K-5 Students Transitioning to Full-Time In-Person Learning
Oct. 9, 2020
Dear Lindbergh Families,
Thank you for your partnership and support this fall as we have worked to provide students with safe, positive learning experiences both at school and online. Today I am writing to announce that Lindbergh students in grades K-5 will return to full-time in-person learning on Tuesday, Oct. 27, as they transition to Phase 1 of the district’s Green Light Plan for school reopening.
Beginning on Oct. 27, students in grades K-5 will attend school in person every day. (Students in the ARC program will continue full-time virtual learning.) Monday, Oct. 26 will be an at-home learning day for all students that will include pre-recorded lessons and independent student work. This will allow teachers to finalize their preparations for students’ return to the classroom.
This email contains a lot of new information about childcare support, student transportation, food service and student health and safety. It is important that families read this from start to finish, and contact your school directly if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tony Lake
Superintendent of Schools
Data-Driven Decision Making
Throughout this process, Lindbergh Schools has been closely monitoring COVID-19 data trends, specifically the number of new cases per 100,000 individuals, transmission rate and positivity rate. We are also looking at age specific data for children ages 0-4, 5-9, 10-14 and 15-19.
We know our youngest students learn best when they are in school. That is why we are implementing five key mitigation strategies the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend to support safe learning environments and reduce the spread of COVID-19. While these strategies do not eliminate COVID-19 from our schools, they do lower the risk of transmission significantly:
- Consistent, correct use of face coverings
- Social distancing to the largest extent possible
- Hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette
- Cleaning and disinfection
- Contact tracing in collaboration with the local health department
Social Distancing and Cohort Groups
Phase 1 learning will bring together A and B group students who previously have only attended school together on Zoom. As we add more students to each classroom, we will do our best to social distance as much as possible, but we will also use small cohort groups to continue minimizing each student’s number of contacts throughout the day. Cohorting is designed to reduce the number of students who have to quarantine in the event that a classmate tests positive for COVID-19.
Here’s how cohorts will work. In each classroom, students will be subdivided into smaller groups of four or five children. Throughout the school day, these small groups will learn, eat, line up and work on activities together. All students will continue to wear face coverings, wash hands often and minimize direct contacts as much as possible.
Free Child Care: e-Hour
To reduce bus ridership and support Lindbergh families, we are pleased to offer one hour of free before- and after-school child care for Lindbergh students in grades K-5 during Phase 1 operation, on a space available basis. e-Hour will provide additional student monitoring and engagement and provide families an extended window for student pickup and drop-off.
Families must commit to e-Hour on a full-time basis (Monday-Friday), and e-Hour will flow seamlessly with current Flyers Club programming. Flyers Club fees will be prorated based on a student’s enrollment time in e-Hour.
e-Hour Schedule
- e-Hour will be offered free of charge from 7:30-8:30 a.m. and 3:30-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.
- Flyers Club fee-based child care will be from 6:30-7:30 a.m. and 4:30-6 p.m., Monday-Friday.
How to Apply
- Students must apply for e-Hour, even those who are already enrolled in Flyers Club.
- e-Hour applications open at 12 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 12, and space is limited.
- To apply for e-Hour, please complete this application form.
- Click here for instructions on setting up an account in Eleyo and adding students to your account.
- Students who are currently enrolled in Flyers Club will get first priority, but they must submit an application before 12 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15.
- If the number of applications submitted exceeds space available, a lottery system will be used to determine placement.
- A separate e-Hour application form must be completed for each student, including students who are currently enrolled in Flyers Club.
Student Transportation: Signup Required
At the beginning of the school year, families were required to sign up for bus service for each student. If you have any questions about your student’s transportation status, please contact your building secretary.
Student pickup and dropoff times are subject to slight changes as bus routes continue to be fine-tuned. Please check your student’s bus information regularly in the SIS Portal. To view bus stop details, look under the Daily Student Activity menu, and click Transportation. This section includes bus stop location, bus number, and pickup and drop-off times.
FirstView Bus Information App
Lindbergh uses the FirstView app to communicate bus information with families in real time, including your student’s pickup and drop-off times, and any delays or notifications. To set up the FirstView app, you will need your student’s 10-digit ID number, which is available in the Student Details section of the SIS Portal.
Free Meals Provided by USDA
Lindbergh Schools will provide breakfast and lunch free of charge to all students through the end of December 2020. This meal service is being made possible by a waiver from the US Department of Agriculture, which also extends free meal service to all children age 18 and younger who live in Lindbergh Schools district boundaries.
No signup is required. Families who do not wish to participate in the free meal program should notify their student’s teacher directly.
Family To-Do: Daily Health Screening
All staff and students must complete the following screening before coming to school or work. This check is to assure that individuals have not experienced one of the following symptoms within the last 14 days:
- A fever (100.4 or higher)
- Sore throat
- Congestion/runny nose
- Headache
- Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
- Body aches
- Cough
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of taste/smell
- or if they or a close contact has been diagnosed or presumptively diagnosed with COVID-19.
Students and staff must stay home from school if they are sick, or if they answer “yes” to any of these items.
Family To-Do: Face Coverings Required
All staff and students in grades K-12 must wear a face covering while at school, and on the bus. We recommend that students pack an extra face covering in their backpack as well.
Face coverings must be worn outdoors when social distancing is not possible, but are not required to be worn during periods of physical exertion.
Please note that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend use of face coverings with an exhalation valve or vent.
Green Light Plan: Looking Ahead
As we welcome students back to school full-time, we want our families to know that the health and safety of our students and staff is at the forefront of every decision we make.
Remember, phases can change throughout the school year based on local or school-based COVID-19 data. We promise to communicate regularly and provide our families with updates. Our current Phase(s) of operation will always be listed on our district homepage. In addition, we will use email, text messages and phone calls to communicate with our families and staff.
We are committed to doing our part in this shared responsibility to ensure all of our students and staff have a safe and healthy place to learn.