COVID-19

August 16, 2021

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

Last week, the Washington State Department of Health released new regulations for the 2021-2022 school year. One important change is that the travel quarantine is no longer required. Quarantine is only required for any individuals who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 (vaccinated or unvaccinated) or unvaccinated individuals who have been exposed to someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19. Students and adults will not be required to quarantine after domestic travel. Therefore, at this time we will not be planning to hold instruction online after the school breaks (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Midwinter, and Easter) unless something changes in the future. We will plan for in-person instruction for all students after the breaks.

The guidance also states that unvaccinated adults need to practice 6 feet of social distancing when in the school building. Everyone inside the building (students, staff, visitors) is required to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status. Finally, vaccinated individuals do not need to quarantine if exposed to COVID-19 as long as they exhibit no symptoms. It is still recommended that vaccinated individuals test 3-5 days after known exposure and watch closely for symptoms.

As a reminder, all students and adults may choose whether or not to wear a mask while outside, regardless of vaccination status. 

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

August 15, 2021

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

The protocols for keeping our school community have changed somewhat over the past year and a half. One important constant is contact tracing. We share the information below to help you understand that process a bit better. Please be assured that we endeavor with each case of Covid to keep our community healthy and safe and to keep as many students on campus and learning as possible. We quarantine only those students determined by the health department to be close contacts. We appreciate your patience and partnership through this challenging time. 

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

What happens if there is a positive case of Covid at Sacred Heart?

When a student or staff member tests positive for Covid, please notify the school (npickett@sacredheart.org) as soon as possible. We work directly with the King County Health Department (KCHD) to conduct contact tracing as soon as we have a confirmed case of Covid in order to quickly identify any members of our school community who may be considered a close contact. Contact tracing involves gathering  information from the Covid-positive individual and from teachers and staff who may have been in contact with that individual, as well as a series of questions asked by KCHD. Anyone determined to be a close contact will be contacted by the school via email and required to quarantine in accordance with KCHD guidelines. You may also be contacted directly by KCHD. A general communication about the positive Covid case will be shared with the affected grade-level(s) out of an abundance of caution.

One of the biggest challenges in conducting effective contact tracing is protecting the identity of the Covid-positive individual. HIPAA laws protect health information, and we are prohibited from sharing any information which might identify the diagnosis of any individual. While we can say there has been a positive case of Covid in our community, we cannot indicate whether it is a student, parent, staff member, male, female, or any other identifying information. On occasion, the Covid-positive individual gives us permission to share their identify with those who might have been exposed. This greatly improves our ability to conduct accurate contact tracing, not by broadcasting the name to the school community, but by talking with individual staff members who we know have been in contact with that individual, or with students who have been named by the Covid-positive individual as someone who may have spent a length of time in their presence. The benefits of this are twofold: 1) We avoid casting a broad net and quarantining an entire class when truly, only a few individual may have been in close contact; and 2) We increase the accuracy of identifying individuals who are close contacts by not missing someone who was in close contact with the Covid-positive individual. We do not have video surveillance of any individual throughout the day, nor are teachers or students using stopwatches to determine how long they are less than 3 feet away from any given individual. We do our best to comprehensively gather information about close contacts while protecting the privacy of the Covid-positive individual, but when permission is given to share the identity with those directly involved, this process is more accurate and therefore, more effective.

It may happen from time to time that individual students and/or staff are absent at about the same time a positive case of Covid is identified. We ask that people not assume or jump to the conclusion that those absent have Covid, or even that they are considered close contacts and in quarantine. These types of rumors are not Christian and do not support a healthy and trusting community. Already this year, we have seen an increase in the number of colds and other viruses not related to Covid which have caused students and staff to be absent. People also have non-Covid-related procedures or appointments which cause them to miss work or school. All personal health information is protected by HIPAA privacy laws, so we ask everyone to be prudent in your discussions.

Whenever we are informed of a positive Covid case in our school community, our goal is to reduce further spread of the virus, support all those affected, and keep our community safe. While we are not scientists or medical experts, the decisions we make are driven entirely by the guidance of our local health department. This often involves hours of phone calls with KCHD, in addition to conversations with the Covid-positive individual, staff, and students. It is not an exact science but working together and following the guidance of the health department, we have been able to keep our doors open longer than most schools, and with minimum disruption to student learning.

August 6, 2021

Sacred Heart School Community,

Given the current trend of the virus, I am confident that masking will be part of our fall, maybe the whole year, along with the improved ventilation, handwashing, and staying at home when sick. I believe that the travel quarantine will continue to affect us in significant ways as well, at least until the vaccines are widely available to children under 12. 

The travel quarantine requires that any unvaccinated person who travels out of state must quarantine for seven days, test for Covid 3-5 days after returning to WA, and then the individual may return to school after the full seven days. This is true not just for those who are eligible for the vaccine (12 and over) but also for those who are not. Currently this will affect the great majority of our students.

The plan below is a compromise. It allows families to travel as necessary under the current travel quarantine regulations. It also allows our teachers to focus on providing high quality in-person instruction to our students and to support our at-home learners during their quarantine.

Hybrid instruction (where a teacher is teaching students in-person and online simultaneously) requires quite a bit of additional planning and preparation for teachers and detracts from the in-person instruction. We provide this modality last year due to the then current circumstances of the pandemic. We do not believe that this is the best option for our students or staff at this time. Of course, if circumstances require a significant change in our instructional delivery, we are ready and able to do so again.

I am hopeful that the year ahead will be easier than last year. But it will continue to present us with some challenges to work out together. I am confident in this community’s resilience, creativity, and faith in addressing and overcoming any challenges that they year ahead may bring.

1. This is the current plan for the 2021-2022 school year. If and when vaccines for children under 12 become available, a significant change in the virus occurs, and/or the travel quarantine ends, we will make modifications to this plan.
2. The week after each of the major breaks (i.e., Thanksgiving, Christmas, Midwinter, and Easter) will be remote for grades PK-6. All students in those grades will be online. In-person “Camp” will be provided for those students whose family needs it and who are not subject to quarantine. 7^th and 8^th grade students will continue to be taught in person as the great majority of those students will be eligible for the vaccine by that point. Those who are not vaccinated for whatever reason will join in online for the week. 6^th grade will be evaluated for in-person instruction once the majority become eligible for the vaccine.
3. When students are sick or injured, they should rest, get better, and return to school. Their teachers will help them to catch up when they return. If your child will be out for an extended time due to injury or illness, please contact Mrs. Pickett or Mr. Burroughs to create a support plan.
4. When students are out of school due to quarantine, they will do their schoolwork independently with support

• Students will be sent by email a single document with the work that they will be doing while absent. This will focus on Language Arts, Math, and Religion in grades PK-5 (additional items may be included such as the Culture Fair or animal report) and all subjects in grades 6-8. This document will include the work to be done and links to any resources to support learning (e.g., Quizlet, Khan Academy). Standard instructions for submitting completing work and accessing support will be at the top of the document. A new work document will be sent out for each week a student is absent. This work list is the teachers’ best understanding at the time it is produced. It may be updated after it is sent in order to clarify or modify the work assigned.
• Schoolwork support meetings will be provided at various times throughout the week to help answer students’ questions and guide their work. A few of our teachers will lead these online support opportunities (e.g., Mrs. Simons, Mrs. Steer, and Ms. Jorissen). These are optional. Students (or parents for students in PK-2^nd) will be required to submit a form explaining their questions/problem and what they have already tried to solve it. This will help the teachers be prepared and empower our students to be problem-solvers.
• Twice a week, the student’s teachers will be online for 30 minutes to meet with any at-home students. These meetings will be mandatory as they are an opportunity for teachers to assess the student’s understanding as well as for students to ask questions. Students must submit the same form as above for these meetings if they have questions.

5. Parents must notify the school (Mrs. Champion in the front office) of their child’s absence at least 48 hours before materials and the work list will be sent home. This will help to ensure that the work list is accurate and complete, and all materials are ready. Please notify the school about any planned absences as soon as you know about them so that we can prepare to support your child during quarantine.

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

November 15, 2020

Dear Sacred Heart School Community, 

As you know, the governor made some changes today to try to reduce the number of coronavirus cases. Fortunately,  he specifically did not make any changes to schools or day care programs. So, we will stay the course with our current programs. 

We will continue our screening, cleaning, masking, ventilating, and distancing at the school. We ask that you all take the necessary precautions at home and outside school to keep our community healthy and safe. 

On Friday, the governor also implemented new travel guidelines for non-essential travel.  We ask everyone to keep this in mind when making your plans for the holidays. Fortunately,  we are offering instruction online (as well as in-person), so your child can stay up to date if you need to quarantine for 14 days after traveling. 

Together we can keep our students learning and our community healthy. 

May God bless you all.

Sincerely, 

David Burroughs 

November 16, 2020

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

Thank you for your ongoing support as we work to improve our policies and procedures during these exceptional times. We ask for your continued help in the following ways:

Morning Drop Off

The lines move quickly when students are ready to exit the vehicle when it is their turn. While waiting in line, have children unbuckle and gather their things. Remember to unlock car doors and thank you for having those Ruvna codes ready!

Afternoon Pick Up

During the rainy days ahead, help us load students as quickly as possible by being alert and pulling forward to the car in front of you as the line moves. This helps prevent a backlog on 14th Street. Students in the lower lot should be prepared with rain coats and compact umbrellas as there is no covering under which to stand on rainy days.

Absence Procedures during Covid

Please take time to read the attached document, Absence Procedures during Covid, in its entirety. It answers many of the common questions we receive about when students can return to school and how to participate in remote instruction if staying home due to illness or quarantine. Please familiarize yourself with these procedures.

Thank you for doing your part to keep our community safe!

David Burroughs & Nicole Pickett

Absence Procedures during COVID

October 1, 2020

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

As students begin to return to in-person it is critical that all students have at least five well-fitting cloth masks. Face masks should be washed daily. An extra mask should always be brought to school in case the first one becomes dirty, wet, or contaminated. Students may wear any school-appropriate face mask patterns or designs (e.g., superheroes, animals, paisley, planets, sparkles, camouflage). Find masks that they like and will willingly wear.

So far, our students have been very good about wearing their masks. We expect that this will continue to be the case.

• Please note: due to updated guidance received today from the state, face shields are only allowed for students in place of a cloth mask if it includes, “a cloth extension attached to the entire edge of the shield.” However, face shields may be worn together with a cloth face mask.
• If your child has trouble keeping their face mask in the proper position to cover both their nose and mouth, you may want to consider a mask that ties instead of one with loops.
• If you child’s ears are bothered by the loops on the mask, you may want to consider plastic “extenders” for the mask or a mask that ties.
• If your child chews on their mask or if they find it hard to breathe in their mask, you may want to consider an insert for the mask that will create space inside the mask between their face and the cloth.
• Masks should not have valves. The valves may allow droplets or aerosolized virus to escape.

All the links above are provided as examples only. We have not tested these specific products and make no guarantees about their effectiveness, quality, or value.

We look forward to bringing all our students safely back to campus and apprecaite your support and cooperation to keep everyone healthy.

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

September 28, 2020

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

I know that remote learning has not been easy for anyone and I agree that having our students at school for instruction is the very best way to provide them with the education and formation that you want from Sacred Heart School. I am grateful for all the hard work and long hours that our staff, parents, and students have been putting in to make remote learning work. We look forward to the day when all our students, staff, and parents can be together again in person at school. As we begin to bring students back to the classroom next week (K & 1 on October 5th) we need everyone to be working together as a community. 

Some of our students and staff have significant health concerns that put them at increased risk of serious complications from COVID-19. We want to keep those who are in-person safe and create an environment that makes it possible for those are are online to join us in-person in the future. Please be preparing your children to return to school safely by doing the following. Our staff is being asked to do the same. What each of us does can affect everyone in our community. 

• Ensure that your children have four or five cloth masks that fit them well and they can wear for extended periods. Send two masks to school each day with your child, one on his or her face and the other as a backup. Wash used masks each day. Students are required to wear masks at all times indoors (except when eating or drinking) and encouraged to wear them outside at recess when possible. 
• Show your child how to clean his or her hands thoroughly for 20 seconds (reciting the Our Father or Happy Birthday song is about 20 seconds) using soap and water as well as hand sanitizer so that they can clean their hands in either way. Remind them to clean their hands throughout the day.
• Talk with your child about the importance of maintaining social distance at school. You may want to get out a yard stick or tape measure to demonstrate a six foot distance. 
• If your child is sick, keep him or her at home.
• Outside of school, follow the rules for King County about gatherings, travel, etc. in order to decrease the risk of your family being exposed to the coronavirus.
• Get a flu shot.

If a student or staff member shows symptoms of COVID-19, the attached rules from the King County Department of Health will be observed. I am urging everyone to please read over this important two-page document. One additional clarification that we have received from the health department is that a student or staff member who has symptoms of COVID-19 but receives an alternative diagnosis from a doctor (e.g., rhinovirus, influenza, strep throat, norovirus) may return to school 24 hours after symptoms have improved.  

Parents and staff will be notified promptly of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the same way that we have communicated in the past about influenza, strep throat, etc.

Thank you for your help in creating a safe and healthy return to in-person instruction.

King County Return to School Guidance for Students and Staff with Suspected COVID-19

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

September 18, 2020

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

Thank you for all your support these past months as we made the transition to remote instruction. I think that in the spring we were all hoping that we would be able to return in person for school this fall. Unfortunately, that turned out not to be the case. However, the governor did lay out a roadmap for returning to in-person instruction that we have been studying and using as our guide as we have been planning and preparing for the next step.

King County is now in the Moderate Risk range (having moved from the High Risk range) with 55 cases per 100,000 residents. This means that we are now allowed by the King County Health Department to begin planning for a transition to hybrid instruction.

Hybrid instruction will mean that students in grades K-5 can begin to return to in-person instruction along with a continuing online component. Some students will remain in full-time online instruction because they are not ready to return to in-person instruction yet. So, hybrid instruction is a “hybrid” of in-person and online instruction. Our complete plan is attached. 

Hybrid instruction is not our final goal. Teaching all our students in-person five days per week is our final goal. But it will take some time (and improvements in the coronavirus situation) in order to get there. We are rolling out hybrid instruction in phases, starting with grades K & 1, followed by 2 & 3, and finally 4 & 5. We are doing this in order to teach and practice with our students the new procedures for in-person learning (wearing masks, social distancing, one-way travel in the hallways, hand hygiene, etc.) and verify our new procedures with a small group first. Our goal is to keep everyone safe and healthy. We want to not only bring our students back to school, but to keep them here. So, we will be taking things slowly to ensure that we can avoid any health issues that would require us to return to full remote instruction.

You and your children will notice that even the in-person portion of hybrid instruction is not like instruction before March 15^th of this year. Our teachers will need to be providing attention to both the students in-person and online while teaching. Our specialist teachers will continue to teach remotely, for the time being. But hybrid instruction will allow our students and teachers to interact directly and for our students to be able to be together again with classmates.

What can you do to help with this process?

• Please read the attached plan.
• Answer the survey indicating whether or not you intend for your child to participate in in-person instruction or remain in full-remote instruction. We need to hear from everyone by Monday, September 21^st.
• If you decide in the future to move from full-remote to in-person, we will need to know by Wednesday in order for your child to start in-person instruction on Monday or Tuesday of the next week. We need to prepare for new students joining the classroom
• Practice mask-wearing, social distancing, and hand hygiene with your children. Limit your travel and interactions with other people outside your family. We want to keep all of our students, staff, and parents safe and healthy
• Keep your children at home when they are sick and get them tested if they have signs of the coronavirus.
• Get a flu shot.
• Be patient with our teachers and staff as we transition to a new style of teaching. There will be some bumps along the way. Please send us your constructive feedback so that we can improve.

Some of you may have read or heard about plans for other schools and districts to return to in-person instruction and hybrid learning. Please keep in mind that the Bellevue School District and all of the various Catholic and private schools around us are working from the same set of requirements from the state but have very different populations, resources, challenges, buildings, etc. Some small schools have an entire grade of ten or fewer students. This is our plan for our community. Please pray for our teachers and staff as we begin to implement it and for all the other schools around us as they move forward with their plans.

Next week we will be sending out additional information about the protocols for students and staff around returning to school after being sick.

Please read the attached plan for hybrid instruction below. 

Hybrid Instruction Plan V.2

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

As a part of keeping our school a safe and healthy place to learn and work, everyone who is entering the building must complete a daily screening. 

Click here for details about how daily screening at SHS works with Ruvna COVID-19 Screening Tools.

August 13, 2020 Dear Sacred Heart School Community, We know that remote instruction is a challenge for everyone - students, staff, and families. We have been planning over the last few months to make remote instruction the best possible experience for everyone.  We have added more staff to our educational team in order to better support our students and families and built time into our schedule for increased opportunities for student-teacher and student-student interaction. More information will be sent out next week about these new opportunities along with our remote instruction schedule.  Fall Camp In order to assist our families that need childcare during the day so that the parents can work and their children can learn, we are considering offering one or more "fall camps".  We understand that all families find remote instruction more challenging than in-person instruction, but we are limited in space and staffing for these camps and need to prioritize those families who truly need this kind of support. If you are a family who needs a program like this, we want to hear from you. This is not intended to be a time for students to socialize, but to provide the assistance that some of the families in our community need. We are developing opportunities for virtual and in-person social interaction between students to support their social and emotional growth that will be open to all students.  If offered, these camps will be run according the regulations provided by the King County Health Department and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.  These camps will be designed to provide supervision for students to participate in remote instruction. Campers will not be taught by a teacher in a traditional classroom setting. Campers will be part of small "pods" of students who will participate in online learning, recess and lunch, homework time, and before and after school activities together under the supervision of staff. Campers will be required to wear masks, observe social distancing and good hygiene, and follow all other health and safety protocols. Parents will need to complete a daily health screening for campers before they enter the school building.  These camps will be an additional cost in order to cover the cost of the staffing and materials required to operate the program.  If your family needs a program like this, please reply to this email to let me know about your family's needs so that we can plan appropriately.  Remote Instruction Webinars During the week of August 24th, we will be offering a series of online presentations to prepare your child and family for remote instruction. While these presentations were primarily designed for our new students and families, anyone is invited to attend. The sessions will be recorded in case you would like to watch (or re-watch) them later. WEBINAR SERIES- Remote Learning: Essential Technology Tools (for Parents) This webinar series will give parents an overview of the essential technology tools that Sacred Heart students will need to begin remote learning this school year. These sessions are highly recommended for all new parents. Current families are also welcome to attend!   ·        Monday 8/24, 6:30pm-7:30pm- Microsoft Teams: Our Online Classroom ·        Tuesday 8/25, 6:30pm-7:30pm- Essential Technology Tools in K-4 ·        Wednesday 8/26, 6:30pm-7:30pm- Essential Technology Tools in 5-8 ·        Thursday 8/27 , 6:30pm-7:30pm-  Q&A, Open Forum for Remaining Technology Tools Questions (K-8) All sessions will be recorded and made available for those who cannot attend live.   To attend, please RSVP HERE by Friday, August 21 @ 3:00pm. Once you RSVP, will receive a Teams Meeting Invitation for each session that you are attending the email address you have provided. To join the live webinar, simply open the email invitation, and click on the link to "Join the Microsoft Teams Meeting" at 6:30!

August 6, 2020

Dear Sacred Heart School Community, 

As you probably know from the press conference yesterday, Governor Inslee has created new categories of high, moderate, and low risk for counties across the state. These categories determine whether or not schools should restart in person or remotely. 

Up until yesterday’s press conference, the governor, state superintendent, and state health department had all been recommending that schools return safely to in-person instruction in the fall. We have been actively planning and preparing for a safe return to in-person instruction for months. Yesterday, Governor Inslee reversed his direction and is now “strongly recommending” that schools in high risk counties (like King County) open only for remote instruction in the fall. While this was not an absolute directive to close the campus as we received in March, it is not something that we as a school or as an archdiocese can ignore.  

As a Catholic school, our mission and vision require that we operate in a way that safeguards and promotes the good of all – students, staff, parents, and our larger community. In the attached letter from the Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Kristin Dixon, and Archbishop Etienne, you will see that all Catholic schools in high risk counties are required to start the school year remotely.  

As I have mentioned, we were working diligently this summer on preparing to open our school in a way that supports the health and safety of all. Given the current circumstances in our county, we are not able to do that at this time. However, we will continue to prepare for a safe and healthy re-opening at Sacred Heart School as soon as it is allowed.  

Simultaneously with our planning and preparation for in-person instruction, we have also been preparing for enhanced remote instruction. We have read and listened to the feedback from our parents and staff regarding the parts of our remote instruction in the spring that went well and those that needed improvement. Our remote instruction in the fall will be even more robust than it was in the spring. 

The following enhancements will be part of our remote instruction this fall: 

1. We will prioritize live instruction in all grades and subjects. This is the most effective way to deliver instruction and provide opportunities for student in most cases. All classes will also be recorded so that students can watch them later if they are unable to participate “live”. 

2. The schedule for the remote instruction day will be much more like the regular school day. All students will start the day at the same time, recess and lunch breaks will be coordinated for all grades, and many classes will be longer (especially in the intermediate and middle school grades) in order to provide enough time for instruction and interaction with students. 

3. Primary and intermediate students will be taught by the same homeroom teachers who will be teaching them when we move to in-person instruction. For example, a student in 1A will be taught by Ms. Daly. This is to ensure that the online class sizes are smaller and provide more opportunity for student and teacher interaction and assessment. 

4. New systems ensuring one-on-one interactions between students and teachers will be put into place.  

5. Additional staff will be in place to provide support for students’ academic, social, spiritual, and technical needs and to assist parents with technical issues, too.  

6. We will be creating new opportunities for students to socialize and interact while learning in a digital environment.  

This message does not include our complete plan. We are waiting on some additional guidance from the state as we work on finalizing the details of our plan. More information will be sent home over the coming days. 

How can you prepare for remote instruction in the fall?  

1. During the week of August 24, we will be providing training for all new students and parents in the programs and skills needed to succeed in a digital environment. Returning parents and students may also join these presentations as a refresher for the fall.  

2. Make sure that your children have a computer and strong internet connection before school begins on September 1st. If you need to borrow a computer, please contact our IT director, Nancy Schoeggl (nschoeggl@sacredheart.org).  

3. Prepare a place in your home where your child(ren) can learn each day. Ideally it would be a place with few distractions but plenty of room to work and a view of the outdoors.  

4. Over the next few weeks, begin the transition from a summer schedule to a school schedule. Classes will begin each day for all grades at 8:45 am. The full schedule will be sent out as soon as it is finalized. 

5. Pray for our teachers, students, parents, and staff. This is a challenging way to start the new school year. But with God all things are possible.  

I also want to let you know about some staff changes for the upcoming year.  

1. Mrs. Geary will not be returning in the fall. She has taken a new position teaching kindergarten to a class of one – her granddaughter. It was a move that she was sad to have to make but it was needed to support her family. She hopes to return to Sacred Heart School at some point in the future.  

2. Ms. Molly Elliott will be joining our kindergarten team. She comes to us from St. Benedict Preparatory School in where she taught for the last 10 years. She and Mrs. Dickerson have already started planning and preparing for the new year. 

3. Mrs. Kari Larson will be joining our Pre-Kindergarten team as our second pre-k teacher. Mrs. Larson has taught in a variety of school settings in both pre-k and primary grades. She is looking forward to being in her brand-new pre-k classroom. 

4. Señora Jasmin Pelayo, a native of Argentina, will be teaching Spanish to our students in Pre-K through 4th grade. Most recently she was teaching at The Little School in Bellevue. 

5. Señora Maria Carrillo, a native of Venezuela, comes to us from St. Croix School in Minnesota. She will be teaching 5th through 8th grade Spanish. 

6. Mrs. Beth Klein, our reading specialist, will be staying at home this year with her baby. Ms. Finney will be moving into the role of reading specialist full-time 

7. Mrs. Lauren Samson will be our long-term substitute for Mrs. Kari Boyd, our school counselor, while she is away on maternity leave. Mrs. Samson has recently completed her degree in school counseling after teaching kindergarten for 12 years at St. Louise School. 

Finally, we are planning to extend our Desk and Locker Day, scheduled for August 31st, to a whole day program. Normally students come to school to set up their desk or locker and meet their teachers. This year, we will ask families to sign-up for a time during the day to come to school and pick up their books and other learning materials and meet their teachers in person. 

I know that this is not the start to the year that most of you were hoping to have. We all wish we could start the year in person. We will be together again as soon as possible. In the meantime, we know that you parents will be actively engaged once again in your child’s learning. Please reach out to me with your questions and suggestions. We want to ensure that you receive the support and assistance that you need as well. 

Sincerely, 

David Burroughs 

Aug 6th Letter from Superintendent of Catholic Schools and Archbishop

July 23, 2020

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

I pray that you are all staying safe and healthy this summer and hopefully finding some opportunities to relax and rejuvenate.

As you recall, I sent out our plan for re-opening school in the fall back on June 23^rd. That plan is based on the guidance that we have received from the governor’s office, the state superintendent’s office, the health department, and the Archdiocese of Seattle. Since that time, Mrs. Pickett and I have been carefully reading any new information coming out from these sources as well as the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics. We have also been reviewing the plans of other schools, districts, and states in order to gather information and ideas. There are no new directives that re-opening school is unsafe and at least a few reports by medical organizations and studies in medical journals indicating that the benefits of re-opening greatly outweigh the risks when proper precautions are taken.

Yesterday, the Bellevue School District (along with some others) announced their decision to provide online-only instruction for the first six weeks of the school year. I respect the decision of the public districts. They have a variety of issues related to re-opening that we do not have, and I am confident that they are making the best decision for their community. I look to our local public-school districts for information and ideas in a variety of areas, including their response to the current pandemic. However, we do not simply follow their lead on all matters – whether it is snow closures or curriculum or school vacations. Sacred Heart School and the Bellevue School district each have different resources, challenges, and opportunities to consider when making their decisions.

I also want to make clear that our plan for re-opening is not political. Our re-opening plan was released prior to the unfortunate politicization of this issue. While our government officials clearly have an important role in this process (and the final decision in whether or not we are allowed to re-open), partisan electoral politics have no place in decisions about education and safety. At Sacred Heart School we want only what is best for our community – students, staff, and parents.

I think that we all recognize that in-person instruction is the best option for all our students. Students, staff, and parents want to safely return to in-person instruction in the fall. I am still confident that we can do this by working together.

Since the governor announced in April that school would not reopen for the remainder of the last school year, we have been planning for the fall. Our planning has continued to be updated based on new information and suggestions and questions from staff and parents. We are thinking about all aspects of our life together at school and working to make the necessary changes to improve health and safety in those areas. We have accomplished much these past few months. But there is more to accomplish. In order to be ready to re-open in the fall, we need your help. Please do your part to make our teachers, students, and parents safe by doing the following.

1. Make sure that anyone coming to school this fall – children and adults – have at least a few cloth masks that are comfortable and suitable. Practice wearing your masks for extended periods of time in order to become accustomed to wearing them.
2. Follow the state’s rules about wearing masks in public and limiting unnecessary interactions with those outside of your household.
3. Ensure that everyone coming to school knows how to properly wash and sanitize their hands and practice doing it.
4. Especially as we approach the re-opening of school, please consider our whole school community (especially those at a higher individual risk) when you make decisions about travel and trips outside of your home. It would be very beneficial if we could all treat those last two weeks as a time of serious preparation for the return to school by staying at home as much as possible (even more than what may be required by the state at that point), getting plenty of exercise and sleep to promote health, and wearing masks whenever interacting with people outside your home (even close friends and family).
5. Staying at home when you are sick – whatever your illness.
6. Notifying the school right away if you, someone in your home, or someone to whom you have been exposed is diagnosed with COVID-19.

At this point, we will be re-opening school on August 31 for an extended Desk & Locker Day. Instead of a one-hour opportunity to set up desks and lockers, there will be timed opportunities over the course of the day for students to come to school and put their supplies into their desks and lockers. The next day, September 1^st, we will invite all students in grades 4-8 to return to school for a full day of instruction. The next day, September 2^nd, students in grades Pre-K through 3^rd will come to school for a full day (half day, as normal, for Pre-K and Kindergarten). Then the whole school will come to school on September 3^rd and 4^th followed by a three-day weekend for Labor Day. This phased opening will allow us to ensure that the procedures and policies that we will have in place are operating correctly and we can make adjustments as necessary.

In addition to in-person instruction, we will be offering remote instruction online for those who need this option. We understand that some students and/or their families will not be able to return to in-person instruction immediately due to a variety of health concerns. So, we have been working to develop robust online instruction for any students who need it either for a short time or long-term. Students will be able to see and interact with their classrooms during the in-person instruction each day. Mrs. Simons is our new remote-instruction specialist and will be overseeing and coordinating remote instruction for all of those involved with it. Remote instruction will be available to students no matter the reason. If a student is at home because of a compromised immune system, a broken leg, or the flu, or anything else that keeps them out of school, remote instruction will be available to them. Remote instruction in the fall will be different than it was in the spring in that students will be participating remotely in their classes according to the regular school schedule. Depending upon your child’s grade level there will be some classes that we will require students to participate in “live” (i.e., as the class is taking place). Other classes can be viewed at a later time in order to accommodate each student’s abilities and family’s schedule.

I encourage families who are inclined and able to take advantage of remote instruction to do so. If you are concerned about having your child return to school right away, please let us know that you want to join in our remote instruction. You are welcome to participate in remote instruction full-time (five days per week) or only a few days per week. This “hybrid-by-choice” option will allow families who want to return to in-person instruction more slowly to do so. At the same time, it will reduce the number of students in the building on any given day.

One of the defining characteristics of our school is the community. It is important to recognize that we have a large community with a diversity of needs. Some families are not able to return to school right away due to health issues or concerns. Other families need to have their children return to school so that they can go to work. Some students thrived during remote instruction while others were greatly challenged by the lack of interaction with teachers and peers. All of us miss being together. I am confident that by working together we can successfully care for the needs of our whole community.

Since the last re-opening plan, we have made much progress. I want to briefly highlight a few things that we have accomplished. I intend to send out an updated plan for re-opening next week once we have received additional feedback from parents and staff through the attached survey (and a survey about remote instruction sent to our staff this week).

1. We have removed the furniture from classrooms aside from desks and chairs in order to maximize the spacing between students.
2. We are creating one-way travel patterns in the hallways in order to avoid congestion.
3. We have tested remote instruction through our new Boxlight Boards in order to ensure the ability of students to be able to effectively learn and participate remotely.
4. We are adding touchless soap dispensers to our bathrooms and ensuring that hot water is available in all of the sinks
5. All “student help times” and parent meetings will be conducted via Microsoft Teams to ensure equitable opportunity for all while also reducing the amount of close contact and the number of people coming into the building.
6. We are identifying an app that parents and staff will be required to use each day before entering the building that will include a temperature check and screening for COVID-19 symptoms.
7. We have kept our classes sizes small for the time being. Due to a continued increase of interest in our school, we now have waiting lists in all but two grades.

This past spring, with the support of our parents, the teachers and staff pivoted nearly overnight to produce high-quality remote instruction for all our students along with some amazing community events. I am certain that together we can meet the new challenges that face us this fall. We are all privileged to be a part of a community that cares deeply about everyone who is a part of it. Working together we can make each other feel and be safe, happy, and supported.

Please take a few minutes to complete a brief survey. Your feedback will help us update our plan for re-opening.

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

 

In his press conference remarks and the Reopening Washington School 2020 District Planning Guide, Superintendent Reykdal emphasized the goal of returning all students to face-to-face instruction in the fall. His remarks and the guide lay out a strategy of prudential safety measures. It is not a one-size-fits-all approach but leaves room for each school to create safe conditions for students, staff, and parents while also emphasizing the importance of socialization and academics.

This plan will remain in place until the guidelines from the State of Washington, the King County Health Department, or the Archdiocese of Seattle change. At such a time, this plan will be modified to reflect these changes.

If Sacred Heart School is required to close its campus again, we will enact the remote instruction plan previously used in the spring of 2020.

Classroom Arrangements

Desks and chairs will be reconfigured in each classroom in order to meet the needs of the current class size and maximize physical distancing. Desks will be placed in front-facing rows, not in clusters or work groups. Non-essential furniture and equipment small group meeting tables and free-standing bookshelves will be removed from classrooms and placed in storage to create the maximum space possible for students and teachers.

Grades K-5 will be treated as a single classroom for the purposes of instruction. For example, we will treat both third grade classes as one class in order that students may continue to be grouped together for reading, math, and additional support services. The pods will be used as additional instructional space in order to maximize the square footage of each room. Plastic barriers between desks will be used in some classrooms where students will work more closely together because of the subject, age of the students, or the size of the room.

Due to the small size of the locker room facility, middle school students will not be required to change clothes for P.E. class. Those wishing to do so will be allowed to use individual restrooms or stalls in which to change.

Some classes, depending upon size, may take place in other rooms in order to best utilize the space available. For example, a drama elective class of 12 students might normally be located in the Moore Theater, but instead would be moved into a 6th grade classroom so that the social studies class of 25 students can meet in the larger theater space. Some specialist teachers may come to the primary classrooms to teach instead of the students traveling to their classroom.

These changes will allow us to maximize physical distancing in every classroom.

Masks

All staff will be required to wear cloth masks except when working alone. The school will provide four masks per staff member. All students in grades K-8 will be required to wear cloth masks or plastic face shields at school. Parents will provide their child’s masks or face shields in order to promote regular cleaning of the masks, ensure that the masks are a good fit for the child, and aid in identifying the owner of masks. Students will be asked to always have two masks at school in case one becomes dirty or wet. Staff and students may receive an exemption from a medical, legal, or behavioral professional. Visitors will be required to wear a mask as well. Disposable masks will be provided to anyone who enters the school without one.
Pre-k students are encouraged to wear masks or face shields, but not required.

Clear masks will be provided to teachers whose students need to see their mouths clearly during teaching (for example, during phonics of foreign language instruction). These masks provide a transparent barrier that covers the mouth and nose.

Microphone and speaker systems will be installed during the summer. Each teacher will have a pendant microphone in order to be more clearly heard by all students in the classroom even with masks and physical distancing.

Screening

Students will be verbally screened each day at drop-off by staff. While dropping off their children in the parking lot, parents will be asked if their child or anyone in their household is exhibiting any of the symptoms of COVID-19. Parents who report symptoms will be required to take their children home.

All morning drop-off will be in drop-off lines. Parking for drop-off will not be allowed as each child must be verbally screened. Parents shall enter the school at drop-off with the exception of parents of students with physical disabilities who require extra assistance. Parents of pre-kindergarten (all year) and kindergarten (the first three weeks of school) students will be asked to walk their child to the library entrance and be verbally screened. Pre-kindergarten parents will also sign in their child with the staff member on duty.

We do not anticipate changes to afternoon pick-up except that parents and children will not be allowed to congregate after school in the parking lots or play areas. Masks should be worn during pick-up.

Students who exhibit symptoms of the virus at school will be sent to the health isolation room (the current Parent’s Club Room) and the student’s temperature will be checked. If the student’s temperature is 100.4 F or higher, their parent will be contacted to pick them up immediately. The child will be required to have COVID-19 testing in a medical facility. The same protocol applies to staff.

The symptoms for which we will screen are:
• A cough
• Shortness of breath
• A fever of 100.4F or higher
• A sore throat
• Chills
• New loss of taste or smell
• Muscle or body aches
• Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
• Congestion/running nose- not related to seasonal allergies
• Unusual fatigue

Any student or staff member who exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 will be required to stay at home for three days after their symptoms have disappeared, even after a negative COVID-19 test result.

Testing Sites

The school will develop a list of local COVID-19 testing sites to provide to parents and staff in situations where testing is required.

Remote Instruction Specialist

The school will employ a remote instruction specialist, Mrs. Deanna Simons, to facilitate remote instruction for students who are not able to return to school immediately for face-to-face instruction and/or those who have to leave school due to illness.

Confirmed case of COVID-19

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 will be reported to the King County Health Department and the Office for Catholic Schools. Students and staff will be quarantined as directed. Parents should inform the school immediately if someone in their household has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or is being quarantined for a suspected case.

Phased Opening

Grades 4-8 and Pre-K through 3rd will each have a ”trial run” day of instruction prior to the full opening of school in which the students will experience a full first day of school under the new procedures in order to identify and correct any problems. This will be a regular school day but will include only approximately half the students each day.

School Entry

Entry to the school will be limited to the main entrance except during morning drop-off in the lower lot.
Entry to the school will be limited to essential students, staff, and essential volunteers or parent visitors. Activities such as birthday or star student celebrations will be conducted with parents remotely. Some service jobs will be eliminated or modified to limit the number of people entering the building. However, many service jobs are essential to the operations of the school and will be continued with the same restrictions as for staff.

Hygiene

Students and staff will be required to clean their hands before/upon entering the classroom and before eating. When possible, students will use soap and water to wash their hands. Alternatively, they will use hand sanitizer dispensers in their classrooms.

Teachers and instructional aides will wipe down desks with approved cleaning supplies between each new group of students entering the room, before eating, and at the end of the day. Maintenance staff
will clean high-use areas throughout the day (e.g., bathrooms, gym). Shared equipment and instructional materials will be cleaned regularly. NanoSeptic wraps will be placed on door handles and push bars in order to reduce the risk of exposure to viruses.

Ventilation

Air circulation throughout the building will be increased. This will include opening windows in some classrooms and offices and keeping classroom doors open when possible and appropriate.

Training

All staff and volunteers will be trained in COVID-19 procedures related to recognizing symptoms, cleaning, and reducing the spread of the virus through the Archdiocese. Any parent may also view the video training.

Students and parents will be trained in the new school procedures through a video created by school staff which will be distributed before the opening of school and will be reviewed with students on the “practice” day of school. A COVID-19 safety officer will be appointed for the school.

Parents and staff are strongly encouraged to try out masks and practice wearing them for extended periods of time during the summer. Identifying a style that works best will maximize student comfort and learning.

Recess

Recess and outdoor activities are encouraged by the guide. Students may play on the big toys and may play games like foursquare and catch. Students will not be allowed to play games that involve regular close contact.

Lunch

Students will eat lunch in the lunchroom on a rotating basis (e.g., grades 3 and 4 during the second lunch period for the first week of school) with the lunch tables spaced six feet apart, grades not mixing at tables, and students physically distanced so that there will be typically four students per table or eight students per double table. Those students not eating in the lunchroom will eat in their classrooms. Students will clean their hands before and after eating lunch.

The school’s hot lunch program will continue with individually plated food. Our hot lunch program, Delectable BBQ & Catering, has had experience providing lunches for the Boys’ and Girls’ Club during the pandemic. They are experienced with upholding the protocols for preparing meals in the current coronavirus environment.

School Masses

School Masses will take place on a rotation schedule with a few grades and teachers in the church each week according to the then-current limits on Mass attendance. There will be no singing at Mass until the restriction is lifted.

Lockers

Middle school students will access their lockers on a rotating basis to reduce congestion in the hallways and increase distancing at the lockers. 7th and 8th grade lockers will be staggered to promote spacing between lockers so that two students will not need to access their adjacent lockers at the same time.

Students will access their lockers before and after school and according to this schedule: 6th after 1st period, 7th after 2nd period, 8th after 3rd period, 6th after homeroom, 7th after lunch, 8th after 4th period, and 6th after 5th period. Students will be allowed and encouraged to carry backpacks during the day to facilitate carrying books and materials for more than one class at a time to limit their need to access their locker. Individual exceptions may be made by teachers to allow students to access their lockers during class time.

School Programs and Activities

Back to School Night in September will take place virtually. All school events and programs will continue to be scheduled and take place as much as possible, but large gatherings will likely need to take place online. School assemblies will be broadcast and viewed in each classroom.

Student Meet-ups

Opportunities for students to meet one another and possibly their teachers will be arranged during the summer. These small-group activities (10 or fewer students) will take place according to the King County Health Department rules for summer camps. These “mini camps” will include age-appropriate games and activities designed to provide the opportunity for students to socialize and meet new students.

Pictures

Classrooms will incorporate pictures of the students and teachers without their masks to promote socialization and bonding.

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

I want to let you know that we are busily planning for the reopening of school in the fall. Mrs. Pickett and I have been measuring classrooms, counting desks, reading through the state superintendent's report, and more. We are working together with our staff, school commission, Fr. John, and other stakeholders to flesh out the details of a plan for in-person learning. I am confident that we will have at least a solid framework of that plan ready for distribution by next Monday. It will include plans for classroom arrangements, drop-off and pick-up, lunch, recess, health screening, illness procedures, physical distancing, school Masses, and more. 

We greatly appreciate your patience and support as we work to put together a coherent plan for a successful year that prioritizes health and safety, academics, socialization, and faith formation. We prefer to get it right rather than to get it done quickly. 

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

You have probably heard by now that the governor has extended the closure of school campuses through the end of the current academic year. This is certainly a disappointment on many levels. I want to thank everyone who sent a message to the governor today. I trust that he has heard our concerns and made the best decision based on the information that he has at his disposal. I pray that this sacrifice will help to save lives and reduce suffering in our state.

Fortunately, we all belong to an amazing school community. I feel privileged every day to be able to work with such great teachers, staff, parents and students. We are going to succeed together.

I am meeting with the staff this evening to discuss the way forward and to hear their concerns and ideas for how to sustain and improve our remote instruction. Tomorrow I will be sending out a survey to all parents and students to solicit your feedback.

This will not be easy. But with patience, teamwork, and faith in God, we can do this!

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

Dear Parents, & Families,

Here are a couple of great resources/information about how to talk with your children about COVID-19. Their health and well-being during this time is critical, especially their mental health.

Let’s help them better understand what is going on and also shield them from some of the media negativity.

• HealthyChildren.org - Covid-19
• How to talk to Kids about COVID-19 Pamphlet (PDF)

Mrs. Boyd

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

In order to allow students to retrieve items from their lockers or classrooms that they may have left behind and/or to check out books from the school library, we will open our doors briefly tomorrow and under the following strict guidelines.

• All students must be accompanied by a parent at all times. 
• If you are sick, do not come to school.
• Please maintain social distancing. 
• Please use the hand sanitizer stands in the library and school lobby as you enter and leave the building to clean your hands.
• This is not a time for students or parents to gather in groups. Please come pick up your things as quickly as possible. 
• If we have a large number of people wanting to get in, we will have to limit the size of groups entering at once.

Please visit tomorrow during the following times. We chose these times as they do not conflict with any scheduled online learning. If there is a need and we are still allowed to do so, we will provide additional library hours in the future. 

Students with last names starting with A-F 8:00-8:20 am

Students with last names starting with G-L 8:20-8:40 am

Students with last names starting with M-Sa 8:40-9:00 am

Students with last names starting with Sc-Z 4:00-4:20 pm

Sincerely,
David Burroughs

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

This is a lengthy and important communication. Please take the time to read all the way through it. It contains important information about many aspects of our school operations during the campus closure.

We recognize that we may have to make revisions to our plans over the course of the campus closure as circumstances change. Please be patient with us as we do our best to serve our students. We welcome your feedback in order to make this the best possible program for all.

Lent

Thank you for your patience, support, and generosity during this difficult time.

This is going to be a different kind of Lent. We are all being asked to give up much more than we had ever expected – social gatherings, concerts, restaurants, movie theaters, parties, and even Mass. Rather than experiencing these next six weeks as a drudgery or punishment, I pray that we can all take this opportunity to dive more deeply into Lent. Make these sacrifices meaningful by

• Making these sacrifices “intentional” – If we embrace these sacrifices and include them in our observation of Lent, then they become something that we have chosen and not something forced upon us.
• Making these sacrifices “joyful” – Rather than grumbling about the things that we cannot do we can be grateful for all the good things that we do have.
• Making these sacrifices “useful” – Find ways to fill all of the newly-freed time that we have in our lives with things other than screens, ideally things that bring us together. Instead of movies, restaurants, concerts, sporting events, and more, we can use that time to do things like play games, take walks, or pray together.  
• Making these sacrifices “meaningful” – There are some in our community that these sacrifices will impact more than others: the elderly, the sick, those who lose their jobs. We can make our sacrifices meaningful by taking some of our time to call someone who is sick, to go shopping for an elderly neighbor, to cook a meal for someone who is out of work, to write letters to the residents of a retirement community.
• Make these sacrifices “spiritual” – Whatever we do during this time, we can do it all for the Lord. Our sacrifices large and small in this way will help us to grow in our friendship with Christ.

Tomorrow’s Schedule

Tomorrow, 3/17/20, will be a unique remote learning schedule with an opportunity for each grade level to do a run through of Remote Learning with the goals of:

• Practicing finding and using the essential remote learning tools you’ll need to be successful
• Working through bugs (log ins, audio, video, connectivity, etc.) before content learning begins

The schedule for this is as follows:

• K through 2nd 12:45 -1:15
• 3rd through 5th 1:45-2:15
• 6th through 8th 2:45-3:15

 Please view the attached document with information on what you need to do before and during this run through. You should plan a chunk of about 30 minutes some time before your scheduled grade level Live Meeting to watch all tutorial videos and review all instructions.

 Student Schedule

We have created a remote learning schedule in order to continue to provide structure and focus for all our students. We are doing this in order to help our students continue to learn, to help them (and you) avoid the boredom and agitation of six weeks without direction or purpose, and to help us all be better at the end of this time than we were when we began. We suggest that you supplement this schedule with an additional schedule of your own that would include things such as a time to go to bed and a time to get up, a time for meals, a time for homework, and free time for outdoor play, movies, reading, games, and more. A schedule is not meant to be a burden but an aid in this very unusual time.

We encourage all students to participate in their classes at the scheduled time each day. The interaction with the teacher and their fellow students is an important part of the learning process. Students who are not able to join a class “live” may view the class later as all class sessions will be recorded.

Teachers will be online during each class even if there is no video streaming. Students might be asked to read a pdf and respond to a series of questions or watch a pre-recorded video, for example. However, the teacher will be on Teams at that time to answer questions in the “chat”.

The school day is “staggered” in order to 1) allow multiple children in a family to share devices, 2) spread out the impact on each family’s internet connection, and 3) to allow parents and older siblings to assist younger students.

ESS Fees

During the time that our school campus is closed, ESS will not operate. However, we would like to ask all of those who use ESS to consider continuing to pay their ESS fees during the campus closure. Our dedicated and caring ESS staff rely on their paychecks in order to pay their bills as much as we rely on them to provide excellent care for our children before and after school.

We are providing three options for all of our ESS users during the closure. Please email Amy Davis to let her know your choice. If we do not hear from you, we will presume that you are selecting option #1.

1. Continue to pay your ESS fees during the closure as normal in order to help pay our amazing ESS staff.
2. Convert your ESS fees during the closure into a donation to the Annual Fund. Your donation will be used to help pay our amazing ESS staff during the closure and you will receive a tax donation letter for your gift.
3. Ask that your ESS fees not be charged during the campus closure.

Thank you all for your support!

Attendance

Sacred Heart School will continue to operate as normally as possible. Students are expected to participate in remote learning according to the new schedule. If your child is sick or otherwise unable to attend to remote learning on a particular day, we ask that you email Mrs. Wyman by 9 am to let us know. We will continue to keep attendance records during this time.

Calendar

Sacred Heart School will continue to operate according to the published school calendar. We will observe our Easter Break from April 13 to 17. Good Friday will be a modified schedule (TBD).

Report Cards

Normally we expect all our teachers to provide comments for each student and subject on the report cards. Since the campus closure is coinciding with the end of the trimester, we are making a change. In order to allow our teachers to focus on the transition to remote learning, we are not requiring report card comments this trimester. Some students may receive comments and others may not. I directed the teachers last week to stop working on comments so that they could instead finalize all grades and then turn to preparing their lessons for remote learning. At this time, our plan is to return to comments for the third trimester.

Weekly Messaging

In order to facilitate communication, the From the Heart newsletter will continue to be published weekly. It will change to a Friday morning publication (as opposed to Thursday morning) during the campus closure. This change will allow us to include links to the “week ahead” for all grades and subjects into the FTH. Our hope is to have one place for you all to look to find the information that you need. There will continue to be special bulletins as needed to keep everyone up to date on the latest happenings.

I encourage all of our parents and teachers to continue to use Bloomz to foster community among our students even while they are apart. Let’s post about the things that you are doing to pass the time together, serve others, and pray. We can keep our community strong even while we are apart.

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

Attachments

• Remote Learning Schedule
• March 17th Instructions for Parents and Students

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

As you have probably heard, the governor has ordered the closure of all schools in King County through April 24. Our staff is meeting tomorrow to continue our plans for remote instruction. We will be sending out to you a schedule for each grade and information to help you and your children get on to Microsoft Teams for classes. Each week we will send an update by Thursday evening to let you know about the week ahead.

You may have read that some school districts will not be providing any instruction during the coming six weeks. These schools do not have the resources to provide meaningful remote instruction for all their students. A six-week break from school is going to be very hard on those students and their families. We are fortunate to have the capacity to continue instruction and learning. As a result of the generous technology Fund-a-Need three years ago, our staff has the hardware, software, and training to successfully support our students during this campus closure.

Due to this closing, our middle school NET retreats have been canceled. We are looking into rescheduling them. We are also working on rescheduling the 7th and 8th grade Washington, D.C. trip to a later date.

We are all about to embark on an unprecedented journey together. There will be challenges, setbacks, successes, and triumphs. I ask that we all do our best to remain patient, flexible, and positive as we work together to make the most of this opportunity that we have been given. We want your feedback and constructive criticism to help us improve. Please reach out to us and share your thoughts and suggestions.

God is good, all the time! And all the time, God is good!

Sincerely, David Burroughs

Dear Sacred Heart School Community, 

As you may have heard by now, Archbishop Etienne has directed that all parishes suspend public Masses beginning today and that all Catholic schools follow the lead of the local public school district for closures. The Bellevue School District has decided to close beginning this Friday through March 27^th. We already have an in-service day planned for Friday and a day off planned for Monday. So, Sacred Heart School will be closed beginning on Tuesday, March 17 through March 27^th. I had hoped that we could keep the school open longer, but we are following the directions that we have received. 

There will still be school tomorrow.  

We are also encouraging all families who have had children at home during the last few days to come to school between 3:30 and 4:00 pm tomorrow to pick up books or materials that may be necessary for remote learning. Please do not come to school during the regular school day for the purposes of picking up materials so that our teachers can work effectively with their students.  

How Can You Prepare for Remote Learning? 

• Remind your children to bring home textbooks, reading books, materials for long-term projects, and their laptops.  
• We have a limited number of laptop devices that we can loan to families. If you need one, please reply to this email and we will do our best to meet everyone’s needs. Much, but not all, of the work that our students will be doing during the next two weeks can be done on any device including laptops, desktops, tablets, and even phones. But you should not try to share one device among several people. 
• Encourage your child to check out an additional book or two from the school library and/or stop by your local public library to check out some free reading books or audiobooks. 
• Ensure that you have downloaded Microsoft Teams to any devices that you plan to use during our remote learning time.  

What Can You Expect During Remote Learning? 

• We will be publishing a weekly schedule for each grade outlining the times that each subject will be taught (including arts, physical education, Spanish, library, and more). 
• We encourage students to follow the daily schedule as closely as possible in order to keep up a routine that will help them to stay engaged and focused. If a student is not able to be online at a given time, the sessions will be recorded and can be viewed later. 
• Teachers will be online during instruction times in order to lead instruction, answer questions, and guide discussions and student work. 
• Assessments (tests, quizzes, essays, projects, etc.) will take place during this remote learning time. We recognize that there will be significantly increased opportunities for cheating. We ask that parents: 1) remind their children that they only cheat themselves when they present work as their own that is not and 2) do their best to oversee assessments to encourage honesty and integrity. 
• Our plan is to continue to provide excellent instruction and support for all our students. This process will stretch our staff and students alike. Please be patient with the process. If you have questions or concerns with academic matters, please contact your child’s teacher. If you have issues related to technology please contact Nancy Schoeggl (nschoeggl@sacredheart.org) or Deanna Simons (dsimons@sacredheart.org). 
• We will continue to provide updates as new information is received. We will make changes to our program, schedule, and methodology as needed based on the feedback we receive.  

Thank you all for your patience and support. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us! 

Sincerely, 

David Burroughs 

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

Thank you for your ongoing support as we work our way through the COVID-19 outbreak.

General Information

I know that a few other schools have made the decision to close for an extended period. I want to share with you my thinking so that you will better understand why Sacred Heart School is not following their example at this time. Each school needs to evaluate what is best for its community given the information, resources, and challenges facing the school at that time.

First, the Public Health Department has pointed out in a few of their communications that they are not recommending closing schools. The most important reason seems to be that they do not believe that it will significantly affect the spread of the virus. During the H1N1 pandemic in 2009, there was no meaningful difference in transmission rates between schools that closed and those that stayed open, according to the Public Health Department. Students continued to gather together while out of school and pass along the virus.

Second, a school closure is disruptive. Many of our school parents are able to telecommute, but not all are able to do so. When school is closed it puts a burden on parents stay home from work and care for their children during work hours. It also disrupts the educational process. We are putting in place sound plans to deliver instruction remotely if we have to close, but nothing will replace face to face instruction, especially over an extended time. Our hope is to do this for as short a time as possible (if at all) in order to ensure that our students learn all that they need to and our well-prepared for next year. We also want to avoid having to extend the school year beyond the currently scheduled end date of June 17.

Third, if we close “preventatively” instead of closing for a specific purpose, there is no clear way to determine when we would reopen to school. If we closed tomorrow, for example, for the next two weeks, how would we know that it is okay to re-open two weeks from tomorrow? If we close without a specific goal in mind we won’t know when or if we have achieved our goal (e.g., deep cleaning the school or waiting out a quarantine period).

We have been taking and will continue to take all of the prescribed steps to keep our students and staff healthy here at school.

At this point, Sacred Heart School will remain open unless and until we are directed to close for a specific reason. We both want to prioritize the health and safety of our school community and continue to provide an excellent education for all of our students.

Remote Learning

If we close the school, it may very well be for an extended period of time. This will not be like a snow day closure where a little work is sent home and typically turned in when we return to school. Remote learning will be a combination of “live” instruction via video meetings, pre-recorded instruction created by our staff or from a third-party provider (e.g., BrainPop, MatthWhizz, Khan Academy), and independent student work (e.g., reading a novel, completing spelling homework).

There will be a daily schedule that will be similar to the current school schedule. It will include all subject areas and have time for “recess” and “lunch” breaks. The schedule will generally be shorter than a typical school day, especially for the primary grades, but it will not be just a set of assignments for students to complete at their own pace. Work will need to be submitted during the closure and assessments of various sorts will need to be administered.

This daily schedule is intended to help students stay focused and engaged during an extended closure and to facilitate “instruction” of new material by teachers as opposed to “practice” of previously learned material by students working independently. Facilitating this may require at least some parent assistance.

Preparing for Remote Learning

There are some important things that we would like to ask everyone to do now in order to be prepared in case we need to switch to remote learning.

Any children who are students at Sacred Heart School will need access to a “digital device”. A laptop or desktop computer is ideal, but a table or smartphone can be used for many things. Some sharing of devices may be possible, but we would not recommend trying to share a computer with your child that you need to use for work all day (for example). We have some devices that could be checked out to families in the event of a closure. If you anticipate the need for checking out a device, please email me so that we can plan.

For students and parents in grades Pre-k to 5th, 1) locate your “Clever” card (email your homeroom teacher if you can’t find it) and put it somewhere it will be easy to find again. 2) Practice logging in to Clever and Office365. 3) Open Office365. 4) Find “Teams”. 5) Send this message in the HR Team to your teacher: “My name is {Your Name} and I am ready for remote learning”.

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

First, I want to thank everyone for their feedback and questions related to COVID-19. I greatly appreciate how engaged and concerned our community is about these important issues. There were several emails that I received over the last day that have not been answered. I want to assure everyone who wrote to me that I am not ignoring your messages. Instead, they all raise important issues the answers to which I think everyone should hear. I also wanted to make sure that I had the most up-to-date information possible before sending my message. As you all know, things keep changing and we are carefully considering all the information in making our decisions. I wanted to wait until after the governor’s press conference late yesterday and then finalize discussions with The Kirkland Performance Center.

We will continue to follow the advice of the Public Health Department and the school will remain open at this time. We have plans in place to conduct learning remotely if necessary. We understand that some families may decide to have their children remain at home. Each family’s circumstances are different and we trust you to make the best decision for your children and your family. Our teachers will do their best to provide materials and support for students who are remaining home. Please contact the school to let us know if your child is remaining at home and if they are sick or not. We need to track all students who are sick.

At this time the Playmakers production will continue this weekend. The staff at the Kirkland Performance Center and the Playmakers leadership are taking all reasonable steps to promote the health and safety of our students, parents, staff, and visitors.

• The Kirkland Performance Center is thoroughly cleaning all parts of the theater each day using products recommended to kill viruses.
• The Playmakers leadership is cleaning all costumes, sets, backstage area, and props using approved cleaning products.
• Bathrooms with hot water and soap are available to the students as is hand sanitizer and students are reminded regularly to clean their hands, especially after going to the bathroom.
• The Playmakers leadership has changed the way that make-up is handled and applied on performers to ensure that students are not cross-contaminating.
• Performers who are sick have been instructed to remain at home.

Even with all these precautions in place, it is still my recommendation that anyone who is pregnant, has underlying health conditions or a compromised immune system, or is over 60 not attend the performance, following the advice of the Public Health Department. In order to keep our many supporters and audience members safe, we have put into place several procedures.

• Anyone who has already purchased a ticket and does not attend due to health concerns or issues may receive a refund. Playmakers leadership is currently arranging this process. Please do not contact the Kirkland Performing Arts Center with questions about this. Playmakers will arrange refunds and communicate with everyone about how this process will take place.
• Both Saturday performances will be video recorded and made available for free. Those who choose not to attend in person can watch the performances at home. It may take about two weeks to ready the videos for streaming.
• Currently, all performances are less than 1/3 full, as little as 1/5 in one case. Those who attend will likely have plenty of room to spread out.
• The Kirkland Performance Center will not be selling concessions during the performances.
• The school performances are not open to “the public” but only to members of our community.

You may have seen that the Kirkland Performance Center announced on their Facebook page that they are cancelling upcoming public events. This is true but does not apply to Sacred Heart School. The performances they canceled were open to the public and involved a number of issues that we do not have. The management is confident that they are taking the right steps to ensure the safety of our students and staff, their visitors during our performances, and their staff. Please see the message below from the Kirkland Performance Center for more information.

If there is a need to close the school or cancel events, we will notify everyone via the emergency notification system.

Finally, please join me in praying for all of those affected by this virus in your prayers: those who have died and those who are sick; the loved ones of those who have died and are sick; the doctors, nurses, and other health care workers who are treating them; and the scientists and public health officials who are working to find a vaccine for this virus.

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

Dear Sacred Heart School Community Members,

I want to share my thinking with you about why I have not cancelled the school play this weekend. I have not made this decision lightly, but after careful consideration and discussion. First, Sacred Heart School has no confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19. Second, the King County Health Department is not recommending closing schools at this point or cancellation of activities. Please see the information below from their website.

Public Health is not recommending closing schools at this time unless there has been a confirmed case in your school. The reason we are not recommending school closures at this time is because children have not been shown to be a high risk group for serious illness from this virus. In addition, when some schools briefly closed during the H1N1 influenza pandemic, we learned that many children still gathered in group settings and still had exposure to one another. As much as possible, children should be allowed to carry on with their education and normal activities.

Public Health –Seattle & King County also respects an individual school’s decisions about closures or postponement of activities as each school knows the needs of their community best.

Some children have underlying health conditions, such as weakened immune systems, that put them at higher risk. Caregivers of children with underlying health conditions should consult with healthcare providers about whether their children should stay home.

The students in the play have been working hard for weeks to learn their parts and be prepared for their performances. The Kirkland Performing Arts Center does not have any other time wo which we could postpone the play. So, rescheduling it is not an option. Moving it to the school is not an option either due to the need for sound and lighting equipment which is not scheduled since we were not planning to hold the play at the school. If there is a specific concern that comes to light in the next few days, we will certainly prioritize the health and safety of the community. Without such a specific concern, though, I want to give the students the opportunity to perform.

I do recommend, however, that those who are in “higher risk” groups as noted below not attend the play. The plays will be video recorded so that those who are unable to attend in person will have the opportunity to see their children, grandchildren, siblings, or friends in the play.

Public Health recommends that people at higher risk of severe illness should stay home and away from large groups of people as much as possible, including public places with lots of people and large gatherings where there will be close contact with others. This includes concert venues, conventions, sporting events, and crowded social gatherings.

People at higher risk include people:

• Over 60 years of age
• With underlying health conditions including include heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes
• With weakened immune systems
• Who are pregnant

Caregivers of children with underlying health conditions should consult with healthcare providers about whether their children should stay home. Anyone who has questions about whether their condition puts them at risk for novel coronavirus should consult with their healthcare providers.

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

As you may know, the King County and State Health Departments held a press conference at 11 am today. During the press conference they stated that there is currently no reason to close schools or any school activities. They reiterated, however, that if you or your child are sick you should stay home until you are no longer sick.

Based on the latest information from this press conference, the CDC website, and discussions with staff, we are taking the following actions at Sacred Heart School in addition to those already described in my message yesterday.

• At our school Masses, just like at weekend Masses, we are suspending hand shaking, hand holding, and distribution of communion via the chalice (cup).
• 4^th Grade visits to The Gardens Senior Living Facility are being suspended for the time being in order to protect the health of their residents and our students.
• The Playmakers production at the Kirkland Performing Arts Center this weekend will proceed as scheduled. If you or a family member has a compromised immune system you may not want to attend this large gathering. If you or your child is sick, please remain at home – whether a performer, tech crew team, or audience member.
• Recent travelers from Italy and Iran are now being asked to exclude themselves from the school building until they have been outside of those countries for 14 or more days and have been symptom-free during that time, in addition to China and South Korea.

We will continue to monitor developments, encourage frequent hand-cleaning, and will be regularly cleaning surfaces throughout the school. Please help us by keeping sick children and adults at home rather than sending them to school.

There is a fair amount of incorrect information circulating that has been causing some people to panic. Please make sure to check the CDC and King County Health Department websites for the most accurate and up-to-date information. 

Sincerely,

David Burroughs

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

I want to assure everyone that we are closely monitoring the situation with COVID-19 in our area. At this point, there is no information indicating that the school will be closing. If we receive directions to do so, we will let everyone know right away. To the best of my knowledge, there are no plans for closing any schools on the Eastside.

We continue to encourage

• frequent hand cleaning by students, staff, and visitors
• frequent cleaning of high-touch surfaces like door handles
• anyone who is sick to stay at home
• persons who have travelled to areas affected by COVID-19 to not enter the school until they have been symptom-free for 14 days after returning to the area
• people who have not received the flu vaccine to do so

As we have seen with recent developments in our area, this is an illness that is not specific to any group defined by age, ethnicity, race, gender, or any other category. We all should avoid "profiling" any individuals as more likely to be carriers of the virus than any others Only together can we take the necessary steps to address the spread of the virus.

If you or someone you know becomes exposed to or infected by COVID-19, please contact the school immediately.

We are currently evaluating all programs and activities of the school in order to reduce possible exposure to the virus. Another update will be sent tomorrow detailing any changes to programs at the school.

Sincerely,
David Burroughs