News from the State of Minnesota!
Make a Plan, Minnesota
Updated June 8, 2020
As Minnesota perseveres through the COVID-19 public health crisis, we know that more people will become sick and require hospitalization. We need families to be prepared. In other states, countries, and communities in Minnesota, there have been parents who have become too ill with COVID-19 to care for their children for short periods of time. These circumstances present a need to identify alternate caregivers who can step in to help care for children – who have likely been exposed to the virus. Unfortunately, this virus doesn’t always leave time for people to make plans.
We’re urging all Minnesotans who are responsible for the care of a child to make a plan now for alternate short term care for their children in the event parents or guardians become ill. To support families in this process, we’ve developed Make a Plan, Minnesota. Make a Plan, Minnesota helps guide families through a process to identify possible caregivers, gather vital family and child information, and share their plan with others. A fillable form is included to help families gather information that an alternate caregiver might need to know while caring for their children.
It’s never too early to make a plan. Before the emergency is upon a family, we urge families to talk now with their support networks about who will be able to step in and help provide care for their children or other supports, such as dropping off meals or checking in with the children daily if a parent is quarantined at home.
Make a Plan Minnesota! Plan. Prepare. Share.
Make a Plan Minnesota: Emergency Family Planning and Information Kit
Families who qualify for Free/Reduced Meals—read this important message from the State of Minnesota!
Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT)
The Minnesota Department of Human Services is now offering additional funds for the families of children ages 5 to 18 who qualify for free and reduced-price meals. This new program, called Pandemic EBT (P-EBT), will provide $325 per child that families can use to purchase nutritious food for their household. Families with children who received free or reduced-price meals at school, and who were between the ages of 5 and 18 on Sept. 1, 2019, may qualify. Benefits are available to two groups:
• Families receiving Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on March 18, 2020. Benefits for these families were issued automatically and appeared on their EBT balance on May 30, 2020.
• Families receiving free or reduced-price school meals, but not SNAP or MFIP benefits. These families need to fill out a short application for a P-EBT card. Families can apply between June 8, 2020, and June 30, 2020. If approved, families will receive a P-EBT card in the mail, which will arrive with the funds preloaded.
Grocery Assistance Program
Minnesota Department of Human Services is offering a grocery assistance prgram. Pleases read the attached flyer for more information!
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Congratulations to the Class of 2020! ECHO Charter School graduation will be Friday, July 24,2020 at 7pm. More details to follow at a later date!
2020 Senior Recognition Night
Kindergarten Registration
Thursday, May 14 there will be a regularly scheduled board meeting at 6pm on Zoom due to COVID-19 Pandemic. We will start with a working session at 5pm related to 2020/21 planning. If you are interested in attending send a message to this account, Debbie Eakes or text me at 320-522-3773 for the link and password.
We need fun pictures of what you have been doing during this Covid-19 quarantine time. We would like to capture this bizarre time and put it in our school yearbook. Please send your pictures to Echoyearbook1@gmail.com and we’ll take care of the rest.
Thank you very much,
Haylea, Maddie and the Yearbook class
A password has been added to tonight's zoom board meeting to prevent ZoomBombing. If you would like to attend, text me and I will provide you with it. 320-522-3773
Deborah Eakes is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Echo Charter School Board April Meeting
Time: Apr 9, 2020 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
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Meeting ID: 798 728 417
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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the election for the ECHO Charter School Board of Education, originally scheduled for April 30, 2020, will be rescheduled until a later date, TBD. If you are interested in serving on the Board and you would like further information on the process, feel free to contact the school at 507.925.4143, or contact Debbie Eakes, Board Chair.
We are still holding our Blood Mobile on March 30 1pm-7pm. For more information about the steps they are taking, please visit the following link: https://www.redcrossblood.org/…/coronavirus--covid-19--and-…
Please look in the documents under students and parents miscellaneous folder for an offer from Arvig on internet for students during this COVID-19 time.
ECHO Charter School has made the decision to cancel our Puffin sales for this school year. Any questions please call the school 507-925-4143
ECHO Charter School will convene at the usual time on Monday, 3/16 with an early out at 1:00pm following lunch, Students will take all necessary learning material home with them at this time. School will be closed Tuesday, 3/17- 3/27. There will be NO distant learning until 3/30
School Board Meeting Wednesday, February 19,2020 at 6pm.
No school Friday, February 14, 2020 or Monday, February 17, 2020. Enjoy your weekend!
ECHO Charter School is closed today. E-Learning Day.
ECHO Charter School will be 2 hours late tomorrow Thursday, February 13, 2020. Buses on plowed roads only.
ECHO School Board meeting scheduled for tomorrow Wednesday, February 12,2020 has been postponed due to school closure.. New date TBA.