Dear Heron Families:
Welcome (almost) back to School! We have missed your children and I'm confident that I speak for our community of faculty and staff when I say that we can't wait to hear the sound of joyful learning again.
It's been said that herons symbolize stillness and tranquility. During this time, I urge all of you to find time to be still and tranquil. I feel so fortunate and blessed to be a member of this community that prioritizes and values care, compassion and respect. Let us not take that for granted.
Clearly, our country continues to face challenges. A colleague shared the following resource on how to deal with difficult news and I thought it worthwhile to share with you. We are committed to knowing and loving your children but, as educators or parents, "we can't protect children from grief, but can help them express their feelings, comfort them, help them feel safer, and teach them how to deal with fear."
If you have not done so already, please send evidence of a negative test result or DPH clearance letter from your child(ren) to nurse@saintannesschool.org by Sunday evening. If you get notification of a negative result between 10pm Sunday and the start of school Monday, we will be prepared to confirm in carline. Students, faculty and staff who do not have proper documentation will not be permitted on campus. Also, please continue to complete the screening tool every morning.
We of course will be maintaining our vigilance as it relates to recommended strategies for mitigating the spread of the coronavirus. As we learned, we are not immune from positive cases. In addition to our vigilance, I can assure you that we will communicate quickly and directly with you as we continue to navigate these waters. We are prepared and steadfast in our commitment to the safety and well being of our community.
Finally, I'm sharing an excerpt from an update from our contact at the Delaware Association of Independent Schools related to the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine.
"The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) has been working with the leadership of district, charter, independent, private and parochial schools as well as the Delaware State Education Association (DSEA) to create a comprehensive vaccination plan for education-related personnel in our elementary, middle and high schools. This plan will be managed by the DDOE in partnership with the Division of Public Health. It is expected that educators' vaccinations (Phase 1B) will begin in early February. "
Thank you for your continued support and cooperation and I look forward to seeing you and your children Monday morning.
I am Heron Proud.
Barry |