Dear Parents and Guardians,
After the 4th week of school the opening paragraph of my weekly letters have become formulaic:
- No COVID-19 transmissions at Trinity.
- Thank you for keeping your Blazer safe!
- You staying safe keeps us all safe!
Every week as I begin to type this, I get that foreboding feeling that I'm going to jinx us, so I'm going to start using the "no news is good news" approach. If there are any COVID transmissions at Trinity, we will tell you. If you hear nothing, there is nothing to tell.
With such success, the school administration has begun to look ahead to the second block. We have weighed several alternatives, from all-remote to all in-person. For a variety of reasons, we have opted to stay the course. Second block will be the same 4-day per week schedule, with a remote day for all on Wednesday to enable community gatherings of greater than 50.
We do intend to monitor, count, and when required, report our COVID exposures and/or cases to the Cook County Department of Public Health, and will follow our plan for threshold numbers for closing. (This can be found in the Reopening Plan, HERE).
With flu season starting at the same time as block two, we understand that our optimism may prove futile. One of the biggest challenges is keeping our promise to limit outsiders in the building. Presently, every classroom substitute needed is being covered by a current faculty or staff member who is trained and compliant with our protocols. Should a critical mass of Trinity employees become ill (COVID or otherwise), and we cannot maintain a student-adult ratio conducive to best practices, we may have to close for a limited time. Fortunately, all indications point to a very light flu season, as we all continue to be vigilant about virus prevention practices like hand-washing. Yet we know we cannot be complacent. If getting your student a flu shot is on your to-do list, please do so sooner rather than later.
We have begun to work on the classroom assignments for the second block, unburdened from the need for air conditioning it is a bit easier, but we need your help!
If you intend to change your student's learning program from at-home to in-person (or vice-versa) you must notify Dean Carey via email no later than Friday, September 25.
COVID isn't the only thing going on at Trinity! In keeping with our commitment to actively promote Diversity and Inclusion, many of you know that we have a Black Alumnae Alliance that has been advising us on critical matters. Attached to this email is an introductory letter from the Black Alumnae Alliance. This organization is not exclusively for Black alumnae, but it is an alliance of individuals who want to make the Trinity experience more diverse and inclusive to the benefit of all Blazers. Parents are warmly invited to join the first informational Zoom meeting on September 29 to hear more about this organization. Details can be found below.
Lastly today, I would like to thank all of you who have taken the time to thank, recognize and encourage our faculty and staff. So often we (and I do it too) only tell people when something is going wrong. It is heartwarming that the extra effort that they have put into this year is not going unnoticed. Our dedicated faculty and staff are here in spite of the difficulties because they are committed to the mission of empowering these Blazers, your children. No matter how many times I thank them, hearing from you, or from their students makes an enormous difference, so thank you for taking the time!
As always, I thank you for the sacrifices you make to send your child to Trinity.
