COVID-19 Updates

Good afternoon Pine Lake families,
 

On Monday night, the Pine Lake Preparatory Board of Directors met to discuss and consider operational plans for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year.  We remain continually encouraged by decreases in Total New Cases and Percent Positive along with increases in vaccine eligibility, further driving down local, state and national metrics.  These community metrics, paired with the efforts of our families and staff to quickly identify and trace positive exposures in school, allow us to move forward with the next phase of getting students back to campus.

Lower School

The Lower School (K-5) will transition to a Plan A, full in-person instruction (5 days per week) on April 13^th.  On March 5^th we released our Lower School Plan A Reopening Document and on March 12^th we hosted a Transition to Plan A webinar. 

You can access the Lower School Plan A Reopening Document here.

You can access the Lower School Transition to Plan A Webinar recording here.  

We remain committed to supporting family choice through our Full Remote program (Plan D).  The Full Remote platform was designed especially for our families who may be at a higher risk of complications from COVID-19 and provides the opportunity for students to continue to learn from home during this time.  Teachers assigned to the Full Remote model (Plan D) will provide face-to-face instruction where students can participate in real time content delivery.

You can access additional information related to the Full Remote program (Plan D) here.

We are eager and excited to see each of our Lower School students together in just a few weeks.  Please note April 12th will be a teacher workday as we use that time to finalize preparations and classrooms for a full return at the Lower School.

Middle School

On Monday, the Board approved the reopening of the Middle School under Plan A (four days a week in-person instruction) on April 19th.  With that being said, there currently exists a legislative barrier.  The reopening legislation signed into law last week was specific to traditional public schools - meaning traditional public schools could open under a Plan A but charters could not.  Collectively, school leadership, charter schools and the general assembly are seeking a quick legislative fix for this issue.  To that end, we expect to know in the next two weeks if charters will receive the same allowances as the traditional public schools to operate under a Plan A.  If granted that allowance, we will transition to a Plan A on April 19^th.

While six-foot distancing will not be possible under a Plan A, we will still be following all other safety protocols to ensure a healthy and safe campus.   

Similar to the Lower School we will roll out reopening information and documents in the coming weeks.  Again, we remain committed to providing school choice options that meet the needs of our students and families.  The Full Remote (Plan D) program at the Middle School provides choice for families who may be in a higher risk category, or who simply enjoy the benefits of learning from home during this time.  Students in the program will be provided face-to-face instruction where students can participate in real time content delivery four days per week. 

Upper School

The Upper School (grades 9-12) will transition to a Plan B (two days a week in-person instruction), on April 12th - this represents a shift from a Modified Plan B (one day per week in-person instruction).  While we will continue to prioritize six-foot distancing at the Upper School, we will increase the number of on-campus days per week for our students. 

The major barrier to a Plan A at the Upper School at this point in the year is the inability to cohort our students.  The decision to prioritize distancing was made to maintain operations and avoid disruption caused by potential quarantines as we head into April and May.  While emerging research suggests that there is little substantial difference in COVID cases in schools observing six-foot and three-foot rules, that does not change the close contact requirements for quarantine which are fixed at 6 feet.  What that means is that without six-foot distancing, and without cohorting, a single confirmed positive at the high school would likely lead to 28+ students needing to be quarantined.  With AP testing, End of Course Exams, extracurricular events, prom, athletics, graduation and other important events coming in the weeks immediately following spring break it has the potential, and likelihood, to create mass disruptions.

Details specific to the transition and new student schedule will be forthcoming.   

Looking Forward

School leadership and the Board of Directors addressed the ensuing school year with the understanding that unless conditions change from what we expect to see next fall, we will be open for in-person learning five days a week in the Lower, Middle and Upper School. 

While we hope to finalize Middle School details in the coming weeks, I hope that this information will provide a clear path forward for you and your student(s). 

I am thankful for your support, flexibility and partnership.

Andrew Moceri

Note: The following pertains to Lower School only at this time, but is being sent K-12 to keep everyone in the loop. 
 

Good morning Lower School families,

Last night the Pine Lake Preparatory Board of Directors approved the recommendation to shift lower school students (K-5) to a hybrid learning model – this represents a shift from a Plan C (Full Remote) to a Plan B (Hybrid Learning Model).

Pine Lake Preparatory and the Board of Directors have been closely monitoring the 14-day trends specific to confirmed COVID-19 cases and percent positives in both Mecklenburg and Iredell Counties.  Data from both Mecklenburg and Iredell Counties have been on a steady decline since our July decision to start remotely, with the percent positive rate decreasing near 5% and the number of confirmed cases below 1.0 per 10,000 population this week.  In addition to following case data and trends, we have also leaned on consultation from local and state health departments, conversations with schools/districts currently operating under a hybrid learning model (Plan B), as well as feedback from a state epidemiologist who has helped interpret the data, metrics and trends.

Coupled with the data, Pine Lake has worked tirelessly since June to prepare for face-to-face instruction.  We have a strong, safe, responsible hybrid plan as well as Health and Safety Protocols widely recommended to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Under a Hybrid Learning Model (Plan B) at the LS, we will be operating at a limited capacity - 50%.  Safety Protocols will be in place and we will run a hybrid schedule that would include both face-to-face instruction and remote learning effective Tuesday, September 29th.   Monday, September 28th will remain a scheduled teacher workday with no school for students. 

To support a successful transition, we have included a Plan B Lower School FAQ document below.  We ask that you take time this weekend to review the document.  On Monday, September 21^st at 2:00 pm we will also host a Webinar in which lower school administration, our school nurse and I will walk you through the document and answer any questions you may have.  We plan to record and publish the Webinar for those that may not be able to attend.  Additionally, we have reposted the original Reopening Plan on the COVID-19 page at PineLakePrep.org so that you may review the Health and Safety Protocols if you wish.

*Please note, on September 24^th and September 25^th  Lower School teachers will not be hosting traditional scheduled Zoom meetings.  Rather, we are giving our teachers that time to support a positive transition to face-to-face instruction the next week.  Asynchronous work will be provided for those days; however, no direct instruction will take place.  

We thank you for your patience and flexibility as we navigate this time.  Our goal remains, getting all of our students K-12 back on campus under a Plan A.  With that being said, we plan to phase our students in on a responsible timeline and schedule.  I assure you none of these decisions are made without careful consideration of physical safety, academic value and the social emotional wellness of our students.    

We are eager and excited to get students back on campus and look forward to seeing our lower school families in carline in just a few short weeks.     

Sincerely, 

Andrew Moceri

Executive Director

Pine Lake Preparatory 

Good morning, PLP Families: 

In order to assure the health and safety of your child at school, please complete the following questionnaire to assist us in identifying any health needs your child may have.

Annual Health Questionnaire
 

This should also serve as a tool for you to identify forms that are required to be on file with Pine Lake each academic year. Forms should be completed in cooperation with your child’s physician and returned to the nurses, Rebecca Long and/or Alex Larson, by the first day of school each academic year. Forms are also required for non-prescription medication administration, and Potassium Iodide administration in the event of a nuclear emergency.

Please note all needed forms may be accessed via pinelakeprep.org or may be obtained from the school nurse. On pinelakeprep.org, from the Home Page, click on the “Family Quick Links” tab. From the menu, choose “Health Forms”. For questions or further information please contact Rebecca Long, RN at rebecca.long@pinelakeprep.org.

Thank you! 

July 17, 2020 Email to Families

After much thought and consideration, Pine Lake Preparatory made the decision to start the 2020-2021 school year under a temporary Plan C, utilizing eLearning through at least Friday, September 11th. 

Please understand we worked tirelessly to prepare for in-school instruction in August.  Our buildings are clean, we have sanitizers, thermometers, masks, and plexiglass.  We have plans in place, and schedules ready as well as planned professional development.  We have controlled the variables that we can control.  However, despite all of our planning, what we cannot control are the current levels of community spread of COVID-19.  We have closely monitored both Mecklenburg and Iredell County numbers over the past two months, and they have continued to rise.  We believe that making a decision based on an allowance, rather than data, would be irresponsible. 

Pine Lake Preparatory and the Board of Directors is committed to producing metrics that will help drive our decisions to move between each Plan.  This decision was made 4 weeks before the first day of school, and Plan C will continue through at least the first 4 weeks of school. We plan to continue to use 4-week intervals to evaluate readiness to move to Plan B.  We will closely monitor 7 and 14-day trends specific to confirmed cases and percent positives in both Mecklenburg and Iredell County.  We are hopeful that following the summer, and by mid-September, the numbers will be down.   

I want to be clear that the goal is to get our kids in the classroom as soon as it is safe to do so.  I understand that some of our families will agree and some will disagree with this decision.  As the parent of two rising kindergartners, I share in the disappointment; my family has been looking forward to August 12, 2020 for a long time. But now more than ever, I ask that you not allow this decision to divide our Pine Lake community.  We are just as committed to being in this together as we were in the spring.  We look forward to getting back on campus soon.

While we will start the year remotely, we intend to create on-campus opportunities to engage our transitional grades (Kindergarten, 6th grade, 9th grade and 12th grade) and new families to kick off the year.  We will create a specific structure and communicate it out in the coming weeks.  We will also create opportunities for students to pick up their Ipad or Macbook to ensure that every Pine Lake Preparatory student has access to a reliable device.  Building specific information will be released beginning next week.

I want to thank those who have joined us for our Reopening Plan Walkthrough webinars the past few days and the countless number of families that have shared their love and support to our school community over the past months.

Andrew Moceri
Executive Director

TelecounselingParentInfo.pdf

Please let Pine Lake Preparatory know if your family does not have access to the internet as we may have solutions to help. 

Charter will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription and at any service level up to 100 Mbps. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395.

Continuum is offering free broadband and wi-fi access for $5.99 for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Continuum subscription and at any service up to 100Mbps. To enroll call: 

If you are in@pinelakeprep.orgd of IMMEDIATE help, please use the SeeSomething link to access the crisis hotline. 

CALL: 1-844-5-SAYNOW or 1-844-572-9669

CLICK: www.saysomething.net 
 

Please see information from PLP's Counseling team regarding how to access services. 

Pine Lake Prep offers school based therapists for our K-12 students. The selected therapists and agencies are located within the Mooresville-Lake Norman area and have been authorized to deliver services on the PLP campus while school is open. The goal of this School Based Therapy Initiative is to reduce the barriers to accessing professional mental health counseling and support. Families whose students are referred may engage the service provider and receive services at school

Sessions will be 45-50 minutes long and will take place during a convenient time of day for your child (study hall, lunch, end of one class/start of the next class). 

Professional fees charged by the therapists will be handled directly with families, as the therapists are not employees of the school.

* Note: Confidentiality will be upheld. The therapist will not share with the school counselors or staff any 

information unless the parent requests it to be shared and the proper documentation is signed.

For more information, please contact your designated School Counselor. 

Upper School:  Malinda Sadowski

Middle School:  Natalie Goodwin

Lower School:  Aislinn Mayes

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HlZkG1tuF9Bbp6U_T7Szk97acTmAXbsuFAPPbtyxJls/edit

Many people in our community are or will be experiencing job loss as a result of COVID19-related closings.  Please know the Governor has expanded eligibility for unemployment benefits. If your family is experiencing job loss, please look into this option as a way to help your family during this unprecedented time. The full list of  how to qualify can be found online here.

Those who wish  to apply for unemployment benefits can call 888-737-0259 or go online to www.des.nc.gov. The online application site is always available, but the phone line is only open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.

If you or your family has a need not listed here, please contact PLP by filling out the Need Report Form. 

Here is a list of facilities who have, or are working on building, a program for daytime child care. Some include assistance with remote learning. Please contact the facilities directly for more details. 

Area Childcare Facilities