Dear Catherine Cook Community,
We are writing to update you regarding our continuing approach to the spread of COVID-19, including what we know, our guiding principles, and how we are making decisions. As always, the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff remains our highest priority and are at the forefront of our minds.
News regarding the spread of COVID-19 is being continuously updated via the media. To ensure our sound and reasoned decision-making, we will continue to refer to and work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Illinois Department of Public Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Chicago Department of Public Health for the most recent information and guidance. At this time, we will continue to monitor the health websites referenced above as we evaluate school trips, community events, and the possibility of online learning options to determine next steps.
As of this morning, there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 within our community, though we recognize that a few other area schools have identified cases in their own communities. The school continues to track the number of absences and reported illnesses for our students and adults in the building. Again, we stress the importance of maintaining communication with the school on any potential exposure to COVID-19. As of now, we have not seen an unusual increase in reports of illnesses. We will continue to monitor these numbers and request that all members of the community adhere to our health and wellness guidelines and practices for staying home:
- Elevated temperature (100.3 F or greater) - Please remember community members must be fever free without medication such as Tylenol and Motrin for 24 hours before they can return to school.
- Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
- Purulent discharge (anything other than clear discharge) from the nose or eyes, which indicates a possible contagious condition (green = sinus infection and yellow = bacterial infection)
- Red, inflamed, or discharging eyes (conjunctivitis or pink eye)
Our Facilities team has added additional precautions to disinfect common spaces and surfaces. Additional hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol have been installed throughout the building. We also remind all members of our community to practice good hygiene: cover all coughs and sneezes by using one's arm or a tissue that is disposed of immediately after one use, wash hands frequently with soap and water, and avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth.
As a school, we must also consider the potential impacts that the spread of the virus continues to have within, and outside of, the United States. Keeping professional and personal travel plans in mind, we are requesting that all families, faculty, and staff who have returned from any destination defined by the CDC as a Level 2 or above Travel Health Notice, or those who have been exposed to someone who has traveled to such a destination, to please inform the school immediately and follow CDC guidelines for self-imposing a 14-day quarantine from your date of return or from the date of contact with that traveler. Families who stay home should inform the school nurse, classroom teacher and division head. The school will work with a student who stays home for the reasons described above and will provide access to work and other materials electronically. In addition, absences for these specific reasons will be considered excused.
Our teachers are engaging in age appropriate conversations about COVID-19 in their classrooms. If you are seeking additional information about how to talk to your children about COVID-19 at home, here are some useful resources:
Brain Pop:
https://www.brainpop.com/health/diseasesinjuriesandconditions/coronavirus/
NPR Comic:
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/28/809580453/just-for-kids-a-comic-exploring-the-new-coronavirus
As a school, it has been recommended that we not only be prepared to manage COVID-19, but to also have plans in place - should there be a need - to provide distance learning due to large levels of absenteeism or school closure. We are further exploring the use of our current platforms in providing continued virtual learning, should the need arise.
Keeping our school mission and values in mind, we ask that the adults in our community continue to model inclusive language and correct any thoughts or comments that can be considered xenophobic towards any specific identity. We encourage all students to follow our ROARSy ways and, if faced with hearing or witnessing the use of bias language or behavior, they feel empowered to stop such instances either in the moment or by speaking to an adult who can help. The COVID-19 virus affects the world, and we must remember we are all in this together.
As always, I thank you for your time, cooperation, and understanding.
All my best,
Lori-Anne Brogdon, Ed.D.
Head of School