Re-entry Plan 2020-21
Return to Learning Goals
July 29, 2020: As we look to reopen our doors for the 2020-21 school year, the safety of our students and staff continues to be our top priority. Our North Lakeland School leadership team collaborates weekly with staff members, state/local health officials, Lakeland area schools, and other key contacts to address the current situation and update our reopening plan as needed. Additionally, we will be seeking family input through questionnaires or email replies to be sent in the coming weeks.
We have the goal of being back in school 5 days per week beginning September 1, 2020; however, we understand that flexibility will be necessary as the recommendations surrounding containing the spread of COVID-19 may change frequently. Based on this need for flexibility, we have outlined three potential return to learning scenarios:
- Option 1: In-person 5 days per week with safety guidelines in place (priority)
- Option 2: Combination of in-person and home learning
- Option 3: Home learning instruction with teaching staff in-school if possible
Timeline & Key Dates
We will communicate our planning progress on this webpage throughout the coming weeks, in addition to sending periodic family communication via email. As of today, and as described in our reopening plan, our current, board-approved 2020-21 calendar outlines the following back-to-school important dates:
- August 17-27: Staff in-service
- September 1: First day for all students
- September 4: No school
- September 7: No school (Labor Day)
As of today, there will not be any back-to-school open house events held in-person. Families can expect to receive email updates relating to school supplies, registration and school-start paperwork, fall sports, etc.
|
Facility Use
Our facilities continue to remain closed to the community at this time. Should it be determined safe to open our facilities to community use once again, we will share our guidelines on this webpage.
Cleaning Procedures
North Lakeland School has a routine cleaning regimen in place to help reduce the spread of germs and communicable disease. In addition to our regular cleaning and disinfection, we are increasing the cleaning of high-touch areas and hard and soft surface items throughout the day. We will follow guidelines established/recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and our local and state health departments.
|
We are ONE Team!
We all play a role in not just helping reduce the spread of communicable disease, but also supporting one another through these unique times. We are asking our students, staff and families to encourage our district/school-wide behaviors of being safe, respectful, responsible, and kind as we move forward together during these unprecedented times. Additionally, we ask that everyone continues to practice regular preventive actions (see flyer in English, Spanish, Hmong and Mandarin Chinese) including:
- Wash your hands regularly, for 20 seconds, using soap and hot water. Make sure to wash your fingertips. This is especially important after using the restroom, coughing or sneezing into your hands, and before preparing or consuming food.
- Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands or in the air. Always try to cough or sneeze into a tissue, and then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough/sneeze into your arm.
- As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.
- If children are feeling sick, please keep them home from school. Families should have a plan in place for keeping your child home, picking up your child if they are sent home sick, and if schools are closed.
Learn more about the symptoms and treatment of Coronavirus at the CDC website. Those at highest risk for Coronavirus complications are older adults and individuals with compromised immune systems or heart, lung and kidney disease. See how Coronavirus is spread. It can take two to 14 days for a person to develop symptoms after initial exposure to the virus; the average is about five days.
|
|
In addition to practicing the recommendations listed above, we are balancing broad safety/health-related measures we can take as a district with individual expectations for those students and staff members in the school building(s). This is an on-going discussion and will be further outlined in our reopening plan as details are finalized.
Student and Staff Expectations
We are reviewing guidelines and working closely with our local health officials to determine what steps to put in place relating to bus, classroom, and open area safety protocols for students and staff.
Additional Staff Expectations
Beginning on August 17, 2020 all North Lakeland School administration and teaching staff will report to school for in-service sessions. Support staff will return at different times between August 17, 2020 and August 27, 2020 depending on responsibilities.
As part of this in-service, staff will receive training on cleaning protocols, tools for teaching in the classroom and remotely, professional development, and other items related to COVID-19 and reopening.
|
If your student displays any of the symptoms outlined by the CDC, do not send your student to school or any school-related activities. Contact the school at 715-543-8417 ext. 0 to report the symptoms and absence. Seek care for your student by reaching out to your local clinic or emergency facility, and follow your county COVID-19 recommendations/guidelines.
District families will be notified of positive cases within the district by a joint effort between the district and Vilas County Health. Specifics will not be communicated to the community per privacy laws. Vilas County will be communicating with close contacts of a positive case in need of quarantine. The District will follow Vilas County Health Department protocol for response to positive cases in our schools.
This will be a joint decision and Vilas County Health Department. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. If the safety of our students and staff requires us to move to home learning, we are committed to providing consistent, engaging and effective home learning so that students continue to progress academically, no matter where they are or how they are learning.
All staff will be required to wear masks when 6 feet of distancing is not possible and in common areas. Students will be required to wear face coverings on the bus and in common areas (hallways, community room, at lockers, bathrooms, etc.).
We are currently planning alternative options for families that do not feel comfortable sending their child(ren) during this challenging time. More details will be released as we finalize these options.
|
|
We appreciate your patience with this fluid situation, and we will continue to update you. Please rest assured that we will continue to put the safety of our students and staff as our first priority. If you have any questions, reach out to:
|
|
