As we prepare to close down for the Christmas break, we are keenly aware that the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase in Orange County. Thankfully, our number of cases have been low, keeping our positive percentage at 1% or below. We are hoping and praying that we will return in the New Year with everyone well. However, as we learned from the Thanksgiving break, some exposure is possible. Should you choose to travel out of the state or country, we would ask that you self-quarantine for 10 days upon return and have your student learn virtually, to minimize the potential for transmission. We would like to prevent the quarantining of teachers and classrooms as much as possible. To best plan for the unknown, on Wednesday and Thursday, we sent the children home with their school books and materials for the week of January 4, 2021. This was only a precautionary measure to allow families to make the best decision for their children. At this time, we fully intend to return for hybrid instruction on Monday, January 4.
I have been asked many times if we will have to close the school. This will only be done in three cases: 5% or more of our student body/staff diagnosed with COVID-19, we have so many staff members with COVID-19 that we do not have enough staff to cover all the classrooms, or the Governor orders schools to be virtual only. Both of these scenarios are highly unlikely, and with our continued best practices, we can all work together to prevent it.
Here are some tips to help keep your families safe and healthy and school open in January:
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Wear masks whenever you are outside of your home;
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Wash your hands frequently;
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Limit contact with anyone outside of your home;
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If you travel out-of-state then quarantine for 10 days upon your return and transition your children to Virtual Learning.
When we all work together for the common good, we can enjoy a healthy and safe Christmas and return to school for a Happy New Year!
I want to extend my prayerful thanks to all of our families for your continued support as we journey through this school year. Your generosity and kindness are deeply appreciated, and I extend to you my prayerful wishes for you and yours to enjoy a blessed Christmas season.
Be safe and be hopeful,
