Dear Parents,
Thank you for returning all the paperwork for the COVID-19 testing. The turnaround time was “warp-speed.” The testing went well today overall. One snafu was that the lab accidentally sent the deep probe nasal swabs, not the promised shallow inner nostril swabs. Your children were champs!
COVID-19 Test Results
We hope to have the results by Friday or Saturday- but the lab is taking longer than the expected 48 hours. If there is a positive case in a class we will need to quarantine that class next week and switch to distance learning. Because many students have not been tested since October, we should not be surprised if a positive result does appear. Someone who may have been asymptomatic in early November could still trigger a positive result today.
While the school should get a bulk notification of all the results from today's testing, if your child has a positive result, as a backup, please notify us immediately.
Returning From Break
As we have seen an increase in cases this month and have the holidays upon us, we have decided to proceed into January cautiously. Our first week of school will start with distance learning for all (including optional time for ECE students), paired with testing for every student, teacher and staff member on January 5th. Details of the testing will be rolled out next week, but below are details for our return to school.
January 4th - Teacher Professional Development Day, No Classes
January 5th - No Classes - COVID-19 testing for all students, teachers and staff (held on campus).
We will share a SignUpGenius to allow parents flexibility in getting their children here to test between the hours of 9:30-4:00. If parents cannot bring their students to campus on the 5th for testing, they must get their student tested the week of the 4th and cannot return to school without a negative result.
K-8 students will have assignments to do on the 5th, but there will not be online classes that day.
January 6th-8th - Distance Learning
January 11th - Return to in-person learning provided we have test results.
Community Expectations
As we get into part two of the holidays it is a good time to reiterate our expectations of the community.
Wear a face covering and keep six feet of distance when encountering people outside of your household.
Avoid large gatherings and situations in which others are not practicing physical distancing and wearing masks.
Do not spend more than 15 minutes indoors with those outside your household who are unmasked and/or within a six-foot distance.
Specific Travel Guidance
As you know, the county is presently under a stay at home order, therefore we should not be traveling. If the order is lifted over the Winter break our expectations are still the same regarding out of state travel- or travel to areas of high infection within the state. If you travel your child will need to quarantine at home for two weeks (starting upon your return home). The same expectations apply to those who were not able to adhere to the overall expectations above.
If your child does need to quarantine, we will work to keep them caught up in class by having them zoom in and/or meeting with them at the end of the day to catch them up.
This community has been amazing in its adherence and partnership when it comes to all things COVID-19. Families have cancelled holiday plans, kept their kids home with simple runny noses, and been so appreciative of all the hard work the teachers have had to put in.
Thank you so much.
Warm regards,
David
