Letter from the Principal
RE: COVID-19
PLEASE READ CLOSELY
Principal Letter – Response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
Dear St. Thomas Parents,
I hope this letter finds you well and in good spirits despite all that is developing surrounding the COVID-19 virus (Coronavirus) locally and globally. Thank you for your patience and understanding as I navigated all the resources and suggestions for the best practices for our school community.
Rest assured that we are taking preventative measures at school to help lessen the effects and any spreading of the virus. We have implemented the following procedures:
- Disinfecting of desks upon arrival to school and as needed throughout the day.
- Students are asked to wash their hands throughout the day. Most importantly, any time they visit the restroom, before a meal, and after recess.
- Hand sanitizer, tissues, and disinfecting wipes are all available in each classroom and the main office for student use.
We are following the advice and guidelines provided for us collectively by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the Department of Catholic Schools, the California Department of Public Health, and the California Department of Education. The following is directly from an email sent to all Catholic School Principals and our school response to each category:
Events/Gatherings: Use your professional judgement and discretion in deciding whether or not to facilitate planned events/gatherings in accordance with the guidance from the state. While we are not advising schools to cancel planned events, schools should consider canceling non-essential gatherings.
- Our school will continue to participate in field trips, host assemblies, and mass with proper precautions at each type of gathering.
Travel: With the Easter Break approaching, the state and county public health departments are advising to limit non-essential travel at this time. Although we cannot restrict travel, you should encourage members of your community to limit air travel and avoid sea travel via cruise ship.
- We ask our school families and employees to be diligent in planning any upcoming travel and research any potential risks when traveling to certain areas. As a contingency for possible extended absences and closure, all schools should be developing instructional continuity plans to maintain learning.
All though we do not foresee having to suspend school operations, our teachers will be participating in professional development on virtual instruction and alternative methods of instruction.
I am working on a Flexible Plan for Instruction that will meet the needs of all our families in the event of having to suspend instruction on our physical campus.
Additional Health Resources: The California School Nurses Association has developed a clearinghouse for resources for schools responding to the COVID-19 virus: https://www.csno.org
We ask that at home you help us continue a routine of maintaining good hygiene. Routinely washing of hands, washing of school uniforms and sweatshirts/sweaters, and wiping of backpacks/lunch bags with disinfectant wipes.
If your child is feeling sick, please monitor the symptoms and get medical attention as needed. Please keep your child at home if they are sick.
Need Service Hours? Please donate! We are always in need of hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes/spray, tissues, paper towels, and/or bottled drinking water. Please drop-off to the school office with your receipt of purchase. We will allocate supplies to classrooms accordingly.
We thank you for all your support in helping keep our school community safe and healthy. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.
In Faith & Education,
Mr. Cuevas
Principal