Superintendent's Letter

Dear Students, Staff, Families, and Community Members,

I hope you enjoyed the warmer weather this week. The thunder and lightning followed by rain this morning certainly made it feel as though we are moving further away each day from colder winter temperatures. Here is the latest from the SAU this week:

COVID Vaccination Clinic

On Saturday, March 20th, many Lebanon School District employees received their first dose of the COVID vaccine at DHMC. We are grateful to the Upper Valley Public Health Council, DHMC, and all the volunteers who made this event a reality. Thank you!

Allergies and COVID-like Symptoms

We are entering allergy season. Similar to the fall, we ask that parents are diligent about keeping their child home and should contact their family physician if they are uncertain if the child has allergies or COVID-like symptoms. The District requires a letter from a physician stating that there is a documented history of allergies. Without that documentation, the District will follow the health screening tool and the child should remain home and be tested for COVID. If your child has a history of allergies, and you have not done so already, please provide a physician's letter to the School Nurse.

April 28th School Board Meeting

At the School Board meeting, there will be a separate one-hour Public Comment session to allow community members the opportunity to provide input regarding the School Resource Officer (SRO) position. Per policy BEDH, each person will be allowed three minutes to speak. Please be prepared to state your name and ward whether you attend in person or participate via Zoom.

The Board Chair is limiting the session to Lebanon residents and Grantham and Plainfield families. The session will not be a forum for debate.

There are no presentations planned for the meeting. School Board members may ask certain members of the public or non-public questions regarding the role of the School Resource Officer.

The Board has asked that even if a community member plans to participate in the Public Comment session, the resident should provide the School Board a written statement in advance. Each letter should include the resident's full name and voting ward or full name and if they reside in Grantham or Plainfield.

If an organization would like to provide a written statement, the letter should include the organization's name, address, and contact person.

Starting Monday, March 29th please send written statements to sroletters@sau88.net.

The last day to submit a written statement is Friday, April 16th by 4:00 pm.

All written statements must contain appropriate tone and language with the intent to be shared publically on the SAU#88 website. The Board Chair and Superintendent maintain the right to remove statements that are considered to be inappropriate.

Written correspondence will be made available electronically via an SRO Correspondence folder that will be included with the School Board meeting materials.

Keeping Our Community Safe

The health and safety of our staff, students, and families remain a top priority. We have put many layers in place to try to mitigate the risk of transmission of COVID. When we are informed of a positive test result, we contact DHHS, perform a thorough investigation including contact tracing, and work with DHHS to determine which individuals should quarantine.

We greatly appreciate the collaborative effort by staff and parents to let us know when there is a positive test so we can immediately begin to investigate and respond to the situation. Thank you, the open communication has made it easier for us to respond quickly.

Please continue to be vigilant about wearing masks, physical distancing, washing/sanitizing hands, not traveling, and only gathering in small groups. As a community, we can make a difference by keeping ourselves and others safe by limiting the transmission of COVID.

In Closing

We sincerely hope the staff and students who recently tested positive are recovering and doing well. We look forward to having everyone, including those who are currently quarantining, back in school.

If you have any questions or require further clarifications, please do not hesitate to ask.

Thank you,

Dr. Joanne Roberts

Links to further information:

City of Lebanon https://lebanonnh.gov/1350/COVID-19

DHMC https://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/patient-education/coronavirus.html

DHHS NH Department of Health and Human Services

CDC School Guidance

NHDOE K-12 Back to School Guidance

Upcoming School Board Meeting:

Wednesday, April 28, 2021 LMS Gym and via Zoom

Wednesday, May 12, 2021 LMS Gym and via Zoom

Please visit the SAU #88 website for further information.

Link to Board Agendas and Minutes

The Lebanon School District, in partnership with the community, is committed to providing a challenging, positive and safe learning environment that CARES:

• Cultivates curiosity and collaboration
• Achieves academic excellence
• Respects and values diversity
• Encourages responsible citizenship
• Supports the needs of every learner

Website: www.sau88.net
Location: 20 Seminary Hill Road, West Lebanon, NH, USA
Phone: 603-795-8500