News for the Week of January 10, 2022
I hope everyone had a great Christmas Break and enjoyed time with family and friends!
January is an important time at North Lake, as we are nearly half way through the school year. January 27 is the end of Quarter 2 and Semester 1. I cannot stress enough the importance of checking on your student’s progress to make sure they are in good academic standing, and contacting teachers to correct any problems. Our goal is for every student to pass every class and remain on track to graduate. If you need help or have questions, please contact your student’s teacher as soon as possible.
The COVID scene has changed a bit since Break, also. On Tuesday this week, I was on an updated call with the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon School Activity Association (OSAA), so I'm sharing the most recent information I have received.
The Omicron variant has been predicted to move quickly through the population, affecting even younger students than before. Health officials report the symptoms of Omicron are not as severe as the previous strains of the COVID virus, and they have downgraded the forecast for hospitalization rates. It is predicted that the Omicron phase will peak near the end of January. ODE and OHA encouraged schools to use layered mitigation strategies such as vaccinations, boosters, frequent hand washing, masks and social distancing at school. They also recommended a pause in all school extracurricular activities, and suggested vaccinations and testing if extracurricular activities continue.
At North Lake, we have a COVID-19 Safety Plan which was developed with Lake County Public Health, and that will remain in place. This Plan includes wearing masks as required by ODE and OHA. It also includes washing our hands and sanitizing our school to the best of our ability as we have been doing since COVID-19 started. It also includes social distancing to the greatest degree possible, screening for symptoms, and staying home when we are not feeling well. We will remain diligent in our efforts to follow these protocols in order to keep students in school for on-site learning.
AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE NO PLANS TO TRANSITION TO DISTANCE LEARNING OR
DISCONTINUE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.
We will stay the course with our current program unless circumstances force a change (i.e. too many ill, too many staff members out, too few substitutes, etc.). Please remember that if you feel the risk of contracting COVID-19 is too high, and you are uncomfortable sending your student to school, the North Lake Web Academy is available for K-12 online learning. Please call the office if you have questions.
OHA adopted the new five-day quarantine guidelines recently approved by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This change applies to all students and staff even if they are vaccinated. Here is a link to the CDC guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html
Our goal has always been to keep our staff and students healthy, and our school open. I would like to thank our parents who have kept kids home when they are ill, and have informed us of potential issues so we can make the best decisions for everyone. Thank you!
Respectfully,
Gail Buermann
Superintendent