Returning to School – Dec 31 Update

Thursday, December 31, 2020

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year!  We hope everyone is having a good winter break and enjoying some important family time.  With school resuming in only a few days, we wanted to reach out to communicate our plans and protocols for the reopening of school.

The current surge in COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County is overwhelming. Two months ago, L.A. County experienced approximately 1,200 cases a day.  Over the last week the county has averaged well over 13,000 new cases each day, which led the county to adjust the current stay at home order yesterday.  These numbers are alarming and therefore, require everyone’s participation in keeping our community,  the students, the faculty and staff safe in order to reopen.

We recognize that you made individual choices for your family over break, some of which may have increased your risk of exposure.  Therefore, we want everyone to be aware of two important protocols for the reopening of school:

• Yesterday evening, the LA County Department of Health issued a revised stay at home order and a MANDATORY TRAVEL QUARANTINE for non-essential travel outside of Southern California.  This revised order is in full effect as it relates to our return to campus.  If your family has travelled outside of Los Angeles County and Southern California during this break (by any means – air, boat, car, train, etc…), you are required to quarantine for a minimum of 10 days (if you experience no symptoms) or 14 days (if you show any symptoms) prior to your return to campus.  The quarantine period begins on the day you return home.

WE ASK ALL FAMILIES TO HONOR THIS ORDER AND NOT ATTEMPT TO RETURN YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL NEXT WEEK IF YOU TRAVELLED AND YOUR QUARANTINE PERIOD HAS NOT LAPSED.  Please do not place all of us at unnecessary risk and likely cause us to close classes for the full quarantine period.

• WE ARE STRONGLY URGING ALL FAMILIES WHO HAVE TRAVELED OR BEEN IN ANY SITUATION WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF INCREASED EXPOSURE TO TEST THEIR CHILD PRIOR TO YOUR RETURN TO CAMPUS.  Please speak with your child’s pediatrician about testing options, as there are PCR tests that involve a cheek swab and are less invasive.  Please keep in mind that based on the current health order:

ECE and Kindergarten will return to in person learning on Wednesday, January 6th

1st – 5th Grade will learn virtually, on Zoom, for the entire week starting on Tuesday, January 5th through Friday January 8th. In-person learning will resume the week of January 11th, based on the current structure (ie: 1st and 2nd in person daily, 3rd grade Mon/Tues and 5th grade Wed/Thur).

With New Years Eve upon us, we are reminding our families to follow the current stay at home orders and make smart decisions about social distancing, masks, travel and to SIMPLY NOT GATHER WITH ANYONE outside of their homes.  We need your help to keep school safe and open!

A few additional and important reminders and requests:

• If over break anyone in your household has tested positive or was required to quarantine because of a suspected exposure we ask that you please let us know.  With any positive test, even over the break, we are mandated to ensure all quarantine protocols are followed and children have the proper medical clearance to return to school.
• If a family member has developed symptoms (or was exposed) and has not been tested yet, OR has been tested and is awaiting results, please let us know and remember, your child MUST BE KEPT AT HOME UNTIL YOU HAVE THESE RESULTS. If there is a positive test outcome in your household, this extra precaution may prevent us from having to quarantine entire classes.

We recognize how challenging this is and we appreciate your help. It is our primary objective to provide in person learning for our students, but we need your help.  This can only happen through our collective partnership and communal responsibility.

Happy New Year,

The Administration