2020-2021 Reopening Plan

July 10, 2020

Dear Liberty Tech Families,

As we approach the upcoming school year, we are navigating a new and challenging landscape due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. You likely have had to make difficult decisions for your own family about returning to work, interacting with others, and assuming normal activities. All of us at Liberty Tech Charter School believe strongly that school is vital for the intellectual, social, and emotional growth of all students. Our ultimate shared goal is to provide hands-on learning in order to allow our students to be able to use critical thinking and problem solving skills while building character education through our cardinal virtues. Please know that our top priorities are the safety of your child(ren) and our staff, as well as providing the best academics possible for our student body. 

At this time, we would like to inform you of how we plan to proceed with the 2020-2021 school year. As you are already aware, we have made the decision to push back the start of school instruction until August 3, 2020. At that time, we will be offering two educational options for your child(ren). Please review and discuss which option would be best for your family, and complete your selection notification by Friday, July 17th. Note: School leadership is carefully monitoring information from the CDC, the GA Dept. of Health, the GA Dept. of Education, and local Health Departments on a continual basis. While it is possible that our instructional model may have to change due to the fluid situation that we are currently facing, know that we will keep you informed of any changes as quickly as possible. 

Option 1: Brick and Mortar
Traditional, face-to-face learning with protocols designed to mitigate the spread of disease. These prevention protocols include, but are not limited to: 

• Social Distancing:
  
  • To the greatest extent practicable, individual distancing will be strongly encouraged.
    
  • Distancing will be observed where practicable during large group activities and transitions.
    
  • Protocols will be implemented to manage movement and limit transmission opportunities within the school building.
• Face Coverings:
  
  • ALL students are strongly encouraged to use face coverings, when practicable, particularly in physical spaces where distancing is not practical. 
  • Staff will be required to wear face coverings throughout the duration of the school day.
• Health Checks: (Staff will be trained to identify symptoms of illness that warrant further clinic screening)
  
  • All students and staff are encouraged to stay home when ill.
  • Staff screenings will be performed by the School Health Specialist or School Administrators before entering the building.  
    
  • Screening for students will take place upon arrival to their classroom and then again at lunchtime. 
• Personal Hygiene:
  
  • Hand-washing and sanitizing will be strongly encouraged throughout the day.
• Environmental Modifications:
  • Installation of HEPA grade filtration with UV sanitation units in each classroom.
  • The design and implementation of both a well clinic and a sick clinic. 
  • Restricted use of water fountains
• Training:
  
  • Prevention training provided to both staff and students.
    
• Cleaning and Sanitation:
  • Enhanced cleaning, disinfection, and sanitation of the school building and playground.
• Movement Logistics:
  
  • Specially designed transition procedures to minimize large group gatherings.
  • 4th-8th Grade: To minimize transition of groups between classes, teachers will rotate classrooms instead of students.
    
  • Smaller groups during recess breaks. 
• Operations:
  
  • Limiting school visitors, guests, and outside contractors.
  • Lunch in the classrooms to eliminate large student groups in the cafeteria at lunchtime. (Due to lunch being served in the classroom setting and anaphylaxis/allergy concerns, we will require that families refrain from sending in nuts or nut products to the school.)
  • Individually packaged school lunches will be supplied by Subway and Senoia Pizza for the 2020-2021 school year. More information on these new vendors will be sent out at a later date.

Option 2: Full-time Virtual School 
Education provided online in a virtual classroom. For families considering this option, the following expectations will be in place:

• Attendance will be taken twice per day. In order for your child to be counted present, he/she will need to be present both times. 
• Students will need to be online at specifically scheduled times throughout the regularly scheduled school day from 8:00 am-3:15 pm in order to take part in mini-lessons as well as guided practice for each academic subject. These times will be communicated with you from your child’s teachers. 
• The following is the minimum amount of time daily that students will need to be engaged in their online instruction, independent activities, and group classwork:
  • Kindergarten through Third Grade: 4 ½ hours
  • Fourth and Fifth Grade: 5 hours
  • Sixth through Eighth Grade: 5 ½ hours
• While LTCS will do our very best to provide your child with exceptional learning experiences, please understand that this option will require a large effort on your part to assist your child. 
• For K-5 grade, no Specials classes (Art, Spanish, Music, STEAM, Computer, or PE) will be offered.
• Grading expectations will be the same for the full-time virtual option as the Brick and Mortar option.
• Online students will participate for the entirety of the first trimester in full-time virtual learning. The last day for the first trimester is October 16, 2020.
• Families selecting this option will need to complete a Virtual Learning Application. This application will be made available to you through the survey link provided below.

Please click here to select an option that best fits the needs of your family. Those choosing option 2 will automatically be directed to the Virtual Learning Application. 

The survey must be completed by Friday, July 17, 2020.

Please be advised that failure to complete the survey will result in a default selection of Option 1 for your child(ren).

Information will be sent out in the coming weeks about our virtual open house dates for each grade level. If you have any questions concerning our reopening plans, please email your questions to melissa.king@libertytechcharter.org by Monday, July 13th. An FAQ document answering your questions will be sent out on Thursday, July 16th. All surveys must be completed by Friday, July 17th. We are honored to be a part of your child’s education. 

Melissa King
Principal
770-461-0005
melissa.king@libertytechcharter.org