November 6, 2020 LPS Weekly Family Update

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LPS Families,

The risk of COVID-19 spread in the city of Lincoln is at a severe level. Today, the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department announced the COVID-19 risk dial has moved to Red. This is very concerning for us at Lincoln Public Schools, and we continue to meet with the health department to collaborate on our next steps.

Under Red, the LLCHD says: “At this level, residents should take actions to minimize contact with others wherever possible and limit activities outside the home unless for work, school, medical care or food. Residents should wear face masks, ensure 6 feet of distance from others, avoid all gatherings with anyone outside of your own home, and only visit businesses that follow public health guidance.”

While the numbers of positive cases of COVID-19 within LPS continues to mirror our community and climb, it is at a much slower rate than that in Lincoln-Lancaster County. We and the health department believe this is because students and staff are following the proven safety measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19.  In addition, we have worked collaboratively each week with the health department to adjust our protocols as the school year progresses.

LLCHD and LPS agree the best place for students is in school. We have developed options for families to choose what works best for their families within the safety recommendations from the health department. At this time we are offering the following:

  • LPS will continue offering in-person classes and services to students and families. We will reinforce our safety protocols and practices in schools with students and staff.
  • We are opening the Remote Learning Request Form on the website while we are in Red. Families can choose – now or any time – to move to 100% Remote Learning for their child. After filling out the form, the school will call to confirm your request. Please allow two school days for staff to prepare and get your child the materials they will need to begin remote learning. The school will communicate with you when remote learning will begin for your child. Families, weigh this option carefully as continuously moving back and forth between in-person and remote learning creates a major disruption in your child’s learning experience.
  • LPS will work with LLCHD to monitor COVID-19 cases in school buildings and make decisions at the building level on any extra measures that need to be implemented. This could include moving a classroom or school to 100% remote for a period of time to address concerns. We will communicate any changes with families as soon as possible.

We understand that anxiety is high. During a pandemic, changes can happen quickly without much notice, and this can be overwhelming. We will do our best to work through this together as a community to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and continue supporting our students and their families.

Below is our weekly family update with important information and reminders.

Student calendar November 9-13

As a reminder, here is this week’s calendar:

Monday, Nov. 9

  • Classes in session for all students.
  • High School Group A is in person, Group B is remote.

Tuesday, Nov. 10

  • K-8: early dismissal (80 minutes early)
  • PreK: AM classes in session only.  Full day classes attend on a shortened schedule. PM classes not in session.
  • High School: Group A is in person, Group B is remote.

Wednesday, Nov. 11

  • Classes in session for all students.
  • High School Group B is in person, Group A is remote. (Early dismissal)

Thursday, Nov. 12

  • Classes in session for all students.
  • High School Group B is in person, Group A is remote.

Friday, Nov. 13

  • Classes in session for all students.
  • High School Group B is in person, Group A is remote.

Changes to the student calendar

The Lincoln Board of Education also approved additional early release and no school days for students during the school year to allow for more plan time for teachers. Click here for an updated printable K-12 student calendar. Changes to the year calendar are highlighted in yellow below:

November
2–3: Schools not in session (PreK–12 and Early Childhood)
10: K–8 early dismissal*
24: K–8 early dismissal, No PreK classes
25–27: Schools not in session (PreK–12 and Early Childhood)
30: No school for elementary students (PreK–5, and Early Childhood)

December
11: No school for elementary students (PreK–5, and Early Childhood)
15: K–8 early dismissal, No PreK classes
22: Last day of 2nd quarter
23: First day of LPS winter break

January
4: Last day of winter break
5: First day of 3rd quarter
12: K–8 early dismissal*
18: Schools not in session (PreK–12 and Early Childhood)
26: K–8 early dismissal, No PreK classes

February
9: K–8 early dismissal*
15: Schools not in session (PreK–12 and Early Childhood)
23: K–8 early dismissal, No PreK classes

March
5: Last day of 3rd quarter
8-12: Schools not in session (PreK–12)
15: First day of 4th quarter
16: K–8 early dismissal*
30: K–8 early dismissal, No PreK classes

April
1: No school for high school students (9–12)
2: Schools not in session (PreK–12 and Early Childhood)
5: No school for elementary students (PreK–5 and Early Childhood)
13: K–8 early dismissal*
27: K–8 early dismissal, No PreK classes

May
20: Last day of class for students

*Early Childhood and preschool have a different schedule for the new early release days. Please see those calendars here:  Early Childhood Preschool Calendar and Early Childhood Full Day Preschool Calendar

Remote Learning Request Form

We are opening the Remote Learning Request Form on the website while we are in Red. Families can choose – now or any time – to move to 100% Remote Learning for their child. After filling out the form, the school will call to confirm your request. Please allow two school days for staff to prepare and get your child the materials they will need to begin remote learning. The school will communicate with you when remote learning will begin for your child. Families, weigh this option carefully as continuously moving back and forth between in-person and remote learning creates a major disruption in your child’s learning experience.

To access the request form:

Student safety

Students may have strong feelings and opinions about the election and express those at school or on their personal social media. It is important that those expressions do not interfere with or disrupt the learning of other students. Regardless of the outcome of the election it is important that:

  1. Students are respected for their appropriately expressed political beliefs,
  2. Students respect the political rights and expression of other students, and
  3. Students respect the right of those who want to be free of political conversations while at school.

This week we have seen an increase in students reporting the use of threatening language towards those who hold positions or beliefs that differ from their own. We take all threats of violence seriously. Any report will be turned over to the LPS Security and Threat Assessment team and fully investigated, even those meant as a joke. In some cases, the Lincoln police may become involved to further investigate and help ensure a successful outcome for all students.

Families, we need your help. Please have a conversation with your child about what is appropriate and what is not appropriate to talk about or post on social media in regards to violence.

We appreciate the students who come forward to report anything that makes them feel unsafe. School safety takes a community. If you or your student have a safety concern, please contact our school, or report it through the green “Safe to Say” button on our website or on students’ Chromebooks.

Identifying high-risk close contacts

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department have recently updated the factors involved when identifying high-risk close contacts. A high-risk close contact is identified as anyone within six feet or less of a positive individual for a cumulative 15 minutes within a 24-hour period, and one or both of the individuals are not wearing a face covering during the interaction.

Check out this information from the Nebraska Department of Education to learn more about identifying high-risk close contacts and the difference between quarantine and isolation while wearing face coverings.

District-wide picture retake day

Due to many requests, LPS and Lifetouch have decided to conduct a district-wide picture retake day later this year. This retake day will only be for the students who missed all opportunities to get a picture taken at their school. We are still in the process of putting together the event and will communicate with all families, once we have more information.

Free breakfast and lunch for all LPS students

Due to the pandemic, the USDA is federally funding breakfast and lunch for all students while the federal funding lasts. All LPS students in preschool – 12 grade and the Independence Academy will be offered breakfast and lunch at no charge. LPS will communicate when the program is coming to an end for families to plan around breakfast and lunch purchases.

Just a reminder, families must continue to fill out applications for free or reduced priced meals for the 2020-2021 school year.  You can access a meal application at https://home.lps.org/ns/free-reduced/.

Breakfast and Lunch for remote learners will also be at no charge.

REMINDER: Meals Distribution for 100% Remote Learners

LPS is offering all PreK-12 grade 100% remote learners meals for the week to be picked up on Mondays from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at three locations.

Next week’s meal distribution for 100% remote learners will be on Monday, November 9.

Go to our website for more information.

Updated December 7, 2020