We continue to stay dedicated to the CDC COVID 19 recommendations for the safety of our students and staff. As we continue to put safety first, the decision has been made to move our summer programs to a virtual platform. Therefore, we are excited to offer an Expanded Virtual Learning Summer Program to all of our students in grades K-8.

We also understand our families may be struggling with keeping up with the virtual platform while maintaining their work from home. In an effort to continue our students’ learning with the least impact on our families, we will only be utilizing the iReady Program.

Students who choose to participate in the summer program will take a Diagnostic Assessment in the iReady program for Reading and Math the end of May. The Diagnostic Assessment allows the program to give each student an individualized learning path to meet their specific academic needs. Students will then work on their learning paths for 15 minutes a day in Reading and 15 minutes a day in Math. A teacher will be assigned to each student to monitor their progress and assist if needed. ESE teachers will also be assigned to our ESE students to provide interventions if needed.

The Expanded Virtual Learning Summer Program will begin June 15th and end July 16th. The program will be four days a week, Monday through Thursday.

Below is a survey for all families to complete to opt in or out of the expanded learning program. Students who opt in will keep their chromebooks until July 17th, the end of the summer program. Students who opt out will be asked to return their chromebooks in June. Please complete the survey below for each of your children in grades Kindergarten to 8th grade. If you have any additional questions on the Expanded Virtual Learning Summer Program you may contact your child’s school.

K-8 Expanded Virtual Learning Summer Program Survey

Dear Graduating Seniors,

The School District of Lee county continues to be extremely proud of all your accomplishments as you enter into the final stretch of your senior year to become our Graduating Class of 2020. As we communicated to you last month, the District will be celebrating your graduation with two ceremonies, a Virtual Graduation and an in-person Graduation later this summer, should CDC guidelines permit. We are excited to announce the dates for the celebrations:

Each of the district’s 13 traditional high schools with a senior class is currently working on putting together a virtual graduation ceremony that will air on YouTube from June 19th to the 21st (exact schedule for each school is still being developed). Each virtual ceremony will be modeled after a traditional ceremony with speeches that include School Board Members, District Leadership, School Principals, and student leaders. Every student’s name will be announced while a photo of each graduate in cap and gown is shown on the screen. Students, parents, extended family members, and friends will have the opportunity to remotely view the ceremony.

The District has also secured venues for a traditional graduation ceremony in July. We thank everyone who responded to the survey that was sent last week asking for your feedback regarding your venue preference. An overwhelming 90% of you responded that you would attend an in-person ceremony and 73% preferred the use a large, off campus, facility. Safety will be paramount, and if CDC guidelines permit these ceremonies, the graduation schedule is as follows:

Hertz Arena -11000 Everblades Pkwy, Estero
Friday, July 17

Ida S. Baker High School – 10:00am
North Fort Myers High School – 2:30pm
Lehigh Senior High School – 7:00pm
Saturday, July 18

Estero High School – 10:00am
Riverdale High School – 2:30pm
Fort Myers High School – 7:00pm
Sunday, July 19

East Lee County High School – 2:30pm
South Fort Myers High School – 7:00pm
Suncoast Arena at FSW - 8099 College Pkwy, Fort Myers
Friday, July 24

Cypress Lake High School – 10:00am
Dunbar High School – 7:00pm
Saturday, July 25

Mariner High School – 10:00am
Cape Coral High School – 7:00pm
Sunday, July 26

Island Coast High School – 2:30pm
Lee Virtual Instructional Program
Lee Virtual Instructional Program will be holding a virtual graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 23rd at 2 p.m.
They’re also planning face to face event for seniors who wish to participate in the Caloosahatchee Room July 24th at 2 p.m.
For more information please visit Lee Virtual Instruction Program Website

To further celebrate your accomplishments, the District is also excited to provide each of our graduating seniors with a congratulatory yard sign. These will be distributed to each senior during cap and gown pick-up events from May 18th to the 22nd. Your school will follow up with more specifics about the end of the year check out procedure. Also, expect more details to come from your school about both the virtual and in-person graduations as the ceremonies are further planned.

We appreciate your patience, understanding, and flexibility during these challenging times. The Class of 2020 will forever be remembered for its resilience.

Sincerely,
The School District of Lee County

Dear School District of Lee County Families and Employees,

With the safety and health of our students, employees, families, and community continuing to be our top priority and based on the recommendation from the Governor of Florida, we have made the decision to continue distance learning in Lee County Schools through the end of the school year.

While we realize this is extremely disappointing for all of us and not the outcome that we would have wanted, it is a necessary step in order for us to do our part in continuing to stop the spread of COVID-19 and making sure we keep you and your students safe. Rest assured that during the school closures, we will continue providing services, including online learning opportunities, meals to our students, and emotional support.

We are looking forward to honoring our seniors during graduation ceremonies. We continue to work on what that may look like and we will provide our families with information as soon as we have it.

Thank you all for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. For more information and helpful resource links, please continue visiting our website leeschools.net/covid-19.

Sincerely,
Dr. Greg Adkins
Superintendent, SDLC

Dear SDLC Families,

We realize you may have seen recent reports relating to the security of the video conferencing tool known as Zoom. This is one of the tools currently used by our instructors to communicate with our students as part of our Distance Learning Program. We want to assure you that the District makes the privacy and security of our students and staff one of our top priorities. The District currently subscribes to a Zoom Enterprise Account which includes added security measures.

To further enhance our security, we ask that you partner with us at home by ensuring that you and your child never share District and School Zoom invitation links. These are to be used only for the purposes of participation in class activities. Visit Zoom security for further information.

Thank you.

Good afternoon parents,

Thank you for your patience, understanding and commitment to making distance learning work. An amazing 97.2% of our students were engaged during the first week.

The school calendar calls for schools to be closed for Good Friday on April 10th and Easter Monday on April 13th. Our Distance learning plan has taken these days into account and we do not expect students to have to do school work on these days.

Grab & Go meals will be affected by the holiday weekend. Distribution sites will be closed on Friday the 10th and Monday the 13th. On Thursday, families can pick up breakfast and lunch bags for Thursday, Friday and Monday with instructions for proper storage and preparation. A full list of updated distribution sites can be found at the Grab and Go MealPick Up Sites Web page.

We appreciate your continued support as we work through this unprecedented time.

The School District of Lee County

Dear SDLC families,

Based on recommendations from the Florida Department of Education, the School District of Lee County will extend its school closures until May 1, 2020. Additional school closures will be re-evaluated by the Florida Department of Education prior to May 1st, and any changes will continue to be communicated to our families.

In addition, the USDA has authorized the State of Florida to waive the requirement for children to be present during meal pick-up. Parents/guardians will now be able to pick up meals and take them home to their children.

For information regarding the District’s Distance Learning Plan, Grab & Go Meal locations, graduating senior requirements, and additional resources for families, please visit our Distance Learning page.

District staff continue to work with the Florida Department of Education to ensure students will not be negatively impacted by the changes to their learning process.

Thank you for your continued patience and support as we navigate through this unprecedented situation.

Dr. Greg Adkins
Superintendent

The School District of Lee County is expanding its Grab & Go meal distribution sites and hours for the week of March 30th to April 3rd. Six Schools and fifteen bus stops are being added. The breakfast and lunch meal bags will also be available from 9:00am to 12:30pm.

Grab & Go meals are available for pick up at the following schools from 9:00am to 12:30pm.

East Zone

Edgewood Academy
Gateway Elementary
Lehigh Acres Elementary
Manatee Elementary
Mirror Lakes Elementary
Orange River Elementary
Riverhall Elementary
Sunshine Elementary
The Alva School
Tice Elementary
Tortuga Preserve Elementary
Veterans Park Academy for the Arts

South Zone

Allen Park Elementary
Bonita Springs Elementary
Colonial Elementary
Fort Myers Middle Academy
Franklin Park Elementary
Heights Elementary
James Stephens Int’l Academy
Pinewoods Elementary
Ray V Pottorf Elementary
San Carlos Park Elementary
Villas Elementary

West Zone

Cape Elementary
Hector Cafferata Elementary
North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts
Patriot Elementary
Pelican Elementary
Pine Island Elementary
Tropic Isles Elementary

Bus stop locations will be time specific. Six buses will be running special routes to make Grab & Go meals available in designated neighborhoods. The stops and times are:

Bus Route #1 

• 9:45 a.m. - Lantana St. and Gardenia Ave.
• 11:00 a.m. - Dupree St and American Ave.
• 12:00 p.m. - 3739 Metro Pkwy - Westwood Apartments By Play Ground

Bus Route #2

• 9:45 a.m. - S. Tamiami Trl and Unique Circle
• 11:00 a.m. - Broadway W. and Luettich Ln
• 12:00 p.m. - 21450 S. Tamiami Trl (Inside Covered Wagon)

Bus Route #3

• 9:45 a.m. - Bonita Beach Rd and Saldivar Camp
• 11:30 a.m. - 11902 Bonita Beach Rd SE (Flamingo Island Flea Mark)

Bus Route #4

• 9:45 a.m. - 3746 Metro Pkwy (Westchase Apts) 
• 11:00 a.m. - Evans Ave and Park Windsor Dr (Carrell Corners) 
• 12:00 p.m. - Red Cedar Dr and Hayley Ln (Around The Clock Fitness)

Bus Route #5

• 9:45 a.m. - Corkscrew Rd and Six Ls Farm Rd (Door Side)
• 12:00 p.m. - 18412 Lee Rd (Karl Drews Center)

Bus Route #6

• 9:45 a.m. - 2325 S. Olga Dr (Olga Community Center)
• 11:00 a.m. - First St Al and Avenue B (Charleston Park Community)

Note: Arrival times for all stops may vary based on departure times.

Breakfast and lunch are served together in a single bag. The meals are free for anyone 18 and younger. Each child must be present at the pick-up location to receive a “Grab & Go” bag. It is expected the meals will be eaten at home, and not the locations where they are picked up. 

The location of “Grab & Go” pick -up sites is flexible and could change depending on the demand. A current list will be posted on the Grab and Go Meal Pick-up Site

Dear Parents, Guardians and Community Members,

COVID-19 presents a significant health risk and challenge to our community. In response, our District has developed a plan to support other community and State leaders in the containment effort. It is our highest priority and responsibility to protect the safety and welfare of our students while also working to ensure they are prepared to meet the challenges of the future.

With the directive that schools close through April 15, the continuation of the educational progress of our students remains a primary goal; a goal that will take innovation and cooperation. Of highest priority though, is the safety and welfare of our community. Therefore, we are preparing to deploy strategies to deliver what our students need, while protecting the health, safety, and welfare of our employees and community members.

To this end, we are working to ensure every student has access to a Chromebook, laptop or other personal device that can connect to the internet. Additionally, we are assisting with support for parents of students where WIFI access is limited or unavailable. Online learning will officially begin on March 30 and parents and students will receive information on how it will work in the very near future.

We know that it is hard for students to learn if they do not have their basic needs met. Beginning March 23, The School District will provide food for students at 24 school locations across the county, as well as at multiple other locations within our community. That information can be found on our website: www.leeschools.net/covid-19

In addition, we are thinking about the social emotional wellbeing of our students. We will be deploying additional resources to our special needs students, and our counselors are putting together mental health supports for families to access.

We will continue to communicate with our parents, guardians and community members in a variety of ways including our website, social media, our mass communication system (SchoolMessenger) and through the media.

The School District of Lee County family has successfully faced substantial challenges before, and I can assure you we will do so again. We are committed to delivering the high-quality educational experience your child needs and deserves. The challenge of COVID-19 is unprecedented, but I am confident in the dedication, innovation and talent of our employees to support the needs of our students.

I am also confident in the resiliency of our community members, parents, guardians and volunteers who support the needs of our most precious resource, our children. Together we will face this crisis at a time when our children need us most, and together we will overcome it.

Sincerely,

Greg Adkins, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Dear SDLC Families

In anticipation of initiating distance learning, Elementary Schools will begin to distribute Chromebooks to students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade this week. Chromebooks will only be distributed to one student per household and to students that do not have access to a home computer. The schedule for picking up student Chromebooks is as follows:

*For families unable to pick up Chromebooks on Thursday
**For families unable to pick up Chromebooks on Thursday or Friday

Please go to your child’s school on the assigned days and times.

Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students will begin distribution next week.

Dear SDLC families,

Based on recommendations from the Florida Department of Education and the State of Florida, the School District of Lee County School District will extend its school closures until April 15, 2020.

For the 2019-2020 school year, all state assessments, including FSA, are cancelled. However, virtual learning will continue for students and online instruction will begin on Monday, March 30, 2020. Further information on how online instruction will be conducted is forthcoming.

District staff continue to work with the Florida Department of Education to ensure students will not be negatively impacted by the changes to their learning process.

Details on Chromebook pick-ups for students who don’t currently have them, and access to the Internet, along with additional information relating to COVID-19, can be found on our website: www.leeschools.net/covid-19.

Thank you for your continued patience and support as we navigate through this unprecedented situation.

Dr. Greg Adkins
Superintendent

The School District of Lee County’s Food and Nutrition Services department will be serving a “Grab & Go” breakfast and lunch at 23 schools between March 23rd and 27th. The USDA has granted the District the flexibility to provide these meals during a time of unanticipated closure.

Breakfast and lunch will be served together in a single bag. The meals are free for anyone under 18 years of age. Each child must be present at the pick-up location to receive a “Grab & Go” bag. It is expected the meals will be eaten at home, and not the schools where they are picked up. 

The meals will be available for pick-up between 9:00am and 11:00am at the following schools.

East Zone

• The Alva School
• Orange River Elementary
• Manatee Elementary
• Mirror Lakes Elementary
• Lehigh Acres Elementary Tortuga Preserve Elementary
• Riverhall Elementary
• Gateway Elementary

South Zone

• Allen Park Elementary
• James Stephens Int’l Academy
• Ray V Pottorf Elementary
• San Carlos Park Elementary
• Pinewoods Elementary
• Bonita Springs Elementary
• Heights Elementary
• Villas Elementary
• Colonial Elementary
• Fort Myers Middle Academy 

West Zone

• Cape Coral Elementary
• Patriot Elementary
• Hector Cafferata Elementary
• Tropic Isles Elementary
• North Fort Myers Academy for the Arts

Food and Nutrition Services will be using the bus ramp of each of the schools to create an orderly process to drive or walk up, collect the “Grab & Go” meals, and then safely return home. School Resource Officers will be on site to help with security.

Several School District community partners are also opening to provide “Grab & Go” Meals March 23rd to the 27th between 9:00am and 11:00am. These include:

Stars Complex
2980 Edison Ave.
Fort Myers, FL 33916

Pine Manor Improvement
5546 Ninth Ave.
Fort Myers, FL 33907

Boys and Girls Renaissance
1623 Joust St.
Fort Myers, FL 33916

Super Kids Club Cypress Lake
8260 Cypress Lake Dr.
Fort Myers, FL 33919

Boys & Girls Club of Pueblo Bonita
26095 Milagro Ln.
Bonita Springs, FL 34135

Wesley Super Kids Club
4141 Deleon St.
Fort Myers, FL 33901

YMCA of Lee County (Royal Palm)
1360 Royal Palm Square Blvd.
Fort Myers, FL 33919

The location of “Grab & Go” pick-up sites is flexible and could change depending on the demand. A current list will be posted on the Food and Nutrition Services

Breakfast and lunch will continue to be available as long as the District is operating under an unanticipated closure.

Good evening SDLC Families.

Late this afternoon the Florida Department of Education directed schools across the state to close for two weeks beginning on Monday, March 16th.

We are already scheduled for Spring Break from the 16th to the 20th. This extends the physical closure of buildings until Friday, March 27th with an anticipated return on Monday, March 30th.

The School District of Lee County, along with our TALC and SPALC partners, have been working on a virtual learning plan so students can continue their learning at home. Once those plans are finalized they will be communicated to our families.

The closure includes cancellation of all extra-curricular activities including sporting events and before and after school programs.

The District will continue to monitor the news surrounding COVID-19. For more information on preventing the spread of respiratory illnesses, please visit https://www.leeschools.net/covid-19. You may also visit http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/COVID-19/.

Thank you for your continued support in keeping our students and staff safe.

Greg Adkins, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Dear SDLC Families,

This morning the School District received direction from the Florida Department of Education regarding travel. As of 8:00am this morning, the directive from the FLDOE includes:

• Anyone (students/faculty/staff/etc.) who goes on foreign travel, to any country, must self-isolate for 14 days upon return.
• Anyone (students/faculty/staff/etc.) who goes on a cruise, anywhere, must self-isolate for 14 days upon return.

If your child must self-quarantine, contact your child’s school to notify them of the self-quarantine required and provide documentation from the child’s Medical Provider or the Health Department. Once your child’s 14-day self-quarantine has concluded, you must provide a letter from the child's Medical Provider or the Health Department, stating the student has been cleared to return to school. Parents should work with the schools to maintain academics, classroom work, homework, etc., while the child is at home.

Self-Quarantine Guidelines:

• Quarantine means you do not enter any district building or school during your quarantine.
• The 14-day quarantine begins the first day your child returns from travel abroad.
• Your child must receive clearance from his/her Health Care Provider or the Florida Department of Health in Lee County to return to school.

Important Numbers:

Florida Department of Health in Lee County: 239-332-9501

Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Call Center: 1-866-779-6121 or email COVID-19@flhealth.gov.

We will continue to monitor the latest updates on COVID-19 with the FLDOE, our local and state health departments, as well as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). For more information, you may visit our District Website on the COVID-19 Webpage: www.leeschools.net/COVID-19.

Thank you.
The School District of Lee County

Dear SDLC Families,

In our continued efforts to maintain a healthy school district the following is a list of required procedures for return to school after traveling outside of the country or exposure to a known COVID-19 patient:

STUDENTS:

1. If your child has traveled to China, Italy, Iran, Japan or South Korea and any updated countries advised by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/) OR has been in close contact with someone who has a suspected or confirmed Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, your child is directed to self-quarantine for 14 days. You must also contact your child’s Medical Provider, or Health Department if you do not have a Health Care Provider, by phone for further instructions.
2. The CDC is now recommending avoiding Cruise Ship Travel due to risk of infection to passengers and crew members related to the COVID-19 virus. If your family returns from any cruise ship travel, contact your Medical Provider, or Health Department if you do not have a Health Care provider, for instructions on whether a quarantine is necessary.
3. Contact your child’s school to notify them of the self-quarantine required and provide documentation from the child’s Medical Provider.
4. Once your child’s 14-day self-quarantine has concluded, you must provide a letter from the child's Medical Provider stating the student has been cleared to return to school.
5. If your child is sick with cold/flu-like symptoms, please keep them home and contact your health care provider by phone for further instructions. Your child can return to school once cleared by his/her Health Care Provider.
6. Parents should work with the schools to maintain academics, classroom work, homework, etc., while the child is at home.

Self-Quarantine Guidelines:

• Quarantine means you do not enter any district building or school during your quarantine.
• The 14-day quarantine begins the first day you return from travel abroad or you are no longer in contact with a COVID-19 patient.
• Your child must receive clearance from your Healthcare Provider as stated above to return to school.

Important Numbers:

Lee County Health Department to Florida Department of Health in Lee County
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m to 24 hours/7 days a week

Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Call Center: 1-866-779-6121 Hours of operation are Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. or email COVID-19@flhealth.gov.

We will continue to monitor the latest updates on COVID-19 with our local and state health departments, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). You can get all the latest updates from our District Website on the COVID-19 Webpage: www.leeschools.net/COVID-19.

Thank you.
The School District of Lee County

Dear SDLC families,

The School District of Lee County is committed to keeping our students and staff safe and informed with the most current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control regarding the new Coronavirus COVID-19. We are following the most current information from the CDC and the Florida State Health Department, and we communicate daily with the Lee County Health Department.

We are continuing our efforts to promote the overall health and well-being of our district community by sharing information on the prevention of respiratory viruses. We advise you to continue following the CDC recommendation on preventing the spread of respiratory illnesses. For more information, please visit SDLC Website. SDLC has created a Frequently Asked Questions found on the COVID-19 webpage.

Please ensure that your contact information is up-to-date at your school. In addition, we invite you to visit School Messenger to update your settings should you wish to make any changes to the way you receive information: SDLC Emergency Notification System. Emails from the school district are sent from noreply@leeschools.net. Please check that your spam filter accepts messages from this address.

Thank you for your continued support in keeping our students and staff safe.

Sincerely,
The School District of Lee County

Dear SDLC Community,

Ensuring the health and safety of our students and staff is always a top priority for the School District of Lee County (SDLC). As such, we continue to monitor information regarding the new Coronavirus COVID-19. While SDLC and the State of Florida do not currently have any confirmed cases of this illness, we are aware of the concerns of our families.

SDLC will continue to follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control to prevent any infection of a respiratory virus. We advise to practice and go over these recommendations with your child at home:

• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when sick.
• Cough or sneeze into an elbow or use a tissue and place immediately in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

If a student or staff member shows respiratory symptoms, our school health staff will follow standard precautions and work with our district departments and the Health Department to further research individual/family travel histories.

Thank you for your continued support in keeping our students and staff safe.

Sincerely,
The School District of Lee County