Volume: 2020-2021 ● Number: 32 ● Lebanon, NH

May 7, 2021

Email: jdentremont@sau88.net
Website: https://lms.sau88.net/
Location: 3 Moulton Avenue, Lebanon, NH, USA
Phone: 603-448-3056
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LMSLebNH/
Twitter: @LMSLebNH

Hello Families,

We have had another fantastic week at LMS! The highlight for me was May 4th. It was our Star Wars Spirit Day.

We had a fire drill this week. We had not had one in a while and the students did a fabulous job getting out of the building quickly and quietly following our procedures.

We also completed our NHSAS testing for in person students this week. Remote students will be completing their testing this month too. Students did a great job on their testing and this process will soon be completed with results mailed home by the end of the year.

We continue to work on our end of year events. We recently learned of a conflict with another event; therefore, we have shifted our 8th grade celebration social to Friday, June 11th. This is an evening social event for the 8th graders. We will send additional details home to 8th grade families soon but please mark your calendar. We are making the event both in person and virtual so any student can participate.

The weeks are flying by now and there is much still to be done!

Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy this week's Scoop!

Regards,

John P. D'Entremont, Principal

We are finalizing details for spring assessments or opting out. Please contact Synthia Liska, our Student Services Director, at sliska@sau88.net to make arrangements if you have not been already in touch.

A superintendent update included information about testing in the District a while back.

Hello LMS Students and Families!

My name is Frankie Pendolino (Ms. P), and I am the LMS Speech – Language Pathologist!

Some of you may know me very well while others may not know me at all – I am here to change that!

Firstly, you may be wondering what exactly is a Speech – Language Pathologist (SLP)?

An SLP is a medical professional who is an expert in communication. We have the ability to work with all different types of communication and swallowing disorders in children, teenagers, and adults. Some of which are:

• Language (what we are saying AND what we are understanding)
• Speech sounds (articulation and phonology)
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication
• Swallowing and feeding disorders
• Fluency (stuttering)
• Social communication
• Voice

May 1st is the first day of what we like to call Better Hearing and Speech Month - this is a month that SLPs and Audiologists try to bring more awareness and attention to what we do and who we do it for.

This year’s theme for Better Hearing and Speech Month is all about building connections – so, check out my fun facts newsletter for a closer look at how SLPs are more connected to you than you may think!

If you ever have any questions about what we do, who we do it for, or how we can help – please reach out! I LOVE to chat about this amazing job. (fpendolino@sau88.net)

Your neighborhood SLP,

Frankie Pendolino

Moving? Please give our office a call or email Ruth Keane (rkeane@sau88.net) if you are moving out of the District. This is especially important if you will be moving at the conclusion of this year. Thank You.

We want to ensure that all students have a smooth transition from their current grade to their next regardless of whether they are arriving to LMS, staying at LMS, or moving on to LHS.

We are working on our transitions and placements for the 2020 - 2021 academic year. Details are being worked on and we are hopeful we will have more information on this in the near future. Thank you for your patience. For those of you that have been at LMS, please understand that it might not be possible for placements to be done by Memorial Day weekend like they have been done in the past. We might even go into the summer without having fully finished this process. Know we are working as hard as we can and moving along as quickly as we can.

May 14 Disney/ HP Day

May 21 Fancy Friday Day

May 28 USA Day

June 4 Wacky Hair Day

June 7 Tacky Tourist/ Beach

June 8 Meme Day- Dress like your favorite meme!

June 9 Team Colors Day 5th- Green 6th- Red 7- Yellow 8- Blue

June 10 Advisory Matching Day

June 11 LMS Spirit Day

A big thank you to the PTO for organizing goodies for educator appreciation week. The PTO dropped off a bag with each staff members name on it containing food items as well as a gift card to Lucky's. Staff were thrilled!

Also, a big shoutout to Mrs. Ezen and Mrs. Liska for setting up the LMS Staff SPA equipped with massage chairs, soft music, and treats for a little relaxation.

Thank you staff! You are doing great and are appreciated!

Happy Sunny Friday!

Update:

Effective May 8th, the governor has replaced the “Safer at Home 2.0” document with the “Universal Best Practices” document linked below. These are recommendations for all businesses, including schools, to consider and implement for the operation of their business as we start to get back to a “new normal.”

My take away from this document is that the public health recommendations have not changed. There is no “one way” to stop the spread of covid, but by continuing to keep our layers of protection- masking, distancing, good hand hygiene and getting vaccinated we can minimize its spread, decrease severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths. These are common sense measures that have been proven to work. The document is worth a read to reinforce what we’ve been practicing all school year!

https://www.covidguidance.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt381/files/inline-documents/sonh/universal-best-practices.pdf

I attended a virtual nursing conference this week in which they addressed physician concerns regarding the decrease in scheduling of routine physicals/vaccinations for students this past year due to the pandemic. I highly encourage you to schedule those student physicals/vaccines that were missed, so that your child is up to date for summer camps and the next school year. Please provide copies of the physical and immunization records to the school nurses when done. This conference speaker also noted the significant decrease in colds, flu, asthma and respiratory issues they were seeing in the clinic which they attributed to the use of masks, distancing and hand hygiene in the school setting.

May is Mental Health Awareness month. It’s purpose is to raise awareness and educate the public about mental illness, the realities of living with these illnesses and strategies for attaining mental health and wellness. The National Alliance on Mental Health has many good resources (nami.org)

Please reach out with any questions or concerns as we move toward the end of the school year.

Be well,

Nancy Pageau

npageau@sau88.net

603-727-9817 (direct line)

603-448-3056 (LMS)

The OLD NEWS, FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & COVID HOTLINES information has been moved to the OLD NEWS SECTION at the end of the Scoop in case you still need to reference.

Positive Cases - 12

Current Active Cases - 1

Students/Staff Currently Isolated/Quarantined - 4

Number of Students/Staff Tested (since September) - 383*

*Includes students/staff who have been tested multiple times.

Number of Students/Staff with Pending Test Results - 0

Carolynn Stockwell, 5/6

cstockwell@sau88.net

Stephanie Allard, 7/8

sallard@sau88.net

Elena VanZandt, Student Assistance Provider

evanzandt@sau88.net

There appears to be a new normalcy in currently feeling mentally drained and or stressed during a time like this. Working remotely, being physically present, going back and forth and or being ready for a change is – Stressful- anticipating and or dealing with change can be exhausting.

We here at LMS, understand. We are educators but that does not give us immunity. Either knowingly and or unknowingly it appears the structure in our building has helped combat stress. It appears we have been able to help our mental health by our mere routine.

Routine once established decreases anxious feelings due to the pattern and knowing the expectations.

For some, thoughts of a lingering crisis can trigger stress-related issues for people, even if they’ve never previously experienced mental health issues.

John Hopkins research, indicates that our mindset or thoughts when focused can benefit our overall wellness. Positivity is more about one’s overall perspective on life and their tendency to focus on all that is good in life.

To combat this CoVID fatigue- understand that If you don’t like how your feeling- do something about it.

Consider building safe guards around your mental health with your positive thoughts and recognizing your action steps.

The following can also be of help:

• Create a routine and structure. Does everyone in your household know when dinner is? Bed time? What the consequences are if someone breaks something? Or disrespects someone?

• Eat better and exercise. Eating healthier foods and exercising regularly are proven mood boosters. Limit your intake of salt and alcohol, known contributors to fatigue and mood change. As little as 30 minutes of exercise a day can boost your mental and physical health.

• Take steps to improve your sleep. It’s normal to lose some sleep while trying to cope with the uncertainty of a pandemic. To ensure healthier sleep patterns, unplug devices an hour or two before bed, and replace browsing and video watching with reading or meditating to train your body to relax in preparation for sleep.

• 
  

Don’t be afraid to ask for help we are here. We can also help find Confidential resources.

Elena VanZandt (SAP)

While a number of us experience some stress or anxiety,

If you are experiencing a crisis, the resources below are available to help now:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Textline: Text TALK to 741741

For the first time since 2019, LMS Softball and Baseball returned to action this past week! Congrats to Softball on a 16-11 win over Kearsarge, while Baseball held on for a 9-8 victory over Kearsarge and never gave up in a tough outing with Hanover. Best of luck to both Raider squads this week!

Be on the lookout next week for signs up to be posted for LMS Fall Athletics. Football, FIeld Hockey and Golf are offered to all 7th and 8th graders.

Don't forget all the great offerings from the Lebanon Recreation Department including...

• 5th/6th Grade Tackle Football
• 5th/6th Grade Boys Soccer
• 5th/6th Grade Girls Soccer
• 5th/6th Grade Field Hockey
• 5th-8th Grade Fall Cheerleading
• 7th/8th Grade Boys Soccer
• 7th/8th Grade Girls Soccer
• NFL Flag Football

8th graders do not need to order. All 8th graders will get a yearbook this year.

$15 - Limited number of copies left. Get one before they are sold out!

To order online go to:

http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A05041040

If you have any questions or want to help with the yearbook, please email Mr. Masi: dmasi@sau88.net.

Remote Learners...if you have pictures of your remote learning, send them to lmsspirit@sau88.net. We will include them in the Scoop too!

A very big thank you to all the parents who donated so many goodies and helped us make this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week a huge success! A special thank you to those of you who donated cash & checks, including one VERY generous anonymous donor who helped us purchase $10 gift cards to Lucky’s Coffee Garage for ALL teachers and staff! You’re the best group of parents in the district, and the PTO Board is very grateful!

When: Wed, June 2 , 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Location: https://zoom.us/j/94660181992?pwd=UElPek9IanV5YmQ3Wjc5R3hpeDF2Zz09

Meeting ID: 946 6018 1992
Passcode: 965891

Dial by your location
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

June 11th - 8th Grade Evening Celebration 6PM

When: Wed, May 12 , 6:30pm - 10:30pm

Location: Lebanon Middle School, 3 Moulton Ave, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA

Click the button below for the latest newsletters from our Superintendent. Other letters can be found on the District website.

The Upper Valley High School Trails Corps is happening this Summer for high school age students (14-18)! Participants will join the UVTA staff on local trails to learn about trail building, conservation and trail stewardship by working with professional trail builders. The program melds fun summer camp with hard work and job training.

If they're looking for an awesome, educational-outdoor opportunity for the Summer (that also looks great on a college application) this is the program for them!

Click HERE to learn more about the program and apply!

(notice that there are two testimonial videos about trail corps with commentary led by past participants who became Summer Crew Leaders)

Visit uvtrails.org to learn more about the Upper Valley Trails Alliance.

Randy Richardson Development Director, Upper Valley Trails Alliance

phone: 802-649-9075 cell: 603-229-2210

address: PO Box 1215, Norwich VT, 05055

web: www.uvtrails.org

email: randy.richardson@uvtrails.org

If you have a student returning in person to LMS for the first time this year, please review the video tutorials to understand our processes and procedures while at school. We strongly encourage families to watch these together. Although some of our spaces now look a bit different than in the videos, we will still be using these procedures.

Here is the link to the Lebanon Middle School COVID Procedures. The button below titled LMS COVID Procedures takes you to the module and the LMS website too.

NH COVID related information can be found on the nh.gov/covid19 website.

Revised NH DHHS Guidance Related to Travel from Scoop 3.26.21

Domestic travel within the U.S. no longer requires quarantine upon return to NH (regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status), this includes domestic travel to U.S. territories.

People who travel internationally or on a cruise ship are still required to quarantine upon arrival to NH, unless diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the prior 90 days or fully vaccinated against COVID-19(2 weeks after their last vaccine dose).

Everyone who chooses to travel, regardless of vaccination status or prior immunity, should wear a well-fitted, multi-layered face mask, physically distance (i.e., maintain at least 6 feet from other people), avoid large groups and gatherings, frequently sanitize hands, and self-monitor for symptoms.

The number of positive Covid-19 cases continue to be substantial and any travel increases the risk of transmission. The CDC recommends delaying travel and staying home to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. We strongly recommend that families and staff who must travel seek testing for asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection 3-5 days after travel, per CDC guidance on travel during the COVID-19 pandemic (applies for both domestic and international travel).

For any covid symptoms, at any time, you should stay home and get a PCR based covid test.

Revised NH DHHS Guidance Related to Quarantining from Scoop 3.26.21

NH DHHS will not recommend quarantine for students or staff if a COVID-19 exposure occurs in the classroom setting where students and staff are seated and spaced at least 3 feet apart with consistent and correct face mask use.

NH DHHS will continue to recommend quarantine for persons within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 for a cumulative time of 10 minutes or longer during the person’s infectious period, regardless of mask use, in settings where it is challenging to determine the level of interaction between students and/or staff.

*** If a student or staff member tests positive we will follow the above guidance as part of our contact tracing procedures. Please continue to keep your school nurse informed if your child has had a covid test and/or is waiting for results.

Vaccines

NH DHHS has shared their vaccine allocation plan (always subject to change): https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/covid19/documents/covid19-vaccine-allocation-plan-summary.pdf

Common Questions:

Can I get a rapid COVID test instead of a PCR test?

One can get a rapid test if symptomatic. If one has no symptoms, then a PCR test should be done for accurate results.

Can I come to work/send my kids to school if someone in my house is getting a COVID test and waiting for results?

Yes. As long as you/they are asymptomatic, then you may come to work and the kids may come to school. If the individual in your house tests positive, then you would need to remain home.

How long do I need to stay home if I test positive for COVID?

You will need to remain home in isolation for 10 days since the start of your symptoms, or 10 days from the test collection date if you are asymptomatic. You can return to school on the 11th day.

Someone in my house tests positive for COVID. How long do I need to remain home?

You will remain home for 20 days (10 days for the person who tested positive, and then you are home an additional 10 days for your quarantine after the period of isolation ends).

What is the definition of close contact?

Close contact is defined as being less than 6 feet from a positive COVID individual for a cumulative 10 minutes or more during the person’s infectious period. What is the infectious period? It is based on the 2 days before the person becomes symptomatic or 2 days before the test collection date if the person is asymptomatic.

Please continue to be in contact with your school nurse if your child is being tested for COVID-19 either due to symptoms or if they have been exposed to a person determined to have COVID. Please contact the school nurse for any positive test results.

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear anytime from 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. All of the following are symptoms of COVID-19:

• Fever(over 100.o F) or chills

• Cough

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

• Fatigue

• Muscle or body aches

• Headache

• New loss of taste or smell

• Sore throat

• Congestion or runny nose

• Nausea or vomiting

• Diarrhea

In order for your child to return to school if they exhibit any of the symptoms listed above, they should either get a COVID PCR based test and produce a negative test result, OR choose to quarantine for 10 days since onset and improvement of symptoms.

DHMC Covid hotline (603) 650-1818. Hotline hours: Monday through Friday, 6:00 am to 6:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. This is for DHMC patients only (unless you are deemed a close contact to a positive case) and you do not need a referral from your Pediatrician before testing. Appointment only. https://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/patient-education/covid19-testing.html

Alice Peck Day- (603)-442-5665 Hotline hours 8:30am-4:00pm on weekdays. Official State testing site therefore will test anyone regardless if your doctor is at APD or if you do not have a doctor. Do not need a referral. Appointment only. Must live within the Community of Alice Peck Day. https://www.alicepeckday.org/services/covid19communitytesting/

The school day begins at 7:45 - 7:50 AM.

The PikMyKid Check-in Health Screening is required each day. Students who do not complete the check-in before arriving will have to be screened at the door before entering the building. We continue to average 20-30 check-ins daily which is still slowing down the process. Please complete the check-in health screening before leaving home in the morning.

Students will be expected to arrive at the following times, as we stagger our arrival in order to process students into our building:

Bus Riders - 7:22 AM

Band/Chorus Students - 7:22 AM - Please follow directions from Ms. Garnham and Mr. Terry. If your child has a sibling that is not in the band or chorus, please drop them together at the same time.

Car drop offs need to plan to start at 7:30 AM or after. There is no early drop off.

Students should be sitting in a seat on the right side of the vehicle to exit on the sidewalk side. Students should also be prepared to get out before the car stops so they can do so quickly and the car line can keep moving.

If your child has to exit from the left side of the vehicle, please park and we will help them cross the crosswalk.

5th & 7th Grade Car Riders - Begins @ 7:30 AM

6th & 8th Grade Car Riders - Begins @ 7:38 AM

***If you have students in 5th and 8th for example you can choose the earlier or later time.***

Students will be dismissed at the following times:

Please park if your child is not along the curb when you enter the loop to keep the flow of traffic moving.

Bus Riders - 1:55 PM

5th & 7th Grade Car Riders Starting at 2 PM (please try not to arrive before 2PM)

6th & 8th Grade Car Riders after 2:05 PM

***If you have students in 5th and 8th for example you can choose the earlier or later time.***

We have changed our School's PikMyKid settings. Parents can no longer change the default pick-up mode of their students. If you have a student who will be picked up by car permanently and not taking the bus for example, you will have to contact the school. To change your child's afternoon plans temporarily, use the calendar feature in order to delegate someone else to pick up for example.

Tutorials are found below in the Scoop.

OBJECTIVE:

On Wednesdays, LMS students may elect to learn remotely. This option is being offered to support students who are in need of a mid-week respite from COVID protocols.

Teams will continue to present curriculum and address the academic and social emotional needs of middle school students. Classes will look like a “typical” day, supporting students’ academic and social/emotional needs.

EXPECTATIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE WEDNESDAYS:

• Students, who are in school or elect to learn remotely, will continue to engage with the day’s curriculum.

• Students’ daily class schedules will remain the same.

• Pine Team, 5th grade, may structure remote learning individually for each classroom. If interested, please contact your child's teacher directly.

PARTICIPATION:

• Students are welcome and supported in attending school all five days in person.

• Students who participate in alternative Wednesdays may choose to learn remotely on a week-to-week basis.

• If a student is participating remotely, attendance will be taken in Advisory by 7:45 AM.

• LMS will communicate with families of students who are participating remotely if the model is not supporting the student’s needs.

All students are expected to attend school each day it is in session if they selected to be in school, and must be in Advisory by 7:45am for attendance.

All students arriving to Advisory after 7:45am will be considered late to school.

Parents must complete the PikMyKid App Check-In Health Survey each morning for each student to attend in person learning.

Parents must contact the school office each day their student (in person or fully remote) will be absent or late. [On Alternative Wednesdays, students should show up remotely at 7:45 to advisory for attendance. No call to the school is necessary.]

In person learners who have symptoms keeping them from in person learning, will be marked absent and do not need to access their teachers remotely. Our nurse will contact the family to discuss if COVID testing is necessary and what date the student may return to school.

All students who are called out absent for 1 to 2 days, for any reason, will be marked absent and do not need to access their teachers remotely. Student may make up missing work upon their return to school.

In person learners who are absent for 3 or more days due to illness or quarantine may learn remotely at their teachers’ discretion; however, they will continue to be marked absent.

Planned absences for all students must follow our student handbook attendance policy. In this case the student may learn remotely at their teachers’ discretion; however, they will be marked absent.

Extended Absences/Vacations

Parents/Guardians are discouraged from planning family vacations while school is in session. Please make plans that coincide with school vacations and holidays because it is difficult for students to make up classroom learning activities when a child is absent for an extended period of time. Permission is granted by an administrator, and a written request to the main office for a student’s work two weeks in advance is required. It is the student’s responsibility to notify teachers and collect assignments. It is the student’s responsibility to submit the completed assignments upon his/her return to school. Failure to obtain permission and to request work two weeks in advance will result in absences being unexcused.

New Period Attendance – In an effort to improve communications, LMS teachers now have the ability to take class attendance each period via Powerschool for all students. Students will be notified if they are marked absent. Parents will be notified if they have created a parent portal account in Powerschool. This should help parents/guardians monitor attendance for their remote learners.

It is important to note that an in person learner, who is at school, could be marked absent for a class for a variety of reasons (early dismissal, student services, counseling, etc.).

Breakfast and Lunch

Students will be able to purchase breakfast or lunch ahead of time. More details to come soon as to how students will order meals ahead.

• Breakfast $1.75
• Lunch $3.15

Reduced price tentatively for breakfast is $0 and lunch is $.40.

Food service along with everything else looks a little different this year. In the morning, students may not enter the building early to get and eat breakfast. There will be a daily offering with a cereal option for the students to choose from between 7:25 and 7:40. Students, regardless of grade, should enter the front doors of the school in the morning and the students should go directly into the cafeteria and pick up and eat their breakfast. Breakfast will not be available once the school day begins at 7:45. There will not be a breakfast break period this year. Remember that a reduced pay student receives a free breakfast.

At lunch there will be two options available at lunch every day. A daily offering and an option that will be consistent for the week. We are also offering a breakfast and a lunch for remote learning days. A cohort students can order meals for Tuesday and Wednesday at Monday lunch and again on Thursday for Friday. B cohort students can order meals for Wednesday and Thursday at lunch on Tuesday and again on Friday for Monday. The meals will be available for pickup at the end of the day and the student will pick up the meals on the way out at dismissal time.

Just a reminder, Free and Reduced applications must be filled out every year. You can apply on line at https://www.lunchapplication.com/ or you can get the application on the district’s website. Applications are also available at the main office.

Dennis Samuel

Food Service Director

Fresh Picks Café

Each day when your child(ren) come to school, they will be required to complete the health screening before coming to school. This will be through the PikMyKid app (more information to follow).

It is imperative that students do stay home if they are sick or have COVID-19 symptoms (COVID symptoms). Students should not come to school if they are not feeling well or have any of the following symptoms:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Students should have a water bottle and can use the bottle filling stations throughout the day.

Every student needs a backpack every day to carry their materials for the day.

Students also need to bring their chromebook to school every day they are in person. Parents/Guardians need to help students remember their device and help make sure it is charged. Students need to be reminded to be careful with their chromebooks to avoid breaking them. If you are having trouble with the Chromebook, email techsupport@sau88.net.

Students need their chromebooks every day they are at school! We continue to encourage students to take care of their machines and very much appreciate your help with this. We want to keep our machines in good working order at all times. We can troubleshoot functioning but we can't just replace due to breakage.

Please help your students with the following:

• Charging chromebooks every night.
• Making sure chromebook and charger get into backpack each night to and from school.
• Cleaning chromebook daily.
• Emphasizing taking care of your machine.
• Remembering passwords.

Need technology help?

Tech Support Hotline number: (603) 790-8501

This phone line will be open from 8am-4pm M-F. After hours, please leave a message and we will return your call.

Tech Support Hotline email: techsupport@sau88.net

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

The Lebanon Middle School community challenges and supports all learners in a

rigorous, stimulating, and developmentally appropriate environment.

To achieve our mission, we strive to foster curiosity, lifelong learning, and global citizenship while encouraging individual aptitudes, interests, and talents by underscoring our core values of LMS PRIDE:

Leadership

Motivation

Spirit

Perseverance

Respect

Integrity

Dependability

Excellence

John P. D’Entremont, Principal

Kim Ezen, Assistant Principal

Synthia Liska, Student Services Administrator

Brett Franklin, Director of Athletics & Co-Curriculars

Email: jdentremont@sau88.net
Website: lms.sau88.net
Location: 3 Moulton Avenue, Lebanon, NH, USA
Phone: 603-448-3056
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LMSLebNH
Twitter: @LMSLebNH