Health and Wellness

UPDATES SINCE May 1, 2020

Drive Throughs, Waves, and Pickup
The Virtual Learning Steering Committee is planning to host “drive throughs” as we move closer to the end of the school year.  Teachers and staff have items to pass along to students, and parents may arrange in advance for personal belongings to be packaged for pickup.  And, while we are exchanging items, teachers are looking forward to standing six feet apart while waving farewell to their students in cars.  Stay tuned for details!

If You Need Something from School
If you need to collect personal items or school materials from Lead Mine or Brier Creek Campuses, please reach out to Amanda Rugh arugh@msr.org or Kate Falkiner kfalkiner@msr.org.  They will work with staff to locate what you need and leave it outside for you to collect.

A Few New Articles That May Be of Interest

“It’s OK to Not Be a Perfect Quarantine Employee”
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/06/opinion/coronavirus-parenting-work.html

“Toddlers to Teens: How to Help Kids Cope with Stress from COVID-19”
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/helping-kids-cope-coronavirus-stress/

“Virtual Babysitting Provides Relief for Working Parents During Covid-19”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/manondefelice/2020/04/27/virtual-babysitting-provides-relief-for-working-parents-during-covid-19/#397d6bcb38bc

We Are Here to Answer Questions and Provide Support
We are responding to phone calls and emails and are available should you have questions or need support.  Do not hesitate to reach out to teachers, division heads, or any member of the administrative team.  Here is a link to our “Contact Us” page on the website.

No Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Among MSR Students or Staff
We are thankful we can still report that we know of no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among MSR students or staff.  As more cases of COVID-19 are being confirmed across the state, including in our community, we recognize that our students are facing many challenges during this time, and we encourage families to reach out to MSR staff if they need additional support or accommodations.  Please use the “Contact List” above.
 
We are committed to protecting and promoting the safety and health of our students, our staff, and their families. If you believe you or an immediate family member may have been exposed to COVID-19 (Coronavirus), please call your local health department. In Wake County, you can call 919-250-4462. You should also call your doctor to tell them your situation. Please do not go out in public until you have spoken to the health department.  If you or an individual in your household tests positive for COVID-19, please notify us.  
 
Anxious?
The pandemic is raising anxiety in children and in adults.  We found this list of Anxiety Management Tools for children, teens, and parents.  Perhaps it offers resources that you will find useful.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/53ac8b10e4b0f28174f9af81/t/5e99dbe436fb606f192764d8/1587141611598/Covid+Resource.pdf

Stay well.

Archive of COVID-19 Communiques
All Updates related to COVID-19 may be found here on our website.

Monday, May 4:  A Head’s Day.  No classes!

Expressing Gratitude for All Who Treat COVID-19 Patients Here and Around the World
Please join us in keeping all healthcare providers in our thoughts.  These brave professionals risk their lives everyday to care for others. We applaud them and their families for the sacrifices they are making.

If You Need Something from School
If you need to collect personal items or school materials from Lead Mine or Brier Creek Campuses, please reach out to Amanda Rugh arugh@msr.org or Kate Falkiner kfalkiner@msr.org.  They will work with staff to locate what you need and leave it outside for you to collect.

A Few New Articles That May Be of Interest

“'It Was Just Too Much’: How Remote Learning Is Breaking Parents”

“Four Important Parenting Lessons from Life in Lockdown”

“Helping Your Child or Teen Stay Socially Connected During COVID-19”

We Are Here to Answer Questions and Provide Support
We are responding to phone calls and emails and are available should you have questions or need support.  Do not hesitate to reach out to teachers, division heads, or any member of the administrative team.  Here is a link to our “Contact Us” page on the website.

No Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Among MSR Students or Staff
We are thankful we can still report that we know of no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among MSR students or staff.  As more cases of COVID-19 are being confirmed across the state, including in our community, we recognize that our students are facing many challenges during this time, and we encourage families to reach out to MSR staff if they need additional support or accommodations.  Please use the “Contact List” above.
 
We are committed to protecting and promoting the safety and health of our students, our staff, and their families. If you believe you or an immediate family member may have been exposed to COVID-19 (Coronavirus), please call your local health department. In Wake County, you can call 919-250-4462. You should also call your doctor to tell them your situation. Please do not go out in public until you have spoken to the health department.  If you or an individual in your household tests positive for COVID-19, please notify us.  
 
Anxious?
The pandemic is raising anxiety in children and in adults.  We found this list of Anxiety Management Tools for children, teens, and parents.  Perhaps it offers resources that you will find useful.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/53ac8b10e4b0f28174f9af81/t/5e99dbe436fb606f192764d8/1587141611598/Covid+Resource.pdf

Stay well.

Archive of COVID-19 Communiques
All Updates related to COVID-19 may be found here on our website.

UPDATES SINCE April 17, 2020

Expressing Gratitude for All Who Treat COVID-19 Patients Here and Around the World
Please join us in keeping all healthcare providers in our thoughts.  These brave professionals risk their lives everyday to care for others. We applaud them and their families for the sacrifices they are making.

Extension of Virtual Delivery of the Program
•    On Friday, May 1, we will announce plans for how we intend to complete this academic year.  We will also share updates on planning for major end-of-year events and celebrations.   
•    We will honor our highly accomplished Seniors at Commencement, and we are working now to plan various scenarios for hosting this historic and celebratory event. Stay tuned.  

If You Need Something from School
If you need to collect personal items or school materials from Lead Mine or Brier Creek Campuses, please reach out to Amanda Rugh arugh@msr.org or Kate Falkiner kfalkiner@msr.org.  They will work with staff to locate what you need and leave it outside for you to collect.

A Few New Articles That May Be of Interest

“Don’t Freak Out About Quarantine Screen Time”
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/opinion/screen-time-kids-covid.html

“Parenting During COVID-19? FSU Psychology Researchers Offer Their Advice”
https://www.newswise.com/coronavirus/parenting-during-covid-19-fsu-psychology-researchers-offer-their-advice/?article_id=730224

“Three Hours Longer, The Pandemic Work Day Has Obliterated Work-Life Balance”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-23/working-from-home-in-covid-era-means-three-more-hours-on-the-job

We Are Here to Answer Questions and Provide Support
We are responding to phone calls and emails and are available should you have questions or need support.  Do not hesitate to reach out to teachers, division heads, or any member of the administrative team.  Here is a link to our “Contact Us” page on the website.

No Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Among MSR Students or Staff
We are thankful we can still report that we know of no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among MSR students or staff.  We are aware of a family in which one person has the virus and is self-isolating.  Our thoughts are with that family. As more cases of COVID-19 are being confirmed across the state, including in our community, we recognize that our students are facing many challenges during this time, and we encourage families to reach out to MSR staff if they need additional support or accommodations.  Please use the “Contact List” above.
 
We are committed to protecting and promoting the safety and health of our students, our staff, and their families. If you believe you or an immediate family member may have been exposed to COVID-19 (Coronavirus), please call your local health department. In Wake County, you can call 919-250-4462. You should also call your doctor to tell them your situation. Please do not go out in public until you have spoken to the health department.  If you or an individual in your household tests positive for COVID-19, please notify us. 
 
Anxious?
The pandemic is raising anxiety in children and in adults.  We found this list of Anxiety Management Tools for children, teens, and parents.  Perhaps it offers resources that you will find useful.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/53ac8b10e4b0f28174f9af81/t/5e99dbe436fb606f192764d8/1587141611598/Covid+Resource.pdf

Stay well.

UPDATES SINCE April 3, 2020

Expressing Gratitude and Keeping Others in Our Thoughts
We see frontline healthcare workers on the news and note their courage and commitment. We also know the toll this pandemic is taking on them and their families, both physically and emotionally. Please keep these professionals in your thoughts.

THANK YOU to All Parents and Students Who Completed the Recent Virtual/Distance Learning Survey
We appreciate so many parents and students responding to the Survey! We have shared the results broadly to several committees at the school, and we will be meeting this coming week to discuss the results and any adjustments we will make to the delivery of our program as a result of the responses.

Extension of Virtual Delivery of the Program

• We are extending virtual delivery of our program for an indeterminate length of time.
• All events between now and April 30 are being canceled, postponed, or redesigned to be held virtually. Planning is well underway to host virtual versions of some of our spring events. Watch for details in Miner Details and in communiques from faculty.
• Remember also that all overnight trips for the year are canceled.
• We will honor our highly accomplished Seniors at Commencement, and we are working now to plan various scenarios for hosting this historic and celebratory event. Stay tuned.

If You Need Something from School
If you need to collect personal items or school materials from Lead Mine or Brier Creek Campuses, please reach out to Amanda Rugh arugh@msr.org or Kate Falkiner kfalkiner@msr.org. They will work with staff to locate what you need and leave it outside for you to collect.

A Few New Articles That May Be of Interest
“Reviving the Family Meal During the Coronavirus Pandemic”

“Tips for Families: Coronavirus”

“Six Messages to Reassure Kids When Covid-19 Hits Your Family Financially”

We Are Here to Answer Questions and Provide Support
We are responding to phone calls and emails and are available should you have questions or need support. Do not hesitate to reach out to teachers, division heads, or any member of the administrative team. Here is a link to our “Contact Us” page on the website.

No Confirmed Cases of COVID-19
At this time, we know of no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the MSR community. Should we learn about any new developments going forward, we will share them with you.

If you believe you or an immediate family member may have been exposed to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) please call your local health department. In Wake County, you can call 919-250-4462. You should also call your doctor to tell them your situation. Please do not go out in public until you have spoken to the health department. If you or an individual in your household tests positive for COVID-19, please notify us.

Expressing Gratitude and Keeping Others in Our Thoughts
Again this week, we ask you to keep the brave people who serve on the frontlines of this healthcare crisis and their families in your thoughts. These professionals risk their lives every day to help others, and they are an example for us all.

Extension of Virtual Delivery of the Program
As we announced last week, we are extending virtual delivery of our program for an indeterminate length of time. Please assume that all events between now and April 30 will either be canceled or postponed. Remember also that all overnight trips for the year are canceled. As soon as we have details about virtual versions of some spring events, e.g., Humanities Night and theater and musical performances, we will be in touch. We will honor our highly accomplished Seniors at Commencement, and we are beginning now to plan for various scenarios for hosting this historic and celebratory event. Stay tuned.

Taking the Pulse
Now, two weeks into virtual teaching and learning, we are reviewing where we are and brainstorming ways to ensure that we can sustain everyone’s eagerness to engage and reduce exhaustion as we continue through April and most likely through May. As we take stock of strengths and challenges, we want to know how parents and students are perceiving the virtual program. Look for a survey to arrive soon asking for your input. Thank you in advance for sharing your ideas!

A Few New Articles That May Be of Interest (click to read)

“Figuring Out Home Schooling in the Age of Coronavirus”

“A Survival Guide for Parenting Through the Global Pandemic”

“How the Coronavirus is Influencing Children’s Play”

We Are Here to Answer Questions and Provide Support
We are responding to phone calls and emails and are available should you have questions or need support. Do not hesitate to reach out to teachers, division heads, or any member of the administrative team. Here is a link to our “Contact Us” page on the website.

No Confirmed Cases of COVID-19
At this time, we know of no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the MSR community. Should we learn about any new developments going forward, we will share them with you.

If you believe you or an immediate family member may have been exposed to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) please call your local health department. In Wake County, you can call 919-250-4462. You should also call your doctor to tell them your situation. Please do not go out in public until you have spoken to the health department. If you or an individual in your household tests positive for COVID-19, please notify us.

Stay Well.

UPDATES SINCE MARCH 19, 2020

Expressing Our Gratitude and Keeping Others in our Thoughts
As we prepared the Update for this week, we did so aware of the sacrifice and plight of millions of healthcare workers, police, firefighters, and first responders across this country and around the world who are risking their lives daily to care for others. We are grateful for the sacrifices of these brave professionals, and we wish for them and their families health and wellness.

Extension of Virtual Delivery of the Program
On March 12 we first announced the transition to a virtual delivery of our academic program through April 3. Since then, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has ordered all public schools in the state to remain closed through May 15, 2020, and this week several counties including Wake and Durham have issued stay-at-home orders. In light of these developments and conditions in general around the country, the Senior Leadership Team met on Thursday and made the decision to extend virtual delivery of our program for an indeterminate length of time.

We did not make this decision lightly. We miss our students and their families, and we are entering a time of year that under normal circumstances would be brimming with special events and celebrations that we all enjoy. The priority, however, is keeping everyone safe and well. Therefore, please assume that all events between now and April 30 will either be canceled or postponed. Remember also that all overnight trips for the year are canceled. We monitor conditions constantly and should we see the possibility of returning to a normal schedule, we will give families at least a week’s notice.

In the meantime, we continue to teach students, create ways to stay connected, care for our students, our families, and each other, and believe in the time-tested capacity of this remarkable school to meet all the challenges of this unwelcome event. We also will turn our attention now to making plans for virtual versions of some spring events, e.g., Humanities Night and theater and musical performances. Stay tuned and let’s all think positive thoughts for May.

A Few New Articles That May Be of Interest

“No, We Aren’t All Going to Die”: Experts on How to Talk with Kids about Coronavirus
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/24/coronavirus-kids-how-to-talk-to-children-death-virus-expert-guide

Feeling Anxious? Here's How to Talk to Your Kids About the Coronavirus Pandemic
https://www.sciencealert.com/you-re-not-the-only-one-who-s-anxious-here-s-how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-global-threats

Working from Home with Kids Seems Unsustainable. Here’s How to ease the Burden
https://www.vox.com/identities/2020/3/25/21193142/coronavirus-covid-19-kids-work-from-home-child-care-school-cancellations

We Are Here to Answer Questions and Provide Support
We are responding to phone calls and emails and are available should you have questions or need support. Do not hesitate to reach out to teachers, division heads, or any member of the administrative team. Here is a link to our “Contact Us” page on the website.

No Confirmed Cases of COVID-19
At this time, we know of no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the MSR community. Should we learn about any new developments going forward, we will share them with you. 

If you believe you or an immediate family member may have been exposed to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) please call your local health department. In Wake County, you can call 919-250-4462. You should also call your doctor to tell them your situation. Please do not go out in public until you have spoken to the health department. If you or an individual in your household tests positive for COVID-19, please notify us.

Stay Well.
 

An Update from Belinda Wilkerson, College Counseling
• The SAT for May has been canceled.
https://pages.collegeboard.org/natural-disasters
• The ACT for April has been canceled.
http://www.act.org/content/act/en/covid-19.html

Students who are registered for either of these dates will receive an email from the respective organizations.

Just Say “No” to Playdates
This article by a pediatrician caught our eye. He recommends not scheduling playdates for children during this time.
https://www.drstevesilvestro.com/no-coronavirus-break-playdates-heres-why

Collecting Materials from School
As Virtual Learning begins this Monday, March 23, you may remember that you need to collect materials from school. The plan for LMC is that someone will be in the Admin Building on the Lead Mine Campus from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon each weekday next week. If you call the school in advance or email Front Desk Administrative Coordinator Amanda Rugh at arugh@msr.org, we will set materials outside for you.

If you need to retrieve materials from the Brier Creek Campus, please email Administrative Coordinator & Registrar Kate Falkiner at kfalkiner@msr.org, and she will assist you.

Spring Break
We hope this week has given you and your family time to absorb the changes we are all experiencing and the time to talk about virtual learning, which begins on Monday, March 23. Good Friday, April 10, and Easter Monday, April 13, will continue to be school holidays. Should families decide to follow through on family travel plans over the originally scheduled Spring Break dates (April 4-13), we will accommodate student absences.

Transition to Virtual Instruction

Beginning on Monday, March 23, we will transition to virtual teaching and learning through Friday, April 3. We will continue to monitor the situation and reevaluate at the end of this month whether virtual teaching will need to continue past April 3. Given current conditions in this country and around the world, an extension of virtual instruction seems likely.

We are fortunate that during this time of great uncertainty, we as a school have the resources, the nimbleness, the skill and expertise in our staff, the partnership with parents, the support from our Board, and the teamwork to continue to educate our students and sustain operations. That is, our stewardship of the school and its mission continues. Although the timing for a return to a more normal approach is unknown, what is not unknown is that our students must continue to learn and that we will continue to teach.

Encore, Afterschool, Athletic, and Community Events
Encore and all other afterschool, athletic, and community events are suspended until further notice. We are also canceling all overnight trips through the end of the year. If circumstances improve, we will design creative ways to give our students alternative off-campus experiences to enjoy before the year ends.

Parent-Teacher Conferences Scheduled for Friday, March 27.
Conferences will be conducted by conference call. Teachers will be in touch to explain the mode of communication that will be used. Please make sure your child’s teacher has your preferred contact information prior to your scheduled conference time.

Caring for Our Students, Our Families, and Each Other
As we launch our virtual instruction program and support parents with resources to use during this time, we are also caring for faculty and staff. All administrative offices are working remotely to conform to best practices in social isolation. The campus remains open for any employee who has a need to come to campus, but we monitor the numbers to avoid having more then two to three employees on campus at any one time. Although it should be clear that full compensation and benefits continue for all employees through this period, as delivery of the program and operations continue, we are being explicit in this update to allay any concerns that anyone might have.

We Are Here to Answer Questions and Provide Support
We are responding to phone calls and emails and are here for you should you have questions or need support. Do not hesitate to reach out to teachers, division heads, or any member of the administrative team. ​Here is a link to our “Contact Us” page on the website.


No Confirmed Cases of COVID-19
At this time, we know of no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the MSR community. Should we learn about any new developments going forward, we will share them with you.

If you believe you or an immediate family member may have been exposed to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) please call your local health department. In Wake County, you can call 919-250-4462. You should also call your doctor to tell them your situation. Please do not go out in public until you have spoken to the health department. If you or an individual in your household tests positive for COVID-19, please notify us.

Archive of COVID-19 Communiques
All Updates related to COVID-19 may be found on our website by clicking here.

Stay Well

From Interim Head of School Jeannie Norris

On behalf of Board President BJ Stolz, the Senior Leadership Team, and faculty and staff, I write to share our plans in the face of the rapidly changing environment surrounding COVID-19. On Tuesday of this week Governor Cooper declared a state of emergency for North Carolina. Yesterday, the World Health Organization declared the spread of COVID-19 a pandemic. We have been closely monitoring the situation and following the recommendations and guidance of the CDC and the state and local health department.  We have developed a plan for MSR that we believe will allow us both to continue to educate our students and reduce health risks for our community.

Spring Break
Spring Break, formerly scheduled for April 6 through April 13, will be moved to next week, March 16 through March 20. Good Friday, April 10, and Easter Monday, April 13, will continue to be school holidays.  Should families decide to follow through on family travel plans over the originally scheduled Spring Break dates, we will accommodate student absences.

Transition to Virtual Instruction
Beginning on Monday, March 23, we will transition to virtual teaching and learning through Friday, April 3.  We will continue to monitor the situation and reevaluate at the end of this month whether virtual teaching will need to continue past April 3.  

Our teachers have been preparing for this possibility and will be ready to support and educate students through virtual channels.  Head of Lower School Aubrie Hile-Hoffer and Head of Middle & Upper School James Taylor, along with their respective faculty, will share a detailed explanation of this approach with students and parents soon. In anticipation of this eventuality, your children have already been introduced to techniques they will use to learn in a virtual domain.  While different than most of us are used to, we believe virtual delivery of our program is the best way to continue our students' learning while keeping everyone safe.  Science magazine recently called virtual program delivery “the most powerful nonpharmaceutical intervention that we can deploy” as a society to prevent the spread of the novel Coronavirus.   Here is a link should you wish to learn more:

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/does-closing-schools-slow-spread-novel-coronavirus

Encore, afterschool, athletic, and community events
After the school day tomorrow, March 13, Encore and all other afterschool, athletic, and community events are suspended until further notice.  This includes Donuts with Dads scheduled for March 18-19.  We are also canceling all overnight trips through the end of the year.  If circumstances improve, we will design creative ways to give our students alternative off-campus experiences to enjoy before the year ends. Parent-teacher conferences that were scheduled for Friday, March 20 have been rescheduled for the same times on Friday, March 27 and will be conducted by conference call.  Teachers will initiate the conferences by calling parents at the scheduled time. Please make sure your child’s teacher has your preferred contact information prior to your scheduled conference time.

We understand the difficulty our decision will create for families.  Please know we are committed to supporting students and parents through this unexpected transition.  

At this time, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the MSR community.  As is most always the case, we have faculty and staff not feeling well and absent from school.  Because of the current situation, these colleagues have gone through the correct professional channels and followed all protocols and recommendations of health officials and their personal doctors.   Should we learn about any new developments going forward, we will share them with you.  

If you believe you or an immediate family member may have been exposed to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) please call your local health department. In Wake County, you can call 919-250-4462. You should also call your doctor to tell them your situation. Please do not go out in public until you have spoken to the health department.  If you or an individual in your household tests positive for COVID-19, please notify us.  

All Updates related to COVID-19 may be found here on our website.

As always, we value your partnership and look forward to working with you and your family as we move forward.

Sincerely,

Jeannie Norris
Interim Head of School.  

 

 

COVID-19: Update 3-6-20

Our Tactics: Increased Focus on Cleaning and Disinfecting
County and State health officials have assured us that we should maintain our regular, routine cleaning procedures in schools. They have stressed that we should approach the Coronavirus (COVID-19) the same as influenza. 

Here is a summary of cleaning protocols from Tom Thomas, Director of Buildings and Grounds. 

• Floors are swept, vacuumed and mopped daily.
• Kitchen or kitchenette counter tops are cleaned with a disinfectant cleaner daily.
• All bathrooms are mopped and cleaned using an antimicrobial cleaner and disinfectant daily.
• All door handles are wiped each night with an antimicrobial cleaner and disinfectant.
• When a deep clean is required, bleach is used.
• Classroom and common areas are routinely disinfected. (The disinfectant used is hospital grade and effective for 30 days.) This protocol was initiated in January when we were seeing an increase in students and faculty with flu. The protocol will be continued until further notice. 
• We are disinfecting busses daily.

Our Tactics: Handwashing and Elbow Bumps
• Faculty, staff, and students wash hands upon arriving on campus and before beginning work, and frequent handwashing continues throughout the day.
• We have adopted the practice of bumping elbows and/or waving instead of shaking hands.

Our Tactics: Staying Up to Date
The Administrative Team monitors the CDC site daily and stays apprised of updates coming to us from State health officials and various associations to which we belong.

Here are inks to sites we are monitoring, and you may wish to monitor them as well.
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
https://www.ncdhhs.gov/ 
https://www.ncdhhs.gov/press-releases

Our Tactics: Virtual Learning
The Educational Leadership Team (ELT) in partnership with MSR Director of Educational Technology Melissa Edwards met and began preparing for the possibility that at some point local authorities could close schools in the Triangle. Virtual platforms and learning software are already integrated into much of the delivery of the curriculum, especially in the upper divisions. 

ELT’s focus now is on organizing material so it can be delivered completely through virtual channels, even for our youngest learners. The goal, even in virtual space, is to provide students with a consistent and familiar schedule, knowing that this is the best framework for learning and engagement. If school closings are announced, we will be in touch with parents to provide details on virtual learning, as well as recommendations, suggestions, and resources for activities that parents can use at home.

School Travel
Spring Domestic Trips: We are seeing travel discouraged across many sectors. We had no international travel scheduled for this year, and at this time, we are evaluating all of the domestic trips scheduled for April and May. We will share additional information as we make decisions. 

Field Trips: We will evaluate the risks for field trips and make decisions on a case-by-case basis. We believe, however, that field trips that place students in crowed settings, e.g., theaters, auditoriums, etc., where they are in close proximity to large numbers of other students, is counterproductive to keeping students safe. Please stay in touch with your child’s classroom teacher for updates. 

Family Travel
As we approach Spring Break in a few weeks, we encourage parents to stay informed about health conditions in destinations being considered for family trips. Travel bans can appear with short notice and quickly affect departures from and returns to the US. These sites provide much information. 

• https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/
• https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/

Your Partnership
The goal always is to keep children and teens well and to limit exposure to illness. Please do not allow your child to come to school if they are experiencing any of the following:

• Temperature of 100 degrees or higher within the last 24 hours
• Diarrhea or vomiting within the last 24 hours
• Severe cough
• Severe cold, especially with greenish/yellow nasal discharge

If diagnosed with
• strep, a child must be on antibiotics 24 hours before returning to school
• flu, a child should stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone, and the fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine, such as Tylenol®

Tips
• When coaching your child at home to wash hands, suggest they either sing the “Happy Birthday” song while they wash or count slowly to 20. That is the recommended amount of time to ensure washing is thorough.
• Discourage children at home from sharing straws, drinking cups, utensils, etc.

Links to sources of information on how to talk to your child about the virus
• https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/
• https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/how-talk-your-kids-about-coronavirus-ease-their-fears-ncna1129851
• https://www.healthline.com/health-news/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus#Make-sure-you-understand-the-risks
• https://time.com/5776857/how-to-talk-to-kids-coronavirus/

Link to tips on how to talk with children/teens about unsettling news of any kind in the media
• https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/explaining-the-news-to-our-kids

As there are updates about the virus or changes to our plans, we will update you. In the meantime, we know you join with us in being vigilant, following recommended protocols, and using common sense. Thank you for your partnership.