Dear Trinitas Parents,
First and foremost, I want to thank you for exercising greater diligence when evaluating symptoms of student illness at home. The extra ounce of caution you are using and the time you are taking to call the office to talk through symptom evaluation only increase our chances of keeping classrooms open to in-person learning. Some of you have reached out with questions about the impact of your travel plans over breaks and holidays on your child’s return to the classroom. Thank you all for the care that you are showing for your child’s classmates and teachers and for the school!
Second, I want to make sure you are aware of a change that will impact our kindergarten through 6th grade. This past Friday the governor announced a change to the mask requirement for public and nonpublic schools under Executive Order No. 2020-185, which requires all students in K-12 to wear masks while in the classroom when the region is in Phase 4 of the MI Safe Start Plan. The new requirement goes into effect on Monday, October 5. Barring any changes to the order or to our regional risk level, all students will be required to wear masks in the classroom beginning next Monday. Please take time to talk to your child about the change–as our teachers will be doing in the classroom–and acquire enough masks to allow for a clean face covering every day.
This change won’t be easy for many students, and it will be more challenging for some than for others. Know that we will be watching over your children and watching out for them. Teachers have already been spending more class time outside this fall. Expect that to increase. Transitions between classes might route students outside whenever possible so that they can take a “mask break” as they move. Perhaps if we can find a canopy solution to provide a little overhead shelter, we may be able to spend time outdoors even on drizzly days like today. All of this will mean that weather-appropriate attire is even more important than before. In the end, know that we are very aware of the impact this change will have on our students and that we will keep a close eye on the overall wellbeing of every child.
Best regards,
Peter Marth