Dear Mirowitz Parents,
Covid cases are on the rise throughout St. Louis community, and Mirowitz has been impacted as well. In the past 10 days, we have had 12 students and two teachers test positive. We have had 18 students quarantined due to school exposure and 5 quarantined due to household exposure. That’s more isolation and quarantine than we had in the past two years combined.
The evolution of covid is going to continue, and we are doing our best to keep pace with it. We believe passionately in providing children with in-person learning, and our goal over the past two years has not changed. We want to keep your children in school.
There are some scenarios in which we may have to close classes or move to remote learning. We rely on the availability of faculty, staff and subs. If we do not have the personnel to teach, we will have to move to remote learning. We also are concerned about significant in-school transmission, and are planning everything possible to keep our community healthy and safe.
What can you do to help?
Compliance with unmasking procedures is the most important thing our students can do to ensure continued in-person learning during the pandemic.
- Please emphasize to your the importance of proper masking. Data shows that N95, KN95s, KF94s are more effective than cloth masks. Most important, however, is that your child has masks that provide full coverage of the mouth and nose, that lie against the face and that they will wear properly throughout the day. Try blowing a tissue in front of your mask. If the tissue moves, the mask is not fully fitting.
- The most dangerous time for transmission is during times when students are unmasked. We have protocols to ensure safety during those times. Please remind your child to follow them.
Zooming into class:
A child is in quarantine may zoom into class one full day after the teacher is notified. Why can’t they just zoom in right away? Teaching hybrid — in class and on Zoom at the same time — is among the stressful aspects of teaching during this pandemic. Your child’s teachers need time to plan so they can teach effectively. They need a day revise their lessons for remote learners, gather materials and devices for parents, and communicate with specialists and administrators about the remote learner.
We have seen elevated teacher attrition both nationally and here at Mirowitz. It is in our students’ best interests to retain our excellent teachers by respecting the time they need to do their craft well. Teachers want to be effective, and to provide thoughtful lessons for your children. Your patience will make that possible.
Our teachers understand that it’s difficult for parents to wait 24 hours for their child to join the class via Zoom. While they prepare for your child to participate in remote learning, your child can engage in some of the meaningful learning activities posted on Mirowitz in the Cloud.
Picking up materials for your child:
When your child is quarantined and we know by 8 a.m., you may pick up materials from the vestibule that afternoon between 3-6 p.m. Laptops will be held in the front office for security, so please ask Alex or Mary.
Testing for COVID
Testing is currently available at school for students and faculty by appointment. We just received a much-awaited box of COVID tests from the state to be administered by our nurse.
You also may submit verified test results to the school. Verified tests include:
- PCR or antigen tests conducted by a medical professional at a test site or office. The administering medical professional may NOT be the patient’s parent.
- at home tests administered by the parent over video chat with Nurse Beca
How do we count quarantine days following an exposure?
The date of exposure or positive test is considered day 0. Day 1 is the first full day after your positive test or your exposure. If you are quarantining for an exposure and test positive, the positive test date restarts the clock as Day 0.
We highly encourage vaccination.
The vaccine will prevent you and your children from the serious effects of COVID-19. Hospitals are currently overwhelmed and pleading with the public to vaccinate. We encourage you to vaccinate your family not only for your own safety, but to help our school community and the community at large.
Vaccination will also mean fewer disruptions for your children, as fully vaccinated individuals are not required to quarantine after exposure to a covid positive individual. We want to deliver effective, in-person learning. Please help us make that possible.
If you haven’t sent Nurse Beca your child’s vaccine cards for our records, please do so as soon as possible!
