Reopening plans released for Lakeland Christian Academy

Lakeland Christian Academy (Photo via Street View, Google Maps)

Lakeland Christian Academy has released its re-entry plan to families.

According to Joe Elrod, Lakeland’s superintendent, “LCA plans to start on Monday, Aug. 17 in a traditional, in-person setting. Only at-risk or quarantined students will have an online option.”

LCA’s Board of Directors and Re-entry Task Force approved the plan acknowledging that students need to be in school for their academic development but also for their social and spiritual development, according to a news release from Lakeland Christian Academy.

“LCA will remain open all year in a traditional, in-person, academic setting unless otherwise dictated by the governor or county health officials,” Elrod said.

This year will be the first time in LCA’s 46-year history they will begin the academic year as a preschool through grade 12 school, stated the release.

Preschool Director Angie Lambert, Elementary Principal Joye Andrew, Chief Accountability Officer Julie Bauer, Secondary Principal Rebecca Monsma, Campus Pastor Rob Mansfield and Athletic Director Tim Yocum spent many hours developing a “balanced” re-entry plan.

“There is a lot of fear and uncertainty in our community so the message has to be clear; LCA wants to protect the most vulnerable, like teachers and at-risk families, while bringing back routine and normalcy to families — students need their teachers; students need each other,” Elrod said.

To understand the practical aspects of the re-entry plan, it is important to understand the philosophy behind the plan. LCA’s approach includes  the idea Christian education is relational. LCA needs to meet face-to-face when able to be effective in its mission of “equipping our students with academic excellence and a discerning faith.” The plan should hold student learning and their long term social and emotional needs at the highest level. Parent partnership is essential to support their child’s educational needs which is best achieved in-person. The plan must consider the needs of all LCA stakeholders, including our teachers and other employees. Effective education means having the physical environment to support the health of our students, staff, and families.

LCA is to submit to those in government who have rule over us (Romans 13). By attending LCA, parents, families and other stakeholders voluntarily assume a certain level of risk daily. LCA has the responsibility to train the next generation of critical thinkers governed by a biblical worldview which is best achieved in-person, stated the release.

COVID is not the most important thing to protect our students from, fear is. COVID is not the last scary thing our students will face, so it is important that we teach them how to be productive and caring in the midst of fear. Parents have been great in partnering with us through these uncertainties—we have great families! The most frequent questions are, “will students wear mask” and “will we be doing virtual learning in October”? LCA has no more insight into what the future holds than any other school; therefore, the school will be abiding by IDOE, IHSAA, and Health Department guidelines.

Student temperatures will not be taken when students arrive each morning, so it is imperative that parents use the CDC COVID checklist each morning and take their child’s temperature before leaving home. For the safety of all, parents need to keep students with symptoms or a fever 100 or higher home. Students, faculty and staff will be required to wear masks when social distancing of three to six feet is not possible. Pre-K and kindergarten students will be an exception to the mask rule. Cleaning and COVID protocols will follow CDC and Health Department guidelines.

To learn more about LCA’s plan, visit https://www.lcacougars.com/.