Learning First Charter Public School
Newsletter February 4, 2022
Commissioner Approval of Scheduled (Length of Day): Charter Amendment for Learning First Charter Public School
Dear Staff and Families,
On January 18, 2022, the board of trustees of Learning First Charter Public School submitted a request to decrease the length of the traditional school day and to eliminate the weekly shortened school day beginning in the 2022-2022 school year. LFCPS has operated an extended school day of 8 hours on Mondays through Thursdays with a shortened day of 5 hours on Fridays. LVCPS requested to reduce the length of its traditional school day by approximately 55 minutes and to replace the weekly shortened school day with a traditional school day. The length of the mandatory school day will be 7 hours on Monday through Friday. For the current 2021-2022 school year, LFCPS has implemented transportation services for its students who are Worcester residents. LFCPS will continue to provide transportation services for its students in future school years rather than seeking local transportation through Worcester Public Schools. The request met requirements for submission, requirements for students learning time, and is reasonable and consistent with Department guidelines, the charter school statue, and regulations.
The notice provides you with confirmation that on January 31, 2022, Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley approved the charter amendment request for the school. Pursuant to 603 CMR 1.10, this approval serves to amend the charter as granted to Learning First Charter Public School. The Change in the school day described above will be effective starting in the 2022-2023 school year.
If you have any questions or require additional information please contact the Main Office.
Be Well,
Leo Flanagan, Superintendent
lflanagan@learningfirstcharter.org
OPT-In Covid-19 Testing: This is a reminder to our families that Learning First has started a new COVID 19 testing protocol recently introduced by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. This new program is voluntary, but we hope for participation.
A few of the details include:
· We will still be asking families to keep their child home if not feeling well
· Students who ‘opt-in’ to the program will receive at home test kits to be used once each week on Tuesday after school. Students will receive a kit containing two tests every other week.
· The program is open to both vaccinated and unvaccinated students
· Close contacts will no longer be identified in school
· Students who become symptomatic in school can still be tested
It is the hope that this new program will allow students more time in class while maintaining a safe school environment for students and staff.
Please complete the opt-in form that went home last week with students to let us know if you would like to opt-in or out of this program. You can also complete the form online that was sent through email to families.
Please reach out with any questions or concerns. Thank you for your continued support.
ESL Tutoring for Parents: Based on responses we received from parents and guardians, Learning First will be holding the free Adult ESL Tutoring VIRTUALLY on Wednesday evenings from 5:00-6:00 PM. We will begin classes after February vacation on March 2nd. If you are interested in attending, please email Mrs. Kennedy at ckennedy@learningfirstcharter.org or Ms. Ortiz at niortiz@learningfirstcharter.org and we will put your name on our list. We will contact all interested adults with how to log on and attend the sessions in the coming weeks. Thank you!
Lottery Applications for the 2022-2023 School Year are available! If you have a child or sibling that will turn five years old by August 31, 2022, please complete an application available in our main office or online at https://learningfirstcharter.org/admission/ . The application deadline is March 2, 2022. All applications require a birth certificate and two proofs of address. Reminder, a new application must be completed for any child that is on the current waitlist. Please contact Sally Ustaitis at (508)799-7500 x1031 or email sustaitis@learningfirstcharter.org if you have any questions.
Reminders from the School Nurse: This week we have had 6 cases of Covid-19 in our school. If your student was a close contact then you were notified by the school nurse. It is not required for your child to receive a Covid-19 vaccine, however if your child has had it and you are willing to let us know it would be appreciated and helpful in cases when we need to do contact tracing.
Stay healthy! ~Nurse Sarah and Sammi
SEMSAPAC: Parents you are invited to come and join us on February 8th from 4:00-5:00 PM as we come together and talk about nutrition and how it correlates with student achievement. Light refreshments will be served.
ACCESS Testing: Both state and federal laws require schools to assess the English proficiency of all English Language Learners (ELL’s) during each school year. To comply with these laws, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) require schools to administer the ACCESS for ELL’s 2.0 Assessment to students in grades K-12.
At Learning First Charter Public School, the ACCESS for ELL’s 2.0, which evaluates students’ skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening, will be administered January – February, 2022 to EL students in grades K-8. EL Teachers will oversee the administration of this assessment.
This test will provide important information to you about your child’s English proficiency level and progress. In addition, we will use the results of the test to make curricular improvements and further promote the acquisition and development of students’ English skills. Thank you for your cooperation with the testing period.
JA Guidance (grades 6-8): Grade 8 families: Worcester Technical High School has submitted a new attendance policy to the state last month. They met with all of the middle school guidance counselors this week to go over it. I am attaching the link to it here for you to review. It is somewhat confusing and we had many questions for the Admissions Team at Tech that they are working on answering for us.
If you have questions I will do my best to answer them for you with what information I have. I will also be sending out an email to all 8th grade families with the link and answers to the questions that I had and were able to be answered at that meeting. The application will go live on their website on Monday the 31st. (techhigh.us) Lisa Moore
Please read the new admissions policy here:
https://worcesterschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/AdmissionsPolicy-WTHS-2021_2022.pdf
A Valentine’s Day fundraiser: The Girls and Boys basketball team will be selling roses with a message for a dollar! Roses will be delivered on Monday, February 14th to students. Anyone wishing to send a rose to a student can see Mrs. Bryan. All orders are due by February 11th. Proceeds will benefit the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams.
Extracurricular Activities: The Girls Basketball will play this Sunday, February 6, 2022, at 3:00 PM.
The Boys Basketball will play on Saturday, February 5, 2022, at 11:30 AM.
All basketball games will be held at Venerini Academy located at 27 Edwards St. Entry fees are as follows: $5 per Adult and $1 per student (players are free)
Girls’ practices are on Monday and Wednesday from 4:00-6:00 PM.
Boys’ practices are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00-6:00 PM.
Parent pick up is on Gage Street at 6:00 PM sharp. Please encourage your student athlete to bring an extra water bottle to practice.
Stomp practice is on Fridays from 12:45-3:30 PM sharp. Parent pick-up is on Eastern Ave. Please remember your $2.00 dues.
Important Weather Advisory Information
In the event of a delay or cancelation due to weather, Learning First will follow the Worcester Public School’s Snow Policy. We will not be posting on the television news station sites. You must look for Worcester Public School on the local television news station sites. You can also check out the Worcester Public Schools Facebook page.
Learning First will send out an autodial to families. You can also go to our schools website or sign-up for the family email.
School Website/ PowerSchool: Use your child’s login to www.learningfirstcharter.org
Feb. 8: SEMSAPAC Meeting 4:00-5:00 PM
Feb. 21-25: No School
Feb. 28: Board of Trustees Meeting 6:00 PM