Dearest Families and Friends,
LMACS is preparing to return to full-time school beginning Monday, May 17, 2021. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has provided guidance to encourage maximum student learning time as well as updated COVID protocols to ensure the safety of all students and staff.
LMACS school hours will be:
Monday 8:15am to 2:35pm 20 minute lunch Tuesday 8:15am to 2:35pm 20 minute lunch Wednesday 8:15am to 12:15pm Dismissal Thursday 8:15am to 2:35pm 20 minute lunch Friday 8:15am to 2:35pm 20 minute lunch
STUDENT SCHEDULESStudent schedules will be ready by Wednesday, May 12, 2021. Advisors will send the schedules to the students as soon as they are ready. Please note that the school day now begins at 8:15.
POOLED TESTINGMs. Hendl is continuing the LMACS Pooled Testing program, although she would like more students to be part of it. Please review documents that have detailed information about Pooled Testing. If you have further questions, please call 978.656.3461.
GRADUATIONWe are finalizing graduation plans for the class 2020 (details) and 2021 (details). It is such a happy and exciting time for all of us. Let’s all hope for a perfect spring day.
Each graduate will be allowed to bring up to six guests. No one will be able to enter the outdoor venue without a ticket or a mask and we will follow all the guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with regard to Covid protocols. The dates are June 2 with a rain date of June 3.
MCAS
Current 10th graders are scheduled to take the ELA MCAS on May 17 and 18th and Math MCAS on May 24 and 25th. They have been preparing and reviewing, and we know they will do great! The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced on April 21, 2021 that Grade 11 students would not need to pass the MCAS tests in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics in order to earn their Competency Determination (CD). DESE had already made a similar modification to the CD for Grade 11 students taking the MCAS Science, Technology, & Engineering test, or specifically in the case of ENSATS students, the MCAS Biology Test.
DESE further stipulated, however, that because MCAS ELA and Mathematics test scores are also used to determine eligibility for the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship and the Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery, it is up to caregivers and students as to whether students will participate in the MCAS ELA and Mathematics tests for scholarship purposes. Grade 11 students do have the option of taking these MCAS tests this May or in the fall 2021 to qualify. The Adams Scholarship is based on first-time MCAS scores. Further, Grade 11 students who test this May will have results available to them this fall, in time to learn whether they qualify for scholarships before applying to colleges.
FIELD TRIPS
Because we are returning to full-time instruction, we are able to include some the fun field trips and elective classes that were “signature LMACS” before the pandemic. Just an example:
May 20 – Plum Island, MA
May 27 – Kimball Farm
June 10 – Great Brook Farms
We are hoping for perfect attendance at all three field trip! Please encourage your children to attend…they can expect to have good food and good fun!!!! Please sign and submit permission slips as soon as possible.
SAMPLE OF OTHER HAPPENINGS
LMACS has a 3-D printer!!! The students in Ms. Chen’s class have made some terrific models! Ms. Chen and Mr. Donovan will be offering a 3-D printer elective in June. Should be fun.
Mr. Lamey has scheduled interviews for students with Junior Achievement and TJX. Students ALWAYS benefit from these contacts with our business partners…they can result in a paying job! Who doesn’t like a chance to make money?
Master Mike will be leading mindfulness sessions with Mr. K…we could all use a break from stress for sure!
Once again, we thank you for your ongoing support of Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School.
Sincerely,
Margaret McDevitt, Ed.D.
Director
Anne Monoxelos, LICSW
Assistant Director