Note: A Spanish-language version of this letter is posted below.
WEST COLUMBIA, SC -- On Thursday, November 12, select groups of students returned to in-person instruction five days a week. With a successful transition, all remaining Lexington Two elementary, middle and high school students not currently enrolled in the full-time Lexington Two Virtual Academy will return five days a week on Wednesday, December 2.
Families have the option to request a change to their child's instructional model -- to move either from in-person five days a week to the full-time Virtual Academy, or vice-versa -- by sending an email request to [email protected] between Monday, November 23 and Friday, December 11. Please be aware that this request does not guarantee placement in an instructional model. This will be the final time this school year that we will accept change requests. Requests will only be considered on a space-available basis.
Your child’s instructional change, if granted, would be effective January 4 for elementary and middle school students, February 4 for high school students.
The time frame for change requests will allow parents whose children have returned to five-day-a-week instruction by December 2 the chance to evaluate the in-person model. Likewise, parents whose children are in the full-time Virtual Academy can evaluate the opportunity for in-person instruction.
After December 11, all students who have not submitted instructional change requests will remain in their assigned instructional models through the end of the 2020-21 school year.
As a reminder, Lexington Two has instituted the following safety measures for in-person instruction:
- The district is installing up to 6,000 additional Plexiglass dividers for student desks, to supplement social distancing to the greatest extent possible within classrooms.
- Masks are required for students, staff and visitors on district property, on district transportation, and while attending school-related activities.
- Thorough cleaning/disinfecting of classrooms, restrooms, cafeterias, hallways, offices and other school spaces is completed prior to the arrival of students and again with the departure of faculty and administrators at the end of each school day. Misting machines are used in each school and on buses for disinfecting.
- Wipe-downs are done throughout the school day of high-touch areas such as door knobs, sink handles, paper towel dispensers, light switches, cafeteria tables and commonly used equipment.
- Disinfectant products are available in classrooms so that high-touch items and surfaces can be cleaned frequently.
- Hand sanitizer dispensers are placed throughout schools.
- Cleaning/disinfecting of playground equipment is done after each recess schedule, with athletic equipment cleaned and disinfected daily.
- Socially distanced movement in the halls is used, with teachers changing classrooms whenever possible rather than students.
- Reduced capacity and social distancing are used in cafeterias, and free pre-packaged meals are offered to all students
Lexington Two continues daily monitoring of COVID-19 cases. We post and update weekly information about COVID-19 cases in our schools, as well as protocols for handling cases, on our district and school websites: https://www.lex2.org/apps/news/article/1296978
Should you have any questions about change requests, please email them to [email protected].