Welcome Back!
I hope you all had a wonderful spring break. Certainly, students have shared great stories of their time travelling or just exploring local parks, playgrounds, and backyards during this early part of spring. The joy of getting back to school was wonderful for all of us!
Faculty and Staff Appreciation
I want to personally thank all of the PTO volunteers who made it such a special day today. The array of treats, the expression of joy, and the appreciation of all that we do for your children was enjoyed by all!! Our partnership as a whole community really shines during traditions like this and the beautiful plants, like our collaboration, will continue to bloom and grow!!
To all Faculty and Staff at school, my earnest thanks and appreciation for all that you do. Like parents and children, I'm particularly thoughtful on this day each year when I ponder all that you do every day to enrich and nurture young lives. I am so proud of all that you have accomplished, through adversity and always. Please accept my acknowledgement in this public forum of our collective awe and regard!!
Upcoming Changes for COVID Mitigation
Here's the current summary list that we will discuss tonight as well during Town Hall (recording available tomorrow as well).
- Questions on the Daily Survey will be changing this weekend and will be simplified. But, the importance of the daily survey needs to be reinforced as the best way of protecting us from an increased spread as we move into the endemic phase of this disease.
- Masks become optional starting on May 2nd and continuing only as a mitigation strategy if we have an outbreak in a grade level or cohort.
- We open further for cross-cohort access starting on May 2nd
- Primarily in common areas of hallways and spaces like the library and cafeteria.
- Begin transitioning back to a single Health Clinic located in the elementary hallways - open hallway in that area to Upper School access (starting on May 9).
- Relax seating and distancing limits - use facilities at an 80% capacity level
- Open access for parents attending outdoor events
- Indoor Events - all parents may attend under test-to-attend in one of the following ways:
- Testing here at school for the usual cost of 50 PLN on the day of the event
- Test from outside provider accepted if done within 24 hours of the event. Present documentation and you will be allowed entry.
- No testing is required for students, staff, and registered volunteers who are "green" on OK4School
- No testing will be required for individuals within 4 week grace period of their recovery
- Cafeteria increased open hours and expanded menu starting May 10. 8a to 4:00p
- Parent access to the central core - main entrance, hall of flags, cafeteria, PTO Store - limited to 8a to 10a M-F - starting on May 10.
- Health screening testing continues once per week - 25% of the school population each day, M/T/Th/F. (Next week, Tuesday shifts to Wednesday due to the Constitution Day holiday.)
- Temperature check at main entrance only for unbadged individuals or individuals not using OK4School
We'll talk about this more tonight, but we've only seen a limited impact from travel and the only cautionary point regards the number of cases we are seeing based on a family transmission that starts with parent infection. That is the one remaining factor that keeps us slightly cautious and requires a test-to-attend program for parents in the short term. We'll monitor this over the next week or two, but we believe this to be the prudent approach for the time being. If we can relax further, we will do so based on observed results.
Thanks, as always for your continuous feedback which is reviewed regularly. We are still working hard to find the right balance and be responsive to your hopes (ours too) while not going too far beyond the comfort level of our various stakeholder groups. I know most understand this and will allow us some space for incremental steps that are meant to keep our students and staff safe.