COVID-19 Task Force
Dear LCSD Families & Community:
We hope that you are having a great start to summer break.
In light of the impacts of the covid pandemic on our school and community, we acknowledge that many uncertainties for the look and feel of school next year exist. Staff at Lake County School District are taking important action steps related to starting school for the 2020-2021. The district will continue to monitor guidance from the state and public health officials to inform our decision making. Once clear guidance that allows for direction and decision making has been provided, communications to our families and the community will be sent via email and posted on our webpage. We anticipate that guidance will be provided by the state later this summer and will be dependent on the trend of new COVID-19 cases.
In response to Governor Polis’s direction that “districts need multiple contingency plans,” LCSD has developed a Task Force working to consider the impacts and needs of different contingency plans related to learning this fall. The task force is developing considerations for four phases of reintroduction: Phase 1 being the most restrictive, limits instruction to online or at-home learning while Phase 4 being the least restrictive, allows for full-time, in-person learning. Phase 2 and Phase 3 consider combinations of at-home learning and in school learning for groups of students.
Each phase will consider the different limitations and recommendations to allow school to occur safely. This phased plan will allow the flexibility needed to meet the challenges that may occur in the fall and throughout the school year. The Task Force is working with district leadership on a wide range of logistics. LCSD wants to assure the community that each of these phases will continue to consider safety options for every student and staff member in our district.
Plans for online learning options and the needs related to online learning are being considered. In order to provide the best instruction for students in a variety of settings, it is evident that technology is an important component. By fall, LCSD will have purchased enough devices for needed use at home for each of our students. Kindergarten and first grade students will have access to iPads while second through twelfth grade students will have access to Chromebooks.
There are many other factors to consider regarding each scenario, including heath guidelines, the needs of our community and the feasibility of each option. As more guidance is provided to the district, plans and decisions impacting LCSD families and community will be communicated. In the meantime, know that we appreciate the patience, tenacity, and dedication of all of our students, families and community. LCSD staff are all here for one reason: to educate our children, and we will continue to take this responsibility seriously.
Sincerely,
Lake County School District
