Dear Rising Tide Families,
Last night our Board of Trustees voted to confirm the earlier decision to return to our Hybrid Learning Model on Monday, January 11.
At the meeting, the Board of Trustees reviewed and discussed the available public health data and Rising Tide’s internal data. The Board of Trustees confirmed the return to the Hybrid Learning Model on the basis of Rising Tide’s internal COVID-19 data, and the evidence that every positive case of members of our school community has been due to out-of-school transmission. As the level of community spread is increasing in our area, we will continue to monitor our internal data on a daily basis and are prepared to shift back to a Remote Learning Model if necessary.
As we move forward, I ask that each family help us keep our community safe by communicating with Lisa Hughes, our COVID Response Leader if your child has been identified as a close contact, is being tested, or has tested positive for COVID-19. Although students have not physically been in the building since December 11, it is essential for us to know the impact of positive cases and close contacts on our school community.
I also ask that all school community members to stay vigilant to the health and safety guidelines outside of school and monitor symptoms each morning. Please STAY HOME if you have any of the symptoms listed below:
- Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills
- Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Headache when in combination with other symptoms
- Muscle aches or body aches
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms
- Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in combination with other symptoms
Additionally, I request that students, especially our high school students, self-quarantine this coming week if they know that they have not stayed vigilant to the guidelines that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has established for the holidays, safe travel, and gatherings.
We expect students to attend school each day in the manner consistent with their designated cohort model. If students are unable to attend in-person days designated for their cohort due to illness or quarantine, please contact Lisa Hughes directly. If families are interested in changing their child’s cohort model, please complete one of the following forms:
This year continues to be a tremendous challenge for students, families, and staff members. Members of our school community have exemplified the manner in which we can support one another and keep one another safe. Let us renew our commitment to one another through this especially challenging month.
Finally, I want to remind families that next week we will implement our updated plan for lunch, which was shared with families in December. You can see a quick view of our updated lunch guidelines for the implementation of this plan.
Please contact us immediately should you or someone in your home begin to show symptoms. We are committed to continuous communication with and support of our families. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Lisa Hughes, our COVID Response Leader, at 508-747-2620 ext. 115 or lhughes@risingtide.org.
Thank you for your continued support of our school and one another.
Sincerely,
Michael O’Keefe
Head of School
