Students and Families,

Below is the latest update from the Superintendent outlining the two models of education for our students to start the school year.  Please read carefully and attend the meeting

1. Comprehensive Distance Learning (CDL). Students will access learning online with their LCSD teachers daily, with materials for activities provided as needed. CDL this fall is more robust has more accountability and more in-depth educational requirements than the Distance Learning we provided in spring. Student work will be graded, attendance will be taken, and teachers will provide daily instruction from their classroom. Teachers will meet with students and families during the first two weeks of school to orient them to the CDL program and will continue to regularly connect with students and families. These meetings will be in person as much as possible using ALL safety precautions (social distancing, face coverings, sanitizing, cleaning, sneeze-guards, etc.).
   1. Students will access learning online with their LCSD teachers, with the possibility of some materials for activities provided. The first two weeks of school (Sept 14-25) will be a time for parents and students to connect with teachers and support staff about the individual needs of each student and how online accessed learning will meet their needs. These meetings will be in person as much as possible using ALL safety precautions (social distancing, face coverings, sanitizing, cleaning, sneeze-guards, etc.). These “connections and training” meetings will happen over the first two weeks of school, reorienting students and families back to school and learning more about digital access to education. During the Sept 14-25 window, students will receive education work from their teachers as a way to gear up for CDL to begin Monday, Sept 28. After Sept 28, students will be graded on their work. Attendance will be taken. Teachers will connect with students and families regularly, and teaching will be five days a week.
   2. Between weeks 3 and 8, administrators will be continuously evaluating the safety of our community (community spread has to be way down) and the safety of our schools to bring hybrid teaching and learning onto the campuses a few grades at a time as soon as possible. We will begin with our youngest kids first. Why? Two reasons: Younger students need in-person learning even more than older students, and children 0-10 appear to spread the virus and get the virus less often than their older counterparts. Children 10-19 spread the virus as much as adults, get the virus more often than younger children, and have a higher severity of disease once transmitted.
   3. Please also remember that we are not only speaking to our children’s health but the health of our staff. We must make sure that we can make it safe for them, and many are in the older person/higher risk category. We MUST keep the “community spread” down if we are ever to move from Phase 1 to Phase 2 as a county and not be pushed back to baseline. That would be awful. Currently, we cannot apply for Phase 2 because our COVID cases are too high. Staff is VERY concerned about reopening in person.
   4. Comprehensive Distance Learning this fall is not the same as Distance Learning For All from last spring. It is more robust, has more accountability, and more in-depth educational requirements. Teachers will be teaching from their classrooms daily and providing online accessed content for all students. The guidance on Special Education and English as a Second Language comes out from the ODE August 11. We will work our hardest to do a good job making sure that all students get what they need using an online delivery model. Teachers teach the instruction, while parents facilitate online access.
2. K-12 Online Edmentum Program (new). More than 50 letters of denial have gone to our families requesting to enroll in an online charter school. Why? Oregon law tells us that only 3% of our students may attend an online charter school. So we are providing our own! We have been using an all online curriculum called Edmentum for the last 2-3 years for secondary students. Their framework is K-12 and follows all Oregon Standards for Education. The administrator for the program is Zach Lillebo, the Vice Principal of Taft Elementary School in Lincoln City. He is terrific and is getting up to speed on how our new program will work. He will be in charge of this K-12 program full time. This program is self-paced and does not have a connection with an LCSD teacher. There is an expectation of daily participation and progression through the curriculum. Students in K-6 will only have access to the core subjects of Reading, English Language Arts, and Math.

If you are interested in this option, please join us for an informational meeting on Thursday, August 6, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm. via Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/99207388936

Choosing a Program 

Please check our website for registration dates which begin next week. There are different times in different areas. You will be able to weigh into which program you would like at that time.

Students will be able to move between the two programs but can only make the switch at nine-week grading periods. That is a natural credit attainment marker for secondary students, and it cannot work moving back and forth at will. But you can change your mind. I hope that we will be back on campus before too many nine-week periods.

Registration

Taft will be holding registration on August 11th to 13th.  Please visit the LCSD website for more information on 2020-2021 school registration.