Donovan Summer Camp - 2024

COVID-19 Letter to Parents 3/12/2020

March 12, 2020

Dear Donovan Community,

As you are aware, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has now been labeled a global pandemic. After consulting the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Clarke County Health Department, our school administration team has worked carefully to prepare the following guidelines for our community.

  1. If you have any of the following symptoms, you must stay home from school: fever, cough, or shortness of breath. Please contact your doctor by phone to explain your symptoms. Your doctor will provide you with the necessary information regarding precautions that should be taken both at home or for any possible visits. Please be aware that your child will need to provide a medical release in order to return to school in the event that he or she is diagnosed with COVID-19.
  2. Students who come to school and exhibit systems consistent with COVID-19, such as coughing, fever, or shortness of breath, will be promptly isolated from the general student population until a parent or guardian arrives to provide a ride home. Do not come to school if you are experiencing any type of illness.
  3. Hand sanitizer with a minimum of 60% alcohol content will be available in every classroom. Students should use hand sanitizer frequently throughout the day. If possible, we ask that you provide your child with a small, unscented hand sanitizer that can be used as a prudent step in preventing spread of any viral infections.
  4. Cleaning materials will be made available in each classroom so that students can wipe down their desk area and common surfaces at the end of each class. IF YOU ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO DONATE CLOROX WIPES, PLEASE SEND THEM TO THE SCHOOL OFFICE. In the absence of wipes, a bucket of bleach water along with rubber gloves will be available in each room. These measures will ensure that our common areas are free of contaminants at all times of the day.
  5. The Donovan cleaning crew will wipe down door handles, light switches, front office counter tops, and push bars each day. All common area surfaces will be cleaned with a stronger solvent than used previously.
  6. While hand sanitizer can be effective, it is extremely important that all students, faculty and staff wash their hands regularly throughout the day. Students should use soap and hot water to wash their hands frequently throughout the day. If a student notices that there is a dispenser without soap or paper towels, they should notify the office immediately, and it will be restocked.
  7. Do not share food, drinks, lip balm, and other personal items with other students. It is important to note: Just because someone doesn’t look sick does NOT mean that they are free from the virus. It can take days for symptoms to show up in someone who has come in contact with the COVID-19 virus.

What will happen if a member of our community tests positive for COVID-19? What will happen if a significant number of our staff are experiencing symptoms and cannot come to work even though they are not yet diagnosed with the illness? What should we do?

  1. In the event that there is verified case of the COVID-19 virus at Monsignor Donovan, which includes any person attending or visiting the school for any reason (i.e. a student, teacher, delivery driver, parent who was in the office, etc.) , it is likely that we will need to implement an online learning environment while also closing the school for up to 14 days. By staying home in an isolated environment, you will dramatically decrease the likelihood of exposing someone to the virus during the 14-day quarantine period.
  2. ONLINE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM : Donovan will be using Google Classroom as our online learning management system. Google Classroom is a familiar tool that several of our classes are already using within their onsite classes. Students will be receiving online education through instructional videos, interactive practice, assignments, assessments, and other teacher resources. Students will be expected to login each day as their class schedule requires. Teachers will ensure that they can communicate with all students via this platform. As always, you are encouraged to reach out to us directly with questions.
  3. If a teacher becomes ill, we will treat this like any other absence and try to find a subject area substitute who is comfortable with technology to offer the lessons while the teacher is unable to be present due to illness. In the event that finding a substitute is not possible , the affected class may need to continue into June to ensure that the seat time requirements have been met and the curriculum is completed.

Attached to this letter, you will find two handouts provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one titled “What you need to know about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)” and the other, “Stop the Spread of Germs”, that reminds us all of how to prevent the spread of disease. For more information about COVID-19, you can go to www.coronavirus.gov or www.cdc.gov/COVID19 for links to information that is practical and useful for your everyday lives.

We appreciate your diligence in monitoring yourselves and families for symptoms of this disease and are counting on your understanding and support of the Donovan Administration as we implement precautions to ensure a safe and healthy community for everyone. May God bless you and keep you safe!

Sincerely,

Paul Gessner
Head of School

Gail Parker
Associate Head of School