updated 6/1/22
As we continue our school’s path of caution for in-person activities, we are also continuing to be responsive to the needs in our community. Some slight recess and lunch schedules have been refined, and below are the key changes to the successful Spring 2021 OLG In-person Learning Plan. By sending your children to school in person, you make a commitment to engage in COVID safe behaviors. Off-campus behavior will potentially affect the health and educational options of others in our community. Doing so protects the entire community. Our greater OLG family did an excellent job helping protect eachother. We look forward to continuing similar Covid-safe practices.
Key Changes for this school year
- Verification of Covid-19 Vaccination: We strongly encourage (and so does the Pope) all eligible community members to become vaccinated against COVID-19. We are verifying vaccination status of students (12+), staff, and other adults in the school building. Show your vaccination card or other proof at our front office. Vaccination status affects our response to any health event (see also the other immunization schedules to be caught-up on).
- In-Person Learning. In order to be fully open 5 days per week, the intensity of a hybrid classroom (an ongoing mix of remote and in-person students) is not possible. From the last 18 months, we have learned that we can do “remote learning” well. We know we can do “in-person” even better! While classes are expected to be “in-person”, the following scenarios illustrates conditions where a student or class may not be in the building and our planned response. As normal, notify the school office (206-935-0651) immediately if student will be absent from school, but also if a student comes in “close contact” with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
- Student home sick — As with any illness (Covid or not), stay home and get well (no zoom/remote learning). Work with the teacher or study buddy to make up missed work. Anyone who is not feeling well should be prioritizing their health.
- Extended Absences for Non-COVID reason (e.g. vacation, elective travel, etc.) will continue to be handled as we have always done in pre-covid years (no zoom/no remote learning). This allows our teachers and staff to be fully present to their in-person students as much as possible. Please make prior arrangements and work with the teacher to make up missed work. Planning a vacation? Please work within the days already set-aside for breaks in our school calendar!
- NOTE: we continue to look for updates to the travel requirements
- Extended Covid-related Quarantine. If ill, refer to King County Covid-19 Screening Flow Chart. Work with the teacher to make up missed work when feeling better. Depending on the grade-level, digital or online resources and support may be coordinated with the family.
- A further note on Remote Learning. Remote learning is not a mode that can be turned on and off. It requires teacher preparation, planning and modified delivery of instruction. This is even more dramatic in a hybrid situation. In order to sustain full in-person teaching and learning, we are not offering zoom/remote instruction unless an entire class is in quarantine. In the case of whole-class quarantine or school-wide return to remote learning, we will have a period of adjustment to transition from “in-person” mode to remote learning.
- Tech Use. As we return to campus this fall, we recognize that we are in need of a full review of student technology-use. This past year of very intense student computer use was not optimal and some serious concerns came forward. Our philosophy has always, and continues to be, an appropriate balance of learning new technologies with screen-free interpersonal social/academic/emotional learning. We will begin this school year re-training staff, students and families on best practices of technology use and are looking at implementing further internet controls to keep all safe in this digital age.
- Arrival/Dismissal
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- See arrival/dismissal info on our Back to School Post
Other Precautions continuing…
- Daily Health Screening: Please continue to screen your child for symptoms at home each morning.
- Masks: Optional
- Distancing: “Maintain physical distance of three feet or more between students in classroom settings to the degree possible and reasonable, that allows for full-time, in-person learning for all.” – DOH/K-12 guidance
- Cleaning, Ventilation and incident responses will continue using the same protocols as our successful Spring 2021 In-person Learning plan. We continue to monitor for updates as warranted from our Public Health officials.
Additional Family Resources
We look forward to in-person learning 5 days per week for all grades.
Please consider all of our community in minimizing travels and making safe choices around your travel plans.
Stay safe, mask-up, vax-up!
