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Superintendent discusses return to 5-day face-to-face instruction

December 1, 2020

 

To Our Lexington Two Families:

 

On Wednesday, December 2, Lexington Two will bring back all remaining elementary, middle and high school students who are not enrolled in our full-time Lexington Two Virtual Academy for five-day face-to-face instruction, following last month’s successful return of select student groups for classes five days a week.

 

We remain vigilant in efforts to protect students and employees as we move to this next phase of in-person instruction. Lexington Two has instituted a number of measures for a safe and healthy learning environment amid COVID-19. Among them:

 

  • Masks are required for students, staff and visitors on district property, on district transportation, and while attending school-related activities.
  • Signs and stickers are posted to outline social distancing and other requirements.
  • The district is installing up to 6,000 additional desktop dividers for student desks, to supplement social distancing to the greatest extent possible within classrooms. 
  • Thorough cleaning/disinfecting of classrooms, restrooms, cafeterias, hallways, and other school spaces is completed prior to the arrival of students and again with the departure of faculty and administrators at the end of each school day. Misting machines are used in each school and on buses for disinfecting.
  • Wipe-downs are done throughout the school day of high-touch areas such as door knobs, sink handles, paper towel dispensers, light switches, cafeteria tables and commonly used equipment.
  • Disinfectant products are available in classrooms so that high-touch items and surfaces can be cleaned frequently.
  • Hand sanitizer dispensers are placed throughout schools.
  • Cleaning/disinfecting of playground equipment is done after each recess schedule, with athletic equipment cleaned and disinfected daily.
  • Socially distanced hallway movement is employed, with teachers changing classrooms whenever possible rather than students.
  • Reduced capacity and social distancing are used in cafeterias, and free pre-packaged meals are offered to all students.
  • Only essential visitors are allowed inside schools, beyond the front office, and they must wear masks.

 

Other important information

 

 

 

  • Deadline is Dec. 11 to request instructional changes: Families have the option to request a change to their child's instructional model by sending an email request to [email protected]. Requests must be received by Friday, December 11. This will be the final time this school year that we will accept change requests. A request does not guarantee placement in an instructional model, and requests will only be considered on a space-available basis.  An instructional change, if granted, would be effective January 4 for elementary and middle school students, February 4 for high school students.

 

We will continue to monitor COVID-19 cases in our community and will make adjustments as needed.

 

 

Dr. William B. James Jr.

Superintendent

 

 

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November 11, 2020

 

 

Dear Lexington Two Families:

 

The Lexington Two Board of Trustees approved at Tuesday’s monthly meeting the next phase of return to in-person instruction five days a week, with select groups of students scheduled to return November 12. They include:

 

  • 4K-2nd grades
  • K-12 self-contained special education 
  • 6th grade
  • Innovation Center students, who will attend career/technology courses, as well as academic courses at the home high schools

 

Superintendent Dr. William B. James Jr. noted this phased-in approach will allow schools time to adjust to serving more students in the building and on district transportation, while phasing in select student groups in need of face-to-face time.   

 

With a successful transition, the remaining elementary, middle and high school students not currently enrolled in the full-time Lexington Two Virtual Academy are tentatively scheduled to return to in-person instruction five days a week in on December 2.

 

Lexington Two will continue daily monitoring of COVID-19 cases in its schools, as well as DHEC case data from the community, to determine any necessary adjustments. This information is updated regularly and posted to district and school websites.

 

Here are some frequently asked questions.

 

Question: How will we return students safely to five-day in-person instruction?

Answer: To prepare for the safest return possible:

  • The district is now installing up to 6,000 additional Plexiglass dividers for student desks, to supplement social distancing to the greatest extent possible within classrooms. 
  • Masks will continue to be a requirement of students, staff and visitors on district property, on district transportation, and while attending a school-related activity.

 

The district also will continue health and safety protocols already in place, including:

  • Thorough cleaning and disinfecting of classrooms, restrooms, cafeterias, hallways, offices and other school spaces prior to the arrival of students and again with the departure of faculty and administrators at the end of each school day. Misting machines are in use in each school and in transportation for disinfecting.
  • Wipe-downs throughout the school day of high-touch areas such as door knobs, sink handles, paper towel dispensers, light switches, cafeteria tables and commonly used equipment 
  • Disinfectant products in classrooms so that high-touch items and surfaces can be cleaned frequently
  • Hand sanitizer dispensers placed throughout schools
  • Cleaning and disinfecting of playground equipment after each recess schedule, with athletic equipment cleaned and disinfected daily
  • Socially distanced movement in the halls, with teachers changing classrooms whenever possible rather than students
  • Reduced capacity and social distancing in cafeterias, as well as free pre-packaged meal offerings for students

 

Question: My child is in the full-time Lexington Two Virtual Academy. How will he/she be affected by the return to in-person instruction?

Answer: Lexington Two’s Virtual Academy students will not be affected. They will continue in their current instructional program. 

 

Question: What if I want to change my student’s current instructional plan from in-person to full-time virtual -- or vice-versa?

Answer: We will be taking requests to move back to in-person instruction -- or, to move from in-person to the Virtual Academy -- from November 23-December 11 by emailing [email protected].

This will be the final time this school year that we will accept change requests. Requests will only be considered on a space-available basis. 

 

Question: COVID-19 cases will likely go up in schools.  How are we tracking cases?

What are the protocols for positive cases?

Answer: Lexington Two tracks confirmed positive COVID-19 cases among students and staff daily, along with related case data. We post confirmed positive cases for students and staff on the district and school websites, with weekly updates. We will expand the information as needed. We follow DHEC protocols for COVID-19 cases; find them by clicking here: https://www.lex2.org/apps/news/article/1296978

 

Question: How do we plan to keep buses safe?

Answer: We will operate buses at 60 percent capacity to allow for social distancing. 

 

Question: At what point would the district close a classroom or school due to COVID-19 cases? 

Answer: We would close an individual classroom when the number of confirmed positive student cases and students in quarantine reach 10 percent; we would close the school as a whole if the number of confirmed positive student cases and students in quarantine reach 10 percent as well. Closing a classroom or school for staff cases is dependent on the ability to get qualified substitute teachers. As long as the school can operate effectively from an instruction standpoint, we will remain open.

 

Question: What is the procedure for reporting concerns with social distancing or other health and safety issues? 

Answer: Anyone with concerns is encouraged to report them as soon as possible to their school’s principal or another school administrator. We also are looking at creating a Google form to share such concerns. Stay tuned for more information on this in coming weeks.

 

READ MORE:

December 11 is deadline to submit requests for changes to instructional models: https://www.lex2.org/apps/news/article/1338575

 

Attached Files