Dear Parents and Guardians,
I am writing today to ask for your help. The number of student COVID cases, as well as the number of students who are required to self-quarantine from close contact, has suddenly spiked in the last week (16 confirmed student cases). I know we all share the same goal – keeping students in school with their teachers in a safe and healthy environment. In order to sustain the learning environment in the Yellow Level of Operation, we need to work together to encourage our students to follow precautionary measures to keep our schools open. While we certainly ask students to adhere to the expectations outlined in the LJSD Reopen Plan (maintain social distance of 6 feet or follow the recommendation to wear a mask if you are unable to do so and wash your hands often), kids listen and trust their parents and we would really appreciate your help in reinforcing the “why” with your kids. We want all students to have the option of daily in-person learning (staying in Yellow), as well as participation in athletic events, graduation, prom, etc. Thank you for helping us remind students of the expectations which will help keep our schools safe. We know this will take all of us working together and we appreciate your support and understanding.
Dr. Meyer, Superintendent
Would you like a COVID Test and cost is a problem? We have vouchers for students and staff who are uninsured or underinsured – contact Nurse Judy at jgerstenberger@lakeland272.org or 208-683-2231
What is Contact Tracing and How Does it Work?
With the recent surge in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19, there have been several questions surrounding contact tracing. What does contact tracing really mean?
Contact tracing is the process used to understand how an infectious disease is spreading in our community. The purpose of contact tracing is threefold: to find out how an individual became sick, find out who else might have been exposed, and protect others from being infected.
In order to keep our students and staff safe, our School Nurse team works tirelessly to conduct effective contact tracing. When we have individuals who have tested positive or have been in close contact with anyone who tested positive within our schools, the nurses notify these individuals and advise them on how to move forward.
Schools cannot and will not release information regarding positive students if that individual could be identified through an announcement.
Per Idaho laws, the Health District is required to notify schools of positive cases among students or staff. Health Districts are also required to notify the school of close contacts of confirmed positive cases if those close contacts attend that school.
Updated Definition of “Close Contact” from CDC
Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.
CDC Website for more information
New PHD Press Release Today: Case Surges Overwhelm Public Health Efforts Across Idaho
We have had a wonderful first month with students – to have smiling faces and eager young minds back in the schools has been so refreshing. While we are aware there are still challenges to overcome in this new learning environment, the focus is back where it should be: students learning and growing every day. As I have visited every classroom in the district, the recurring theme I have seen is that staff and students have found a rhythm and are genuinely happy to be back in the swing of school. They love to be around their peers and enjoy the opportunity for social interaction. Though social distancing is not popular with the students, they have been great at following the required protocols. I am always so impressed with the level of kindness and respect the students in this district display. A new employee who joined us from another state recently told me, “I just cannot believe how nice these students are; it is unbelievable.” We should be so proud of our kids – they are good human beings and are working to be part of the solution to a once in a lifetime problem! Much Gratitude to our wonderful students in this district and your positive parenting influence, Dr. Meyer, Superintendent 
The first day of school is Tuesday, September 8, 2020. In the Yellow Level of Operation, 
Lakeland Joint School District school health services are looking forward to students returning to school. This year in addition to the general illness guidelines, we will be addressing COVID-19. 
Our Lakeland Transportation Team is gearing up for a new school year. If your family will be using our bus transportation, we ask that you please complete the 
Understandably, there have been a lot of questions and concerns about reopening schools in the fall. I have received several emails about information posted on social media as parents attempt to distinguish truth from rumors. It is vital for you to have the facts when making decisions surrounding the education of your child(ren) and the only way to do that is to go to the source. Please reach out to us at: 208-687-0431 or 
Our fall athletics and extracurricular activities will align with our LJSD 272 Fall Reopen Plan in terms of the color stage the District falls in. 
How will school look in the fall? This is the question at the forefront of all of our minds. This past week, our Board of Trustees approved the LJSD Fall Reopen Plan at their Board meeting. If you missed Tuesday’s meeting and are interested in hearing the Trustees’ discussion on the Reopen Plan, please click 
After the approval of the Reopen Plan on July 28th, the real work now begins; the addition of school specific details. We know that face-to-face interactive teaching and learning is best for our students. However, we also understand that each family has to decide what works best for them and their children. We are entering uncharted territory as we plan for schools to open on September 8th. The plan the Board approved is fluid and allows us to move through phases as we respond to the spread of COVID-19 within our communities; one school at a time. We are using what we learned from last spring and are working to ensure that we are able to provide the high quality education our parents expect from us. New this year will be a fully online learning platform. We are reviewing model programs to ensure that we have the best possible learning experience for our students. We will continue to update you as this platform takes shape. An online sign-up form will be going out to all parents next week to gauge interest levels. We appreciate your support through these challenging times! Thank you for your partnership in your child’s education. Together we make a wonderful team!
In preparing for the School Year, we want to support our Lakeland Families by helping you to talk to your children about the year ahead. Patty Morrison, our Federal Programs Director, would like to share with families this helpful information on preparing children for back to school.
We have over 100 Chromebooks that have yet to be returned. If your student checked out a Chromebook during the COVID-19 closure or for Summer School use, please ensure that device is returned as soon as possible. Each device will need to be cleaned and updated to the latest software version. To return your Chromebook device, please call the Technology Department at (208) 687-4350 to arrange a drop off time.
LJSD is always in need of guest teachers in the event of staff absences. You can apply 
Last week we held Community Update Meetings at Lakeland High School and Timberlake Junior High School to update parents on the current state of our district and explain next steps in planning for this coming fall. If you missed these community meetings, you can check out the recording below along with 
We want to congratulate all of our seniors on successfully completing one of the most unique school years that anyone can remember. The drive in graduation ceremonies held at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds were incredible and we were able to give seniors the awesome send-off they deserved. Please join us in congratulating our seniors!!
TLC and Federal Programs Director, Patty Morrison has been providing ongoing support to families throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic. This month, she is sharing an in depth and thoughtful piece about feelings by 
Our Technology Department invites parents to fill out