Dear LRHS Families!
You are receiving this email because you have selected for your child to return to in-person schooling at Long Reach, 2 days per week, beginning April 12 (A Group) or April 15 (B Group) for 10th and 11th graders. We are sharing important information about the first day of school and how things will work.
New to Long reach High School?
Welcome to the building 9th graders and New Students to Long Reach! As an introduction to our great school and Long Reach family we will be holding student-led tours on March 29th (A & E groups) and April 1st (B & E groups). Tours of the building to share important locations and some interesting facts will occur at the end of period 1. That’s not all! At the end of period 2, we will hold a Q & A session for any questions you may still have. We are happy you are here - Welcome to “THE REACH”!
Transportation:
Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) provides safe, reliable, and efficient transportation to and from school for enrolled students living beyond a one-mile walking distance from elementary and middle schools and a one and one-half mile walking distance from high schools.
Look for your bus information at this site: https://lrhs.hcpss.org/news/2021/02/bus-locator-2020-2021
What to bring with you to school:
Fully charged Chromebook and charger. You should put a label on it (or we will give you a label for it when you get here). If you don’t have a school provided Chromebook yet, we can give you one when you arrive.
A bag to carry the Chromebook and charger (we will not have lockers available).
Refillable water bottle. No one will be able to use the water fountains to drink water.
Your lunch if you’d like, however, all students can pick up a free grab-and-go breakfast and lunch this year.
Something to write with and something to write on.
Personal, unscented hand sanitizer/tissues/wipes (for your hands) -- we will have LOTS of hand sanitizer, but you can also bring your own.
A face mask that covers your mouth and nose -- the mask can be reusable or disposable. We have reusable cotton face masks for students who need them. The gaiter-style masks or bandana/scarves can only be used if you wear another mask underneath. You may want to bring a second mask in case yours gets hot or damp during the day. You will wear a mask at all times except when you are eating and drinking; when you are doing that, you must be 6 feet away from others for safety.
If your child requires medication(s) at school, prescription or over-the-counter medication, a signed doctor's order MUST accompany it, along with a new, unopened, unexpired bottle/package. Click on the link for the medication order forms: https://www.hcpss.org/health/medications/
Student Medication Procedures – HCPSS
Any medications required during school hours including prescription, “over-the-counter” (OTC) and homeopathic/herbal medications require a medication order signed by an approved health care provider and are subject to the HCPSS medication policy and procedure which can be found at www.hcpss.org.
Before You Leave Your Home:
Ask yourself if you have any one of the following: new onset cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing; new loss of taste or smell; OR any two of the following: fever over 100.4 or chills within the past 24 hours; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; chills or shaking chills; nausea or vomiting; diarrhea.
If you do have these symptoms, DO NOT GET ON THE BUS OR COME TO THE SCHOOL. You may log into your classes and attend virtually. Send an email to lrhsattendance@hcpss.org to notify us that you will be working from home that day.
Please call your child's pediatrician for further guidance regarding your child's symptoms. The doctor may recommend a COVID test and for your child to quarantine for 14 days. Please contact the Health Room at 410-313-7416 and/or email the school nurse, Melinda Avalos, melinda_avalos@hcpss.org, to report symptoms and/or pending or positive COVID tests.
At School:
School will start later than last year -- 7:45 is the start of period 1. Students may enter the building after 7:20am. Students may not be on campus until 7:20am.
Arrival Information:
If you indicated that your child would take the bus to and from school, you will need to check this https://lrhs.hcpss.org/news/2021/02/bus-locator-2020-2021 to determine the bus number, bus stop and pick up time/drop off time. It will likely be very different from last year, so please be sure to check.
If you are driving your child to school, you will drop them off in the parking lot by the auditorium and gym entrances, just like in previous years. They will enter the building through the auditorium hallway doors, under the sign that says, "Performing Arts."
If you plan for your child to drive themself to school, please send an email to Eileen_Sevison@hcpss.org with your child's name, grade, the vehicle make and model, and a photo of the child's driver's license, vehicle registration and insurance card. Students must park in the main parking lot and obey all traffic laws.
If your child is walking, they may enter the building through the nearest entrance.
All students are able to pick up a grab-and-go breakfast and may eat it in the Cafeteria or Atrium between the time they arrive and 7:40am, when the first bell will ring.
On March 29 (A Group) and April 1 (B group), we will provide a paper schedule with room locations and other important information for each student. There will be tables in the Atrium labeled alphabetically and staff members will distribute the paper schedules between 7:25am and 7:40am.
Schedule:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday Bell Schedule
7:20 Buses arrive, building open
7:40 Warning Bell
7:45-9:10 Period 1
9:15-10:40 Period 2
10:45-1:00 Period 3 (and lunch)
1:05-2:30 Period 4
Wednesday Bell Schedule (Group E only)
7:45-8:10 P1 E Supports
8:15-8:40 P2 E Supports
8:45-9:10 P3 E Supports
9:15-9:40 P4 E Supports
9:45-10:15 Lightning Time
10:15 Buses leave
Lunch:
Students are assigned a lunch period based on their period 3 class:
A Lunch, 10:45 - 11:10 am: English and Science, PM ARL
B Lunch, 11:16 - 11:46 am: ESOL, Reading, Special Ed, Tutorial, CTE, Academic Seminar
C Lunch, 11:53 - 12:23 pm: Social Studies and Math
D Lunch, 12:30 - 1:00 pm: Media, World Language, Art, PE, Music/Theatre/Dance, GT
Lunch Procedures:
Please use hand sanitizer before and after lunch.
Keep your mask on until you are ready to eat and stay at least 6 feet away from others.
Follow the markings on the floor as you wait in line for your meal.
Sit in the available desks to eat in the cafeteria. Do not move the desks. Students have the option to eat outside at the picnic tables.
Everyone must either go to the Atrium or Cafeteria during lunch. No students may remain on the second or third floors. The Media Center is not open during lunch.
Students may not leave the building for lunch unless their parent(s) sign them out and sign them back in (with the Front Office.)
Dismissal:
Students who are bus-riders will exit the building through the front doors near the bus pick up area. An announcement will be made when it is time for you to go to your bus.
Car riders will leave through the auditorium doors and parents will pick up in the auditorium parking lot. You will be dismissed via announcement.
Walkers will leave last when the bus and car riders are cleared out. You may leave through the nearest door.
Students must leave the building at the end of the day unless they have arranged to stay after school with a teacher. Athletes will not be able to stay in the building until their practices begin. We need time to clean the entire facility and prepare for the next day.
Other New Procedures:
Going to the restroom or getting a drink of water:
Ask permission from your teacher/adult in the room to go to the restroom or to fill a water bottle.
Fill out the virtual pass (link will be in your Canvas Student Resources Page), leave the pass open on your desk.
No sipping water from the fountain - fill a water bottle and drink from that.
No more than 2 people in the restroom at one time, use the marks on the floor to distance while waiting.
Going to the nurse or other places:
If you are ill, please stay home from school and log in virtually.
If you feel sick, tell the adult in the room and they will call the health room. You will speak to the nurse and she will give instructions. Follow them.
If you need to see an administrator, your counselor, Ms. Mercado, Ms. Grice, or another staff member, there is a link to request to see them in Canvas Student Resources Page. Fill out the form and someone will either send you a Canvas message or come to the classroom to speak to you.
To keep everyone safe, no students or adults can go into the offices without an appointment.
Charging Your Chromebook:
Bring your charger with you every day. You might want to label it or do something to designate it is yours (tie a ribbon or rubber band on it, etc.)
You are responsible for your own Chromebook and charger and need to keep track of it yourself.
There will be charging stations available in the Atrium and Cafeteria for you to use during lunch. You will get a label for your Chromebook and a number to remember. A staff member will watch the Chromebooks and give them back at the end of the lunch period. You can also bring the charger and find an outlet to charge your Chromebook during lunch in the Cafeteria or Atrium.
Your teacher will explain the procedures for charging in the classroom. It is important that when you get to school, you have a fully charged laptop each day.
New Rules to Remember:
Follow the traffic arrows in the halls and stairways.
Wear your mask at all times, unless eating.
Do not move furniture - we have it spaced out for safety.
Follow social distancing at all times.
No more than 2 in any restroom at a time.
Water fountains are not for getting a sip of water—use them to fill up a water bottle
We can’t wait to see you