunches
Effective Monday, March 23rd, grab-and-go lunches will be available at Logan Elementary School and Seaman Middle School, M-F, from 11-noon. Child(ren) must be present to receive lunch. We have also put together a list of additional food resources around our community. Click here to view.

Please stay abreast of the latest information on the CDC and newly launched KDHE COVID-19 website. We continue to stay in close contact with public health officials as we respond to this ever-changing situation.

Our top concern is the health of our students, their families, our staff, and community. We’re looking forward to partnering with families more than ever, as we navigate this new opportunity for continuous learning.



Posted on March 19, 2020

We will have a special board meeting tonight at 6pm to discuss the COVID-19 school closure, how this closure will affect the class of 2020, plans for continuous learning, and more.

This meeting will be closed to visitors as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19. The meeting will be live streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFYelWT1QPf4dNdWrjxgG6w

If you have specific questions, please submit them through this Google form. We will try to answer questions at the meeting and then work to compile and publish a list of FAQs. https://forms.gle/YJDvTM8nMdeb5JLbA


Posted on March 17, 2020

Today, March 17, 2020 Governor Laura Kelly announced all school facilities will be closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. At this time, all school activities (including graduation, prom, spring sports, etc.) are postponed, indefinitely. Our current situation prohibits us from identifying specific dates for rescheduling.

We have been working on contingency plans, including how we can meet the continuous learning needs of our students. In addition, we continue to provide breakfast and lunch to our students and stand ready to provide social and emotional support to our students and staff as needed. Principals are in buildings during regular school hours and are available. Should you need any assistance, please call ahead to your building and schedule a visit so we can be ready to assist you quickly and effectively. We remain committed to helping our families and staff in any way we can.

Our staff and board of education are also working on other critical issues, such as what this means for our class of 2020, how this will affect next school year, and what impact this will have on our employees. We will provide updates on these and many other issues as soon as the information is available.

The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) has assembled a task force to establish guidelines for school districts in creating continuous learning plans during extended school closures. The USD 345 Teaching and Learning Department will closely monitor the work of KSDE while collaborating with our own principals, instructional coaches, and teachers to develop and implement learning opportunities for our students.

As you know, we have many online resources that are already in place so you may already be in contact with your student’s teacher(s), and that’s great. Our goal is to create a continuous learning plan throughout the district that meets the needs of all students, while causing the least amount of strain on our parents. To help during our planning stages, we’re asking all parents/guardians to please fill out this quick survey so we can better understand your current access to technology while your child is away from school.

Parent/Guardian Internet/Technology Home Access Survey Link

Grab-and-go lunches continue to be served as a drive thru at Logan Elementary School (1124 NW Lyman Rd) for children ages 1-18, Monday - Friday from 11:00 am to noon. Please stop by and grab lunch and breakfast for your kids. We’ll be serving vehicles as they go by the front entrance of the building. We’re also in coordination with Topeka North Outreach to continue their Operation Backpack weekend food sack program from this site on Fridays.

We understand the financial impact a school closure may have on our staff members. For this reason, all USD 345 staff will be paid according to their contracted hours and wages for 2019-20 in an attempt to cause the least amount of disruption and financial hardship for our employees and families. We are committed to working together as a community to support one another throughout these unprecedented times.

Please stay abreast of the latest information on the CDC and newly launched KDHE COVID-19 website, and of course, we are placing all public notifications on our Seaman Schools Coronavirus Page. We continue to stay in close contact with public health officials as we respond to this ever-changing situation.

Executive Order No. 20-07 temporarily closing K-12 schools to slow the spread of COVID-19.


Posted on March 14, 2020

All school buildings will remain closed but offices will be open during normal operating hours with principals and office staff available to manage phone calls, visitors, and regular building needs. Please call ahead if you plan to visit so we can be ready to meet your needs as quickly as possible. Again, the earliest our schools will be reopened for our students could be Monday, March 30.

Lunch and Breakfast
USD 345 Food and Nutrition Services will have a grab-and-go lunch program at Logan Elementary School (1124 NW Lyman Rd) for children ages 1-18, from 11:00 am to noon. We will provide a lunch meal for each child, and a breakfast meal that can be picked up at the same time. Lunches will be packaged to be taken and consumed offsite to avoid group gatherings. We’re also in coordination with Topeka North Outreach to continue their Operation Backpack weekend food sack program from this site on Fridays.

Distance Learning
The USD 345 Teaching and Learning Department will be planning and preparing home learning opportunities for our students that could begin as early as next week. Our philosophy will be to support and monitor learning, but not record learning. Please be on the lookout for more information; we look forward to partnering with you on distance learning for your child(ren).

School Events and Extracurricular Activities
All school events and extracurricular activities originally scheduled during the next two weeks have been cancelled. Unfortunately, many of these events will not be rescheduled and we apologize for the inconvenience. If events are able to be rescheduled, you will be notified by building staff. We will work hard to adjust and realign to our scheduled events, once schools are reopened, to cause the least amount of disruption to our students and families.

Medication
We realize that the extended school break may cause some issues with your child’s medication. If your child has medication stored in a Seaman USD #345 health room and you need to pick up this medication we would be happy to assist you with this. Please email Jenny Crowell, Health Services Director, at [email protected] to set up a time to pick up any medication that you might need over the next two weeks.

Making Up Time
At this time, it is our plan to NOT make up days past our originally scheduled last day of May 20, but of course that could change depending on rules and regulations set forth by state and federal authorities. I’m confident that the widespread closure of schools and the declared national emergency will impact how schools are able to count hours, but at this point, this is still a fluid situation. We’ll continue to keep you updated as more information becomes available.

We appreciate your understanding and remain committed to providing services to our students and families. Please stay abreast of the latest information on the CDC and KDHE websites.



Posted on March 13, 2020


The Shawnee County Health Department (SCHD) announced they will be closing schools for a two-week period, starting on Monday, March 16, as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19. The earliest we will be allowed to have school again will be March 30. At the end of the two-week period, public health and school officials will reevaluate the situation. At this time, all extracurricular activities are also suspended.

All USD 345 school buildings will be closed, with the exception of staff needing entry. There will be no practices, no school events, no Boys & Girls Club, and all facility use reservations will be suspended at this time.

Grab and Go meals from the USD 345 Food and Nutrition Services will be available at Logan Elementary School (1124 NW Lyman Rd), Monday-Friday from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm during the school closure. Meals will be for children ages 1 to 18.

We will await guidance from Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) on our next steps required to make up missed school days. We will provide all of you with specifics to those questions once we have more accurate information to share.

We will be sending out a separate email to staff regarding payroll and other information soon. I know this is a concern for our faculty, staff, and community.

Please continue to monitor the CDC website and take appropriate precautions during our time apart. We also continue to discuss creative ways in which our staff can assist our families in learning opportunities for our children. As our teachers and administrators identify specific ways in which we can assist in your child’s learning, they will be shared with you.


Media Release: Shawnee County Health Officer Orders the Suspension of Classroom and Extracurricular Activities of Shawnee County Schools


Posted on March 13, 2020

As of right now, we have not been informed of any decision regarding school closings from the Shawnee County Health Department or other health officials. If a decision to close is made, we will inform you through all communication channels via our emergency notification process.

After the conclusion of yesterday’s quarterfinal round, the 2020 KSHSAA State Basketball Tournament has been canceled. At this time, we will plan to continue all USD 345 activities as previously scheduled. If recommendations and guidelines change from local health officials regarding large group activities, we will follow their recommendations. Any cancellations of activities will be communicated, as usual.

Principals will be informing staff of schedule changes to allow more time for hand washing before breakfast, second chance breakfast (SMS & SHS), lunches, and snack times (elementary). Please contact your school nurse or principal if you have any questions regarding hygiene practices.

This situation is changing fast and we are planning now so we’ll be prepared to act quickly as needed. If schools are closed, we plan to prepare lunches that can be taken and consumed offsite. We are planning for Logan Elementary to be our meal distribution center, if needed.

We understand how concern over this new virus can make children and families anxious. Click here to view a parent resource on Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus). We will also have social workers, counselors, and psychologists available to give guidance and support if your child is having difficulties as a result of anxiety or stress related to COVID-19.

Please continue to follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on protecting yourself and your family. This is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated as it becomes available. We will continue to keep you informed as it relates to the Seaman School District.

The health and safety of our staff, students, and community remain our top priority as we continue to monitor the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).


Posted on March 12, 2020

The health and safety of our staff, students, and community remain our top priority as we continue to monitor the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The district continues to work closely with area schools and local health agencies as we create contingency plans and next steps in our district.

The Shawnee County Health Department (SCHD) monitors the health and health risks in our local community and has the authority to close school buildings. We will continue to follow the guidance of the SCHD. If the SCHD makes the decision to close school(s), the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) will advise districts on options for making up missed days.

If your family traveled to an affected area during Spring Break, please contact the SCHD for recommendations on a health screening before attending school.

Spring break has granted the district time to prepare as best we can for school to resume and we would like to share some of those efforts with you. Below, you will find some of the work that has been done to protect our students, staff, schools, and community against a potential outbreak.


The USD 345 plan for COVID-19 includes:
  • notifying parents of extra measures needed to keep germs away.

  • a communication plan for keeping parents informed. Emergency Messaging Test

  • a plan for deep cleaning schools.

    Custodial staff has been disinfecting all schools during spring break. They will continue to regularly clean and disinfect schools accordingly.

    If a school becomes contaminated, the custodial staff will disinfect and sterilize all surface area before re-entry.

  • a plan for deep cleaning buses.

    We have disinfected all buses during spring break.

    Buses all carry disinfectant spray and paper towels and will be cleaned following our normal routine.

    If needed, buses may be disinfected on a weekly basis along with regular cleanings.

  • a response plan if a student becomes ill during school.

    Each school will identify a designated (isolation) room to use if a student or staff member meets the criteria of a Persons Under Investigation. The school will work with parents and local health agencies to respond appropriately.

  • a plan for restricting school activities/large gatherings outside of school.

    KSHSAA State Basketball Info

    More guidance will be available on a case-by-case basis.

  • a plan to allow more time for hand washing at school.

    Each school will adjust schedules to allow more time for all students to thoroughly wash hands before lunch and snack times; this will be modified to include supervised hand washing.

  • continue to monitor absenteeism.

    The district currently monitors attendance reports on a daily basis and will continue these practices. The district will continue to report data to the Shawnee County Health Office when absences reach a certain threshold.

    Parents should continue to contact their child’s school to report absences.

    Parents may opt to keep their children home for health and safety reasons. Those absences will be excused.

    In the case of excused absences, schoolwork will be made up according to your teachers’ and/or building policies.

  • a plan for handling school trips.

    School officials will work closely with trip partners to determine the safety and risks for potential school trips. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

  • a plan for lunch programs, should schools close.

    Lunches will be available at Logan Elementary School. The community resource room at Logan will also be available. Please check our website for updates to our lunch program and community resource room.

Please continue to follow the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on protecting yourself and your family. This is a rapidly evolving situation and information will be updated as it becomes available. We will continue to keep you informed as it relates to Seaman School District. 


Posted on March 2, 2020

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a statement regarding the potential for the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States. The Seaman School District regularly communicates and partners with our local and state health departments and we are prepared to work together in the event of an outbreak.

USD 345 is following the guidance and expectations established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Shawnee County Health Department. USD 345 Health Services staff closely monitors the health and attendance of our students and staff and we continue to be proactive in our cleaning practices.

Staff members are reminded to promote universal precautions among students, including frequent hand washing. In addition, we will monitor all travel for any school activities that may be affected.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The CDC recommends the following preventative actions:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.

The Seaman School District is committed to the health and safety of our students. Please help to keep our students and staff safe by staying informed, practicing good hygiene, and staying home or keeping children home if they have been running a fever or are exhibiting signs of a fever.

Resource Links
Kansas Department of Health and Environment http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/
Centers for Disease Control https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/guidance-for-schools.html
Shawnee County Health Department: https://www.snco.us/HD/
KASB: https://kasb.org/advocacy/keyresources/ 
NSBA Legal Guide for COVID-19: https://www.nsba.org/Resources/coronavirus/legal-guide