Covid-19 Response + Resources
Messages to our Community
4.23.20 Message
Read the original email HERE.
Dear Lycée Families,
Thank you for the tremendous amount of feedback you provided us with on the survey sent over Spring Break. It was helpful as we continue to amend and adapt our online academic resources during this time apart. We are thrilled that 81% of respondents reported feeling satisfied or very satisfied with the LFNO academics and support. Most of the remaining respondents reported neutral feelings. While we recognize there is great variation in family dynamics and student needs, we will continue to do all we can to offer an excellent education to ALL of our students during this time of learning from home. As announced in our last communication, we are launching the new phase of our academic plan and in this message you will find many new or amended structures for our educational program with specific details coming directly from your child(ren)’s teacher(s).
New Instructional Material
For the first phase of learning from home, we focused on getting everyone outfitted and comfortable with the shifts and teachers only reviewed academic content that was previously taught. Monday of this week, April 20th, teachers started introducing new material in a gradual and thoughtful manner. New topics and skills are presented in the following subjects:
- Patton, early childhood (preK-2nd grades): French, Math, & ELA
- Johnson, Upper Elementary (3rd-5th grades): French & Math
- Johnson, Middle/High School (6th-9th grades): French, Math, Spanish, Science, & Histoire-géographie
For other subject areas, including Johnson ELA and middle school Social Studies, classes will continue to build on existing skills and access high quality literature and writing opportunities.
Live Learning Sessions
We are excited to announce that we are introducing weekly live sessions starting next Monday, April 27th. This will be a great way for students to engage with their teachers and classmates. For security and simplicity reasons, our team will use Google Meet to host these sessions. Students must use their LNFO accounts to join these virtual meetings. If you have issues logging-in, please contact support@lfno.org. These sessions are organized according to the following schedule:
- Lower and upper elementary French teachers will host two live sessions per week
- ELA and Middle/High school teachers will host will host one live session per class per week
We created a schoolwide schedule with minimal overlap so that families with multiple LNFO students who share computers can all access their live sessions. Please, refer to this linked schedule for information about specific grade levels and subjects. A follow up message wil follow this for Middle/High School students regarding which groups they are in for each virtural session. Teachers will share log-in information (i.e. specific link to their Google Meet) for their live sessions. If a student is unable to attend at the scheduled time, live sessions will be recorded and made available for students to watch when they are able.
On the instructional days when not hosting live classes, teachers will continue posting recorded videos and assignments for the day. Lower and upper elementary French teachers will not post any work on Wednesdays to give students more opportunities to catch up and complete all assignments on a weekly basis, and to allow for teachers to use planning time to develop both videos and live sessions. Please refer to the schedule that will be sent by your teacher for details on weekly expectations and schedule.
Expectations for Live Learning Sessions
While we are looking forward to enabling our students to spend more interactive time with their teachers and classmates, we want to emphasize a few basic rules that will facilitate a favorable learning environment for everyone:
- All students (or parents for younger students) should sign the Student online class user agreement that will be shared by individual teachers.
- All students should be on time for the live session (i.e. log-in several minutes early to resolve any technical difficulties) to maximize the time available and minimize disruptions.
- Students should be in the most quiet space possible where they can sit down, focus on the shared content, and contribute to the class.
- Students should come to the online class fully prepared. Please follow the teachers’ recommendations: younger students might need a pencil and a piece of paper or a small whiteboard, while older students will most likely be assigned lessons or exercises to be completed ahead of time.
- All students should be ready to participate and learn and thus they should:
- be dressed appropriately (i.e. be fully dressed and not wear costumes or pajamas)
- be fully awake
- refrain from eating during the session
- not play with toys, electronic devices, siblings, nor pets
- All students should interact in a positive and respectful manner with their teacher and classmates, both directly and in the chat box as directed by the teacher.
- All students should mute their microphone unless otherwise requested by the teacher.
- Parents should not participate in the online session, with the exception of providing technical assistance (especially for younger students). Please refrain from interrupting the teacher or answering the questions that are asked to students. These sessions are meant to facilitate teacher-to-student, student-to-teacher, and student-to-student interactions. You may email the teacher questions about an assignment or a lesson.
- Disrespectful interactions or not complying with these rules might result in a student’s removal from the live class, or other consequences, as determined by an administrator.
Student Acceptable Use Policy
As a part of the annual school registration process, families signed the Student Acceptable Use Policy as related to school technology and internet expectations. Given that our tools and mode of instruction have changed, we have added an Online Live Learning Addendum (highlighted) to this policy. If you do not agree to this addendum, you have the right to opt your student out of the live learning opportunities. You would opt out by simply not having your child join a live class and instead accessing any recordings on the teacher’s Google Classroom at a later time.
There will be more messaging soon regarding grading and retention, seeing that this is quite a bit of information already. For the time being we leave you with the excitement we all feel for starting the next phase of learning with live interactions.
We look forward to “seeing” you all soon, dear Lycée Family!
LFNO Academic Leadership Team
4.22.20 Message
Lycée Français de la Nouvelle-Orléans
Operating Principles in Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis
Purpose: This document sets out operating principles that will guide our decision-making and actions to support our students, staff and communities through the uncertainty caused by COVID-1. These operating principles will act as a high-level framework for how we will make decisions and how we will structure and prioritize our work over the coming few weeks and until the end of the school year. During this uncertain time, we must ground ourselves in our ultimate aspiration:
Ultimate aspiration – To be a high-performing school that delivers a world-class educational experience for all students, and is one of education’s best places to work.
Our ultimate goal is that our students continue on their academic path to receive a Louisiana and French-American Baccalauréat so they can gain access to the best colleges and universities worldwide and become global .
Where We Are – The rapid spread of COVID-19 has led to the closure of school facilities. We began virtual remote teaching and learning as well as remote administrative and academic leadership early March. After the latest Governor’s proclamation on April 15, remote instruction will last through the end of the school year. More than ever before it’s important for us to keep our DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) intentions alive and well in order to meet the unprecedented challenges of today.
How We Will Operate – Students and Community Health First: First and foremost, our response to COVID-19 must be framed with protecting both the physical and mental well-being of our students, staff and families. We will put the well-being of people first, with care and compassion. There will be no quality teaching or learning without health plans in place. This includes acknowledging that each member of our community, including teachers and staff, is living in a new reality during this time. This may mean increased obligations to care for and support their respective children, parents, or other friends and kin, as well as balancing work and education at home. We will operate with grace and presuming positive intent while people continue to adjust to this new normal to take care of themselves and their families.
Keep Organizational Culture Strong and Ensure Equity: We will be thoughtful about the ways leadership can ensure that culture remains strong at schools and at our respective home offices. We will work to ensure that our remote culture reflects our in-person culture, and that we will continue to put equity for staff, scholars, and families at the center of all that we do.
Streamline Decision-Making: During these unprecedented circumstances, we should not expect to operate as usual. We must be open to change, understand that we may not have an answer to all questions, that our response time may be longer than usual, and that some decisions will require creative approaches as the problems we are facing are not only unusual, but complex and ever-changing. We want to accept every challenge with a positive outlook and as an invitation to learn to operate in a way that will make our work even better going forward.
Stay Focused and Flexible: We must remain flexible in defining what success looks like and allow for shifts where our prior definitions of “essential” and “success” conflict with today’s new operating principles. That is why our work is geared to identify vital operations that will inform prioritization and planning. We will be informed by our continuous communications with parents, students, staff and stakeholders. We will do what is best for the sustainability of Lycée.
How We Will Focus: The areas below are where we need to focus our energy from now until the end of the school year. We will continue to develop strategies and tactics to advance our overall progress.
Delivering Strong Instruction: We aim to deliver the strongest instructional program possible. After close to a month delivering instruction on a Phase 1 plan, we took into consideration staff and parental feedback to shape our improved Phase 2 plan which begins on Monday, April 27th. We will continue to support ALL students to ensure they continue to grow and progress in key academic areas. Our online instructional plan is built on the following principles: simplicity, coherence, flexibility, and positivity. Our plan includes a balanced offering of synchronous and asynchronous classes. We focus on core subjects: French and English language arts and mathematics for all levels, as well as humanities and sciences for middle school. The quantity of school work has been designed to match students’ developmental maturity: from 60-75mn a day for Pre-k up to 180-225mn a day for high school.
Securing Student Enrollment: We will continue to work with EnrollNOLA on the recruiting and enrolling of students for the next school year.
Staffing and Recruitment: People are at the center of our success as an organization. We need the right talent in place at the start of the new school year to continue our success, which means both retaining current staff and recruiting strong talent for open positions. We are currently hiring for the 20-21 school year and working with CODOFIL, the French Consulate and other partners for the recruiting of our International Associate Teachers.
Ensuring Sustainable Budgeting: We will undertake a comprehensive review of our current operating expenses and next year’s budget (July 2020 to June 2021) to ensure that we are fully prepared for a more fiscally constrained environment.
Meeting Operational and Regulatory Needs: These are evolving, so we must stay on top of guidance from LDoE and other agencies, work to adapt, and communicate new expectations.
Preparing a re-entry plan: We will plan for our transition back to normal operations when the time comes. We want to be able to immediately hit the ground running and support the academic and social-emotional needs of students when schools can return to – hopefully – a brick and mortar instruction, a hybrid solution, or a continued virtual world.
Please be on the lookout for communications on Phase 2 academic plans, grading and retention that will be sent before the end of the week.
Stay healthy and thank you for your continued partnership and support.
Marina
4.17.20 Être à la Page
4.15.20 Message
4.13.20 Message from our Academic Team
Dear Lycée Families,
We hope you are adjusting well to the school-at-home situation and finding a good routine with your family given these unforeseen circumstances. We are pleased that the first iteration of academic resources at home has gone relatively smoothly, and as we move into the next phase, we want to gather more feedback as well as notify you of some coming changes.
Below are links to surveys about our online academic program, please complete the appropriate survey(s) for each LFNO student in your home. We greatly appreciate your participation as the feedback provided will help us with ongoing improvement to our online academic programming offered at this time. These are the same surveys that were also shared in Etre a la Page, no need to complete them twice.
As we are all facing an extended school closure, we are making several adjustments moving forward, and these elements are subject to change based on the family feedback survey results as well as any legal or policy guidance yet to come.
First, in order to engage and challenge our students academically, teachers will start gradually and thoughtfully moving forward with new content when we return from Spring Break. Pacing and curriculum complexity levels will be adjusted to the distance learning format, as we must always consider equity and access for our student body. As we cannot treat this home learning format as a normal school day, we will be targeting teaching new material in the following subjects:
- Patton, early childhood (preK-2nd grades): French, Math, & ELA
- Johnson, Upper Elementary (3rd-5th grades): French & Math
- Johnson, Middle/High School (6th-9th grades): French, Math, Spanish, Science, & Histoire-géographie
For other subject areas, including Johnson ELA and middle school Social Studies, classes will continue to build on existing skills and access high quality literature and writing opportunities. That is to say, students will still have assignments in all courses, but the quantity of new material presented at this time will be limited.
Lycée educators deeply miss their students and also appreciate the value of live interactions. Our legal advisors are in the process of creating a policy to ensure safe live interactions, while our technology team establishes the best possible virtual platforms and tools, and the academic team works to adjust curricular plans to include live virtual experiences. We look forward to sharing these updates soon.
We understand that the situation can be very challenging at home yet we strongly recommend that all students participate in the online learning opportunities, to the extent possible. However, no student will have their long term grades adversely affected by assignments during this learning from home time. We will provide further detail on any grading policy shifts as more guidance is made available from the Louisiana Department of Education. We encourage you to expose your child(ren) as much as possible to French and academic resources since regularity and consistency are key when it comes to learning, especially in a second language.
During this unpredictable time, we are infinitely grateful for our strong, committed and compassionate Lycee family. Thank you for your patience and grace as we negotiate this unique experience together.
Sincerely,
LFNO Academic Leadership Team
4.3.20 Message to Community in Être à la Page
Marina
3.27.20 Message
Dear Lycée Parents and Guardians….or should I say, interim teachers,
It is without a doubt that these are incredibly challenging times. While we focus our energies on making sure that our families are safe and healthy, we are also maneuvering the constant changes that seem to be the hallmark of this pandemic. As we continue to adjust our lives and respond to this in real-time, we must ensure that our children are fed, that they continue to learn and make academic progress, and that we do the best we can to provide them with a sense of calm and normalcy. Thank you to every single parent, teacher, administrator, staff member and volunteer who has made this possible so far.
I also want to thank you for your ongoing commitment and generous support of our community. Your encouraging messages and positive emails commenting on the work of our teachers and staff have been heartfelt on our end and we are grateful to have such a wonderful community.
The uncertainty presented by the coronavirus and its impact on our nation and communities has caused us to re-evaluate how best to achieve our mission in support of our students, families, and staff. Our goal is to strike the right balance between fulfilling our mission in a manner that has a positive impact on our students, families, and staff while planning for potential and continuous unprecedented disruption. We will creatively fulfill our commitment to students and families knowing that each family situation differs from one another.
Here is a short bullet point summary of what we accomplished in the last couple of weeks:
- Provided food security: did you know that since March 17, we have served more than 6,000 meals? A HUGE merci to our hero staff members who are on the serving frontline everyday, making sure nobody goes hungry, and to staff, parents and Board members who offered to help!
- In the quick span of a couple of days, our fantastic principals and academic leadership teams set up academic resources available to students online. Our IT department, researched platforms, trained teachers and staff, prepared videos to support parents and caregivers. Teachers prepared thoughtful videos and lessons so that kids can maintain their educational momentum. The launch of this new learning environment was successful, and we are refining and bettering as we go. We appreciate your patience.
- Our fabulous SPED team developed a plan to serve all qualifying students and reached out to all within a very short period of time.
- In order to provide an equitable learning environment, we surveyed all families on home tech capabilities. Staff members made hundreds of calls to families who did not respond to the survey. We are filling in needs as we speak. Also, our tireless IT department is working on preparing IT tutorials and videos in more than one language to support our families who are working with children.
- Our communication department launched a webpage for families or anyone who may need a one-stop-shop to retrieve essential information. Please visit COVID-19 Response and Resources
- Staff initiatives: we communicate daily with staff via an evening newsletter containing relevant information. It is essential that our staff and teachers are well taken care of so they can continue to provide their best to your children. Our counselors have set up a series of Lycée-produced videos that focus on strategies to maintain a healthy sense of self while adjusting to new routines for living in isolation while teaching and working virtually.
- We are working at procuring outside financial support to assist with the unknown that may derive from a disrupted school year.
- We have continued working on the Priestley project, which is also shifting to a virtual environment. Next week information will be communicated on the bid opening for the selection of a general contractor. Stay tuned! Board and Committee meetings will also soon resume in a virtual environment.
- We are continuing with our plans to prepare for the 2020-21 school year, including enrollment and registration efforts, hiring, budgeting, and more.
There is much more I could add, but these are the most important highlights for now.
I once again want to express our deepest gratitude to Lycée family members and all who are fighting this virus on the front lines as health care or other essential service providers. Thank you for your sacrifice in keeping us healthy and safe and we wish you the strength to get us through it! Our best wishes to those who are affected by COVID-19 and fighting to get better.
Please join me in thanking an incredible, committed and compassionate Lycée staff who is rising to the occasion in spite of personal and professional challenges. In the words of Martin Luther King: “The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and controversy.”
That spells Lycée!
With unwavering commitment,
Marina
3.23.20 Message
Dear Lycée families,
I hope you are all doing well and adjusting to your new daily routines. All of us are going through an unprecedented life experience that can bring a lot of anxiety. The implementation of meaningful online educational opportunities aim to support students and parents in a time when most things are uncertain. The purpose of Lycée online instructional plan is to provide a structured framework so that students can maintain strong learning habits and continue to be exposed to rigorous academic content, especially in French. While we strongly encourage and recommend that students consistently participate in the online tasks created by their teachers, I want to clarify that participation is not mandatory and students will not be penalized if they cannot participate or complete tasks.
The academic team has worked and continues to work with teachers on building a program that offers meaningful educational opportunities that are as user-friendly and as simple as possible for the students and their families. All activities, videos, and instructions are posted on Google Classroom (with the exception of pre-k and K who are using Seesaw). While teachers will continue to post daily activities by 9:00am and make recommendations about completion target dates/times, we understand that many circumstances can prevent a student from participating and/or completing a task. We know that many students do not have continuous access to technology, that their daily schedule at home does not necessarily allow them to complete tasks according to the suggested schedule, and that parents have constraining schedules that prevent them from assisting with the online program at any given time.
Parents, these online learning opportunities should not create another source of anxiety during these uncertain times. Please, encourage your child(ren) to participate and embrace the online plan as diligently as possible but know that it is also flexible. If a student is unable to access activities on a given day, he/she can complete them at a later date or simply restart with current learning opportunities. You should contact your child’s teachers for guidance when you find it challenging to follow the suggested schedule. Last week and this week, teachers did not and will not introduce any new instructional material. The focus has been put on strengthening learning skills, improving the appropriation of the digital tools, and fostering the adaptation to the new class routines. Changes in the instructional material will be communicated in a timely manner. It is important to understand that all scope and sequences for this school year will be revised and adapted due to this unprecedented situation, in which attendance and participation will not be sanctioned.
Additionally, if you wish to increase your child(ren)’s exposure to French language at home, I am sharing a document with many supplemental online resources. These resources do not replace nor should not be used in place of the meaningful educational material created and sent daily by French teachers. The websites presented in the attached table simply provide options to watch more educational and recreational videos, read more age-appropriate articles, download digital books, or listen to podcasts all in French. Most of these websites are entirely in French and some of them can be a bit tricky to navigate. Unfortunately, teachers and support staff will not be able to provide technical assistance to navigate these sites as they are extra resources.
Our teachers have created substantial instructional online opportunities meant to create structured and rigorous learning habits while students are at home. I strongly encourage following these well-thought plans as closely as possible. For any questions related to instructional material, please contact your child(ren)’s the teacher directly. For any technical issues, you can refer to the COVID-19 Response and Resources page on our website that contains several tutorial videos and useful links, and/or contact the IT department at support@lfno.org. For any questions with regard to the implementation and evolution of the online academic plan, please contact me directly.
Regards,
Sophie Capmartin
Director of Academics
Lycée Staff
3.17.20 Message
Dear Lycée Families.
We are prepared to begin distance learning tomorrow morning. We thank you for your flexibility and understanding as we all navigate this new existence together. Teacher videos and posted materials will be available at 9:00 am each school day moving forward. Please see below for some guidance on getting your student(s) started with virtual distance learning.
Devices you can use at home:
- Smart Phones
- I -Pads/ Chromebooks / Tablets
- XBOX1 or PS4
- Desktop computers
- Laptop computers
Access to Learning Platforms:
-
1st through 9th grade students will be using Google Classroom. Please view this video to help you learn how to navigate Google Classroom.
-
PreK and K families will be using SeeSaw. Please review this description that walks families through how to use the SeeSaw tool.
How to login to Google Classroom:
- Login with your student’s LFNO Google account. You will not be able to login from another account.
- Go on the website google.com. Click on the blue rectangle on the top right that says “Sign in”.
- Enter the login and the password of your child: usually, it’s the first letter of the first name, followed by the last name (Example, James Wayne would be, jwayne.stu@lfno.org) and the password (usually a color and an animal and two digits like reddolphin45)
- If you don’t know your student’s login and password, reach out to your student’s teacher or the following administrators: for Patton, yaici@lfno.org, for Johnson, Upper Elementary jdaltoe@lfno.org, and for Johnson, Middle/High School ycolin@lfno.org
- Once done, click on the 9 dots “waffle” icon on the top right of the page. Click on Google Classroom then click on student. When you see the class, click on join.
LFNO Distance Learning Technology Help Desk:
- We are currently building a new link to our website with the many technology-related resources and FAQs, and that link will be shared soon.
- Please approach our first week with patience. If you need technical support accessing these tools, please reach out to the technology help desk at Support@lfno.org
- Content or instructional based questions should be directed to your student’s teacher
Resources for Internet Service
-
Here is a link to resources available from different companies related to internet access. Additional internet access opportunities will be shared soon and will be available on our COVID Response and Resources page on our website.
We know that there will be challenges with this new format and we are committed to working as a community, now more than ever. We ask for all parties to do their best given the circumstances and to have grace for one another during this unique time. We will grow, learn, adapt, and become stronger (virtually) together!
Bon courage à tous!
Lycée Staff
3.14.20 Message
Dear Lycée Families,
As you know, our school will be closed as of Monday, March 16, for a minimum of four weeks. Due to the closure, we are moving to a distance-learning format. We are in constant conversations with the LDOE as well as French educational agencies for guidance and resources that are becoming available, and we will communicate as soon as we have solidified the LFNO plan.
Academics: Our leadership and academic teams have worked incessantly to provide both logistical and academic plans in order to best serve our school community. Our academic plans are structured so that students can receive meaningful educational opportunities. AEFE (the French Agency for Teaching Abroad) has also provided guidance and recommendations for distance learning. We will be working with our teachers on Monday and Tuesday in professional development learning modules to review expectations, train on the needed platforms, and begin the rollout to families. Instructional services will start on Wednesday, March 18 for both campuses. Please understand that the school closure of this past Thursday and Friday did not allow us time to work with our teachers who need guidance in this new and temporary landscape. We will share details of our instructional plan by the end of the day on Tuesday. Please note that:
- PreK and K students and teachers will use the SeeSaw online platform for
distance learning – some work may be paper based
- Students in grades 1st through 9th will use Google Classroom primarily
We are asking all stakeholders to be patient as this mode of instruction is new to all. It is important that parents stay connected and assist students, especially younger students who may not immediately be comfortable with digital tools. The first few days of distance learning will give us an idea as to what is working and what needs to be adjusted. We understand from the technology survey that most students have online access through devices shared with family members, so the structure and length of our current distance learning are with that in mind. We will be calling families that didn’t complete the survey to see how we can provide learning opportunities to all students during this unique experience. This is why communication is so valuable!
Special Education: For families of students receiving ESS services, the Director of ESS and ESS team members will be in touch with more specific information on services.
LEAP Assessment: We received guidance from the LDoE that no adjustment to LEAP statewide assessment will be made other than testing dates. The new dates are:
- Beginning on April 27 for grades 3 to 8
- No schedule changes for High School testing
Meal Service: We are working with NOLA Public Schools, Healthy Food School Collaborative and Pigeon Caterers in order to provide meals to students. More information will be sent out tomorrow however it will be helpful if you could fill out this survey if interested in the meal service and for our planning purposes.
Technology: The LDoE communicated that limited income households can apply for $5 to $10 per month internet access (AT&T Access, Cox Connect2Compete, CenturyLink Lifeline). Charter Communication 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 subscription.
School Activities: Please know that all school-related, in-person activities are canceled. We are still planning on alternative plans for Nuit de la Musique, however, please know that it will not take place on Sunday, March 22nd. More to come.
Health: We ask that you report to our school nurses any cases of COVID-19 so that, when it is time to re-open school, we do so in complete safety.
Patton Campus: kcoleman@lfno.org
Johnson Camus: pleblanc@lfno.org
Contact Information: It is imperative that we have your updated contact information. If you recently changed your email address, phone number or physical address, please let us know by contacting Keione Bastian, our data manager, at kbastian@lfno.org
Keeping Updated: On our new webpage COVID-19 Response and Resources, you will find all relevant information regarding our school response as well as resources you may find useful. We will populate the page on an ongoing basis. You will also find a detailed campus-specific directory with a list of all staff members should you need to communicate with any of us.
Thank you for exercising patience during this time, for helping your children with their work, following recommendations for community health, and taking care of yourself and others.
We are looking forward to working as a productive and supportive community as we, together, navigate through this difficult public health crisis.
The Administrative Team
3.13.20 Message
Dear Lycée Community, As you may have heard, today Governor Jon Bel Edwards signed a proclamation that effectively closes all K-12 public schools in the state of Louisiana, until April 13th. We want to make sure you received this information in order for you to make relevant plans for your family. At this time, it is important that we stay in daily communication, especially once buildings are closed. Lycée will communicate via School Messenger, email or social media as appropriate. Later today we will go live with a page on our website dedicated to our COVID-19 response. The link is www.lfno.org/covid-19. Stay tuned for communications with information on distance learning plans and other relevant information.
Stay safe,
The Administrative Team
3.12.20 Message
Dear Lycée Community,
we have been informed that there is NO exposure to the COVID-19 virus from a self-reporting Lycée community member. This was confirmed by testing which came back negative and we are happy to share the good news. We will continue to be vigilant and proactive with steps to detect and contain and will continue with our buildings sanitation efforts. A follow up message will be sent tomorrow with communications about next week. I hope you and your family will be able to enjoy this beautiful evening.
Sincerely,
The Administrative Team
3.11.20 Message #3
Dear Lycée Community,
as always, LFNO is committed to put student, staff and families safety first. As a follow up to the previous message, we want to reiterate that we have NO confirmation of direct exposure on a first person basis, and have NO information to indicate at this point that our students or staff have been directly exposed to Covid-19. We are committed as always, to go above and beyond to make sure potential exposure is minimized: we want to take every precaution possible. We will take the opportunity, on Thursday and Friday, to sanitize the school campuses and ensure a safe return to school on Monday. Please understand that, for reasons of privacy, we cannot identify the member of our community in question; however, rest assured we will follow up with updates.
The Administrative Team
3.11.20 Message #2
Dear Lycée Families and Staff,
We have received notice of an unconfirmed but possible community exposure to the coronavirus not due to international travel. Out of an abundance of caution, and for the safety of our students, families, and staff, tomorrow and Friday (3/12 and 3/13) our school will be closed. We will communicate more details as soon as available.
Dr. Lisa Tropez-Arceneaux , LFNO Board Chair
Marina Schoen, CEO
3.11.20 Message #1
Dear Lycée Families,
As we continue to work with the State and our community of New Orleans Charter Organizations/Schools to ensure we are fully prepared for all COVID-19 contingencies, we would like to give a brief update on student attendance and truancy.
First and foremost, and in accordance with CDC recommendations, if your child is sick please keep them home and schedule an appointment with your general pediatrician.
Secondly, as of now, the LDOE has not provided specific direction on policy changes regarding attendance and truancy as it relates to parents choosing self-isolation in avoidance of potential exposure. At this time, and under these circumstances, parents may reserve the right to keep their children at home, however the absence will be marked as an unexcused unless a doctor’s note is provided, as per our current policy. We will continue to work with the State regarding guidance to school districts, charter organizations, and families in addressing attendance and truancy considering the potential severity and fluidity of the situation. Please expect more detailed information which we will update as needed.
Lastly, and in order to streamline resources, this upcoming Friday we will go live with a ”COVID-19 Response and Resources” page on our www.lfno.org website where we will post updates and resources you may find useful. We ask that you check the page to find information or responses to your concerns before contacting Lycée staff or administrators. This will assist us in streamlining resources at this challenging time.
We thank, again, all those who offered insightful and useful comments, resources and assistance. We also appreciate your kindness and understanding as we navigate this novel and difficult challenge, and most of all the positive feedback you offered regarding our school’s response.
The Administrative Team
3.11.20 Home Technology Survey to Community
Dear Lycée Families,
We hope this message finds you all happy and healthy. LFNO has been gathering information and preparing potential plans should schools be advised to close temporarily due to COVID-19. At this point we do NOT plan to close school but we are following all recommendations from the Louisiana Department of Education and the Center for Disease Control.
We ask that you please complete one form for EACH LFNO student in your family immediately.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYchWaFzxpABlUKUPb7W_Oy4ccohjbWMotwRBvXtNsF22bkA/viewform
The Administrative Team
3.6.20 Message to Community in Être à la Page
Click to view 3.6.20 edition of Être à la Page
Dear Lycée Community,
We want to provide an update regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) following Saturday, February 29th correspondence, to inform you of some of the preventive measures we have taken, and provide you with some resources you will hopefully find of interest.
As of today, there are no confirmed coronavirus cases in Louisiana. We will continue to monitor the potential impact of the virus and the recommendations set forth by the Louisiana Department of Health http://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/page/3835 and the Center for Disease Control (CDC )https://www.cdc.gov/. The Louisiana Department of Education is also providing recommendations for Pre-k-12 schools.
What is happening at Lycée? In order to promote general good hygiene, we embarked on a campaign for our students to wash their hands, well and often. Based on advice from the CDC (Center for Disease Control) and local medical professionals, we are teaching, reminding, and implementing practices that will lead our school community to be less susceptible to viruses. Hand sanitizer is available all over the school, to be used when hand-washing is not immediately available, and the facilities team is disinfecting commonly touched surfaces several times a day. We are guiding students in the cafeteria to stop and wash their hands before eating lunch and after all recesses. There is signage in each restroom reminding students about the importance and proper technique for good hand washing. Teachers have been asked not to send students to the nurse’s station unless absolutely necessary. Additionally, we have made posters with guidance for good hygiene to remain healthy. Lastly, nurses have begun or are making plans to visit classes to discuss rules of good hygiene with students.
We want to assure our community that no one is present at the school that has traveled to countries with health notices (we polled our staff before our return from the Mardi Gras break), and that we rigorously follow ALL recommendations about prevention and detection from health officials. As mentioned in last week’s message, we ask families to report health concerns to our school nurses. We ask to follow self-quarantine guidelines for the recommended 14 days from the day of arrival to the US if international travel to countries with health notices took place. Currently, there are no known reports of illness nor contact with ill individuals among members of our community.
We would also like to share two documents that may provide pertinent health information and how to discuss this with your child. One is a parent guide from the National Association of School Nurses: https://files.constantcontact.com/7b77b947001/9a9f6799-c325-4263-a498-018b4de22737.pdf
The other is a different approach, for students who may be displaying more anxiety or who may need some visuals, like comics. You can print and fold – NPR Just for Kids – exploring the new corona virus. https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/28/809580453/just-for-kids-a-comic-exploring-the-new-coronavirus
We thank all parents and community members who have provided feedback and resources. It feels good to work through this as a supportive community.
The Administrative Team
2.29.20 Message to Community
Dear Lycée Community,
As we welcome you back from a fun and hopefully restful Mardi Gras break, we want to address the issue of the global emergence of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) that has generated a great deal of news and questions over the last few weeks. Please rest assured that we are taking essential precautions to respond to outbreaks of communicable diseases within our schools and that we will follow the recommendations of the CDC (Center for Disease Control) listed below. Since knowledge about prevention and detection is of the utmost importance, we have also contacted the public health epidemiologist at the Louisiana Department of Health to make sure we follow local recommendations, if any. We will continue to diligently monitor the situation and follow their instructions, as well as communicating with families by email and phone using our school messaging system if there are changes. Please feel free to reach out to our school nurses if you need to communicate specific concerns that may affect our community. You may find this link to the CDC useful: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/
What can I do to prevent COVID-19 infections in my school?
Schools do not need to take any special precautions beyond what is normally recommended to prevent the spread of viruses in schools. You can help students and staff reduce their risk of getting and spreading viral respiratory infections, including the flu and the common cold, by encouraging them to take simple steps which will also prevent COVID-19. These include:
Staying home when they are sick.
Frequent handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after they blow their nose. Help young children do the same. If hands are visibly dirty, use soap and water to clean hands.
If soap and water are not readily available, using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Advising persons to avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Following the school’s routine cleaning and disinfection program. Emphasizing cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Covering coughs or sneezes with a tissue, then throwing the tissue in the trash and cleaning hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer (if soap and water are not readily available).
Urging students and staff to get a flu shot during the flu season.
Providing adequate supplies for good hygiene, including clean and functional handwashing stations, soap, paper towels, and alcohol‐based hand sanitizer
We will continue to work with our custodial staff and contracted third parties to make sure adequate cleaning and disinfecting procedures are followed daily. We will use germicidal disinfectant to treat all surfaces, bathrooms, rails, doorknobs, light switches, counters, and other surfaces. Additionally, we will provide staff with extra sanitizing wipes and gels to use as needed. We will continue to monitor the CDC recommendations and update our plans accordingly.
The Administrative Team
COVID – 19 Governmental Resources
Louisiana Department of Health
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
United States Department of Education
NOLA Ready – Text COVIDNOLA to 888777 to receive COVID-19 text alerts
COVID-19/Coronavirus General Information Line: 1-855-523-2652
What to do if…
you are sick | Click Here
a family member is sick | Click Here
you are stressed | Click Here
Lycée References
Home Technology Survey – sent 3.11.20
Patton Campus Quick Reference Directory | Click Here
Johnson Campus Quick Reference Directory | Click Here
Staff Directory – includes emails | Click here
Receiving Lycée Text Alerts | Click Here
Meal Services
FREE Meal Services at Lycée – Johnson Campus – 1800 Monroe St. | Click here for details
NOLA Public Schools List of FREE Nutrition Programs | CLICK HERE
FAQ
This section is continually being updated.
Is Lycée offering meal services?
As you may know, Lycée is one of New Orleans public schools that operates an open feeding program. It is great to see our happy families and smiling students coming through the lunch line at the Johnson Campus (10am till noon). Breakfast and lunch are available to all students under the age of 18 at no charge. Students do not need to be present: meals can be picked up by a parent or caregiver. We are proud and committed to provide this service to all students during these uncertain times. OPSB has established “Community Feeding Locations” distribution points throughout the city. Please check out the COVID-19 Response and Resources page of our website, under General Resources, and look for the Meal Service section for information on available feeding program locations. Other community organizations are also providing food and services.
What are the locations and times for free meals across New Orleans?
NOLA Public Schools (OPSB) has a comprehensive list of nutrition sites around Orleans parish. CLICK HERE
Are state standardized tests like LEAP happening this year?
Per BESE policy, when school closures are longer than 18 days, accountability/School Performance Score (SPS) will be waived for the year. This means that there will be NO LEAP TEST this spring, and that a new SPS will not be produced for the school year 2019-20. We have not yet received guidance on EOCs other than a waiver has been requested. The LDoE will continue to provide guidance and responses regarding this and other areas of school business. As ler learn more, we will keep you informed.
What is happening with SPED services?
Lycée’s Exceptional Student Services (ESS) department is updated on the changes in SPED regulatory requirements deriving from the public health crisis and is committed to provide the best services possible, under the circumstances, while following state and federal guidance. All families of students with IEPs have been contacted by our ESS staff and plans are put in place.
Are we going to be charged for before/after care plans while we're not in school?
We will not process any scheduled payments for spring 2020 before/after care plans until we return. We will prorate plans accordingly to reflect time off school.
Is my account going to be charged before we go back to school?
If you have an existing balance for a season that has passed, i.e. Fall 2019 Before and After Care, we will continue processing scheduled payments unless families contact us to halt payments.
Kid-Friendly Resources
Caroline Conquers Her Corona Fears – a coloring book
Saints Activity Booklet – tag the Saints with your results (@neworleanssaints)
Pelicans Activity Booklet – tag the Pelicans with your results (@pelicansNBA)
Visual Covid-19 Worksheets in multiple languages! – Click Here
We thank you for your flexibility and understanding as we all navigate this new existence together. Teacher videos and posted materials will be available at 9:00 am each school day moving forward. Please see below for some guidance on getting your student(s) started.
Continuous Education Resources for Students with Disabilities
- Family Toolbox | CLICK HERE
Academic Updates
- Grading and Retention Policy | CLICK HERE
- Phase 2 Academic Plans |CLICK HERE
- Student Acceptable Use Polich – Online Learning Addendum | CLICK HERE
Multidisciplinary Resources
| Organization | Website | Notes |
| Khann Academy | https://www.khanacademy.org/ | All Grade Levels: A nonprofit with the mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. Adaptable to all learning levels. |
STEM - Math/Science Resources
| Organization | Website | Notes |
| C’est pas sorcier | https://bit.ly/2XHRVpo | 3rd – 5th Grade: STEM videos in French – Upper Elementary |
ELA Resources
| Organization | Website | Notes |
| French American school of Princeton | https://bit.ly/3etj70Y | Pre-K4 – 2nd: How to help your child with reading |
| ABCMouse/Age of Learning | https://www.abcmouse.com/redeem%20%20 | Pre-K4 – 2nd: Enter code “S C H O O L 3 6 7 3” and create your personal account |
| Word Gametime | http://www.wordgametime.com/subject/language-arts | K – 7th: Offers a variety of ELA games and help |
| Free Rice | https://freerice.com/ | All Grades: Practice vocabulary and grammar AND donate rice from responses to combat world hunger. |
French Resources
| Organization | Website | Notes |
| LFNO | https://bit.ly/2XHiTxm | All Grade Levels: List of general FRENCH resources by grade level |
| Ecole des loisirs | https://bit.ly/2wOeYDQ | Prek-4 – 5th Grade: Digital picture books (albums), audiobooks, and digital books |
| Lumni | https://www.lumni.fr/ | All Grade Levels: Short videos on diverse topics. Possibly to sort per grade level |
| ARTE – Journal junior | https://bit.ly/34Hmqgi | 3rd – 9th Grade: Videos about current events and other topics (includes tutorials to learn how to draw) |
| 1 jour 1 actu | https://bit.ly/2VtFY3K | Prek-4 – 5th Grade: articles, videos, and podcasts about current events |
| France Inter | https://bit.ly/2VxYAj8 | All Grade Levels: Podcasts: stories before going to bed |
| Brainpop | https://www.brainpop.com/ https://fr.brainpop.com/ https://esp.brainpop.com/ |
3rd – 9th Grade: Great videos and quizzes on all topics in French, English, and Spanish! User id: Academics@lfno.org PW: Lfno12345 |
TUTORIALS
How to turn in a Google Classroom Assignment:
Depending on the assignment, you can turn in a personal doc that your teacher assigned to you, create your own Google Doc, or add files to the assignment.
If you need to edit work you turned in, you can un-submit the assignment. But any assignment turned in or marked done after the due date is recorded as late.
Read Full Google Support Article | HERE
F.A.Q.s
How do I login to Google Classroom?
- Login with your student’s LFNO Google account. You will not be able to login from another account.
- Go on the website google.com. Click on the blue rectangle on the top right that says “Sign in”.
- Enter the login and the password of your child: usually, it’s the first letter of the first name, followed by the last name (Example, James Wayne would be, jwayne.stu@lfno.org) and the password (usually a color and an animal and two digits like reddolphin45)
- If you don’t know your student’s login and password, reach out to your student’s teacher or the following administrators: for Patton, yaici@lfno.org, for Johnson, Upper Elementary jdaltoe@lfno.org, and for Johnson, Middle/High School ycolin@lfno.org
- Once done, click on the 9 dots “waffle” icon on the top right of the page. Click on Google Classroom then click on student. When you see the class, click on join.
Why is Google Classroom saying I don't have permission?
You are being blocked from accessing your child’s classroom. This happens when you try to access LFNO services from a web browser window that is logged in to your personal Gmail account. 
The best way for you to access LFNO Google Classroom and other services is to use Google Chrome and to open a new window that is locked to your child’s LFNO student account. To do this, click on the circle at the top right of the chrome browser.
Make sure you click on the top most circle. (picture 1)
That is your avatar – it’s either a colored circle with a letter in it, or a small picture you uploaded.
When you click on your avatar you should see a menu like this:
From that menu (you may need to scroll down in that menu):
1. If your child’s LFNO student account is listed there,
– Choose it from the list
– a new chrome window will open and ask you to log in
2. If your child’s account is not listed there,
How do I log in to my child's online live class session?
Your teacher is using Google Meet for live class sessions online. Different grade levels are using it slightly differently.
PLEASE FIND YOUR GRADE LEVEL BELOW FOR CORRECT STEPS:
- PK4 – K (using SeeSaw and Google Meet)
- Log in to Chrome with your student’s LFNO account. If you need help the instructions are HERE.
- Go to your SeeSaw classroom and copy the meeting nickname provided by your teacher. It should be something that looks like the teacher’s name and grade and date.
- Go to meet.google.com and click “join meeting.”
- Copy and paste the meeting nickname into the box.
- You will not be able to join until the teacher starts the class.
- If you see this message, you should keep trying until the teacher enters the meeting.
- 2ND – 9TH (using Google Classroom and Google Meet)
- Log in to Chrome with your student’s LFNO account. If you need help the instructions are HERE.
- Go to your Google Classroom.
- Look for the google meet link in the banner of your classroom.
- From Google Classroom, you can press on “Stream” and find the link for the day’s class meeting.
My child can't make changes to a teacher's PDF Document.
If your child is unable to edit or make changes to a PDF document provided by the teacher (this is done using the PDF Reader Toolbar) there are a few things you can do.
- Use Google Chrome web browser: Make sure you are using Google Chrome, which is needed for using the Texthelp PDF Toolbar.
- Update your web browser: you can try updating your web browser. To do that, go to your browser bar and click on the three vertical dots at the far right, then scroll down and click on Settings. In Settings, scroll to the bottom to About Chrome. If you click on that, it will open a window that should tell you if your browser is updated (or update it automatically).
- Turn on ‘Sync’ for your child’s account: you can make sure your child’s Sync is on. This ensures that bookmarks and extensions are properly installed from the school, and synchronized across different devices. To do this, click on your child’s avatar to the right on the browser bar. In this window, click Sync in On which will open another window in Settings. If Sync is Off, click Turn On.
- Confirm that Texthelp PDF extension is present: in the same Settings Window, you can scroll toward the bottom and click on Extensions (just above About Chrome). You should find Texthelp PDF Reader listed. You might need to click on the Details tab to make sure it is turned on (there is a little blue circle to slide).
How do make Google Meet use the grid view (CHROME only)?
Your teacher is using Google Meet for live class sessions online. Here are the steps to follow to see the other students in grid view:
- You must be using Chrome web browser for these instructions to work.
- Download and install the Google Meet Grid View chrome extension. Use this link to avoid being fooled by copycat extensions and apps:
- At the top right of your screen will be a set of icons including a “chessboard” or grid whenever you are in a meeting.
- Click on the grid, and the window will re-arrange to show all participants in the meeting.
- Click on the grid again to turn the grid off (for example, when someone is presenting to allow their window to fill the screen).
- Underneath the grid icon will be a series of options you can use to change how the grid works.
Why can't my student type in answers when using an iPad?
One problem with iPads is that older iPads cannot upgrade to the most recent iOS operating system. This also means that it can’t install the latest version of Google Classroom app and older versions may not work properly. Unfortunately, if your iPad cannot be upgraded, this cannot be fixed.
The workaround is to:
- Open Chrome on the iPad, go to classroom.google.com,
- Hit the Chrome menu and choose Request the Desktop Site.
That way, the iPad won’t force you into using the native app which doesn’t support Forms.
Lexia does not work on my iPad / Kindle / Smartphone?
-
- Check the Lexia Learning Core5 tech support website [http://www.lexialearningresources.com/tech/core5.html]
- The figure here shows what they say their website supports
- On your smartphone, you may need to specifically launch the browser you want to use first, not just click the link in email
- On your iPad it may be that you need to upgrade the iOS version
Let us know if you have trouble figuring out which version of the browser you are using. Email us at – support@lfno.org
How does my child's Lycée Français email account work?
We have limited your child’s email access in this manner to protect them and their interactions online.
- Students can only send email to their teachers and staff
- If they try to send email to any other address it will go nowhere
- Lycee Francais will see all emails that do not reach your student’s account. Please help us to discourage your child from using the school account to register for social media, games, and any non-school-related websites and services
- Students cannot send email to each other, to their parents, or anyone outside of Lycee teachers and staff
- Students can only receive emails from teachers and staff
- Students cannot receive email from addresses that are not Lycee teachers and staff
- Students cannot use their school emails for receiving notifications from any website other than Google Classroom.
- If students register to receive notifications, newsletters, etc from a non-Google Classroom website, those emails will not get to the student’s inbox
- EXCEPTION: Using student accounts to “JOIN” or “LOGIN” to websites.
- Many websites will allow you to use your “Google Login” to join or create an account, this includes your student account
- This will still work fine for student accounts
- NOTICE: Student email inboxes will still not receive any email from those sites. Any “email account verification” will not work for this reason.
Video Tutorials
Chromebook Tutorial for Parents/Students
Google Meet Student Tutorial
Live Google Meet Sessions Tutorial (Pre-K4 and K SeeSaw Users)
Adding Google Translate Extension to Chrome Browser
Google Classroom for Parents and Students
Para Subtítulos en Español : Haga clic en el símbolo de subtítulo cerrado “CC”, luego haga clic en la rueda de configuración justo al lado derecho. Seleccione “Subtítulos / CC”, luego seleccione “Autotranslate” y luego seleccione el idioma deseado, español u otro. Esto agregará automáticamente subtítulos en español al audio.
Google Read & Write Video Tutorial
Para Subtítulos en Español : Haga clic en el símbolo de subtítulo cerrado “CC”, luego haga clic en la rueda de configuración justo al lado derecho. Seleccione “Subtítulos / CC”, luego seleccione “Autotranslate” y luego seleccione el idioma deseado, español u otro. Esto agregará automáticamente subtítulos en español al audio.
Technology Resources & Support
Devices you can use at home
- Smart Phones
- I -Pads/ Chromebooks / Tablets
- XBOX1 or PS4
- Desktop computers
- Laptop computers
Learning Platforms by Grade
-
1st through 9th grade students will be using Google Classroom.
-
PreK and K families will be using SeeSaw. Please review this description that walks families through how to use the SeeSaw tool.
Resources for the Internet
- Here is a link to resources available from different companies related to internet access. Additional internet access opportunities will be shared soon and will be made available on our COVID-19 Response and Resources page on our website.
LFNO Technology Help Desk:
- If you need technical support accessing these tools, please reach out to the technology help desk at Support@lfno.org
- Content or instructional based questions should be directed to your student’s teacher
Mental Health Team Members Contact Info:
Angel Werner
School Counselor, PreK4-2nd
504-258-7037
awerner@lfno.org
Andrée Ambler
School Social Worker, PreK4-2nd
504-239-1040
aambler@lfno.org
Michelle Tate
School Counselor, 3rd-5th
504-356-1726
mtate@lfno.org
Laura Stryjewski
Academic Counselor, 6th-9th
504-515-0800
lstryjewski@lfno.org
PROVIDERS
| Name of facility/provider | Service provided | Contact number | Population/Speciality | Fee | Website | Availability |
| Voice Care | phone counseling | 504-264-1381 | healthcare workers | free | voicecare.help | |
| The Thomas E. Chambers Counseling and training Center | phone/online counseling | 504-398-2168 | any | 15.00 but could be free | opencounseling.com | |
| Keep Calm Through COVID hotline- Louisiana Department of Health | phone counseling | 866-310-7977 | any | free | N/A | 24 hours/7 days a week |
| University of Holy Cross | phone/online counseling | 504-398-2168 | free | N/A | 11am-8pm M-F | |
| The New Orleans Grief center | group telehealth sessions | N/A | loss of job, community. or loved one | free | www.facebook/nolagriefcenter | |
| Silent help | phone | Ring 999, when they answer press 55 | being choked, heart attack, intruder, domestic violence | free | N/A | 24/7 |
| Children’s Bureau | telehealth counseling | (504) 525-2366 | children-adults | Medicaid only | childrensbureaunola.org |
Updated:5.11.20