January 18, 2021
Dear LHS Parents and Students,
Beginning January 25, Liberal High School will transition into what we will call a “Deconstructed Flex Mod” schedule. Liberal High School students will be divided into two groups by alphabet in order to maintain social distancing as often as possible in every classroom and Personalized Learning Time space. Each day of the schedule will run from 8:00 AM – 3:20 PM. Last names A – L will attend in-person Monday and Wednesday and last names M – Z will attend in-person on Tuesday and Thursday. Friday’s are remote learning days and opportunities for teachers of co-curricular classes and activity sponsors to schedule pop-in classes and meetings. Additionally, both in-person and remote learners will have the opportunity to Zoom with teachers during virtual office hours.
Course content will continue to be delivered via Canvas as it has been during Phase I. During in-person instruction when students are on campus, teachers will utilize class time to facilitate activities that assist students in gaining a deeper understanding of the outcomes and content that has been posted in Canvas; teachers may also provide Zoom links for remote learners to join in these lessons as well. Additionally, teachers may use the time to answer questions and provide additional instruction to ensure that each student is successful in learning the essential skills and outcomes of each course.
To prepare students for this transition, especially those who are freshmen and new to LHS, we are using time during in-person homeroom this week to provide students with schedule information, review school-wide procedures, protocols, and expectations, as well as taking freshmen and new students on tours.
As we have learned throughout this pandemic, plans are subject to change given circumstances that call for us to do so. We will continue to work closely with our district office and health officials to monitor both our numbers of positive cases in the building and the numbers in the county that influence our ability to operate safely for in-person instruction. While students are in the building, we will maintain the following protocols:
- Mask mandate for all students and staff remains in place
- Students will be seated socially distanced as often as possible
- LHS has hired two long-term substitute teachers for the remainder of the Spring 2021 semester in order to open additional PLT spaces and maintain social distancing as much as possible
Students who have health risks or family members with whom they have frequent contact may opt to take part in remote learning. Parents and students who choose this option are required to meet with their counselor regarding their academic status as well as sign an agreement.
Two weeks during the semester we will return to a Phase I schedule for the purpose of administering standardized tests more efficiently and in stable groupings for potential contact tracing as well as providing post-secondary experiences for students in smaller groups. Those weeks will be February 22 – 26 and April 12 – 16. They were determined based on state-wide testing dates and windows. More information regarding the tests that will be taken and the grade levels and students who are affected will be sent out at a later date.
The schedule for the upcoming four weeks can be viewed HERE, students will have access to the calendar in their Canvas, and it has been published on our website as well. We will provide new calendars as we continue to monitor the current COVID situation.
Given that health and safety are our top priority, we also place the academic and social and emotional needs of our students at a high level of importance as well. Our goal is to provide students with as many opportunities as possible to experience in-person learning with their teachers and engagement in extracurricular activities. Thus, we are making every effort we can to return to a full in-person schedule before the end of the semester, while still complying with all current health and safety protocols and mandates. We truly appreciate your patience and grace as we navigate the unknown and uncertain.
Sincerely,
Ashley Kappelmann, Principal
Liberal High School
