THE TUESDAY NOTE // March 10th, 2020

Photo by Silver Morningstar

COVID-19: Updates and Information

Dear Berkwood Hedge School Community, I hope this finds you and your loved ones healthy and well. Many of you have had questions about our plan as we navigate the ever-changing COVID-19 situation. Rather than try to address them individually, we are dedicating today's Tuesday Note to answering your questions to the best of our ability. I want to reiterate that Berkwood Hedge School will follow the Center for Disease Control, California Department of Public Health, and local health department recommendations for school closures and level of risk. We will not be guided by fear, but reason and facts . CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SCHOOLS According to California Department of Public Health, as of this morning, general school closures are not recommended. Current guidance indicates that it is better for elementary school communities to remain open as long as possible. Elementary school age children are an extremely low-risk group, and school closures mean that parents who provide health and emergency services will need to stay home with their children, creating gaps in critical service. Closing schools is an extreme measure, to be undertaken with input and advice from local, state, and federal public health officials. Our intention is to remain open as long as possible. In the event that we do close for a period of time, our intention is for instruction to continue via a combination of online platforms, virtual meetings, and project-based activities. More information is below.   CURRENT RISK LEVEL AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU Included below you will find our draft Response Plan, organized by risk level. This plan is a living document that will be reviewed daily and updated to reflect new information and recommendations by public health authorities. Berkwood Hedge School will follow the Center for Disease Control, California Department of Public Health, and local health department recommendations for school closures and level of risk. We are currently at Risk Level 2. This means that the campus is open to Berkwood Hedge School students, faculty and staff, and families only. All other visitors are by appointment only and will be admitted to campus only after answering some basic exposure screening questions. We recommend that volunteers who are in at-risk groups suspend their participation for now. These groups include: men over 50, anyone over 65, and individuals with pre-existing conditions identified by public health authorities. We will also be canceling or modifying community gatherings until further notice, in accordance with recommendations regarding social distancing. More information is below.   TRAVEL AND EXPOSURE While we witness the first confirmed cases in the Bay Area, and the situation is ever-changing, we would like you to think carefully about non-essential travel to geographic areas with widespread or sustained community transmission of COVID-19, at  Level 3 according to the CDC (not the same as our Risk Levels) . If you know you have been exposed to someone who tested positive to COVID-19 or has visited an area identified by the CDC at Level 3 or higher, we ask that you notify the school immediately and follow  CDC guidelines  for self-quarantine. Please also know that Level 2 areas may change to Level 3 unexpectedly. Remember that your actions have an impact on our whole community; we rely on clear and timely communication to keep our community safe. KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE Please continue to follow the recommended protocols for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses. ▪  Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care. ▪  Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve, then throw the tissue in the trash. ▪  Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. ▪  Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. ▪  Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects daily. ▪  Minimize close contact (e.g., recommending no hand shaking or hugging) ▪  Notify the school immediately if you are exposed to or diagnosed with COVID-19 You may find this information helpful, as well.

Reliable Information and Resources: ·        City of Berkeley COVID-19 webpage : trustworthy information and the latest from the City of Berkeley -       To receive communications from the City of Berkeley as they are released subscribe  HERE . ·         Alameda County Public Health Department COVID-19 webpage ·        California Department of Public Health COVID-19 ·        Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 There are many unknowns surrounding this rapidly evolving situation and we thank you for your patience and partnership as we navigate it together. Though the uncertainty about how severe this virus will be and who this will impact creates fear and stress for many, let us stay grounded in facts, and hope for the health and wellness of our many local and global communities. Together, we can keep each other safe. In Partnership,  Love

Community Event Updates

One method to slow the spread of respiratory virus infections, including COVID-19, is by reducing close contact. We are following the California Department of Health recommendation and rescheduling or modifying events where large numbers of people are within six feet of one another, or where more than 100 people will be in an enclosed space. Given the rapidly-changing information we are receiving, we will evaluate our events on a regular basis. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Here is the status of events planned for the next two weeks.

Community Meeting // Wednesday, March 11th and March 18th // MODIFIED Until further notice, Community Meeting will be limited to students and staff.

Diversity Committee Film Night // Wednesday, March 11th // POSTPONED  The Diversity Committee screening of GRIT will be postponed until a later date. Thank you to the Committee for their work on this event. We look forward to joining everyone for a screening and discussion later in the year.

Author Visit // Thursday, March 12 // MODIFIED The author visit by Scott Ostler will be limited to students and staff. You may still order copies of Bouncing Back. Fill out the   book order form   by March 11th to order a signed copy of  Bouncing Back .  Here is   more information   about the authors' process writing this book.

Parent Education Series: Kid Power // Thursday, March 19 // POSTPONED We look forward to offering this important and informative workshop later in the year.

Field Trips // Ongoing // CASE-BY-CASE Field trips will proceed as scheduled whenever possible. We will determine whether or not to proceed with a field trip based on factors including, but not limited to: the location of the field trip, the nature of the outing and the method of transportation. Your classroom teachers will contact you with more information about the status of specific field trips.

Program Delivery

Currently, impact on our program delivery is minimal. Consultation and homework is provided to students who stay home sick and instrucion continues as usual. We expect to continue with normal program delivery until such time as we may decide, in consultation with local public health authorities, that closing the school is necessary. Teachers are preparing an alternative program that best aligns with our pedagogy. We have identified quality online curricula in core subjects, teachers are preparing lesson plans that may be delivered virtually, and all school staff will be trained in the use of Google Classroom this week. If you do not yet have a DreamBox account, we recommend that you set one up now. It is our intention that we will continue to provide an excellent program in the event of necessary school closure. More information will be forthcoming. 

Teach With Africa Update

Thank you for welcoming our  Teach With Africa  intern, Bakang Mputle, so warmly. I hope you have had a chance to connect with him this past week. I have received word from  Teach With Africa  that, in light of the developing situation with COVID-19, this year’s internship program will be limited to two weeks. Bakang will be with us until the end of the week, and will return home to South Africa on Friday, March 13. Teach With Africa  takes very seriously their responsibility to do their part to keep their partner schools, their host families, and their interns safe. We appreciate their proactive decision and the opportunity to make the most of our remaining time with Bakang. I thank you all for your flexibility during a challenging time, and for your generosity of spirit and support for one another and for our school.

Draft Response Plan

This plan is a living document that will be reviewed daily and updated to reflect new information and recommendations by public health authorities. Berkwood Hedge School will follow the Center for Disease Control, California Department of Public Health, and local health department recommendations for school closures and level of risk. The following are attempts to create risk levels in the absence of local closures and quarantines. We are currently at Risk Level 2. Please note that the image below is not the full plan . Click on the image or the link above to view or print the plan.

CALENDAR

MARCH Wednesday 3/11 // POSTPONED Diversity Committee Film Night Thursday, March 19 // POSTPONED  Parent Education Series: Kid Power Thursday 3/26 // TBD 31st Annual Science Fair

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Our Message Berkwood Hedge School is K-5 by choice because we believe that now, more than ever, we must preserve childhood. Every day we cultivate kids’ natural creativity and intellectual curiosity through our compassionate guidance and expertise, within an environment just right for their age, emotions, and needs. When we help kids grow into their unique selves without growing up too quickly, they develop clarity and conviction for the future, yet still enjoy being kids today.

Berkwood Hedge School 1809 Bancroft Way Berkeley, CA 94703 Phone: (510) 883-6990 ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌