Frequently Asked Questions
🏈🎨Athletics, Special Area, and Extracurricular Activities
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When will athletics be offered?
School sports are scheduled to begin on September 21 unless the governor or the NYSPHSAA COVID 19 Task force cancel the fall season. If the fall season is canceled, athletics will proceed as directed by developing a compressed schedule which will begin January 2021 and end in June 2021. The modified schedules will incorporate all three sport seasons.
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If my child is receiving a remote education, is he/she eligible for athletics?
Yes, a pupil shall be eligible for interschool competition or inclusive athletic activities in a sport during a semester, provided that he/she is a bonafide student, enrolled during the first 15 school days of such semester, is registered in the equivalent of 3 courses, is meeting the physical education requirement, and has been in regular attendance 80 percent of the school time with bona fide absence caused by personal illness excepted.
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How will art, music, and physical education be delivered in the K-4 and 5-6 schools?
Special Area teachers will instruct in the general education classrooms or outside weather permitting.
Grades K-6 students will be participating in physical education and will be asked to wear their mask during the planned activity. To allow for social distancing, the activities will be low-impact in nature. All activities introduced will be individual based, skill building activities. At this time there are no team sport activities planned that would involve running, fleeing, changing direction, or chasing. The activities will target individual skills.
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When will extracurricular activities be offered?
Extra curricular activities will be reviewed throughout the fall and will commence when it is safe and appropriate to do so.
😷Face Mask / Coverings
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Are face coverings required?
Yes, both in school and on the school bus. Teachers will provide mask breaks throughout the school day.
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Are cloth face masks acceptable face coverings?
Per the NYSDOH Guidance, acceptable face coverings include but are not limited to cloth-based face coverings and surgical masks that cover both the mouth and nose. In the Lockport City School District, face coverings should comply with the Code of Conduct student dress code language.
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Do I have to provide my child with a face covering?
Students may bring their own - but districts are responsible for providing a face covering at no cost to any student who does not have one. Face coverings should comply with the Code of Conduct student dress code language.
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How long are mask breaks and how often?
Individual teachers will provide mask breaks at their discretion and as needed throughout the school day. Suggestions for activities during a mask break will be discussed with staff.
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Will hand sanitizer be provided?
The district has purchased hand sanitizer which will be available in classrooms and offices. Hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds will be strongly encouraged and is preferred, when available, to using hand sanitizer.
🍎Food Service
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Where will students consume their meals while in school?
Students will be required to social distance when consuming their breakfast and/or lunch. The K-6 buildings will be eating in their classrooms. Grades 7- 12 will be utilizing additional spaces outside of the classrooms to ensure social distancing. There can be no sharing of drinks or food. All meals will meet the nutritional requirements as outlined by the NYS Child Nutrition Department. Precautions will be taken for those students with food allergies. If you need to notify the district of a child’s food allergy please contact Patti Noonan at 478-4805 or Tom Heagerty at 478-4804. Or you can email either at pnoonan@lockportschools.net or theagerty@lockportschools.net. Parents may send meals they prepared at home with their children to school.
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How will meals be distributed while children are remoting learning?
We want to ensure that every student is fed throughout the school year.
Blue Cohort students on Tuesdays will take home three breakfast and three lunches for the three days they are remote learning.
Gold Cohort students on Fridays will take home three breakfast and three lunches for the three days they are remote learning.
Full time Remote Learning students ONLY, will order five days of meals online. Create an account and order online.
- Pick-up time is every Wednesday from 11AM-3PM at the sites below:
- North Park Junior High School – 160 Passaic Avenue - north cafeteria door 4
- Charles Upson Elementary School – 28 Harding Avenue – cafeteria door 6A
- Pick-up time is every Wednesday from 11AM-3PM at the sites below:
🩺Health Screening
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Will students/staff be tested for Covid-19?
The district will not be testing any students or staff for COVID-19. The recommendation for testing will come from the student or staff member’s health care provider.
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How will students and staff be monitored for Covid-19 symptoms?
Parents are expected to perform a health screening prior to a child boarding a school bus or being dropped off at school. If a child has a temperature of 100 degrees or higher, the child should stay home and a physician should be contacted. Schools are required to conduct a temperature screening of all people entering any district building. Anyone with a temperature of 100 degrees or higher will be evaluated by the school nurse. In addition, staff, visitors, vendors, and contractors are required to complete the medical screening questionnaire when entering any district building.
💻Instruction
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Who do we contact if we are having trouble with district provided devices?
For equipment problems, software problems, or access issues, you may call the Lockport City School District Technology Department at (716) 478-4485 and we will direct you to the help you need. You may also send an email to Monica LaPorte at mlaporte@lockportschools.net or to Dr. Robert LiPuma at rlipuma@lockportschools.net. District staff can help you exchange equipment if needed, get equipment serviced, or we may be able to provide you with telephone help for certain issues. An exchange center/process with be set up at Lockport High School.
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Will all students be provided a device to use on remote learning days?
All students in need of a device to participate in remote learning will be provided either an iPad or a Chromebook. Students receiving hybrid services may need to bring their device to and from school as needed.
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Where do we find directions to get on google classroom, google meet, and any other sites required?
There will be videos and handouts developed for parent/guardian use on the platforms and apps we will be using. These will be posted to the district website.
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What if my child is unable to login at daycare?
If there are concerns with instruction during child care the child care provider can contact the Technology Office and/or the parent may contact the Technology Office for support and guidance.
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How will grades be calculated?
Students enrolled in remote learning will be evaluated in the same manner as students attending an in-person or a hybrid model of instruction. A variety of assessments will be used to evaluate student progress including assignments, tests, quizzes, projects, etc. In a traditional sense, students will receive grades as they have previous to COVID-19.
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What school supplies do students need?
All school supplies for students in grades K - 6 will be provided by the Lockport City School District. Each student will receive an individual supply kit for personal use while in school. These kits will include general items such as pencils, erasers, sharpeners, pencil cases, crayons, scissors, glue sticks, whiteboards, dry erase markers, and other instructional materials needed per grade level. If we move to a full remote learning model for all students, these kits would go home with children. Parents do not need to purchase any supplies to send to school. Parents may choose to provide general school supplies at home (paper, pencils, crayons, glue sticks, scissors, etc.) for alternating days.
Students in grades 7-12 can access school supply lists through TeacherLists. To instantly access our lists, simply click on the “School Supply List” link on the school website under Site Shortcuts. This will take you directly to your school’s page on TeacherLists! You can also click on the School Supply Lists icon in our Lockport Schools mobile app or you can go directly to www.TeacherLists.com to find our supply lists. Additionally, lists can be found under the Parent tab on our district website: www.lockportschools.org/supplies. The school supply lists are available 24/7 from any device-even on your smartphone while you’re out at the store (no more worrying about lost lists!) or purchase your supplies online.
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What is the plan for remote learning? 2-1-2
- This is part of the District’s HYBRID plan.
- Students are assigned to a BLUE cohort or a GOLD cohort.
- Students report to school for in-person instruction on either BLUE day (Monday, Tuesday: Primary household last name A-K) or GOLD day (Thursday, Friday: Primary household last name L-Z) AND all students participate in remote learning on Wednesday.
- During these remote learning days students will:
- follow a schedule provided by the classroom teacher.
- participate in a Google Meet session(s) with the teacher for attendance taking purposes.
- visit Google Classroom to complete a variety of assignments by teacher(s).
- complete independent work as assigned by teacher(s).
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What is the plan for remote learning? Every Day Option
- This is an OPTION instead of the HYBRID model.
- Students WILL NOT report to school for in-person instruction and will learn remotely from home every day.
- During these remote learning days students will:
- be assigned to a classroom teacher from their school AND/OR a remote learning teacher.
- follow a schedule provided by the classroom teacher.
- participate in Google Meet session(s) daily with the remote learning teacher.
- visit Google Classroom to complete a variety of assignments by teacher(s).
- complete independent work as assigned by teacher(s).
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How will the high school BOCES CTE program operate?
The BOCES CTE program will operate five days per week for in-person classes only. At this time, BOCES will not be offering a remote program unless the region and surrounding districts are ordered by Governor Cuomo to operate a full remote learning model for all students. Busses will transport students from the Lockport High School or LHS West to the BOCES sites. Students enrolled in the BOCES CTE program must secure transportation to and from LHS or LHS West on remote learning days in order to take the bus to BOCES. For additional information, students should contact their counselor.
🚍Requirements on Bus
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Are students required to wear masks on school buses?
All students are required to wear a mask and should maintain appropriate social distancing. The only exception to the mask requirement is that students whose physical or mental health would be impaired by wearing a mask are not required to do so, but must maintain social distancing of 6 feet from other individuals on the bus.
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Can transportation be refused if a student is not wearing a mask?
No. The student should sit in a designated area of the bus for social distancing purposes and then the matter should be handled with school/district administration and the parent/guardian.
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Will my child still be able to take the bus to school if eligible?
Yes, but there will be significant changes. Every child using district transportation will be required to wear a mask while riding the bus to and from school. Parents should take their child’s temperature and monitor symptoms prior to sending their child to school. Students will be asked to load back to front and will exit front to back. Each student will need to maintain social distancing. At this time that social distancing is one student per seat unless they are family members where students can sit two per seat. Students will not be able to sit with friends. If you would like to opt out of transportation for the first ten weeks of school and drive your child you can. Please call 478-4837 to opt out of transportation or email klove@lockportschools.net by August 19, 2020.
🏫Return to School / Work After Illness
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What is required in order for students who had symptoms of COVID-19 to return to school?
Protocols and procedures have been established, in consultation with local health officials, about the requirements for determining when individuals, particularly students, who screened positive for COVID-19 symptoms can return to the in-person learning environment at school. This protocol includes:
- Documentation from a health care provider following evaluation
- Negative COVID-19 diagnostic test result, if permitted to receive
- Symptom resolution, or if COVID-19 positive, release from isolation
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What is required in order for staff who had symptoms of COVID-19 to return to work?
Protocols and procedures have been established, in consultation with local health officials, about the requirements for determining when individuals, particularly students, who screened positive for COVID-19 symptoms can return to the in-person learning environment at school. This protocol includes:
- Documentation from a health care provider following evaluation
- Negative COVID-19 diagnostic test result, if permitted to receive
- Symptom resolution, or if COVID-19 positive, release from isolation
📆School Calendar and Schedules
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How are students assigned to Blue and Gold Cohorts?
Students are assigned to either a Blue Cohort or a Gold Cohort by the primary household last name. Blue Cohort includes last names A- K and Gold Cohort includes last names L-Z. Please contact Sheila Murphy, director of student services, at 478-4624 with any questions related to your child's assignment.
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What is the Blue Cohort and Gold Cohort schedule?
BLUE COHORT (A-K)
- Monday: In-Person
- Tuesday: In-Person
- Wednesday: Remote
- Thursday: Remote
- Friday: Remote
GOLD COHORT (L-Z)
- Monday: Remote
- Tuesday: Remote
- Wednesday: Remote
- Thursday: In-Person
- Friday: In-Person
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What is the school calendar for the 2020-2021 school year?
Please go to www.lockportschools.org/calendar to view the REVISED school calendar.
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Before / After School Programs
The YWCA and the YMCA will both offer a before and after school program for those students attending on hybrid days at the students school building. The morning program starts as early as 7:00am and the evening program goes until 6:00pm for both organizations. Both organizations will offer an off site full day childcare program for the students on non-cohort days. Both organizations are working on restructuring their program fees to accommodate parent needs. For more information on program offerings please call the YMCA at 434-8887 or the YWCA at 433-6714. All students attending will have temperature checks daily and both organizations will be following CDC guidelines for social distancing and cleaning.
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What are the hours for in-person school days?
Whether an in-person or hybrid model, the schedule for student attendance is as follows:
UPK morning students: staggered schedules
- 8:15AM - 10:45AM
- 8:30AM - 11:00AM
- 8:45AM - 11:15AM
UPK afternoon students: staggered schedules
- 11:45AM - 2:15PM
- 12:00PM - 2:30PM
- 12:15PM - 2:45PM
UPK Full day students: 8:45AM - 2:45PM
K-4: 9:10AM - 3:35PM
5-6: 8:30AM - 2:55PM
7-8: 8:06AM - 2:42PM
9-12
LHS: 7:40AM - 2:15PM
LHS West: 7:58AM - 2:28PM -
What are the hours for remote learning school days?
Whether an in-person or hybrid model, the schedule for student attendance is as follows:
UPK morning students: staggered schedules
- 8:15AM - 10:45AM
- 8:30AM - 11:00AM
- 8:45AM - 11:15AM
UPK afternoon students: staggered schedules
- 11:45AM - 2:15PM
- 12:00PM - 2:30PM
- 12:15PM - 2:45PM
UPK Full day students: 8:45AM - 2:45PM
K-4: 9:10AM - 3:35PM
5-6: 8:30AM - 2:55PM
7-8: 8:06AM - 2:42PM
9-12: 7:40AM - 2:15PM
7:58AM - 2:28PM
If the district is required to implement a full Remote Learning model, with all students at home, the daily schedule for all grades will be from 9:00AM - 2:00PM.
👩🏫Special Education
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Will special education students attend in person classes each school day or do they have to follow the "hybrid model" that the Lockport City School District has developed?
Students with disabilities program modifications, test accommodations, programs and related services outlined in a student’s Individual Education Plan will be implemented with the same frequency and duration listed on the document that the Committee on Special Education created. In the hybrid model, students with disabilities in person services are dependent on their program and placement. Please use the information below and look at your child’s program and hybrid model description. Below their program will describe the hybrid model that will be implemented.
Program: Special Classes (Agency/BOCES K-12)
All students with disabilities will be provided special education programs and services, at their listed sites, with social distancing practices under department of health guidelines. Individual sites or placement will determine their ability to manage Department of Health guidelines and determine the frequency students are able to participate in direct programs/services on campus. When a student is unable to be in-person then the program and services will be offered through teleservice practices in order to meet the frequency and duration listed on a student’s Individual Education Plan.
- Technological Devices have been provided to all students placed out of district as requested.
- Transportation will be implemented in accordance with students’ IEPs and social distancing/DOH guidelines.
Program: Special Classes (In District K-12) 8:1:1, 12:1:1, 15:1
All students with disabilities will be provided special education programs and services, in their special classes as indicated on building specific plans. Social distancing practices under department of health guidelines will be implemented. Students in these special classes will attend each day that the Lockport City School District is offering direct instruction as noted in the teaching and learning section of the reopening plan.
- To reduce cross contamination in the hallway, related services will be provided inside the special classes when possible.
- Technological devices will be assigned to individual students, following current district procedures.
- Transportation will be implemented in accordance with students’ IEPs and social distancing/DOH guidelines.
Program: Integrated Co-Taught Classes Grades K-8
In the event of a modified schedule such as a Blue/Gold format, students may receive related services and special education teacher support virtually or in-person. All students with disabilities will be provided special education programs and services in their general education classes as indicated on building specific plans. Please note that parents may make a principal request to attend in-person more frequently. Principals will determine if social distancing practices will allow approval of such requests. Social distancing practices under department of health guidelines will be implemented.
- To reduce cross contamination in the hallway, related services will be provided inside the special classes when possible.
- Technological devices will be assigned to individual students, following current district procedures.
- Transportation will be implemented in accordance with students’ IEPs and social distancing/DOH guidelines.
Program: Consultant Teacher Services and Resource Room
In the event of a modified schedule such as a Blue/Gold format, students may receive related services and special education teacher support virtually or in-person. Consideration of students past participation in virtual lessons and their ability to make progress will be made on an individual basis when determining direct or in- person implementation. Resource rooms may be provided in a separate location if social distancing or instructional requirements are not able to be maintained in the general education classroom setting. Please note that parents may make a principal request to attend in-person more frequently. Principals will determine if social distancing practices will allow approval of such requests.
Program: Related Services Only
In the event of a modified schedule such as a Blue/Gold format, students may receive related services and special education teacher support virtually or in-person. Related Services may be provided in a separate location if social distancing or instructional requirements are not able to be maintained in the general education classroom setting. Consideration of students past participation in virtual lessons and their ability to make progress will be made on an individual basis when determining direct or in person implementation. Please note that parents may make a principal request to attend in-person more frequently. Principals will determine if social distancing practices will allow approval of such requests.
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My child has an Individual Education Plan (IEP), will it be implemented?
Program modifications, test accommodations, programs and related services outlined in a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) will be implemented with the same frequency and duration listed on the document that the Committee on Special Education created. Programs and related services will be provided by certified special education teachers and therapists in all versions of the reopening plan- full remote, hybrid, in-person or requested remote.
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In the Hybrid model, if a student with a disability is in a general education class, when do they attend school?
Students with disabilities that have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and are educated in general education classrooms have a program that will list either consultant teacher (CT) services, integrated co-taught services (ICT), resource room (RR) or related services only. Please see below:
Program: Integrated Co-Taught Classes Grades K-8
In the event of a modified schedule such as a Blue/Gold format, students may receive related services and special education teacher support virtually or in-person. All students with disabilities will be provided special education programs and services in their general education classes as indicated on building specific plans. Please note that parents may make a principal request to attend in-person more frequently. Principals will determine if social distancing practices will allow approval of such requests. Social distancing practices under department of health guidelines will be implemented.
- To reduce cross contamination in the hallway, related services will be provided inside the special classes when possible.
- Technological devices will be assigned to individual students, following current district procedures.
- Transportation will be implemented in accordance with students’ IEPs and social distancing/DOH guidelines.
Program: Consultant Teacher Services and Resource Room
In the event of a modified schedule such as a Blue/Gold format, students may receive related services and special education teacher support virtually or in-person. Consideration of students past participation in virtual lessons and their ability to make progress will be made on an individual basis when determining direct or in- person implementation. Resource rooms may be provided in a separate location if social distancing or instructional requirements are not able to be maintained in the general education classroom setting. Please note that parents may make a principal request to attend in-person more frequently. Principals will determine if social distancing practices will allow approval of such requests.
Program: Related Services Only
In the event of a modified schedule such as a Blue/Gold format, students may receive related services and special education teacher support virtually or in-person. Related Services may be provided in a separate location if social distancing or instructional requirements are not able to be maintained in the general education classroom setting. Consideration of students past participation in virtual lessons and their ability to make progress will be made on an individual basis when determining direct or in person implementation. Please note that parents may make a principal request to attend in-person more frequently. Principals will determine if social distancing practices will allow approval of such requests.
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In the hybrid model, when does a student with consultant teacher services and related services attend school?
A student with a disability who receives consultant teacher services in a general education classroom and receives related services will follow a blue/gold schedule in the hybrid model. Their related services may be provided directly or remotely. A consent for teleservices may be sent home if the related service providers will be utilizing remote learning.
For example, if the student receives related service in Speech and the student’s Individual Education Plan states a program of 5 X30 minutes for ELA, they will get their services as detailed on their Individual Education Plan. When on campus the programs and services will be provided in-person and when remote learning is offered the program and services will be provided through teleservices. The student’s individual education plan will be implemented with fidelity; only the mode of instruction will shift. If a program or related service is offered remotely a consent will be sent home for the parent to sign.
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If my child has an IEP and is supposed to have Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech services, how will this be accomplished in hybrid learning or remote learning model?
Students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) will have all programs and services implemented. When a student is on campus (hybrid or in-person,) the programs and services will be provided in-person and when remote learning is offered the program and services will be provided through teleservices. The student’s individual education plan will be implemented with fidelity; only the mode of instruction/therapy will shift. If a student receives teleservices then a consent for teleservices will be sent home.
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In a 15:1 special class, how is the teacher going to teach students remotely and in person simultaneously?
A 15:1 special class will be taught by a certified special education teacher. The specific teacher, caseload and mode has not yet been determined.
Questions
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