Dear St. Paul Families,
With three weeks left until we break for Christmas vacation, I wanted to connect with all our families to ensure we continue to stay safe and healthy in the final stretch of 2020; and what a year it’s been… But first, I want to thank the students, the staff, and our families for your commitment to our health and safety protocols and modelling good behaviour; we continue steadily on this journey because of your ongoing support.
The pandemic has been an extremely challenging time for our school community. I acknowledge that many of you may be anxious, especially given the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. St. Paul’s has yet to have an “exposure” in our school (student or staff member with a confirmed case of COVID-19), however we are prepared to respond at the direction of Vancouver Coastal Health if/when an exposure occurs. In the meantime, we ask for all families to continue with the daily health check and keep children home when sick, and respect the current health and safety practices as directed by Dr. Henry when outside of school.
I want to remind the community that we take our lead from Vancouver Coastal Health, and if there is a direct concern for our community, VCH will contact the school. If there isn’t a direct concern, the school will not be contacted. I am confident in their process.
I’d like to begin this next paragraph by clearly stating that I have not received ANY information as to upcoming changes to scheduling, curriculum delivery, or school closures. That being said, as we head closer to Christmas break, we also want to be prepared for unexpected directives from VCH in relation to:
- students/cohorts being asked to self-isolate
- a delay in return to school in January
- a shift to another stage in the Five Stages Framework
- remote (at home) learning for all students.
While these measures only remain speculation at this point, I am doing my best to be proactive and will continue to keep the St. Paul community updated as information is made available.
With the worrisome state of current cases, the confusion as to societal restrictions, and rising anxieties in general, we need to stay the course with faith and trust for the sake of our school, our families, and our community. These times can be trying for even the most resilient among us, so if you find yourself, or someone you know, (child, youth, or adult) in need of support, you may find assistance with the following resource:
Mental Health Resources for Children, Youth, and Adults
On a more positive note – as a school community, we have a lot to be thankful for: learning continues to happen in authentic and meaningful ways for both our in-person learners and our Temporary Transition learners; we are able to be connected through prayer, laughter, and social interactions; French, Music, PE and extracurricular activities continue to be offered; and we are all finding ways to be successful in this new normal. I know this is a difficult time, but I am so proud of this community and how we have all come together to support our children.
Let’s continue to Walk with Jesus, Our Living Hope on this journey together.
Yours in faith,
Maureen Moorehead