Following Governor DeWine’s Monday order closing schools for the remainder of the year Loveland City School District sent this notice to staff & families

LOVELAND CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT 

LOVELAND, OH (April 21,2020) – On Monday, April 20, Governor Mike DeWine ordered that all of Ohio’s public, community, and private K-12 school buildings remain closed to students for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Remote Learning will Continue

Although school buildings are to remain closed, remote learning at Loveland will continue through the end of the school year (May 28). Loveland Schools will continue to administer and adjust virtual learning plans and expectations, and provide student services and resources. Teachers are available during the normal workday to deliver education and answer questions, and will reply to messages on established communications platforms – SeeSaw, Blackboard, and via email. Administrators and support staff, including Board of Education personnel, will also be working remotely. Voicemail is checked regularly between the hours listed on the school’s website: https://www.lovelandschools.org/Whotocontactduringtheschoolbuildingclosure.aspx.

(Chuck Gibson File) 

Meal Distribution

Food service operations are ongoing despite the building closure and will continue throughout the remainder of the school year. Staff will continue to comply with the most current health guidelines when distributing meals to students in need. For more information on the district’s meal distribution program, please see: https://www.lovelandschools.org/FoodServices.aspx.

Mental Health Support

School counselors are monitoring emails and assisting families in need of mental health supports. Please reach out to your school counselor via email or voicemail if your child needs help.

If a student or parent is in crisis, please contact the following local hotlines for assistance: Clermont County: Crisis Hotline (513) 528-SAVE (7283); Hamilton County: Talbert House Crisis Hotline (513) 281-CARE (2273) or text Talbert to 839863. Children can also be served by Cincinnati Children’s Psychiatric Intake Response Center at (513) 646-4124.

Graduation

The governor and the Ohio General Assembly enacted House Bill 197 to address issues raised by the coronavirus pandemic. Among others, this legislation states that Ohio students who were on track to graduate at the time of the ordered school-building closure will be permitted to graduate on time in the spring of 2020.

Xavier University has cancelled all events, including those scheduled to take place at the Cintas Center, through July and Loveland High School administrators are working diligently to find alternatives to recognize the Class of 2020 graduates. The options depend on the governor’s orders for large public gatherings, but the goal is to communicate them to students and families later this week. Seniors’ last day of the school year will be May 15.

School Facilities/Grounds Remain Closed

Per the governor’s orders and the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA), all school, playgrounds, and athletic facilities are closed. The use of our facilities by external organizations has also been suspended until further notice.

Scheduled Spring/Summer Events

All athletics, per indications by OHSAA, field trips, overnight trips, performances, and parent-teacher conferences will be canceled through the remainder of the school year. Our high school administrators are working on options to reschedule awards programs or to hold such events virtually.

Kindergarten/Open Enrollment Registration for 2020-2021

All registration for kindergarten and new student enrollment will take place online until further notice. For questions, please contact Registrar Tana Dykes, dykesta@lovelandschools.org.

Board Meetings

The Loveland Board of Education is currently scheduled to meet on April 30, May 12, May 28, June 2, June 23 and August 11. The meetings are expected to be conducted virtually at least through May, and will be accessible to the public via live stream. Please see the Board of Education page on the district’s website for live stream links, which will be posted before the meetings. Due to the nature of virtual meetings, there will be no public participation/comment at these meetings.

Status of 2020-2021 School Year
Whether school buildings will be reopened in August as planned is not yet known. The state continues to monitor the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and our ability to resume normal activities.

In his press briefings, Governor DeWine has made it clear that Ohio’s schools and businesses will not be operating in the same way until there is a vaccine available for COVID-19. Our district administrators have been planning and consulting with other education leaders and public health officials for alternatives to comply with the governor’s most-current orders to maintain a healthy environment for staff and students.

For More Information

Please refer to the district’s dedicated web page for announcements, resources, and updates on COVID-19 related to the schools: https://www.lovelandschools.org/COVID-19Response.aspx.