Road Map to Reopening
At-a-Glance for Lincoln Crossing Elementary School
last updated on 9/30/20
Introduction
The intent of this document is to address questions that you might have and to tailor the response to our school's policies, and this document is based on the 9/16/20 version of the Road Map. I encourage you to read the Road Map in order seek answers for your specific questions.
I want to be honest, while we have a lot of answers, there are a lot of unknowns still. We've been working hard on providing a quality digital program, and now I am asking my teachers to shift gears completely. Your questions are immensely helpful as we begin to consider the needs of our community.
Our objective with reopening is two fold: safety and learning. Safety for our teachers, staff, and students. Equally as important is providing a quality learning experience where students make a year's growth regardless of if they are engaging in school from home or from our campus.
In both spaces, it is essential that we work together as a team - we will count on our families to support our policies and engage in their child's education. You can count on us to use our resources to support your child and to adjust our program as the situation and local guidance warrants it.
If you have any further questions, please let me know!
Best,
Jen Hladun
Lincoln Crossing E.S. Principal
Top Five Questions we are Hearing...
2. What will instruction look like for in person learners? Our teachers are focused on helping your child make one year of growth this year. The environment will not be as traditionally collaborative as your child may be accustomed to (see the "During School" section below). I do expect to see a fair amount of traditional live instruction, but there may be periods of collaborative work or independent work that is done on a device. In addition, I am committed to supporting our teachers as they maintain a 6 foot social distance from students, and their level of comfort will dictate how they engage with students. In short, the in person learning experience will vary from classroom to classroom. Students in grades 1-3 can expect 35 minutes of independent work to be completed at home daily and students in grades 4-5 can expect 45 minutes of independent work to be completed at home daily.
3. What will instruction look like for interCONNECT learners? Our teachers are focused on helping your child make one year of growth this year. The short answer is that it depends on the teacher. Some teachers will offer 'live streaming' through google Meet, some will offer more of an independent study approach with recorded videos, and some will offer something in between. You can expect that your child will interact with his/her teacher in a 1:1 or group format daily for 30 minutes daily, and typically that will happen in the afternoon. interCONNECT learners will need to be prepared to be more independent that they were during 100% online instruction, as the teacher will be busy with in person students from 8:15-noon and then will take their lunch. Engaging daily in distance learning is not optional for students. Attendance in live Google Meets and/or in meeting with your child's teacher will be required for students in interCONNECT and will be scheduled at the convenience of the teacher between 8am-2:40pm.
4. Can I change my plan for in person/interCONNECT instruction? Yes. The district will offer families the opportunity to change their instructional model in December (to go into effect after Winter Break). In addition students might be moved to the interCONNECT model if they are unwilling to comply with the expectations for in person learning after the teacher and staff have provided support to the child and/or family. Students can always move from in person to interCONNECT, but will not be able to move from interCONNECT to in person except at the intervals offered. (updated 9/18)
5. What are the Hours for School? The law requires that students in Grades TK and K engage in 180 minutes of instructional activities daily; students in Grades 1-3 engage in 230 minutes of instructional activities daily; students in Grades 4-5 engage in 240 minutes of instructional activity daily.
Grades 1-5
- 8:15-8:30 am: arrival to campus
- 8:30 am-12:00 pm: instruction for 195 minutes (a 15 min recess is built in)
- 12:00 pm: dismissal
- afternoon: students will have some independent work to complete at a time that works well for your family (gr. 1-3: 35 minutes of homework daily; gr. 4-5: 45 minutes of homework daily)
Grades TK and K (updated 9/17)
- 8:15-8:30 am: arrival to campus
- 8:30-11:50 am: instruction for 180 minutes with a 20 minute snack and recess built in
- 11:50 am: dismissal
- students will NOT have independent work to complete at home
Details, Details, Details
Before School
- Fever (temperature over 100.4 degrees)
- Chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Please call the office (916 434-5292) or use the LCES App (linked below) to communicate with us about your child's absence.
Arrival Procedures
Grades 1-5
- you will be given an arrival window based on your last name
- all drop off will happen at the main entrance of campus
- parents must stay in their cars during drop off
- students will go directly to their classroom where their teacher will be waiting for them
- parents who walk their child to school will need to say goodbye at the blue dots on the perimeter of the main patio
- parents cannot walk their child into campus (one exception noted below)
Grades TK and K (updated 9/17)
- all drop off will happen at the large gate by the kindergarten building (to the left of the administration building)
- parents must stay in their cars during drop off (one exception noted below)
- parents who walk their child to school will need to say goodbye at the blue dots on the perimeter of the TK/kindergarten drop off area (one exception noted below)
- students will line up inside the gate and will be greeted by their teacher who will escort them to or into the classroom
- there will be staff supervision at the gate
- parents cannot walk their child into campus (one exception noted below)
If you are carpooling to/from school or your children have different last names, it's okay - come at the time that is best for you! (updated 9/30)
Exception: on the first day of in person instruction (Tuesday, 10/6), parents/guardians of TK, K and 1st grade students, as well as students who are brand new to LCES can walk their child to their classroom but they must say their goodbyes at the classroom patio. Parents/Guardians in this situation must wear a face covering while on campus. Children can have ONE parent/guardian accompany them on the first day of school. (updated 9/25)
During the School Day
Some families have asked why the district's policy is more strict than the states policy. The district has the right to be more strict than the state; we just can't be more lenient than the state requirements. Because we cannot meet the 6 feet of social distancing (we are social distancing to the most practicable level we can), our district has chosen to require masks for TK-12. (updated 9/17)
The district has further clarified their face covering policy for students . Face coverings are the "gold standard" for students. If your child is unable to wear a face covering, then you can submit an exemption form that would allow your child to wear a shield (downward or upward facing; no face covering and no drape required). Exemption forms can be dropped off in the office, or emailed to us a lces@wpusd.org. (updated 9/25)
In addition:
hands will be washed or sanitized as students enter the classroom
student desks will not be facing each other. All desks will be facing the same direction, with significant space from other desks
teachers will be teaching from a "safe zone" that is 6-feet from students and will not be required to leave that area to help students
to ensure and encourage physical activity, classes will have a recess. Each grade level will have it's own equipment to use. The the equipment will be sanitized after each use
students will be expected to bring their charged Chromebooks or device to school each day. (This could vary slightly with each teacher)
if you did not check out a Chromebook and would like to bring your own device, that is allowed. If you would like a district-issued device to bring to and from school, you can check one out at LCES
additional handwashing and sanitizer stations are available throughout campus
students are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles, as the drinking fountains will not be available. There will be water bottle refilling stations on campus.
bathrooms are limited to two students at a time
while cleaning and disinfecting supplies will be available in each classroom, chemicals intended for adult use will be kept out of reach of students. Some cleaning supplies (i.e. sanitizer and wipes approved by our district for student use) will be available
there will be clearly marked spaces around campus that will support the flow of foot traffic. Students are expected to face forward and maintain 6 feet of space between them and their peers
Students will have homework each day in grades 1-5 in order to meet the required minute requirement (see "School Hours" above)
What Qualifies as a Face Covering? (updated 9/30)
Staff will be wearing a combination of masks and/or face shields within the district's guidelines.
The face covering guidance for students continues to evolve. Per the CA Department of Health, face coverings (any fabric that covers the nose and mouth - i.e. a mask or gaiter) are the “gold standard” and all students are expected to wear a face covering if they are receiving in person instruction. Students who turn in an exemption form to our office will be able to wear a shield (drapes would not be required), and if a shield is not an option, we can discuss further options for your child. The items that may permit an exemption form to be signed by your physician are outlined HERE. I have removed the video that was originally below as the information in it is inaccurate for students. Our school dress code does apply to masks. You can review our dress code policies here (page 11).
School Dismissal Plans
Our objective is to minimize a double pick up/drop off for our families with both a TK/K child and a Gr. 1-5 child.
We anticipate dismissing students from:
- the main gate at the front of the school
- from the back gate (between the F and G buildings) to the lot adjacent to the park on Danbury
- the gate to the left of the administration building (TK and K students and their siblings only) (updated 9/17)
If your child is attending the STAR program, watch for more details from STAR about how your child will get to the STAR program spaces.
We encourage families to walk whenever possible so that we can limit the traffic congestion on/around campus. Parents/Guardians picking up children must wear a face covering.
Campus Cleanliness
We will be encouraging students and staff to maintain cleanliness through good hand washing and regular hand sanitizer use. Also masks will be worn by all students during the day. Staff will wear masks and/or face shields with drapes in order to promote ease of instruction.
In addition:
- Our custodians will disinfect all desks, counters and high touch spaces each evening
- Our custodians will disinfect all student bathrooms multiple times daily on a schedule
- High touch spaces (door handles, door edges and light switches, faucet handles) will be cleaned at least one daily during instructional time
- Students will have access to hand sanitizer around campus, during transitions in/out of the classroom and at specific spots in the classroom
- Staff will minimize the use of shared materials
- Students will bring their chromebook or personal device to campus daily (if required by his/her teacher); any chromebooks that are borrowed temporarily from the school will be sanitized before being redistributed
- Our district is installing Merv 13 filters in our HVAC system, we will be increasing air flow through HVAC system, and we encourage staff to open their doors to promote ventilation as the weather permits
Miscellaneous but Important!
- Parents will not be allowed on campus to drop off, pick up or volunteer until further notice
- If your child is celebrating a birthday, you cannot bring in food or non-food treats for the class. You can talk to your child's teacher about options he/she may have related to celebrating birthdays
- Singing will be permitted outdoors (updated 9/17)
- Typical classroom dancing will be permitted indoors; dance that is PE oriented would need to happen outdoors (updated 9/17)
Students/Staff Who Are or Might be Ill with COVID-19
This is a very complex thing to discuss. However,
Students who experience flu-like symptoms will be sent to the office and supervised by staff in an isolated area.
Should you get a call from the office, please be prepared to pick up your student immediately.
Please review pages the last pages of the Road Map (English / Spanish) for specific information about the protocol if 1) a student or staff member exhibits COVID-19 symptoms, 2) a student or staff member has been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, 3) if a student or staff tests positive for COVID-19, and 4) a student or staff tests negative for COVID-19.
We do expect that this guidance will adjust in the coming weeks as more schools reopen. Please watch the Road Map for the most up to date protocols. (updated 9/17) - please note that the guidance has changed as on 9/29 - check the Road Map (linked above) for most up to date information.
Nutrition Service
You can learn more about options to pick up meals for both interCONNECT and In Person learners on the WPUSD Food Service Website - click here. (updated 9/29)
Any questions related to Liz at etofft@wpsud.org or Christina Lawson, WPUSD Food Service Director at clawson@wpusd.org. The food service department can be reached at 916 645-6373
Stay in Touch!
- Check our our website and our community calendar of activities; access PeachJar (our flier hub) directly here!
- Download our free app and get notifications on your phone
- Follow us on Social Media (links above), including Instagram at @lcescolts
- Check us out on YouTube at http://youtube.com/c/JenniferHladunLCES
Email: lces@wpusd.org
Website: lces.wpusd.org
Location: 635 Groveland Lane, Lincoln, CA, USA
Phone: 916 434-5292
Facebook: facebook.com/LincolnCrossingElementary/
Twitter: @lcescolts