Dear CCEP Families,

I want to start by thanking you for such an incredible first two months of school. I say this while knocking on wood, but coming to CCEP each day almost feels normal. There are certainly differences between this year and previous years. However, I still hear children and teachers laughing together, students chasing each other through the playgrounds, and learning happening at every opportunity. I love coming here each day. Much of this is attributed to our teachers' ability to adapt to an ever-changing environment and to you. You have remained incredibly diligent in protecting our community, and for that, I can never thank you enough.

I know that keeping your family safe through this pandemic has taken sacrifice and careful planning; doing it through the holidays presents its own set of challenges. Based on contact-tracing interviews, the state has determined that most of the recent positive cases lead back to small gatherings inside someone's house, Halloween parties, and eating inside at restaurants. These are all of our favorite things to do during the holidays. Making choices about how to spend the holidays this season is up to each family, but the weight of how to keep our school safe falls on my shoulders. After a lengthy conversation with Delaware Public Health discussing the options for increased mitigation strategies as well as the needs of our community, we have decided that masks will be required at CCEP through the holidays. Students in primary (Magic Trees and Hidden Rainbows) and Pre-K (Bright Stars and Shining Stars) will be required to wear masks while inside the building from November 30-January 8. Many of our students are already doing this. We have disposable kid-sized mask available if needed. As long as the temperature is above 32 degrees and not actively raining, most of our day will remain outside. On average, students that are here from 8:30-12:30 spend around one total hour inside. There will still be plenty of opportunities for friends to enjoy smiles while outside.

Testing

Our teachers continue to get tested and report their results monthly.

Community Care Standards

As outlined in our Reopening Plan, students are asked to wash their hands or hand sanitize frequently throughout the day. We wash hands every time we enter the classroom, before we eat, after using the bathroom, and any other time the teachers feel it is necessary (hands in the mouth, etc.). We are adding additional hand sanitizer stations around the building for easier use. Entrance doors and gates are left open during drop off and pick up so that touching doors are unnecessary. Classroom doors are left open during the day for the same reason. While the "Energy Hero" job (turning off the lights) is a well-loved classroom job, teachers will be the only ones touching light switches. Lunch is plated in the kitchen and served to students in closed containers. We are increasing the frequency with which railings and bathrooms are disinfected during the day.

Health Screens

Please remember that we are required to confirm that your child does not have a temperature and is Covid-symptom free each day. You do this by checking those four boxes each morning in the Brightwheels App. It is critical for you to complete your child's health screens each morning accurately. As a parent of three little ones, I know that mornings are busy. If you leave and forget to take your child's temperature, just let the teachers know, and they can check upon arrival. We will also do temperature checks at least once during an inside break at school. The health screen is designed to help keep our entire community safe.

Travel

The state of Delaware does not currently have travel restrictions in place for domestic travel. Families who travel internationally to areas identified by the CDC as having travel restrictions must inform the school. We are currently requiring a 14-day quarantine period for all students returning from level 3 COVID risk countries, which includes most of the globe.

School Calendar

As the school year progresses, our goal is to adhere to the current 2020-2021 academic calendar as closely as possible.

Indoor Facilities

We have been blessed with wonderfully mild weather this school year. As the weather changes, we are prepared to spend more time inside. We capped classes at numbers this year that met COVID-recommended square footage requirements. We ordered HEPA air purifiers for each classroom in anticipation of the mild weather coming to an end. The Church is sharing the three Parish Hall spaces with us to use during the school day. Each preschool classroom, bathroom, hallway, stairwell, and lobby are deep cleaned each night.

What happens when COVID hits close to home?

Positive cases related to a child care setting are considered high-priority for DPH, and we will be assigned a DPH epidemiologist. This person will help us coordinate the next steps and quick response. More detailed information can be found by clicking Responding to COVID in Licensed Child Care Facilities and Navigating COVID-19 (Effective Response for Delaware's Child Care Programs).

Thank you for your continued diligence in protecting your family and our community.

Sincerely,

Kimberly Wagner, Ed.D.

Head of School