Hello EEU Families,
I am writing to provide an update on the health and safety of the EEU. We have had several staff and children experience cold symptoms, but all individuals have tested negative for COVID-19. We have been able to continue with minimal interruption because teams at the EEU are so supportive of each other when staff are absent.
However, moving forward, we have decided that having teams serve as substitutes across rooms is no longer a safe option. We need staff to remain with their classrooms and not create potentially more exposures by having people spend the whole day in another room. Without a safe option to have staff sub across classes, we will need to close classrooms temporarily if staff are sick while we wait for them to be symptom-free and negative results from COVID-19 testing. We never wish to create hardship and challenges for families, but our top priority must be the safety of the EEU community.
In addition to the changes in our staff coverage plans, I want to address the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the country and our region. The current trend of COVID-19 cases has already prompted Washington Governor Jay Inslee issued a travel advisory that recommends a 14-day quarantine period for all interstate and international travelers. I anticipate further restrictions and recommendations from Governor Inslee and Public Health Officials in the coming days and weeks.
We are committed to providing educational opportunities for all children AND following state and local public health guidelines to keep everyone safe. As we receive direction from public health and the Governor’s office we will coordinate with the University of Washington, the City of Seattle and Seattle Public Schools to determine our ability to continue in-person instruction giving safety concerns.
