Welcome to the Lyon Academy Principal's Corner
Welcome Liger Families!
I hope this finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy.
Based on what you told us when we contacted you recently, your child will either be learning virtually at home or in school. Lyon School will re-open for in school instruction, for approved Pre-K through Second grade students on Monday, October 19th. Some Third through Fifth grade students will begin in-person learning on Monday, October 26th.
Grades 6,7and 8 will continue to learn virtually at home for now.
As we make this instructional transition, learning will continue for both in-school students and at-home students. Your child will continue work with teachers from Lyon, and our team will provide the support your child will need to be successful.
The bell time to start school for both virtual and in-school will be 8:05 AM. In-school students will be able to enter the school building as early as 7:45 AM. School will dismiss at 2:02 PM. All students, both virtual and in-school, will have additional work to complete from 2:02-3:00 PM from home.
- Bus students will enter/leave the building on Virginia Street from the side near the music room.
- Students who walk, or are dropped off, will enter from the front door #1.
- Pick up at the end of the day will be from Vermont side and a staff member will bring your child to your car.
- For early dismissal call 314-353-1349 and we will have your student ready by the front door #1.
When your child arrives, staff will be at the entry doors to greet and welcome them. A quick temperature check will be conducted at the entrance and another in the classroom with the teacher, where students will also complete a health screening. Students will be guided to their classroom by staff stationed in the hall and stairway; and breakfast will be served in the classroom.
The daily schedule will still include live interaction (sometimes referred to as “synchronous instruction”) and independent learning (sometimes referred to as “asynchronous instruction”). Your child’s teacher will share your grade level specific schedule.
SLPS has issued guidance for schools which we will adhere to. I must inform you that for the time being attending Lyon Academy will not be as it was. Please note information will be updated and shared as we received new information via website or email.
- Students will be socially distanced in rooms (with approximately 10 students in a room).
- All students and staff will be required to wear mask throughout the school day. Students will also be required to physically distance themselves as much as possible by staying 6 feet away from their classmates and teachers at all times.
- Daily Temperature Checks will be completed at the entry of school and when the child enters his/her classroom. Students with a temperature of 100.4 or above will not be admitted to school.
- Breakfast and Lunch will be eaten in the classrooms.
- Up to date Immunizations must be on file in the nurse’s office before you can attend school in-person.
School supplies (Individualized and name labeled on each item): We ask that you provide for the following items for your child’s use only. Your child’s teacher may provide you with more specific details based on your child’s grade level.
- An extra face mask (in case one worn to school becomes dirty or lost)
- Filled water bottle, if desired.
- An individualized wrapped snack, if desired.
Curriculum books and materials distributed in August or at the start of school must be returned with the student. These items include your child’s math workbook/manipulatives, writing journal, science and social studies materials and your child’s iPad and charger. They will continue to use these learning tools in their classroom.
We are committed to the safety of everyone in the building. If there is a positive case, we will follow the CDC guidelines which may include asking staff and/or students to stay home for 14 days if they were in direct contact with the individual that tested positive. In-person students can join the class virtually from home until they are cleared by a doctor in a statement stating they are able to return to the building.
Please note that if the school experiences factors outside of our control, then the school may need to move back to the virtual learning platform at home. We ask that you prepare now for a back-up plan in event schools have to close.
The staff and I are excited and looking forward to receiving your child back into the classroom. While things will be different, together I know we can accomplish anything we put our hearts and minds to.
Please call 314-353-1349 or email Ingrid.iskali@slps.org with any questions
Thank you,
Dr. Iskali
In-Person Learning Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How Do We Stay Informed on Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Your School?
- In order to keep everyone healthy and slow the spread of COVID-19, students will not be able to attend in-person classes if they have:
- Experienced any symptoms of COVID-19, including a fever of 100.0 degrees F or greater, a new cough, new loss of taste or smell, or shortness of breath within the past 10 days;
- Received a positive result from a COVID-19 test that tested saliva or used a nose or throat swab (not a blood test) in the past 10 days;
- Been in close contact with anyone who tested positive for COVID-19 or who has or had symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 14 days; or
- Traveled internationally or from a state with widespread community transmission of COVID-19 in the past 14 days.
- As always, please keep your child home if they are sick.
- It’s important that Lyon school personnel can reach you to share crucial information quickly, including alerts about confirmed COVID-19 cases in your child’s school. Please provide updated information so we can contact you via phone, email, or text message.
Will A Mask Be Required To Wear All Day?
Yes. Students will be given an opportunity to eat their Breakfast and Lunch without the mask.
How to Wear A Mask Correctly?
What Transportation to and from School Will Look Like
- Whether traveling by bus, public transportation, or other means, students will be expected to wear masks and practice social distancing, just as they will in and around their school.
- Following guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), buses transporting students will be with limited capacity to ensure safe social distancing. Seating on the bus will be clearly marked to guide students to where they can and cannot sit.
- Before sending children on a bus, family members should screen their children’s health at home, including temperature checks, to make certain they are well enough to board a bus and attend school.
- Upon arrival at a destination where passengers will be exiting the bus, students will be directed to exit one row at a time to maintain a safe social distance.
What Will Teaching and Learning Looks Like
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In-Person Learning Begins On:
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For Grade Levels:
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Monday October 19
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Pre-K thru 2nd Grade
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Monday October 26
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3rd grade thru 5th grade
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How Will My Child Learn at Home /or at School?
Students will receive remote instruction in two different ways: live interaction (sometimes referred to as “synchronous instruction”) with teachers, and independent learning (sometimes referred to as “asynchronous instruction”), which includes assignments, projects, or recorded video lessons.
- Live interactionmeans that your student will interact with their teacher on video, phone, live chat, virtual app, or another digital mode in real time. The teacher may be interacting with the whole class, small groups, or individual students over Microsoft Teams. It includes:
- Class Lessons;
- Office Hours to connecting in real time with teachers to get individual or small group help with instruction or instructional activities;
- Social-emotional wellness activities such as sharing circles or mindfulness exercises; or
- Feedback discussions with students and families about their work and progress via video or phone.
- Other “live participation” activities, such as chat, offered by the digital platform used by educators during lessons.
Scheduled times will be posted in TEAMS so that students and staff alike can plan for engagement.
- Independent learningmeans your student will work on their own with assignments, projects, and materials provided by their teachers. This might include:
- Video lessons or presentations recorded previously
- Activities, assignments or tasks that build on lessons from previous days
- Collaborative projects and assignments with classmates
- Discussion boards and conversation, feedback, or guidance from teachers over email
Who Will Be Teaching My Child?
Your child will have a highly qualified educators leading their education, no matter where they’re learning. Teachers will work closely together in pairs or teams to create meaningful and connected learning experiences. Your child will regularly be with the same group of students.
What Will Breakfast and Lunch Look Like in the Classroom?
In-person student breakfast and lunch will be instructional time. In elementary schools, for example, during lunch, students will take part in learning activities that are fun, engaging, and enriching, such as interactive read-alouds, social-emotional learning, and content through music. Students will not be able to PHYSICALLY interact (share items, play tag or other games, work in groups, etc.) with each other and other students outside of their classroom group, including at recess time.
What About Snacks
Snacks are encouraged. Snacks must be individualized wrapped. We are a peanut-free school, therefore snacks with or traces of peanuts or tree nuts are not permitted. Students can bring a fresh fruit or veggies, a small bag of chips, cookies, pretzels, crackers, etc.
How Will the School Build Community?
All students will have routines that build community, center the day, and set them up for success. This will provide all students with community- and relationship-building experiences that are an integral part of a typical school community. For example, this may consist of a daily morning meeting where the teacher engages students in activities related to social-emotional wellness and community-building, or a daily closing activity where the teacher recaps the learning for the day, and gets students prepared for the following day.
Any Social-Emotional Support?
We know that current circumstances in the pandemic have been very difficult for you and your children. Students have been isolated from their teachers, classmates, and school communities. For this reason, we will allow time for teachers, school-based staff, and students to readjust to being in school buildings and to adapt to changes. In addition, we will integrate social-emotional activities and trauma-informed care into academic subjects to the greatest extent possible throughout the day. We will also prioritize mental health supports throughout the school year.
Grading
All students must meet the same academic requirements, whether they are engaged in fully virtual or in-person learning. The teacher overseeing your child’s classwork is responsible for designing or selecting assessments to measure student progress. These may include projects, exams administered within or outside the online platform, portfolios, and other measures of student mastery.
Will Students have Recess?
Yes. Students will refrain from using the playground equipment and structures, which has been taped off to help discourage its use. Large open spaces like our grass fields and paved areas will be used as an alternative. Students will not be able to PHYSICALLY interact (share items, play tag or other games, work in groups, etc.) with each other and other students outside of their classroom group, including at recess time.
Visitors and Volunteers
We will suspend many of our volunteer programs during in-person learning to limit the number of people inside our buildings.
Recommendations from Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Back to School for In-Person Classes
Back-to-School-Planning-for-Virtual-or-At-Home-Learning.pdf
