February 1, 2022
Dear Thorne Bay School Parents/Guardians,
This is a Middle School and High School COVID-19 Notice – this does NOT affect any elementary students or staff at this time.
Unfortunately, we have had a few positive cases of COVID-19 in our high school. All 18 high school students and all middle school/high school staff have been directed to quarantine or isolate for 5 days as they have either tested positive for COVID-19 or have been identified as a close contact of an individual that tested positive for COVID-19. Our middle school/high school staff will be providing distance education beginning tomorrow, February 2nd through Thursday, February 3rd.
Even though there are different CDC recommendations for individuals that are not vaccinated, are vaccinated, or have tested positive within the past 90 days (see attached), due to the lack of staff that can be in the middle school and high school classrooms, we are unable to open the middle school or high school classrooms for any students at this time. Your student(s) teachers will be in touch with you regarding work assigned to students during this distance education period. The school will provide breakfast and lunch for all students and will either deliver (if you live on the south side of Thorne Bay) or have meals available to pick up at the school tomorrow afternoon. You will be contacted with a time that these meals will be available.
Students and staff that are in quarantine or in isolation may get a COVID test for free on Friday, February 5th at the Thorne Bay School. More instructions on how to come in for this free COVID testing will be provided to you prior to Friday.
CDC Guidelines for schools have recently changed and are outlined here.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html
Unfortunately, this has caused the cancellation of our basketball games scheduled for tomorrow, February 2nd, and Thursday, February 3rd. All other practices and other activities scheduled to take place in the school gym are cancelled until further notice.
We are hopeful that these more restrictive measures will not be required for more than this week. We will be sending out an update regarding this on Friday, February 4th or at the latest, Saturday, February 5th.
Thank you for helping keep our students and staff safe and healthy.