COVID-19 update from Governor Brown and ODE, November 15, 2020
Dear Parents,
Thank you for your participation in our community meeting on Thursday. These gatherings are so valuable during this time and they support our work in educating your children under the current circumstances. Our students thrive when they experience the adults around them working together in their best interest. Indeed, we all thrive when we support one another.
As you may know, Governor Brown has announced a two-week freeze beginning Wednesday, November 18 until at least December 2 for the entire state. For Multnomah County, these restrictions will be effective for at least four weeks:
https://www.opb.org/article/2020/11/13/oregon-governor-kate-brown-covid-19-restrictions/
K-12 schools are not directly impacted by the freeze, but we will continue to follow our safety protocols. Keeping our cohorts intact, hand washing, wearing masks both outdoors and indoors at all times (except when eating or drinking), air flow/ventilation, physical distancing and isolation protocols are all extremely important for us to ensure the health and safety of everyone on campus during this time. Our teachers and staff are well-trained and now very experienced at following these protocols. We will continue to keep up with the latest guidelines, as we know that changes are expected regularly.
Already-scheduled limited-in person gatherings will continue, with any new gatherings not already scheduled to be held outdoors. High School Project Week will continue, as will a few weekly two-hour main lessons that are held in the classrooms.
Plans for outdoor events during this busy holiday season are still pending, as we await more specific information about the nature of these events. There will also be more information about sports activities. You will be informed as soon as we know the changes.
The Thanksgiving holiday is fast approaching, and we strongly recommend that families stay home or close to home as a cohort. If you are traveling out of state and/or interacting with others outside your cohort, it is recommended that you quarantine for 14 days upon return to the state of Oregon. You will be asked a question about your travels as part of the daily screening when entering on-campus classes. Please see the link below for more information:
Our efforts at limiting activities outside our household and established cohorts will help to ensure the safety and health of our community. Thank you all for keeping us together.
With warmth and best wishes,
Shanti, Connie, and Elizabeth