Relaunching
August 2020
Dear LPS Students, Parents, Staff and Community: We are pleased to tell you that, following the recommendations of the LPS Restart Task Force, Littleton Public Schools will return to in-person learning for all of our students in August. Most schools and programs will begin on Thursday, August 13, 2020, as originally scheduled. Individual schools and programs will be communicating specific back-to-school dates and schedules. All students Grades Preschool through 12 (including the Nova Center and Transition Services Program) can return to school for in-person learning five days a week, unless healthcare experts from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Tri-County Health Department or Governor Polis tell us otherwise. The LPS Restart Task Force was made up of 55 teachers, school leaders, parents and other professionals in nutrition services, school age child care, operations and transportation. The Task Force has been working hard since the end of May to provide realistic and viable options for returning to school in the fall. We thank them for their thorough and thoughtful approach to this complex work. Our teachers did an amazing job moving to a complete distance learning model in a matter of days last March, and we are prepared to return to an improved distance learning approach if we are required to do so. We truly believe that returning to in-person school with safety precautions in place is best for our students and their families. Learning happens when we can interact face-to-face, collaborate and connect with one another. We are excited for the opportunity to do so once again! The LPS plan for returning to school aligns with those of our neighboring school districts that are also planning to welcome students back to school in August. It also meets the needs of LPS families; in a recent survey, 74% of LPS parents said they want their children to return to school for in-person learning this fall. LPS will also provide an online learning option for the 2020-2021 school year for families who choose not to have their students return to in-person learning in August. In a recent survey, 11% of LPS parents said they preferred an online option. The online learning option will be available to K-12 students. More information and the registration for the fully online option will be available in mid-July. School Age Child Care (SACC) will resume with the opening of school. SACC programs will follow licensing, health and safety guidelines to reopen. Further information regarding registration will be available in mid-July. The LPS Restart Task Force also developed hybrid models of learning (a blend of in-person learning and distance learning) should we need them, but ONLY if we need them. These hybrid models would only be used if LPS is ordered by health officials to reduce the number of students in attendance at one time. Our goal is to return to “normal” as much as possible, but it’s critical that we take necessary precautions to keep our students, our staff, their families and our community safe. We will diligently follow health experts’ guidelines for cleaning and social distancing. The Metro Denver Partnership for Health recently released, "COVID-19 Strategies for Schools," an evidence-informed guide for the region’s school districts as they plan to reopen. We will follow this group’s guidance along with recommendations from the Colorado Department of Education as we finalize plans for bringing our students back this fall. This may include health precautions such as: Students and staff wearing masks when six feet of physical distancing cannot be maintained; Frequent handwashing; Keeping the same students together in small groups as much as possible (cohort grouping) to limit exposure; Reducing the number of students on school buses to one student per seat with masks (which is the current guidance, unless that changes); and Parents screening younger students and older students self-screening for fever/symptoms at home before they come to school. There are many questions that still need to be answered. More details will become available throughout the summer, and we will keep you informed along the way. Thank you for your ongoing patience and confidence in our processes. These plans represent our very best thinking, but we also know they could change as circumstances in our community surrounding COVID-19 change. Details will continue to be available: Restart LPS 2020-2021 I wish you all a safe, healthy and happy summer. We truly look forward to seeing you back in school August 13! Warm Regards, Brian Ewert Superintendent
The LPS Nutrition Services Summer Feeding Program will be closed July 1-6 in observance of the July 4th holiday. Service will continue July 8.
Dear Littleton Public Schools Parents, Staff, and Community Members: The past days and weeks have, once again, shone a spotlight on the tremendous injustices in our society. The shocking and violent deaths of Mr. George Floyd and others serve as clear evidence that we as a nation are not doing enough to dismantle systemic racism and that our collective complacency must end. Littleton Public Schools stands in solidarity with all those within our community, our state, and across this country who are peacefully protesting and voicing their anguish and deep frustration with systems that oppress and devalue Black lives. It’s simply not enough to say “I am not racist.” We must act and demonstrate that we support anti-racism: our beliefs, actions, movements, and adopted policies must oppose racism in all its forms. We also want to reinforce the values and core beliefs of Littleton Public Schools. We emphasize preparing students for a global society, and we respect and embrace the diversity of our community. We know that education makes a significant impact, and we stand ready to address fundamental inequalities and inequities in our society. You may remember that in October of 2017, the LPS Board of Education adopted a Resolution, All Means All, in response to the social unrest prevalent across the nation at that time. This resolution formally announced our commitment to “support all students’ ability to succeed by cultivating learning environments that are physically and emotionally safe and supportive, to embrace and value our diversity, and to act quickly to prevent and address any and all issues of discrimination and harassment in our schools.” These are not just words. These are standards and expectations that guide our thinking about everything we do. It is our duty to model respect and inclusiveness for all. Every day in our schools, we honor the expectation that differing views and opinions should be discussed, but always within the framework of respect and seeking to understand. These can be difficult topics to talk about with your children. The following resources may be helpful to you: How to Talk to Your Kids about Race and Racism - ParentToolkit.com Talking About Race - National Geographic Teaching Ideas and Resources to Help Students Understand the George Floyd Protests - New York Times Engaging Young People in Conversations about Racism - Anti-Defamation League Books to Teach Kids of All Ages About Racism - Chicago Parent Magazine How White Parents Can Use Media to Raise Anti-Racist Kids - Common Sense Media Kids Need to Talk About George Floyd, Protests, & Racism - USA Today Teaching about Race, Racism & Police Violence - Teaching Tolerance Thank you, students, parents, staff, and community members, for working together to provide a safe and caring environment for all students, and for committing to continuous improvement. This is important work and we simply cannot do it without you. Warm Regards, Brian Ewert, Superintendent Dr. Tera Helmon, Asst. Superintendent of Learning Services
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