LIVINGSTON – Livingston Parish Schools unveiled detailed plans for reopening schools during the 2020-2021 school year.

These plans include multiple phases and options pending which phase the state finds itself in by the time the school year begins. Officials said Livingston Parish Public Schools still plans to begin school on Aug. 7.

The governor's updated phased-in reopening plan for the state runs through August 7.  The school district said Wednesday (July 22), it will follow its Phase 2 plan.

“Our leadership team created a COVID Committee of administrators – representatives from all grade levels for elementary, middle and high school – who have been working closely with individual school principals over the past few weeks to develop reopening plans. This has been a highly collaborative effort,” Murphy said. 

You can read each iteration of the reopening plan below.

Phase 1 Plan

A Phase 1 reopening would require all students, pre-K to 12th grade, except for a small group of students who need assistance, to be provided instruction through distance learning. Under this format, students will receive instruction through Google Classroom, SeeSaw, or Microsoft Teams digital platforms, as well as live virtual instruction. Other requirements would include:

-Students would be seated one per seat in every other seat when riding a bus.
No more than 10 people, including teachers and staff members, will be allowed in a classroom.

-Students would receive hand sanitizer throughout the day, given multiple opportunities to wash hands and be required to wear masks to the greatest extent possible if they are in 3rd grade or above. All employees at the campus would be required to wear masks.

-Temperatures will be checked every day by the end of first hour. Anyone with a temperature reading of 100.4 degrees or above will be isolated for parental pick up, and next step guidance will be provided.

-All students will be offered lunch, and possibly breakfast, as “grab-n-go” meals that will be available for drive-by pick up Monday through Friday.

-Contact and high-risk sports, as well as band and music, will not be allowed. Other sports programs will be allowed to practice.

Phase 2 Plan

The Phase 2 reopening plan presents a diversified, hybrid model of instruction, based on grade level and capacity. Students in pre-K to 2nd grade, as well as students needing special assistance, would follow the traditional model of instruction by attending school at their home campuses five days per week. Students in 3rd to 12th grade would return to school on an assigned schedule and receive a blend of face-to-face instruction at their home campuses and distance learning from their homes or remote locations. Students at each campus will be divided evenly into an “A” group or “B” group, with one group attending class on Mondays and Wednesdays and every other Friday, and the other group attending class on Tuesdays and Thursdays and every other Friday. Other requirements would include:

-Students will be required to complete assignments online using Google Classroom, SeeSaw, or Microsoft Teams digital platforms on those days they are not on campus.

-Parents will be encouraged to drive their children to and from school as possible. Buses will run with no more than 50% capacity (36 students per bus), and riders will be required to wear masks and to sanitize their hands upon entering.

-No more than 25 people, including teachers and staff members, will be allowed in a classroom.

-Students would receive hand sanitizer throughout the day, given multiple opportunities to wash hands and be required to wear masks if they are in 3rd grade or above. All employees on campuses would be required to wear masks.

-Temperatures will be checked every day by the end of first hour. Anyone with a temperature reading of 100.4 degrees or above will be isolated for parental pick up, and next step guidance will be provided.

-Students will not dress out for physical education. Locker rooms will be closed.
Students will refrain from contact and high-risk sports, as well as band and music. Other sports and extracurricular programs may continue within guidelines.

-All students will be offered breakfast upon entering their school campuses. Students will eat in their classrooms or designated areas. Students will pick up lunch in the cafeterias in groups no larger than 25 students, and they will eat in designated areas. Students enrolled in virtual learning, or who are receiving instruction through distance learning that day, will be offered “grab-n-go” meals that will be available for drive-by pick up. The students must be in the cars to receive the meals.

Phase 3 Plan

A Phase 3 reopening would allow all students, pre-K to 12th grade, to receive face-to-face instruction five days per week on their home campuses. This traditional model of learning would be possible due to larger-allowed group sizes in classrooms and reduced restrictions on transportation. Some requirements would still be place:

-Buses would run with no more than 75% capacity (54 students per bus), and riders would be required to sanitize their hands upon entering.

-No more than 50 people, including teachers and staff members, would be allowed in a classroom.

-Students would be given multiple opportunities to wash hands and masks would be recommended for students in 3rd grade or above, as well as for employees.

-Temperatures will be checked every day by the end of first hour. Anyone with a temperature reading of 100.4 degrees or above will be isolated for parental pick up, and next step guidance will be provided.

-Contact and high-risk sports, as well as band and music, will be allowed within defined groups. Wrestling and soccer may practice and conduct intra-squad scrimmages; football may practice only. Other sports may compete, and extracurricular programs may continue within guidelines.

-All students will be offered breakfast upon entering school campuses. Students will eat in their classrooms or designated areas. Students will pick up lunch in the cafeterias in groups no larger than 50 students, and they will eat in designated areas. Drive-thru meal service will be discontinued.