Dear WES Families,
I hope your week has been going well. It’s been a pleasure to see so many faces on campus this week, and we look forward to settling into a strong rhythm with all of our students for the spring semester. I am writing to you today to share some important updates about on-campus COVID-19 testing and next week’s schedule.
Weekly Testing
Per our previous communications, we have moved to a weekly testing schedule for the winter. Since our testing sessions run for seven hours and temperatures have dropped considerably, we will be moving testing indoors for January and February out of respect for the Capital Diagnostics staff.
For this Saturday’s testing, we will use the gym as a testing site. We ask that families line up outside on the colonnade, and staff will alert you when it is your turn to enter the gym. When your family’s testing is completed, we ask that you exit promptly through the door by the gym parking lot. Signage will be present to make it clear.
We recognize that testing sessions offer a chance for families to catch up with one another; however, we ask that all conversations be held outside and follow appropriate physical distancing guidelines.
As a reminder, here is our testing schedule for the next two months:
Saturday, January 16, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Friday, January 22, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Friday, January 29, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Friday, February 5, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Friday, February 12, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Friday, February 19, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Friday, February 26, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Please note that this week’s testing will be on Saturday, due to Capital Diagnostics’ availability.
On-Site vs. At-Home Learning
If you have not already done so, please take this survey and let us know whether your children will be learning on site or at home for January and February.
Schedule for the Week of January 19
We are looking forward to welcoming our Elementary and Middle School students back to campus next week. However, tensions are running high after the attack on the Capitol last week, and some are concerned about potential unrest in the city as we draw closer to Inauguration Day.
We know that each day of on-site learning is precious, and we seek to prioritize on-campus instruction while also safeguarding the welfare of our community. At this time, we plan to offer on-site instruction next week as previously scheduled. However, we are monitoring the situation closely and will update you no later than Sunday evening if we feel we need to move to remote instruction for 1-2 days next week. If there are on-site learners who feel the need to learn virtually next week due to potential unrest in the city, please let your teacher and your division director know as soon as possible.
While many challenges remain, there is much for which to be grateful. Nurse Bailey received her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine last week, and Maryland educators are currently scheduled to be offered their first shot within the next several weeks. I am incredibly thankful for your perseverance and patience during the pandemic, and I look forward with hope to the future.
Sincerely,
