Coronavirus Update
Dear Parents and Students,
At last we are being permitted to reopen for full in-person learning. We have made our application for all grade levels to return to school after the spring break –April 1, 2021. This means we will have a complete quarter of instruction before the end of the school year. We have taken all the precautions necessary for us to re-open with plans for disinfecting the school, requiring masks and providing plexiglass shields where requested. We will educate our students on proper distancing requirements and the specific requirements for lunchtime eating and playing.
Because we respect your responsibilities as parents with regards to the safety of your child, you may choose to keep your student at home and continue to learn remotely by Zoom. However, this is not freedom to choose which days to come to school or stay home - it is either/or. Make the decision before March 25 and let us know by way of e-mail or Jupiter message if you intend to keep your student home for the quarter. Otherwise I will presume the student is coming to school each day. Our faculty and staff have been encouraged (but not mandated) to be vaccinated and almost all will have accomplished this before they return.
All rules and regulations pertaining to COVID-related behaviors at school are now on our website under the COVID-19 tab. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions or concerns. Essentially we will be adopting best practices from other schools. In order to keep our groups separate and apart (“Stable groups”) we will divide the campus into Middle/High school and Elementary school. Each group will have dedicated classrooms and restrooms and different cafeteria schedules. Food will be available but served individually to each student (i.e. no shared pizza!). We have an outside dining area (under cover) for students to eat outside if they wish.
All parents and students will be asked to verify that they have completed the COVID pre-check each morning before signing in and having temperature scanned. The procedures for dealing with students who appear ill are on our website. Parents should not enter the school unless meeting by appointment, wearing a mask and being temperature checked. Parents are asked to drive through and drop off/pick up as quickly as possible. Please do not hold up the line. So, if a student is not ready for you, please pull over and park out of the driving lane until the student shows up. High school and middle school students enter by Santa Anita reception area. Elementary students enter by Rolyn St. (back) reception area.
The only thing that can disrupt our re-opening will be a huge surge in infections related to new strains of COVID. We will abide by LA Co. Health Department (LACDPH) guidelines. Please see the “waiver of lawsuit/liability” on our COVID tab. Please print it, sign it, and send it to school with your returning student. We need to demonstrate that we have fully explained returning requirement with all parents and students and you accept any risks involved.
I look forward to seeing our students (and you the parents) again!
Be safe and stay well.
Sincerely,
Philip Clarke
Principal
March 19, 2021