We are all so excited for Monday. The Team here has been working diligently to prepare and we cannot wait to greet our Leopard Family!

For the safety of our families at drop-off and pickup, please read the information below about car loop. We'll need to all work together to have a smooth, safe, and efficient arrival and dismissal.

Speaking of safety, we know that mitigation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic remains top of mind. Staff discussed and prepared strategies throughout the week. Details are below. Just as we partner in the learning and development of the children of our community, so too are we partnered in their safety during the pandemic. One key strategy we need to highlight is keeping children home if they are sick, are positive for COVID, if they've been tested and are awaiting the result, or if they've been exposed to someone with COVID. If you're unsure of what to do, please call Nurse Vita. We're all working together to mitigate risk.

Please read on for additional details and how you can help us have a smooth opening and keep students safe! An Opening Information Snapshot is attached for additional information at a glance, as is the school lunch menu.

Excited to bring in the new year on Monday!

-Mr. McComb

Car-riders are students whose parents pull into the car loop in the morning and out of the car loop in the afternoon without leaving their vehicles (not getting out for hugs, or help buckling, etc). Please only use the car loop if you can quickly drop or pickup and GO! Our car loop can back into York Road and cause a dangerous situation if we don't move quickly and efficiently. Don't forget the temporary car-rider tag that came in the Transportation Mailing last week.

Walkers/Parent Pickup are students who either get picked up at the school door by a parent on foot (even if that is just to walk to a car parked in the lot) or walk from the building into the neighborhood behind out school. These students will enter in the morning and depart in the afternoon from the double doors at the Rec Room behind the building (there are directional lawn signs posted).

This allows us to better distance students inside the building and while it will be an adjustment for which we appreciate your grace and flexibility, we are centering the students and their safety in this choice. Please remember to enter the school for afternoon pickup (car loop or parking) through the southernmost entrance on York Road. Please see the image below.

The Transportation Letter is attached to this newsletter to facilitate a quick refresh before Monday if you have any questions.

What we're doing as a school:

• Consistent and correct mask use will be a focal point in establishing routines and expectations as we open our school. Our first graders did a great job today!
• Physical distancing was in the front of our minds in spacing our classrooms as best we could. We are aligning seating charts across locations (classroom, specials, cafeteria) to limit the number of close contacts as much as possible. We also expanded our lunch service window to have fewer students in the cafeteria at once.
• Testing will be offered to families if their child is displaying symptoms. We have an isolation space (with supervision from Nurse Vita) for students with symptoms while they await pickup.
• Ventilation units are set to maximal air exchange and we've had units serviced this week.
• Handwashing is being integrated as a regular part of our routine upon entering the classroom and when touching shared items
• Encouraging all students and staff to stay home when sick and consult with Nurse Vita when unsure.
• Contact tracing will be conducting through BCPS contact tracers whenever necessary. If there is a case of COVID in the school, a community notice will be issued for transparency and individuals who may have been exposed will be contacted individually by contact tracers prior to the community notice.
• Cleaning and Disinfecting of high touch surfaces will occur daily.
  

What we'd like to do:

The School Improvement Team wants to prepare to attempt outdoor lunches when weather permits. To do so, we will need some community volunteers who can help with lunch supervision and logistical support during our lunch shifts (spanning 10:30 - 2:00). Volunteers will need to complete BCPS Volunteer training and share proof of vaccination or complete weekly screenings when they go into effect for BCPS as a system. We may also be reaching out for donations of beach towels that students can use to sit on the grass to eat.

We have recently decided to commit to try this for the good and safety of our students, so it will take some time to fully prepare. If you are able to help by volunteering some time, towels, or in another way, please email Mr. McComb (smccomb@bcps.org).

Email: smccomb@bcps.org
Website: https://luthervillees.bcps.org/
Location: 1700 York Road, Lutherville-Timonium, MD, USA
Phone: 410-887-7800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Local-Business/Lutherville-Lab-Elementary-School-578308486196045/
Twitter: @LuthervilleLab