March 26, 2021

Dear CNG Community:

On behalf of our Board of Directors and Leadership Team, I would like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to all of our CNG stakeholder groups for the highly successful pilot project conducted these past two weeks. A total of 1,517 students from K4-12 opted-in for on-campus classes every day since March 15, and our teachers and support staff provided high-quality educational programs and services for both in-person as well as virtual modes. Our pilot project not only delivered enhanced learning programs in both modalities but also resulted in an extremely safe learning environment with NO quarantined homeroom classes or grade-level groups along with NO reported cases of internal virus transmission.

As some additional data points of importance, the outcomes in our random testing this week with a total of 135 students selected from every grade level K4-12 (with no siblings tested within the same families) resulted in ZERO positive cases using both saliva and nasal PCR tests. We also believe that our added mitigation measures of recommended double-masking and use of fans in all classroom spaces to increase airflow and ventilation strongly contributed to these outstanding results. In summary over the past two weeks with A&B groupings, we had several cases of flu-like symptoms among a few students and staff, but none resulted in positive test results. Additionally, we had one student and two staff members test positive due to virus exposure off-campus through other non-CNG adults in their households. All three cases were asymptomatic, and our biosecurity team conducted our routine contact-tracing analysis and took a few preventative quarantine decisions for several students and staff. In the end, our pilot project was a complete success in balancing health and safety along with high-quality teaching and learning.

Although we cannot predict the future in terms of positivity rates in Bogota or the impact of coronavirus variants in Colombia, CNG now has proven experience to provide the most appropriate and effective learning program that health circumstances allow across the three modalities of all-virtual, A/B rotating hybrid, and A+B groupings. Our entire team fully realizes the hard work and sacrifice from everyone in our community during these times and, as one of the first schools in Colombia and across Latin America to bring all students back on campus once conditions allowed it. We also know that our biosecurity protocols, committed faculty and staff, K4-12 students, and supportive parent community can lead the way in opening all school doors again to ensure quality learning for everyone. We have proven to ourselves and to everyone else that we are CNG strong!

In closing, I would like to highlight the fact that our situation in Bogota and Colombia remains highly fluid at this time related to the ongoing pandemic. Daily reports from our biosecurity consultant, Gressa, continue to show a current rise in positivity trend rates and newly reported cases. As a result, although we continue to request that all CNG staff and families return to the city by Sunday, April 4, our school leadership cannot make any determinations at this time on our dates and/or regimen for testing before our hybrid return. With that stated, please rest assured that all-virtual classes will begin again on Monday, April 5th, and we will inform you at that time on our projected testing times and the potential date for our return to on-campus learning. As always, we appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to monitor and evaluate multiple data points in order for our Board of Directors and top-management team to make the most informed decisions for the benefit and well-being of our students, staff, and community.

Our best wishes to everyone for a healthy, safe, and restful Easter Break.

Sincerely,

Dr. Eric H. Habegger
CNG Director