Dear School Family,
I write to share a brief update following yesterday’s meeting of our COVID-19 task force.
Families are our first line of defense away from school in the daily battle to prevent community spread in our buildings and widespread quarantining of students. I cannot overstate just how critical your support is to our ongoing efforts in keeping everyone safe and at school. If anyone in your household exhibits any of the following symptoms or if any member of your household has taken a COVID-19 test and is awaiting the result, do not send your child(ten) to school:
- Any time your child has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher (without fever reducing medication).
- If your child has no fever but does have a combination of congestion, coughing, and/or sore throat.
- If your child has an upset stomach, diarrhea, or vomiting within a 24-hour period, regardless of cause or frequency.
Since last Friday’s email, there has been an increase in school-wide student cases. Based on the circumstances of some of those cases, it has also been necessary for other students to quarantine. At yesterday’s meeting, the members of the task force reviewed school and local pediatric COVID-19 data and unanimously agreed that the face covering mandate remain in place for at least one more week. We will continue to revisit the face covering mandate at each meeting.
School leadership remains most concerned about the overall well being - physical, social, emotional, and educational - of our students. We encourage all parents to participate in the upcoming parent enrichment event on September 30th. A panel of education experts and child psychologists will share their thoughts, answer questions, and provide guidance for parents wanting to support their children’s emotional and mental health. More details about this event will be communicated soon.
I will update the community on any new developments resulting from the next meeting of the task force. As always, any time you have a question about your child’s experience at St. John’s, COVID-19 related or other, please reach out to us so we can do our best to help. Have a wonderful long weekend.
Hugh Jebson
Head of School