Update on covid-19 Winter plan

emailed to parents: october 28, 2020

Thank you so much for your patience, as a community, while the Park West Co-Op Board and staff worked to determine how to proceed, safely, as a school, in the coming winter months.

After seemingly endless months of planning, analyzing, and consulting with medical experts, we believe that the extensive safety protocols that we have in place will allow us to transition to an indoor/outdoor combination program in the month of November. In coming to this decision, Board members and staff have worked together, not just with medical experts, but also other local preschools to ensure that we are properly implementing the DCFS and IDPH regulations and incorporating best practices related thereto into our procedures. We have monitored positivity rates in the state, city and neighborhood, across all age groups, and even within our own Park West community (currently a positivity rate of 0% - thanks for being careful, everyone!)

The plan as currently set is to adhere to the original inside schedule as much as possible. The arrival (in previous years, 9:00 am and 1:15pm) and dismissal times (11:45 am and 4:15 pm) will vary a bit from those times to allow for a staggered arrival and dismissal process in shared spaces.  Classes other than JK will run on a reduced class length (less than 2 hours), which allows the students to wear their masks the entire time that they are in the classroom.  DCFS requires classes meeting for over 2 hours to have snack.  The risks posed by our youngest students needing assistance with taking their masks on and off and eating snack outweighs the benefits of lengthening the class time, especially since the social aspect of snack time cannot occur, as the kids must be 6 feet apart while eating and should not talk while eating. The outside courtyard will be utilized for gross motor activities as well as for arrival and dismissal procedures. Parents will still not be allowed to enter the building.

We understand that changing the schedule now that everyone has built other daytime needs around their designated drop off and pick up times is frustrating. We hope that the change to inside learning is a welcome one for the long winter months and everyone will work with us as we finalize the schedule in the next day or two. The current schedule was created so that we could all share the courtyard safely while we were using our outdoor classroom.

The safety precautions that are currently in place will remain the same. Masks are mandatory. Hand washing and sanitizing is essential. And above all else, staying home when symptomatic is paramount. Decisions that are made by our community now regarding handling all stages of illnesses set the tone for how we can proceed with in person learning. We continue to add to our e-learning platform, so please take comfort in the fact that even if your child must stay home due to illness, he or she will be able to connect with their Park West family.  Our kids are loving the Seesaw activities that are being posted!

In the coming days, we will send specific information regarding the new schedule, a new calendar, and  a discussion of our building’s safety features, including upgrades we are making at the recommendation of our medical consultants and HVAC systems engineers.

We know you will have questions and we hope to answer them with these coming communications.  Should you have specific questions, please fill out our comment and questions form, and we will do our best to answer your questions in these emails.

Thank you,

Park West Board & Staff