.Hello from the Executive Director.
"Resolve to keep happy,
and your joy and you
shall form an invincible host
against difficulties." ~ Helen Keller
Happy Holidays, Bronco Families! We hope you thoroughly enjoyed your holiday break, and we wish you much joy, love, and great health in 2022! I found the perfect quote to guide me through the beginning of the new year. Although there continue to be difficulties, I resolve to find happiness and joy in each day! If we all embrace this perspective and energy, I know that we can accomplish great things together!
One of the ways we can find joy is in keeping each other safe, healthy, and in school. The CCCS staff is dedicated to providing the best possible learning environment and academic support as we continue to navigate the twists and turns of the pandemic. I know that you are probably right there with us in the burn out and frustration that comes with two years of pandemic life and it’s constant changes. I can’t wait to write about something different in these weekly updates! We made it this far by sticking together, extending grace and patience, and keeping hope in our hearts for the time when life resumes some normalcy.
In the last month or so, there are several changes being made in the guidance from the health organizations we look to in our efforts to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on our community. In the coming paragraphs, I tried to provide a concise summary of these changes as they pertain to the students, families, and staff of CCCS. It is a lot of information, and it is likely to change again depending on the local impact of the Omnicron variant of COVID. I will try to keep important information and links up to date on our website as things progress.
Please keep in mind that local schools must follow the guidelines of Lane County Public Health and the Oregon Health Authority over CDC, WHO, or other medical organizations. We update our information based on local health experts who understand the needs and impacts of the pandemic on this community. If you have any questions about the information provided below, please let me know.
Warm regards,
Lisa
Updated COVID Information as of January 5, 2022
Omnicron
Oregon reported more than 9,700 new cases of COVID-19 from the holiday weekend
18.2% of COVID-19 tests administered over the long weekend were positive for the virus, the highest positivity rate seen in the state so far
Oregon Health & Science University has projected that a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations driven by the new variant will peak on Jan. 31
Lane County - 443 positive cases were reported on January 4th
Quarantine/Isolation Updates:
Isolation:Quarantine: Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick. Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.
Lane County Public Health - Close contacts should quarantine after contact for 14 days (safest option), however, K-12 in-school contacts with multiple preventative measures may shorten quarantine to seven (7) days if tested negative on day 7 and asymptomatic for return 8 days after exposure (mirrors LCPH guidance).
*NOTE: The RSSL states that total quarantine could be up to 17 days assuming that the LPHA allows for a 7-day quarantine for out-of-school close contacts.
Fully immunized individuals are not required to quarantine and should monitor for symptoms for 14 days, isolate, and seek testing if symptoms develop.
New exposures that occur within 9 days of an individual’s confirmed/presumptive case as determined by viral test or LPHA are not required to quarantine and should monitor for 14 days.
Close contact with a close contact is not considered a close contact exposure. Direct exposure to a confirmed/presumptive COVID-19 positive person is required to trigger quarantine.
The ODE Covid Scenarios guidance Scenarios 1a and 1b - If exposure is within the household and for exposures outside the household, the guidance calls for quarantine at home for 7 days or as directed by the LPHA. LCPH has established the quarantine period as 10 days. (This applies to unvaccinated or symptomatic vaccinated individuals.) Test to Stay is not an option for these scenarios.
Test to Stay - is an option for exposures in indoor K-12 settings in which universal masking is correctly and consistently implemented with an exception for exposures that occur while actively eating/drinking and during unmasked outdoor recess. To participate in this option, the school must have signed permission to test your child for COVID.
ODE and LCPH - Test to Stay Protocol A 5-Step Process for Parents and Families for COVID contact at school.
The school notifies you that your child is a close contact of a known positive COVID-19 case while in school.
The family has provided consent for COVID-19 testing and agrees to follow test to stay requirements, which include quarantining outside of school and wearing a mask when participating in extracurricular activities.
Your child is tested for COVID-19 at the school testing site.
If COVID-19 test results are: Positive - your child must immediately isolate at home Negative - your child may continue to attend school as long as they do not have or develop COVID-19 symptoms.
Your student will test twice within a 7-day period. Testing is recommended immediately after being identified as a close contact and again 5-7 days after exposure.
It is important to remember that if your child is vaccinated and exposed to COVID-19, they do not have to quarantine or be tested if they are completely symptom free. When an unvaccinated child is exposed at home or during extracurricular activities where masking is optional, the test to stay protocol is not an option.
Masking Information - (ODE) Current mandates under this rule require that all individuals, including but not limited to staff, students, contractors and visitors wear a mask or face covering when in an indoor setting during regular school hours and while engaged in educational activities such as field trips or off-campus classes during regular school hours.
Masking requirements during outside events were reduced by ODE last month as long as all other mitigation measures are fully implemented. However, in light of the recent surge of positive cases, we feel it prudent to maintain outside protocols to protect students, families, and staff as much as possible. We will revisit this when COVID positive cases are reduced and more controlled.
(OHA Division 9, Chapter 333-019-1015) Masking Requirements in Schools makes the following definitions:
(b) "Face covering" means a cloth, polypropylene, paper or other face covering that covers the nose and the mouth and that rests snugly above the nose, below the mouth, and on the sides of the face.
(c) "Face shield" means a clear plastic shield that covers the forehead, extends below the chin, and wraps around the sides of the face.
(d) "Mask" means a medical grade mask.
Many schools have or are considering requiring medical grade masks for students and staff to increase safety and reduce the possibility of large outbreaks of COVID or of having to move to a distance learning mode of instruction. CCCS will closely monitor the situation in Lane County and make determination about face coverings and masks in collaboration with LCPH and other local school systems.
We have the Tools to Fight Omicron (CDC)
Vaccines
Vaccines remain the best public health measure to protect people from COVID-19, slow transmission, and reduce the likelihood of new variants emerging.
COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death.
Scientists are currently investigating Omicron, including how protected fully vaccinated people will be against infection, hospitalization, and death.
CDC recommends that everyone 5 years and older protect themselves from COVID-19 by getting fully vaccinated.
CDC recommends that everyone ages 18 years and older should get a booster shot at least two months after their initial J&J/Janssen vaccine or six months after completing their primary COVID-19 vaccination series of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.
Masks
Masks offer protection against all variants.
CDC continues to recommend wearing a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high community transmission, regardless of vaccination status.
CDC provides advice about masks for people who want to learn more about what type of mask is right for them depending on their circumstances.
Testing
Tests can tell you if you are currently infected with COVID-19.
Two types of tests are used to test for current infection: nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) and antigen tests. NAAT and antigen tests can only tell you if you have a current infection.
Individuals can use the COVID-19 Viral Testing Tool to help determine what kind of test to seek.
Additional tests would be needed to determine if your infection was caused by Omicron.
Visit your state, tribal, local, or territorial health department’s website to look for the latest local information on testing.
Self-tests can be used at home or anywhere, are easy to use, and produce rapid results. CCCS has testing kits available for students. Parent permission is required. Forms can be found at this link. Please submit a copy to the office if you would like to give permission for testing and haven’t yet.
If your self-test has a positive result, stay home or isolate for 10 days, wear a mask if you have contact with others, and call your healthcare provider.
If you have any questions about your self-test result, call your healthcare provider or public health department.
.Hello from the Dean of Student Services.
Our children have been watching adults respond to COVID and its impacts for almost two years now. They are learning/absorbing a great deal - how do people solve problems? Deal with stress/fatigue? Work together? Show respect? Voice their opinion when they disagree? What should people do when they feel impatient? Stuck? Angry? Sad?
This is a profound time, and full of extreme learning possibilities. Our children are learning how to be human.
In that spirit, this week I want to offer one potential parenting tool (targeted for children age 7 and above) that therapists and educators sometimes recommend for families. It is a “problem pass.”
The idea of the problem pass responds to the knowledge that human brains learn through making mistakes - humans make connections and establish neutral pathways through learning what not to do. When we make mistakes, we eliminate possibilities and our brains need this.
However, even though mistakes are good for learning and growth, children often fear or hate their mistakes. They want to be competent, and not let people down. More, experience shows them many and most adults have negative reactions when mistakes are made. This can keep mistakes from being discussed and solved - often making them grow.
The goal of using problem passes in your home is to show an adult’s commitment to calm reactions and support. As adults, we are modeling whether humans should fear or embrace that people are mistake-machines. We can acknowledge and allow for mistakes - while also encouraging children to trust us to be skilled when problems do come up.
The goal of this pass is to help create little pockets of safety to practice problem solving. A goal pass can really help parents too - it’s a little reminder note that you are giving yourself that your child needs you to respond with skill because the shame, embarrassment, and sadness of making mistakes (and letting your parents down) is very real.
Here are a few visual options I made up in Canva if you’d like them! (I’ve drawn from the work of Dr. Karol Kumpfer.)
Happy problem solving as we come back from break and all work to get our footing again.
Warmly,
Liz
.General Information.
EZ Texting:
You can sign up to receive emergency and weather-related text messages from the CCCS office by texting EZCCCS to 313131. You must sign up annually to maintain the service. Standard text rates apply.
Calendar
January 17- Martin Luther King, Jr Day- NO SCHOOL
January 28- Grading Day- NO SCHOOL
.PCS Corner.
Happy New Year from PCS (People for Coburg School), the school's parent group. Three things to know or help out with this week….
Thank You Volunteers! Huge thank you to all the volunteers (and CCCS staff!) who helped make the bake sale, hot cocoa, and holiday light parade a success this year. It was so great to see our families involved in such a fun community event, and we couldn’t have done it without our wonderful volunteers!
PCS Meeting Postponed to Friday 1/14. Due to scheduling conflicts, the next PCS Meeting (originally scheduled for this Friday) is being moved to next week. Please join us on Fri. January 14th (after drop off in the cafeteria) to dive into the 2022 events!
PCS eNews. If you didn’t get to read the PCS eNews that went out in December, click HERE so you can see the preview of upcoming events. More details at the PCS meeting and later this month in the January PCS eNews.
Questions or comments? E-mail PCS@coburgcharter.org. Thank you!
.Information for 8th Grade Parents.
Tuesday, February 8 - Monroe / Coburg Parent Night Via Zoom - 6 pm - Virtual Event for parents/students to learn about forecasting for their students and transition to high school.
Join Zoom Meeting
Thursday, February 10 - Cal Young / Coburg Parent Night Via Zoom - 6 pm - Virtual Event for parents/students to learn about forecasting for their students and transition to high school.
Join Zoom Meeting