Fall '21 Campus Plans Regarding COVID-19 (7.30.21)

Dr. Steve Horton
Dear Eagle Faculty, Students, and Parents:

Here we are again!  As a state, we move forward three steps, and then back 14.  The variants of the COVID-19 virus are affecting a large majority of the state, and as of right now, all eyes are on Louisiana and how we plan to move through the next few days. 

With that being said, here’s where we are at LSMSA:

  • We WILL BE RETURNING the entire student body to campus beginning on August 13. The final touch ups are being completed in the Living Learning Commons (LLC), our residential life staff members have moved into their apartments, Nurse Mary has moved her offices, and Ms. Regina is setting up her new administrative office on the lobby level.  You will be hearing details from Residential Life regarding move-in, signups, protocols, parking, etc., as we get closer to the August 13 date.
  • As of Monday, per CDC recommendations, we have reinstated the mask mandate for everyone—faculty, staff, students, and visitors.  This mandate affects ALL INDOOR areas on the LSMSA campus.  We will continue to encourage social distancing guidelines throughout the campus.  Our housekeeping staff are all focused on sanitizing our buildings, and Mr. Henry and his staff are making sure all HVAC systems are operating efficiently to provide the best filtration opportunities possible.
In terms of the LLC, this mandate will impact all COMMON areas.  Students will determine what they consider best practice for their own four-person suites, as they will be considered “family units.”  Though we will encourage masking, it is impossible for us to enforce a mask mandate behind closed doors and not violate student privacy.  Our student body was very compliant with the orders in place this spring, and I would expect nothing less this fall. However, it is going to be very important that students respect each others’ positions, whether pro or con.  Outside of the mask mandate that we have enacted on campus, there are no other state or federal mandates or recommendations that are legally binding. 

  • In the next few days, we will communicate guidelines for reporting of symptoms and how we will handle any types of outbreaks. All of these will be made available on the School’s web page.  We are working closely with the Louisiana Department of Health, the Louisiana Department of Education, Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, Natchitoches Parish School District, and Northwestern State University to streamline our protocols so that our local health providers can offer the most efficient, proactive services to our community.

  • Our reopening plan does not include a virtual platform/option.  Should students be required to quarantine or go home due to being infected, our traditional support policies will be in place, and faculty will accommodate student needs during these periods, just as they have done over the past 38 years.

  • We will be very careful to limit the size of campus gatherings to the extent that is possible.  I will be in communication with families and students regarding the Matriculation Ceremony as we progress through the month.
This morning we made available on the School’s website our reopening plan, which includes several FAQ’s that we believe will answer a majority of your questions.  Feel to visit the link by visiting this site:  https://www.lsmsa.edu/covid

Thank you for being so supportive these past 18 months.  This has been a terribly difficult time for our students, and we feel that we owe our students due diligence to pursue a return to campus under controlled conditions.  Please know, nevertheless, should the state revert back to the phase system with more stringent restrictions, or if LSMSA, Natchitoches Parish Schools, or Northwestern State University determine a full closure is necessary, we will follow suit and return to modified, virtual instruction.  At this date, however, we expect to maintain a fully open, fully traditional academic and residential experience for our students. 

In the meantime, we strongly support your considering allowing your child to be vaccinated if they meet the minimum qualifications.  We will continue to encourage distancing, sanitation, and cleanliness.  On your end, please help your child make these same preparations.  By law, we cannot require vaccinations (for faculty, staff, and students), and since HIPPA laws restrict the conditions under which we can inquire as to a student’s vaccination status, we are imposing as many protective standards as possible to keep ALL OF US safe and well.

As the days progress and more information becomes available, we will continually be in touch with all of you so that you remain as informed as we are.

My best to all of you,

Steven G. Horton, Ph.D.
Executive Director
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Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) is the preeminent state-supported residential high school with competitive admissions for Louisiana's high-achieving, highly-motivated sophomores, juniors, and seniors. As a public school, there is no tuition to attend, and assistance from the LSMSA Foundation ensures the program is available to all qualifying students regardless of family financial need.
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