SchoolPass & Carpool Hangtags:

• You should have received a welcome email and instructions for configuring your parent account in SchoolPass. All parents should have received this by now.
  
  Please email support@laurenceschool.com if you need help logging into SchoolPass for the first time. You can also refer to these tutorials to get you started.
   
• From the SchoolPass app or website, you will complete your child’s daily Wellness Questionnaire, communicate carpool changes, and report absences and late arrivals/early dismissals.  
   
• Additionally, if you haven't already, you will be receiving Laurence hangtags in the mail with your carpool number on them.  Please hang these tags from the rearview mirror of any car that will be coming to pick up your child.  

During on-campus learning days:

• All students and employees will be required to wear masks during arrival and dismissal times, as well as maintain physical distancing. Please see the section below regarding Masks & Physical Distancing for more information.
   
• On the days that your child is scheduled to be on campus, you will pull into designated gate at the required time.  All students must enter through carpool only, as our campus remains closed to visitors, and we are unable to have parents walking their child into school.
   
• As you pull into the parking lot, you will be greeted by a Laurence staff member, and asked to show proof of successful completion of the Wellness Questionnaire, via the SchoolPass app (please note that if you do not complete this questionnaire prior to arrival, you will be required to pull over and complete the form prior to your child being allowed entrance onto campus).
   
• We have extra supervision during carpool times to ensure students maintain physical distancing as they walk to class and to help any younger students, as needed. 

Additional Information: 

We have developed new procedures for managing crowding during arrival and dismissal times and minimizing contact between students, staff, and families at the beginning and end of the school day. These procedures will include: 

• Staggered carpool pick up/drop off schedules. Parents will be given a designated time and location for their child’s/children’s pick up/drop off.*
   
• During carpool, while exiting vehicles and getting to class, students will maintain physical distancing, which faculty will help monitor.
   
• Designated routes for entry and exit.
   
• School pathways will be one way wherever possible, with directional arrows as a reminder.
   
• Parents will not be able to drop-off or pick-up in person.

*Specific details regarding pick up and drop off will be provided to parents via email. 

• In order to reduce the risk of exposure and number of people on campus at any given time, there will be minimal parent and visitor access to campus for the safety of all Laurence School students, faculty and staff.  
   
• Parents are discouraged from entering the school lobby unless absolutely necessary and with appointment whenever possible. 
   
• Adults other than faculty and staff cannot enter the campus.

Procedures for Parent Access to Campus

• If parents need to drop something off for a student (e.g., lunch or homework): Please call in advance so that the front office is aware of who might be coming to campus.
   
• If parents need to drop a student off late: Please call in advance so that the front office is aware of who might be coming to campus.
   
• If a parent needs to pick up a student early (e.g., appointment or sick): Please call in advance so that the front office is aware of who might be coming to campus.

School Pass Wellness Check

• Every morning before arriving at school (or the bus), all students, faculty and staff will be required to complete a daily wellness check using the SchoolPass app.
   
• The wellness check will focus on COVID-19 symptoms such as: 
  • Have you had a fever above 100.4F in the past 72 hours?
     
  • Have you taken Tylenol or Ibuprofen in the past 24 hours to control a fever?
     

  • Is your child feeling sick today?

    Is your child having any *new* health problems such as:

    - Fever and chills
    - Headache
    - Cough, sore throat, congestion, or runny nose
    - Loss of taste or smell
    - Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
    - Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
    - Fatigue, muscle or body aches

  • Have you been in close contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days?
     
• Students and employees will be required to show school screening personnel that they passed the SchoolPass Wellness Check before being allowed to enter campus.

Note: We’re counting on you to help keep our community healthy and safe. Please answer all questions honestly and take your child's temperature at home each day.

Face Coverings/Masks 

• Masks must be worn on campus by employees and students at all times. Properly and consistently wearing masks is critical to keeping everyone as safe and healthy as possible. Students will not be allowed on campus if they do not wear masks. 
   
• We will work with students to ensure that their masks cover their mouth and nose.
   
• All masks must be clearly labeled with the student's name.
    
• We highly recommend sending additional "back-up" masks in a plastic bag in your child's backpack.
   
• If a students forget or lose their masks, we will have extra disposable masks for them.
   
• If your child has a medical exemption from wearing a mask, please contact your Division Director.
   
• For best practices regarding proper use, removal, and washing of cloth face coverings, please click here.

Types of Masks

• While on campus, students must wear either a cloth face covering or a disposable surgical grade mask. For your convenience, each student will be provided a cloth mask at the beginning of the year. Students are not required to wear these masks if they prefer to wear one of their own that complies with our policy. 
   
• Prohibited Types of Masks
  • Masks with air vents that allow air out are not allowed because this type of mask does not fully protect the wearer from droplets invading the mask and does not prevent your air droplets from escaping.
     
  • Gaiters or similar types of masks are not permitted, as recent studies have shown that they can increase transmission for the wearer. 

Proper Use

• If using a cloth face covering, it should be washed after each day’s use.
   
• If using a disposable mask, please replace it daily.

Mask Breaks

• Students will be given the opportunity to take short mask breaks throughout the day, as directed by a member of the faculty or staff.
   
• Students will also remove their masks to eat during recess and lunch, but must maintain 6 feet of distancing at all times.

Face Shields

• Students who have been instructed by their medical provider that they should not wear a face covering, should wear a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge, to be in compliance with State directives, as long as their condition permits it. 
   

• “Physical distancing” means keeping a safe space of at least 6 feet between yourself and other people who are not from your household.” (From the CDC.)
  
  Please note that on March 19, 2021, the CDC adjusted their recommendation for physical distancing amongst students to be at least 3 feet apart, with the exception of sports where a 6 foot distance should be maintained. Additionally, the recommended distance between students/teachers and teachers/teachers remains 6 feet.
   
• Students should avoid spending extended period of time with other students outside their own classroom.
   
• Avoid “close contact” with others. At Laurence, with the mindset of taking an abundance of caution, we define “close contact” as being within six feet for more than 10 minutes of the infected person or having unprotected direct contact to body fluids of the infected person (e.g., cough or sneeze on face or sharing of a drink or a food utensil).
  
  Please note: According to LACDPH guidelines, individuals who are fully vaccinated and are asymptomatic are no longer required to quarantine if they are a close contact.

• Generally, students will be 6 feet apart while at their desks.
   
• Students are required to wear masks when in classrooms.
   
• Assignments will be turned in digitally whenever possible, and we will implement other procedures when it is not possible, to minimize contact between students and teachers.
   
• Should a teacher need to tend to a child because of an injury or in a restroom, students and teachers will remain masked at all times. 
   
• Additional classrooms, tents and outdoor class spaces have been created to permit physical distancing throughout campus and to allow for all students to be on campus, when permitted by the county and state.
   
• As we commence the school year and until further notice, specialists classrooms, including the library, art room, Tech Center, music, and science lab, will be used as homeroom classroom spaces. 
   

Recess and Lunch Areas 

• We will continue to ask teachers and students to maintain 6 feet of distance between them.
• Faculty will be assigned to monitor students and remind them to maintain a 3 foot distance.

PAC, Sports Court, Lightning Field

• PE coaches will be assigned to appropriate learning families and design their program to support 6 foot distancing.

Bathrooms

• Only one student will be allowed in a bathroom at a time. Signage and physical distancing ground stickers will be in place to help students remember. 
   

• Walkways throughout campus will be one way and labeled with directional signage wherever possible.
   
• Signage reminding students and employees to physical distance, wear masks, and wash/sanitize their hands will be posted throughout campus.

• Hand hygiene is an important part of our efforts to mitigate the risk of COVID-19. Practicing hand hygiene, which includes the use of alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) or handwashing, is a simple yet effective way to prevent the spread of infection. CDC recommendations reflect the critical role of hand hygiene.
   
• When we return to school, teachers will develop routines enabling students to regularly wash and/or sanitize their hands at staggered intervals. 
   
• Please help us in our efforts to mitigate risk by teaching your children when and how to wash their hands to stay healthy.

Hand Washing on Campus

• Portable hand washing stations have been installed in several places on campus to provide opportunities for increased hand washing by students and employees.
   
• Hand-washing breaks will be scheduled, and teachers will encourage students to wash their hands frequently throughout the day and at key times.

Follow Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

When to Wash Your Hands

You can help yourself and your loved ones stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:

• Before and after eating food
• Before and after treating a cut or wound
• After using the toilet
• Before touching your eyes, nose, and mouth 
• After touching a contaminated surface or object
• After blowing your nose
• After coughing or sneezing into hands 

• Touchless hand sanitizers will be available in each classroom.
   
• Teachers will sanitize their hands upon entering and leaving the classroom, and have their students do the same. 
   
• Teachers will encourage students to sanitize their hands, as needed, throughout the day.

• When students need to sneeze or cough, best practices are to have them  cover their faces with a bent elbow or cover their noses and mouths with a tissue and throw it away in a trash bin.
   
• Students should use a tissue to wipe their nose instead of their hand or sleeve.
   
• Students should avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth.
   
• Teachers will remind students of these best practices.
   
• We ask families to teach this to their children and encourage it at home, as well.

• Snack Bar will be closed for the time being.
   
• Students will be asked to bring their own morning snacks.
   
• Teachers will have some extra snacks on hand in case a student forgets to bring something from home.
   

• We encourage students to bring lunch from home, but you will have the option to buy lunch from Freshlunches.
   
• Freshlunches will be preparing individually packaged lunches that will be delivered to the classroom.
   
• Freshlunches staff will wear masks at all time while on campus and handling food; they will also wear gloves while handling food. 
   
• Students will eat outdoors with their learning families. There will be a designated area for each learning family so they can maintain a safe distance from other groups of students.
   
• Students may take their masks off when eating lunch, and they will be asked to put masks back on after eating. 
   

• If you choose, your child may use school-provided water fountains. Fountains will only be used as bottle refill stations. No one will drink from them.
   
• If you plan to allow your child to use school water fountains, please send a labeled refillable water bottle with your child each day.

• Students who take the bus to and from school will wear masks/face coverings according to our school policies while riding the bus. 
   
• Bus drivers will have extra disposable masks in case students forget theirs.
   
• Measures are in place to ensure physical distancing between bus drivers and students and between students while on the bus, including:
  • Students will have assigned seats to ensure that only one person sitting in each seat.
  • Students will be monitored as they enter and exit the bus in order to ensure that they maintain proper physical distancing.

• Before arriving to the bus in the morning, parents will complete a health screening in SchoolPass. (More details in the Campus Access & Health Screening section below.)
   
• Parents must show successful passing of the screening to the bus driver for each rider, before he or she will be allowed onto the bus.
   
• Students will sanitize their hands before they enter and when they exit the bus.

• Tumbleweed Transportation, our bus service, will increase cleaning and sanitization of the entire bus after each use and in the evenings.

• Outdoor portable sinks have been installed throughout campus to increase the frequency with which everyone can wash their hands during the course of the day.
   
• Touchless hand sanitizer stations have been installed throughout campus and in each classroom to facilitate students' ability to sanitize their hands as they enter and exit their classroom and frequently throughout the day. (We have secured a significant supply of sanitizer.)
    
• Bathroom sinks and toilets have been updated with touchless hand washing and flush mechanisms.
   
• We are looking into the possibility of adding additional portable bathrooms for additional flexibility in managing distance protocols (as needed).
   

• Fresh air is important! Teachers will open windows and doors whenever possible to increase the flow of fresh air into the classroom.
   
• The school will be upgrading filtration and ventilation, including installing MERV 13 rated filters, known to be a successful method of filtering airborne pathogens.
   
• If you have questions about the ventilation, air conditioning and/or heat in a particular campus space or classroom, please Liz Beck.
   

School Facilities

• Our facilities team and nightly cleaning crew are increasing cleaning and disinfecting efforts throughout the day and evening.
   
• Our new Clorox 360 Electrostatic Sprayer (also known as a fogger) will be used on a regular basis in the evenings, and as needed, to increase disinfecting efforts by our maintenance staff. 
   
• High-touch and common areas, such as door handles, outdoor tables, etc., will be cleaned and disinfected frequently throughout the day.

Classrooms (During the School Day)

• To limit outside staff from coming into the classrooms during the school day and to increase our cleaning efforts, teachers will spray and wipe down high-touch areas, including student desks, door handles, etc., with appropriately safe disinfectants throughout the school day.

Cleaning Chemical Information

• All chemicals used during the day are EPA-approved for human safety and for effectiveness in killing viruses and germs.
   
• Higher-grade disinfectants for increased sanitizing will only be used overnight. All spaces where these are used will be safe for students and employees by morning. 

• All employees have been provided with a Return to Work document that explains our detailed protocols and procedures for heightened healthy, safety and hygiene. That document can be accessed here.
   
• During our in-service week for faculty and staff, our Health Office personnel reviewed the following:
  • Enhanced sanitation practices 
  • Physical distancing guidelines and their importance 
  • Proper use, removal, and washing of face coverings 
  • Screening practices 
  • How COVID-19 is spread 
  • COVID-19 specific symptom identification 
  • Preventing the spread of COVID-19 if you are sick, including the importance of not coming to work if staff members have symptoms, or if they or someone they live with has been diagnosed with COVID19. 
  • COVID-19 specific symptom identification and when to seek medical attention 
  • Our plan and procedures to follow when children or adults become sick at school. 
  • Our plans and procedures to protect them from COVID19 illness.

• Prior to our return of students to campus, we will be holding parent orientations to review our our health, safety, hygiene and risk mitigation protocols.
   
• To get a head start on teaching your children about the proper use and removal of masks, click here for tips from the CDC.
   
• When we return to campus, our teachers will also be spending time with their students to review these same protocols in age-appropriate manner.

• The school will follow CPH's recommendations regarding faculty and student testing. While Los Angeles County is in the Orange Tier, we will perform one baseline test upon returning from Spring Break and perform additional asymptomatic testing as needed.

• We strongly recommend that all students and employees be immunized each autumn against influenza (flu) unless contraindicated by personal medical conditions.
   
• The school will provide flu shots for faculty and staff, as we do every fall.
   

What to do if your child is not feeling well AND/OR if you think they have any COVID-19-related symptoms (for example, but not limited to, fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and/or diarrhea within the last 48 hours).

Before You Arrive on Campus: 

• If your child does not feel well for any reason, report these symptoms by emailing the Health Office.
   
• Keep your child at home. 
   
• Report that your child will be absent using the SchoolPass app.
   
• Contact your Pediatrician.
   
• The nurse will follow up with you regarding your child's symptoms.
   
• All students who have COVID-19-related symptoms will be asked to seek a COVID-19 test.
   
• If your child has a fever and tests negative for COVID-19, they may return to school after being fever-free for 3 days and when other symptoms have improved.
   
• In all other instances, when your child can return to school after a normal illness will be determined on a case by case basis, at the discretion of the school, using LACDPH protocols and the advise of your pediatrician.

See the Return to School section below for more information about coming back to school.

While Your Child is at School:

• Please instruct your child that if they start to feel unwell and/or experience any COVID-19-related symptoms during the school day, please immediately tell their teacher.
   
• The teacher will call the Health Office, and the school nurse or Melissa Walkes will meet the student outside for assessment. Your child may be asked to go home, at the discretion of the school. 
   
• If your child is sent home, please contact your Pediatrician. 
   
• The nurse will follow up with you regarding your child's symptoms.
   
• All students who have COVID-19-related symptoms will be asked to seek a COVID-19 test.
   
• If your child has a fever and tests negative for COVID-19, they may return to school after being fever-free for 3 days and when other symptoms have improved.
   
• In all other instances, when your child can return to school after a normal illness will be determined on a case by case basis, at the discretion of the school, using LACDPH protocols and the advise of your pediatrician.

See the Return to School section below for more information about coming back to school.

Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Bluish lips or face
   

• Once a student is in the Health Office, our school nurse will determine if the student has any COVID-19-related symptoms. 
   
• Students with possible COVID-19-related symptoms will be immediately isolated.
   
• The School Nurse will contact the student’s parents and/or emergency contacts.
   
• While student waits to be picked up:
  • The school nurse or Health Office Manager will make sure the student is wearing a face mask.
  • The school nurse or Health Office Manager will supervise the student while wearing proper personal protective equipment and, if feasible, maintain a 6 foot distance from student.
     
• The Health Office will also follow up with the Administration and classroom teacher with next steps.

See the Return to School section below for how to come back to school.

• The CDC and LACDPH considers a close contact to mean that you were within 6 feet of someone who tested positive for COVID-19 for a total 15 minutes irrespective of whether masks were worn. For our purposes, to err on the side of caution, we are going with the “6-10 Rule,” meaning that we will consider an exposure to be that you were within 6 feet for a total of 10 minutes with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, with or without a mask (i.e., “recent close contact”). Click here for CDC information regarding close contacts.
  
  Please note: According to LACDPH guidelines, individuals who are fully vaccinated and are asymptomatic are no longer required to quarantine if they are a close contact.

• Please see our Exposure Management, Contact Tracing and Communications Protocols for important procedures and protocols that the school will follow in the event of a positive case of COVID-19 on campus.
   
• Below, you will also find information about procedures and protocols regarding what to do if your child has been exposed to anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or if your child tests postive.
   

• If your child has had recent contact (under our definition of "close contact" above) with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, please DO NOT SEND THEM TO SCHOOL*, and immediately notify the school:
  • Email your Division Director (Liz Silverman, K-2, and Eric Hogenson, 3-6); AND
  • Email the Health Office.
  • If you have any doubt about whether your child has had recent close contact, please call the school before sending your child to school. 

Please note that the SchoolPass Wellness Check will also ask you this question.

• If your child has had recent contact (under our definition of "close contact" above) with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, but feels healthy, your child should be quarantined (stay at home) for 10 days after the last exposure to the infected individual. 
   
  • You should also check temperature their twice daily and watch for symptoms of COVID-19.
     
• If your child has had a recent contact (under our definition of "close contact" above) with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, and they are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they should self-isolate (stay at home and isolate from others), and follow the protocols below regarding What If My Child Tests Positive for COVID-19 and Return to School.
   
  • To ensure sufficient contact tracing, we strongly recommend that you get tested if you or your child has symptoms consistent with COVID-19. 
     
  • For testing resources, visit: https://corona-virus.la/covid-19-testing.
     
  • Click here for important information and health guidelines to follow from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
     
• Please note that these same procedures and protocols apply to employees, as well.

• If your child is confirmed to have COVID-19, you should immediately notify your Division Director (Liz Silverman, K-2, and Eric Hogenson, 3-6) and the Health Office and DO NOT SEND your child to school.
   
• The school will inform potentially impacted individuals of the possible exposure but maintain confidentiality, per ADA regulations. The school will also be in close communication with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health as required by the County. 
   
• You will be asked to identify anyone your child was in close contact with, as best they can recall, from two days before symptom onset. If they are asymptomatic, you’ll be asked to identify those they had close contact with two days before their COVID-19 test, and in the prior 14 days (including other students, teachers and other school employees). 
   
• For more information about exposure management, contact tracing, and communications in the event of a positive COVID-19 case at school, please see our Exposure Management, Contact Tracing and Communications Protocols.
   
• Please note that these same procedures and protocols apply to employees, as well.

Normal Illness, Cold, Allergies, Etc.

• All students who have COVID-19-related symptoms will be asked to seek a COVID-19 test.
   
• If your child has a fever and tests negative for COVID-19, they may return to school after being fever-free for 3 days and when other symptoms have improved.
   
• In all other instances, when your child can return to school after a normal illness will be determined on a case by case basis, at the discretion of the school, using LACDPH protocols and the advise of your pediatrician.

Contacts

If your child was a contact* of someone who tested positive for COVID-19, but your child tests negative for COVID-19, they may return to school 10 days after quarantining.

*Please see the section above, "What is a Contact?"

Positive for COVID-19

If your child has tested positive for COVID-19 and is at home self-isolating, they may return to school under the following conditions:

• At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared or the test date AND
• At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications AND
• Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved
   

Students with severe to critical illness or who are severely immunocompromised:*

• At least 20 days have passed since symptoms first appeared AND
• At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications AND
• Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved


*The studies used to inform this guidance did not clearly define “severely immunocompromised.” For the purposes of this guidance, CDC used the following definition that was created to more generally address occupational exposures.

Some conditions, such as being on chemotherapy for cancer, untreated HIV infection with CD4 T lymphocyte count < 200, combined primary immunodeficiency disorder, and receipt of prednisone >20mg/day for more than 14 days, may cause a higher degree of immunocompromise and require actions such as lengthening the duration of work restrictions.

Other factors, such as advanced age, diabetes mellitus, or end-stage renal disease, may pose a much lower degree of immunocompromise and not clearly affect occupational health actions to prevent disease transmission.

Ultimately, the degree of immunocompromise is determined by the treating provider, and preventive actions are tailored to each individual and situation.

• Please note that these same procedures and protocols apply to employees, as well.

• If your family is out of town, please be aware that there may be a travel advisory in effect, which may require you to quarantine after travel. Please refer to the LACDPH website for the latest information.

Laurence School will follow the State of California and Los Angeles County’s mandates on school closure, which include:

• The school will consult with a Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Officer any time there is a new case of COVID-19 with special consideration for 3 or more cases (that are epidemiologically linked) in a 14-day period, which is considered a cluster.
• A classroom cohort/learning family goes home when there is a confirmed case, and will be asked to quarantine for 10 days.
• We will follow Los Angeles County Department of Public Health guidance as to when we need to close the school, if needed. 
   

• Laurence School is preparing for possible interruptions to on-campus learning (once we return to campus), in the event our area experiences a spike in COVID-19 cases. In that case, a shift back to full Remote Learning will happen as quickly as possible.

Character Education is a hallmark Laurence program, which will continue this year with our theme, Kindness in Action. This year we will focus on promoting equality, respect, and justice, and continue our grade-level work with our "Seven Kinds of Kindness" structure from last year.
 

• We will provide ways for students to connect with peers in other learning families and with faculty members including small group advisories, teacher “lunch bunches,” and more.

Ongoing support for all students from our School Counselor, Dr. Rachel Kavanaugh, including:

• Working with students to identify areas of needed support that are less explicit and/or observable
• Facilitating regular classroom activities focused on social and emotional learning
• Hosting “lunch bunch” groups at least once per week with each grade level
• Providing one-on-one virtual check-ins with students (per student, teacher, and/or parent request)
• Regular consultations with teachers
• Parent consultations as needed

We are happy to welcome Nurse Caryn to our team! Her role is to support student health, safety, and well-being.

In-person learning is now available to all grades.

Outdoor Disruption Policy:

• Our ability to maintain the safest standards of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic depends on student use of outdoor spaces throughout the school day. During the course of a school day, all students enjoy scheduled outdoor time, including: recess, lunch, PE, specialist classes, and routine outdoor mask breaks.
• In the event of substantial inclement weather or other disturbances when it is unadvisable to have children outdoors, we will need to suspend outdoor operations and shift to virtual learning for that day/days. We will communicate these decisions using our emergency broadcast system by 6:00 a.m., and will provide regular updates about the subsequent days. 

• Virtual Learning will take place in the event that multiple people within a learning family (cohort) are exposed or test positive for COVID-19, or if the Country or State has mandated that all classes be taught remotely.
   
• Virtual Learning may also take place pursuant to our Outdoor Disruption Policy (explained above). 
   
• Our goal is to create a sense of community and routine in our learning schedule and for this reason, we carefully crafted our schedule so that we can easily pivot between Virtual and Hybrid learning. (More information is provided below about schedules). You will notice, however, that slight shifts in timing may appear in the Virtual Learning schedule in order to accommodate for more office hours and 1:1 check-ins with students.

K - 2 Core Curriculum

• In K-2, our core curriculum of Reading, Math, Language Arts, will be taught synchronously over Zoom. Social Studies and Science will offer a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities.

3 - 6 Core Curriculum

• In 3-6, our core curriculum of Reading, Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science, will be taught synchronously over Zoom. The scheduled time for these classes have been extended in order to allow teachers to deliver their lesson and for students to work on assignments while also having the opportunity to ask questions from their teacher in real time.

Specialist Classes & Enrichment

• PE will take place on a daily basis, whereas our other Specialist classes, such as Art, Music, Dance, Drama, Library, and Tech will follow an intensive schedule, where each discipline will rotate on the schedule and be taught daily for a multi-week period. 

Digital Classroom Platforms

• We will continue using Seesaw in Kindergarten through 2nd grade and Google Classroom in 3rd through 6th grade, but have added a website per homeroom as an additional organizational tool. The website will include links to all class pages and Zoom information.
  • Click here to view a sample K-2 website.
  • Click here to view a sample 3-6 website.
     
• Laurence will issue one tablet or laptop per student for school use while learning virtually from home. More information about this is provided below in the 1:1 Device Program section.

• To minimize the number of individuals that any given student has contact with each day and to ensure a small student-to-teacher ratio, each grade level will be divided into 3 or 4 stable cohorts called "learning families."
   
• These learning families will be intact for the entire year, both during virtual learning and in-person/hybrid learning. The schedules for each learning family will be unique from others in the grade level as the schedule is accommodated for specialists to rotate through the entire grade level. 
   
• While on campus, each learning family will be assigned their own classroom and a rotation of outdoor spaces based on a schedule. Students will interact only with others in their own learning family. As much as possible, all classes and activities for the learning family will take place in their designated classroom only (in addition to outdoor spaces whenever possible).
   
• Cross-cohort interactions with teachers and other adults will be kept to a minimum. Specialists who teach multiple learning families per day will follow strict social distancing and masking protocols. 
   
• During virtual learning, our learning family model will expand as we build opportunities for cross-cohort interaction in each grade level.  

In person learning is now available 5 days a week across all grade levels!

Please note: Students who select on-campus learning will continue to benefit from in-person engagement with their teachers and classmates as well as co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. Certain on-campus experiences are difficult to completely replicate during a remote experience, such as Art, Music, Drama, and PE (even though we will try!). Students who select the on-campus option will get the greatest benefits from these enrichment classes.

• We recognize that some families may want or need an option for their children to participate in school remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Laurence will provide a Remote Learning option (alongside our in-person program) these families. While we value the opportunities that result from in-person instruction, we understand that this may not meet the needs of some families right now.
   
• The Remote Learning Option will include a blend of remotely tuning in to some live class time and completing work asynchronously. The exact structure of the Remote Learning Option will vary by grade level and will be planned with the help of that student’s Division Director and classroom teachers. 
   
• Participating in Remote Learning Option will require an even greater partnership between home and school. If a family selects this option, the appropriate Division Director will communicate with the family to discuss the option in greater detail and to establish structure to ensure student success.
   
• Curriculum/assignments will be assigned daily. We cannot provide our curriculum in advance.
   
• Should you decide to switch to in-person learning, please coordinate the timing of this switch with your Division Director. 

• The schedules were created with careful consideration and intention to provide a safe, developmentally-appropriate, flexible, and sustainable reentry plan for students and teachers.
   
• Schedules were designed to work both for on-campus instruction and Virtual Learning. Slight shifts in timing may appear in the Virtual Learning schedule in order to accommodate for more office hours and one-on-one check-ins with students, but overall the schedule will remain the same regardless of whether learning is taking place as virtually or in person.
   

General School Supplies

• As we do every year, our teachers have created a list of school supplies your children will need for each grade. Please click here for the grade-by-grade supply list.
   

Academic, Enrichment & Technology Materials  

• Materials for the academic and enrichment programs, as well as technology devices will be provided for every student. These include books, academic packets, art supplies, PE equipment, and iPads/Chromebooks/MacBooks, depending on the grade. 
   
• Periodically, we will have drive-through materials pickups and dropoffs. Information and details for each pickup/dropoff will be emailed to you. 
   
• If you have any questions, please contact the front office. If you need to make alternative arrangements, please contact your division director (Liz Silverman, K-2, or Eric Hogenson, 3-6).

Limited Sharing of Supplies & Materials

• Once we are back on campus, students' belongings separated and in individually labeled storage containers, cubbies or areas, and should be taken home each day to be cleaned.

• This year, we will be limiting the sharing of materials, supplies, books, technology devices, and other times, as much as possible.

• Where sharing occurs within learning families, items will be cleaned and disinfected between uses.

• We recognize that the partnership between students, parents, and our Technology Department is critical during this upcoming school year.
   
• Before the first day of classes, we are ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to learn/get a refresher on our primary learning platforms -- Seesaw (K-2) and Google Classroom (3-6) -- and learn our new workflow for accessing class schedules via the homeroom websites (see examples under the Virtual Learning section above).
   
• Additionally, depending on the grade level, some students will be introduced to a new device for online and classroom learning. For example, Kindergarten students will use the iPad and Seesaw, 3rd grade students will use Chromebooks and Google Classroom, and 5th grade will use MacBooks, as their primary device for the first time.
   
• We’re here to help! The Technology Team is developing self-paced online tutorials for all students. Instructions will be provided with the student device, which will be included in the Academic Materials Pickup mentioned above. We will also include the option to sign up for in-person tutorials should families want additional live support. 
   

• The first few days of school will focus on building the classroom community, setting classroom expectations, continuing to introduce or refresh students on the use of iPads/Seesaw, Chromebooks/Google Classroom, MacBooks/Google Classroom, and having fun!

Please review the following documents and protocols prior to the start of school:

• Student Expectations for Virtual Learning
• Digital Citizenship: K-2 RUP and 3-6 RUP
• Students are expected to be in uniform each day, regardless of whether they are learning virtually or in-person. Click here for our uniform policy.
• Please communicate with your child’s teacher if there is going to be an absence. 
   

• In the interest of our collective health, the home-school partnership will require an even higher level of communication, collaboration, and understanding as we navigate the pandemic together.
   
• Adhering to health protocols provides reassurances for not only your family, but for every Laurence family, faculty, and staff member. As we close the summer, families can help reinforce responsible habits with their children.
   
• We are all in this together, so let's Represent the "L" and Keep Kind in Mind!

• Encourage frequent hand washing.
• Practice coughing and sneezing into elbows.
• Add daily temperature checks to your morning routine.
• Practice wearing face coverings responsibly.
• Visually demonstrate and practice physical distancing.

• Encourage physical activity and time outside.
• Provide children with the space to share and ask questions.
• Maintain a routine at home for stability.
• Reach out for help.
• Visit our webpage, Extra Resources for Parents.

Please refer to the Travel Guidelines section (above).

• As we will begin our school year with Virtual Learning, all students will be issued a school device to be used while learning remotely from home.
   
• Devices will be provided during the Academic Supplies Pickup described above. The devices that will be provided for students in each grade level are:
  • K-2 - iPad
  • 3-4 - Chromebook
  • 5-6 - MacBook Air 

• When we return to campus with Hybrid Learning, students who opt-into the Hybrid In-Person learning option may be asked to bring their device back and forth between home and school each day.
   
• Students who choose to engage in the Hybrid Remote program will continue working with their school-issued device from home.
   

Please review the updated Responsible Use Policy for our students, which will be shared as a part of the self-paced training provided with the student devices.

• K-2 Responsible Use Policy 
• 3-6 Responsible Use Policy

• School devices will come with all apps and programs that your children need for learning.
   
• All student devices will also be configured to have the following safety features:
  • Safe search will be turned on for Google, Bing or Yahoo search engines.
  • We will scan searches and block websites based on keywords.
  • Youtube will be accessible in restricted mode, which means that teachers must approve the video otherwise it will appear as blocked.
  • Please note that no security settings will filter everything out 100%. If you find that something has snuck through our settings, please email our Tech Team so we can investigate and correct the issue.
     
• Our Tech Team will be able to push all updates to and remotely troubleshoot for school-issued devices only.

• Field trips are not permitted at this time. We look forward to continuing our field trip programs when the state and county permit us to do so.
   
• Please be on the lookout for more information as we build out programs and schedules. 

• Our Physical Education and Athletics programs are pivoting to offer athletics instruction for Virtual Learning and on-campus learning. Students will continue to have PE class everyday!
   
• During Virtual Learning, students will receive instruction from their PE teachers in a mix of synchronous and asynchronous classes. Students will receive their own individual PE materials prior to the start school. (These will be provided during the Academic Materials Pickup described above.)
   
• When students are able to return to on-campus learning:
  • Students will have PE class with their learning family, with one dedicated PE teacher, and will not interact with other learning families.
  • Physical distancing will be maintained during PE classes.
  • PE classes will take place outdoors, whenever possible. PE classes will only take place indoors in the PAC when we are permitted to do so by the county.  
  • With regard to the sharing of PE materials, our coaches have dedicated materials for each learning family. Materials will be disinfected between uses.
  • Additionally, we will follow all safety and health protocols provided by the CDC and LA County Department of Health.

• Our goal during the COVID pandemic is to preserve the Laurence School traditions that we all love so much, and find new ways to connect and build community.
   
• Be on the lookout for schedules and plans for virtual Friday Red, White, Blue & Green Assemblies, holiday celebrations, Back-to-School Nights, Parent Education Series events, our Author Speaker Series for students, and much more.
   
• Our Parent Association is also working on exciting community events to keep us connected, while keeping us safe.