Dear Trinity Family,
In our September 2nd update I shared that, “As of last Monday (August 31), the metrics were met for K-3 for the required three week time period. …we want to continue to monitor the numbers past the Labor Day holiday weekend. We would also like to see a few weeks of consistently seeing met standards before we re-open to the grades that would be eligible to return. This will allow us to avoid, as much as we can, the roller coaster ride of opening in-person and returning to distance learning.”
We have also stated that we continue to make decisions based on what information is given to us from the State and County officials. While our previously released strategy seemed to be fitting going forward, re-reading the transition strategy for the Ready Schools, Safe Learners document, and speaking with different authorities, I have proposed to our team a different strategy for our K-3 students.
Further evaluation of the Ready Schools, Safe Learners (P.19), has shown that metrics involved in forcing Trinity to move back to online learning are more lenient than those used to open. This means that if COVID metrics were to increase Trinity would have a larger window of time before we would need to transition back to online learning. If we stay in a digital learning environment and numbers were to increase, Trinity would be required to wait another three weeks before we would be able to return to our classrooms for all-day, in-person learning.
With this new information, I propose that K-3 students resume in-person learning on Tuesday morning, September 8. We have met the guidelines to re-open in KDG-grade 3 issued by the Oregon Department of Education. Our teachers are ready to welcome their students to in-person learning and our parents and students are excited to get back into the classrooms. Having been on campus for limited in-person instruction for the past three days, seeing the energy that is ignited when we have students on campus and having had a week to test our sanitation and safety procedures, I believe this is the right thing to do at this time.
Our students in grades 4 – H.S. will remain in their current online distance learning schedule, including the use of the limited in-person instruction cohorts. This is due to not meeting the State metrics to open those grads. Your student’s teacher will continue to update you on all specifics related to those schedules.
At worst, we will be in school for a minimum of two weeks of in-person instruction, but even with those days, our students will be well-prepared for whatever the year holds. We have procedures in place to deal with any COVID cases that might affect our community, and they would deal with the specific cohorts versus the entire school community.
Your teacher will be emailing you with more information this weekend. I realize that you may have other questions, and they can be emailed to trinitylutheranschool@saints.org, an address that I and the other administrators will monitor all weekend.
As always, thank you for the continued prayers and support as we continue to focus on our goals for the coming year – A safe environment for students and staff and All day/Every day for all of our students as soon as we safely can.
be God’s,
Gregg Pinick
Executive Director / Head of Schools