Dear Bates Families,
It is my hope that 2022 brings us all peace and good health. I recognize that it is very challenging to start the new year with what feels like a setback in this pandemic, a surge in Covid-19 cases that is impacting all of us in our community. I remain ever grateful to our health care providers, especially Chris Spolidoro, our Bates nurse, who is working tirelessly to keep us all safe and informed. Thank you also to the Bates faculty and staff who are teaching and supporting our children in these challenging times. I have never been more proud to be a member of the Bates community.
As you may be aware, we’ve had a recent increase in positive cases in the Bates community. This trend can be seen on the district’s Covid dashboard, which is located on the district’s website. Many cases were identified outside of school prior to our return this week. In addition, our surveillance testing on Monday identified several positive pools.
Surveillance Testing and Pools
Our weekly surveillance testing continues to operate smoothly and efficiently. Small groups of students briefly visit with a health care provider in the hallway, where they swab themselves and quickly return to class. Surveillance testing groups students’ viral samples into small pools of about 7 students. Results are typically received 24-48 hours later. When a positive pool is identified, all members of the pool are retested individually using a rapid antigen test at school. In addition, a PCR is also taken and sent to the lab. These results are used to identify any positive cases. We continue to work with our testing provider and the WPS Department Head of Nursing to optimize our pool testing procedures.
Safety Measures at School
We at Bates continue to do all we can to maximize students’ safety at school. We are confident in our protocols and practices; however, in response to the recent surge, we are making efforts to provide increased distance between students where possible. The Bates students are truly amazing. They follow the 3Bs by being responsible and safe, diligently wearing their masks and following teacher expectations regarding safe practices.
I ask your help to continue using our mitigation tools:
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Getting vaccinated: Bates has a 100% vaccination rate amongst our staff! We are also seeing a large percentage of our students getting vaccinated as well.
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Staying home when sick: Thank you for not sending your child to school with any Covid symptoms. Either a negative PCR or rapid antigen test are accepted as a form of assurance that a child can return safely to school.
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Wearing masks: This week Bates staff received a supply of KN95 masks provided by the state. We encourage individuals to consider wearing a N95, a KN95 or a multi-layered surgical mask rather than a cloth mask. We ask that parents and caregivers check that each child has a tight fitting mask and emphasize the importance of proper mask wearing with your child.
Absences
If you have a question about whether your child should attend school, please err on the side of caution and keep them home until you can speak with the school nurse. In the event that your child must isolate or quarantine due to Covid, please reach out to your child’s teacher if you would like to request schoolwork for your child to do at home. At home assignments, which may include asynchronous lessons and independent work, are optional. Students may have use of their school iPads at home. However, unfortunately students are not able to participate in synchronous learning, or Zooming into the classroom this year.
Reporting an Absence
To report a child’s absence for any reason please use the Bates Absence Reporting Form, found on our website. The information on this form is crucial for tracking illness in our community. Emails to the teacher should not be used in place of the reporting form but may be used as a secondary form of communication. Thank you for your cooperation.
While we adults manage this pandemic, please know the Bates School remains a positive experience for children. I am amazed by the Bates teachers and staff who each and every day provide for childrens’ many needs with smiles, calm dispositions and joyful learning experiences, despite the challenges. Thank you for your continued partnership and support. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at jolleya@wellesleyps.org.
Warmly,
Toni Jolley