COVID-19 Schools' Decision Tree Addendum Updated January 15, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccinations in Connecticut

Priority Testing for Educators

Free COVID-19 Drive Through Test

COVID-19 Travel Advisory for Visitors to Connecticut

COVID-19 Data Resources

CT Department of Public Health COVID-19 Municipal Alert Guide

COVID-19 PCR Testing Sites

Home Isolation When Ill with Coronavirus Disease

Home Quarantine Guidance for Close Contacts to Coronavirus Disease

Email questions on the reopening of schools to lolreopening@region18.org

Daily Health Screening Tool for Students and Staff 

(Students and Staff: before coming to work/school each day, please use this screening tool.)

Reopening of the Lyme-Old Lyme Schools - Model Classroom Video

Guidance for COVID-19 Scenarios in Schools (Decision Tree) (revised 8/28/20)

COVID-19 Contact Tracing: Recommendations for K-12

COVID-19 Resources for Families and Educators

Dear Parents / Guardians,

This is the season where we give thanks. We are all thankful that we have been able to offer full in person learning for our students. This can only continue with a concerted effort by all. As we get closer to the Thanksgiving holiday, please note the following:

• While traveling this holiday is highly discouraged, if you do, please be sure to adhere to all traveler requirements for Connecticut.
• Should a student or staff member need to get tested prior to returning to school, free testing is available locally in Old Saybrook. More information can be found here or, for other locations throughout Connecticut, go to https://www.211ct.org/search?page=1&location=Connecticut&taxonomy_code=11048&service_area=connecticut.
• The Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Connecticut State Department of Education are advising schools to remain open between Thanksgiving and the winter break. For more information regarding this decision, please click here. We intend to follow their recommendations and will remain open as long as it is safe to do so.
• Traditionally, our recent graduates have come to the school buildings the week of Thanksgiving to visit and share updates on how they are progressing as young adults. Due to the current circumstances, we cannot allow this to occur this year. Only students, staff, authorized volunteers and, if needed, emergency responders are allowed into our buildings.
• For those of you interested in our contact tracing procedures, please see the links below for documents from a recent training session presented by Ledge Light Health District.
  • Contact Tracing Procedures 
  • Contact Tracing Checklist 

As cases of COVID-19 continue to grow across the country, we must all remain vigilant and adhere to those practices that will limit the transmission of this virus. Please continue to wear masks, wash your hands, and remain physically distanced from others.  

I hope everyone has a safe and relaxing Thanksgiving.

Sincerely,

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

 

Dear Parent/ Guardian,

I am writing to remind everyone of our COVID-19 protocols that have been in place since we first reopened school on September 1, 2020. Should we have a confirmed positive case, our first step is to work with our local health department, Ledgelight Health District, to follow their contact tracing protocol and determine who might be considered a ‘close contact.’ (Close contact is defined by CDC as someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic clients, 2 days prior to positive specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.)  Once those determinations have been made, families of those students (or staff members if applicable) are immediately notified by phone and asked to follow the Ledgelight quarantine protocol found here. In most cases, in order to balance transparency and the need to protect personally identifiable information, only those students and staff members who have been determined to be ‘close contacts’ are notified as those that have not had ‘close contact’ are not considered to be at high risk for transmission of COVID-19. In instances where large numbers of people are impacted, or we are unable to determine the number or identity of ‘close contacts,’ a mass notification regarding school closure may be necessary.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) recently stated, “It should be noted that the experience in Connecticut since reopening began for the 2020-21 academic year indicates that transmission has been a rare event inside of school buildings even in communities with elevated transmission rates. This is likely due to the high-level of planning and compliance with mitigation strategies designed to prevent transmission between individuals.” It is imperative that we continue to adhere to our mitigation strategies including, but not limited to, handwashing, mask wearing, physical distancing, daily symptom monitoring, and staying home when you are sick.

If you are interested in knowing more about confirmed positive cases in schools across Connecticut, that information can be found on the Connecticut Open Data Portal which is updated every Thursday. 

Should you have any questions regarding our protocols, please feel free to reach out at any time. Thank you for your continued support of our students and staff remaining safe while in school.

Sincerely,

Mr. Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Parent/ Guardian,

Our students have benefitted from two months of full-time in-person learning. We would very much like this to continue as we move toward the holiday season. While we have been fortunate to have very few positive cases of COVID-19 in our communities, the number of people identified as 'close contacts' has grown due to out of school gatherings and/or athletic programs not affiliated with our schools. Please keep this in mind as you plan for this upcoming time period. 

While we are thankful that full-time in-person learning is available to our students, we are also cognizant of the ongoing uncertainty, social isolation, and stress caused by the pandemic. Our full return to school provides some social interaction for our students, yet the impact of the pandemic on our daily lives has been a difficult adjustment for us all. Children and teens may have an especially tough time coping emotionally, especially as we move into the winter months.

We encourage you to talk with your children about how they are feeling and to be aware of changes in behavior which might indicate they are struggling. Below are some links to resources that may prove helpful. If at any time you have a concern about your child’s mental health, please contact the school or call 211. In an emergency situation, always call 911.

Ensure Children's Well-Being During COVID-19: Parental Resources
Checking In on Your Teenager’s Mood During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Tackling COVID-19 Together

Sincerely,

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Parents / Guardians:

We remain one of the few school systems in Connecticut which is able to offer full in person learning, in large part because of our collective commitment to disease mitigation strategies. Thank you for your efforts in supporting this vitally important position.

In the past week there has been a significant increase in COVID infections in New London County, specifically in the Norwich area. While one of the many factors we consider in determining our learning model is the number of new infections by county per 100,000 people on a seven-day rolling average, it is not the only factor. Currently, New London county has 12.8 new infections per 100,000 people on a seven-day rolling average. While this is cause for continued vigilance, it does not change our position in terms of our in person learning model. Both Ledgel Light Health District and our School District Medical Advisor are encouraged by the extremely low infection rate in the local area and support our decision to remain fully open in person.

Continuation of this model will only be possible with ongoing adherence to mask wearing, physical distancing, remaining home when sick, frequent hand washing/disinfecting, and thorough cleaning. 

Should things change, I will notify you immediately. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Mr. Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Parents / Guardians:

It is with great pride I am able report to you an incredibly successful first few days of school for the 2020-2021 year.  After many months of preparation and planning, students, staff, parents, and the community all came together to support a safe return to the classroom. Thank you to everyone for helping make this happen. As we look forward to next week, please note the following:

Daily Self Screen

It is imperative that everyone utilize the daily self screen to ensure the safety of our entire school community. This is an important part of being a socially responsible citizen. The daily self screen can be found here: Daily Self Screen

Transportation

Thank you for adhering to our request to avoid using the buses. As expected, many of our buses are running with very few riders. As we gather more information about ridership over the next few weeks, we will let you know of any buses that may be able to safely accommodate additional passengers.

Remote Learning

We appreciate the patience of our families who have opted in to the remote learning model. We recognize that there are some issues with audio during these sessions and are working on solutions to address this.

Election Day

As the town of Old Lyme is now using our middle school gymnasium for all elections, we are considering a change in our calendar for Election Day (November 3, 2020). While we are currently scheduled for a regular day, we will either have a remote learning day for all students (or at least for all middle school students), have a professional development day for staff without students, or have a day off for all students and staff to be made up later in the year. At least two weeks notice will be given once a decision has been made regarding this day.

Website

Answers to many of the questions we receive can be found on the reopening page of our website (https://www.region18.org/parents/reopening-school-fall-2020).  If you cannot find an answer there, please email us at lolreopening@region18.org.

Before and After School Care

The Old Lyme Childrens’ Learning Center is looking for four more full time families in order to run their traditional K-5 before and after school program at Center School. Please contact them if you are interested. Registration information can be found here: http://olclc.com.

Welcome back,

Mr. Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Parents / Guardians,

We are excited about the return of our students next week. As we prepare to reopen on Tuesday, please review the following information.

Information Resources

All reopening information including, but not limited to, school reopening plans, FAQ documents, reopening videos, state health guidelines, prior communications, and any new and updated information can be found on the reopening page of our website.

Before and After School Childcare

Unfortunately, due to a lack of interest, the Valley Shore YMCA will not be offering a before and after care program for our PK students. This also holds true for the Old Lyme Children’s Learning Center's (OLCLC) K-5 programs planned at Mile Creek and Lyme School. The OLCLC is considering offering their traditional programming at Center School. More information can be found here: OLCLC Childcare Information. This program will only run if there is enough interest from families. If you need before or after care, please reach out to the OLCLC.

Families Who Have Chosen To Opt Out Of In Person Learning

All families who have reported to us that they are selecting the opt out model have been contacted by their respective schools detailing the program along with methods of how they can access remote learning. If you have additional questions regarding this plan, please contact your child’s principal.

Bus Transportation

As previously stated, we are discouraging, but not prohibiting, use of bus transportation. Those that do ride the bus will be expected to wear a mask at all times and will be asked to sit with siblings, if possible, or sit as far away from other students as feasible. Students at the elementary level are expected to load the bus from back to front excluding kindergartners who may use the front seats. Within the first few days of school, elementary students will be given assigned bus seats to support continued adherence to our mitigation strategies. Middle and high school students are expected to adhere to physical distancing protocols but will not be provided assigned seats. Students who attempt to ride the bus without a mask will be provided one upon entry. Further refusal to wear a mask may result in an immediate denial of bus privileges.

Contact Tracing

One of the most common questions we have received is, "what will happen if a student or teacher tests positive for COVID-19?" As we have previously noted, the answer is that each case will be addressed based on the details of the individual situation, contact tracing results, and the recommendation of Ledge Light Health District (LLHD). The CSDE, DPH, and LLHD have provided more specific guidance in response to this question. That guidance can be found in the two attachments below.

CSDE Contact Tracing 

LLHD/ DPH Contact Tracing 

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Noah Ventola, Center School

Recording of August 19, 2020 Community Conversation   PASSWORD: s^MyW9K8

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Kelly Enoch, Principal of Mile Creek School

Recording of August 19, 2020 Community Conversation

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James Cavalieri, Principal of Lyme Consolidated School

Recording of August 19, 2020 Community Conversation

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Mark Ambruso, Principal of Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School

Recording of August 19, 2020 Community Conversation

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James Wygonik, Principal of Lyme-Old Lyme High School

Recording of August 19, 2020 Community Conversation

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Frequently Asked Questions About Reopening Plan (PDF Version)

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FAQs on the Reopening of the Lyme-Old Lyme Schools

Elementary Schools

1.     We have a soon-to-be kindergartner. We’re wondering what will be the standard procedure if he takes off his mask at school (non-mask break time)?

Teachers will work with individual students to help them to become more comfortable with wearing a mask for extended periods of time. Those who are encountering difficulty will be asked to utilize their desk shields along with the mask. Individual training and/or incentive plans will be developed with students as needed.

2.     Will specials be pushed into the classroom?

This is outlined in the building plans found here. Computer instruction and health instruction will be pushed into the classroom at all grade levels. At Mile Creek, Spanish instruction will be pushed into the classroom in grades K-2 and will be in the Spanish classroom for grades 3-5. All Spanish instruction will take place in the classroom at Lyme Consolidated School. Library Media will take place in the library media center but may be pushed into the classroom at times if the lesson requires technology for younger students not capable of transporting their devices. Art instruction will take place in the art room, PE will take place outside or in the gymnasium, health instruction will take place in the classroom, and music will take place in the classroom. At Lyme Consolidated School, music will take place in the music room on most days. When the lesson is mostly singing, the instruction will move to the cafeteria.

3.     If there is a spike in cases throughout Connecticut, will I have the option to take my son out of school to start homeschool?

Parents may choose to opt out of in-person learning at any time. The district may need up to five days to transition students to remote learning or to transition students from remote learning to in-person learning.

4.     Will before and after school programs run as usual?

Before and after school programming will run at the individual schools through the Old Lyme Children’s Learning Center if there is enough interest. PK students will have before and after programming provided by the Valley Shore YMCA at Center School.

5.     Will all kids need to wear masks then, including PK?

All students will be required to wear their masks when in the school building, including PK.

6.     Will Plexiglass desk shields be installed on student desks?

Individual desk shields have been ordered for each student at Lyme Consolidated and Mile Creek as well as at Center School.  The shields are transportable and may be brought to special/unified arts classes, to support services provided outside of the classroom, and to GAT/E (Gifted and Talented/Enrichment) groups taking place outside of the classroom.

7.     How strongly are you considering a hybrid plan at the elementary level?

Based on current health metrics in our area, our plan is for a full in-person reopening.

8.     How often and how long will recess times be?

Daily for 25 minutes.

9.     What is the max/min size of a cohort group per classroom?

At present our largest class size is 22 at Mile Creek, 18 at Lyme Consolidated, and 14 at Center School.  These numbers are based on 100% of our students returning to in person instruction.

10.  For children who have chronic asthma, continual cough, a runny nose because of allergies etc., will parents/guardians be required to fill out some type of questionnaire so the nurse knows the child’s baseline?

Yes, parents are encouraged to inform the school of chronic conditions that may manifest as a COVID-19 symptom. When performing the daily self-assessment, families are encouraged to pay special attention to symptoms that are not typical for a student.

11.  Will there be increased outdoor classroom time in warm weather and into the fall?

Yes, students will have increased outdoor time for learning and for mask breaks.

12.  Do you have specific guidelines for the masks the children should wear?

All students PK -12, all staff members, and anyone who enters any of our buildings must wear a self-provided face mask. This is a change from our previous position, specifically in regard to PK. Our mask guidance is based on the CDC face covering guidelines but is more stringent in that all masks must cover the nose, mouth, and chin area. Bandanas, gators, balaclavas, buffs, masks with one-way valves or vents, or any other face covering that does not meet the administration’s determination of appropriateness are prohibited. Students or staff who arrive without the proper mask will be provided one for use that day and will be expected to return the following school day with an approved mask. 

13.  Has there been study on the feasibility of using the excess space in the Center School for certain classes to "thin out" the population in the other facilities?

Due to increased participation in the PK program, there is currently no space at Center School for thinning out the populations in other schools.

14.  What will happen if one kid in the classroom gets sick with COVID-19...will the whole class and teacher need to quarantine for two weeks?

Decisions regarding quarantining will be made on a situational basis in consultation with our district medical advisor and Ledge Light Health District.

15.  If many parents choose to drive their kids to school, will we have a window time to drop off our kids so no traffic is created?

Yes, suggested times for drop off and pick up have been developed in hopes of avoiding traffic backups and can be found in the building-based plans.

16.  With regard to remote learning, will there be direct instruction, such as done via Google Meet, and, if so, how often will this occur?

Live instructional hours vary based on whether remote learning is due to opting out of in-person learning or whether we are experiencing a full closure. More details will be provided to families who choose that option or if we need to transition to remote learning for all students.

17.  Will we be able to enroll children in the before and after school programs after the school year starts?

That question should be directed to the Old Lyme Children’s Learning Center or Valley Shore YMCA.

18.  What is being done to explore using outdoors as a place for lessons and learning on a regular basis?

Outdoor spaces will be utilized frequently, weather permitting.

19.  If you are able to install the Plexiglass on the desks, can students remove their masks when sitting at the desk?

Students will only be permitted to remove their masks when the desk shield is in place and they are eating. They may be allowed to remove their masks for very brief periods of time during instruction when a desk shield is in place and when a teacher may need to see a student’s face (such as during literacy or speech instruction).  Mask breaks have also been built into the school day.

20.  Is the district considering reopening plans similar to others in the region or strictly based on LOL health data?

We are utilizing data provided by the Ledge Light Health District, which reflects regional numbers.

21.  The district plan mentioned having the children enter the school through several different entry points. Can you describe any additional safety/security measures that will be put in place to account for this?

Staff will be assigned to man each entry/exit point, and our school security officers will also monitor exit and entry points.

22.  Is distance learning available in the event that a child or sibling of child is under a "14 day stay home mandate" following testing protocol?

Yes.

23.  I thought I read in the guideline that parents would be able to see the classrooms prior to the opening of schools. Will we be able to do so? If so, when?

The district has created a video for parents to view which displays classroom setups and other aspects of the buildings. That video can be found here.

24.  What is the plan for social distancing, sanitizing and mask requirements on the buses?

Students are required to wear masks on the bus and will have assigned seats. The maximum distancing possible will be utilized, and family members will be asked to sit together.

25.  I'm concerned regarding my child being assigned homework after a full-school day with these guidelines that will add additional stress into their day. Will homework be assigned and, if so, can we opt out of this if we feel it is best for our child?

Parents are encouraged to talk with classroom teachers should any concerns arise regarding homework.

26.  Will health checks be performed on students and/or staff as they enter the buildings?

No, the self-assessment guide that can be found here should be utilized each morning.

27.  Will teachers be tested for COVID-19?

No. Teachers will seek out testing if they have concerns regarding exposure, but the district will not be testing employees prior to the start of school.

28.  I am still having trouble understanding the cohort concept. It sounds to me like it is simply equivalent to "the children in a particular class." Is that correct?

Yes, the cohort will include the children in a given class and/or grade level.. 

29.  Will there be a hand washing schedule for students and access to hand sanitizers?

Yes.

30.  Will parents be able to visit the mock or planned classrooms prior to September 1?

Individual tours may be requested or you may view the video on the reopening page of our website.

31.  Will remote learning count towards the 180-day requirement?

As long as the student is in attendance on those days, yes.

32.  What will the classrooms be cleaned with? Will Lysol wipes be allowed?

We are utilizing the cleaning procedures and solutions recommended by the DPH and Yale School of Public Health. Students may not bring their own cleaning materials including hand sanitizer and wipes.

33.  Is there a plan for additional support for student emotional/mental health needs given the drastically changed atmosphere at school?

Yes, this will take place during each classroom’s Morning/Community Meeting and during health classes.

34.  Once the school year is underway, how much notice is needed if we choose to switch to remote learning from in classroom learning?

Five days.

35.  If student has a mild fever and kept home for the day, can they participate in remote learning for just that day and avoid absence?

They can access what is provided online for that day, but full remote learning materials cannot be provided (i.e., workbooks, individual learning kits) on such short notice. If devices are required, parents will have to call the school and pick up the device from the school’s vestibule. 

36.  Will kindergarten students have an opportunity to meet their teacher before the first day of school?

Teachers will send home videos introducing themselves to their students.

37.  When will we find out our child’s teacher?

The recommendations for reopening per the Connecticut State Department of Education has required us to make revisions to classroom assignments. We will inform families about who their child’s classroom teacher will be ahead of the opening of school on September 1, 2020.

Please send any additional questions to lolreopening@region18.org.

Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School

1.     Will mask breaks be scheduled or at teacher discretion?

The middle school will have a minimum of three mask breaks scheduled throughout the day.

2.     An entire grade seems like a large cohort. Will there be smaller groups within the larger grade cohort?  There are no recommended guidelines as to cohort sizes. A grade level is the smallest cohort feasible at the middle school.

3.     Will the students be placed 6 feet apart during lunch since masks will need to be removed?

Yes, there will be a minimum of six feet distance between students during lunch waves.

4.     Will you address sports/clubs afterschool?

As of this time, both sports and clubs are scheduled to run. Our sports will abide by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) and the Shoreline Conference guidelines.

5.     Will students have all of their classes in the same classroom and will lunch be delivered directly to the room if they choose to purchase lunch?
As the entire grade makes up the cohort, students will be moving room to room with a different mix of students within their own grade level. We have established a one-way directional flow in the hallways and staggered passing times to ensure that cohorts will have as little contact as feasible with other cohorts.

6.     Will students wear masks during PE?
Students are required to wear masks unless they are outside and at least six feet apart.

7.     Will there be a change in the amount of materials (binders, folders, etc.) if the students are not using lockers? My kids had really heavy backpacks with all the binders and materials they were required to have. Also, band and chorus - how are these classes being social distanced?
Yes, with the addition of Chromebooks, digital materials, and a more efficient binder model, we expect backpacks to be more manageable. Both band and chorus will utilize outdoor spaces when feasible, and chorus has been moved to the auditorium to allow for maximum physical distancing between students.

8.     Will desks be cleaned in between the students switching classrooms?
Students will be provided with disinfecting wipes at the conclusion of each class. They will be responsible for wiping down their desk area, chair, and any classroom materials that they used.

9.     Are there initiatives in place for managing student stress with all of these new rules in place?

Following our middle school model, we will focus on learning rather than punitive measures.  Students will be explicitly taught our expectations, and they will be reminded about the rules and the health and safety reasons behind them. We have amended our advisory program to help meet the situational needs of this crisis. The responsibility of supporting and monitoring students will be shared by all of the middle school staff.

10.  Since you’ve encouraged parents to bring students to school rather than take the bus, will there be an expanded window of time to drop kids off, and/or a revised procedure for doing so? Seems like this could cause a lot of congestion in front of the building and be time consuming.
The middle school has a 20-minute window between 7:20-7:40 before homeroom attendance is taken.  Based on survey responses, over 40% of our families will still utilize our buses. Therefore, because approximately 60% of our students will be dropped off, we have implemented a staggered arrival schedule. Parents who are dropping off will use the following arrival schedule, which is organized by last name:

7:20-7:25    A-F
7:25-7:30    G-M
7:30-7:35    N-Z

11.  You've mentioned all children are required to wear a mask...will all teachers/staff be required to wear a mask?

Yes, teachers will be supplied with clear masks so the students can see their mouths when speaking.  All other staff will wear CDC  and Region18 approved masks.

12.  How will art class function with sharing of tools?
Students in classes that use shared tools or equipment will be provided gloves or disinfecting wipes. 

13.  Will touchless bathroom devices be installed?

No, not at this time.

14.  Is there any thought about installing desk shields?
A select group of teachers and students may be utilizing desk shields based on the type of instruction and proximity between teachers and students.

15.  Is anything being done to the HVAC system, i.e., changing filters, opening windows, etc.?

Yes, we are following the recommendations of the DPH and the Yale School of Public Health in regard to HVAC systems and airflow.

16.  What happens when we have a positive case?

We will follow the guidelines in Addendum 5 of the state’s plan in consultation with our local health district and district medical advisor.

17.  If/when we go to a hybrid model, will there be consideration for families with students in different buildings throughout the district - having them home or in school on the same days?

Yes. Should we need to go to a hybrid model, we will make sure to schedule family members on the same days.

18.  Will the traditional “meet the teacher day” still take place before school officially starts?
Unfortunately, we will not be able to hold our traditional teacher meet and greet for all students, but we are planning a controlled limited orientation for 6th grade students on Monday, August 31.

Please send any additional questions to lolreopening@region18.org.

Lyme-Old Lyme High School

1.     Can you clarify acceptable masks.

All students PK -12, all staff members, and anyone who enters any of our buildings must wear a self-provided face mask. This is a change from our previous position, specifically in regard to PK. Our mask guidance is based on the CDC face covering guidelines but is more stringent in that all masks must cover the nose, mouth, and chin area. Bandanas, gators, balaclavas, buffs, masks with one-way valves or vents, or any other face covering that does not meet the administration’s determination of appropriateness are prohibited. Students or staff who arrive without the proper mask will be provided one for use that day and will be expected to return the following school day with an approved mask. 

2.     I am assuming we can send our kids in with hand sanitizer in their backpacks?

No. Hand sanitizer and wipes will be supplied throughout the building.

3.     Can siblings be in the same cohort if we need to move to a hybrid model?

Yes.

4.     If our child has mild symptoms and we need to keep them home, can they attend classes online that day to ensure they don't miss anything?

You should use the daily health checklist to make the determination of whether or not to send your child to school. Should they not be able to attend, they will have access to the remote learning option.

5.     Based on the survey results, do you have an idea of the percentage of families sending their children back? My child said none of his friends are going back - which is probably not true!

Around 90% of those who responded to the survey are expected to return based on the results of the first survey.

6.     How does the change in position from the Governor (no longer requiring all students to be served in-person in the building) affect the current high school plan? 

We intend to open fully as originally planned as the current health data supports such a move.

7.     Will mask breaks be taken outside or in a larger area than a classroom so that students can be far apart?

Yes. We plan on using a combination of larger inside areas and outside areas for mask breaks.  

8.     What precautions will be in place for science labs or other classes where students traditionally work together or share equipment?

Students in science labs will be provided with gloves and masks to wear while sharing equipment. These areas will also be provided with disinfecting wipes for the students to clean the equipment after use.

9.     What is being done differently for distance learning this school year in comparison to last spring? Was a distance learning consultant involved in plans for this new school year? Are there changes based on lessons learned? Can distance learning students have daily instruction per class such as following their schedule and/or be included in the live classroom teaching?

The high school has developed a remote learning plan that includes daily live instruction. In order to avoid confusion over the temporary opt out remote learning model and a full distance learning model, details of the plan will be shared should we need to implement it.

10.  Will lockdown drills still be conducted and what will they look like?

Yes, lockdown drills will take place. They may be more focused on “tabletop exercises” but will still take place.

11.  How will band and physical education instruction be handled?

The band has been relocated to the auditorium to support physical distancing and we have secured music-specific PPE equipment. PE curriculum will focus more on individual exercise and health and steer away from team sports activities that require the sharing of equipment and close physical contact.

12.  How will chorus, school plays, clubs, sports be affected?

Each club or activity advisor is required to submit a meeting plan to the administration in advance that outlines the location of the meetings/activities and the physical distancing protocols that will be implemented.

13.  Will kids still be moving from class to class as normal when the bell rings? How will hallway passing work?

Our new daily schedule has reduced the number of transitions throughout the day. We have also created a one-way traffic pattern throughout the school. 

14.  What are you doing for lunches so students will be six feet apart during the day?

Student seating has been arranged to provide the appropriate distance. Additional lunch waves have been added to reduce the number of students in the cafeteria at a time. Only three students will be permitted to sit at a table that is capable of seating 12. Satellite eating areas have also been established to spread the students out.

15.  Will students be required to wear any type of identification or their student IDs because their faces will be covered?

No, not at this time.

16.  Are backpacks allowed?

Yes.

17.  Is anything being done to the HVAC system, changing filters, opening windows, etc.? 

Yes, we are following the recommendations of the DPH and the Yale School of Public Health in regard to HVAC systems and airflow.

18.  Will parents be notified before school starts if there will be a teacher or student in their child’s class who will not be wearing a mask because of medical conditions?

As of today, we do not have any such requests from parents or staff members. If someone has a condition that prohibits their use of a mask, it is most likely that they should not be out in public anyway and therefore will opt for the remote learning model.

19.  Will doors be able to be propped to avoid students and staff having to touch them each time to open them?

Only during passing times. Our ventilation system is designed to work at peak efficiency when the classroom doors and windows are closed.

20.  With the expected increase in parent drop off, what plans will be put in place to prevent traffic jams affecting Lyme Street, Halls Road and the 95 on-ramp?

We are working with the town and local police to manage the expected increase in traffic on Lyme Street and Halls Road. In addition, we will implement a staggered drop-off. Parents who are dropping off will use the following arrival schedule, which is organized by last name:

7:20-7:25    A-F
7:25-7:30    G-M
7:30-7:35    N-Z

21.  I understand you cannot choose day of the week for remote learning. Is there an option to be remote on an A day and in-person on a B day depending on the student’s schedule for example? Can a student be remote for lecture and in person for science labs?

No. For planning and consistency of instruction, families must give the school a five-day notice of return to school.

22.  Was the education budget increased to cover additional costs related to COVID-19? 

No, the budget was developed long before the pandemic hit Connecticut.

23.  How is busing going to be handled?

Based on our initial survey results, we expect ridership to go down therefore creating more opportunities for physical distancing on the bus. Students will be expected to wear a mask at all times while on the bus.

24.  Will late buses still run?

Yes.

Please send any additional questions to lolreopening@region18.org.

Parents / Guardians,

In just a few weeks we will reopen our schools to welcome students back for another school year. This year will be different from any we have experienced. Our focus will be on a layered process of mitigation strategies to keep everyone safe from the spread of disease. The model pictured below, adapted from the Yale School of Public Health and the Connecticut Department of Public Health, provides a summary of those approaches. By adhering to these concepts, we are prepared to safely reopen for the 2020-2021 school year.

Masks and Daily Self Screening
 

Please be advised that all students PK -12, all staff members, and anyone who enters any of our buildings must wear a self-provided face mask. This is a change from our previous position, specifically in regard to PK. Our mask guidance is based on the CDC face covering guidelines but is more stringent in that all masks must cover the nose, mouth, and chin area. Bandanas, gators, balaclavas, buffs, masks with one-way valves or vents, or any other face covering that does not meet the administration’s determination of appropriateness are prohibited. Students or staff who arrive without the proper mask will be provided one for use that day and will be expected to return the following school day with an approved mask.  

All students PK-12, all staff members, and anyone who enters any of our buildings must also utilize our self-screening tool prior to arrival each day. The self-screening tool is available on the reopening page of our website and can also be found here.

Building Based Plans and Survey
 

Each school has developed building based guidelines for a safe reopening of school. After reviewing these guidelines, along with our remote learning definitions document, if you decide not to have your child(ren) return on September 1, 2020, you MUST complete the following survey by midnight on Friday, August 21, 2020. Those who intend to return do NOT need to complete the survey. 

Survey link: https://www.research.net/r/RemoteChoice

Before September 1, 2020, schools will contact those families who complete the survey to provide guidance on how to access remote learning programs.

·         Center School Reopening Plan

·         Lyme School Reopening Plan

·         Mile Creek Reopening Plan

·         LOLMS Reopening Plan

·         LOLHS Reopening Plan

·         Remote Learning Definitions for All Schools

Zoom Meetings for Reopening Plans
 

Each of our principals will be hosting a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, August 19, 2020 to answer any questions you may have about our building specific reopening plans. Please join us for these information sessions by clicking on the links below. Should you have further questions after these meetings, please email us at lolreopening@region18.org or visit the reopening page of our website which includes important information including videos of our classroom preparations and an FAQ document. 

---

Noah Ventola, PK Administrator at Center School

Join  Zoom Meeting on August 19, 2020    Meeting 4:00 p.m.

https://region18.zoom.us/j/83668655540#success

Meeting ID: 836 6865 5540

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Kelly Enoch, Principal of Mile Creek School

Join ZOOM Meeting on August 19, 2020  Meeting 5:00 p.m.

https://region18.zoom.us/j/88441390565#success

Meeting ID: 884 4139 0565  

---

James Cavalieri, Principal of Lyme School

Join ZOOM Meeting on August 19, 2020    Meeting 5:00 p.m.

https://region18.zoom.us/j/81454301065#success

Meeting ID: 814 5430 1065

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Mark Ambruso, Principal of Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School

Join ZOOM Meeting on August 19, 2020   Meeting 6:00 p.m.

https://region18.zoom.us/j/82104838775#success

Meeting ID: 821 0483 8775

---

James Wygonik, Principal of Lyme-Old Lyme High School

Join ZOOM Meeting on August 19, 2020   Meeting 7:00 p.m.

https://region18.zoom.us/j/82515154570#success

Meeting ID: 825 1515 4570 

---

Flexibility
 

As the guidance we receive is constantly being updated and/or revised, we ask for your patience in allowing us to make decisions based on the best interests of our students and staff. This school year will require everyone to remain flexible to be able to adapt to new information and practices that help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

I am looking forward to seeing our students and staff return on September 1 and assure you we will take all necessary measures to keep them safe throughout this historic time period.

Sincerely,
Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Recording of July 29, 2020 Community Conversation with Lyme-Old Lyme Administrative Team

Password: $Bf1+LGb

Dear Parent/ Guardian,

As noted in my last communication, on June 29, 2020, the Connecticut State Department of Education released their reopening plan, Adapt, Advance, Achieve: Connecticut’s Plan to Learn and Grow Together. Since then, the Lyme-Old Lyme Schools have developed district level guidance based on that state document and recommendations. The Lyme-Old Lyme Plan can be found here.  Please review our plan with the following in mind.             

This is a district level document and provides guidance to our schools to develop specific protocols for our reopening.  Schools will release their individual protocols and policies on August 17, 2020. In addition, a FAQ document will be developed for release at that time based on your survey responses.                 

This plan is, and needs to remain, fluid based on current and future health data. Please be prepared for possible changes prior to or during our reopening.                   

Our goal in developing this guidance is to provide a safe, in person learning environment for our students and staff.        

After reviewing the entire plan, we are requiring all families to complete a brief four question survey found here.  This should take less than five minutes to complete. Your participation is imperative as it will allow us to determine how many students we should expect to participate. Please complete this survey by midnight on Monday, July 27, 2020.

As a follow-up to our release of these plans, we are providing opportunities for conversations with our administrative team.  The first of these will take place next week on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 following the schedule noted below. We will also hold follow-up conversations on August 19, 2020 following the same schedule. Links to these virtual events will be posted on this webpage.

• Mile Creek, Lyme, and Center Schools 5:00- 5:45 p.m.
• Middle School 6:00- 6:45 p.m.
• High School 7:00- 7:45 p.m.

We look forward to a safe return to school and hope that your families remain healthy.

Sincerely,
Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

On June 29, 2020 the Connecticut State Department of Education released their reopening plan, Adapt, Advance, Achieve: Connecticut’s Plan to Learn and Grow Together. Since that release, our reopening committees have been working with this document to formulate plans for the reopening of the Lyme-Old Lyme Schools. We intend to share completed plans with you in early August. Upon receipt and review of those plans, we ask that you answer a very short survey, the results of which will help solidify our reopening procedures. In looking ahead, and for your planning purposes, please note the following:

• The publication from the CSDE is a document with guidelines that may change prior to school reopening in the fall.
• Our plans will be based on the best information we have at the time. We are prepared to adapt to new information and ask that everyone remain patient as we navigate this “new normal.”
• Our school calendar has been adjusted to allow for additional requirements for staff training prior to the first day of school. The new school calendar can be found here.
• As a part of our plan, families will be encouraged to transport their children to and from school and will be discouraged, but not disallowed, from using our bus service. Smaller ridership will provide us more ability to support physical distancing measures on buses.
• As a part of our plan, families will be encouraged to send their child to school with a bag lunch and will be discouraged, but not disallowed, from purchasing lunch in our cafeterias. Shorter lunch lines will also support our ability to physically distance during lunch periods.
• Face coverings will be required of all persons in all five of our school buildings. Exceptions may only be considered for verified medical reasons.

Beginning Thursday, July 16, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. lunches will be available to any family, “whose children are on free/reduced lunch, receive SNAP, or have been negatively impacted financially by COVID19.” The pick-up location will be behind LYSB in the Lyme -Old Lyme Middle School driveway. This program is organized by LYSB in collaboration with the Social Services Departments of both Lyme and Old Lyme and is funded through private donations. For more information, click here: Summer Meals LOL LYSB.pdf. 

We look forward to seeing everyone again as we return to school this fall. Please enjoy the remainder of your summer.
|Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Parents / Guardians,

This is my final weekly update for the 2019-2020 school year. Thank you to our students who persevered through the unusual circumstances this spring, to our staff who adapted quickly and effectively to an ever-changing educational landscape, to our board of education and community members who have supported us for many years to make sure we were prepared to adapt to any situation, and, of course, to our students’ parents who worked closely with our staff for the last few months to provide some educational continuity for their children. These last few months truly demonstrated how important it is for all of us to work as a team to support our students. I am proud to say I am part of such a special place. I hope everyone has a safe, relaxing, and healthy summer. As soon as I have specific information regarding the reopening of schools, I will share it. 

A Message from the CT State Department of Education

All Connecticut school districts received the following message on Friday:  

We appreciate the sense of urgency around planning for school next year and understand the challenge it has been to wait for Fall Reopen guidance. We are at the point in the process where the draft is receiving input from our health partners and the Office of the Governor. We are looking to have it shared as soon as possible, likely next week. Thank you for your patience.

School Access During the Summer

All school offices will reopen to the public on July 1, 2020. If you need to come in to conduct business on or after that date, we ask that you please wear a mask and follow all social distancing guidelines to ensure the health and safety of our staff.  Please contact the school for specific hours of operation during the summer.

Return of Materials

Each school has completed their plan for the return of materials and equipment loaned to students. Unfortunately, some materials were not returned as planned. Please make sure to return everything to avoid fees and possible participation restrictions in future years. Contact your child’s principal if you have any questions about the school’s process for returning these items. 

Food Distribution

The federal grant supporting our food distribution will expire on June 30, 2020. Therefore, food distribution at LOLHS will end on that date. We are still awaiting a list of regional locations from the CSDE where food distribution will continue over the summer and will post that to our website upon receipt.

For the remainder of June, food distribution will continue on the regular schedule of Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:30- 9:30 a.m. in front of LOLHS.

Social Media

Please share your fun summer photos and videos by sending them to socialmedia1@region18.org for publication on our various social media sites.

Happy Father’s Day,

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Parents / Guardians,

We had a great day on June 12 celebrating each of our LOLHS graduates. The weather cooperated and families had the opportunity to enjoy a special moment while their child was honored on stage. The energy and enthusiasm of all involved was reflective of how much we will miss these young men and women and look forward to hearing of their future success.  Thank you to all of the parents and staff members who helped make this such a special day. Hopefully, you were able to view this event through our live stream link. Once we complete the video of the ceremony, which will include speeches and music, we will post it on our website for all to view.  

A Message from our Health Department Regarding Facility Use

Community transmission of COVID-19 is currently minimal across Ledge Light Health District. Our current understanding of transmission of COVID-19 is that outdoor activities are safer than indoor activities, and children are generally at lower risk for severe COVID-19 disease. 

As of June 17, Ledge Light Health District is no longer recommending that playgrounds be closed to the public. Though the risk of transmission of the virus is not zero in any setting where people may come into close contact with one another, the relatively low risk right now must be balanced against the need for youth in our communities to engage in both physical and social activities for their health and well being. Parents and caregivers must continue to use good judgement in determining whether to allow their children to engage in activities where there is potential for close contact to occur. Though transmission of COVID-19 from contaminated surfaces is less likely than from close contact with an infected person, frequently touched objects like playground equipment can result in transmission of COVID-19.

Therefore, we are reopening our playgrounds and tennis courts to the public on June 17 with the following stipulations from our health department. Please remember that our tracks at LOLHS and Lyme School remain open for use with the expectation that all users adhere to social distancing guidelines.  

• Maintain a 6-foot distance from others as much as possible. Playground capacity limits will be posted based on square footage of the play area so that children can safely maintain a 6-foot distance between other children. 
• Wear masks when 6-foot distance cannot be maintained, unless wearing the mask would create a health hazard to the wearer. 
• Do not use the playgrounds or tennis courts if you are sick, or in the past 10 days have tested positive for COVID-19 or were told by a health care provider that you have COVID-19, or have been living with someone who has been sick with COVID-19 in the past two weeks.
• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after using the playgrounds or tennis courts or use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Users of playground equipment should be aware that the equipment is not cleaned or disinfected regularly and that use of the equipment is at their own risk. 

Next School Year

While no one knows exactly what the reopening of school will look like, we have convened two committees to address this topic and create plans for a safe reopening. One is focused on the curricular aspect of reopening and the other on operational management. Those committees will work with CDC guidelines, CSDE guidelines, and lessons learned from international schools that have already reopened to determine the safest method for the return of our students and staff in August. As more specifics become available, we will share them with you.

Return of Materials

Each school has developed a plan for the return of materials and equipment loaned to students. Please make sure to return everything to avoid fees and possible participation restrictions in future years. Contact your child’s principal if you have any questions about the school’s process for returning these items. 

Food Distribution

The federal grant supporting our food distribution will expire on June 30, 2020. Therefore, food distribution at LOLHS will end on that date. We are still awaiting a list of regional locations from the CSDE where food distribution will continue over the summer and will provide that upon receipt.

For the remainder of June, food distribution will continue on the regular schedule of Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:30- 9:30 a.m. in front of LOLHS.

Technology

Our technology staff is available to support parents, students, and teachers during this time. Their contact information can be found here.  

Social Media

Please continue to share distance learning photos and videos by sending them to socialmedia1@region18.org for publication on our various social media sites.

Sincerely,

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Parents / Guardians,

This has been an emotional week for our entire nation as we struggle to ensure equality for all of our citizens, especially those that have historically been marginalized. It's vitally important that we as educators do everything in our power to teach our students that discrimination and harassment of any type are not acceptable in our schools or our society. This is vitally important in places like our community where there is little racial diversity within our population. People often fear what they don’t know. Through education, we can change the future. I have included a document from the CSDE that provides a number of good resources for families to use to make sure our upcoming generations better understand and address these long-standing issues. That document can be found here.

Mask Distribution

LYSB has organized a mask distribution event sponsored by the Old Lyme Visiting Nurse Association with support from the Ledge Light Health District and the Lyme and Old Lyme Emergency Management Departments. If you are in need of a mask, please click here for more information.

Graduation

We are excited to honor our seniors and look forward to the special graduation ceremony we have planned for June 12. A video of this event will be available on our website a few days after the ceremony. For those who would like to help celebrate this special group from home, we are exploring the possibility of providing a live stream of the ceremony on that day. Should this come to fruition, details on how to access this will be posted to our website.

Return of Materials

Each school has developed a plan for the return of materials and equipment loaned to students. Please make sure to return everything to avoid fees and possible participation restrictions in future years. Contact your child’s principal if you have any questions about the school’s process for returning these items. 

Food Distribution

The federal grant supporting our food distribution will expire on June 30, 2020. Therefore, food distribution at LOLHS will end on that date. We are compiling a list of regional locations that food distribution will continue over the summer and will provide that in future communications.

Although we normally distribute meals on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the week of graduation, June 8-12, 2020, we will instead hold our meal distribution on Monday, June 8, 2020 (meals distributed will cover Monday and Tuesday), Wednesday, June 10, 2020 (meals distributed will cover Wednesday) and Thursday, June 11, 2020 (meals distributed will cover Thursday and Friday). 

Technology

Our technology staff is available to support parents, students, and teachers during this time. Their contact information can be found here.  

Social Media

Please continue to share distance learning photos and videos by sending them to socialmedia1@region18.org for publication on our various social media sites.

Sincerely,

Mr. Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Parent/ Guardian,

It is hard to believe June is upon us. Yet, we are at that point where we traditionally participate in end of the school year activities. This year will obviously be different. Your child’s principal will share with you information on those activities that we are still able to host either virtually or with limited concurrent participation. Continue to check your email for that information.

Return of Materials

Each school has developed a plan for the return of materials and equipment loaned to students. Please make sure to return everything to avoid fees and possible participation restrictions in future years. Contact your child’s principal if you have any questions about the school’s process for returning items. 

Graduation

All senior parents and students received instructions from Mr. Wygonik regarding the “drive thru” graduation ceremony we have planned. We are excited to honor our seniors and look forward to this special day on June 12. A video of this event will be available on our website a few days after the ceremony.  

Food Distribution

The federal grant supporting our food distribution program will expire on June 30, 2020. Therefore, food distribution at LOLHS will end on that date. We are compiling a list of regional locations that food distribution will continue over the summer and will provide that in future communications.

Although we normally distribute meals on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the week of graduation (June 8-12, 2020), we will instead hold our meal distribution on Monday, June 8, 2020 (meals distributed will cover Monday and Tuesday), Wednesday, June 10, 2020 (meals distributed will cover Wednesday) and Thursday, June 11, 2020 (meals distributed will cover Thursday and Friday). 

A Message from the CIAC

As Governor Lamont’s Reopen CT committee plans for our state’s next phase, sports are scheduled to return. The time is right, and CT sports will indeed play again. In the coming weeks, the CIAC will release our “CAS-CIAC Resocialization to Interscholastic Athletics and Activities Programs Guidelines.”  

Technology

Our technology staff is available to support parents, students, and teachers. Their contact information can be found here. 

Social Media

Please continue to share distance learning photos and videos by sending them to socialmedia1@region18.org for publication on our various social media sites.

Stay well,

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Parents / Guardians,

As we enter this Memorial Day weekend, I hope you will join us in honoring those brave men and women who died while serving our country. Although the current restrictions prevent us from providing in school recognition of their sacrifices, we hope that you as a family will honor all that they have done to ensure the freedoms we have today.

Surveys

Thank you for completing the surveys sent out last week. Your responses will help guide us for the remaining four weeks of school and provide information to help develop plans for opening again in August. 

Graduation

Thank you to the over 75 parents who participated in our Zoom call regarding graduation. We have a tentative plan of doing a “drive-thru” ceremony, details of which will be available the first week in June. As a community, I believe we have developed a concept that will provide our seniors with the recognition they deserve working within the confines of our current circumstances.

Food Distribution

Looking ahead to next week, remember that Memorial Day is Monday, May 25, 2020. Although we normally distribute meals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, next week we will instead hold our meal distribution on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 (meals distributed will cover Tuesday and Wednesday) and Thursday, May 28, 2020 (meals distributed will cover Thursday and Friday). 

K-5 Grading and Report Cards

Similar to our upper grades, assessments during distance learning have been formative in nature to inform teacher planning and feedback. Elementary school report cards are standards-based. Recognizing assessment of mastery during distance learning has challenges, our reports to parents (and to help inform next year’s teachers) will focus on concepts introduced during this time. Report cards will use the following terms relative to academic sections of the report.

• Reinforced = Concept was introduced prior to March 13, 2020 and reinforced through distance learning 
• Introduced = Concept was introduced through distance learning 
• Not introduced = Concept was not introduced through distance learning 

Report cards will not include the behavior/work habits section for the third-trimester as these require consistent and direct classroom observation. End of year comments from classroom teachers will primarily focus on student progress from the beginning of school through March 13, 2020. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the start of school next fall, and our diligence around classroom placement, teacher/class assignments will not be shared with families until August. 

A Message from the CSDE

The RESC Alliance, acting on behalf of the Commissioner of Education and the State Board of Education, is conducting an outreach to Connecticut middle and high school aged students so their voices can be heard as educators plan for the re-opening of school in the fall of 2020. To collect that information, the Alliance and the CSDE will once again be using Thoughtexchange. While the focus of the exchange is for students from grades 5-12, if there are students younger than that who also want to participate (please use discretion here, parents should not be filling it out for their children), they can do so by selecting “Other” in the participant group category.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Connecticut Student,

We know that current events related to Covid-19 have caused major disruption in the lives of students. The sudden move to distance learning has been a challenge for all of us. As this school year comes to an end, we would like to hear ideas from students like you on how to improve distance learning should we need it again for some part of next school year. The feedback gathered here will be shared with the Commissioner of Education, the State Board of Education, and other leaders across the state as they consider decisions on reopening.

Thoughtexchange keeps confidential who shared each thought and who assigned what ratings. You can rate as many thoughts as you'd like before moving on to discover where you can see all the thoughts sorted by the average star rating.  The entire process is described in the introduction. Thank you for participating in this important conversation.

Notes about this process: 

1.     It could take you as little as 5-10 minutes to participate.

2.     You can complete questions at your own pace and come back to review your answers at any time.

3.     There are three ways you can access the Thoughtexchange.

• Please click HERE https://my.thoughtexchange.com/542224813  to participate.
• Go to www.thoughtexchange.com and click on the “Join” button and enter the code  542-224-813.
• Download the Thoughtexchange app (IOS only), click on the “Join” button and enter the code 542-224-813

Technology

Our technology staff is available to support parents, students and teachers during this time. Their contact information can be found here. They will respond to emails as they are received. If you are not getting responses in a timely fashion, please contact your child’s principal.

Social Media

Please continue to share distance learning photos and videos by sending them to socialmedia1@region18.org for publication on our various social media sites.

Stay well,

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Parents / Guardians,

In an effort to best meet the learning needs of our students during this unusual period, we are again asking for your input specific to the current distance learning program. Please see below for more information.

Surveys
As a follow-up to our early April surveys, we request that all students in grades 4-12 and all parents with students in grades PK-12, complete new surveys which can be found at the following links. Your updated feedback will be used to continue to improve upon our process. Please complete these by Wednesday, May 20, 2020 before 5:00 p.m.

Parent Survey (Parents with children in multiple grade levels are only required to complete one survey.)

Student Survey (can only be accessed using a region18.org account)

Graduation
By now, all senior parents and all seniors should have received another invitation for a virtual meeting from Mr. Wygonik to discuss graduation plans. If you have not yet received those invitations, please contact him at wygonikj@region18.org or at 619-607-3082. At those meetings, we will discuss potential options for graduation this year based on recently published guidelines from the CSDE which can be found here.

Food Distribution
Looking ahead to the end of this month, please be aware that Memorial Day is Monday, May 25, 2020. Although we normally distribute meals on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, that week we will instead hold our meal distribution on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 (meals distributed will cover Tuesday and Wednesday) and Thursday, May 28, 2020 (meals distributed will cover Thursday and Friday). 

Technology
Our technology staff is available to support parents, students and teachers during this time. Their contact information can be found here. They will respond to emails as they are received. If you are not getting responses in a timely fashion, please contact your child’s principal.

Social Media
Please continue to share distance learning photos and videos by sending them to socialmedia1@region18.org for publication on our various social media sites. 

Stay well,

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Parents / Guardians

Despite the winter-like weather, I hope everyone is enjoying this weekend. I have included some new information below for your review. Please let us know if you have any questions.

To all of the mothers reading this, Happy Mother's Day! We wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for you. Thank you. I hope you enjoy your day tomorrow.

Educator Appreciation Week
As we end Educator Appreciation Week, please join me in thanking all of our employees for everything that they do to support our students. We are so proud of their dedication, effort, flexibility, care, and willingness to go above and beyond both during this crisis and long before. If you haven’t done so already, they would certainly appreciate a note of thanks in recognition of their work. Our staff directory can be found here.

Schedule
By now you have heard that Governor Lamont has closed schools for the remainder of this academic year. As we receive more guidance from the state and our local health department, we will let you know about possible summer school options as well as a vision for what reopening school will look like in the fall.

Budget
On Wednesday night the Board of Education unanimously passed a $34,711,631 budget for next year. This budget is a decrease of $373,127 from the current year’s budget and represents a decrease of 1.06%. This is the only time in our 47 year history that we have had a decrease in our budget of this size.

Awards
Annually, we recognize two outstanding employees, one from the teaching staff and one from the support staff. Despite the closure, this year will be no different. If you would like to nominate an employee for either the Teacher of the Year or the Employee of the Year, the link to the forms can be found here:
https://www.region18.org/staff.

Food Distribution
Looking ahead to the end of this month, please be aware that Memorial Day is Monday, May 25, 2020. Although we normally distribute meals on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, for that week only we will hold our meal distribution on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 (meals distributed will cover Tuesday and Wednesday) and Thursday, May 28, 2020 (meals distributed will cover Thursday and Friday).

A message from the CIAC regarding spring sports
“The CIAC’s consideration for any spring sport experience has always been contingent on the re-opening of schools for in-person instruction. Governor Lamont has ordered the cancellation of in-school classes for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. Therefore, there will not be a 2020 CIAC spring sports season. The CIAC empathizes with our school communities and the experiences lost due to COVID-19. Our focus is now on completing guidelines for summer contact and resocialization of CIAC sports in the fall.”

Technology
Our technology staff is available to support parents, students, and teachers during this time. Their contact information can be found at https://www.region18.org/staff/it-help-desk. They will respond to emails as they are received. If you are not getting responses in a timely fashion, please contact your child’s principal.

Stay well,

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Parents/Guardians,

I hope this finds you and your family healthy and enjoying this beautiful spring weather. I have included below some new information that may be of use to you.

Internet Safety

With so much time online these days, it is important to ensure our students are safe. Scott Driscoll, from Internet Safety Concepts, is offering a free Zoom presentation for parents to help protect your child during this pandemic. Scott has presented to our students and parents before and has very helpful tips to share. Information on his presentation can be found at this link: COVID Parent Awareness May 4th_.pdf 

Reopening Input

LEARN, our Regional Education Service Center, has asked that I share the following with you.

The CT Commissioner of Education has enlisted the help of the six Regional Education Service Centers (RESC’s) to form teams of education stakeholders for the purpose of gathering, analyzing, and sharing issues, concerns, and ideas related to the process of reopening schools. An online tool will be used to gather feedback efficiently and to reflect all the different regions and constituent groups across the state. The tool, "ThoughtExchange," is entirely confidential and anonymous to use. Your participation and feedback are essential to the process and necessary for our state leaders to consider as they make decisions about reopening our schools. Please use the link below to share your thoughts and help evaluate the critical issues related to this topic.  
https://my.thoughtexchange.com/493894984

Electricity Usage

Have you seen a spike in your home’s electricity bill since stay at home orders began?  Eversource has helpful information that may allow you to save some money on electricity. Please click on this link for more information:
https://www.eversource.com/content/ema-c/residential/save-money-energy/energy-efficiency-tips/seasonal-energy-saving-tips

A Message from the Department of Children and Families (DCF)

DCF is asking for your help spreading the word about the state’s new “Talk It Out Line,” which is a DCF initiative created to provide support and services to help parents and caretakers with the stress and increased needs resulting from caring for their children during the COVID-19 crisis. Parents and caregivers are invited to call 833-258-5011 and/or visit www.talkitoutct.com to speak with trained professionals (in both English and Spanish) who will listen and discuss their concerns and, if additional help is needed, refer them to responsive services. The "Talk It Out Line" is available Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on weekends from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

Masks

The response to our request for mask donations has been tremendous. Thank you for supporting that need. We currently have enough masks and will let you know if and when we might need more.

Meals

As a reminder, meal distribution occurs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (even on the Fridays we have off from school) from 8:30-9:30 a.m. in front of LOLHS. If you are in need of meals and are unable to come by or have someone else pick up on your behalf, please contact Holly McCalla at 860-434-7238 ext. 3607 or mccallah@region18.org.  

Social Media

Please continue to share distance learning photos and videos by sending them to socialmedia1@region18.org for publication on our various social media sites. 

Graduation

By now, all senior parents (and next week all seniors) should have received another invitation for a virtual meeting from Mr. Wygonik to discuss graduation plans. If you do not receive those invitations, please contact Mr. Wygonik at wygonikj@region18.org or at 619-607-3082.

Sincerely,

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Parents/Guardians,

We are continually making adjustments to our distance learning program to ensure that we respond to parent, student, and teacher feedback, while balancing academics, family responsibilities, brain breaks, and everyone’s sanity during quarantine. Our program is based on engaging students in their studies, exposing them to new concepts and skills, checking for understanding to inform instruction, and providing feedback for learning. As such, we are making the following adaptations noted below.

Grades 6-12

Effective immediately in grades 6-12, we are adjusting our grading practices to align with the aforementioned distance learning goals. For the remainder of the year, students will be provided the option of receiving their grade in a course (which will be the default option unless a student/parent requests a change through their counselor) or electing a Pass/Fail model for the fourth marking period. The emphasis with both of these methods of evaluation will be on engagement and feedback for learning. All grading will be formative in nature to help identify for students and teachers areas of mastery and areas in need of improvement.  

Prior to adoption of this plan, we received guidance from the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), spoke to colleges and universities across the country, and spoke to other secondary institutions to ensure our students would be on equal or better footing in preparation for their college admissions no matter their year in school. Some samples of the many responses/positions of colleges and universities we surveyed to determine the appropriateness of this decision can be found here.  

In an effort to balance the high expectations of our district, the validity of grading practices, and the current distance learning model, this plan addresses the following: 

·       Equity of access to distance learning
·       Validity of submitted work
·       Student learning styles/teacher delivery models in a virtual environment
·       Alignment with college/university expectations for future applications for admission

The specifics of each school's grading practices based on this change can be found in the attachments below.

High School.pdf 
Middle School.pdf 

Grades K-5

Elementary school report cards are standards based and not grade based. We will provide information about any change in practice at the K-5 level as we move forward in this process. 

K- 5 Supports

Starting on Friday, May 1, 2020, Fridays that are regularly scheduled school days will be dedicated to focused support for students in grades K-5.  These will still be full school days but the emphasis will be on:

·       Providing students extra time or extra help to get caught up on work
·       Allowing teachers time to provide feedback for learning to students
·       Providing small group instruction/tutorials
·       Providing families more flexibility in managing household/work responsibilities  

Project Paws 

Our therapy animal partners, Project Paws, were kind enough to put together a slideshow of our staff working at home with their furry friends. That video can be found here. 

Masks

The limited number of employees who remain at work on our campuses are required to wear masks while at work. If you are interested in donating cloth face covering type masks to support this requirement, or sewing prepackaged mask kits, please contact Ron Turner at turnerr@region18.org or 860-434-7238 x3605. Donated masks should not be N-95 type masks as those should be donated to health care workers. We are only looking for cloth face covering type masks.

Meals

Meal distribution occurs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (even on the Fridays we have off from school) from 8:30- 9:30 a.m. in front of LOLHS. If you are in need of meals and are unable to come by or have someone else pick up on your behalf, please contact Holly McCalla at 860-434-7238 ext. 3607 or mccallah@region18.org.  

Social Media

Please continue to share distance learning photos and videos by sending them to socialmedia1@region18.org for publication on our various social media sites. 

Graduation

We are moving forward with conceptual plans for alternative graduation options based on the feedback received from seniors and their parents. If you have further input, please contact Mr. Wygonik at wygonikj@region18.org or at 619-607-3082.

Sincerely,

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Parents/Guardians,

This week I am writing mainly with reminders as there is little “new” information to report. Please continue to stay well and let us know if there is anything we can do to help support your student during this time.

Technology

For those students who have Windows laptops (LOLHS is the only school that issues those devices), we have seen some minor issues that have easily corrected themselves through a simple update. Please click here for directions for this resolution.

Meals

Meal distribution occurs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (even on the Fridays we have off from school) from 8:30- 9:30 a.m. in front of LOLHS. If you are in need of meals and are unable to come by or have someone else pick up on your behalf, please contact Holly McCalla at 860-434-7238 ext. 3607 or mccallah@region18.org.  

Calendar

Governor Lamont has closed schools until May 20, 2020 with the possibility of extending that further based on the status of the pandemic at that time. You can view our adjusted calendar here.

Grading

As promised last week, we anticipate providing you with our plan for grading during virtual learning by the end of this coming week.

Social Media

Please continue to share distance learning photos and videos by sending them to socialmedia1@region18.org for publication on our various social media sites. 

Graduation

We are moving forward with conceptual plans for alternative graduation options based on the feedback received during the virtual meetings with seniors and their parents earlier this week. More detail will be provided as we get closer to June 12, 2020. If you have further input, please contact Mr. Wygonik at wygonikj@region18.org or at 619-607-3082.

Enjoy the remainder of the weekend and stay well.

Sincerely,

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

Parents/Guardians,

I hope you are enjoying your weekend. Thank you for completing our first distance learning survey and providing additional feedback during our “check in” phone calls to families. We are evaluating the data from the survey and using that to help guide our progression of online instruction. More specific information will come from your child’s principal as we further develop plans to address needs moving forward.

Meals

As a reminder, meal distribution will return to the regular schedule this coming week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30-9:30 a.m. in front of LOLHS). If you are in need of meals and are unable to come by or have someone else pick up on your behalf, please contact Holly McCalla at 860-434-7238 ext. 3607 or mccallah@region18.org. As the economic crisis grows resulting from this pandemic, we recognize that more families may be in need of support for meals. Therefore, you are encouraged to stop by to pick up meals for your children.  

Calendar

As you may have heard, Governor Lamont has now closed schools until May 20, 2020 with the possibility of extending that further based on the status of the pandemic at that time. As such, we will continue to expand our virtual learning experiences while delving into new areas of learning for your student.

Grading

We have received some guidance from the Connecticut State Department of Education and colleges throughout the country on grading practices during this time of online instruction. As we evaluate this guidance, we will provide you with detailed information on how we will assess your child moving forward. Please keep an eye out for that in the next week or two.

Social Media

We are all enjoying your fun distance learning photos and videos. Please continue to share those by sending them to socialmedia1@region18.org for publication on our various social media sites. If you have not done so already, don't forget to follow us on social media using the links at the end of this email.

Graduation

Parents and guardians of our high school seniors (the class of 2020) are invited to join me and the high school administration to discuss alternative graduation ideas should we need to cancel our traditional graduation ceremony planned for June. If you have not yet received the Zoom invitation for this meeting from Mr. Wygonik, please contact him at wygonikj@region18.org or at 619-607-3082.

Enjoy the remainder of the weekend and stay well.

Thank you,

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools

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COVID-19 Five Questions and Answers on the Virus by Ledge Light Health District

Dear Parent / Guardian, 

During this pandemic, we are limiting our district wide communications to one per week only on Saturdays. This is in an effort to avoid overwhelming you with too many emails. Please review the information below and let us know if you have any questions.

Surveys

As we conclude the second week of our distance learning program, we are looking for your feedback. This feedback will be used to improve upon our process. We are asking that students in grades 4-12 and all parents complete surveys which can be found at the following links. Please complete these by Monday, April 6, 2020 before 5:00 p.m. as we would like to start making any necessary adjustments based on the data we receive.

Parent Survey PK-12 ​​​​​​​

(If link is disabled, copy and paste this address in to your web browser:
https://forms.gle/QXd9DoJTBphErTkt9)

Student Survey Grades 4-12 only

​​​​​​​(If link is disabled, copy and paste this address in to your web browser:
https://forms.gle/1PjyZopgpkKcVsXP6)

Students should only complete the student survey and parents should only complete the parent survey. Parents with children in multiple grade levels are only required to complete one survey.

Food Distribution

For the week of April 6, 2020, food distribution will take place on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday as opposed to Monday, Wednesday and Friday as Friday, April 10, 2020, is a school holiday. The times and location will remain the same. This will only be for the week of April 6, 2020, and we will return to our regular schedule for future weeks.

Phone Calls

By now, you should have received, or soon will receive, a “check in” phone call from one of our staff members. We want to be sure that our students and their families are adjusting to this new method of instruction and appreciate the feedback you have provided during these calls. Please note that some of these calls may be coming from blocked numbers to protect our staff’s privacy.

I hope everybody remains well.

Sincerely,

Ian Neviaser
Superintendent of Schools
 

 

March 28, 2020 - Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

March 23, 2020 - Changes to Meal Distribution, Contacting Staff)

March 21, 2020 - Thanks, Meals, Staff Working Remotely

March 19, 2020 - Distance Learning Parent Letter

Distance Learning.....more information on this program

Mobile Device Distribution Schedule

Parent Survey - Distance Learning and Meal Opportunities