Pooled Testing for COVID-19 is Here at LFDCS!

Please read the Letter to Parents from the Superintendent about Pool Testing:  English  Spanish

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (“DESE”), in collaboration with the Department of Public Health (“DPH”), has introduced COVID-19 screening testing using a pooled strategy in K-12 public schools as an additional mitigation strategy. Pooled testing involves mixing several test samples together in a batch ("pool") and then testing the pooled sample with a PCR test for Covid-19. This strategy will help our school return to in-person learning from the current remote instruction mode.

How will pooled testing work?

• Weekly PCR test of all students and staff
• Quick turnaround on results (within 24 hours)
• We need a signed consent form from parent/guardian or staff member
• Click below for the consent forms

Consent form for staff

Additional information for staff

Consent form for students to be completed by parents/guardians

Additional information for parents/guardians

You can change the language of the form by clicking the language selection button at the top right corner of the webpage.

To translate this announcement in Spanish, please click on the Select Language button at the top right hand corner of this homepage and select Spanish.

March 12, 2021

Dear LFDCS Families,  

This week, the Commissioner of Education announced new regulations for schools in Massachusetts. Schools are expected to resume in-person learning while continuing to follow state and local guidance regarding COVID-19. In accordance with these regulations, LFDCS will begin bringing students back to school for a full, in-person model. 

• Students in Grades 2-4 will return on Monday, April 5
• Students in Grades 5-8 will return on Monday, April 26

Parents still have the option to choose whether to send their children to school in-person or have them learn remotely through the end of the school year. If you would like to choose remote learning for your child for the remainder of the school year, please click on this link for more information.The deadline to request remote learning for your child is Friday, March 19th.   If you do not respond to the Remote Learning Agreement online form, we will assume your child is joining us full time, in person Monday-Friday, beginning on the dates stated above.  There will be changes to the remote learning environment as teachers shift their focus to live instruction of the students. We will be issuing more details in the coming weeks to prepare you and your children for the return to school. We look forward to a safe and healthy return for students. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school.

Sincerely,

Hali Castleman

Head of Lower School

978-689-9863

Jennifer Barnhill

Head of Upper School

978-738-0609

To translate in Spanish, please click on the Select Language button at the top right hand corner of this homepage and select Spanish.

Please click here to view the lottery results for SY'2021-2022

Congratulations to all!

On Tuesday, February 23, 2021, the MA Commissioner of Education, Jeffrey C. Riley, recommended to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (“BESE”) and BESE approved the recommendation for Lawrence Family Development Charter School (“LFDCS”) to increase its maximum student enrollment from 800 to 1,000 students by SY'2029-2030.

By increasing enrollment, the school seeks to serve more Lawrence families and reduce the number of students placed on its waitlist. On average, the school has waitlisted 172 students for its 83 pre-kindergarten spots over the past three years. For the current school year, the school waitlisted 204 students for pre-kindergarten and 108 students for kindergarten. While an increase of 200 students will not address this issue in its entirety, it is a positive response to a community need. This is a controlled growth plan, so it will have minimal, if any, impact on the region and the city’s public schools. This plan includes the addition of 20 students in K-1, K-2 and grade 1 beginning in SY’2022-2023 (a total of 60 students) and the addition of 20 students per year at the K-1 level beginning in SY’2023-2024 and for the next six years until the maximum enrollment of 1,000 students has been reached in SY’2029-2030.

BESE recognized LFDCS’ strong performance as one of the reasons for approving its expansion request. In his recommendation memorandum, dated February 12, 2021, to BESE, Commissioner Riley stated, “In addition to demonstrating successful academic student performance, the Department assesses the organizational and financial viability of the charter school and its performance on various indicators such as attrition, attendance, retention and discipline rates.”