Public High School Students in Lincoln to Start Year on Staggered Schedule

July 29, 2020, 12:20 p.m. ·

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Public high school students in Lincoln will start the new semester on a staggered schedule that will help reduce campus capacity by 50-percent. The decision comes after district officials consulted with local health officials about increasing new cases of coronavirus in Lincoln and Lancaster County.

“With most of our high schools over their enrollment capacity and seeing the increasing spread among this age group as they continue their summer activities, we believe it is prudent to take this step with the hope that our schools and community can take action to drive down the incidents of spread in the community,” LPS Superintendent Dr. Steve Joel said.

High school students will attend in-person classes at least two times a week and three times a week twice a month based on the first letter of their last names. Students who aren’t in-person will still be required to attend classes remotely.

“You will continue to receive live instruction via Zoom,” Associate Superintendent of Instruction Matt Larson said. “You will Zoom into your classroom. We’re providing new instruction every day of the week. Teachers are simply teaching the students who are in their class. The students who are home have the opportunity to observe that instruction.”

District officials will reevaluate the schedule as the coronavirus situation in Lincoln and Lancaster County evolves. Classes for elementary and middle school students will be all in-person when the school year begins August 12th.