Volume: 2020-2021 ● Number: 23 ● Lebanon, NH

February 12, 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

Dear LMS Families,

We had a wonderful week this week at LMS full of #LMSPRIDE due to our spirit week organized by the Student Council. Great job, students!

We once again want to bring your attention to and are grateful for the LMS PTO who put together wonderful experiences for our students over February break. Details from the PTO are below!

This week, we completed STAR testing for all students in math and reading and it went off without a hitch. This is a tool we have been using to monitor student growth, so teachers will be looking a this data to plan future instruction.

Here is what we will be doing over break:

• Mrs. Liska - I am really looking forward to winter break this year! All of the snow makes for awesome snowmobile trails. I plan to ride and relax. I may even read a book or two while curling up by the fire with my cat and dog.

• Mrs. Ezen - I am looking forward to hanging out with my husband and plan on doing some snowshoeing, ice fishing and eating lots of good food. I will make sure I take lots of pics when I catch the biggest largemouth bass.

• Dr. D'Entremont - I am looking forward to being with my family over break and spending some time with Mrs. D'Entremont. I will enjoy some skiing, running, and reading over the break.

We wish you a fantastic and restful break! Get outside and have fun!

Regards,

John P. D'Entremont, Principal

In order to encourage families to Stay Home and Stay Safe during February Break, the PTO invites everyone to the LMS Virtual Vacation! Businesses and organizations in the Upper Valley and beyond have provided many activities for students to enjoy, from live Karate classes, raptor demonstrations, and concerts to virtual field trips, cartooning classes, digital escape rooms, and MORE! There is even a reading challenge with PRIZES!!

Some events require pre-registration, so click below and sign up ASAP! Almost all events are free (and some scholarships are available: contact lms.pto@sau88.net for more information), and we would like to thank all our Upper Valley sponsors for their generous donations of time and resources!

LMS will be closed February 15-19 for February Break.

We will see students back on February 22nd! Enjoy!

Starting on Monday, February 22nd, the Spruce team students (6th graders) will no longer have Google Hangouts or the ability to create a Google Meet. This will limit their distractions and provide more focus during classes. Students will still be accessing their class Google Meets with their teachers as normal. You can reach out to your child's advisor if you have a question.

Happy February Break

Double Masking

To double mask or not...that is the question! This week the CDC released a laboratory study in which it was determined that when you double mask you are more protected from Covid-19 and its variant strains.

What I think is most important from the mask discussion is that: 1. Everyone should be wearing a mask 2. The masks should fit you properly-tight to your face, cover your nose, mouth and chin, and have no gaps where respiratory droplets can escape 3. The masks should be at least 2-3 layers thick. For persons travelling (esp. on public transportation), in large crowds or in areas where the covid variants are prevalent, it might make sense to take the extra precaution of double masking. Whatever YOU are comfortable wearing - a single or double mask - is what is right for you during this uncertain time.

Travel

Just a reminder of the NH DHHS travel guidelines: when traveling out of New England, you need to quarantine for 10 days upon your return to NH and monitor for covid symptoms. If symptoms develop, you would need to test for covid. OR If you choose, you can quarantine for 7 days, have a negative PCR covid test on day 7 or later and then be able to return to school.

In either scenario, you are monitoring for any covid symptoms for a full 14 days.

The following people do NOT need to quarantine after high-risk travel:

1. Persons who are 14 days beyond the second dose of their COVID-19 vaccine (i.e., 14 days after full vaccination).

2. Persons who are within 90 days of a prior SARS-CoV-2 infection that was diagnosed by PCR or antigen testing (if a person had a previous infection that was more than 90 days prior, then they are still subject to travel quarantine).

Please be in touch with the nurse if your child is travelling over February break so we can discuss the appropriate return to school date.

Hoping that you and your family have a fun-filled and restful February break.

Please check out the activities put together by the LMS PTO- they look awesome!!

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

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.

Nancy Pageau

npageau@sau88.net

603-727-9817 (direct line)

603-448-3056 (LMS)

Positive Cases - 5

Current Active Cases - 0

Students/Staff Currently Isolated/Quarantined - 0

Number of Students/Staff Tested (since September) - 242*

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

Number of Students/Staff with Pending Test Results - 0

NH COVID-19 Schools Dashboard

We have included a number of flyers of programs again you might be interested in. Enjoy.

Carolynn Stockwell, 5/6

cstockwell@sau88.net

Stephanie Allard, 7/8

sallard@sau88.net

Elena VanZandt, Student Assistance Provider

evanzandt@sau88.net

Hello Teachers, Parents, Caregivers, and Students,

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed us all in a demanding situation and forced us to re-think one of the foundations of our society, our children’s education. Hypertherm is committed to supporting our communities and schools and want to continue to engage students in meaningful STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) experiences and activities.

In support of this important work, we have created the following virtual opportunities found on our website at Shape For Stem:

• An interactive 360° facility tour where you can navigate through our Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified advanced manufacturing facility located at 71 Heater Road in Lebanon, NH.
• A guided video tour of our 71 Heater Road facility.
• A pre-recorded live tour of our cutting facility including demonstrations of our plasma and waterjet systems.
• Career panels where a variety of Hypertherm Associates share their career paths and thoughts on what students should consider when thinking about their future career.
• A virtual packaging activity meant to challenge students and engage them in a real-world environmental engineering project.

Email shapeforstem@hypertherm.com with any questions you have. We will gladly set up career panels, virtual Associate visits, or any other creative connection to your classroom.

Stacey Chiocchio, Community Citizenship Manager

Tim Renner, Program Manager HTTI (Hypertherm Technical Training Institute)

Check out the latest Library Media Center News. Also, have a great break and the reading challenge information is below! Have fun!

Best of luck to the LMS Nordic skiers who are set to participate in Monday's (Feb 15th) New Hampshire Middle School State Meet in Center Sandwich! Go Raiders!

The LMS Athletic Department announces with great disappointment that Gymnastics will not be offered in 2021 due to COVID-19 and its overall effects. We look forward to bringing back this activity when health and safety guidelines allow us to do so. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Registration for 2021 Spring Sports is now open on FamilyID. You can find a direct link on the Athletics and Co-Curricular web page located on the LMS website. Please note that there has not been an official decision made on the status of spring sports. Stay tuned for updates.

We are still looking for students who might be interested in helping with the yearbook. If you are interested, please reach out to Mr. Masi.

If you have any questions about yearbook, please email Mr. Masi: dmasi@sau88.net.

Student Council is on the hunt for boxes! If you have any paper sized boxes or larger, please hang onto them and we will collect them after vacation!

Do you have any ideas that the student council could help with? Maybe a local fundraiser? A fun event or spirit day? A suggestion to improve our school? Email

studentcouncilideas@edu.sau88.net with your ideas!

Next Meetings:

Feb. 22nd Full Council Meeting

Questions, please contact Mrs. McFarland.

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

When: Wed, March 3 , 7:00pm - 8:00pm

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

Meeting ID: 946 6018 1992
Passcode: 965891
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February 15th-22nd - School Closed February Break

March 3rd - LMS PTO Meeting

When: Wed, February 24 , 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.

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.

Quarantine and Exposure/Travel Guidance

NH DHHS has updated quarantine guidelines in relation to exposure to COVID and travel. The following guidelines are specific to NH. The CDC, VT, and other state guidelines are different from NH. We will be following these NH guidelines going forward. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions related to this information (npageau@sau88.net).

• A person who is close contact to another person infectious with COVID-19 must stay home and away from public locations for 10 days starting from the last day of exposure to the infectious person.
• A person who has traveled outside of New England must stay home and away from public locations for 10 days starting from the last day of travel outside of New England. An exception exists for travel quarantine only: one can “test out” of the 10 day travel quarantine if they have a negative COVID PCR based test on day 7 or after of their quarantine, and remain without symptoms.
• ***NH DPHS does NOT recommend adopting the “test out” option in the CDC Quarantine Guidance(i.e. quarantine for 7 days and a negative test) for confirmed close contacts to a positive person. Currently, testing resources are not sufficiently available to adopt this approach, and risk of transmission is increased.

In all situations, you are still self monitoring for any symptoms until day 14. If you develop symptoms during this time period you need to test and follow the appropriate quarantine or isolation guidance.

• Isolation guidance for confirmed positive cases (12/3/20): https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/covid19/documents/self-isolation-covid.pdf
• Quarantine guidance for exposure or travel (12/3/20): https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/covid19/documents/self-quarantine-covid.pdf

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

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).

If I test positive or someone else in my house tests positive, will DHHS contact me?

Because of the increase in positive COVID cases in NH, DHHS has said they will now contact cases related to schools with a “beginning” isolation or quarantine letter/notification. This may take a few days. Please follow the guidance given to you by your school nurse or PCP until such time as you are contacted by DHHS. NH DHHS will no longer be providing a “release from” isolation/quarantine letter. Please reach out to your PCP or myself with any questions related to either quarantine or isolation.

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 2:08 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.

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.

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