May 20, 2020
Dear SQMS Families,
I hope this email finds you and your loved ones healthy and well! This has been such an adjustment for everyone, and I thank all of you for being our partners throughout this uncertain journey. I am very grateful to our parents, students, faculty and staff for the quick and positive response to the sudden changes in our environment and circumstances. Your cooperation and collaborative thinking have ensured everyone’s health and safety, as well as spurred creative and efficient solutions to online learning. A big thank you to our teachers and support staff for their professionalism and tireless efforts in ensuring a smooth transition from the classroom to the web.
We have had multiple inquiries about summer camp as families understandably want to finalize their plans. We would like to assure parents and students who are looking forward to a summer camp experience at SQ, that we are carefully listening to state and local authorities as to when and how we will begin summer camp. The original opening date that was pre-printed on much of our summer camp advertising was June 8th, however that date will need to be moved up. The earliest date that we see as a possibility is June 15th. With that said, as you know, we, and all other camps, will be restricted by health and government decisions as to when and how we can gather.
Considering the evolving pandemic, and the uncertainty of what the future will bring, at the present, life will be much different compared to what we experienced in the past. We are, however, determined to help give students some experiences that will help them feel part of a community again. We have taken proactive measures and developed contingency plans for the next few months and the coming school year. We will be following health protocols and recommendations from health organizations and the government to provide the safest experience possible for your child and other members of our community. Please review the following plans and procedures:
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We will increase our sanitizing procedures throughout the campus by using anti-viral cleaning products to wipe down doorknobs and commonly used spaces throughout the day. Electrostatic sanitizing machines have been ordered for the campus.
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Daily temperature checks for staff and camp participants at arrival to camp. Parents must wait until their child’s temperature is taken and hands are sanitized before leaving the drop-off line.
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Increased handwashing policies and hygiene practices. Students should limit face touching and stay at home if they are sick.
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Hand sanitizer stations readily available in all activity areas.
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The use of face masks by staff and students. Age and activity appropriate use for all campers; all school employees will be wearing face masks throughout the camp season.
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Any community member showing any symptoms of illness will be isolated and sent home.
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Student group size will be limited in order to provide the opportunity for safe social distancing.
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We will not be leaving campus for field trips and will carefully screen any organization and staff for in-house camp experiences.
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All lunches and snacks will need to be sent from home.
We anticipate a fun on-campus camp experience with appropriate activities and swim. We will also be offering academic experiences for those students who need and want to keep the learning moving forward…on campus and online, for individuals and small groups. For those families who feel more comfortable with continuing an online program for their child, we are in the planning stages for that; please let us know if you are interested in any of these offerings.
We are certain that there will be more guidelines put in place for Broward County and our camp team is prepared to keep safety protocols up to date. We ask camp families for their kind partnership and cooperation to help control the spread of communicable diseases by monitoring their health and responding appropriately.
My next letter to you will be about our plans for next school year; you will be receiving it soon.
I thank you again for your support, and as always, the health and safety of our children and community are our top priorities. We look forward to seeing some of you again in our summer program.
Stay safe and well,
Ms. Judy
