Media reports continue to update us on the spread of the novel (new) Coronavirus and respiratory disease it brings about, COVID-19. We want to provide you with an update about how this continually changing situation is impacting our school district. Here are some of the changes we have been monitoring:

Globally and nationally significant steps to slow the spread of the virus are being taken that have impacted K-12 and higher education. Italy has closed all of its schools and universities nationwide, and dozens of American colleges and universities have suspended in-person classes and made a temporary shift to distance learning. We expect to see this trend continue.

Statewide we are seeing an increase in the number of confirmed cases with most of those centered in the NY City metropolitan area. The Governor has declared a state of emergency, and a handful of school districts have temporarily closed to slow the spread of the Coronavirus in their schools and their communities.

While there are no confirmed cases within our school district or in Essex County we, along with our neighboring school districts, are making preparations in case that changes. We continue to encourage students and staff to stay home when sick, cover coughs and sneezes appropriately, avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth, to practice regular and thorough hand washing with soap and water, and make use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers.Within the schools we are continuing our regular cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces and objects like tables, door knobs, toys, desks, and computer keyboards. We are making hand sanitizer readily available throughout our facilities. We are cleaning and disinfecting the interior surfaces of our buses. We continue to monitor attendance, and to inform staff and students about safe and best practices for staying healthy.

Starting this week the NYS Department of Health and the NYS Education Department will require any school with a confirmed case to close for a minimum of 24 hours in order to provide time for investigating the physical contacts that the individual may have had within the school environment. During the 24-hour closure schools shall immediately take steps to clean and disinfect any school building(s) where the student or staff member had contact prior to testing positive for COVID-19. That time period may be extended based on direction from NYS DOH and NYSED.

Should our schools have to close our teachers are prepared to continue guiding student learning using distance education approaches, including online strategies, that we are in the process of developing.

We know that any disruption to school schedules also disrupts families, child care efforts, work schedules, and meal availability. We will do our best to provide whatever support we can to students and families as we adapt to the changing circumstances. Our mission of educating students to achieve their academic, physical and social potential is deeply important to all of us, but we cannot ensure this mission without a safe and healthy school environment. As the situation continues to change we all need to be prepared for adjustments. We ask for your support, cooperation, and flexibility as we move forward.

Thursday, March 19th: Inaugural LPHS Career Expo-HAS BEEN POSTPONED. The future date to be announced.

Wednesday, March 25th: SAT School Day

This will be offered to all juniors, free of charge. Closer to the date, juniors will sign up through the guidance office. Parents will receive information if their student(s) signed up.

The Lake Placid Central School District announces the polling hours for the budget vote will be from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on May 19, 2020. The time change from 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. is necessitated due to the Essex County voting machines not being available for the Annual School District Meeting and Election.

The Board of Education will meet to discuss the 2020-2021 budget on March 17, 2020 - 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. It is anticipated that the Board of Education will adopt the final budget on March 31, 2020 or April 20, 2020.

Members of the community are welcome to attend the meeting and/or follow along on BoardDocs http://www.boarddocs.com/ny/lpcsd/Board.nsf/Public.

Community members may submit questions they would like the Board to address during their work sessions by email to lpdistrictclerk@lpcsd.org or during the regular Board of Education meetings during the Good of the Cause. The Board of Education meetings are the first and third Tuesdays of the month beginning at 6:30 p.m.

*Adopt a Grandparent Program between the Middle/High School and Elderwood. This is a new opportunity that will be starting soon at Elderwood of Uihlein. Details about the program will be available in the upcoming weeks.

*Do you want to be a part of an awesome community summer music series? Songs at Mirror Lake need volunteers to help with many things including, set-up, load-in, handing out programs, selling raffle tickets, and more. Please call/text Jennifer at 518-524-4093 or Bill at 518-524-4328.

Please see Mrs. McConvey in the library for any upcoming opportunities. Or contact her at pmcconvey@lpcsd.org or 518-523-2474 ext. 4130

**Please note Community Service forms are now available online on the school's website. Check it out at the link below.**

The LPCSD Board of Education meets every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month in the Board Room of the District Office unless otherwise noted. Upcoming meeting dates are as follows:

March 17, 2020

March 31, 2020

April 21, 2020- BOCES Budget Vote

May 5, 2020- Budget Hearing Wilmington

May 12, 2020-Budget Hearing Lake Placid

May 19, 2020-Budget Vote

June 2, 2020

June 16, 2020

July 7, 2020