Learning and Teaching During COVID-19

Dear ESD Community,

In thinking about today, I do not have any new news to share. Instead, my message is one of gratitude and hope. This video highlights the ESD Experience while we were together on campus. Many thanks to all of the roles that play a part in making this possible. 

I look forward to when we can all see each other again.

I look forward to when we can all see each other again

Onward and upward,
David L. Baad
Hobson Family Head of School

April 17, 2020

Dear ESD Community,

The letter below reiterates the video message for those who prefer to read through the details. The video is less than seven minutes. Thank you.

Based on the guidance issued by Governor Abbott today, our Executive Team extended our distance learning program through the end of the academic year. While many of us have been anticipating this possibility for several weeks, the certainty of not being together at all this spring is jarring. I am confident, though, that with our usual ESD spirit, we will continue to support each other. In recognition of the efforts being extended by all members of the community, I have decided to declare a Head of School Holiday on Friday, May 1. My hope is this three-day weekend coming at the midpoint between Easter and the end of the year will give everyone a chance to recharge themselves for the final academic push.

On Monday, you will be receiving a letter from Dr. Eric Boberg and our Division Heads, Henry Heil, Jon Chein, and Tracey Shirey, outlining our plans for grades and exams through the remainder of the spring. They, the Educational Technology Team, the Department Chairs, and Grade Level Deans have put a great deal of thought into how best to balance the different stresses of this usual academic atmosphere with honoring and assessing the work that our students and teachers have done. Disruptive situations such as this one are opportunities for innovation, as leaders search for new ways to do traditional things. We believe that we have developed a structure that will be academically meaningful and properly paced. 

Although disappointed we will not be able to hold the graduation and related events on their original May dates, I am pleased to announce the commencement ceremony for the Class of 2020 will be held on July 18, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. Members of the Class of 2020 deserve to walk across the stage and receive their hard-earned diplomas with their families and friends in attendance, and we very much want that for them. The cooperative input that seniors and their parents have given us while investigating alternatives has been greatly appreciated. Additional July graduation week details will be shared with our seniors and their parents in early May. 

We recognize that a sense of closure is always important for both employees and families. That is probably even more the case this year. Work continues on reimagining all our other milestone activities. We hope you can join us Monday at 7:00 p.m. for our Cum Laude Induction Service, where top academic students in the Class of 2020 will be recognized. We are honored to have Michelle Kinder as our guest speaker. She is an ESD Board Member and nationally recognized speaker and writer who offers a fresh perspective on emotional wellness.

Another milestone to be celebrated next week is Junior Ring Day. On Friday, April 24, at 10:00 a.m., juniors and their parents will receive a video message to mark the day. Later in the day, juniors will receive their ring and ring cards through home delivery. For juniors, this period has brought its own special anxiety as the beginning of their college process has been affected by the health situation. Our college guidance office has reached out to each member of the class to schedule individual meetings to answer questions and offer guidance. Juniors, please make sure you sign up.

In closing, I find gratitude to be an essential tool in difficult times. As Head of ESD, I have a lot to be grateful for, including:

1. The teamwork and flexibility demonstrated by students, parents, and ESD employees, making this challenging change in operations as manageable as possible. 
2. The inspiring levels of creativity and innovation that are producing new lessons, assessments, and ceremonies, ideas that will improve our school for years to come. 
3. The multitude rallying to offer support and uplift our internal community, from our Chaplains and Emotional Wellness team, faculty and staff, parents, board members, alumni, and volunteers. 
4. Those serving on the front lines locally and globally to help eradicate this pandemic, assist those suffering, and keep all of us safe.
5. My health and the health of my loved ones and our community. 

Next week, we will hold Gratitude Week, an opportunity for all of us to express our thanks via social media for those in the community who have taken that extra step to be helpful. Look for details soon on how to participate. Please join me in that celebration. 

Onward and upward,

David L. Baad
Hobson Family Head of School

April 9, 2020

Dear ESD Community,

Rather than sending an email, I thought I would send a video with our messages for the week.

I look forward to when we can all see each other again.

April 2, 2020

Dear ESD Community,

The Executive Leadership Team has extended our distance learning program until at least May 4, 2020. This decision aligns with Governor Abbott's decree closing schools statewide until that date. As this situation evolves, it is becoming clear that it is likely we will not return to traditional operations before the end of the school year. We have directed all ESD employees to plan with that in mind. However, we have also decided not to extend our change in operations past May 4 because we wish to preserve the possibility of finishing the academic year together on campus. 

Milestone ceremonies that take place at the end of the school year, like Field Day, Pass It On, and Graduation, are greatly anticipated and meaningful to all of us, particularly our seniors. While we remain hopeful a few of our beloved culminating experiences will occur normally, we must prepare for the eventuality that we may not have the opportunity to celebrate with one another on campus. To that end, I have asked Ruth Burke to gather input from representatives of all our constituencies, most importantly students, and begin planning ways to honor these treasured traditions. Please look for more information and next steps on this topic from Ruth over the weekend. Our goal is to make a decision about the format of Graduation at least one month prior to the event.  

The school's finances have also been a point of review over the last several weeks. CFO Robert Buchholz and Director of Finance Mary Hernandez have carefully analyzed the impact our change in operations has had on the school's budget. Certain expenses have been reduced as a result of our change in operations, which will allow us to credit student accounts. We can offer an average refund of $200 to each student because we are no longer serving lunch. The total credit is slightly less than the prorated lunch fee because we elected to pay our SAGE workers through March 31, hoping to ensure that they would be available on short notice should we resume in-person operations. We have confirmed with SAGE that our SAGE employees will be fully compensated for the rest of the school year despite our cessation of payment. We will also be crediting the appropriate student accounts for this year's fifth grade Galveston trip fee and the prorated portion of Kids on Campus payments. 

As we plan for next year, ESD starts in a strong financial and enrollment position. We anticipate, though, that the recent economic disruption may impact some of our families' short-term ability to pay tuition. If your family can afford it during this difficult time, I hope you will consider helping support these families by donating the $200 lunch credit and any other credits you may receive to the tuition assistance fund. It could mean a great deal to a struggling community member. More details to follow soon.  

This health crisis is difficult for students of all ages, their parents, teachers, and coaches. I remain grateful for the work being put in by so many. As I said in my Wednesday community homily, I do not expect things to get easier in the next several weeks. For some, feelings of frustration and isolation may only increase, and our courage and resilience as a community will continue to be tested. I am confident that, anchored in our shared strength, together, we will respond.

Please expect another communication from me in a week.

Onward and upward,

David L. Baad
Hobson Family Head of School

March 26, 2020

Dear ESD Community,

Today is our third day of distance learning, and we hope that our students have found the lessons our teachers have provided and any synchronous contact they have had to be productive and engaging. As I receive reports from the academic leaders and even conduct my own history class, my impression is that ESD is once again bonding and excelling in what are trying circumstances. I thank every person, from our youngest Beginner to our most veteran faculty member, for their hard work, flexibility, and positive spirit. We are also appreciative of our parents, particularly those with Lower School children, who are adjusting schedules to support their children's learning.

At today's Executive Leadership Team's 8:00 a.m. briefing, we decided to extend our distance learning program for at least one more week. On the school's original calendar, Friday, April 10 (Good Friday) and Monday, April 13 (Easter Monday), are listed as school holidays. Keeping in the spirit of ESD's Episcopal Identity and the sacred nature of Good Friday for Christians, we will honor that day by not conducting our distance learning program. However, regardless of if we extend our change in operations into the next week or if we are able to return to normal operations, ESD's learning and teaching will resume on Monday, April 13. This decision was not easily reached given the Easter holiday. However, because we have missed school days both due to the virus and October's tornado, we thought it important to make up a day of learning when we could.

Our plan is to continue with weekly decisions as it relates to extending our distance learning. Please expect communication from me each Thursday with an update. Some have asked why we are not announcing a more extended timeline. My answer is that while we are preparing for an extended period of distance operations, we want to preserve the possibility that conditions could change and allow us to be reunited on short notice.

As next week unfolds, you will see our efforts to further our community-building activities. Many of you have already watched "virtual chapel" with Chaplains Heller and Kennedy. Your children will also have opportunities to connect through their advisories, clubs, and other extracurricular activities. Keeping ourselves happy and healthy during this trying period is based on maintaining a sense of purpose. This feeling comes from staying intellectually and physically active and staying connected. We hope you will agree with me that ESD is helping provide an effective, albeit new, forum to do so.

In the spirit of community, join me and our faculty and staff in an ESD spirit dress day tomorrow, Friday, March 27, and every Friday until the end of the school year. Share your photos on your favorite social media platform using #EaglesInAction.

Onward and upward,
David L. Baad
Hobson Family Head of School

March 19, 2020

Dear ESD Community,

ESD's Executive Leadership Team has decided to extend the change in operations through Friday, April 3; therefore, we will be on our distance learning program for at least two weeks, starting this coming Monday. I want to thank Dr. Eric Boberg, Mary Hansell, and the EdTech Team for developing protocols that will allow us to continue work with our students. I am grateful, as well, for the flexibility and care of our faculty, staff, students, and families during this challenging time.

This situation remains dynamic, and we are endeavoring to balance our desire to return to normal operations expeditiously with our need to understand the scope and length of planning for operational change. While we hope our distance learning program will be short-lived, we are also preparing for an absence that could last several weeks or months. The decision to return to our normal routines will be based on guidance from federal and local agencies. I also remain in frequent contact with other heads of school in the Metroplex as we exchange ideas and information. Any further changes ESD makes will be communicated to you in a timely manner.

I do not presume to understand or predict what lays ahead of us as we move through this unprecedented situation. As ESD's Head of School, I can commit to you an effort on our part to be truthful and compassionate, realistic and decisive. This is, at its base, a human crisis. We need to take care of each other, and ESD will do its part. Following CDC and Dallas Health and Human Services guidelines concerning limiting in-person social activities to very small groups and engaging in good hygiene will be vital. We face an uncertainty bigger than any one of us; therefore, together we will endure and overcome.

HONORING OUR FOUNDING TENETS AND DELIVERING ON OUR MISSION

Throughout the Executive Leadership Team's planning process, developing a distance learning program that continues delivering on ESD's mission has been our goal. Staying true to our Founding Tenets of daily worship, academic rigor, and experiences in community is paramount. Starting next week, Chaplain Heller and Chaplain Kennedy will be in daily contact through online homilies and messages, including contributions from a variety of ESD faculty and staff. Through our distance learning program, we aim to continue to deliver our standard of academics. Our emotional wellness team, in conjunction with our division heads and advisors, are creating opportunities for advisories and other small groups to connect virtually in order for us to maintain a sense of community. Lastly, our community service department is researching ways that our students can be helpful to those in the Metroplex while remaining physically safe.

MOVING LEARNING AND TEACHING FORWARD

As we approach the beginning of our distance learning and telework, here are a few reminders. Materials, instructions, and assignments for Middle and Upper School students will be posted in Schoology classes on Monday by 5:00 p.m. for the week of March 23. Students will be expected to begin work at that time. Lower School families will receive an email from Head of Lower School, Tracey Shirey, on Saturday, March 21, at noon with specific guidelines for LS students and families.

Teachers in the MS and US will be using these schedules for the week of March 30 to provide time for students to work and to coordinate synchronous sessions. Schedules may be adjusted to improve the distance learning experience. Teachers will notify US students about specific accommodations for known conflicts.   

CONTINUING ADMINISTRATIVE WORK

The Administration, Admission, Advancement, Business, Campus Safety, Communications, Facilities, and Human Resources departments will be working remotely where possible and otherwise with restricted access to campus. They will be transacting the business of the school, including processing payments and updating accounts, on a timely basis. Campus spaces will be thoroughly cleaned. We are minimizing all in-person contacts so long as there remains a credible threat of communicability. 

ONGOING COMMUNICATION AND SUPPORT

From this point forward, communication regarding distance learning and telework will come from the following people. Please expect to hear from them in the next few days:

• For teaching faculty: Dr. Boberg through email and Schoology with support from the appropriate division and department heads. 
• For parents: the appropriate Division Head through email.
• For students: the appropriate Division Head through Schoology with support from their teachers and advisors.
• For staff: supervisor through email.

I will continue to update the community about operational matters and other school-wide issues through email and video as conditions evolve.

We anticipate that the first days of distance learning, faculty, students, and parents may require extra support. Please see the contacts and resources below.

Time-sensitive questions regarding distance learning or mass communication:

Access and sign-on to Schoology (classes.esdallas.org)

• ESD IT Support techrequest@esdallas.org

Question about specific assignments or course materials

• Classroom teacher
• Directly email the teacher's ESD account or leave a comment in the relevant Schoology class 
• General questions about specific ESD learning tools
  • ESD EDTech edtech@esdallas.org
• Not receiving division-wide or school-wide emails
  • Communications clardyj@esdallas.org

Answers to previously asked questions related to technology

Technology FAQ

General questions, feedback, or suggestions for distance learning:

Submit general distance learning questions, feedback, or suggestions

SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER

We also know that this will be an emotionally difficult period for some members of our community. We encourage you to reach out to our chaplains and counselors should you need support.

• Chaplain Heller, Senior Chaplain and Lower School Chaplain
• Chaplain Kennedy, Middle and Upper School Chaplain
• Dr. Cara Holmes, Lower School Counselor
• Maricela Aquino, Middle School Emotional Wellness Counselor
• Amanda Sherman, Middle School Emotional Wellness Counselor
• Meredith Stuelpe, Upper School Emotional Wellness Counselor

As we move forward on this path, let's hold one another, our local and global communities, and our caregivers in prayer. We ask for your partnership and patience as we work together to ensure the best possible outcome.

Onward and upward,
David L. Baad
Hobson Family Head of School

Resources for You and Your Family

• National Association of School Psychologists and National Association of School Nurses: Talking to Children About COVID-19, A Parent Resource
• NPR (Updated March 16, 2020) Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus
• CDC page on COVID-19
• World Health Organization Official Coronavirus Webpage
• Johns Hopkins CSSE Map of Global Coronavirus Cases
• Dallas County Health and Human Services

March 12, 2020

Dear ESD Community,

Earlier tonight, Dallas County issued an emergency order prohibiting large gatherings due to concerns regarding the coronavirus. In light of these most recent developments and for the safety and health of our community, we must cancel classes, practices, employee meetings, and all other events Friday.

The campus will be open between 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. for students and employees who need to collect their belongings, books, and other supplies. Staff will be available for teachers who need support with their distance learning programs.

Please expect another communication on Friday.

Sincerely yours,
David L. Baad
Hobson Family Head of School

March 12, 2020

Dear ESD Families,

As we head into spring break, I wanted to send (hopefully) one last message. Our plans for school operations tomorrow remain as outlined yesterday. 

On Friday, we welcome students from all divisions to come to school at the usual time. Classes will be dismissed early; please click here for release and carpool information. Faculty and staff will remain for an afternoon of planning and preparations for the potential change in operations after our break. It has been my experience that keeping a sense of normalcy at school offers students comfort and better serves our community.

We remain in frequent contact with local health officials and are in full compliance with CDC and Dallas County Health and Human Services recommendations for schools that do not have COVID-19 identified in their community. The Executive Leadership Team will meet during the break to discuss developments and to determine further courses of action. We will communicate with you as we have decisions to report.

We urge all families to take into account the fluid nature of health and travel restrictions as they deliberate on their travel plans. The availability of health care services, the quality of information about the presence of the virus, and the potential for not being allowed to return home will vary widely by destination. As dynamic as the situation is here, it is easy to imagine that it could change much more rapidly abroad. There is also the risk that a country will have its status changed during or following the break in a way that could impact a traveler's ability to participate in school activities. 

For community members who decide to travel over the break, we ask you to complete or update our Travel Information Form, including if your plans have changed. Please note that for the health and safety of our entire community, we are now asking for domestic travel to be reported as well.

These are challenging times. I appreciate your support and patience as we continue to navigate this uncharted territory. I am grateful to our faculty and staff whose efforts and dedication will ensure learning and teaching continues following spring break, whether on campus or at home. Please join me in holding all impacted by COVID-19 and those providing care in our thoughts and prayers. 

Onward and upward,

David L. Baad
Hobson Family Head of School

Resources for You and Your Family

• National Association of School Psychologists and National Association of School Nurses: Talking to Children About COVID-19, A Parent Resource
• NPR (Feb 28, 2020) Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus
• CDC page on COVID-19
• World Health Organization Official Coronavirus Webpage
• Johns Hopkins CSSE Map of Global Coronavirus Cases
• Dallas County Health and Human Services

March 10, 2020

Dear ESD Community,

I write to update you on our community status and response to the COVID-19 virus. The Executive Leadership Team has been meeting frequently to stay up to date on the latest developments. We are relying on federal, state, and local agencies for information and are keeping in close contact with our Dallas peer schools.

As of today, we plan to operate the school as usual when we return from spring break and into the foreseeable future. We will continue to monitor the situation, and although we do not think a change in operations is imminent, we have a distance learning program in place should the need arise. Many teachers have been practicing such lessons in school this week. Please rest assured that should we decide to suspend in-person classes, I will inform the entire community at once and in a timely manner. 

We will make a decision on operational changes based on the number of confirmed cases both in the Dallas community and ESD itself. We will continually evaluate both the health and safety risks to our students and faculty and ESD's role in the Dallas community in mitigating risk to the greater population.

Off-campus programming is being evaluated on a case-by-case basis to preserve opportunities when prudent and cancel when appropriate. This situation is dynamic, so we are waiting as long as possible to make decisions. Thursday's fourth grade trip to Austin has been postponed due to the distance and the geographic reach of the venues. However, we plan to go ahead with the four seventh grade activities on Wednesday and Thursday. 

We are aware that many of you are interested in the status of student and parent activities scheduled for the rest of the spring, including events like prom, ESDPA gatherings, and the fifth-grade trip to Galveston, to name a few. The Executive Leadership Team will be making decisions and communicating in a timely manner as we move forward.

Please look for another update from me by the end of the week.

Onward and upward,
David L. Baad
Hobson Family Head of School

Resources for You and Your Family

• National Association of School Psychologists and National Association of School Nurses: Talking to Children About COVID-19, A Parent Resource
• NPR (Feb 28, 2020) Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus
• CDC page on COVID-19
• World Health Organization Official Coronavirus Webpage
• Johns Hopkins CSSE Map of Global Coronavirus Cases
• Dallas County Health and Human Services

March 6, 2020

Dear ESD Community,

I write to update you on our preparations for addressing the COVID-19 health situation. Your partnership with us regarding the health and safety of our students is important. Thank you for taking the time to read this notice. We have developed this plan in consultation with health care experts and national independent school organizations in an effort to be prudent about our student and employee safety and to prepare for the possibility of an extended school closure. We strongly encourage everyone in our community to stay abreast of developments regarding COVID-19, safeguard their own well-being, and use the information provided by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and other federal agencies. 

Travel

Out of an abundance of caution, we ask ESD families, faculty, and staff traveling internationally over spring break to let us know by completing this International Travel Information Form. 

Following CDC recommendations, additional safeguards will be in place for any community members who travel to CDC "warning" or "alert" level destinations.

• We are asking anyone who travels to an international destination to self-report via the International Travel Information Form.
• Anyone traveling internationally is asked to self-monitor their health daily for 14 days upon their return by taking their temperature twice a day and visiting the doctor immediately should any symptoms emerge.
• Additionally, any change in their medical condition should be reported to the school.
• Anyone traveling to a country that is on the CDC Level Three Travel Health Notice list will be asked to self-quarantine for fourteen days upon return and not come to campus.
• At the moment, we will not ask anything of those who travel domestically. However, this could change with little notice. 

Preparing for Short and Long Term School Closure

As mentioned in my February 27 letter, we are making preparations for the possibility that the continued spread of COVID-19 may cause a short or long term school closure. While we consider and hope this to be unlikely to happen, it is still a possibility for which we must prepare. The notes below are "need to know" information regarding this eventuality:

• As students, faculty, and staff leave for spring break at the end of next week, they should be sure to take all necessary books, materials, and devices home in preparation to continue their learning and teaching through a digital platform in the event of an unexpected school closure.
• Our distance learning preparations are based on the premise that power and internet service will not be interrupted.
• ESD's website will be the primary source of news and general updates.
• Teachers will communicate to students through Schoology (groups) and email (individual).

Precautions for Preventing the Spread of COVID-19

There are some simple preventative measures, like washing hands, not sharing drinks, and staying home when sick, which can be helpful in preventing the spread of the disease. Sick individuals should stay home until free from symptoms for at least 24 hours. The school will continue its work in sanitizing the campus and doing what we can to reduce surface bacteria during the course of campus cleaning. We are reviewing our procedures further to prevent the spread of this or any other virus. SAGE, our food service provider, has reviewed their cleaning, preparation, and serving procedures as well. 

Field trips, athletic events, community gatherings, and other school-related travel, including the fifth-grade trip to Galveston, are being evaluated to determine whether cancellations are appropriate. We have canceled our spring break varsity lacrosse trip to California. ISAS has canceled its annual arts festival in Tulsa scheduled for early April. 

A few months from now, I very much hope we can all look back at the uncertainty of this time with thankfulness that our immediate community was not impacted by this virus. Until that time, we will continue to communicate and update you as often as is deemed necessary.

Thank you for your patience and support.

Onward and upward,

David L. Baad
Hobson Family Head of School

Resources for You and Your Family

• National Association of School Psychologists and National Association of School Nurses: Talking to Children About COVID-19, A Parent Resource
• NPR (Feb 28, 2020) Just For Kids: A Comic Exploring The New Coronavirus
• CDC page on COVID-19
• World Health Organization Official Coronavirus Webpage
• Johns Hopkins CSSE Map of Global Coronavirus Cases
• Dallas County Health and Human Services

February 27, 2020

Dear ESD Community,

We write to follow up on the January 27 letter and recent news regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19). Both the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have issued regular updates to increase public awareness about lowering the potential risk of spreading the virus. The immediate risk of the coronavirus in the U.S. remains low, and the CDC, WHO, and U.S. Department of State have provided specific advice for international travel, enhanced entry screening procedures at airports nationwide, and detailed guidance to help minimize the spread of the virus in the general public.

Looking ahead to spring break, March 16–20, it is highly likely that travel advisories from the Centers for Disease Control will remain in place, making international travel difficult and plans uncertain. We encourage you to carefully consider any plans which would take you to or through affected areas identified in the travel advisories. Given the rapidly changing international public health situation, we urge you to take all necessary advance precautions with regard to your travel plans. If you are planning to travel, please read all updates and notices from the CDC and the Department of State.

In the unlikely event that this health situation escalates to the extent that requires an extended school closure, your children will have the opportunity to continue their learning at home under the guidance of their teachers. Eric Boberg, Academic Dean, and Mary Hansell, Director of Educational Technology, are reviewing and readying our distance learning protocols and plans. 

Our nurses urge us to please continue to practice good personal hygiene and the following preventive measures to help reduce the spread of contagious diseases, such as COVID-19 or the flu:

• Stay home when you are sick.
• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and help young children do the same. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve (not your hands).

ESD will continue to work closely with health agencies as more information becomes available, and we are grateful for everyone's ongoing support. Should you have any questions regarding coronavirus, please reach out to our nursing staff, Marcia Biggs, RN, and Carla Thomas, RN.

Sincerely yours,

David L. Baad
Hobson Family Head of School

January 27, 2020

Dear ESD Community, 

The Episcopal School of Dallas is working closely with the Dallas County Health and Human Services to monitor the latest information concerning the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with the World Health Organization, are closely monitoring the outbreak in Wuhan, China, and are giving updated guidance to federal, state, and local officials.

Based on current information, our local and state health officials deem the risk of local transmission in our community and the general public to be very low at this time. As of January 27, 2020, there are five confirmed cases identified in the U.S. (all travelers from Wuhan, China) and no confirmed cases in Texas. Health officials assure us that the immediate risk to our population is low at this time.

The 2019 novel coronavirus is believed to be spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to the way the flu and other respiratory viruses are spread.  Symptoms are believed to appear within 2 to 14 days after exposure and consist of fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. At this time, persons considered at greatest risk for contracting the virus are those traveling specifically to Wuhan, China, or individuals in close contact with persons infected with the 2019 novel coronavirus.  

In situations like this, it is best to rely on factual information from reliable sources. Here are links to information about the novel coronavirus from local, state, national, and international health organizations:

• Dallas County Health and Human Services
• Texas Department of State Health Services
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• World Health Organization

Public health officials are cautioning that the flu and other common respiratory illnesses are circulating and recommending that everyone follow basic prevention guidelines, including:  

• Everyone 6 months and older is encouraged to get a flu shot.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick. Keeping a sick child at home prevents the spread of illness in the school community and allows the child an opportunity to rest and recover.  Please refer to the ESD handbook for health attendance guidelines. 
• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact one of the school nurses below.

Best regards,

Marcia Biggs, RN 
Middle and Upper School Nurse
biggsm@esdallas.org

Carla Thomas, RN
Lower School Nurse
thomasc@esdallas.org