Washington COVID-19 Numbers
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20,033 confirmed cases, 1054 deaths.
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CARES Act Emergency Funds blocked for WA private schools
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, intended to support schools’ recovery from the current pandemic, will not reach most of the private schools. WFIS heard that the Office for the Superintendent of Public Instruction will not be following the guidelines for disbursement of the federal relief funds, and thus is denying most private schools, unless designated Title I, any access to support.
WFIS will continue to work with Superintendent Chris Reykdal to see if there might be a more equitable and supportive way to understand the current Cares Act Law.
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WA State Approval for Private Schools
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At the May 13 State Board of Education meeting, private schools that completed their re-approval / approval application by the April 15th deadline were
approved for the 2020-21 academic year
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In the coming weeks, SBE will be working on potential scenarios related to required days / hours / graduation credits that may be affected by the virus next year.
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As schools are looking for ways to honor and elevate their students, the State Board of Ed is excited to help share in the celebration on social media. Tag
@wa_sbe
and they will help spread your messages.
Schools need to know how to best support their seniors so the Department of Health has provided these
graduation guidelines.
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Updating Employee Contracts
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Private school leaders have many questions about employee contracts and how to handle human resources in the Covid-19 crisis.
Fisher Phillips has a
webpage
full of information for schools.
Here is a link to their HR Considerations
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Engaging with your local ESD
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Strengthening relations between independent schools and all 9 ESDs will benefit your school and private education in WA State. Not only do the ESDs provide a hub for training and resources, but they offer a venue for public and private schools to collaborate on strategies most relevant to your locality.
WFIS has engaged various personnel and administrators at each of the ESDs asking them to reach out to private school leadership and include you in decision making about school health & safety planning.
Hopefully the silver lining of social distancing is an increased respect for the interconnectedness we all share.
When invited, please join the ESD conversations.
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Re-opening Schools in the Fall
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The CDC released Interim
Guidance for Schools & Day Camps that outlines a broad stroke planning as well as detailed considerations all programs will need to be working on to prepare for the reopening of their campus.
The 60-page
CDC guidance
has been streamlined by WFIS to help schools get started.
WFIS has established a work group of private school leaders to walk through scenarios and think deeply about how private schools might open in the fall. These conversations will inform our advocacy with Governor Inslee's Office and OSPI.
We will also be talking about reopening schools at our 2pm Friday calls.
We want your plans and your thoughts on this topic. Please share:
info@wfis.org
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Summer Camps
The American Camp Association released
this
field guide for camps t
hat gives detailed advice about all activities popular at camps.
This is an additional resource for your information, not additional regulation.
There are two statewide work-groups developing guidelines and strategies for providing summer camps, with COVID-19 restrictions in mind, to all age-levels. WFIS will relay decisions made at the State level asap.
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IMPACT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE for all school leaders
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Hosted by Cascade Christian Schools, the 2020 Impact Leadership Conference
will be an online forum at
No Cost
to private school educators.
June 23, 8:00 -10:00am PST via Zoom
Opening presentation
School Leaders in Crisis: Facing Personal and School Challenges
by Dr. Ken Friesen, Superintendent Cascade Christian
followed by r
ound-table conversations between school leaders and teachers at each school level
on
How are you doing school next year?
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Childcare Grant Opportunity through DCYF
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The DCYF Child Care
Development Block Grant’s through the CARES Act is available to any WA State licensed child care provider that is open and providing child care on the date of filing their grant application that intends to remain open through the end of July.
$6,500 for schools with capacity to 49;
$11,500 for schools with capacity 50-99;
$14,000 for schools with capacity 100-150+.
Funds can be spent on facility/space rent, personnel, utilities, health and safety/cleaning supplies and food.
Here is the link to the
DCYF Grant Portal
. After you log in, select the Child Care COVID-19 Grant tab. For questions about logging in, go to
DCYF
.
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Review of 2019 MMR ruling and every school's responsibility
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At today's Zoom Conversation for K12 Leaders,
Katherine Graff BSN, RN
School and Child Care Immunization Nurse Consultant at DOH provided an overview of the State Board of Health immunization WACs effective August 1, 2020 related to:
- Tdap change: Kids given Tdap before age 10 will now be required to have their Booster dose to enter 7th grade (was previously 6th grade). This should not be an issue for most students unless from another state.
- Immunization documentation changes: Impacts all students starting at a new school next fall. Does not impact students who are up to date with their immunizations who are staying at the same school.
- MYIR / CIS record: Schools are required to obtain from parents Certificate of Immunization Status document that is medically authorized. This can easily be printed from the States MYIR. This year's difference is that parents must supply a Medically Verified Record not just a form they sign with guesswork. This is due to the school ON OR BEFORE THE 1st Day of ATTENDANCE.
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OSPI 2020-2021 Clock Hour Application Reminder
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In case you missed it!
At the end of the application, you will receive an automatic confirmation.
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Invitation to join WFIS' Weekly Conversations
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Would you like to join the weekly conversations WFIS is hosting between K12 school leaders and / or the Early Learning programs? Details below:
WFIS Leadership Meeting, K12 - Fridays at 2pm
WFIS Early Ed Teachers and Administrators
- Thursday at Noon
Email
info@wfis.org with your request to be added to either weekly Zoom invitation.
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Questions? Keep them coming!
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Your questions and feedback guide the topics of our meetings with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; the State Board of Education; The Department of Children, Youth and Families; The Department of Health, Higher Education Officials; The Council for American Private Education; and many others.
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WA Federation of Independent Schools |
WFIS.org |253.912.5347
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