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LCS Coronavirus Updates

March 3, 2020

Lakeland Christian School

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Lakeland Christian School

One of the core values of LCS is the belief that we are partnering with parents in the Christian education of their children. We believe that mutual respect, communication and involvement by all partners is essential for success of our mission.LCS is a school. We believe that being a Christian school and being a top-flight academic institution should not be mutually exclusive. On the contrary, we take the mandate of Colossians 3:23 that calls us to strive to be the best. We provide a variety of rigorous, engaging, academic and co-curricular activities that enable students to identify and express the full range of their unique gifts and abilities.

Posted May 22, 2020

Update from Dr. Mike Sligh

Posted May 15, 2020

Update from Dr. Mike Sligh

Posted May 8, 2020

Update from Dr. Mike Sligh

Posted May 1, 2020

Update from Dr. Mike Sligh

Posted April 24, 2020

Update from Dr. Mike Sligh

Posted April 17, 2020

Update from Dr. Mike Sligh

Posted April 9, 2020

Update from Dr. Mike Sligh

Posted April 3, 2020

Update from Dr. Mike Sligh

Posted April 3, 2020

Message from the LCS Advancement Office

Posted March 31, 2020

Dear Parent,

I expect you have heard that campuses will be closed and the remote learning format will continue in Florida at least through May 1. 

Thank you for your patience (and when that runs out, your perseverance!), as we all adjust to the remote learning experience. Our teachers and principals will appreciate feedback on how it is working for your family and suggestions as to how we can improve. It is a learning curve for all and we appreciate your partnership. As someone told me this week, “It’s kind of like car line, it will get better as we all get used to it.” 

Other LCS calendar notes:

There will be no classes or assignments due on Good Friday (April 10).

We will have a student holiday and teacher workday as scheduled on April 20. (Good time for all of us to catch our breath a little!)

The LCS Golf Tournament scheduled for April 20 has been postponed.  Will announce a re-schedule date when known.

 All other school events for April have been cancelled.

“The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”  Psalm 46:11

Mike Sligh
Head of School

Posted March 27, 2020

Update from Dr. Sligh, 3.27.20

Posted March 27, 2020

Message to Secondary Parents from Dr. Keith Overholt

Posted March 22, 2020

Fine Arts Events Cancellation List as of 3/20:

  • April 2-4 – State Choir Solo and Ensemble
  • April 2 – ACSI 6th Grade Band Festival Postponed
  • April 13-16 – K-12 Piano and Voice Recitals Cancelled
  • April 22 – HS State MPA Cancelled
  • April 28-29 – HS Band State MPA Cancelled
  • April 23 – First & Second Grade Program Cancelled

Posted March 20, 2020

LCS COVID-19 Communication – 3/20/20

Lakeland Christian School has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and is continuing to assess the current and possible future ramifications this global concern may have on our school families and communities.  As you already know, LCS has followed the guidelines set forth by the state to close the campus until at least April 15th to both educational and extracurricular activities.  We are hopeful to resume normal activities around this time but are making plans for this situation to continue through the end of the school year – and possibly even further.  We are committed to keep you updated in a timely and frequent manner about the schools response to the situation and its ongoing developments.  Below, we wanted to address some key areas that we know you may have questions on as we navigate these times together.  We wholly recognize that there are some answers that we do not yet have, and some questions that may remain unanswered.  We hope to convey a message of care for you – our school families and students – and appreciate your prayers as we continue to educate children in the light of God’s Word.

Academic Quality

First, we would like to praise the work of our faculty and staff for their swift and successful transition to this temporary model of remote learning.  While the mode of delivering Christian education has been forced to change, we still believe that your students are able to receive quality training and instruction in this new format.  We do understand that especially for parents of elementary students, you may not be used to the time and energy required for learning in this way.  Please know that your student’s teachers are still working and continue to be a valuable resource to you in this time.  Elementary teachers have gone to great lengths to prepare packets for your students, while our middle and upper school faculty are maintaining a rigorous level of instruction through various online platforms.  If you have any questions specific to the academic needs of your child during this period, please do not hesitate to reach out to the appropriate grade-level principal.

Current Refunds for Extracurricular Activities

The school is committed to working with our families to reimburse extracurricular activities and events that have either been cancelled or shortened.  These adjustments and refunds will be made on the families FACTS account and refunds will be processed via check in the coming weeks.

  • Tallahassee Trip:  The 8th grade Tallahassee trip has been cancelled.  The entire $200 8th grade activity fee will be refunded.  Any amounts parents have paid towards their portion of the trip will also be refunded.
  • Ropes Course Trip:  The 7th grade ropes course/field trip has been cancelled.  $100 of the 7th grade activity fee will be refunded.
  • After School Supervision:  All supervision plan charges from the month of March have been removed or refunded.  No supervision billing will resume until school is back in session.
  • Spring Athletics:  student-athletes will not be charged the participation fee for spring sports
  • Senior Trip:  This viability of this trip is still being assessed.  We will provide future communication within the next two weeks. All trip funds paid by parents will be reimbursed if the trip is cancelled.
  • Graduation Fee:  At this time, we are still planning on holding commencement.  This fee will be reconsidered if the regular graduation ceremony is not a feasible option.

Tuition & Payment Plans

As stated above, we are hopeful to resume normal, operating activities as soon as possible.  We believe that the work put forth by our teachers is a quality educational product that allows us to address the academic needs and requirements of our school during this phase.  At this time we are not offering any discount or credit on this year’s tuition or payment plans.  The administration and board recognize that some families will experienced financial changes, such as reduction of hours, or job loss and we are sensitive to those situations.   To help address those financial pressures, the School will be waiving all late fees on tuition payments through the remainder of the year.

If you have any specific questions regarding your tuition or payment plan please contact Mr. Matt Green (mattgreen@lcsonline.org).

Future Communication

We sincerely appreciate the investment you are making in Christian education at Lakeland Christian School.  We understand that these can be trying and fearful times, yet we trust in a God who is all-powerful and never changing.  We are committed to keeping our school family informed as to how we will proceed through these turbulent times.  We will be updating this web-page regularly in addition to sending out reminders through social media and email. 

Posted March 19, 2020

Posted March 17, 2020

Dear LCS Parent,

The Governor has just announced that schools in Florida will be closed through April 15. (Note: there were some false reports circulating stating school will be closed for the rest of the school year. That is NOT the case.)

We appreciate the efforts of our teachers and staff to continue to provide instruction through a variety of formats in an effort to keep our students learning during these unusual times. I am impressed with the commitment of our faculty and the support they are receiving from students and parents in appreciation of their efforts. We are grateful for your partnership as we walk through this together.

We will continue to monitor the situation and communicate with you along the way. Be encouraged that we are in the hands of our loving Heavenly Father who does all things well.

Have a good evening,

Mike Sligh
Head of School

Posted March 13, 2020

Dear Parents,

In cooperation with the announcement from the Florida Commissioner of Education and Polk County Schools, LCS will not be open for classes on Monday, March 16, through Friday, March 27. 

We will transition to alternative learning activities in order to keep instruction moving forward as best we can. You will receive specifics of how this will work early next week. The school will be open on Monday so that students can pick up any supplies or materials from their lockers as needed.

Thank you for your cooperation during these unusual times! 

Cordially,
Mike Sligh

Posted March 3, 2020

Dear Families,

As you are likely aware, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed the first cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Florida yesterday.  At this time, the CDC is emphasizing that there is not currently a coronavirus pandemic in the United States and that the number of cases across the U.S. is relatively small.

As a school, we are monitoring the development of the coronavirus and are following the recommendations of the CDC, the World Health Organization and local governmental organizations. We want to assure you that we are prepared and ready to take the necessary precautions to ensure the healthy and safety of our students, faculty and staff. If the situation worsens, we will follow Polk County Schools in regards to school closures. 

In addition, we are also thinking ahead regarding the potential impact on spring-break travel, upcoming school trips, and other non-typical school activities, should the situation escalate. An increasing number of countries are being placed under travel advisories due to the coronavirus. We ask that you stay informed of the CDC’s travel advisories, particularly because we cannot know what the status of the outbreak will be when spring break time arrives.

To minimize the spread of any infectious disease, including COVID-19, it is important to follow basic health best practices:

  • Practice good hand hygiene. Students and staff members should wash their hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective.
  • Practice respiratory etiquette. Illnesses can spread from person to person in the droplets produced by coughs and sneezes, so it is important to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands.
  • Stay home if you are sick. Keeping sick students home means decreasing the spread of germs to others. Students and staff with flu-like illness should stay home until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever or signs of a fever. This should be determined without the use of fever-reducing medications (i.e., any medicine that contains ibuprofen or acetaminophen).

Given the level of media attention to the coronavirus, some children may become anxious and have concerns about the virus and its transmission. These tips for talking with children about the coronavirus may be helpful to you and your family. In addition, it’s important for families to make contingency plans and preparations at home. This NPR article may provide a helpful starting point to guide preparations both at home and work.

Here are some additional resources about the coronavirus that I hope you will find helpful:

We will provide additional communication in the event that new information directly impacts our school community.

Thank you,

Dr. Mike Sligh
Head of School