Upcoming Holidays – Travel Policy

Monday, November 23, 2020

Dear Parents,

I hope everyone is well and remaining safe.

As we enter the Thanksgiving holiday, followed by winter vacation, we all recognize how challenging the idea of staying away from extended family and friends can be. Unfortunately, the current numbers of Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations are concerning and it is paramount that as a community, we do everything we can to keep everyone safe.

I am therefore asking all of our families to reconsider whatever plans you have for the upcoming Thanksgiving and Winter break that involve travel and gatherings with those outside of your immediate family.  I recognize that the sacrifice I am asking is enormous, but not taking these measures risks our ability to keep our students, faculty and staff healthy and school safely open.

We are thrilled that we have been able to receive the waiver enabling us to bring back more students on a regular basis, but in order to keep this on track everyone must do their part!  For our elementary school families, we will be sharing additional plans and schedules for after Thanksgiving in the next day or so.

A few important reminders:

Drop off and Pick-up

• We want to remind all parents to please wear a mask during drop off and pick up in order to protect the staff helping children get in and out of your cars.
• PLEASE USE YOUR OWN PEN(S) for those who need to sign in and out.  Keep a few extras in your car right now.

Masks and Gatherings

• Always wear a mask in public settings.  
• Wear a mask not only with people you do not know, but with anyone you don’t live withincluding close friends and family.
• Keep your distance – especially from older family members and those with chronic health conditions.
• Do not gather indoors with people from outside your household.

Travel

• Travel increases your chance of getting and spreading the virus. We are therefore asking, in keeping with the guidance of the State of California and the CDC, (including students, faculty and staff) all members in our community who themselves travel by air (domestic or international), by train, or by ship, to self-quarantine for a 14-day period starting the day after returning from a trip and prior to returning to campus.

We know what we are requesting is hard and requires sacrifice, but we are doing so in order to do everything possible to keep our campus safe and open.  There is so much right now we can’t control.  So for right now I am asking us to take control of this moment, even though it is a big ask.

Below you will find the current guidance from the state and county, which we request that you take a few moments to review.

California Department of Public Health Guidance for the November Holidays

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Guidance for the Holidays

Colder Days and Rainy Season

As we enter into the colder and possibly rainy days/weeks ahead we wanted to make you aware of a pending change to our daily schedules.  So much of what has worked for us this year has been our ability to conduct a huge part of our days outside, and when indoors, to keep classroom doors and windows open to support ventilation.  However, we know that as it gets colder or when we have significant and consistent rain, being outside can become more challenging.

Therefore, should there be a day when it will not be possible for us to get the children outside at all, we will very likely call for a MINIMUM DAY for all students on campus. This means that you will pick up your children at 12:00 noon. They will not eat lunch nor nap at school, thereby minimizing extended close contact indoors. We hope to avoid the need for this, but it is imperative that we are able to keep the children outdoors as much as possible so they can have opportunities to have a mask break and to effectively social distance in the fresh air where it is safer. We will closely follow weather reports and do our best to give you advance notice the evening before so that you are able to plan.

Thank you for your support and patience as we navigate these uncharted waters.  I am grateful for you all and appreciative of your support, thoughtful questions and community engagement.

While this will indeed be a different Thanksgiving this year, I wish it to be one of health, happiness and safety for us all. We are a strong community and together we can ensure that our children have the opportunity to learn on campus as much as possible.

Thank you,

Yuri