Head of School COVID-19 Update & Reminders – January 7, 2022

Happy Aloha Friday Saint Mark Parents,

I hope and pray you all are doing well despite the continual COVID-19 challenges.  I am writing with some reminders and to share a very insightful article as well as our updated COVID-19 policies.

MOVING FROM A PANDEMIC TO ENDEMIC
As our community passes through the omicron wave, it is important for us to try and contextualize the actual health risk we are currently experiencing as compared to past iterations of the COVID virus.  This can be difficult to do given the destruction that COVID-19 that has unleashed on the world in the past two years.  That being said, the omicron variant represents strong evidence that we are moving from a pandemic with a life-threatening disease to an endemic with a serious but ever more manageable disease.

Last year at this time, if we had the number of positive cases we are currently experiencing, we would have most likely considered it a crisis. This year, because of its decreased virulence and our mitigations, it’s a much lower health risk that is not a crisis but a problem that we have to responsibly manage.

Here is a great article from Wednesday’s New York Times that I shared with the faculty earlier in the week.  It’s by David Leonhardt, a highly credible research journalist, that clearly explains the real health risk of the omicron variant. It’s a short article that I encourage all of you to read. Please pay particular attention to the graphs. Spoiler alert !!! – Omicron is not the same as Delta or earlier versions of the virus.

UPDATES to SAINT MARK’S COVID-19 CAMPUS PLAN (**subject to change**)
With the recent updated guidance from both the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Hawaii State Department of Health regarding the quarantine and isolation periods for COVID positive individuals and contacts, Saint Mark has updated its COVID-19 Campus Plan to reflect the changes. The updates on page 7 under “Exposed when On-Campus (Test-to-Stay)” and page 8 under “Rules for Positive COVID-19 Test & Exposure”. These changes are fairly significant revisions, so it’s very important that you please take a few moments to carefully read the new policies.  They are well-researched and are in-line with the recent CDC’s and HDOH’s guidelines/policy changes.

BIG STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
With these most recent changes, the CDC and HDOH are taking important steps to safely return us to a more normal way of life.  These are important modifications as they will allow us to safely decrease the isolation/quarantine times for our students thereby increasing their valuable time on-campus.  In the case of an exposure, these revisions do mean that those students who are boosted or fully vaccinated are going to be handled differently than those who are not; however, it’s important to understand that these changes will most certainly benefit all of us as we work to keep our children safely on-campus.  In any case, please allow me to reiterate that while I’m a strong proponent of voluntarily receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, the faculty, staff and administration of Saint Mark does (and will continue to) love, respect and appreciate all of our students and families – regardless of their vaccination status.

SYMPTOM TRACKING – STAY HOME WHEN SICK
We are likely entering the worst week of the omicron surge, so please be extra vigilant with regard to any symptoms presented by your child(ren). The CDC reports the most common symptoms of omicron for vaccinated individuals are: cough, runny or stuffy nose, fatigue, sore throat, and headache. If your child(ren) exhibit(s) any of these symptoms, please do not send them to school.  Any student arriving to school with COVID-like symptoms (or developing symptoms while at school) will be removed from the classroom and parents will be called. 

PROPER MASKING A MUST
We will continue to proactively enforce the consistent and proper usage of all masking (and face shields while eating). It is imperative that all students come to school with a properly fitting mask and wear it consistently throughout the entire school day.  Any student not complying with this policy will be removed from the classroom and if the situation is not satisfactorily remedied, the parents will be called.

PLEASE REGISTER for SAINT MARK’S COVID-19 TESTING PROGRAM
If you have not already done so, we strongly encourage you to sign up to participate in our COVID-19 testing program.  Only students whose parents have signed and submitted a Student Consent, Waiver & Release Form for COVID-19 Rapid Testing to the school office are eligible and included in this important testing program.  Students who are not boosted/fully vaccinated and who are not enrolled in this program are required to quarantine from school in the event of an on-campus exposure.  Please download, read, sign/date and return the form to the school. Once we receive your completed consent form, your child(ren) will be considered enrolled.

Thank you for your trust and the shared priority we place on safety and the importance of in-person learning.  Please be sure to reach out to Mrs. Jenkins with any questions.

Mahalo, Blessings and Stay Safe this weekend,

David Gaudi
Head of School