Good evening students, staff, families and community,
As things around our state continue to evolve we continue to monitor the local conditions in our county. The Governor has taken steps to address the rapid uptick in cases around the state. At this time those restrictions do not lead to the closure of schools. We know that is in large part due to our safety protocols and the steps we are taking to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in schools by wearing masks, staying distanced, and hand washing, to name a few.
While we realize there are differing opinions in our community in regards to these restrictions, what we do know is that community levels of transmission can have an impact on our ability to remain open for in-person learning. Please do your best to help us in keeping community transmission down.
We are in receipt of an updated letter of guidance from the Whatcom County Health Department recommending a pause on adding any more grade levels to the building above grade 5. While we know this is not ideal, we also know we have to consider the impact schools can have on a community and respond accordingly. We will continue to advocate for our students’ access to in-person learning while also continuing to provide safe environments for students and staff.
In the event that a student has symptoms while at school, we may need to move other students to a different learning space to allow for cleaning. We want to assure you this does not mean there is a case of COVID-19, rather it is simply a part of our protocol to keep everyone safe. Rest assured if there is a case in the school in which your student is identified as a close contact you will receive direct communication from the school district and/or health department. We also want to remind families that a student who comes down with symptoms while at school will have to be picked up. A student cannot remain at school with symptoms and cannot ride the bus home.
From December 1st to December 10th we will publish an online form to allow families who wish to change their learning model (hybrid or online) for the second semester to make that request. The information in this survey will be critical to our planning process. We will evaluate the results of these requests beginning December 11th to determine our staff capacity. Changes impacted by these requests could include an increased number of learning days or the transition of some staff to online only instruction. Please save the date - December 10th - and plan to notify us of any change requests, so we may plan accordingly to provide the best possible experience for all of our students.
If you have any questions or concerns about your student’s return to the building please contact the building administrator who can review the concerns with you.
We know these times are difficult and in many ways divisive. Please rest assured that everyone at Blaine School District remains committed to our community and its students. We continue to navigate these challenging times alongside you and trust that we are stronger when we work together. It is a great night to be a Borderite, and, as always, a great night to be your superintendent.
Sincerely,
Dr. Christopher Granger
Every Student. Every Day. In a New Way.