Dear PPCS Families,
“We have a choice of how to show up with our loved ones, students, and colleagues. We can grasp for control with transactional communications and attempts to “manage distance learning,” or we can grasp for connection with more fluid ways of being, communicating, and learning together. To choose the latter, we have to be still enough to hear our own heartbeats. We have to be centered enough to hold one another through the uncertainty. We have to learn to be connected and in community even while socially distant.”
-Shane Safir, Listening in Times of Crisis
Every day, our staff, board and I show up with compassion and dedication to support our students through a global pandemic that impacts our families in so many ways. We care deeply about our students’ social and emotional growth, their quality of education and their health and safety. We value the feedback you’ve provided in the family survey and staff use that information to better meet the educational needs of the students. We will continue to seek your kind, specific, and helpful feedback so we can better serve your child and all of our students. We know that this situation is far from ideal but we remain committed to providing the highest quality learning experience and education possible using our Remote yet Connected model, with support from our national organization, EL Education.
Every school leader dreads receiving the call informing them that one of their staff or students has tested positive for COVID-19. Last week, I received those calls and I am so grateful for the hard work that prepared us for that very moment, and for the support from the local Public Health Department, even at 9:30 p.m.
After closing for cleaning and testing last week, we are very happy to be up and running again with an open school building for limited child care and in-person learning. This week, our kindergarten, first, and special education students are learning on-site in small pods. Our plans are to have 2nd and 3rd grade students begin a similar rotation for in-person learning starting next week.
We are now just over one month into our implementation of the Remote Yet Connected learning and, as expected, we have learned a lot. We believe that having opportunities to learn and connect in-person is valuable for many of our students, particularly our youngest learners and those who receive special support for their learning needs. We want to continue offering limited in-person connections and need your help to make this possible.
As last week demonstrated, we must maintain extreme caution and vigilance if we want to continue to have any in-person connection. The Public Health department has commended us on our safety requirements but they are only as good as our shared commitment to following them. We require these procedures because we know it’s the only way to lower the risk associated with meeting in person. We are committed to ensuring that our guidelines are followed during PPCS activities, so it is up to you to continue following them at other times.
- We ask all members of our community to wear masks when interacting or in close contact with individuals outside of their household unit both on and off school grounds. Masks are one of the best ways to keep Covid-19 from spreading.
- We practice social distancing, maintaining six feet of distance between individuals as much as possible. When closer interaction happens, such as in a classroom setting, we keep it very brief and ensure that masks are worn.
- We screen for symptoms and exposure each day for those who come on-site, and ask those who experience any illness to stay home and consult with a medical professional.
- Students and staff wash their hands frequently with soap and water and use hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
- We only allow staff, students and very few outside visitors onsite.
- We maintain rigorous cleaning procedures including UV light sanitizers, daily sanitation and twice a week deep cleanings.
- In collaboration with the Public Health Department, we can assure transparent communication to families if there is a concern of COVID-19 transmission.
As your leader, I will continue to show up with compassion and a listening ear, and will work alongside PPCS staff with a deep commitment to the education of your child, while trying to keep all of our students and families healthy and safe.
In CREW,
Jeneille Branen
Executive Director
