Coronavirus – Current plans

Dear LREI Community,

Following my email last week, I write today to share our current plans regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) and in response to the suggestion from federal and local authorities that schools prepare for increasing local impact and for the unlikely event of prolonged school closure.

• Student Travel – Out of an abundance of caution, and recognizing how quickly the coronavirus landscape is changing, we have decided to cancel our eighth-grade trips to Spain and France. With an increasingly unpredictable path, we cannot be assured that the students’ experiences will be what we have been promised nor that their travel will be safe and uninterrupted.

• While School is in Session – For the next two weeks and then continuing after the break, we will:
  • Reinforce healthy habits;
  • Disinfect the buildings on a more frequent schedule;
  • Continue to look for ways to minimize transmission of communicable diseases;
  • Educate the students about the virus and will reassure them that they are safe.

• Family Travel – If a member of your LREI student’s household(s) has traveled to a country or state that has had significant incidence of infection and/or is listed at Level 2 or higher by the CDC or you have hosted a guest from one of these states or countries, we ask that you immediately contact your health care provider and, on their advice, consider that you may have to keep your child home for 14 days from the day of last contact. If you have planned travel over Spring Break to one of the areas noted above we ask that you self-quarantine for 14 days after your return.

• School Closure – While we hope that we do not have to use them, we are hard at work creating plans for LREI@Home, through which we will provide educational programming for students in the event of a school closure.  If your family will have challenges accessing this online program at home for technical reasons, please speak with your child’s teacher, advisor, principal, or any trusted LREI adult.  We will work with you to find a solution.

• We take this opportunity to remind all of a few simple means for minimizing the transmission of any illness:
  • Children and adults should stay home when sick. Children must be fever and symptom-free for 24 hours before returning to school;
  • Wash hands frequently and well;
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth;
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces frequently, especially when someone is sick;
  • It is not too late to get this season’s flu shot.

• Communication:
  • You can expect to hear from us at least once per week with updates concerning
  • LREI’s planning/response to this situation. You might hear from us more frequently if there is urgent news;
  • Please make sure that your family’s contact information in LREI Connect is up to date;
  • A reminder that urgent/time-sensitive communications will be sent to you via email and our auto-call phone system.  “Home” phone numbers will get notification calls. All numbers will receive emergency calls

• Resources:
  • CDC Information Regarding Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19)
  • New York State Dept. of Health Coronavirus Information 
  • How to Talk to Kids About Coronavirus
  • Talking to Teens and Tweens About Coronavirus
  • For Kids

While the coronavirus – its quickening pace and all that we don’t yet know – can be scary, we are fortunate to have modern medicine and science, many smart and learned people, and reason on our side.  We will base our decisions on the best information we have at the time and on the advice and input of experts. We will balance our concern and fear with facts, forethought, and compassion. We will be guided, in part, by what we will teach our children through our decisions and actions.  We will communicate with you in a timely and transparent fashion. We are available to you, as individuals and as a community.

All best,

Phil