From Dr. Sojourner
Return to School News!
Dear TCA Staff, Parents, and Students!
I’m SO pleased to be one of the first to welcome you back to another school year. Another NORMAL school year – one that will resemble those we remember before the infamous March 2020 shut down.
While there are weeks of summer vacation left for most of you, COVID concerns and associated protocols remain a hot topic. I want to briefly address a few of the big lingering questions you might have regarding masks, cleaning/disinfecting, social distancing, quarantines, and gatherings. Our school administrators will follow up with additional details in the coming days/weeks, but for now, these are a few of the biggest items:
Local Control. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has made it clear that the ultimate decision-making should rest at the local level, as we know and have learned what’s best for the holistic well-being of our students and staff. Accordingly, while we’ll stay deeply cognizant of recommendations and guidelines made by national, state, and local health agencies. We will also institute the protocols that maximize the benefits to our community. Our guiding principles will continue to be health, safety, and... normalcy.
Masks. We will no longer mandate or require that masks be worn by any of our students or staff, however we respect every individual's right to wear a mask if he or she so wishes.
Cleaning/Disinfecting. We will continue to institute focused cleaning protocols in our school buildings, with associated emphasis on student and staff hand washing and sanitizing.
Social Distancing. We will no longer strictly institute measured distancing between students, staff, desks, and workstations. Instead, we will be sensitive to maintaining comfortable distance. A good life skill for sure.
Quarantines. Our approach to COVID-related illness will mirror our approach to any school-related illness. If our staff, or students feel sick or ill, please stay home. When they feel better and their symptoms have cleared, please return to school.
Gatherings. We are excited to be returning to buildings, events, athletic fields, cafeterias, common areas, and gymnasiums that are filled with students, staff, and volunteers, without concerns or limits on numbers of individuals sharing the same spaces.
A positive byproduct of the last 16 months has been an expanded awareness of what constitutes a healthy whole person in mind, body, and spirit. In conjunction with that awareness, we’ve also benefited from increased contact and dialogue with local health agencies and professionals. All point to the need to return to typical school activities that best benefit our students and community. We also recognize that mandates and requirements may change, and we'll be prepared to react flexibly as needed.
I look forward to helping us return to the environment that we know is optimal for student health, well-being, growth, and learning. And I'm ecstatic about welcoming our students, staff, and volunteers back to our schools. See you soon!
We Are Titans!
Russ Sojourner
TCA President