August 7, 2020
Topic: PLEASE READ: CHANGE TO REOPENING PLAN
Dear Prince Families:
As we stand on the cusp of school year 2020/21, we are excited to welcome all our students back to Prince! The energy and fellowship demonstrated by the faculty and staff this week during preplanning were refreshing and exciting. The teachers are ready to go! As we have discussed, PACS’ Campus Reopening Plan contains policies and procedures based on CDC guidelines; it provides a clear “starting point” from which to begin our journey. As the environment around us continues to change, we will carefully and systematically evaluate and implement changes necessary to ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff. This remains our number one priority.
To ensure best practices are continuously employed, rational change is often required, regardless of profession or industry. Because of the changing environmental conditions around and within our school, we are making a change to our Campus Reopening Plan that incorporates the use of face coverings based upon a tiered approach.
This week during preplanning, we had one teacher who was feeling symptomatic with COVID-19 while at home, and so she was tested; the test was positive. Our Reopening Plan’s Contact Tracing protocols were followed resulting in the quarantining of other teachers who were exposed. While the other teachers are NOT experiencing any symptoms, they will be quarantined for fourteen days based upon our reopening plan and CDC guidelines. Since the quarantine period of the exposed teachers has already started, we will be leveraging technology to live stream the quarantined teachers into their classrooms for the first seven days of instruction. Our live streaming teachers will partner with substitute teachers in their classrooms to work with their students. This experience has caused us to reevaluate and change our policy on face coverings and implement a tiered system starting the first day of school.
FACE COVERINGS
We will require face coverings for all students (K4-12), faculty, staff, and parent visitors during the first week of school. The level of face covering use thereafter will be reevaluated and adjusted as needed. Please take a moment to review the details below.
Approved face coverings include two-layer cloth masks, disposable masks, or neck gaiters. Face coverings may be solid in color or patterned, but they cannot contain any “messaging” (social/political statements, etcetera). Students should bring two (2) face coverings each day. One should remain around their neck, and one should stay in their backpack. The school store carries cloth “PACS” face coverings. Students in chorus and foreign language classes will have by name individually issued face shields that will be used (and remain) in those classrooms.
In the future, the extent to which face coverings will be worn depends on which level of PACS’ safety plan is in effect.
Level I
No face coverings
Level 2
Face coverings when social distancing is not possible (arrival and departure from school, in hallways between classes, restrooms, library, front office, etcetera).
Level 3
Level two plus face coverings will be worn inside all classrooms (face coverings are worn all day).
K4 & Kindergarten Students
Consistent with practices employed with young learners, the following modifications are in effect for students in prekindergarten and kindergarten:
Level I: No face coverings
Level 2: Face coverings when social distancing is not possible (arrival and departure from school, in hallways between classes, restrooms, library, front office, etcetera).
Level 3: Students will wear face coverings during instructional time “when feasible” and “with periodic breaks” that are age-appropriate. The use of masks in the classroom for young learners will be “more relaxed.”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Regardless of grade level, we will begin the first week of school at “Level Three,” which requires face coverings throughout the school day, including in class. Students will be given “face-covering breaks” throughout the day as we know this will be challenging for many of them.
Some parents and students will welcome this policy, and others will not. But we must all remember the bigger goal: we want students back in school and to remain in school. We know this is best for students emotionally, socially, academically, and in our case, spiritually. We have two large public-school systems in our service area that have already decided to revert to distance learning due to outbreaks. With our school’s moderate size, the detailed planning and resources we have invested, and the quality of our students, faculty, and staff, I am confident we can keep our school open through our collective teamwork.
Thank you for your continued investment to provide a Christ-centered education in what will likely be a challenging school year, but our faculty and staff are ready for this challenge! God often does amazing things in our lives and the lives of our children, even during challenging times. I encourage you to rest in the words of John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” We are moving forward with caution, but we are not afraid.
With warm regards and in His service,
