The 2021-2022 school year is starting in just a couple of weeks, and I have never been more excited to welcome our Laurence students back to campus. What a difference a year makes! We are excited to bring new ideas and programs to Laurence, while other programs are returning after 18 months of the pandemic. And while we will still be wearing masks, I know that each of us will be smiling underneath them as we celebrate the fact that all of our students will be starting the school year learning in-person on a full-time basis. 

Happy August! We hope that you have been able to enjoy time with your loved ones and have created some lasting memories over this summer break. Although we have not yet made it to the "other side" of the storm that is the COVID pandemic, at Laurence, we keep our sails raised, poised to catch new winds of opportunity, while also reflecting and learning from our path thus far. On this occasion, we thought it would be appropriate to share with you some of the lessons we have learned over the past year, and how we can leverage our successes and innovations to make our school program even stronger this year and in the years to come.

Our journey in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and the dialogue around deepening the sense of community belonging amongst our students, families, and faculty and staff is ongoing and continuously evolving. While it has always been in Laurence's mission to educate our students in an inclusive environment where differences are respected, we are making it a priority this year to cultivate belonging so each student feels personally accepted, respected, included, and supported at school. 

We are just a few weeks away from those magical first moments of the school year – when the campus comes alive again and is filled with the laughter of children, along with the aspirations and optimism of a new year.  New families and new children infuse the school with energy and enthusiasm.  Returning children come back to their friends, academics, and activities, which they love so much.  As parents, we rest assured that they are getting the best education possible.  

I hope that you all have had a wonderful summer and that your children are excited for the start of a new school year – together on campus! The Laurence Parent Association has been busy planning for the upcoming year, as we hope to bring back more opportunities for our parent body to be involved in the life of our school. Our parent community is so special, and I know that whatever challenges we face this year, we will rise to the occasion and continue to bring joy and enthusiasm to our families in 2021-2022. 

Each year, we like to help you and your children get to know our new faculty and staff by providing you with their educational and professional backgrounds, as well as a few fun facts. You may have already met some of our new community members during Summer Camp, but you probably don't know their favorite foods or books! Read on to find out about the newest members of the Laurence family.

Please take the time to review our Back to School webpage highlighting our health and safety protocols, which are aligned with Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and CDC guidelines for a safe school reopening. It is important that you familiarize yourself with these protocols prior to your child(ren)'s return to school on September 1st. These protocols are subject to change based on evolving public health guidelines and COVID-19 community transmission.

Laurence School's Administrative Team and Parent Association have been busy planning for the 2021-2022 school year! Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate the changing circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.  We have posted preliminary dates for the 2021-2022 school year to our website. Click on "Read the full article" below for a link to the web calendar, a list of upcoming important dates, and information about how to sync your smartphone calendar to our web calendar.

We are thrilled to be starting the 2021-2022 school year in-person with all of our students together on campus! Please carefully read the important information in this article about this year's school day information. Please note that carpool schedules and protocols are in a separate article below.

This year's carpool schedule and protocol are outlined in this article, and are designed to continue our ongoing commitment to health and safety. Please review them carefully to be sure you are up to date on all of the changes! 

We are pleased to announce that Laurence's After School Enrichment Program is back this fall, and we are offering a myriad of exciting classes! These classes include Musical Theatre, Interscholastic Sports, Lego Robotics, Chess Club, Sewing and Embroidery, Mixed Media Drawing, and so much more. Importantly, all after school classes will be implemented in compliance with the most current LACDPH protocol. Due to the high rate of COVID-19 community transmission, we are delaying the start of after school enrichment classes until Monday, October 4th. Click on "Read the full article" below for registration and other details about the program.

Children's Music Workshop is back this year with an after school music program at Laurence.  With a focus on fun and joyful music learning, musical options are available for kindergarten through 6th grade students and include violin, cello, piano/keyboard, Drum Circle with Mindfulness, ukulele, and guitar. Classes will begin on Tuesday, October 5th and will be held in person on campus every Tuesday — with online options also available. For more details and to register, please visit www.jointheorchestra.com/laurence.

Laurence School is committed to using technology in responsible and innovative ways to enhance and support student learning. We carefully assess the resources to ensure that they are developmentally appropriate, follow best practices in safeguarding student privacy, and are a good match for our curriculum. Please read on for important information about our educational technology resources, including privacy policies.

It's time to reserve your dedication pages for the 2021-2022 yearbook! Dedication pages are a great way to make your child's yearbook extra special. All reservations, photos, and text must be submitted by October 13th. As we have done the last two years, we will be handling all of the design for your dedication pages. Design costs are included in the pricing. Click on "Read the full article" for details and a link to the reservation form.

Our Parent Education Committee is busy planning an exciting lineup of future speakers, and we would love to hear your feedback on our program! If you haven't already done so, please click on "Read the full article" below to fill out our short survey.