Loveland Schools: Week in Review

Tiger Talk: News from Loveland Schools – October 30, 2020

NEWS RELEASE: Loveland Schools

LOVELAND, OH (October 30, 2020) – Here is the latest from this week in Loveland Schools.

Make Your Voices Heard

Tiger Families, we are asking that you fill out a new survey. The survey questions are designed to help us monitor family, student, and staff perceptions about questions around:

Health/Safety
Education/Instruction
Scheduling

We received tremendous feedback to our first survey with approximately 2,000 families responding, but only about 200 filled out the second survey. Please take a few moments this weekend to respond. There is a survey for families of students in PreK-grade 8 and another for families of students in grades 9-12. The surveys will remain open until Tuesday, November 3.

Pre K-8 Family Perception Survey

Loveland High School Family Perception Survey

Monitoring COVID-19

Nationally, the response to the pandemic has been quite the balancing act and schools are no different. We want to provide our best teaching for students to progress academically and to support students’ social emotional needs in environments that are safe for students and staff.

The increase in numbers across Ohio, and in Hamilton, Clermont, and Warren Counties specifically, are of great concern. There were indications that Hamilton County might move to purple this week, but this did not occur. It is important to note that the Ohio Public Health Advisory System was NOT designed for school decisions, but rather to monitor and prepare for the impact on the healthcare system. While the level of spread in the community is a piece of the information we consider, it should not be the only consideration. The Governor has made it clear that it is his intention to leave school decisions to the local level to meet the needs of the families in each community.

As we have shared, the school superintendents have been fortunate to meet with both the commissioner and the lead physician from Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH) every Friday since April. With 9-10 weeks of quantitative data to use, public health officials are able to use regional data and experience to support us in our local decision-making processes. HCPH is extremely complimentary of our collective efforts to keep students and staff safe from the spread of the virus while providing in-person learning. HCPH has stated that schools are among the safest places to be due to the safety measures and protocols we have put in place. I am grateful for everyone’s continued vigilance.

Right now the plan is to maintain the schedule that is currently in place at each building implementing our safety protocols and procedures. We will continue to monitor district and local data and continue to work with guidance from Hamilton County public health officials. We are also gathering more information from our families with new perception surveys. Click on survey links provided above.

We are asking for student, and family participation by next Tuesday. While this data is in no way the deciding factor, it is important and part of the larger picture.

As always, you can access our health protocols on our website here.

Get instructions for what to do when quarantined here.

Get answers to many of your frequently asked questions here.

And see the latest district COVID-19 data here.

Canned Food Drive Kick-off

It’s almost time for this year’s Pass-It-On Food Drive. The Loveland Elementary PTA (LEPTA) and M/INT PTSA are joining together to provide Thanksgiving and Holiday meal baskets with the LIFE Food Pantry. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, canned goods will not be collected inside the buildings, but the canned food drive will continue in local neighborhoods and businesses. Gift cards are being collected inside school buildings. The Food Drive runs November 2-12.

LES Third Graders Show Why They’re Thankful

Third grade students at Loveland Elementary School have been showing their appreciation in teacher Kari Strater’s class, by assembling a “Thankful” mural. Every week, since the beginning of school has been a “Thankful Thursday,” where students are encouraged to write a note about something they’re thankful for and add it to the growing display. “It’s been great practicing an attitude of gratitude and looking at small things we all take for granted,” Strater said.

Saluting a “Rockstar” in the Media Center!

Valerie Moody, the media center aide for Loveland Middle and Loveland Intermediate just received the first-ever LMS Tiger Rockstar Award. As the media center aide at LMS and LIS, Valerie has been working to provide continued access to the media center resources and books to both students and staff. Despite the media center not being open for visitors, Valerie has been thinking outside of the box to keep (sanitized) books in their hands! “During this truly different time, Valerie has not shied away from any new challenge to provide for the needs of both LIS and LMS,” said LMS principal David Knapp. Thanks for being a Rockstar, Valerie!

Loveland Students Show Their Stripes During Red Ribbon Week

Loveland students across the district marked Red Ribbon Week, the nation’s largest and longest-running drug-use prevention campaign. The week’s theme was “Be Happy, Be Brave, Be Drug-Free.” Students in Chill Habits in Loveland (CHiL) and Loveland Educating Against Alcohol and Drugs (LEAAD) carved pumpkins donated by LMS staff. Their classmates were greeted Monday morning by a cool fall display. “This has been a year of uncertainty and restriction, but these students found a way to be socially distant, yet totally united,” said LMS Instructional Aide Kim Hicks.