Dear Trinity Family,
Thank you for all the support our office has received this past week from our parent community.
While we all desire for our entire student body to be on campus All Day / Every Day, that will not be possible as we start the 2020/2021 school year for grades 4-12.
Due to current regulations and Covid-19 statistics we know that starting September 1, Grades 4-12 will be online through the first quarter of the school year (Oct 30).
We still have hope that Deschutes County COVID cases will continue to trend in a pattern that will allow for grades KDG – grade 3 to attend in-person. In order to provide stability for our families to plan effectively, we will decide by next Wednesday whether we can open in-person or online for these grades as well.
We continue to watch the state-issued metrics I described last week. Decisions on openings are made in accordance with the metrics based on Ready Schools Safe Learners version 3.0.1, which public and private schools are required to follow.
The combined targets for KDG – 12 are as follows for Counties and the State as a whole:
County metrics (must be met three weeks in a row)
- 10 or fewer cases per 100,000 people over 7 days
- Test positivity of 5% or less over 7 days
– and –
Statewide metrics (must be met three weeks in a row)
- Test positivity of 5% or less over 7 days
The numbers for the past three weeks show these current trends.
Deschutes Week Begin Case /100,000 Test Positive Rate
County 7/12/2020 44.0 7.4%
7/19/2020 56.0 4.5%
7/26/2020 39.9 1.8%
Statewide 7/12/2020 56.9 5.4%
7/19/2020 51.6 5.7%
7/26/2020 55.7 5.8%
To open KDG to grade 3, the metrics are different, but still must be met for three weeks in a row.
- Fewer than 30 cases per 100,000 over 7 days (Last week, Deschutes County was at 39.9 cases)
- Test positivity of 5% or less over 7 days (Deschutes County last week was 1.8%)
- COVID-19 is not actively spreading in the school community
- School districts are in compliance with sections 1-3 of Ready Schools, Safe Learners Guidance (our response document is due to ODE by August 17)
While our numbers are moving in the direction needed for Deschutes County to open KDG-grade 3, we still do not have the fewer than 30 cases per week needed. We will watch these numbers closely over the next week. Regardless of the county numbers, Trinity’s school will open September 1 either in-person or online.
We are happy to announce that our Emergency Childcare status for our Early Childhood (ECE) children – students age 12 has been accepted as of yesterday (August 4). For families that require child care during the day, this is a great opportunity to meet that need.
Please note that Essential Workers do get priority for the spaces. If you qualify as an essential worker and would like more information on this service, please email us at info@saints.org
What can you do?
- Be models of good health and safety practices – wear your masks or face shields, practice social distancing, and wash/sanitize your hands.
- Pray daily asking God for His guidance and direction as decisions are made.
- For us to open is going to take state-wide cooperation, and we need everyone supporting one another on our team.
- Your/My decisions do impact our ability to re-open.
We will continue to offer updates each Wednesday, or sooner if we receive any new information that would impact our current progress. Our website and opening plan will be updated to reflect our current procedures for the 2020-2021 school year as of now. Look for those updates in the near future. And as always, please reach out if you have any questions.
be God’s,
Gregg Pinick
Executive Director/Head of Schools
SDG!