Following the guidance of the Marion County Public Health Department, Lawrence Township schools will be moving to an all virtual model from Nov. 23 to Jan. 15. This change in the learning model is due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Marion County and the state. 

“We feel like going into that week of Thanksgiving and the holidays that it would be best to take that Monday and Tuesday and begin the all virtual process, and we’re ready because we already do this,” Principal Brett Crousore said. 

The schedule will stay the same for students during the virtual model. Students are expected to log onto Zoom at the beginning of each block and will participate in virtual learning activities for the entire class period. All teachers will be accessible to students during their assigned class period.

“That’s teacher directed as to whether the activity calls for Zoom the entire time or Zoom part of the time. That will be up to the teacher and the lesson, but that teacher will be 100% accessible to the student for the entire block,” Crousore said.

Lawrence North will remain open at a 10% capacity. Students will be allowed to come into the building for clubs and athletics. Students can also come in on Friday afternoons to receive additional assistance.

“There will be students who are permitted into the building. Very, very, very small amount. There will be some that are permitted to come in to receive assistance. We will be open, as we are on Friday afternoons, to receive individual help from teachers. That can look in many different forms. It can look like Zoom with individual help. It can be physically coming in here. The building is not closed,”  Crousore said.

Sports teams will continue to practice and compete. At the direction of the MCPHD, only family members will be able to attend games. 

“Athletics will continue. The games will happen. Crowds will not, but the games will happen. We will stay with our safety protocols and take the guidance for athletics through the IHSAA and the Marion County Public Health Department. We have been very fortunate in what we’ve done with athletics, and we’ll continue to help our students be able to compete and have a release during this very difficult time,” Crousore said.

LN has been doing virtual learning through the hybrid model all semester, which has helped students and staff prepare to move to all virtual learning. In addition, students and staff have participated in two all virtual synchronous learning days, which were similar to how learning will look going forward.

“I do feel like we are prepared for this. We have systems in place. We’ve been doing the synchronous learning throughout, which puts us ahead of a lot of districts,” Crousore said.

For more information and additional updates from the district, please visit http://www.ltschools.org/covid-19.