From the Head of School: COVID-19 Update

Dear Duchesne Community,  

As the impact of COVID-19 broadens and the uncertainty of the situation continues, measures have been put into place as they apply to the safety of our students and school community. We are planning for a range of scenarios and are approaching all decisions with thoughtfulness and flexibility, and we will continue to follow the guidelines as conveyed to us by governing bodies and health authorities. We thank you in advance for trusting in and adhering to the plans that are now in place.    

Health and Wellness 

• Nursing Staff and Counselors: Duchesne’s health clinic is following CDC protocols, and the Clinic Director is in contact with local health authorities to maintain open lines of communication. The clinic nurses are in communication with each division to provide guidance on minimizing illness risk and reviewing handwashing practices. Additionally, school counselors are providing resources to each division for managing anxiety that students may be experiencing as a result of the public health concerns. 
• Cleaning Protocols: Duchesne has obtained additional cleaning supplies and equipment to provide accelerated deep cleaning if indicated by health authorities. Our janitorial staff continues to maintain a high standard of cleanliness throughout the campus using hospital-grade disinfectant. 
• What Your Family Can Do: Talk with your daughter about common-sense preventative actions, including handwashing and covering coughs and sneezes with an elbow rather than a hand. She has received this information at school already, but please reiterate at home. As always, regardless of the illness, please keep your child home if she is sick. If you have a concern that any member of your household has been exposed to COVID-19, please notify your Division Head immediately. 

School-Sponsored Events 

• Athletics, Local Field Trips, and On-Campus Events: At this point, Duchesne athletics, local field trips, and on-campus events will continue as scheduled. If anything changes, the specific group will be notified via email.  
• School Trips Outside of Houston: We are evaluating upcoming domestic school trips to determine if and how travel plans may need to be altered. Any changes to existing plans will be communicated via email to those affected as soon as possible.  

Family Travel 
We urge families to be cautious about travel during spring break and beyond. If you or someone in your household travels to a CDC Level 2 or Level 3 location, we ask that you notify your Division Head and follow the 14-day self-quarantine protocol, as recommended by the CDC, prior to returning to school. Self-quarantined students will not be counted as absent and will be able to continue their schoolwork from home with remote learning. 

School Closure and Remote Learning 
Any decision to close the school would be made under the guidance of government health authorities. In the event of prolonged school closures in the Houston area, our intention is to provide instruction remotely with online tools that the students and faculty are already familiar with using. Faculty are receiving additional training and resources to ensure that they are prepared to provide remote instruction if necessary. Each student should bring her school-issued laptop and charger home each day to be prepared in case conditions rapidly change and a school closure becomes immediately necessary. 

Crisis Communications 
Duchesne’s Crisis Management Team is regularly meeting to monitor and respond to COVID-19 developments as indicated by health authorities. Please be assured that our top priority is the wellbeing of our school community as well as ensuring the continuity of education. We have set up duchesne.org/COVID19 to track all communications from Duchesne on this topic. The page also has links to helpful resources. We will communicate updated information regarding school operations as needed. 

In closing, Duchesne’s priority during this time also aligns with our theme for the year, Caring for Our Community. In doing so, I urge everyone to focus on the facts and to obtain information from appropriate authorities. Please be reminded that the events as they relate to this communication are evolving rapidly and continued updates may be forthcoming. If there is something new to report, we will send an email to the community. As we move forward in the days and months ahead, may we offer prayers to St. Rose Philippine Duchesne for her blessings on the health of our community as we navigate this significant crisis.  

With heartfelt commitment,  

Patricia Swenson 
Head of School