Notice to Parents

Thursday, May 28

by Superintendent Jorth

Dear Central Lyon Families & Staff,

I am writing to inform you of Central Lyon’s plans for high school softball and baseball; updates regarding summer activities; and to address questions regarding other return to learn programming.

8^th-12^th Grade Students Return to Baseball & Softball

Students who just completed 8^th, 9^th, 10^th, 11^th and 12^th grades and are interested in playing softball or baseball should make plans to attend a mandatory athlete and parent meeting this Sunday, May 31. Coach Docker is requiring baseball players and one parent/guardian to attend the baseball meeting at 5:00 p.m. in the Central Lyon Auditorium. Coach Weiler will be hosting the softball meeting on Zoom beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Melissa Stillson, administrator of Health Services of Lyon County, along with representatives from Avera Sports Medicine will be on hand to discuss the measures Central Lyon student-athletes, families, and coaches must take to maintain the health and safety of everyone. It is important that as we continue to live with COVID-19, all of us must follow the mitigation strategies and social distancing recommendations outlined by public health officials.

Additionally, it is imperative that student-athletes are honest with our athletic training staff and respectful of the guidelines coaches and school administrators have drafted. While many of these are inconveniences, it is essential that everyone honor these parameters so the softball or baseball season does not have to be end prematurely due to a confirmed case of the virus.

Required, Recommended & Permissible Actions for Baseball & Softball Practice

Our team has drafted a series of requirements, recommendations, and permissible actions for practice, and a few of them are shared below, but we ask everyone to strictly adhere to the expectations that coaches ask of students and families.

Required

• Stay home if you’re not feeling well, and communicate with the coach before returning to practice
• Temperature checks and checking-in upon arrival
• Only athletes at practice – no visitors or observers, drop-off and pick-up non-driving athletes
• Dugouts will NOT be utilized during practice, athletes will keep their equipment in designated areas as assigned
• No spitting
• No possessing sunflower seeds
• Personal water bottles and/or drinks
• Coaches will sanitize shared equipment daily

Recommended

• Maintain a 6-foot distance between yourself and others
• Cover your cough and sneezes
• Avoid touching your face
• Athletes should provide their own equipment: gloves, helmets, and bats if possible
• Athletes should utilize their own hand sanitizer
• Hand sanitizer should be used between drills or rotations within drills
• Shared equipment should be sanitized during practice when feasible, follow drying-contact time

Permissible Actions

• Wearing cloth face coverings that are a solid color (avoid optic yellow and white)
• Indoor practices for baseball and softball may occur due to inclement weather, but only at 50% capacity
• Sharing equipment that has been properly sanitized and disinfected
• Student-athletes who just completed the 8^th grade will be allowed to participate

Again, this is just a sampling. More required, recommended, and permissible actions will be shared at the student-parent-coaches meetings on Sunday, May 31. And as we receive more guidance from the IGHSAU and IHSAA, Central Lyon will share more information about competitions and transportation.

Practice & Games NOT Allowed for Middle School

I must regretfully inform students and families who just finished 7^th grade that there will NOT be an opportunity for students to practice or play games as Central Lyon Lions. The school is willing to provide equipment, help interested parents in organizing teams of girls and boys, but are prohibited from providing a coach, organizing practices, and games. Please contact Athletic Director Dan Kruse, or me, if you have more questions about middle school softball or baseball.

Summer Band Lessons

A second phase of return to play includes summer band lessons.

• June 15: Noon to 6:00 p.m.
  • Students entering 5^th grade should have received a message from Mrs. Deutsch inviting them to sign-up for a fifteen (15) testing session to try-out three (3) instruments of their choice.

• June 15-26: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Current 5^th grade band students should have received a message from Mrs. Deutsch inviting them to sign-up for two (2) lessons. Please contact Mrs. Deutsch with further questions or if you have not received the email.
  • 6^th and 7^th grade band students should reach out to Mrs. Deutsch if they are interested in taking lessons during the same two-week time period.

• Wednesday, June 24 at 6:30 p.m.
  • Students entering 5^th grade – Central Lyon will host an instrument display night on Wednesday, June 24 in the high school gym.
  • Schmidt Music from Sioux Falls will present instruments for purchase and rental, and examine instruments that may be borrowed from others.

• August 3-14: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Students entering 5^th grade are asked to sign-up for two (2) lessons to begin their introduction to band.

Prom: Postponed

Unfortunately, Prom has been postponed until Thursday, July 16. Mr. Engleman and I are planning to convene a meeting of the Junior and Senior Class Officers to discuss options regarding Prom and all the associated activities. While we are committed to hosting the event, we want to make sure that we are maintaining the health and safety of students who would attend and staff who would chaperone the event.

Graduation: 3:00 p.m. on June 28

Plans for Graduation on Sunday, June 28, were given preliminary approval by public health officials. More details will be shared in the coming weeks.

Return to Learn & Summer School

At this time, we are considering options for summer school in July and August. As our state re-opens, we are monitoring the health of students, families and community members. Simultaneously, we’re drafting plans that will be submitted to the Iowa Department of Education (IDOE) by July 1. The IDOE has required schools to develop three plans for submission:

1. Onsite Learning: traditional face-to-face learning for students in Central Lyon school facilities,
2. Required Continuous Learning: distance learning where attendance, access and equity must be guaranteed, and
3. Hybrid Learning: which incorporates both elements of both on-site and distance learning for students.

Upon approval of our Return to Learn plans, I will confirm learning opportunities for summer school in July and August, as well as when students and families can plan for school to start in August. I hope to share these plans in the coming weeks.

For those families who have specific questions about anything of the items in this update, please reach out to your respective building principal, or me directly. I can be reached through email at bjorth@centrallyon.org or via phone at 712-472-2664.

Onward Lions,

Brent Jorth