A Community Update on COVID-19:

I apologize for the brevity of today's newsletter, but I am just returning from Severna Park after getting my daughter Annie and me tested for COVID-19. The night is late but I wanted to provide our entire community with an update on where we are during the (hopefully) last "push" and perhaps our hardest climb to the peak of the pandemic.

As the numbers rise locally and situations vary person by person and family to family, our school finds itself even more heavily reliant on the direction of the Kent County Health Department. This week, we have literally spoken to them every day and night this week. The majority of our energy and concern has focused on our Little Creek School.

On Monday evening after learning that a LC staff member and her son tested positive for COVID-19 with very mild symptoms, it became clear that we needed to temporarily close Little Creek. Our rationale for making this very difficult decision was that the majority of the school had been exposed either by being around either person for more than 15 minutes or through cross-contamination of bathrooms. It was our understanding that Toddler Room had not been exposed. However, with the rest of the teaching staff on leave, we did not have enough people to safely staff that room. It was our understanding on Monday night we would have to close Little Creek for a week; however, after an extensive discussion with the Health Department, we learned we would have to be closed until February 1, 2021.

Since the staff member and her son were diagnosed with COVID-19 late Monday evening, many families and staff members have gotten tested. Today we had 2 more children from the Toddler and "twos" classes test positive as well as 3 additional staff members. We learned that most likely our LC community was exposed to the virus because one of the staff members was unknowingly contagious and asymptomatic on Wednesday and Thursday of last week. On Friday night she had the chills, but really just thought she had a little cold after a long work week. Symptoms in our community vary from a stuffed up nose, runny nose, mild fever, headache to pneumonia and bronchitis.

Therefore, today we had to alert our Toddler Room families and staff that they were indeed exposed to the virus and now like everyone else, they will have to quarantine. It's so hard. I really struggle with the lack of definitive answers and no means to an end. My daughter who had subbed in the Toddler Room is one of the women who tested positive. Like everyone else, because she lives at home and is a close contact, my entire family will now need to quarantine. Despite my negative result, I also cannot come to school until I am cleared by the Health Department. This is our social responsibility and our duty to keep others safe.

Radcliffe Creek School is able to remain open. Any sibling or staff with a family member in LC has not been able to work or attend school on campus per a mandate from the Health Department. To our knowledge (at this moment in time), no one in "the big school" has been exposed as a result of the outbreak in Little Creek. Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to stay together on campus.

We appreciate everyone who has been so wonderfully supportive, pragmatic, and helpful as we work through ensuring the health and safety of our students. I deeply appreciate our families who have pivoted last minute to be able to stay at home with their children for an extended period of time. Thank you to everyone for their open communication with Melissa Saperstain the Director of Little Creek, to the Health Department, and to me.

Be well and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns,

All My Best,