School/E-learning now begins Aug 31st

[Betsy Voinovich]

Parents received an email this afternoon letting us know that summer vacation has been extended! School now starts on Monday August 31.

The other part of the email gave more details to parents who think having their children in physical classrooms is too dangerous and whose children will have to take an an online e-learning course if they don't come into the building. The main point is that these students will not be taking Lakewood City schools courses, nor will they be taught by Lakewood City Schools teachers.

Here's the letter:




July 17, 2020

Dear Lakewood Families and Staff:

Thank you for your patience as we work through the feedback to our Reopening Plan. We have some updates to share with you in regards to the 2020-2021 school year.

The Board of Education at a special meeting today approved an amended academic calendar that changes the start of the academic year for students from Wednesday, August 19th to Monday, August 31st. Staff will still report on the original return date of Tuesday, August 18th. This will give our staff ample time to set up their classrooms and buildings to accommodate the new safety protocols and engage in further planning. Parents will have more time to plan for child care. Finally, the change will also hopefully give us more time as a community to flatten the pandemic curve.

While the academic year for students will formally begin on August 31st, students will not necessarily report to their school buildings on that day. From August 31st to September 4th students will be engaged in an orientation period so that everyone can acclimate to the requirements of the unusual school year ahead. More details will be forthcoming from your building principal.

Please be sure to review our FAQ document and watch the video released by the District on July 15 as you work to arrive at your decision on our eLearning model.

eLEARNING LKWD IS:

A K-12 online learning program in which students work at their own pace to complete standards-based content online
A platform in which students will be supported remotely by Lakewood City Schools teachers (students with disabilities will be supported by District interventionists and receive their related services through District providers). Students identified as gifted will receive support from Lakewood teachers trained in gifted education.
A semester-long commitment
A free option for families that enables enrollees to remain Lakewood City Schools' students and participate in extracurricular activities and athletics.


eLEARNING LKWD IS NOT:

Remote learning with your Lakewood classroom teacher(s)
A program that will enable students to return to their school building during the first semester of the 20-21 school year
An option for preschool
For those of you who are still deliberating, we will keep our survey open until July 27th. If we do not receive a response from you we will assume that your child is returning to school and is not intending to participate in e-Learning LKWD.

Additional information on the eLearning LKWD curriculums can be found here for grades K-5 and here for grades 6-12.

Thank you,

Lakewood City Schools

If you want to check out the e-learning online learning system Lakewood has acquired go here:

6-12: HTTPS://WWW.APEXLEARNING.COM/DIGITAL-CURRICULUM/COURSES
K-5 HTTPS://WWW.ESC-CC.ORG/OHIOONLINELEARNI ... _HOME.ASPX


Betsy Voinovich

[Stan Austin]

To the Lakewood Board of Education via Betsy Voinovich : are parents and other members of the Lakewood public schools being communicated with by conventional and other than internet means?