Updated 7/17/20

Dear Southeast Christian School Families,

First and foremost, I hope you are having a fantastic summer break with your kiddos and are getting the opportunity to spend much quality time together before the school year begins. As we continue to look forward to the start of a new academic year, there are a few things I want to provide updates on and hopefully answer some questions you may already have.

Introduction of New Staff:

This year we have been blessed with the ability to hire several new staff members, including three new administrators to SCS. Please welcome Wendell Geary, Business Manager; Eva Menachof, Director of Curriculum & Instruction; and Stephanie Graham, Homeschool Program Coordinator. Mr. Geary is occupying what was formerly our bookkeeping position, held by Jennifer Foust, who is expecting a new baby and has decided to stay home with her family. Mr. Geary has a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations, a Masters of Divinity in Missions, and an MBA in Accounting. We look forward to his financial expertise and to serving alongside him.

Mrs. Menachof has over 12 years of teaching experience, a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and a Masters Degree in Curriculum & Instruction. As a current SCS parent, we are excited to get to know and work with Mrs. Menachof. She comes to us from the University level where she has been supporting student teachers.

Finally, Stephanie Graham is joining us as our new Homeschool Coordinator and teacher. She will be working with Doug Baker and comes to us with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. Stephanie has many years of teaching experience and was teacher of the year in her previous district.

Fall COVID-19 and Variance Order Update:

Currently, we are still waiting for a response from the Douglas County Board of Commissioners on the final details of our school’s variance order. As of right now, we are planning to fully reopen the school in the fall as scheduled with certain precautions in place:

  • Regular school day hours
  • Assigned seating in classrooms, at lunch, and in Chapel in order to track possible exposures
  • Reasonable social distancing
  • A method of quickly and easily taking students’ and staff’ temperatures upon entry to the building or when getting out of vehicles
  • Cleaning Precautions that meet the CDC recommendations
  • A “no locker” policy so that middle school students are not congregating in halls
  • No self-release for middle school students
  • No walk up pick up for k-8 students
  • No general gatherings that are not essential to learning (for us that means students will report directly to class and not morning motions but will attend chapel with social distancing between classes)
  • No mentoring between grade levels or tribes 🙁
  • The playground will be closed before and after school
  • All visitors and guests must be symptom free, in masks, and ready for a temperature check in order to enter the building
  • Confidentiality will be maintained for staff and students including as much as possible when sending trace contact information
  • We will follow the CDC recommendations on quarantine expectations which is the 6-15-48 rule (6 ft or less for 15 or more minutes in the past 48 hours)
  • Students must be fever free for 48 hrs without medication prior to returning to school

Many of the items required of schools are in place currently as SCS such as:

  • Staggered drop-offs
  • Small classroom sizes (below 25 students per room)
  • Handwashing and general healthy habits
  • Distance Learning options for families in need of online learning due to a need to remain at home (family is immune compromised, etc)
  • Supporting any staff member with health concerns and precautions that they need to take or finding a highly qualified substitute for them according to the CARES ACT as they take disability leave
  • Supporting any family or staff with a specific need to wear certain PPE
  • Asking families who are traveling this summer to please quarantine prior to school start up, and we will ask the same for those traveling throughout the school year. Please protect your school community.

Items still pending the variance and then parent and staff surveys:

  • How students will be able to interact during recess with grade level peers or without
  • How students will be able to attend electives and specials
  • How the school will respond to possible exposures regarding quarantines, trace contact reporting, opening and closing a classroom, and mandatory distance learning for exposed students
  • How SCS will navigate athletic events fans or no fans
  • How lunches will be provided in the classroom: staggered in the gym, or by grade levels with assigned seats and distancing between classrooms
  • Whether or not students are able to participate in field trips
  • Whether or not we want to contract with outside service providers for extensive disinfectant treatments
  • Whether we will require masks at certain events or times
  • Will we require volunteer hours
  • Will visitors be allowed during lunch
  • What will school events look like to connect families

As stated above, Southeast will continue to offer online, distance-learning for those families and students uncomfortable returning to in-person learning at this time, and we will make accommodations as needed. More information on our reopening plan will be released to parents once we have the final ruling and details from the Douglas County Commissioners, as Douglas County has left Tri-County Health, and we will be sending a staff and parent survey regarding this plan over the next two weeks. Please be on the lookout for both of these communications in the future. We have five more weeks until the opening of school. A lot can happen in five weeks. Please know that this information is fluid and subject to change.

I am happy to report that our preschool has been operating since May with no incidents at this time. We are diligent in our care and cleaning. I truly believe our staff has done a wonderful job in navigating the tricky times.

Finally, please take a look at our updated COVID-19 section on the school website for more information and recent updates. Our intention for this page is to provide our families with factual information on the virus, tips on reducing its spread, to detail cleaning and disease prevention measures being taken by the school, and hopefully to answer some of your questions. This page is linked here: https://sechristianschool.org/a-letter-about-coronavirus/.

I know these are strange and scary times we are living in; however, I am hopeful that with cooperation between school staff and families, and with prayer, petition, and patience, we can move forward with as normal of a school year as possible. Please update all of your personal information in FACTS SIS so that we can text and email you in the event of emergencies. We can do this together!

 

Blessings,

Michelle Davis, Executive Director

 

In our decisions and operations the safety of our students, family and staff is always our top concern.  We are currently being faced with an ever changing environment in regards to the management of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).  Southeast Christian School is monitoring the situation daily and taking direction from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Colorado Department of Public Health, Governor’s Orders, and the Tri-County Health Department.  

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

https://www.colorado.gov/cdphe

https://www.tchd.org/818/Coronavirus

What is Southeast Christian doing to mitigate the spread of the CoronaVirus?

We want to take this opportunity to provide you information about how SCS is taking steps to mitigate the spread of the virus and what you can expect in the event of a major outbreak in the school community.

SCS has asked all parents to monitor their children in regards to symptoms and erring on the side of caution when choosing to keep your children home. Daily, school staff are checking staff, students, and volunteers temperatures to ensure a fever free environment. We do know that not all positive cases have run fever. That is why parent due diligence is of the utmost importance. 

Daily, our staff are cleaning surface areas with the CDC recommended disinfectants with a sensitivity to the chemicals being used and awareness of long term exposure to certain chemicals. 

Students are monitored in the classroom setting for exposure risks but must be allowed to function as normal sociable children as much as possible. Playgrounds must be free spaces for children to play. That being said, staff are clearing playground equipment daily as well. Throughout this situation, SCS has worked to ensure a balance between productive learning spaces and reasonable social distancing measures.

Events have been modified to comply with Governor orders. As the school year draws near, our hope is to have full operations of school events with assigned seating and the ability to trace exposure should a student be diagnosed. 

Handwashing, hygiene, sanitizing, and cleaning remain at the forefront of our concerns and will continue to be in practice throughout the school year which is best practice for any school. 

Our hope is to not require any use of masks but allow them for students or staff who have concerns.   

In the event of an identified case, SCS would follow the Tri-County Health Department’s lead on any notifications, quarantines, cleaning processes, closures, or other health measures needed. Our focus would first be on ensuring the safety of students and staff, and, then on how education would continue for that student and those who have been exposed, whether that be via electronic/remote systems for that student and or the class. Please refer to the school handbooks regarding school closures and maintenance of services. 

Know the facts

  • To become sick, someone has to be exposed to the virus. CDC defines exposure as being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of someone with a confirmed infection for a prolonged period of time (at least 15 minutes) in the past 48 hours.
  • Person-to-person spread is thought to occur mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory viruses spread. However, even that is not a guarantee that someone will become sick with the virus.
  • For these reasons, people at higher risk of becoming sick are:
    • People who have traveled to China within the last two weeks.
    • People who have had close contact with someone who was confirmed to have the novel coronavirus.
  • Like any other virus, no identity, community, ethnic, or racial group in Colorado is more at risk for getting or spreading 2019 novel coronavirus.
  • Click here for a short video that you can watch with your age appropriate children https://www.brainpop.com/health/diseasesinjuriesandconditions/coronavirus/ 

Risk from other viruses is greater

  • There are many kinds of coronaviruses, like the common cold, currently circulating in Colorado and the U.S. that cause respiratory illness. While these viruses may also be called “coronaviruses,” they are not 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
  • There also are many other kinds of respiratory illnesses (such as flu) circulating right now.
  • At this time, people are at much greater risk of getting the flu than the 2019 novel coronavirus. 
  • You can lower your risk by following the recommended hygiene and sanitization processes. 

Symptoms and severity

  • Symptoms of respiratory viruses, including the novel coronavirus, include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
  • Any of these illnesses can be severe and require hospitalization, but most individuals recover by resting, drinking plenty of liquids, and taking pain and fever-reducing medications.
  • If you did not have a high risk of exposure, it is very unlikely you have novel coronavirus. But if you are ill and concerned, contact your health care provider and do not send your children to school.

What is Coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath. These viruses spread through coughing or sneezing, much like the flu. There is currently no vaccine for the COVID-19.

It’s important to convey that risk is based on exposure. People at higher risk for exposure are:

  • People who have traveled to China within the last two weeks and have symptoms.
  • People who had direct close contact with someone who was confirmed to have the Coronavirus.
  • And like any other virus, no identity, community, ethnic, or racial group in Colorado is more at risk for getting or spreading Coronavirus.

What can I do to stay healthy?

The current risk to the general public in the U.S. from this virus is currently considered low. As recommended for other respiratory viruses, people can protect themselves and others through some simple actions.

Protecting yourself from Coronavirus COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses

(source: CDPHE)

If you are healthy:

  • Continue your normal routine. This means you can continue to participate in public gatherings such as work, school, or social activities with regards to the small group recommendations.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water or, at minimum, use an alcohol-based hand rub, which may be less effective than soap and water.
  • Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as desks, doorknobs, handrails.

If you are sick:

 

  • Stay home

 

  • How Sick is Too Sick: When Children and Staff Should Stay Home from School or Child Care. (Important Link to review annually)
  • Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your inner elbow shirt sleeve.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water or, at minimum, use an alcohol-based hand rub, which may be less effective than soap and water.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Avoid close contact with anyone else with cold or flu-like symptoms.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as desks, doorknobs, and handrails.

Are you traveling for Summer break?

Both the CDC and the U.S. State Department maintains different levels of Travel Alerts for countries and states, and it is recommended that you look to those Alerts and public health guidance to determine safety in traveling to affected areas. Depending on the level of Travel Alert, the most current local reports, and public health guidance, employers or schools may determine that returning employees or students or members of families with recently returned travelers should stay at home for 14 days after they left the affected country or state. 

Because individuals infected with COVID-19 may be infectious before they have symptoms, self-quarantine is often the best response.  

SCS in cooperation with Southeast Christian Church staff has collaboratively agreed to stringent cleaning practices to help avoid disease transmission.

In sharing this information with you today, our intention is to provide factual information about Coronavirus COVID-19 and tips on reducing the spread of disease. We will continue to update families and staff as we learn more about the potential progression. As a community, we must work together for the safety and well-being of all in our SCS family. In order for school to open in the fall as normally as possible, we all must do our part in responsibly mitigating our responsibilities to each other in regards to hygiene, self-quarantine, and sanitization. Let’s all do our parts to ensure our children are safe to come to school to learn, grow, connect and share in Christ.

Sincerely,

Michelle Davis, Executive Director

Southeast Christian School