Health & Safety Update
Dear EBI Community,

We want to reassure you that our team is working tirelessly day and night to monitor the evolution of the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. We participate in all relevant webinars and are in ongoing communications with over 90 Heads of School and Leadership teams from the Bay Area and the entire state. We also continue to consult with multiple resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Alameda County Public Health Department (Alameda County PHD), and other expert sources, and thoughtfully consider the invaluable feedback we receive from you, our families. Please know that we take this situation very seriously and are carefully and thoughtfully making informed decisions, and remain diligent in our own precautions and preparations. 

Alameda County PHD is not recommending closing schools at this time. We do not take the decision to close school lightly, and we are intentional in balancing the safety of our students, families, faculty, and staff with the burden of care that will fall on the shoulders of our families. Please know that any decision to close the school in the future, if not otherwise mandated, will always be made to err on the side of caution to ensure the safety and health of our community members. As previously shared, in the case of a school closure, our faculty and staff are prepared to ensure a continued learning experience. All plans and expectations will be communicated directly by Division Heads who are working closely with our faculty and staff.

Abundance of Precaution
Please know that we currently do not have a confirmed case of COVID-19 in our school . In the spirit of continuous transparency and prompt communication, we wanted to inform you that we have instructed one of our contracted tutors, who supports our fifth grade math program, to remain away from our campus for 14 days out of an abundance of caution. This is what we know: 
  • The father of the tutor’s partner has experienced flu-like symptoms after having had domestic travel.
  • The father, who is a doctor, requested a coronavirus test. 
  • The results of the test will not be known for a week.
  • The tutor has not had personal contact with the partner’s father (only the partner has).
  • The last time the tutor was on campus was Friday, March 6, prior to the partner’s father returning from travel and experiencing flu-like symptoms.
  • The tutor and the partner are currently asymptomatic.  

Additional Measures
After much careful thought and consideration, our coronavirus response team has decided that, in light of the constantly evolving situation regarding coronavirus, and today’s news from the World Health Organization, it is prudent to take additional measures to protect the health of our community. We continue to assess our current situation and have decided to postpone or cancel the following activities for the next 14 days (March 12-27)*:
  • All field trips
  • All non-essential activities e.g. assemblies, concerts in the courtyard, nature walks around campus, etc. 
  • Outside community events e.g. Spanish Storytime and 4H Program meetings
  • EBI Talent show (this will be rescheduled to a date TBD)

*The last activity that we will have for this period of time will be the unveiling of the 8th grade mural tomorrow at 8:15 am.

We are continually monitoring and evaluating our plans. If we do cancel any other events or school activities, we will communicate with you as soon as possible.

We have also decided to reschedule our Gala & Auction on April 4. We are working on an alternate date and will send additional communications in the days that follow. 

Our response team is currently reviewing additional measures and precautions that will be communicated and implemented this week. We understand that this is an uncertain and unsettling time for everyone. Rest assured that the health of our community is our highest priority.

Thank you for your valuable feedback and questions. Since we are receiving an unusually high number of emails, we would like to respectfully request your patience as it may take us a little longer than usual to reply.  

We are deeply grateful for your continued understanding, support, and partnership.

Con gran aprecio,

Paola V. Clark, Ed.D.