GRCS Going Remote on Nov 30, 2020 to Jan 18, 2021

November 16, 2020

Dear Galapagos Families,

     With the holidays approaching, we know that many families will be in contact with extended family and friends, increasing their risk of COVID-19 exposure.  Galapagos’ first priority is keeping the health and well-being of our scholars, their families and the community that we serve safe.  Out of an abundance of caution, GRCS will move to remote instruction for all scholars beginning on November 30th, 2020.   Remote instruction will continue through at least January 19th, 2021 to allow for a quarantine period following the holidays.  

     We know that some families of in person scholars may wish to move their child to remote instruction sooner based on the increase in COVID-19 cases within Illinois.  For that reason, in- person scholars may move to remote learning as early as Tuesday, November 17th.  You may keep your child home and have them log into the Zoom classroom remotely. In order to do so please contact your scholar’s campus immediately.   

     Our school schedule will remain the same, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and 8:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Scholars must log into their Zoom Classroom at 8:00 a.m. daily, wearing their Galapagos polo. Please remember that scholars must be logged in under their full first and last name and be visible in the camera to be admitted into class.   Please see your scholars’ Google Classroom for their detailed schedule. 

     If you have any questions, please reach out to Stacey Puckett- Dean of Instruction (815) 708-7946 Ex. 404 or Alexia Carifio- Dean of School Culture (815) 708-7946 Ex. 402 at the Lower Academy. At the Upper Academy, reach out to  Sabreena Ratani- Dean of Instruction (779) 368-0852 Ex. 603 or John Oliver- Dean of School Culture (779) 772-3339 .  

      Thank you for your understanding in this most unprecedented time. We will get through this together for the health, safety and education of your scholar.

Sincerely,

                                  

Stacey Puckett- Dean of Instruction                Sabreena Ratani- Dean of Instruction

Lower Academy                                                    Upper Academy

       

Alexia D. Carifio- Dean of School Culture      John Oliver- Dean of School Culture

Lower Academy                                                    Upper Academy

November 9, 2020

Dear Families,

We have just been informed that one of our staff members at the Lower Academy has tested positive for COVID-19. The person is isolated at home and will not return to school until they are cleared by the Winnebago County Health Department. 

Based on this information,  effective today, November 9, 2020, we have decided to quarantine scholars who may have been in close contact with this staff member.  A close contact or exposure is a person who was within six feet of the affected person for at least 15 minutes or longer. Close contacts to a confirmed case of COVID-19 are required to remain in quarantine at home for 14 calendar days starting from the last day of contact with the confirmed case. That two-week quarantine timeline is required even if they test negative or don’t show any symptoms of COVID-19.  

The scholars who may have had close contact and who will be required to quarantine are scholars who attend in person in Ms. Gavric’s (Kinder), Ms. Heidenreich’s (First), Ms. Rutledges (First) and Ms. Henke’s  (Second) grade classrooms.  The Administration is contacting these families now to pick up their children.  We have determined that the last date of contact would have been November 3, 2020.   Therefore, all impacted scholars will be expected to quarantine until November 17, 2020.  Any scholars who have siblings in these classes will also be on quarantine until Tuesday, November 17.  All scholars who are quarantined should attend classes remotely, each day, until November 17. Scholars should log in by 8:05am each day.  

Scholars who are not in the classes listed above and are not siblings of scholars in the classes listed above, will continue to attend school in person.  These scholars were not in close contact with the staff member who tested positive.  

We are sharing this letter with all school families and staff as a courtesy and precaution. There is nothing more important to us than the safety and health of our scholars, staff and families.  We continue to follow guidance from the Winnebago County Health Department, Illinois Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to keep our scholars and staff safe.    Below are the actions that we continue to pursue to help limit the spread of COVID-19.

  • Our maintenance staff continue deep clean and disinfect classrooms.. 
  • Temperatures are checked each morning.
  • All GRCS staff and scholars will continue social distancing
  • All GRCS staff and scholars will continue to be required to wear a face covering or mask.
  •  All GRCS staff and scholars will continue to be provided frequent opportunities to  wash their hands and use hand sanitizer.
  • All GRCS staff and scholars are required to stay home if they’re not feeling well.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to Ms. Puckett or Ms. Carifio at the Lower Academy (815) 708-7946.

Sincerely,

 

Stacey Puckett- Dean of Instruction                             Alexia Carifio- Dean of School Culture