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Lawrence County Schools Back to school plan 21-22 with arp esser Addendum 2021

As Lawrence County Schools begin the 2021-2022 school year, the following guidance is offered based on recommendations from the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC).

Stakeholders,

Please know we would love to have a normal school year. We are committed to having in-person instruction as much as possible. However, safety is our utmost concern. We realize we cannot anticipate every challenge our school system will face in the coming year, but we are working closely with health system employees, state officials, school leaders, industry specialists, community members, and other stakeholders to be prepared. Our school system is taking extra safety/hygiene measures to help provide a safe learning environment. With our combined effort, we will have an awesome school year. Our Back to School Guidance has been created as a plan that ensures safety is our number one priority. We thank you for your continued support, and together we will make this a successful school year! I truly appreciate all you did last year, and I am very hopeful this year will help us return to a pre-COVID world.

Jon Bret Smith

Disclaimer

The information provided in this document does not and is not intended to constitute legal advice. Instead, information is for general purposes only and does not constitute the most current legal regulations. All liability with respect to action taken or not taken based on the contents of this document are hereby disclaimed. The content in this document is provided “as is”. No representations are made that the content is error-free. The document is not an exhaustive list of every action that Lawrence County Schools will need to return to school or to remain at school. We will follow the guidance of the Alabama Department of Education and the Alabama Department of Public Health and hope to be able to meet the needs of our community and be responsive to those needs.

Academics

Lawrence County Schools will strive to provide as much in-person learning as possible for the 2021-2022 school year.

We will continue to implement the following best practices, as needed:

  • Extra bus routes to create smaller group sizes
  • Extra sanitizing machines for schools
  • Extra custodial staff at campuses
  • Designated entrances and exits with traffic flowing in one direction
  • Breakfast and lunch occasionally served in the classroom
  • Frequent hand-washing and respiratory etiquette
  • Social distancing in schools
  • Dismissing in small groups/phases
  • One-way hallways

Formative and State Required Assessments- All students will participate in all state-required and formative assessments. (example- virtual K-3 students will participate in literacy assessments)

Field Trips- Lawrence County Schools recognizes the educational and cultural values of field trips. Only in-county field trips or field trips to partnering organizations will be allowed.

*This does not impact athletic or extra curricular events such as scholar’s bowl, robotics teams, career tech competitions, etc.

Code of Conduct- The Lawrence County Board of Education’s Code of Conduct is in effect, which includes attendance policies and procedures.

Devices- Students will be assigned devices. Plans are in place to continue learning virtually, if needed.

Preparation for Remote Learning- In the event of extended school closure Lawrence County Schools will implement Remote Learning Framework. This document will serve as a guide.

Health and Wellness

COVID-19 Guidelines

  • Parents must be available to contact/pick-up their child if illness develops during school. Parents should communicate with the School Nurse before their child can return to school.
  • Continued social distancing in the schools will be beneficial to mitigate the further spread of COVID. Seating charts will be implemented in the classroom, lunchroom, and on school buses.

Masks and Face Coverings

  • On August 27, 2021, masks/facial coverings will be required for everyone inside Lawrence County School facilities until September 17, 2021. At the end of this period, the LCBOE will re-evaluate COVID cases and make a decision to continue or discontinue this requirement.
  • Individuals identified as a close contact will not have to be sent home if they have consistently worn a mask and if the individual was more than three feet away from the person who has been diagnosed with COVID.

Positive COVID Cases

  • COVID Test results must be laboratory confirmed from a healthcare provider/testing site. Home COVID Tests that can be bought at a store will not be accepted for student documentation.
  • Positive COVID-19 cases will be reported to ADPH.
  • Individuals who test positive or are diagnosed with COVID will be sent home for 10 days.
  • Subject to the following exclusions, school officials will notify individuals who are close contacts to a diagnosed COVID case as soon as possible and send them home for 10 days. However, close contacts who are not exhibiting visible signs may remain at school:

a. If the individual is fully vaccinated, unless the individual becomes symptomatic.

b. If the individual has tested positive for COVID and recovered in the previous 3 months.

c. If the individual was wearing a mask when the exposure occurred, and if the individual was more than three feet away from the person who has been diagnosed with COVID.

Wellness Screening/Self-Monitoring at Home

  • Vaccinations are encouraged for employees and students over the age of 12 per the ADPH. Vaccinated individuals identified as a close contact will not be sent home so long as the individual remains asymptomatic. Lawrence County Schools respects your personal decision regarding vaccines.
  • Parents, students, and employees are all an integral component of wellness screenings. It is imperative that everyone takes responsibility for their own preventive health measures and that all work together to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
  • Students and employees who have symptoms of infectious illness, such as flu or COVID, should stay home and contact their healthcare provider for testing and care.
  • Students/parents should contact their School Nurse to report student symptoms and positive COVID test results. A copy of the results should be sent to the School Nurse.

Students at High Risk

  • It is the responsibility of the parent to contact the student’s healthcare provider for guidance in deciding the academic path that is best for the health of the student. Parents should communicate all student healthcare needs to their School Nurse.

Cleaning and Sanitation

  • Cleaning and Disinfecting will be implemented on a schedule and as needed.
  • Handwashing and Hand Sanitizer stations will be made available. Cover Your Cough/Sneezes will be encouraged.

Visitors and Guests

  • Beginning August 10, 2021, only employees, contractors, vendors, and individuals from partnering organizations will be permitted on Lawrence County School Campuses unless they are checking in/out a student.

Water Fountains

  • Water Fountains will be turned off. Students can bring a personal water bottle from home. There will be no sharing of water bottles.

Restroom Use

  • Students will use the restroom closest to their classroom.

Lockers

  • Academic lockers will be used and social distancing will try to be maintained.

Transportation

  • Masking is “required” for passengers and drivers on school buses due to federal regulations.
  • All active buses will be sanitized on a scheduled routine.
  • Members of the same household must sit on the same school bus seat or together. Seating charts will be in place.
  • Routes will be assigned a target arrival time. This should minimize children having to wait on the bus before being allowed to unload.
  • When appropriate, buses will travel with windows open.

Child Nutrition Program

Traditional Students

  • All meals will be served in areas designated by principals.
  • Meal seating will vary, utilizing classrooms, lower cafeteria occupancy, or other less confined areas. This decision will be made by the principal at each site.
  • Hand sanitizer will be provided for students and staff members.
  • Breakfast in the Classroom will proceed as usual.
  • Discontinue self-serve of open-food serving lines.
  • Meal components will be in disposable containers.
  • Individually wrapped Al a Carte items will be available.
  • Special diets and food allergies will be accommodated.
  • Parents may not bring food to the school building.
  • Students who bring meals from home will need to pack items that do not require heating or reheating.

Virtual Students

  • Families will have access to Google Forms for pre-ordering curbside meals at your campus of enrollment. Meal Preorder Form
  • The student's name and lunch number will be required at pick up.

Lawrence County Signature School

Blended students meals will be delivered to the Lawrence County Signature School based on their individual schedule.

Athletic and Extracurricular Events

  • Lawrence County Schools will adhere to guidance as disseminated by governing and organizational entities (i.e. Alabama High School Athletic Association, State and National Beta Club)
  • When traveling to other locations, Lawrence County Schools will adhere to municipal and state directives.
  • All concession stands will adhere to the Alabama Department of Public Health guidance (i.e. local city/restaurant rules apply).
  • Pep rallies will only be permitted if held outside and students are socially distanced.

Please recognize and remember that COVID remains a threat outside of the school setting. According to the ADPH, vaccinations, face-coverings, social distancing, and hygiene are the best tools to combat this pandemic in all areas of our society. Lawrence County Schools may modify this guidance based on changes to the ADPH and CDC recommendations or as conditions may warrant.

American Rescue Plan ACT of 2021 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief

1. The extent to which and how the funds will be used to implement prevention and mitigation strategies that are, to the greatest extent practicable, in line with the most recent CDC guidance, in order to continuously and safely operate schools for in-person learning.

  • Train all faculty and staff in CDC guidelines and reporting
  • Hire additional nursing staff to ensure proper contact tracing and identification
  • Hire additional custodial staff to properly clean building
  • Provide visuals for students and staff with proper handwashing and respiratory etiquette
  • Coordination with State and local health officials to provide vaccinations to school communities.
  • Purchase supplies to sanitize and clean facilities

2. How the LEA will use the funds it reserves under section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act (totaling not less than 20 percent of the LEA’s total allocation of ARP ESSER funds) to address the academic impact of lost instructional time through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as summer learning or summer enrichment, extended day, comprehensive afterschool programs, or extended school year programs

  • Summer learning programs for K-8 supporting unfinished learning in Math, ELA, and STEM
  • Employ High Dosage Tutors as interventionists to identify and address learning loss
  • Purchase high quality intervention supports and materials
  • Provide high-quality PD on unfinished learning strategies

3. How the LEA will spend its remaining ARP ESSER funds consistent with section 2001(e)(2) of the ARP Act.

  • Improve facilities to reduce the risk of virus transmission and exposure to environmental health hazards. - HVAC units, windows, air quality, Career Tech facility
  • Provide high quality technology and remote learning PD for teachers
  • Purchase educational technology to support virtual learning
  • Purchase technology equipment for virtual learning
  • Staff to provide meals during long-term closures

4. How the LEA will ensure that the interventions it implements, including but not limited to the interventions under section 2001(e)(1) of the ARP Act to address the academic impact of lost instructional time, will respond to the academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of all students, and particularly those students disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including students from low-income families, students of color, English learners, children with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, children and youth in foster care, and migratory students.

  • Diagnostic and screening testing- Renainssance and Performance Series benchmark testing,
  • Mental Health Supports- Rhithm social, emotional, and mental health data
  • Additional IDEA local units
  • Family engagement liaison for all students

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