Volume: 2020-2021 ● Number: 37 ● Lebanon, NH

June 11, 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

LMS Friends and Families,

We have had a strong finish to our last full week. We have been collecting devices and will continue on Monday. Please make sure your student is able to locate any technology that needs to be returned. It is imperative we get these things back in preparation for next year.

Tonight, we will have our 8th Grade Social Event at LMS. We are feeling the excitement in the air and we are looking forward to celebrating with all of us together.

Monday, June 14th is the last day of school and is an early dismissal. We will be dismissing at 12:30.

We will also be having our end of year recognition assembly on Monday. We are very grateful to be able to have our 8th graders together for this event. Typically, we have a school assembly in the gymnasium and families are invited to attend. This year we are unable to have families and 5th-7th graders attend, but everyone will be able to view the event online. This 8th grade class has persevered through many unforeseen challenges and we are looking forward to making their end of the year a positive and memorable one.

We will publish one more Middle Scoop this year after our Recognition Assembly celebrating the successes of so many students over the course of the 2020-2021 school year.

As always, please be in touch if you have questions as we close this school year.

Enjoy the Scoop!

Regards,

John P. D'Entremont, Principal

Please plan to drop-off students promptly at 6PM. Students will exit vehicles and enter the main doors of the school and head to the gymnasium for the event. At 7:30 PM, please park in our back parking lot. We will dismiss students in waves (you can certainly text them when you arrive and where you are parked for those that have phones).

Some other helpful reminders:

• This is a casual event and students should wear school appropriate dress.
• Students will be seated 6 feet apart at their own tables (similar to snack and lunch).
• When not eating, students will be closer and masked.
• Students will be receiving a sandwich meal from Mickey's which they selected through a survey.
• We will view the 8th grade slideshow together.
• If time permits, we will attempt some appropriately distanced line dancing (Cotton Eyed-Joe, Chicken Dance, etc.)

At this point, we know who will be joining us in person. For those who will be joining us virtually, here is a zoom link to the live slideshow viewing. Our plan is to start the slideshow at approximately 6:30 PM. Please bear with us if we are a bit behind schedule :-)

Just a reminder Band and Chorus will not meet Monday morning.

We will be conducting a recognition assembly on the last day of school like we have done in the past but with some modifications. At this assembly, we will be recognizing students for this year's accomplishments in a variety of areas. Our 8th graders will be recognized in person in our gymnasium while we livestream this event in our classrooms and family homes using this Zoom link. 5th -7th graders will be recognized as well but will receive their awards in their advisory with their cohort.

8th grade remote students are welcome to attend in person. If you haven't done so already, please contact Mrs. Ezen (kezen@sau88.net) as soon as possible.

We look forward to celebrating our 8th graders and sending them off for their next step in their educational journey.

LMS students over 12 are eligible for the pfizer vaccine. To register your child, please go to the state vaccination site. If you have questions, you can contact Nurse Pageau.

This section includes updates about next year each week. Understand that all of this is subject to change, but we want to ensure you have the most up to date plans for next year as things continue to fall into place for 2021-2022.

Update # 5 - June 11, 2021

Drop-off in the morning looks to be no earlier than 7:22AM next year.

We are working to a similar dismissal next year with waves to alleviate our traffic patterns by still using PikMyKid.

We will send additional information out in August prior to the start of school.

Update # 4 - June 4, 2021

We expect to return to two essential arts blocks daily for all students. We are working towards this goal for next school year.

We are working towards getting back LMS Block, which is our daily study hall period each day at the end of our day.

Update # 3 - May 28, 2021

We are planning not to do daily health screenings in the morning for next year.

LMS will continue to use PikMyKid for dismissal in the afternoons. This has been a helpful tool for families to change student after school plans during the school day.

We are planning on continuing with our physical distancing of 3 feet for students next year in classrooms with assigned seating, but we will not continue with the strict cohorts of this year.

We are planning on 6 feet for eating lunches and breaks at LMS like we are adhering to right now.

Update # 2 - May 21, 2021

We have nothing new to report this week.

Update # 1 - May 14, 2021

The Superintendent is planning for a five-day, in-person model for the fall. The District will not be offering a fully remote option. This may change based on the level of Covid transmission in the fall. The District will continue to follow DoE and DHHS guidance.

Next year, we are planning to not have cohorts. The student experience for each grade level is described below.

• For our 5th graders rising to 6th grade, it will feel different as they will no longer follow the strict elementary classroom with little change between rooms. The students will shift rooms frequently and will also have different students in different classes.

• For our 6th graders rising to 7th grade, these students have experienced cohorts for years through elementary school and even this year. Next year will be a transition for these students as they move on to the 7th/8th grade teams. Students will move from class to class and have different students in their classes. Students will mix with 8th graders for advisory and essentials arts classes.

• For our 7th graders rising to 8th grade, we will be shifting back to three 7th/8th grade teams. This means that students will be replaced on teams. It will feel similar to their 6th grade experience before COVID with different students in their classes and moving to different classrooms. It will also mean that 7th and 8th graders will mix for advisory and their essential arts classes.

We do not anticipate placements being done before the end of this year. We will be informing students and families of their team and advisory assignments over the summer. We appreciate your patience as we continue to prepare for the future.

This shift away from cohorts next year will allow us all to get a fresh start, build our relationships in our new advisories and on our teams, and set the tone for a great 2021-2022 school year.

Happy Start to the Summer!

Student medications currently in the nurse's office this school year (Epipens, asthma inhalers, daily and prn medications) need to be picked up by the last day of school, June 14th. Please contact the nurse to arrange for medication pick up. Any medications left in the nurse's office after the last day of school will be discarded.

As we wind down the school year, a few reminders from the health office:

All physicals and immunizations need to be in compliance and up to date as of the first day of school in September 2021. Please schedule physicals and immunization over the summer as needed. Updated allergy, asthma and health plans are requested annually.

8th grade health files are transferred to LHS on the last day of school (June 14th). Any rising 9th grade physicals or updated immunization records obtained after that date over the summer should be emailed, faxed or mailed to Karen Townsend RN at LHS.

All rising 7th grade students need to have a current physical on file (done in 2021). Annual physicals for ALL students are highly encouraged. Once again, immunizations need to be up to date for ALL students as of the first day of school.

If you are interested in the summer lunch program for your child (18 yo and under) please complete the following survey by Monday, June 14th:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevTtzwxklhlv04Tn8NCQ0aniqRorSezf1LPsxC379XIeybBw/viewform

For those of you currently eligible to receive the Covid vaccine, I highly encourage you to do so. The vaccines are widely available at many walk-in clinics, pharmacies and through your PCP.

Have a safe and restful summer,

Nancy Pageau

npageau@sau88.net

603-727-9817 (direct line)

603-448-3056 (LMS)

Positive Cases - 12

Current Active Cases - 0

Students/Staff Currently Isolated/Quarantined - 0

Number of Students/Staff Tested (since September) - 401*

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

Number of Students/Staff with Pending Test Results - 1

This year has been a CoVID Roller Coaster, but the year is coming to a close. We have made very close connections and we are honored to have been part of your world. As you transition, always remember the times you have had here at LMS. We will but we do need to say Farewell. Did you know it is MORE important for us to say goodbye? The psychology behind it indicates, we would have subtle feelings of regret. Eventually, not saying goodbye creates a pile up of emotional losses. Unfelt losses will often trigger depression. When it is hard to say goodbye, make a personal note of it. And push through it. Make it a GOOD GOODBYE!!

Best wishes to everyone for a happy and healthy summer! It has been a year for the record books and we hope everyone will find time rest and recharge. We look forward to seeing everyone again in the fall!

Carolynn Stockwell, 5/6

cstockwell@sau88.net

Stephanie Allard, 7/8

sallard@sau88.net

Elena VanZandt, Student Assistance Provider

evanzandt@sau88.net

The Listen Center still has many camper scholarships available for any child who qualifies. In addition, families can self-refer at this time. If you are interested in your son/daughter attending camp this summer please call LISTEN to make an appointment. With many different options available you are able to register your child for the camp of their choice.

Please see website if interested in the Every Kid Outdoors Annual 4th Grade Pass. 5th graders missed out on this opportunity, so they are eligible through August 31st!

LMS 2021 Fall Sports Sign Ups!

Any 7th or 8th grader interested in playing LMS Football, FIeld Hockey or Golf can sign up via FamilyID. Find sign up link HERE

LHS 2021 Summer & Fall Athletic Program Sign Ups

Sign ups for 2021 Lebanon High School Athletic Summer/Fall 2021 programs are open for any 8th grader attending LHS in the fall. Find the link HERE

The PTO Board would like to thank everyone who has contributed to our PTO events and stuck with us during this very strange year! We are so grateful for those of you who donated goodies and funds and time to help us appreciate teachers and staff throughout 2020-21. We are also thankful to everyone who participated in our virtual fundraiser this fall. Those funds have helped the PTO pay for outside mats for the 5th graders, new sleds for recess this winter, a new Keurig for the staff room, a virtual author visit, and new tools for the bicycle repair club, among other projects. We wish you a restful, healthy summer and look forward to seeing everyone on August 30th at 3:00pm at Colburn Park for a welcome back Popsicle Party with the PTO and the Principal!

Popsicle Party with the PTO to bring in 2021-2022 tentatively scheduled for August 30th at 3PM on the Lebanon Green.

June 14th - Last Day of School/Recognition Assembly

School Board Meeting

When: Wed, June 23 , 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.

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