Recent events in other areas of our county have highlighted the impact individual decisions can have on school reopening. While the Department of Health’s guidance for schools has changed a number of times over the past year, they have been steadfast in their message that the ability of schools to remain open is directly tied to the incidence of COVID-19 within the community. This isn’t surprising, of course, but when things happen that cause schools to close, it becomes all too real.

As we prepare to bring our secondary students back for part time in-person learning next week, our teachers, support staff, and administrators are considering how we can emphasize the importance of following safety guidelines both in and away from school so our teens will hear. With fewer community restrictions, pandemic fatigue, and nicer weather on the horizon, it won't be easy. We need your help reinforcing this message consistently with your children. Thank you!

Four semi finalists for the LISD superintendent position will be interviewed by the school board in a public meeting on Saturday, beginning at 9 AM. You will find a Zoom link for this meeting, along with a link to the feedback survey you’ll have the opportunity to complete on each candidate at https://bit.ly/32mbPXK. You may email Sara Jones at sjones@lopezislandschool.org with any questions you would like for the Board to consider asking as part of their interviews. We hope you are able to participate in this important process.

If you miss Saturday’s interviews, you will have the opportunity to hear and provide feedback on the two finalists, who will be on Island next Wednesday, April 21. Check our website (https:www.lopezislandschool.org) early next week for more information about this opportunity.

That’s all for now.

Enjoy the weekend and Go Lobos!

Carl Bruner, Ed.D.

Interim Superintendent

Please be sure your student has had all immunizations updated so as to be in compliance with Washington State requirements to attend school. The list can be found at the Washington State DOH website under "Individual Vaccine Requirements Summary".

If your child needs to take medication at school during school hours, including emergency medications, please have an updated form with medication, dose and frequency listed sent to the Health Office at school. The form must be signed by the Physician or Health Care Provider.

If you plan to participate in the program next year, you must complete the intent form, even if you are already participating.

There are more details to come next week. Please plan to join Amy and Martha on Saturday the 24th to celebrate Earth Month, fellowship, and service to our community and planet.

The secondary staff and I are so very excited to welcome students back into our building. Monday marked my first anniversary with LISD, and we have been in remote learning since I arrived. I am OVER THE MOON about the opportunity to get to know (in-person!) most of the students I am serving.

Please read the Secondary Reopening Guide thoroughly. I will notify you if there are any changes or updates.

Students should plan to arrive at school by 8:15 for check-in. More details about the check-in protocol are included in the Reopening Guide. One important thing to know is that every student will need to submit a health screening each in-person day in order to be admitted to the building. This Google Form will arrive in your email inbox each morning and it can be completed by the parent or the student.

Starting the week of April 26th, we will be inviting some high school students to stay on campus for office hours to resolve incompletes from last spring. This opportunity of credit recovery allows students to take care of their missing assignments/credits with their teachers this spring and not have the incompletes on their high school transcripts. We will be reaching out to students and their families to invite them individually.

Your student will need to bring a refillable water bottle and a backpack to school. Lockers will not be utilized this year.

Please let me know if you have specific questions that are not answered in the Reopening Guide.

We look forward to a smooth and positive transition to hybrid learning.

All my best,

Martha

As students will not have a lunch break during the hybrid model school day, I am expecting cell phones to remain off/silent and in student backpacks from 8:30-noon, unless a teacher has authorized the use of cell phones for a specific reason in class. Any student needing to make a phone call can use the office phone. Parents needing to contact students can call the secondary office and we will get a message to them.

Please understand that I am following policy, but I also hold a strong desire to help students learn to communicate with each other in-person. It is important for them to look up, see each other, make eye contact, say "good morning," and engage in other pro-social behaviors that contribute to a positive school culture. Anybody with a smart phone knows how very difficult it is to put it down. This policy will help us help our students to develop healthy technology habits.

Parents and guardians, I would sure appreciate your help in this endeavor. Please have a discussion with your students about the cell phone policy and the reason for keeping those phones in their backpacks. Make afternoon arrangements with your student BEFORE school so, generally speaking, they do not have a great need to communicate with you during the school day.

Thanks so much!

Martha

Middle school track begins on April 20, and practice will be Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 12:15-1:15. Coaches are Isaac and Emily Berg. Please complete all required extracurricular forms and turn them into the secondary office or scan them to rberg@lopezislandschool.org.

This practice time means a very late lunch for athletes, so students may want to bring a light snack for after school.

Please let us know if your middle school athlete will be taking the 1:30 bus home.

Extracurricular Sports Forms

Extracurricular forms are required to participate in after school sports. All forms are available on the school website at this link: Extracurricular Sports Forms and Risk Management Forms

Required Forms:

• Medical Emergency Authorization Form (good for the 2020-21 school year)
• Physical Evaluation Form (remains active for two years). If you had a sports physical on file but are not sure of the date, please email Ronda rberg@lopezislandschool.org
• Controlled Substances Acknowledgement Form (good for the 2020-21 school year)
• Concussion Information Form (good for the 2020-21 school year)
• Risk Management Form per sport: Soccer or Volleyball or Track

“Spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm.” – John Muir

Dear Lopez Lobo Families,

As the weather gets nicer and the days get longer with daylight, many of us are spending more time outdoors. I selected the above quote because our LIPTSA will be hosting a school grounds clean-up day on Saturday, April 17th, from 9 - 12 p.m. If you have the time and energy, please join the LIPTSA at the school. There's rumored to be coffee and treats, too!

Our elementary team is excited for April 19th! We are looking forward to extending in-person learning to 1:30 p.m. Please see the schedule below for the revised elementary hybrid schedule.

• Students attending in-person services:
• Parent/Guardian drop-off/pick-off in the secondary parking lot
• Students will participate in recess and eat lunch at school
• Students will have a 20-minute recess followed by a 20-minute lunch
• All students will use hand sanitizer prior to eating lunch
• Lunch will take place under the covered pavilion
• Each student will have their own table and all tables will be at least 6 feet apart
• All tables will be cleaned and disinfected after each use
• On days when students are not attending in-person services:
• Students will be completing their asynchronous work
• Students’ classroom teacher will provide a schedule of learning activities/assignments to complete during asynchronous time

This week, we hired a long-term sub to support our second and third grade classes. Eden Zillioux has been subbing with LISD for the past few years and has extensive teaching experience with elementary age students in the Colorado and Arizona areas. She has graciously stepped in to partner with Kendra Lewis to provide instruction for our students. This change will allow our second and third graders the opportunity to attend in-person learning two days per week. Second graders will be attending in-person learning on Mondays and Tuesdays and third graders will be attending in-person learning on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

We are ready for our new schedule next week and look forward to having students spend more time learning at school. Thank you to all our families for your patience and support as we create a schedule that will work best for students while learning in a safe environment. I hope each of you are able to enjoy the wonderful weather this weekend. And don't forget that the LIPTSA would love your help on Saturday, 9 -12 p.m. with school grounds clean-up!

Thank you,

Mary

As we approach spring conferences week, the elementary team would like to keep our new 1:30 p.m. dismissal time instead of an early dismissal which we traditionally do during conference week. We understand how difficult it may be for families with us changing the dismissal time three weeks in a row. Also, we know our in-person time with students is limited and we wish to maintain our extended school days this week

Therefore, spring conferences will be optional for families. If you have a concern with your child's academics or social/emotional needs, please reach out to your child's teacher to schedule a conference time. Teachers will also be reaching out to specific families if they are feeling a need to hold a conference.

In addition, we have designated Thursday, April 29th, as our late night conference night. Teachers who hold late night conferences Thursday will not be scheduled on Friday, April 30th, in the afternoon.