Dear Parents,
 
I would like to thank you for your ongoing support of our efforts to continue to provide a safe, effective and healthy in-person learning environment. As always, the well-being of our students, staff and families is our foremost priority.

Given the alarming and exponential rise in the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the community, I’m sure you share our heightened concern for the health and safety of our students, staff and families. We are fortunate that we have not had a positive case identified within our building; however, with the local R-number now at 1.75, the local transmission rate has significantly increased the chances of a positive case occurring in the school. 

As a result of infections in the wider community, a significant number of our faculty and staff have been forced into mandatory quarantine. This sudden impact on our staffing has been further exacerbated by our effort to protect our teachers with vulnerabilities and pre-existing health conditions who require special consideration. These developments have, subsequently, impacted our ability to deliver the stable learning environment and sense of normalcy that is characteristic of our school and is much-needed during this time of uncertainty.

Further to these staffing concerns, we are also cognizant of the increasing number of families who are anxious for their children’s safety, and have chosen to keep them at home for this final week, in an effort to reduce the risk of exposure and avoid a potential 14-day quarantine/isolation during the holiday season, if there is an incident within the school.

Most importantly, as we continue to abide by the advice of the Department of Health, we must support their elevated efforts to stem the rising tide of infections, and heed their appeal for community cooperation.

In response to these challenges and in an effort to mitigate the risks and potential impact of a mandated 14-day quarantine (in the event of a positive case being confirmed within the school), we have revisited and reorganized instruction for the final week of this term as follows:

Subject to ongoing and evolving developments,
 
  • The secondary school (M1 – DP 2) will move to remote learning from Monday, December 14th through Friday, December 18th.   (Special in-school support will be provided for those students whose parents require supervised care during this remote period. Spaces are limited and priority will be given to students in the lower grades). Please contact Charlie Judd directly if your child requires on-campus supervision this week.

  • While In-school instruction for Primary students will continue in “reduced bubbles” through Friday, December 18th, we ask for parents who are able/prefer to keep their children at home to please do so, as this will further decrease the risks of exposure to families at this time. If you are able/prefer to keep your child/children at home within your household bubble, we ask that you please advise your Division Head, so he/she can arrange remote learning for your child.

Please know that we share your concern with the recent developments and this impact on in-class instruction; however, given the disturbing rate of local infections and elevated risks clearly communicated by the Department of Health, we are compelled to act.

If we are to preserve the health and well-being of our families, we urge you to continue to be vigilant, protect your bubbles, and practice the all too familiar health, hygiene and safety guidelines.

As always, we thank you for your ongoing support and trust that we will all be able to safely enjoy this special holiday season and welcome in the brand new year together!

Be well,

Carlos
 
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