Lexington City Schools – July 17, 2020
As the Lexington City School System leadership team has been preparing for re-entry in the 2020-21 school year, we have been reading and reviewing multiple documents, tool-kits, and guidelines. It is the CDC guidance for re-opening schools that provides Lexington City with the most important details.
As we plan for next school year, we want to focus on the following:
Ultimately, we want students and families to stay healthy and stay connected. We know that every decision we make has implications for parents, families, and staff and our decisions are focused around minimizing health risks for all. We will be fluid and flexible as the situation and recommendations from the CDC are ever-changing. Ultimately, we must keep people safe.
Teachers are still in their classrooms.
The Framework / Protocols will have guidance for various areas of operation including:
Low & Moderate Virus Spread:
Low Virus Spread
Moderate Virus Spread
CES: Dottie Waugh: waughd@caywood.org or call 968-8457 (Ext. 398)
LMS: Tina Roberts: robertst@caywood.org or call 968-6457 (Ext. 394)
Low & Moderate Virus Spread
If a COVID-19 case is confirmed by the TDH and it is a student or employee, will the school be notified of a positive case? Will contact tracing be done by the health dept. to inform anyone else who may have been exposed or need further guidance? (For example, if a student in a classroom tests positive will the other classmates be made aware?). Public health will communicate with the school if a case was present in the school while infectious while maintaining the individual’s privacy. Yes, contact tracing will be done… to identify close contacts only. This does not necessarily mean that every student in a class is defined as a close contact. This will be situation-specific under guidance from Health Department officials. For preschools and young children where social distancing is more difficult, it is likely that many or all may be considered close contacts. In upper grades, where students stay in their desks throughout the class, the close contacts may just be those who sit nearby.
Will the school be notified of positive cases? • Public health will coordinate with the school to conduct a thorough case investigation while also protecting patient privacy. • If there is an increase in cases in our area, this data is available at: TN GOV
You can return to work or school after:
Depending on your healthcare provider’s advice and availability of testing, you might get tested to see if you still have COVID-19. If you will be tested, you can be around others when you have no fever, respiratory symptoms have improved, and you receive negative test results.
If you continue to have no symptoms, you can be with others after:
Depending on your healthcare provider’s advice and availability of testing, you might get tested to see if you still have COVID-19. If you will be tested, you can be around others after you receive negative test results.
If you develop symptoms after testing positive, follow the guidance above for “I think or know I had COVID, and I had symptoms.”
Contact your healthcare provider and follow their guidelines.
Yes. Your student can participate in our lunch program but you will need to contact the cafeteria manager daily prior to 8:00 a.m. via email or phone call at:
CES: Dottie Waugh: waughd@caywood.org or call 968-8457 (Ext. 398)
LMS: Tina Roberts: robertst@caywood.org or call 968-6457 (Ext. 394)
Families will be provided a choice between a free virtual learning opportunity and the traditional on-campus/in the classroom learning opportunity; virtual learning teachers will be Lexington City School teachers. Students of families who enroll in the LCSS Virtual Learning Academy (VLA) will receive LCSS report cards and progress reports; virtual students will be eligible to participate in all LCSS activities/events. Special education, related services, 504, and ESL support services will continue for all students who are eligible. VLA and traditional “on-campus” students will use a virtual curriculum via Google Classroom. Students may have to transfer from “on-campus” learning to VLA if circumstances become necessary regarding absences due to illness of any kind. For more information refer to the Virtual Learning Guidelines on our webpage.
Back to School 2020: Instruction
Back to School 2020: Instruction
Kindergarten Sample Schedule: | 1st & 2nd Grade Sample Schedule | ||
---|---|---|---|
Phonics | 30 min. | Phonics | 60 min. |
Reading & Writing | 30 min. | Reading & Writing | 90 min. |
Math | 30 min. | Math | 60 min. |
Reading with Teacher | 30 min. | Reading with Teacher | 60 min. |
Academic Supports and Interventions | 60 min. | Academic Supports and Interventions | 60 min. |
Related Arts | 60 min. | Related Arts | 60 min. |
Lunch | 30 min. | Lunch | 30 min. |
Total | 4.5 hours | Total | 7.0 hours |
3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Sample Schedule | |
---|---|
English Language Arts | 90 min. |
Math | 90 min. |
Social Studies | 60 min. |
Science | 60 min. |
Academic Supports & Interventions | 30 min. |
Related Arts | 60 min. |
Lunch | 30 min. |
Total: | 7.0 hours |
Daily Expectations:
Grades 6th-8th Sample Schedule | |
---|---|
ELA | 75 min. |
Math | 75 min. |
Social Studies | 75 min. |
Science | 75 min. |
Academic Support and Interventions | 30 min. |
Related Arts | 60 min. |
Lunch | 30 min. |
Total: | 7.0 hours |
Virtual Students: If a virtual student logs in for a class and completes the assignment on-time as indicated by the teacher, they are considered “present” for that class. If the virtual student logs in at the same time (synchronously) with the class and doesn’t complete the assignment, the student’s consequences are the same as if he/she was actually sitting in class and didn’t complete the work. If the virtual student logs in at a different time (asynchronously) to view the class and does not complete the assignment on time, he/she is coded “absent” for that class because there is no way to guarantee they didn’t log in and walk away.
If the virtual student doesn’t log in and/or doesn’t complete the assignment for that class, the student is coded absent for that class. Attendance policies will be in place as in previous years. If the virtual student does not have internet access, parents will log daily participation in assignments by signing and placing the date on the assignment page provided. If this page isn’t completed and all work is not turned in on-time, as indicated by the teacher, they are considered “absent” on days assignments are missing. Turning assignments in on time is a portion of the classwork to verify attendance.
Remember, a virtual student can only become a student who returns to the classroom at the end of each 9 weeks. However, when you first decide to go virtual, we will allow a 2 week window to finalize your choice.
Students At School: A student who returns to the school building will have attendance taken as normal. However, if a child checks out or is absent for any reason, they can avoid the time counted against them if they log on virtually to the classes missed and make up all work missed prior to returning the next day. If they don’t complete the work prior to the next day, it is excused or unexcused according to our attendance policy in the student handbook and they will have a set amount of days to complete the missed assignments as stated in the student handbook.
If they miss multiple days for flu or other illness including COVID, they may log-in to their classes as the virtual students do and complete the assignments upon return or on date set by the teacher, those days will not count against them as being absent. If they miss multiple days for flu or other illness including COVID and do not log-in to their classes and complete the assignments, they will have a set amount of days to complete missed assignments as stated in the student handbook.
*If a student who is virtual or in the building comes in “direct” contact with, becomes ill, or suspects they are ill with COVID-19, please refer to the FAQ portion of this document for further instructions (pages 12, 13).
The LEA will provide effective professional development to staff related to synchronous and asynchronous virtual learning. Staff will participate in technology training on virtual learning tools, integrating digital/virtual instructional practices, and professional development on strategies of how to teach vulnerable groups of learners. Please refer to the 2020-2021 Professional Development Schedule.
The LEA will monitor procedures for each of the sections of the CLP by monitoring attendance both synchronous and asynchronous, benchmarking, participation in classes, classwork and homework, and assessments. The Director of Special Populations, classroom teachers, and academic coaches will monitor that all students have equitable access to quality instruction. Instruction will be driven by both formative and summative assessments. The principals will report this data to our Director of Teaching and Learning and the Attendance Supervisor. The district team will disaggregate this data monthly to determine future interventions.
The director of schools will communicate weekly or sooner in case of emergencies with all stakeholders via our community newspaper, posts on Facebook, system webpage, robo calls, Remind texts, schoolwide newsletters, and email to provide updates and data regarding pandemic issues as they relate to the operations of school. LCSS will be transparent in all situations allowed regarding the pandemic and issues that arise. The director of schools and principals will respond to emails, calls, or other communications within 24 hours to help alleviate stress by parents and other stakeholders.
Phone communication and Remind texts can be communicated in other languages if parents have previously communicated the need.
►New & returning students are to register for 2020-2021 using the Synergy / Edupoint online portal
►Parents who wish to register their children for our Virtual Learning Academy will register online and also email their prospective principal that they have registered their child online but intend to participate in the Lexington City Schools Virtual Learning Academy.
CES Principal: Angela Blankenship: blankenshipa@caywood.org
LMS Principal: Whitney Owens: owensw@caywood.org
►On July 21 from 11-6 @ LMS there will be a registration “help” day for those needing help with online registration.
We want students choosing both options, returning-to-learn or attending LCSS virtually, to stay connected. We know that any option has implications for parents, families, and staff and our decisions are focused around minimizing health risks for all. We will be fluid and flexible as the situation and recommendations from the CDC are ever-changing. Ultimately, we must keep people safe.