January 14, 2021: Middle School Students and Teacher to Return to School on January 19

Week of January 11, 2021: Secondary Division to Revert to Virtual Learning (PDF)

Return to School, January 2021

Dear Cub Family,

As your newly appointed Interim Superintendent, I want to assure you the safety and health of faculty, staff, and students is foremost in my mind. We will enter 2021 following the same safety protocols that were in place at the end of the fall semester. I’m sure many of you are concerned by the rise in the number of infections and hospitalizations as a result of COVID-19 that is being reported in the news daily. For the benefit of our students, we want to maintain full-time in-person instruction as long as it can be done in a safe and reasonable manner. I am encouraged by the reports I have received from school administration regarding the success that was achieved in the fall. I will continue to regularly consult with university, local, and state health officials as the semester progresses.

Additionally, your school leadership team will meet regularly to ensure we have criteria and a plan in place if any circumstances necessitate a change in our current process. We will also consider the ways that we can provide clear and essential information to parents regarding COVID-19 reporting. Faculty and staff will continue to be vigilant in maintaining and supporting proper safety protocols, and I appreciate your support in reminding students to do the same. We can keep transmission rates down by wearing masks properly, washing hands often, maintaining safe distances from each other, and avoiding travel and social gatherings as much as possible. Please report any exposure of students or family members to COVID-19 using our school's online COVID-19 reporting form so proper quarantine measures can be followed, and testing is recommended if any symptoms develop.

While news of the arrival of a vaccine is hopeful, difficult times are still ahead for students, staff, faculty, family members, and the larger community. Your continued understanding, cooperation, patience, and support is vitally important to the success of our students and school. I look forward to the opportunity to serve you and our school community.

Best wishes for a safe and successful 2021,

Paul Manthei, JD, PhD
Interim Superintendent, University Laboratory School

• ULS COVID-19 Guide (PDF)

Phase 1

• If the Governor or LSU institutes Phase 1 restrictions, ULS will use only virtual teaching/ learning platforms.

Phase 2

• ULS student enrollment has been divided by family, into Group A and Group B, so that approximately 50% of the students will attend class at ULS on designated days Monday - Thursday. All class instruction will be virtual on Fridays. COVID-19 Wellness and Logistics precautions will be in effect.
• When in hybrid model, student enrollment has been divided by family, into Group A and Group B, so that approximately 50% of the students will attend class at ULS on designated days Monday - Thursday. All class instruction will be virtual on Fridays.

• The master schedule will be maintained and followed on all days Monday – Friday.
• *Friday – Some courses (ex. Dual Enrollment) will require students to test in small groups at ULS.
• Instruction will be delivered synchronously and asynchronously based on grade/department and instructor. 
• The master calendar will be followed to the extent possible.
• Attendance, instructional minutes, and state assessments are required.
• Assignment deadlines and academic integrity will be maintained and enforced.
• Cub Care will operate based on the Group A and Group B attendance days.

Phase 3

• K-12 students will attend ULS on a daily basis when Phase 3 is announced. All COVID-19 Wellness and Logistics precautions will continue.

In accordance with LDOE specifications for all phases, attendance will be taken on all instructional days, whether in person or virtual. Absences will be “excused” for students in quarantine or otherwise sick (per ULS guidelines). Students in quarantine will use virtual instruction.

In Case of Illness

• COVID Reporting Form is to be submitted if your child has tested positive or has been in close contact with Covid-19. 
• Students who are COVID-19 positive must stay at home until deemed non-infectious by a doctor. Additionally, individuals who were in close contact - less than 6 feet for over 15 minutes - with a COVID-19 patient should stay at home and monitor symptoms for 14 days.

Meal Plans and Cub Care

• Currently, students enrolled in the ULS Cafeteria Meal Plan are billed at the beginning of the month, along with tuition. Students enrolled in Cub Care receive a monthly incidental invoice, due 30 days, for the current month of service. Moving forward, both the meal plan and Cub Care will be invoiced as a monthly incidental, due 30 days, for the prior month of service.
• Financial consideration will be given for meal plans and Cub Care. In light of the continued uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, the mechanism and timeline, of billing for those families who are enrolled in the ULS Cafeteria Meal Plan and/or Cub Care has been adjusted.
• This change will help to mitigate any potential credits or refunds owed for days not serviced, whether due to potential COVID-19 closures and/or your child’s scheduled class days based on the ULS Return to School Plan. For those families who’ve already had the meal plan drafted on the July 1 tuition and fee billing, an applicable credit will be reflected on the August 1 draft payment. 

Tuition and Fees

• Tuition and fees enable ULS to be ready to operate on the first day of the school and help us cover expenses associated with instruction and general operations. Even though at points during the school year, we may shift to hybrid or remote classes, ULS must still maintain all facilities and must still pay faculty and staff.

• Virtual Student Form: Parents should complete this form to notify the school if a student is opting for virtual learning.  Students who opt for virtual must remain virtual for a minimum of five school days. 
• Virtual Student Returning: Parents should complete and submit this for the day they before the student plans to return to school. 

The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) adopts the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recently updated guidance that allows people who may have been exposed to COVID-19 to shorten their quarantine period from 14 days to 10 days, or as few as 7 days with a negative test. Use the quarantine options diagram above for guidance. 

Please follow the following procedures:

• Quarantine can end after 10 days, on day 11, if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring.
• Quarantine can end after 7 days, on day 8, if the individual takes a COVID test (molecular/PCR or antigen), receives a negative result, and if no symptoms were reported during daily monitoring. The individual leaving quarantine must be tested within 48 hours before the time of planned quarantine discontinuation (e.g., in anticipation of testing delays). The individual needs to stay in quarantine until they receive their negative test result. Quarantine cannot be discontinued earlier than day 8.  Parents MUST provide documentation of the negative test results.
• K-2 students returning after day 7 or 10 are required to wear a mask at school until the 14-day mark.
• Regardless of quarantine end date (7 or 10 day), LHSAA will continue to enforce the 14-day quarantine for participation in Winter sports.
• ULS Student COVID-19 Reporting Link

Temperature Checks

• Temperature checks will be conducted upon arrival at school and/or during visits to the school nurse. Students with 100.4+ temperature may not remain on campus. Parents will be provided with a designated location from which to pick-up students with fever.
   

Face Coverings

• Face coverings should be worn by adults and students in 3rd-12th grade to the maximum extent possible at arrival, in classrooms, during transitions within the school building and at dismissal. It is the responsibility of each individual to provide their own face covering. No specific type is required. Masks, shields and/or gators are all acceptable; however, ULS uniform guidelines will be enforced.

• Social distancing will be implemented to the fullest extent possible.
• Classrooms will be arranged for 3-6ft. spacing to the extent possible. 
• Students will move about the building using designated flow paths during transitions between classes and activities.
• Students will participate in recess and P.E. with social distancing and “hands-free” games or activities. If equipment is used, it will be sanitized after use. Students will sanitize their hands before returning to the classrooms.
• Gatherings, such as assemblies and special events, will adhere to current Phase-level guidelines. Field trips will resume once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

 Visitors

• Throughout COVID-19 restrictions, visitors will be allowed in the school building only in extenuating circumstances.

• ULS will operate using the increased cleaning protocols recommended by the CDC to ensure that all campus buildings are cleaned and disinfected consistent with that guidance. Antibacterial wipes/disinfectant spary will be used on high-touch and learning surfaces as groups change.
• All individuals will use hand sanitizer at arrival, at every class change or every 2 hours, before and after eating or using play equipment and at exit/dismissal.

Lunch

• To the extent possible, lunch will be served in the cafeteria. Students will be seated appropriately and hygiene protocols will be followed. 6th-12th grade students may eat in the courtyard using social distancing requirements.

• In adherence with safety guidelines, water fountains will be turned of. Students should bring a water bottle with a closed top. Bottled water may also be purchased in the cafeteria with a student ID card and billed through FACTS.

• Information regarding individual sport practices and competitions will be communicated by coaches under the supervision of the Athletic Director and in accordance with guidelines from the CDC and LHSAA, LDOE and LSU.
• Information regarding band practices and performances will be communicated by the Band Director. Updates regarding MS sports will be forthcoming as information is received/ determined.

• The ULS CARE Team is a counselor-led group of instructors and associates who monitor and are trained to understand and respond to the emotional needs of students. As part of the school’s planned reopening, all are receiving training specifically to help students cope with any COVID-19 related issues: reentry stress, anxiety, trauma, and loss.
• Additionally, ULS counselors are always available to conduct individual and small group support based on student, instructor and parent referrals.

• K-5 Instruction

 Core Classes

• 6th grade
• 7th grade
• 8th grade

Electives

• Music
• Health
• Resource
• Visual Arts
• World Language

Core Courses

• English
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies

Electives

• Music
• Health
• Resource
• Technology
• Visual Arts
• World Language