Greetings Tubman Families,

We are stronger together! Earlier this week, CPS announced that starting on Monday, March 14, all schools and offices will move to a mask-optional model. CPS and the Tubman community still encourage the use of masks, and we strongly encourage anyone who feels more comfortable with a mask to continue wearing one.

We know that some of you are anxious about what school will look like for your children on Monday. Will they be teased if they choose — or need — to wear a mask? And if they choose not to wear one, will they be judged? We want to assure you that neither behavior will be tolerated in our classrooms. In our school community, there must be a culture of empathy and understanding where every person’s choice is respected and where our students know positivity and peace. Our staff works hard every day to promote that culture, and we will continue to do that, especially now. We have been a united community throughout the pandemic, and this shift to a mask-optional model will not change that.

Talking to Your Children About This Change

As parents and guardians, you are the primary educators of your children, and you will have a key role in guiding our students through this transition. Please take some time to talk to your kids about what to expect on Monday, and about how important it is that they be supportive of their peers, even if the choice those students are making differs from their own. We need our students to understand that what is right for one family might not be right for another, and that either choice should be met with kindness and respect.

Embracing Cautious Optimism

It’s true that masks will be optional as of Monday, but our other COVID-19 mitigations, including school-based testing, contact tracing, and our push for more vaccinations will stay firmly in place and will remain a top priority at school. In addition, masks will still be required in certain circumstances, including when students or staff are returning from learning or working at home due to exposure or a positive COVID-19 test.

Please know that whatever your decision about masks, we will do everything possible to ensure your child feels safe, supported, and valued during this upcoming transition. We thank you for your partnership and encourage you to stay in contact with me and your child’s teachers to help us understand how we can best meet their needs. 

Sincerely,

Principal Gibson and Assistant Principal Moore

Clarifying When Masks Will Still Be Required

Even though we are moving to a mask-optional model due to low transmission as defined by the CDC, there are several instances where masking will still be required in schools:

1. When performing clinical procedures that require the clinician to be within three feet of a student, both the staff member and student must wear a mask (unless made impossible by the specific procedure). 
2. For example, this situation may apply to school nurses, Care Room attendants, and providers of dental exams, eye exams, medical exams, immunizations, and hearing/vision screening. 
3. Note: Contracted,  licensed medical providers are governed by their hospital and/or health system’s policies, and as such, providers and patients are required to be masked for healthcare services. 
4. Anyone exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, including students who are sent to the Care Room, must wear a mask while waiting to be picked up.
5. Individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 and/or identified as close contacts must wear masks while indoors for 10 days following the date of exposure, regardless of their vaccination status. 
6. Individuals returning from a five-day period of working or learning from home due to a positive COVID test or exposure  will be required to wear a mask on days 6-10 in indoor settings. Those who are unable to wear a mask or have an existing mask exemption will be instructed to remain home through day 10.
7. At the direction of CDPH, groups of individuals  may be required to wear masks. 

We will also adhere to social distancing requirements, ensuring 6’ between individuals when possible. 

Should CDPH determine that community transmission is MODERATE or HIGH, CPS will revert to a Universal Masking policy, and all individuals will be required to wear masks again.

Greetings Harriet Tubman Elementary families,

Principal Gibson asked that I send a communication detailing opportunities for

engagement through our LSC committees. The descriptions of each LSC committee can be

found on the school website. The following are upcoming meetings for those committees. I'd personally like to encourage anyone wanting to be more involved in the school community to reach out to the committee heads (listed on the website) for more information. Our school needs your voices. Remember…..we are stronger together!

Tubman Inclusive Education Supporters

2nd Tuesday of each month @ 6:00 PM

Communications Committee

Thursday 3/17 @ 1:00 PM

Equity Committee

Thursday 3/17 @ 6:30 PM

Bulldog pride,

Tina Holder King

Harriet Tubman Elementary

LSC Chair

We are inviting CPS families to join us for a virtual forum to receive updates and provide feedback about the Moving Forward Together Framework that CPS has been implementing this year to help school communities address social and emotional needs and accelerate student learning in the wake of COVID-19. 

The feedback forums will be held on Zoom from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm on Tuesday, March 22nd and Thursday, March 24th.  To join, please register at bit.ly/MFT-RSVP 

We will provide American Sign Language interpretation and simultaneous Spanish translation. The webinar will also be livestreamed on the district's YouTube channel.

Important Dates & Upcoming Events:

• March 13: Daylight Saving Time start
• March 17: St. Patrick's Day - Feel free to wear green
• March 23: LSC Candidate Forum at 6:30 p.m. - Virtual
• March 31: Friends of Tubman (FOT) Meeting at 6:00 p.m.

• Shout out to our girls basketball team on their victory against Oscar Mayer.