LMA to delay school opening by 1 week

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From Laurence Manning Academy:

Delayed of School Opening 2021-2022

Due to the high infection rates and surging health concerns in our Clarendon and Sumter Communities, the LMA Board of Directors voted at last night’s meeting to delay the opening of our 2021-2022 school year by one week. I have provided an updated schedule of school opening dates below.

The board will hold a special called meeting on Thursday, August 19 to further assess updated health conditions in our school and communities and, if necessary, revisit the 2021-2022 LMA health protocol policies for our return to school.

As I prepare for the August 19 meeting, I would appreciate any health safety concerns (including preferences on student/faculty masking), benefits, or questions that you would be willing to professionally share with me to be included in my remarks at the upcoming board meeting.

Please review the current LMA health protocols (below)and e-mail me of any classroom health safety concerns or questions you may have. tboykin@lmaedu.org

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Tuesday, August 24, 2021
TENTATIVE 7:00p Grades 1-5 Orientation/Grade Level Meetings/Meet-the-Teacher

Thursday, August 26, 2021
First Day of Classes (Grades 1-12) – Half Day (11:15am/11:30am dismissal)
7:00 pm K3-K5 Parent Orientation (begins in Davis Gymnasium)
Parents will be notified right away of any changes are required for K3-K5 Orientation.

Friday, August 27, 2021
Second Day of Classes (Grades 1-12) – Half Day (11:15am/11:30am dismissal)
8:30am – 10 am K3-K5 Student/Parent Drop-In (classrooms)
Parents will be notified right away of any changes are required for K3-K5 Orientation.

Monday, August 30, 2021
First Full Day of Classes for Grades K3-12th

Wednesday, September 1, 2021
TENTATIVE - Awards Day Chapel for grades 6-12 – 8:15am in the Davis Gymnasium
No Lower School Chapel

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I sincerely appreciate your trust and loyalty and your investment in our LMA family. Our prayer and school focus remains on the well-being, safety, and success of our students, faculty, and LMA families through these difficult and sometimes divisive times.

We look forward to being back together safely as a family in the coming weeks and to a strong and exciting school year. Together through Faith and Prayer, we can not only overcome these challenges again, but also benefit and bless one another and our students.
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2021-2022 Return-to-School Health Protocol Updates (July 20, 2021)

Our Laurence Manning Academy administration, school nurse, and board of directors continue to work closely with state and local health officials to monitor health conditions in the communities we serve and we are committed to providing the safest protocols and procedures for our LMA family.
Although the following guidelines and policies are being issued by our board of directors for the 2021-2022 return-to-school, augmentation of our school’s health protocols and policies may be necessary as per changes in CDC/SCDHEC guidance or if case numbers increase in our school and/or community.
All education for the 2021-2022 school year will be in-person.
Masks Guidelines
• Although masks are strongly encouraged while students/faculty are indoors and/or are
in close contact with others, masks are optional for all students/faculty/staff.
• Bus Note: Masks are strongly recommended while riding a school bus since our buses
are near or at capacity.
Online Access to Live Instruction
• If a student is diagnosed with COVID and/or is quarantined by a medical professional for
exposure, a live instructional feed will be provided.
• All assignments and materials will be available on Microsoft Teams.
Quarantine Guidelines
DHEC/CDC Quarantine times remain mostly unchanged from the 2020-2021 school year. See attached COVID Protocol Summary/Overview.
However, the following guidelines have been updated for 2021-2022:
o Fully vaccinated individuals are not required to quarantine due to close contact with an individual who has tested positive.
o If a student chooses to provide and use a three-sided plexiglass desk shield AND has worn his/her mask, the student does NOT have to quarantine. If you would like to learn more about approved three-sided desk shields, please contact our school nurse, Brooke Brewer, at bbrewer@lmaedu.org.
Management/Reporting of Student Illness
• ALL ILLNESSES are to be reported to the school nurse to determine if further action is
needed before a student returns to school/class.
• Home exposure and school exposure protocols remain the same as last year.

o Do not send a student to school if the student is sick or if the student is exhibiting any COVID related symptoms.
o A student/staff/faculty exhibiting TWO or more symptoms of COVID will be sent home and will need a negative COVID test or doctors note to return to school.

Recess
• Students may participate in outside recess as a grade level and will not be limited to
participating by classroom-only as they were last year.

Lunches
• We are continuing to work with SCDHEC on safe opportunities for students to be able to
have lunch (and middle and high school have break) in the LMA café, rather than in classrooms. We will communicate those plans as soon as they are finalized prior to the opening of school.

Assemblies
• We will return to assemblies and worshipping together for weekly chapel in the gym,
although we may have to initially alternate groups in attendance (in gym and in classroom) by grade level to minimize risks. While in attendance, students will be sitting by classroom and by grade level. Masks are strongly recommended, but mask are not required.

Buses
• Students are strongly recommended to wear their masks while traveling on school buses.
• Seating assignments will be enforced.