Dear Parents and Guardians,

You may have heard that Menlo School has decided to close this week after learning that a staff member was exposed to the coronavirus. We're sure that this raises concern for many of you, and we'd like to update you with our most recent set of contingency plans.

On Monday, March 9, we will not be holding classes on campus. This is NOT because of a known virus in our community, but because we'd like for our teachers to have time to prepare for synchronous distance learning should the need arise. Students will be working independently from home on work that their teachers will provide.

In accordance with Castilleja's emergency preparedness protocols, we convened a COVID-19 Command Team this week to lead us in exploring and planning for all the necessary adjustments we may need to make to keep our community safe, healthy, and engaged in learning. This team has been working all week to develop plans for:

Safety and prevention, including sanitation and food service
Health monitoring, screening, and quarantine
School and family travel
Events and activities on and off campus
School closure and continuation
Community education and communication

Linked here is an agreement detailing the policies and procedures developed by our command team to date, as well as an outline of all the health and safety precautions we have already taken on our campus. It is imperative that all parents and guardians read the agreement. Please note that this document implies a set of agreements between the school, employees, and our families. We are partners in this effort to keep our community safe. We will be counting on all of you to keep us updated on the health of all members of your household and to abide by all the other community agreements.

As of today, classes are still scheduled as usual. Per our agreement, we are cancelling the Middle School Dance this Friday evening, March 6, since it included guests from outside of our community.

You can find more information on the websites of the CDC, WHO, and Santa Clara Valley Health Department. The safety of our students and employees is always our top priority, and we also share with all of you great empathy and concern for those fighting this virus.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Warmly,

Nanci Kauffman and Kathy Layendecker