assignment using classnotebook page not posting

I have create a simple class notebook page and attached it as a "reference" for my students to use.  This has worked many, many times, and even in other teams for this same page.  However, the assignment is not posting into the assignments menu.  It is populating into the students notebooks however, and can be accessed that way.  Unfortunately, without the assignment option, there is no easy way to track who is done, and to notify them that it's to be done at all 😞

When I go to view the assignment it's available to edit, delete, and update with all fields. But when waiting for the studnet status page all i get is:  We're distributing your assignment to students now... Please check back soon.

Other assignments not involving the class notebook post just fine, and it posts fine to a notebook in a different team 😕

edit:  I think i've found the cause:  In an effort to clean up my class notebook i deleted students confirmed to have left the district from my team, and from the class notebook.  I believe the assignments process is trying to populate the notebook page into the missing student section groups, and is waiting to complete until that happens.  Which it never will :(.

I can currently find no way to fix this.  I'd like to either clear the students off the assignment process from here out, or reset the notebook to populate with only current team members so the two things processes agree.