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Family Update 3.27.22

3/27/2022

Dear LTES Parents, caregivers, and community members,

Well, spring has sprung in DC. The wild weather and ‘cherry blossom snow’ (those petals that are falling to the ground) are sure signs that we have reached the end of winter. Cherry blossoms are at peak viewing (which also brings the start of tourist season in DC). If you missed the festival this past weekend, have no fear, blooms are peaking through April 17. Here is more information about our unique gifts: https://nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/
Panorama Survey
You should have received the 2022 Panorama survey from DCPS. So far, 35 families have filled it out. Your feedback is a gift to us and our work. One of our school goals this year is to determine if students are feeling more prepared in school and for future goals. The information from the survey will help guide our work and the ways we support students. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and gift us with insight to improve our practice.

Enrollment
Returning families, we are accepting completed re-enrollment packets! Get started early and submit your completed forms to Mrs. White, Mrs. Thompson or to Ms. Scholfield. Our school budget is based on our projected enrollment numbers. The earlier we know families and students are returning, the earlier we can make plans for next year. On April 23rd, we will have an enrollment event at school during the day. A flyer for this event is coming soon. Thank you for supporting the school in this way!

COVID News
We continue to engage in asymptomatic testing of students. Last week, we did not have any positive cases reported from testing or within the community. If your student tests positive from an at-home test, report results the same day to https://dcpsreopenstrong.com/testing/ so we may track results, establish close contacts, and determine the length of a quarantine for individuals or for a class. Thank you for continuing to report positive COVID cases!

Beginning next week, we will only conduct asymptomatic testing on Wednesday mornings. This is a change from our previous twice-a-week testing. We are still required to test at least 20% of eligible students. Students who have opted out of testing or who have had COVID in the last 90 days are not part of testing.

Pancakes and Literacy!
Please join us virtually as I make my famous blueberry pancakes for our annual Pancakes and Literacy night! Beginning at 6:30, join me for pancake making and teachers for reading some wonderful books. It is an honor to be part of this tradition.

Looking forward to a joyful, productive week!
Principal Miller (interim)

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Family Update 3.13.21

3/13/2022

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Good afternoon LTES Families and Community!
I kind of love a good snow in March. It is an incredible reminder that we are but part of the eco-system and we must recognize that our existence should be in harmony with nature. Then, spring comes and reminds us of the joy and affirmations we can find in the natural world! I hope you are making plans to get outside and experience some of that reflection and joy being in nature provides.
If you need more reminders of how important it is to spend time outside, please read this article form the American Psychological Association about the benefits of being outside. In Washington, DC we are blessed to have over 3,000 cherry blossom trees lining the tidal basin. It is a great place to get out for a walk (when it isn’t 26 degrees!). The National Arboretum has incredible spaces. I particularly love the bonsai garden. The National Zoo is always a great trip – and the kids are so tired at the end from walking up hill!

There are important updates to COVID policies in DCPS. Please read carefully below. To ensure our incredible teachers can focus on teaching and social and emotional development, if you have questions about the policy, please feel free to email Ms. Ejechi or me.

What does this mean?
Beginning Wednesday, students, staff, and visitors will have the option of not wearing masks in the building. I know that when masks went optional 2 weeks ago, it felt very emotional for some staff, students, and families. After 2-years of conditioning ourselves to wear masks for safety-sake, it felt some way to know that they could be taken off. Being able to take masks off outside seemed like a reasonable risk. We know that particle diffuse quickly outside and there is minimal risk of exposure if we are outside.

The changes in mask guidance indoors are in line with CDC guidance and DC Health policies. I acknowledge that this will be a big change for some students, staff, and families. We must also acknowledge that this policy and others may change in response to any changes in COVID numbers in the school or in the community.
This also means that families will be able to exercise choice for their students. I encourage families to have the conversation at home with their child. We will do our best to respect your decisions.

What We Know
Currently, students, staff, and visitors have the option of taking off masks at recess.

As of 3/16, the mask policy indoors will also be optional. This means that students, staff, and visitors are no longer required to wear a mask, except for a few exceptions. If you or a student are immunocompromised, masks should continue to be worn.

As of this week, the pre-k Test to Return pilot will also be optional. Pre-K, Kindergarten, and students in our amazing self-contained classrooms will continue to take tests home, though they will no longer be mandatory. You may still upload results to the https://dcpsreopenstrong.com/testing/ web site.

We will continue with weekly asymptomatic testing and will continue to test at least 20% of our students. Families will be notified if there is a positive case from this weekly testing.

We will also continue with entry screening. The Ask, Ask, Look protocol should be reviewed by families at home before sending their student to school as well as at entry to school.

For outdoor events, there is no limit on the number of participants. Teachers and the PTO will be in contact for any upcoming events.
Implications for Contact Tracing
All students in a class will continue to be considered close contacts. If a positive case is reported in a class either through asymptomatic testing or parent/caregiver reporting, all students will get a notice of close contact. Students who are fully vaccinated or who have had COVID in the last 90-days will have the option to return to school.

Physical distance at school and in class is still required.

In pre-k, if there is a positive case in a class, students who return are required to wear masks for 10-days after the date of exposure.
Quarantine
Beginning 3/16, if a positive case is reported in a class, there will be changes to quarantine times. For students/staff who test positive and have no or mild symptoms, they will be required to quarantine for 5 days. They may test on day 5. If it is negative, they may return on day 6. If it is positive, they will quarantine for the full 10-days, or until cleared by a medical professional. If symptoms are severe, students/staff must quarantine and may return 24-hours after being fever free without the use of fever reducing medicines. Please adhere to the quarantine times and protocols listed in letters of close contact.

All students and staff who have been positive must now report a negative rapid test to the DC Reopen Strong site. The Reopen Strong site will serve as the main source to track cases of COVID. Any positive cases will still be reported to DC Health for follow up from them.

Families have been so helpful and thoughtful in keeping our community safe throughout the pandemic. We still strongly believe that vaccines are one of the most important tools against disease. We also believe that masks, when worn correctly, provide extra protection from exposure. With the change in policy, mask use is a personal and family choice. If you wish to discuss the implications of this change in policy, again, please reach out to me.

Have a wonderful evening,
Principal Miller (interim)

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Family Update 3.27.22

Family Update 3.13.21

Penelope Miller, Principal

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