James 4:8, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.  Wash your hands…”
 
This is the fourth RCS update regarding COVID-19. We share your concerns and are praying, asking God to direct the world-community to come together in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. 
 
General Update/ACPHD Recommendation
RCS continues to closely monitor what the World Health Organization now considers a global pandemic . The purpose of this update is to help educate the RCS family regarding these rapidly changing events. Currently, I am unaware of any RCS student or staff having contracted COVID-19.
  
This afternoon, I participated in the Alameda County Education Community conference call with Dr. Pan, the Health Officer at ACPHD. As of this email, neither the CDC nor ACPHD have recommended that schools in our community close and move to distance learning. Dr. Pan directed us to the ACPHD recommendations that schools only close if there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 on the school site. Based upon the ACPHD recommendations, RCS is still classified as a "Scenario I: Measures already underway to prevent the spread of COVID-19." RCS is listening to the guidance of our local and national medical experts in determining whether RCS will transition from traditional school to online distance learning. 

In Case of School-Closure: Distance Learning 
RCS is working on implementing an online distance learning plan should the RCS Board of Directors determine the need to close school or for a government agency to announce that schools need to close. If this plan is implemented, RCS families will be notified via email, on Facebook, and it will be posted on the RCS website. Should the online distance learning plan need to be initiated, please note that there will be no online distance learning for the first two days to provide the faculty time to transition curriculum from classroom to online distance instruction. All necessary information for distant learning procedures will be sent, including the necessary tutorials, to parents and students. 
 
RCS Preparedness Plan & Resource Web Page
To provide educational resources and the RCS Preparedness Plan for COVID-19, we have a new webpage for your easy reference. Please bookmark THIS PAGE to access this information at any time and/or to access the most recent communication. This will not replace update emails, rather serve as a place for the RCS community to access communication in-between emails.

Nonessential Event Changes, Including Athletics
Each day, RCS administration has been evaluating each event and/or field trip to determine if it should take place, be rescheduled, or cancelled. RCS will avoid student activities in environments requiring close and contained proximity and will notify parents if an event is rescheduled or cancelled.  The following events are being cancelled for Friday, March 13, 2020:
  • MSHS College Tour
  • Christian Ministry Work Day
  • Puerto Rico Missions Team trip to La Iglesia de Dios Templo Olivar
 
RCS is aware of the current trend regarding the cancellation of college and professional sports and carefully considering whether to reschedule athletic events. RCS Director of Athletics, Mr. Cleveland, is in regular communication with our Bay Area Conference and North Coast Section leaders. Additional details regarding athletics will be forthcoming.