Nurses Notes: COVID-19

As we completed our first week back following the holiday break, I am very proud of our efforts and commitment to having a Covid-free campus! The safety of our students, staff, and community is our priority. The CDC released a study on Thursday with significant findings:

Fifty-nine percent of all transmission came from people without symptoms, under the model’s baseline scenario. That includes 35 percent of new cases from people who infect others before they show symptoms and 24 percent that come from people who never develop symptoms at all.

Full article link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/01/07/covid-death-record/

This finding, coupled with the nation's highest daily death rate this week, underscores the reason why we must remain so diligent. The crisis in California, particularly in LA, highlights what can happen in a community when the healthcare system cannot keep up with the rate of infection. It could happen so easily in our own community, and we must all work together to prevent this horrible scenario here at home. It does not matter whether one does or does not have symptoms - you can still pass Covid-19 to others, and someone could die.

For your assurance on how we maintain safety protocols at VIMSIA, please know we are utilizing the following Covid-19 symptom screener adopted by the National Association of School Nurses when a student presents with an illness complaint or symptom (Poster Below)

Thanks to all for doing your part in keeping your family, community, and school safe!

Yours in Health,

Nurse Sally

Adaptability Update - Message to VIMSIA Community

Back on April 17th 2020, we distributed our reopening punch list. Item one was “Does the science of the coronavirus support safety of our students, staff and families?” Item two was “Do governing policies support…return to campus?” 

Today the VIMSIA COVID Task Force met with VI Government Department of Health (DOH) officials to discuss our reopening plans and the state of COVID in St. Thomas.  We are proud to report that DOH was pleased with our COVID protocols, however, the state of COVID in St. Thomas has worsened this past week.  As you may have seen in the news, the number of positive cases per day is growing on St. Thomas, which seem to be compatible with community spread. The current positivity rate is 15%, which based on VI Government Department of Health recommendations and CDC guidelines is too high to safely open on campus learning. It is anticipated that cases will remain on the upswing over the coming weeks, thus DOH strongly advised that distance learning instruction would be preferable to on campus instruction, and requested that VIMSIA do its  part to mitigate COVID transmission in the USVI.

Given the COVID  scenario in the USVI, the COVID Task Force and the Executive Committee of the VIMSIA Board of Trustees voted to start school on August 18th as a distance learning operation that will be reassessed every 2 weeks in light of future COVID data. Both the Montessori and PGIA programs will offer lessons via distance learning technologies and physical learning tools.

As disappointing news as this may be, VIMSIA feels that this move to distance learning mitigates risk to the community and lessens the possibility of VIMSIA contributing to the growing COVID disease burden in the community and for our healthcare system.

We will continue to monitor the situation and we will reopen on-campus operations as soon as it is safe to do so. VIMSIA hopes it will not be longer than a two-week distance learning period and will continue to communicate with you about distance learning and the time frame for return to on campus instruction.

Therefore, please be advised that:

• All COVID testing has been postponed.

• All staggered start info has been cancelled.

• All students will start on August 18th.

• Transportation to and from St John will be addressed later.

 I know parents and students were excited to get back on campus, but it is clearly not safe to gather in groups given the current COVID data in St. Thomas, much less to gather in large numbers at an institution of knowledge.

 The Board and I thank you for your continued support of our institution during this unprecedented crisis, and wish every VIMSIA family the utmost health and safety in the coming weeks.

Michael Bornn, Head of School

STAGGERED OPENING AND TESTING SCHEDULE CHANGES - AUGUST 11TH 2020

Dear VIMSIA Families, 

Over the course of this past week, we have learned a tremendous amount that impacts the way we will open campus. We appreciate our community's feedback on safety, COVID-19 testing, and the return to campus. Please be assured that we are taking a cautious approach to opening and would like to share the following updates.  

On-Campus Testing updates:

At this time we will NOT provide student testing on Wednesday, August 12th, or Thursday, August 13th.  

Only 11th and 12th-grade students are invited to be tested on campus Friday, August 14th as they will be first to return to campus the following week. 

Testing details for Friday, August 14th:  

• 11th and 12th-grade students with last names A-M are invited at 8:30 a.m. 

• 11th and 12th-grade students with last names N-Z are invited at 9:30 a.m.

• Testing will conclude at 11:00 a.m. 

Any additional on-campus student testing is postponed. 

Start date updates: 

The phased opening for Montessori students will begin on Monday, August 24th. More information and details will be provided in the coming days.  

The phased opening for PGIA students is as follows: 

A follow-up to questions regarding COVID-19 testing, arrival/dismissal routines, daily schedules, and other related policies will be forthcoming this week. We are grateful for your continued support and partnership.  Student and staff safety is our number one concern.    

Thank you, 

VIMSIA Administration