Greetings WCCS Families,
Just over one week ago, I sent a video update regarding Covid. I am writing today with another update, and, again, a few requests.
In keeping with trends throughout the community and beyond, the current Covid-19 delta variant is rearing its head at WCCS. In the last week, we know of five WCCS students and two staff who have tested positive for Covid having been at school before symptoms arose and before they were aware of potential infection. Unfortunately, given that the majority of these cases were in elementary school, we have had to quarantine those classes. While I would love to say that this will be the only time this happen, I actually expect that we will need to utilize remote learning more frequently than desired in the next weeks and months. Please join me in praying for quick and complete recovery for those who have tested positive as well as those who are now in quarantine.
With this in mind, I am going to strongly recommend again that students (and faculty/staff) wear masks at school when indoors and in close proximity to others - at least until the current wave of the delta variant passes us by. I do need to note that mask-wearing does NOT affect the need to quarantine, but does lessen the spread of Covid-19 to others. I was speaking with a WCCS parent last week who wisely summarized this point by saying something like, "In these days, it is wise to simply presume that everyone you come in contact with has been exposed to Covid-19 and may be infected. And, given that, it just makes sense to mask up when in close contact."
Speaking of quarantining, it is very inconvenient. I know that. I had the opportunity to quarantine one time last year due to being a close contact with someone who was likely positive. I didn’t enjoy isolating in my home. I missed a few fairly important meetings. But, I was quarantining because there was the possibility that I was infected. We are asking our faculty/staff who may be close contacts (and who may need to quarantine) to REALLY quarantine. I would ask the same of our students who are in quarantine. I have a friend in another school who told me that they had to quarantine a number of high school students for several days only to show up at a local eatery at lunch to see a number of them all eating lunch together (when they were supposed to be keeping their distance from others). I am sure this would never happen here, but masking and really quarantining are ways in which we can love others well in the midst of these crazy times.
One last note that is fairly time-sensitive… we are very happy with our new lunch program and love that we can order up to the day before. However, we have also been reminded that the ones who order are the only ones who can cancel those orders as well. SO, if you order hot lunch for your kiddos and they are not at school, please be sure the cancel the day before (when possible) to avoid charges. The instructions as to how to order AND CANCEL lunches can be found on the Parent Resource page of our website.
In closing, I again ask you to please be in prayer for our school community.
Scott Dillon
Head of School
