Preschool Mask Details and Clarifications (this is not necessarily relevant for us but FYI):
3s: are not required to mask before/after school care, in the morning classes, community spaces or in enrichment
4s: are not required to mask in their morning preschool class. BUT. 4s are required to mask in before/after school care and afternoon enrichment because they are among 5 year olds and/or older children
JK: is required to mask throughout the day
Wednesday Morning
The grace period we offered families to obtain a medical waiver for masks must end on Wednesday, September 1. Here is how the day will roll (and the goal is to take this OFF of the shoulders of our children and you):
Upon arrival, families will find Doug and a perhaps an additional board member greeting at the circle. They will be reminding parents that children must mask today unless they have submitted a medical waiver from an MD or DO licensed in the state of Michigan.
Begin the day as you typically would in the classroom or outside. At the start of the day, don't worry yet about masks. We have convocation at 9:00 in the stadium and will get further details soon.
After we return from convocation and are back in our classrooms, we'll address the masks with our students. We are asking each teacher to explain to the class that the county health department is requiring all of us, JK-6th grade, to wear a mask for our safety. Students may be told that there are some children, however, who have a doctor's note because their body cannot tolerate a mask. Children can know that, if a child has a doctor's note, they will not be required to wear a mask. Please allow the children to get their mask from a backpack or supply them with a mask if they are not on our waiver list (I have a note to make sure you have a box handy). Shortly after convocation, we should all be "masked up" with the exception of the children on the medical waiver list. You might also share with the children when it is permissible to take masks down: outside, water breaks, eating snacks or lunch, and breaks when they are six feet apart or more from each other.
Teachers who have a child with a documented hearing impairment will not be required to mask. This can also be shared with the children so they understand the differences they will see in who is masking and who is not. I will be communicating this with families as well.
Doug will come to your classroom shortly after convocation to support you. Please be prepared to share with him which children have told you their parents have instructed them they must not wear a mask.
Doug will talk gently with each of these students and, again, gently ask them to wear the mask. Doug is doing this so that it is removed from your responsibility and the child talks directly to Doug for the follow up conversation with parents. If the child also tells him they are not to wear a mask according to the instructions from their parent, he will help them feel comfortable by telling them that he will have a friendly conversation with the child's parents and we will figure it out for them.
As much as we are able, we do NOT want children to feel uncomfortable or pressured or "in trouble". This pressure should not be placed on your shoulders and most certainly not on our children.
The children will remain in your classroom until further notice and the day, from their perspective, will flow as any typical day would.
Doug and/or I will call each family of the child sharing with us their instructions from home that they are not to mask at school. Parents will be reminded of the mandate. Doug/I will share our risk as a school in non-compliance. Parents will be asked to offer permission for their child to mask or they may opt to pick up their child.
I will keep you as informed as I am able throughout the day of the decision for each family.
Please ask me the questions you might have or concerns beginning on Monday or Tuesday. I will be in the Forest on Tuesday morning for any questions or discomforts you may have. All of this, you guys, is not normal or comfortable. We just don't have choices right now in this matter.
In the meantime, friends....
Remain in prayer, please, that our children would be shielded from the stress that comes with this mandate. That they would not carry the anxiety their parents may be struggling with. That they LIVE into the knowledge that our God reigns and is caring for them through this issue.
Also? Please let this go over the weekend. Have a glorious, summery day. Relax! Drink some iced tea and enjoy LIFE! We are so blessed by the love of our good, good Father! We have much to be grateful for!
