February 22, 2021

Although we will continue to support students opting for remote learning, our district is committed to safely supporting an increase in in-person learning for the students at LFHS following Spring Break. 

During the first semester, we have been extremely flexible with changes to student learning preferences due to a variety of individual circumstances and desires. As we shift our focus towards increasing in-person learning for students, we are no longer able to accommodate individualized schedule requests and ongoing changes to student learning preferences. Our shift is towards prioritizing learning at LFHS during the school day without organizing learning around non-school related factors. 

In order to determine the extent to which we can increase in-person learning days for students, we need to know which students want to participate in in-person learning at LFHS beginning on March 29th (after Spring Break). A commitment to the learning preference that is selected for the remainder of the second semester is required to determine this.

As you know, we have limited space within the building and plan to continue following social distancing guidance and other safety protocols we have implemented. There is a lot of tedious and time-consuming work that goes into considering every student's schedule, the size of classes, and the location of classes to determine the extent of our ability to increase in-person learning for interested students. This is why we need a firm commitment. 

This will be the final time to submit a student learning preference update form. 

Students selecting in-person learning are committing to the following:
  • Completing the daily screener before entering the building every day
  • Attending all in-person classes, as scheduled
  • Following all health and safety protocols and expectations outlined by the district

In-Person Learning Selection for March 29th - Changes/Updates due by March 5th

Please submit this FORM to change your student’s learning preference to begin on March 29 through the end of the school year. This is the last time students will be able to update their learning preference for in-person learning. 

Only submit this form if you are changing your student’s learning preference to a different choice than it is right now. If your student is currently engaging in in-person learning and you are not changing the preference to remote learning, we will assume that you are interested in your student engaging in increased days of in-person learning. If your student is currently engaged in remote learning and wants to be in-person beginning on March 29th, please submit this form. 

It is important that you give this some thought and base your decision on the information you currently have. 

Your timely submittance of this form will allow us to determine the extent to which we can increase in-person learning. Our goal is to increase in-person learning to 5 days per week, but this depends on interest and our capacity to do so. Because we are uncertain of the demand, selecting in-person learning indicates that you are interested in 3-5 days of in-person instruction for your student. 

Here is a timeline of the process we will engage:
  • February 22 - March 5: Families submit learning preferences to begin on March 29th for the remainder of the school year 

  • March 5: Form closes at 8:00pm (CST) - Updates/changes only

  • March 6 - 7: Weekend information clean-up 

  • March 8 - March 16: Interest, facility, and capacity analysis

  • March 17 or 18: Communicate plan for returning for in-person learning on March 29th

  • March 19 - March 29: Spring Break

  • March 29: In-person Learning Expansion Begins
Attendance and Engagement Expectations
We will be adding an additional attendance code in Powerschool to reflect our learning preferences. Students will be marked present for engaging in the preference selected, unless the student’s Dean has authorized for the student to temporarily engage in a different manner. 

Students who select in-person learning and who miss days of in-person learning without approval from their Dean, may be removed from participating in person learning. Additionally, students who violate our health and safety protocols may be removed from participating in in-person learning. We want all students who select in-person learning to have a great experience while at LFHS. We are committed to supporting students in honoring their selection and will partner with families regarding situations that may arise. 

COVID-19 Testing
D115 is no longer requiring gateway testing for students returning to LFHS for the first time or for students returning on March 29th. Families with questions regarding Spring Break travel should consult this guidance issued by our Superintendent. 

D115 students and staff are strongly encouraged to participate in our voluntary weekly testing. We will continue to offer it by appointment. 

Extracurricular Activities 
D115 is requiring weekly Covid-19 testing for all students participating in medium- and high-risk- level extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, and activities).

As we begin to reintroduce and offer various extracurricular opportunities throughout the semester, we will communicate the risk level of the opportunity and provide additional information regarding testing requirements. 

Driver Education - Behind the Wheel (BTW)
LFHS students enrolled in the Behind the Wheel (BTW) portion of Driver Education, will be required to participate in weekly testing. This is required due to the close proximity of individuals inside of our vehicles. We would like to continue to offer this portion of our Driver Education curriculum as a service for families. With required weekly testing as a risk mitigation strategy, we will believe this will assist us in making this a safer experience for all involved. 

To us, BTW falls within the parameters of a “medium-risk” experience, hence the required testing. Again, we are only requiring testing during the weeks students are participating in the Behind the Wheel portion of the course. 

Covid-19 Appeal Process
Families requesting a testing EXCEPTION or EXEMPTION, due to concerns regarding our testing requirement should read and consider our Covid-19 Appeal Process. 

Requesting an Exception: Families with a concern regarding participating in the free onsite testing provided by the district and who wish to have their student tested at a family doctor should request a Covid testing EXCEPTION.

Requesting an Exemption: Families with a request to be exempt from participating in all forms of testing required for in-person learning and student engagement at LFHS should complete this form to request a Covid testing EXEMPTION. 

All health related exemption requests (including mental health) need to be verified by a medical professional in written form. Letters should be provided as verification and need to specifically name the impact of Covid-19 testing. As indicated in the process, all verification documents should be submitted to the Principal’s Office. 

Families who want to submit a Covid-19 testing appeal should submit the following form: LFHS Covid-19 Testing Appeal Form

If you have any questions, please reach out to the following people:









Thank you for taking the time to learn about our process for increasing in-person learning and for giving your student’s learning preference selection some thought. No matter what you choose for your student(s), we remain committed to supporting your student’s learning and growth. 

Thank you.