Welcome Back in 2022
Principal’s Message:
Hello ECA families,
2022 brings us into a new year. Beyond new year’s resolutions, this next year is filled with different hopes, dreams, and opportunities for every one of us. While we recognize the challenges this past year has presented, as believers in an almighty creator, we have a hope that God will guide and support us as we begin a new year.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” - Jeremiah 29:11
Keeping Up With Weekly Communication
With the potential for inclement weather, updates to Covid policies, and a return to busy classrooms, it’s important to make sure you are receiving weekly newsletters. There are a couple of things to take notice of as we start this next calendar year.
1) Remind, the service we use, to send announcements for this newsletter will be sent using a different phone number. If you receive text messages, be sure to check your inbox and make sure you are receiving the Remind notices. They will be from a different phone number.
2) Additionally, how the Remind services work is our school has different groups. There are groups for each classroom and one all-school group called ECA All Friends & Family. This group is the group I select when I send out announcements. There are still several families who have not accepted the invitation to join this group. If you do not join this group, you are not receiving all the announcements coming from our school. Please check your inbox or spam folder for an invitation to join ECA All Friends & Family. There are about 1/4 of our families that still need to accept the invitation. If you received an invitation in the past month, you are NOT receiving all the school communication.
For this current newsletter, I sent it to all groups, so some of you might be receiving this Remind post more than once. You will know if you are in the ECA All Friends and Family group because it will be in the message header. When we have all of our families join the ECA All Friends & Family group, I will be able to just send it to one group (everyone) and you will only receive one message (not multiples). If you have any questions, just call the school.
3) In the event of delayed starts or no school days, you will receive a Remind announcement in the morning. School closures will also be reported to local news agencies.
Being Cautious and Careful With Covid
As students start coming back to school, as a school we need to acknowledge that the new Covid virus is very contagious. Even as I’m typing this, new policies are being considered in the state. With this in mind, please read over the points below and share them with your children:
1) The CDC recently changed its guidelines about exposures and quarantine times. At this time, the Oregon Health Authority has not released updates that follow these new guidelines. That means we are still following guidelines given to us in late November.
2) What “tool” does ECA use to decide what an exposure incident is and what steps to take? ECA uses the updated Covid-19 Scenarios in Schools document. Here is a link if you have any questions:
LINK Planning for Covid-19 Scenarios in Schools
3) We have been wearing masks for a long time, and it is so easy to get tired of them and wish the need for them would go away. We are not at that point yet. This new strand is very contagious so remembering to keep masks over mouths and NOSES is very important. As a staff, we work hard to set examples. We want to spend our time teaching, and not policing masks. Help us by sharing this important point with your child.
4) Having experienced colder weather over Christmas vacation, we know the possibility for cold, wet weather is a reality. As a school, we have created rooms where students will be able to eat inside with windows open and a fan blowing and maintaining as close to 6 feet as we logistically can. That means eating 2 people per large table inside. There may be times when the weather is cold and wet and teachers use these rooms. Please remember to wear masks when moving around and not sitting down.
5) Since many families have not been receiving all of the weekly newsletters, it’s important to remind you that our school has two ways to help your family stay in the “know” with Covid. We offer on-site Covid testing with a parent's signed release. We also offer an option for weekly at-home testing. Please read on to find out more about the two programs.
6) What if Your Child Has Multiple Covid Symptoms? Especially at this time, we are asking that you work with us to keep students who are not feeling well home. Prior to Christmas vacation, there were instances of students coming to school showing symptoms: coughing, runny noses, headaches. These are all symptoms. If a teacher is concerned that a child is sick, our school will be calling for the child to be picked up. The programs that our school offers for on-site testing or testing at home can let you know if your child is Covid free and there is NO COST to you.
7) Did my child get exposed to Covid at school? Currently, the state of Oregon has a program called Test to Stay at School that your unvaccinated child can use if they have been exposed to someone AT SCHOOL INDOORS that has tested positive for Covid and has been in close contact for longer than 15 minutes INDOORS. This lets them stay at school without quarantining as long as they do not show symptoms; however, there are some conditions though:
CLICK FOR TEST TO STAY PROTOCOLS
8) What about exposed at home or away from school? Because home settings do not have the same safeguards as school, if your child is in close contact (longer than 15 minutes) in a 24 hour period without masks, quarantine is still required. The quarantine period has shortened to 7 days, with a negative Covid test being required taken between 5-7 days after exposure).
Do You Need a New, Local Artist-Created Mask?
We still have some masks left. If you are wishing to replenish any masks, Claire Hart, a member of our Pleasant Hill SDA Church has worked with a local artist to create high quality masks. She has donated all supplies and the artist has donated her beautiful craftsmanship and talents to benefit your family if you are looking for new masks. She has asked that masks are sold at $8 per mask and ALL proceeds go to ECA’s worthy student tuition fund. Take a look at the attached pdf for a better glimpse of the masks.
Staying Covid Safe
With classes and children back in session, it is important for us all to do our part to keep our campus clean and safe. Despite our best practices, students still may be exposed to the Covid virus in the community. Our school has access to the Oregon K-12 Screening Testing Program. This program provides screening to students. Click on the link below to find out more about how ECA can help your family if you find yourself in this situation.
Oregon K-12 Student Screening Testing Program FAQ
Our school can also provide diagnostic testing. Here is the link for more information.
After-School Schedules for this Week
Thank you for calling the school the previous week to let the office know which days your child will be attending after-school. If you have not already called to let us know about this week, please call the office after 11:30 so teachers can plan.
This week:
Monday - Photography / Yearbook
Tuesday - Lego Robotics
Wednesday - Library Day
Thursday - Outdoor Learning.
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I hope this new week is filled with daily reminders of God’s blessings.
Announcements & Upcoming Events
Monday - January 3 - Classes Resume.
Friday, January 14 - 1/2 Day Friday & end of 2nd quarter. Hot Lunch.
Monday, January 17 - No School - MLK, Jr. Holiday
Monday & Tuesday, January 24, 25 - No School - Teacher Inservice.