Thursday Flyer for March 25, 2021

Thursday Flyer 3.25.2021

NO SCHOOL 3/29 - 4/5 ENJOY SPRING BREAK!

Back in session on Tuesday, 4/6!

COVID-19 Update

SEVERAL updates here:

a) California has changed the numeric thresholds of its COVID color levels based on adding a 'vaccination metric' to the formula. Last week, Placer County was switched from 'purple' to 'red' with the new metric in place. There is a very high likelihood that Placer County will switch from 'red' to 'orange' at some point in April given the new formula. All year, our existing COVID reopening plan has been based on returning students to '5 day, full day' for everyone when Placer County reaches 'orange'. For families planning their schedules for this spring, I want all families to be thinking about a return to '5 day' for everyone happening at some point in April. This will occur beginning the week of 4/12, 4/19, or 4/26, based on when Placer County switches to ‘orange’ (the week of 4/19 is my current best guess). If we get to 4/26 and the county is still in 'red', we will still be switching to a '5 day, full day for everyone' schedule on 4/26. We will do this for a couple reasons, including:

1) Our County Health Doctor has determined that physical school attendance has not been a driver of community spread of COVID-19;

2) Based on his recommendations, most school districts / charters within the county will be doing some form of '5 day' by May 1st; and

3) Assuming that we're going to be dealing w/ COVID-related mitigations still to some degree next year, I want to use the last part of the school year to work out any kinks we may have within our existing plan so that we can make any changes and be ready for the beginning of the next school year.

4) What's really making this a reality now is that the CDC changed their student spacing requirement for schools from 6' to 3' last Friday night; CDPH followed them on Saturday, and is now allowing 3' for spacing between students within their guidelines. Three feet student spacing is what our original reopening plan was based on and will allow us to +/- keep all of our existing classroom configurations 'as is' for when we eventually switch back to '5 day, full day' for everyone, without having to do massive furniture swaps within our classrooms (tables for desks, removal of bookshelves, etc.).

c) If we go '5 day' while the County is still in 'red', we will most likely have to put a CDPH-mandated 'COVID surveillance testing' program in place that can test 20% of the people on our campus (staff and students) every two weeks. There is no surveillance testing requirement for schools located in counties in the 'orange' or 'yellow' level, thus it is my sincere hope that we don't have to implement this.

d) The county / state are going to start allowing a lot more things to happen this spring as conditions continue to improve. You've probably read that just about all high school athletics are going to be happening. For us specifically so far, I now know we're going to be able to offer outdoor Girls’ Volleyball and have an outdoor 8th grade graduation for our kids this spring.

COVID-19 is still prevalent within our community. We need to continue to be diligent, and our weekly reminder about our basic COVID-19 protocols regarding student/staff illness and quarantines is available here.

Yearbook PreSales DEADLINE is COMING UP (3/31)!

ONLY DAYS left to order a yearbook! The only way to guarantee your child’s yearbook is to preorder using this link: https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1808608/Maria-Montessori-Charter-Academy/