Dear Cambridge Community,

I hope and pray that this finds you and your families staying healthy and doing well throughout this challenging time.

We are grateful to hear that so many of your kids are enjoying being together with their teachers and fellow classmates again for online classes and glad for the structure it provides during these otherwise strangely unstructured days.  Suddenly having so much extra time together as a family can be an adjustment for sure, but hopefully, you’ll find it to be a good one with many unexpected blessings as you find your new “normal.”

A few announcements:

KUDOS TO OUR FACULTY AND STAFF: I want to thank our incredible faculty, staff, and administrators once again for helping make the transition from campus closure to online learning happen on such a compressed timeline and with such a steep learning curve! This was a HERCULEAN task and their growth mindset and admirable work ethic has made it possible for us to continue to provide our students with an intentional learning experience and sense of community quickly and nimbly, providing much needed structure and support during these uncertain days. I really thank God for the wonderful people He has blessed us with!

Our main goal this past week was to get all of our students and teachers up and running online. Especially for Grammar School, now that we are up and running with core disciplines, we will be phasing in additional specials classes, community events etc., so watch for those in the days and weeks ahead!

LOANER DEVICES: If you need to borrow a device to use for your children’s online classes, we have a limited number of devices that have very kindly and generously loaned to us by school families to help other school families. Please call the front office for availability.

FRONT OFFICE MODIFIED HOURS: The front office is open on a modified schedule from 9am-3pm to answer phone calls etc.  If your teacher has asked you to pick up packets or learning materials, please do so between these hours.

FEEDBACK ON ONLINE CLASSES: We welcome your suggestions and constructive feedback as we continue to refine the online experience for our students.  We know that online teaching and learning is an adjustment for everyone and we want to give students, parents and especially our hard-working teachers who have made this transition on a steep learning curve and in a compressed timeline a full week to acclimate to this new platform before asking for your feedback.  We will give you that opportunity (separately for Grammar School and Upper School) on Friday.

DEVOTIONS: Mr. Kapusinski will resume devotions in the morning starting this Thursday for Upper School and this Friday for GS. The schedule going forward will be Mondays and Thursdays for Upper School from 8:45-8:55am and Fridays for Grammar School to start when your morning meeting begins.

HOW LONG? You may be wondering how long we will be having classes online.  I wish we had a definite answer for you, but all we can say with certainty at this point is that we are hoping and praying that we can stick to our original plan of returning after Spring Break on April 14^th.  It certainly will NOT be before that; however, as you all know, the situation is changing on a daily basis and we will be consulting guidance put out by the CDC, CA Dept. of Health, SD COE, CA Dept of Education about when it is deemed safe to re-open schools.  We may all need to prepare for the possibility that it could be longer. We will communicate as soon as we know anything for certain and definitely during Spring Break at the latest.

CHECK-IN CALLS: We want to check in with each school family over the next few weeks to hear how things are going for your kids, how they are going for you with all these sudden changes, and how we can pray for you. Russ, Jeff, Leslie, and Board Member Barb Garber, and I will be reaching out to every school family for a brief check-in call, so don’t be surprised if you hear from one of us! We look forward to touching base with all of you!

Thank you again for your support, encouragement, patience and prayers during this time of transition! We thank God for the beauty and strength of our community and do believe we will emerge from this better and stronger for growing through it TOGETHER!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Jean Kim

Head of School

Upper School Letter

Upper School Letter

Grammar School Letter

Dear Grammar School parents, 

Many thanks for the overwhelming support that parents have expressed during these uncertain days and changes to our regular routine.  Your encouraging words and offers of help have helped lift some of the burden of a difficult decision, which frees us up to turn our attention to the next steps in this transition.  We’re thankful for your prayers and grace as we move to online learning. While our philosophy of education still values human interaction between teachers and students over distance learning, in this situation, the digital benefits are welcome.  Please know this is a temporary solution, and we are all looking forward to getting back to the normal ebb and flow of our school routine as soon as it is safe for the community to do so. 

Routine/schedule

Children do best with routine.  By Tuesday, your child’s teacher will be providing you with a schedule of how to break up the day into manageable blocks of time for studies.  The routine of wearing a uniform, or minimally a school shirt, can also be a benefit for students to be in school mindset while they are doing schoolwork.  Even a spirit day shirt would count!

Currently we are planning for two divisions of grammar school to best meet student needs according to their age.  JK – 4th grade classes are not expected to have as many online classes as the older students do.  It is not in the best interest of younger children to sit in front of a screen for extended periods of time so we are trying to limit online times to the morning hours.  5th and 6th graders will have more online time and more of a classroom feel with students interacting with the teachers. 

Technology requirements

Since we are an intentionally low-tech school, we do not expect each child to have his or her own device, especially in JK – 4th grade.  Using a parent’s phone could work.  This link will give you more information about system requirements.  https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201179966-System-requirements-for-iOS-and-Android   

• Students do NOT need a Zoom account to join meetings/classrooms. Simply click the meeting URL or type in the meeting ID emailed to you from your teacher to join online. 

• Join meetings easily from your desktop or mobile device.

• Add Zoom meetings to your Gmail Account if you’d like.

• If you choose to set up an account, you can log in to Zoom for easy accessibility to join in your meeting/classes.

• By logging into our Zoom online classes, we are assuming that you are granting permission to The Cambridge School to provide instruction for your child via this platform. 

All video conference communications with Cambridge School staff will take place only between the hours of 8:00 AM- to no later than 4:00 PM, Monday-Friday.

New opportunities

Several organizations are responding to the need for online learning for children across the country by giving access to art museum tours https://people.com/travel/stuck-at-home-these-12-famous-museums-offer-virtual-tours-you-can-take-on-your-couch/ and even free operas. https://www.berliner-philharmoniker.de/en/titelgeschichten/20192020/digital-concert-hall/?fbclid=IwAR0g2SHUtduL8LsG3ww70e8ANnpyANanJ_637Z_fzdshp7m-QOIbdg2gzTs Keep your eyes open for unusual opportunities that aren’t available normally.  Looking for ways to make ‘lemonade out of lemons’ will help your children respond positively to continuing their school year.  In an effort to keep them productive and contributing at home, please assign chores around the house and maybe teach them a new housekeeping skill.  We’re looking forward to hearing creative stories of how students were able to use their time during the weeks away from school. Brainstorm ideas of things you can teach them that you never get around to (sewing a button on a shirt, cooking/baking, etc.). https://savedyouaspot.com/2020/03/12/20-screen-free-things-to-do-with-your-kids-indoors-when-school-is-closed/ 

Managing expectations

Parents will not need to:

• figure out what each child should be learning academically (which is half the work of homeschooling).

• purchase a device just for this hopefully temporary schooling scenario.
  

Parents will need to:

• pay attention to communication from teachers.
  

• supervise use of technology.
  

• encourage completion of independent work, and lightly help with some subjects.
  

We are changing to online learning with two days notice, and I’m very encouraged by the willingness of all the teachers to embrace this challenge.  There will be kinks to work out, but we are committed to persistently pressing on to work through the challenges. The teachers are already missing the students and are looking forward to ‘seeing them’ again soon this week. 

Attached, please find the latest updates from the government about covid-19. We’ll be keeping you updated through this time. 

SDG,

Jenni Helj Grammar School Principal

Dear Cambridge Community,

Thank you for your gracious responses to our campus closure on Friday. While we anticipated that we would have to close our campus sometime over the next week or two, we ended up having to do so sooner than we expected, so this has been jolting and disruptive to everyone involved. However, we are convinced it was the right decision at the right time.  This article explains and models visually how social distancing measures like school campus closures can help “slow the spread”: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/corona-simulator/

We appreciate your support and ongoing prayers.  Know that we are also praying for you and your families as well; we know school campus closures will present unforeseen challenges and joys for you at home with your kids.

Our teachers are on campus today and tomorrow learning our new online class platform, Zoom, and doing their best to prepare for a good transition to online classes. We know that this will not be ideal and that some frustration will be inevitable as we make this transition, but we continue to ask for your patience and good humor as we all figure this out together.

We will have a “soft start” on Wednesday, March 18^th. What this means is that we are planning online orientations by grade that morning and will give everyone time to test and troubleshoot their devices’ audio and video capabilities as well as get their “Zoom wiggles” out as the students play with features and familiarize themselves with the platform so that the novelty of the medium is blunted a bit before we start classes. We will send out information tomorrow about what time each grade will have orientation and the meeting link for that orientation.

Online classes will start officially on Thursday, March 19^th.  All Upper School classes will begin online at 9am so please be sure your children are connected and ready to go a few minutes before then so they are not scrambling last minute to get online. Grammar School start times will be staggered between 8:30am-8:50am by grade to minimize burdens on wifi, help with connectivity issues, and perhaps help with device sharing within households. Both Jenni and Melissa will be sending out Upper School and Grammar School specific letters with additional information later this afternoon so please be on the lookout for those and read everything carefully! In the meantime, you can download the Zoom app (Zoom.us) on your devices and make sure it’s functional on your various devices; the older the student, the better the learning experience will be on a laptop or computer vs. a smartphone.  Students do NOT need to register for accounts; only teachers will need accounts.

5^th -12^th grade classes will be held live online like a regular school day via Zoom, albeit with a modified schedule. Online learning is most challenging and requires the most supervision for our youngest students JK-4^th grade and so their day will look and run differently from grades 5-12. Look for more information in Jenni and Melissa’s letters this afternoon.

While it may be difficult at times, especially as the novelty of being home wears thin, we would encourage you to keep up your social distancing efforts even while our campus is closed in order to make our campus closure effective in slowing the spread.  Please actively avoid playdates, birthday parties, class gatherings etc. whenever possible to protect the community at large.

In closing, Christians have these comforting words of the Psalmist to draw on during times like this:

I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come from.

My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

Psalm 121: 1-4

Perhaps, this is a good time to stop and count the unexpected blessings of COVID-19 with your children in the midst of dealing with the very real challenges and burdens of this pandemic. It can also be a wonderful opportunity to look beyond ourselves to see how our families might be a blessing to others whether by our prayers or helping elderly or vulnerable neighbors practically by running errands for them etc.  In any case, we are grateful for your ongoing partnership, prayers, and patience during this time.

SDG,

Jean Kim

Head of School

P.S. If you have any question regarding your child/ren’s health, our school nurses are available via email at nurse@cambridgeclassical.org.

Dear Cambridge School Community,

As you know, the coronavirus situation in our country and our community is developing quickly. We care deeply about both the safety of our students, faculty/staff and families as well as our wider community, especially the most vulnerable in it. The school leadership team and I are continuing to monitor the situation closely and will continue to communicate regularly with the entire community as new information becomes available. In the meantime, we continue to develop our contingency plans based on current recommendations and guidance.

Possible School Closure
At this time, we are continuing to follow guidelines issued on March 7, 2020 from the  California Department of Public Health and we will be using these guidelines to evaluate our activities.  We remain open as a school and most activities remain unaffected for now, but we are watching this situation closely and making preparations for the possibility of a school closure in the coming weeks.

Scientific and historical studies have shown that proactive school closures—closing schools before there’s a case there—have been shown to be one of the most powerful nonpharmaceutical interventions that we can deploy. We know from past epidemics that school closure works and can save substantial number of lives and we are prepared to do so for the good of the wider community when time to do so. This article helps to explain some of the benefits of proactive school closure: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/does-closing-schools-slow-spread-novel-coronavirus

PARENT ACTION ITEMS IN THE MEANTIME:

• In order to help us communicate most effectively with you, it is CRITICAL that your contact information (cell phones, emails, and addresses) in Ren-Web is correct and up to date so please be sure to check that it is correct and up to date* (instructions below)
• Alternative learning plans for most grades will include on-line learning, so please evaluate your internet capabilities and device availability at home to ensure continuity of learning. Any smart device like a smartphone, ipad/tablets, chromebook or laptop should suffice.
• Please begin to make plans for childcare needs, if necessary.

Auction and Gala
While we are currently still planning to have our Auction and Gala next Saturday, March 21st, we understand that the situation could change unexpectedly based on new information over the next week.  Governor Newsom has limited public gatherings to less than 250, which is the upper end of our usual attendance and we will be limiting auction guests to that number in keeping with that injunction and encouraging social distancing even at the event. We will continue to communicate with you if so and will gladly issue refunds if the school decides to cancel the event so please feel free to RSVP at this point.  We will communicate contingency plans if the event is canceled.  If you are ill or not feeling well, we urge you not to attend the actual event.

Spring Break and General Travel
In light of the current global situation regarding the spread of Coronavirus, and because it has become difficult to predict what travel quarantines will be in place in the future, we ask that you carefully consider any travel plans.

If you have any travel plans, we advise that you carefully monitor the situation at your destination in case you need to change your plans. If you do intend to travel, even just domestically, please let us know by emailing the health office at nurse@cambridgeclassical.org. Please know that we will enforce any health department or CDC recommended quarantines that are in place upon your return.

Illness Prevention
Thank you for your efforts in keeping sick children at home.  Guidance from the California Department of Public Health has been updated to recommend sending home students, teachers, and staff who present with a fever and/or new respiratory symptoms.

The school has added extra cleaning and sanitation measures both in the evenings and during the day and continues to encourage frequent hand-washing, good cough etiquette, minimal touching of the face and other prudent hygiene practices.

If you would like to have a conversation about a specific health concern for your child or a suspected COVID-19 exposure in your family, please contact our nurses, Karla Hays, RN or Michelle Thompson, RN in the health office.

Thank you for your cooperation and patience as the leadership team works to make sure our school community and experience is interrupted as little as possible during time of uncertainty.

Please join us in praying for all who are affected by this situation, especially those who are sick and tending to the sick, and leadership at all levels who are trying to manage this.

SDG,

Jean Kim
Head of School

*Instructions on how to update your personal information in RenWeb:
Go to: https://www.renweb.com/  and login with your username and password.
From the left nav, click “School” then select “Web Forms”
From the display, click the button next to the name you want to edit information for – such as ‘Parent’ and edit their information, including cell phone and address.
Please DO NOT edit “Parent Alert Cell Phone “yes”” or you will NOT receive Parent Alert text messages in the event we need to send you a Parent Alert.
If you make changes to your contact information, please make sure to click “save” at the bottom left before making edits to another name.

Dear Cambridge Families,

The School continues to closely monitor developments related to coronavirus in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) etc.  We are writing to update you on steps to protect the health and wellness of the Cambridge community and to ensure we are prepared for a range of contingencies.

It is important to emphasize that no one on our campus has tested positive for COVID-19 to date and to the best of our knowledge, and that the current risk to people in the U.S. is relatively low. However, the CDC experts say they expect more cases in the U.S., and the School is continuing to make preparations for various contingencies in line with what other area schools are doing.

SPRING BREAK TRAVEL NOTICE:
In light of the current global situation regarding the spread of Coronavirus, and because it has become difficult to predict what travel quarantines will be in place in the future, we ask you to carefully consider your spring break travel plans. 

Due to the unpredictability of this rapidly evolving situation, it is our recommendation that long-distance travel during the spring break be avoided. 

If your spring break plans include travel, we advise that you carefully monitor the situation at your destination in case you need to change your plans. Please know that we will enforce any health department or CDC recommended quarantines that are in place upon your return. 

Travel destination monitoring and travel alerts can be found here: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices. 

LATEST CDC GUIDANCE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TRAVELED TO COUNTRIES WITH ONGOING, WIDESPREAD TRANSMISSION OF COVID-19:
At this time, people who have traveled to China, Iran, Italy, and South Korea (Level 3 Travel Health Notice countries) are asked to self-quarantine and practice social distancing for a period of 14 days from the time they left the area. We anticipate Japan (Level 2 Travel Health Notice) will be added to that list soon, so similar guidance would apply.

Specifically, the CDC instructions for people who have traveled to these countries are:

• Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also watch for cough or trouble breathing.
• Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work or school for this 14-day period. Discuss your work situation with your employer before returning to work.
• Do not take public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares during the time you are practicing social distancing.
• Avoid crowded places (such as shopping centers and movie theaters) and limit your activities in public.
• Keep your distance from others (about 6 feet or 2 meters).

UPDATES ON SCHOOL TRIPS:
As many of you know, we have several, carefully-planned and much-anticipated grade-level trips set to take place over the next month.  As such, it is with a heavy heart and great disappointment that we have made the very difficult decision to cancel all field trips that require airplane flights or boat travel (Williamsburg for 5^th graders, Catalina for 7^th grade, Washington DC for 11^th graders and New York City for 12^th graders (which was our back-up plan after Italy was no longer an option).  While we understand that most of our students are young and healthy and may not be seriously affected by COVID-19, we do not want to risk unintentionally affecting extended family and those around us who might be more susceptible to illness nor do we want to risk long quarantine periods for groups of students and teachers.  Even day field trips outside of San Diego County will be canceled through the end of April (for example, the 3^rd grade Getty Villa Field Trip planned for next week) and those within San Diego will be decided on a case by case basis.

We know this comes as a great disappointment to our students and chaperones who have been looking forward to these trips for a long time, and who have been putting in a great deal of preparatory work for them, but we are seeking to be prudent without being alarmist and are following the precautions other area schools are taking.

The school has already committed significant resources to making travel plans for these trips and we are doing our best to work with each of the vendors and organizations involved to see what funds can be returned.  We appreciate your patience with these diligent efforts.  You will receive an additional communication specific to your student’s trip once the financial details have been resolved.  At this time, the school plans to return any funds that we are able to recoup in the form of a trip credit for the following year’s grade-level field trip (if applicable), and then issue a refund of any remaining balance, if any. 

ONGOING PREPARATIONS:
In case of school closures, we will be following the Poway Unified School District schedule of school closures as we have done in the event of wildfires and earthquakes in the past. While we will certainly send out school-specific communications should that be the case via email and text (Please be sure your current cell phone number is up to date in Ren-Web*, since Parent Alert text messages will be sent to the cell phone numbers on record there), if you hear in the news that PUSD is closed, it is likely that we will be too.

We are currently working on plans for school to continue in an online format for as many grade levels as possible, but at least 5-12^th graders in the event of a school closure to minimize any disruptions in learning, especially for our high school students. We will keep you posted as our plans solidify and should this become necessary.

If you have any further questions beyond the FAQs listed below, please feel free to reach out to Mr. Kapusinski at rkapusinski@cambridgeclassical.org or me at jkim@cambridgeclassical.org.

SDG,

Jean Kim
Head of School

*Instructions on how to update your RenWeb profile:
Go to: https://www.renweb.com/  and login with your username and password.
From the left nav, click “School” then select “Web Forms”
From the display, click the button next to the name you want to edit information for – such as ‘Parent’ and edit their information, including cell phone and address.
Please DO NOT edit “Parent Alert Cell Phone “yes”” or you will NOT receive Parent Alert text messages in the event we need to send you a Parent Alert.
If you make changes to your contact information, please make sure to click “save” at the bottom left before making edits to another name.

Dear Cambridge School Community,

As you are likely aware, the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has spread from China to nearly 57 locations internationally, including cases in the United States. Outbreaks have been reported in Europe and Asia. The CDC reported this week that the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in the United States in a person who reportedly did not have a travel history or exposure to another person with the disease.  The CDC has emphasized that the virus is currently not spreading in the community in the United States.

The health and safety of our school community is our top priority and we are monitoring the situation closely and following recommendations from the CDC, California Department of Public Health, and the San Diego County Public Health Department.  At this time, we are operating as usual during the school day. The senior class trip has been changed to another destination and we will continue to monitor guidance regarding domestic travel.

We continue to emphasize the following general public health measures to help decrease the spread of disease:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick. If your student has a temperature of over 100 degrees F., please keep them home. They may return to school when their temperature has been below 100 degrees F for 24 hours.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.  Then, wash your hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The school leadership will be meeting early next week to discuss further preparedness plans, including exploring options for classroom instruction in the event that regular attendance at school becomes disrupted.  We will keep the school community informed of any new developments and plans.

Current information can be found by visiting https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html

Dear Cambridge School Families,

The health office has noticed an increase in illness in the school community.  Cold and Flu season is upon us. The California Department of Public Health reports that influenza (flu) activity levels have increased over the past several weeks. As a reminder, please do not send your child to school if they are feeling sick. If you child has a temperature of over 100 degrees F., please do not send them to school. Keeping your sick child home will be a great benefit for the health and wellness of our students and staff. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk of serious flu complications. Symptoms of influenza can vary, but generally include a high fever, headache, chills, body aches, sore throat, and cough.

The 2019-20 flu season has been complicated by recent reports of a novel coronavirus. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Common symptoms in an infected person include a fever, cough, and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.  Presently, there has been one reported case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in San Diego County, seven in the state of California, and 13 in the United States. The CDC has said the current risk of local transmission is low.

The Cambridge School health office and administration is continuing to monitor the situation and obtain updates and current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), California Department of Public Health, and local health officials about the diagnosis and management of cases of novel coronavirus, as applicable.

Basic Prevention of Virus Spread

1. Recommend that all family members are up-to-date with their flu shots.
2. Promote basic hygiene:

a) Any coughing or sneezing should be directed into ones’ sleeve, rather than into hands or the air. 
b) Wash hands after using/handling used tissues, blowing nose, before/after eating, and after toilet use.
c) Wash for 20 seconds with soap, rub between fingers and under nails; and then rinse and dry. Use alcohol (60%+) hand gel if sinks are not readily available.
d) Avoid rubbing your own eyes, nose and mouth.
e) Do not share utensils, cups, etc.
f) Stay home when sick
g) Avoid contact with those who are sick

Resources

Reference the following resources for the most up to date, accurate information:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: 
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html

Travel Procedures for Persons Returning from China:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/from-china.html

California Department of Public Health:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx

San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (Public Health):
https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/community_epidemiology/dc/2019-nCoV.html

Dear Parents,

The health office is closely following updates and recommendations from the California Department of Public Health, the County of San Diego Health & Human Services and the CDC regarding the novel coronavirus. The situation is fluid, and we will review recommendations daily as directed by local health officials.

As of today (Friday, January 31st), we have no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in San Diego County. We know this can change, and we will keep you updated with any information we receive.

In the meantime, we continue to see new cases of influenza on our campus. The recommendations for prevention of coronavirus and influenza are the same. Please review the following with your student:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick. If your student has a temperature of over 100 degrees F., please keep them home. They may return to school when their temperature has been below 100 degrees F for 24 hours.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.  Then, wash your hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

If you, your child or anyone in your household has returned from China in the last 14 days and is experiencing respiratory symptoms, cough or fever, please notify the school and follow up with your healthcare provider immediately.

For the latest information, please visit:

• California Department of Public Health
• San Diego County Public Health Services Coronavirus Information Page 
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Dear Cambridge Families,

The health office has received inquiries regarding the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that originated in Wuhan, China.  Information is evolving about this specific type of Coronavirus and the health office is providing the attached links from the WHO, CDC, and the California Department of Public Health to provide current information about what is known about this virus during this time of heightened awareness.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Common symptoms in an infected person include a fever, cough, and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.  People who have traveled to Wuhan, China since Dec. 1, 2019, could have been exposed to the virus. Seek medical care if you traveled to or from Wuhan and develop a fever and/or respiratory symptoms within 14 days of your travel.

Cold and Flu season is upon us. The California Department of Public Health reports that influenza (flu) activity levels have increased over the past several weeks. As a reminder, please do not send your child to school if they are feeling sick. Keeping your sick child home will be a great benefit for the health and wellness of our students and staff. The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk of serious flu complications. Symptoms of influenza can vary, but generally include a high fever, headache, chills, body aches, sore throat, and cough.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer these tips to prevent influenza:

• Get vaccinated every year
• Avoid close contact with sick people
• Frequent handwashing with soap
• Stay at home if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Individuals with chronic health issues and/or individuals experiencing severe symptoms should be evaluated by a medical professional.

The health office will continue to monitor the situation by keeping updated with international, national, state, and local guidance.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019