Dear EBI Families,
As you might have seen in the news, an independent school in the North Bay canceled classes today out of an abundance of caution due to Coronavirus concerns. We want to reassure you that we take this situation very seriously and are being diligent in our own precautions and preparations.
According to School Officials, they don't have a confirmed case of Coronavirus and decided to close the school as a precautionary measure after learning that an individual affiliated with the school came into contact with someone who is confirmed to have the virus. They will resume classes tomorrow, Tuesday, March 3.
We wanted to share this story with you and assure you that we are not only continuing to monitor new developments globally, nationally, and locally, but we are continuously adjusting and developing our processes and protocols. As previously shared, we encourage you to:
- Continue with best practices as a family to avoid spreading any infection: cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when sneezing or coughing, wash your hands with soap and water often, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available
- Stay home if you are feeling sick (we ask you to refer to our family handbook for more details on managing student illness)
- Utilize, when on campus, along with our students, faculty, and staff the additional hand sanitizers and antibacterial wipes that are positioned at different touch points across both campuses
In addition to the above, we are:
- Investing in midday cleaning and disinfecting of high traffic shared, common spaces
- Maintaining nightly janitorial disinfecting and cleaning
- Continuously reminding employees of proper hygiene
- Identifying and interviewing additional third party sources for substitute teachers should we need additional resources
- Evaluating the impact that the Coronavirus could have on spring travel, upcoming school trips, and other non-typical school activities (we will communicate any needed changes as they are determined)
- Finalizing our homeschooling plan for grades PK-8 in the event of a school closure
The
CDC
still maintains that "for the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus at this time, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low. People in communities where ongoing community spread with the virus that causes COVID-19 has been reported are at elevated though still relatively low risk of exposure." We take the health and safety of our community very seriously, and we will continue communicating all changes and updates to our daily operations as needed.
We continue to be inspired by the care, concern and support from the entire community. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Warmly,
Paola V. Clark, Ed.D.
