The 2020 School Year Begins!
Education in the time of Covid has been daunting for families and teachers alike. How fortunate we are to be blessed with a tenacious community that that never shies away from a challenge. In the countdown to the beginning of the school year, the WSRF family demonstrated flexibility, kindness, and grit: The very same qualities we aim to inspire in our students.
Here are some of the steps we've taking in anticipation of opening
Purchase of multiple tents / river tarps for use as open air classrooms
Intensified cleaning and disinfection
Purchase of individual supplies and materials for each student, reducing chance of cross contamination between use
Dedicated care space for symptomatic students
Sanitizer, tissues and face coverings for all students and teachers
Expectation for parents to perform symptom check every morning before drop-off
Reminder: Please check your children for symptoms every morning and stay home if you or your children are ill.
New in 2020: Open Air Classrooms
Physically distant movement class with Ms. Lichatz:
FAQ: Why is the school proceeding with the in-person model when studies are showing evidence that young children do indeed carry and transmit the virus?
The school acknowledges this is a risk. We believe the following contribute toward mitigating the risk:
Local cases have dramatically declined (details below)
We have implemented layered mitigation tactics as outlined in our re-opening plans
Our community is committed to staying home when sick and following our practices at school
We are blessed with open-air classrooms, many outdoor spaces, and very good ventilation when indoors
We are looking to implement air purifiers to be used indoors when the outdoor air quality or weather is not conducive to outdoor classes
Our faculty and staff are committed to practicing our safety protocols, are willing to step into the classrooms and hold the students with love and care
We have seen incredible joy and happiness these past few days of re-opening K-2 classes which reinforces the importance of human connection and social-emotional development
Local Data: Garfield, Pitkin, and Eagle Counties:
Garfield County: https://www.garfield-county.com/public-health/garfield-county-covid-19-cases/
Pitkin county: https://covid19.pitkincounty.com/coronameter/?fbclid=IwAR2IV3NM9BYOFC5lX2jyfqr0MNkchjSXzxiBVEeqMFb24lVZ6VGVcEfMenU
Eagle County: https://sites.google.com/eaglecounty.us/covidperformanceindicators/ents.
Air Quality Notice: "Smoke Day"
All of us at WSRF have so enjoyed having the children back on campus. We marvel at the laughter and happiness of the children being together again. While the work to reopen safely has been intricate, we feel good about being together again.
The fire has added a new dimension to our planning and capacity to hold and care for the children. Sunday, the air quality based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the central valley was between 'Unhealthy' and 'Very Unhealthy'.
The forecast for today (Monday 8/17/20 and Tuesday 8/18/20) was projected to be 'Unhealthy' to 'Very Unhealthy' again. Of course, predictions are not always accurate. But we made the decision to assess the overall conditions present, and called a “Poor Air Quality” day.
Administrative Council met first thing and discussed the following:
Children will go inside if the 30 minute average air quality index goes above 101, ‘Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups’. We will use the Basalt monitoring station as reported here: https://www.purpleair.com/map?opt=1/mAQI/a30/cC0&select=10658#10.19/39.3495/-107.2278
While we have smoke in our atmosphere, parents need to send their children to school with the awareness that children may be inside for the day with windows and doors closed.
Administrative Council will continue to assess levels of air quality alongside county statistics related to COVID to ensure we make the best decisions possible to keep our children healthy, safe and in a nurturing learning environment.
During the winter months, we are prepared for mask-wearing indoors, however we expect the outdoor air quality to be good, and our ability to ventilate appropriately to be more comfortable and suitable for the children.
Staff Changes & Updates
Over the past days and weeks we have been in earnest conversation with families about re-enrollment and the challenges of the 2020-21 school year. As these conversations continue, Faculty and staff members have had to wrestle with some of the same questions.
Señora Amanda has decided – with "a broken heart" – that she must resign for personal reasons. With that, we have begun the work to find a capable replacement, for both the short and long-term. The Faculty will be conducting interviews with candidates over the next two days. Given our cohort schedule, Señora Amanda was scheduled to be with the 5th and 6th grade classes for the first four weeks of school. We have a few thoughts on how we can continue to offer Spanish for the two classes while we search for a suitable teacher. If these plans fall through, we will substitute additional math and language arts classes, along with painting and drawing.
Ms. Baetz, most unfortunately, has elected to be furloughed. We are hoping that Ms. Baetz will be able to return to the classroom soon. In the interim, Mr. Johnson has stepped forward to teach the first two main lesson blocks, along with four classes of math. Ms. Noll has offered to help and extend her schedule into the 7th grade. These offerings would likely include language arts, class meetings, and art. During the first four week block, Ms. Baba will be teaching Eurythmy for extended periods. There are a few classes that are not as yet assigned, but scheduling will be completed in the coming days.
Ms. Noelle has chosen to furlough as well. Like Ms. Baetz, we are hoping that Ms. Noelle will be able to join us again soon! Ms. Rosenthal has stepped forward to join the Kinderhuas faculty and will now lead the aftercare program.
We continue to reach out to talented, local teachers who may be available to work within our cohorts, providing the full-rounded curriculum that we plan to offer for the 2020-21 school year.
As always, if you have questions or suggestions, please reach out to any member of the Administrative Council.
Sorting Out Coronavirus Fact From Fiction
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, people were fighting misinformation about health conditions, vaccines and treatments online. With the pandemic constantly evolving, it may be hard to keep up and understand what’s factual and what is fake—especially if your primary source for news is social media.
It’s important to be up to date on COVID-19 guidance to understand your local regulations. Misinformation continues to spread about topics like at-home treatments, how you get infected, and what’s safe or unsafe once you go out in public.
As the number of COVID-19 infections rises across the globe, it’s important now more than ever to understand the facts and correct guidelines for protecting yourself.
Fighting the Infodemic
Public health officials say they are not only fighting a pandemic, but also an “infodemic.” Defined as an overabundance of information—both accurate and not— the infodemic makes it hard for people to find reliable guidance online or on social media.
Consider asking yourself the following questions to sort out coronavirus fact from fiction:
Who’s saying it? Check out not just who sent you the article or graphic, but also the author and whether it’s posted by a well-known publication. When it comes to health care, peer-reviewed journals add another level of credibility to research.
What proof do they have? Consider the information more credible if there are additional links or evidence in the article.
When was this published? It’s easy to share outdated information, especially on social media. Check the date, as the pandemic continues to quickly evolve day by day.
Where else is it being reported? Do a quick online search to see if trusted organizations (like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization or local public health officials) are also reporting it.
Why are they saying it? Try to understand the study’s funding, which may impact its credibility. Certain organizations may have a motive or bias.
If you’re still aren’t sure, ask yourself whether you do believe the information. Trust your gut and rely on solid sources.
Residents asked to beware of mysterious seed packets
Local residents have been receiving strange seeds from China in the mail
GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County Vegetation management is asking the public to be aware of strange seed packages that have popped up in mailboxes in all 50 states in recent days. The seeds are unsolicited and appear to originate from China.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) has reported numerous calls from Coloradans that have received the seed packets, which are unidentified and could potentially contain invasive plants, introduce diseases to local plants or harm livestock and animals. Read more in this CDA press release.
Garfield County Vegetation Manager Steve Anthony said one resident in rural Carbondale has received a seed packet. Anthony took possession of the packet on Wednesday and is working with the CDA to determine the next steps.
“I received the packet and it does have a return address to a location in China,” Anthony said. “It has a description of being a necklace on the outside of the envelope, but inside, a small plastic packet also reads ‘carrot seeds.’ The main thing is to be very cautious with the package because we don’t know what it is yet. It’s important not to throw them out either, as it would go to the landfill and could potentially seed in the ground there.”
He reiterated not to plant the seeds, but also not to throw them away and to contact the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Anthony added that anyone with questions can also contact Vegetation Management at (970) 945-1377, ext. 4305.
A resident in rural Silt also received a packet of seeds and turned them over to the Colorado State Extension Office in Rifle. The CDA is asking anyone who receives the seeds not to open the packets and to call 303-869-9081 or visit cda_nursery@state.co.us.
The CDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDAs) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) have established a protocol to address the reporting of unsolicited seeds received from China. The agencies ask that you do not destroy the seeds or packaging, place the materials into an air-tight sealed bag; and call 303-869-9081 and leave your phone number and email address. A CDA or PPQ employee will then coordinate with you and gather information about the shipment of unsolicited seeds.
