Dear Parish and Camp Acorn Families,

Today, we finally heard the news we’ve all anxiously awaited! Gov. Abbott has announced the re-opening of all child care centers, youth programs and summer camps for this summer. We are relieved and excited to move forward with Camp Acorn 2020!

In compliance with Gov. Abbott’s Open Texas Checklist and adhering to CDC guidelines as much as possible, the following adjustments have been made to Camp Acorn. Please read carefully as there is a lot of new and important information outlined below and linked to in the document.

• Afternoon Extended Day programming is canceled to maintain guidelines of keeping staff and students self-contained, without mixing groups of peers/teachers. Refunds to families enrolled in extended day will be processed. Additionally, we understand that many families rely on the extended day program for their child to attend camp. If your child is no longer able to attend due to this cancellation, please contact camp@parishschool.org to request a refund.
• Early Morning Drop-Off remains in place for those families who have enrolled in it. Parents will park in the parking lot and proceed to the front porch for daily health and temperature checks. Parents will be required to wear masks and maintain 6 ft. of social distancing from other families in line for screens. Students will be placed in their morning classroom and will not be mixed with other students.
• Carpool begins at 8:30 a.m. to allow for temperature checks and health screens so camp hours are not disrupted. More information regarding carpool procedures and health screens will be provided next week and at Meet the Teacher on June 1.
• Lunch continues to be on the camp schedule. However, all lunches must be brought from home and cannot require any preparation from staff (mixing, cutting, etc). Simply Fresh Kitchen services are suspended for the summer.
• Meet the Teacher will take place June 1, following the schedule below. Please note that only one parent per camper will be allowed into the classroom. Siblings are not allowed to enter classrooms other than their own. Adults must wear a facial covering to attend Meet the Teacher.

REVISED Camp Hours and Schedule:

• Early Morning Drop-Off: 8-8:30 a.m.
• Carpool for ALL Programs: 8:30-9:00 a.m.
• Language, Sibling and Adventure Play Camps: 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
• ALL Camp Dismissal Time: 12:00 p.m.

June 1 Meet the Teacher Schedule:

• Last Name A-H: 1:00-1:30 p.m.
• Last Name I-P: 1:45-2:15 p.m.
• Last Name Q-Z: 2:30-3:00 p.m.

Safety Protocols:
We are continuing to work diligently on developing safety procedures and plans for Camp Acorn. Please review these safety measures here: https://www.parishschool.org/campacorn-operations

Additionally, the Governor’s minimal standard health protocol for Day Camp Youth Operators and child care centers can be found below, as well as guidelines for families. Please note that although social distancing and facial coverings are recommended, it is also noted that some protective measures are not suitable for these settings. In the camp setting, we are unable to create 6 ft. of space between students and staff and facial coverings may not always be worn as it can impede the instruction. Also, we WILL be asking parents to exit the vehicle for your camper’s health screen. Please read the documents below:

• Checklist for Child Care Centers: https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/organization/opentexas/OpenTexas-Checklist-Child-Care-Centers.pdf
• Checklist for Day Camp Operators and Staff: https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/organization/opentexas/OpenTexas-Checklist-Day-Youth-Camp-Operators.pdf
• Checklist for Day Youth Camp Families: https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/organization/opentexas/OpenTexas-Checklist-Day-Youth-Camp-Families.pdf

We appreciate your patience and welcome your questions!
Billing questions? Contact businessoffice@parishschool.org
Safety protocol questions? Contact nurse@parishschool.org and camp@parishschool.org

Thank you and welcome to Camp Acorn 2020!

All the best,
Stefanie Heintz, MS, CCC-SLP
Director of Camp Acorn

Dear Parish and Camp Acorn Families,

Today, Texans across the state heard promising news in our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. During Gov. Abbott’s press conference, he delivered hopeful news that the state is on track to reopen slowly and cautiously, with precautions in place.

We feel that with these state guidelines and in compliance with current CDC recommendations, we can move forward with Camp Acorn 2020, pending the opening of Texas goes as planned. We do ask for understanding and patience, as there is a possibility the Governor will not allow summer camps to operate. If you are in need of childcare this summer, we strongly urge you to consider implementing a back-up plan, should we not be allowed to operate. It is our desire to communicate as soon as we’re aware of changes so you may plan accordingly, however, we do not want to cancel camp prematurely. Please consider a back-up plan, should there be a last-minute camp cancellation.

In our best efforts, we are implementing additional measures to ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff. We will continue to update and/or revise our policies as the pandemic requires us to do so. Specific information regarding cleaning practices, safety standards and social distancing measures will be sent as camp nears and as guidelines change. To maintain compliance with CDC recommendations, the following adjustments to our programming have been made:

• Meet the Teacher on Monday, June 1 is restricted to one adult per camper. Rather than the original times published for Meet the Teacher, the following schedule will be observed to ensure visitors are spread across campus at varying times:
  • Last Names A – H: 1:00 – 1:30 p.m.
  • Last Names I -P: 1:45 – 2:15 p.m.
  • Last Names Q – Z: 2:30 – 3:00 p.m.
  • We kindly ask that you follow these time slots to allow staff 15 minutes to sanitize between visits.
    
    
• Temperature will be taken each morning upon exiting the car. Any temperatures 100.4F or higher are not allowed to attend camp. Individuals must be fever free 24 hours before returning to camp. Please call the school nurse PRIOR to carpool if your child has received any pain/fever reducing medication for any reason.
  
  
• Any students or staff feeling ill are required to notify the school nurse, Angela Burris, at nurse@parishschool.org or call 713.467.4696 immediately so that decisions can be made to keep others healthy.
  
  
• Parent Visits/Observations: No parents may enter classrooms at any time. Parent observations will only be scheduled one family per classroom, per day.
  
  
• Fun Fridays will be modified to minimize exposure to other campers and prevent large crowds from assembling.
  
  
• Camp t-shirts are not required. Due to time constraints involved with ordering shirts, we are not placing a shirt order (in case we are unable to hold camp). Promotional t-shirts for families who met the early registration deadline will receive shirts regardless of camp opening or closing. Anyone who ordered additional t-shirts will receive a refund for extra shirts ordered.
  
  
• Should any student or staff member presumptively have COVID-19, the class in which the student or teacher was placed will immediately close for 14 days, and families will receive a pro-rated refund.

If you are uncomfortable sending your child to Camp Acorn or with any of our practices, we kindly ask that you request a withdrawal by May 4, 2020. Not only does this allow you to receive a refund, less the $250 deposit, but it also allows us to appropriately group students together and ensure staffing. After May 4, you will not be eligible to receive a refund for any portion of the program, unless camp is canceled due to the Governor’s guidelines in later phases.

Please know that Camp Acorn is dependent on enrollment. Should enrollment drop below the cost to sustain camp, specific camp classes or camp as a whole will be canceled and families will be reimbursed. In the best interest of our campers, we have decided this is a risk we are willing to take to be able to offer services for as long as we are allowed.

All the best,
Stefanie Heintz, MS, CCC-SLP
Director of Camp Acorn

• You may use The Parish School’s offer to help pay for your existing telehealth or face-to-face services beginning on May 4, 2020.
• You may increase the frequency of your current therapy services given your therapist and you agree this is in the best interest of your child. There are times when too much therapeutic intervention impacts a child’s motivation and participation. Please defer to your therapist’s informed opinion when making this decision.
• You may add a service your child currently does not receive, but you and your child’s teacher and/or current therapist believe they would benefit from receiving.

• Please speak to your child’s teacher to help determine which service would benefit your child.
• Once you have decided on services, email Elizabeth “Liz” Chapa at The Carruth Center echapa@carruthcenter.org so she can send you necessary paperwork to initiate services.
• Once all necessary paperwork is received, we will determine which therapist will see your child and call you to begin scheduling.

Parish and Carruth community,

Today, Governor Greg Abbott announced that Texas schools must remain closed through the end of the 2019-20 school year. We know many of you are very disappointed by this news, and so are we. Like you, we are eager to return to our beautiful campus and more eager to see the faces of your beautiful children! However, health and safety are paramount.

For the remainder of the school year, we will continue to deliver instruction remotely. Each day, teachers and students are becoming more and more comfortable with this platform; and we feel that students are benefiting in many ways. We do, however, continue to acknowledge that this new way of teaching and learning does not replicate a face-to-face Parish experience. We have heard your concerns about some students’ potential for lack of progress or regression; we share that concern.

To mitigate the potential for lack of progression or regression, we will be putting the following additional services in place.

Elementary Services:

• We will be partnering with the Neuhaus Education Center to offer intensive reading intervention to our elementary students. Parents will have the opportunity to sign their student up for 2 one-on-one sessions per week with a Neuhaus trained reading specialist until the end of the regular academic school year. These services will be offered at no additional expense to parents, and invoices will automatically be sent to The Parish School for payment. More information about how to sign up for these sessions will be provided no later than Friday, April 24.
• We will be hiring a minimum of two certified reading specialists as full-time staff members to provide additional intensive reading intervention beginning the 2020-21 school year.

Early Childhood Services:

• For early childhood students, we will be providing the opportunity for students to receive individual face-to-face therapy at The Carruth Center beginning Monday, May 4, tentatively, until we return to face-to-face instruction at The Parish School in August. To meet the needs of all students and work around the availability of The Carruth Center staff, these therapy services must be scheduled between the time the clinic re-opens (see below) and the end of August. All efforts will be made to meet your scheduling needs; however, we will have to work around the Carruth Center therapists’ current client schedules in order to accommodate everyone. For those of you already receiving therapy services at The Carruth Center, these sessions can serve as a credit to your account or can be used to increase the frequency of services based on your therapist’s availability, while balancing the needs of your child. In order to make the most out of the services offered, only one type of therapy service may be chosen: speech therapy, occupational therapy, music therapy or play therapy. Those interested in taking advantage of this offer should email Elizabeth “Liz” Chapa at echapa@carruthcenter.org to complete necessary intake paperwork for services.
• To bolster the learning of our youngest students, we will be implementing additional small group intensive therapies for the 2020-2021 school year. Programming will include short-term, targeted supports in the areas of language, play/social interaction, and literacy. These sessions will also include in-depth parent trainings to enhance learning across environments. In addition, we will expand occupational therapy services in all classrooms. Families can expect to hear more details specific to their child in the coming days.

If the current pandemic environment continues to show signs of improvement, The Carruth Center plans to re-open on May 4 for many of its individual speech, occupational, play and music therapy sessions. This date may change if conditions in the Houston area decline.

If you are a current Carruth Center client, you will receive information shortly from Mimi Branham, Carruth Center Clinic Director, detailing how we will keep your children safe during their individual therapy sessions. If you are uncomfortable bringing your child to the clinic for any reason, The Carruth Center will continue to offer telehealth services so your child can receive their needed therapies. The Carruth Center therapists and staff will be reaching out to you to discuss your preference and to work on establishing your child’s therapy schedule.

A final decision about whether we will cancel or continue with Camp Acorn will be made after Governor Abbott’s April 27 press conference updating us on the status of the pandemic environment. Please look for that communication on the evening of April 27.

Please know that we are still standing with you during this uncertainty, and we will continue to carefully and thoughtfully navigate these difficult decisions on behalf of our students, parents, faculty, staff and the long-term impact to the school and clinic. I truly appreciate all of the supportive and understanding emails and phone conversations, as well as the constructive feedback and input. Although I love our amazing campus, I see more and more each day that the heartbeat of The Parish School is in each and every person who walks into those doors!

Be well!
Cheval

Parish Community,

The recent announcement that our remote learning platform has been extended through May 1, with a hopeful return to face to face learning on May 4, has raised questions regarding how this will impact your current tuition agreement.

We recognize that this is a tough time for your family and sympathize with each and every situation. These are also challenging times for The Parish School as we strive to meet the needs of our students, despite the state mandated school closure. The Parish School teachers and therapists are doing their absolute best under the new circumstances. In fact, we are going above and beyond the legal requirements to comply with Federal, State and County orders, and providing valuable resources, guidance and educational tools in an effort to support our important mission.

Last week, the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees discussed at length what this situation means for our families’ finances, as well as the long-term impact to the school and students. Though we will be utilizing the remote learning platform for at least the next few weeks, we have full confidence that our teachers will meet the learning objectives and standards for our students. We are delivering high quality remote learning opportunities, and we expect the process to continue to be fine-tuned each day. There will not be a change to our tuition and fees structure for the year, which is consistent with our peer schools.

We also acknowledge the potential for a portion of next school year’s instruction to be delivered via remote learning. We will be further improving and refining our remote teaching practices, and we maintain that we will provide the highest quality instruction possible regardless of the teaching platform. In doing so, the cost structure of the school does not change. Therefore, there will be no change to the tuition structure or contract terms for the 2020-21 school year.

This is an unfortunate situation that none of us signed up for, but we are committed to doing everything we can to continue educating our students to the best of our ability. We look forward to the day when the school closure mandate is lifted, and we can return to a normal Parish educational environment. In the meantime, the safety and health of our students, families, faculty and staff is our top priority!

Be well…!
Cheval

Dear Parish Supporters,

What a crazy time this has been! Never did I think I’d be writing a letter to Parish supporters during a world health crisis that seems closer to a real-life apocalypse movie than reality. Yet here we are. But here we are together! And that’s why I’m reaching out to you today – because you’re an important member of the extended Parish community. And together we will make it through this thanks in large part to your support. Thank you!

Here’s a little of what The Parish School and Carruth Center have been up to…

While I wouldn’t call current circumstances anything close to business as usual, we are continuing to fulfill our mission to educate children who have communication delays and learning differences, empowering them with the tools to succeed! Starting last week, we began working with Parish students in virtual classrooms and seeing Carruth Center clients in telehealth sessions, which we’ll continue until at least May 4.

And not only are we empowering students “with the tools to succeed,” but parents, teachers and administrators are using tools some have never used before. Like parents teaching their 6-year-olds to “zoom,” and teachers working on becoming overnight YouTube sensations! Everyone has come together so quickly and beautifully, and we couldn’t have done it without you, our supporters.

So, from all of us at The Parish School and Carruth Center, thank you for being together with us. I look forward to seeing you in person again soon!

Until then,

Amy M. Tanner, MBA
Director of Advancement

Dear Parents,
It is with a very heavy heart that the Arts team, along with Cheval and Amy Richard, have come to the decision that we must cancel the Upper and Lower Elementary Musical scheduled for early May. I have been a part of this rite of passage at The Parish School for 28 years—through fire, floods and unholy traffic jams—but it seems that this novel virus is the one thing we can’t conquer. I know many children, particularly the commencing students, will be saddened by this news, as is our schoolwide community. It seems as if grieving losses is a part of this virus, and for me, this feels like one more wound that needs to heal.

I plan to tell the children about the cancellation this Friday in their morning live-lesson time. Please don’t hesitate to have your student or you reach out to me via email or zoom.

While canceling the musical is an enormous loss, nothing—and I do mean nothing—can take away from the amazing personal growth that we have seen in your children. They have blossomed into amazing actors, singers, artists and humans! I so wish that we could have all seen them shine on stage in this musical…

Until next time,
Terri Garth
Director of Integrated Arts & Sciences

Dear Parish and Carruth community,

I’m so excited about the successful implementation of remote learning and teletherapy, especially since we will have to settle into this new way of teaching and learning until May 4, at the earliest, due to Governor Abbott’s order today that Texas schools remain closed until that date.

I have enjoyed watching recordings of live lessons and how teachers and students have been so flexible, creative and resilient. As parents, I hope you are all getting into a rhythm of being able to support your children’s learning. Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher if you need additional guidance. As I speak to some of you during this time, please know that I hear your feedback and it is valued. We will continue to evaluate the process and make necessary adjustments. I don’t anticipate any major changes, but there may be minor tweaks along the way as we learn more.

In more serious news, as of today, we have two confirmed-positive cases of COVID-19 in the Parish and Carruth community. Two staff members are actively combating the virus and both were diagnosed within the last five days. They are recovering well at home. Since we are now beyond the 14-day window since we were last together, if you have not exhibited symptoms, you were likely not exposed on campus. I will remain in contact with them to assess their health and well-being, as well as track their timeline for a safe return to work as we get closer to that elusive date.

If you or a member of your household has been exposed to COVID-19 or for any reason feel they should be tested, please do not hesitate to reach out to your healthcare provider. We ask that any positive results of any family member be conveyed to me immediately, especially if your incubation period corresponds with school/clinic being in-session on campus. Your information will be kept confidential.

As always, I am available to all of you if you have questions, concerns, feedback, or just need to chat. I’ve heard great stories about forts being built, snacks being prepared, virtual field trips, and virtual beach outings. Please continue to share.

Until we meet back at our beautiful campus…be safe and well!

Cheval

Hello Carruth Center Families,

I hope that all of you and your families are safe and healthy during this unprecedented time. It is hard to believe that Spring Break was only two weeks ago. While we all had an ominous feeling the campus would not re-open after Spring Break, when we left, no final decision had been made. Now, a few short week later, we have shifted our service delivery from in-person to telehealth, as many other therapy providers have done. The therapists at The Carruth Center have spent the last week learning and planning therapy sessions using a platform none of us ever would have imagined we would be utilizing so widely. I am so impressed with the Carruth therapy team’s dedication to their clients and willingness to pivot to a new service delivery model so quickly. Like all of you, they have done this while managing their own family’s needs. We understand that continuing your child’s individual therapy sessions is a commitment that we ask in a time when you are very busy parenting, teaching and caring for others while likely juggling your own work commitments. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for taking this leap with us.

Your therapy team has likely emailed you a Consent for Teletherapy Services. This form must be completed before or when we initiate teletherapy services with your child. The form can be printed out and completed or can be signed digitally. Please return this to your therapist asap so we may begin services for your child.

The form can be found under “Fees and Forms” on The Carruth Center website. This is a direct link to download it: https://www.carruthcenter.org/media/1985/consent-for-telehealth-at-parish-and-carruth-rext.pdf

There is a separate form necessary for children receiving Play Therapy that can be downloaded from here: https://www.carruthcenter.org/media/1984/consent-for-mental-health-tele-treatment-at-parish-and-carruth-rext.pdf

There is nothing more we would like than to see your children at our clinic before the end of the school year. We miss them dearly! At this time, the campus is closed until April 13, however we are all aware of the fluidity of the situation and are prepared to continue to see your children via the teletherapy platform through the end of the school year or longer, if we are unable to return to the clinic. At this time, all summer programs we administer (Kaufman-Apraxia Boot Camp, Camp SuperWriters, Camp Social Superheroes and Camp Connect) will continue as planned. We will keep The Parish School and Carruth Center community informed of any changes. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns during this time. We look forward to seeing all of you as soon as this crisis has passed.

Thank you,
Mimi Branham
Clinic Director

Dear Parish Parents,

Thank you all for your patience and dedication this week as we transition to remote learning and telehealth. I realize this is an adjustment for all of us – faculty/staff, students and parents. The good news is that there is a palpable level of commitment to doing what’s right for our students even during this time when everyone is off balance. Because of this commitment, we are making this transition beautifully. Even with the bumps, kinks, uncertainty and ongoing adjustments, we are just where we should be in this process after only one week.

By now, each of our students should have engaged in several live lessons with their teachers and peers. Since this week has been a slow roll-out, you will find that each day, the remote schedule will develop further. We are committed to providing all students with high-quality academic, social and language intervention each day, as well as including some arts and sciences in this new virtual manner. We will provide a combination of live class meetings and assignments for the children to work on independently or with you all. We would like students to participate in all live class meetings, if possible. However, we understand with your work schedules and the schedules of other children in your home, that this may not always be possible. Therefore, we will also be recording all classes and posting them to the Parish Portal on our class topics page so you can access them when it’s most convenient for you. At minimum, we would like to have face-to-face contact with each student in our virtual classrooms twice per day.

In addition, we have created a Parish Portal resource page that you can access to support the remote learning environment in your home.

We appreciate the fabulous feedback from many of you this week and have considered every single thought in our decision-making process. Since there are so many different scenarios and situations within our community, it is impossible for us to meet the individual needs of each and every family. As such, we are offering a comprehensive day of learning that will be spread throughout the day. Please engage at the level that fits with your individual situation. Remember, all lessons will be recorded and available to you for your convenience.

Again, I want to thank you for your support and engagement during this new journey of remote learning. Remember, we are ALL learning together!

Best,
Cheval

Dear Parish Families,
To keep our community safe and slow the spread of COVID-19 in our area, in addition to canceling in-person classes through April 10, all previously scheduled events through April 10 are also canceled. Unfortunately, due to the continued uncertainty regarding this outbreak and being the end of the school year, many events are unable to be rescheduled. It is our hope that school will resume normal operations on Monday, April 13 and the majority of events remaining for this school year will take place as planned.

We are formulating a plan for unfulfilled Teachers' Treasures and Birthday Announcements purchased in the September Cyber Auction. We will be reaching out to those families individually regarding how to proceed.

Although campus is closed, faculty and staff are working diligently to provide remote learning opportunities as possible and appropriate for each class. These efforts begin tomorrow, March 24. You will be hearing from your child's teacher soon with a class schedule and learning plan. Thank you for your partnership and continued patience as we navigate this situation together.

Class Pictures - March 24 & 25
CANCELED - RESCHEDULE PENDING

Life After Parish - March 26
CANCELED

Spring Family Garden Day - March 28
CANCELED

Spring MAP Testing
CANCELED - RESCHEDULE PENDING

Parish Play Day - April 5
CANCELED

Camp for All Trip - April 8 & 9
CANCELED - RESCHEDULE FOR FALL 2020 PENDING

PTO Meeting - April 8
MAY BE HELD VIRTUALLY

Hello Carruth Center Families,

I hope this communication finds you and all who you love healthy and well.

We at The Carruth Center are dedicated to continuing your child’s therapy services during these unprecedented times. Last week during our Spring Break, you should have received an email from Cheval Bryant, head of school at The Parish School, regarding the closing of The Parish School and Carruth Center campus until at least Monday, April 13, 2020.

While campus is closed, we are dedicated to finding ways to continue your child’s therapeutic goals and prevent loss of skills during this break. As staff returns from a well-deserved Spring Break, we are working hard to implement ways to provide some of the services your child receives using alternate methods. Your child’s therapist(s) will reach out to you by Wednesday, March 25 to discuss options for continuation of services.

Please see below for specific information about the different ways services will be affected:

GROUP THERAPY

All group therapy services, including Social Learning, Empower Hour, Language Learning Tools and Language Development Class will be suspended until The Carruth Center re-opens. Starting today, we are developing resources for families of children participating in these groups to help maintain skills at home. We are exploring the option of extending sessions past their scheduled end dates so your child receives the full benefits of their program. 

INDIVIDUAL SPEECH THERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, PLAY THERAPY AND MUSIC THERAPY

For many of our clients, teletherapy will be an option to continue services while the clinic is closed. Teletherapy has been widely adopted in speech, occupational and mental health therapies, and studies show that it can be as effective as face-to-face services. Your therapist will be in touch with you soon to discuss how this may work for your child. Below is a video link from the American Speech-Language Hearing Association that helps to explain telehealth services. While the video is specific to speech therapy, many of the basics of teletherapy for speech are the same for the other therapies we provide.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=169&v=CgxH69CqPbM&feature=emb_logo

PHYSICAL THERAPY

Our physical therapists work with clients outside of The Carruth Center who may be immunocompromised. Because of restrictions imposed by their full-time employers, they are not seeing clients outside of their places of primary employment. Our therapists are developing individualized home programs for their clients and will send them to families shortly after spring break.

I understand the uncertainty and fear that COVID-19 has caused. Please be assured that The Carruth Center is doing everything that we can to serve your child and keep their schedule as normal as possible  during this unpredictable time. Thank you so much for your patience and cooperation while we navigate the unknown. We look forward to resuming business as usual and seeing children in the clinic as soon as possible. Until then, please take precautions to stay healthy and safe. Again, please expect to hear from a Carruth staff member by the end of this week for a plan for your child’s continued care.

If you have any questions or concerns or would like your services suspended while our campus is closed, please email me at mbranham@carruthcenter.org.

Best Regards,
Mimi Branham
Clinic Director

Parish and Carruth Community,

The Parish School leadership team and Board of Trustees have continued to closely monitor the impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on our community. Due to the significantly more restrictive guidance from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local government officials, we have decided to transition out of Spring Break into remote learning. Remote learning will begin next Tuesday, March 24 and continue through Friday, April 10. Campus-based instruction will tentatively resume on Monday, April 13.

Teachers will engage in a virtual meeting on Monday, March 23, to plan for remote learning which will begin on Tuesday, March 24. On Tuesday, March 24, parents will be contacted by their child’s respective teacher to discuss the details and expectations of remote learning. Your child is fully equipped for remote learning if they have a computer, tablet, and/or smartphone and internet access. If your child does not have access to one of the aforementioned devices or the internet, please communicate this to your child’s teacher as soon as possible so that we can discuss other options.

In addition, The Carruth Center will be closed to face-to-face clients. However, we will be offering some therapies via telehealth or home visits as appropriate. Clients will be contacted by their respective therapists no later than Wednesday, March 25, with more details about their options.

Because we know the impact a significant break from routine has on our student population, this decision did not come easily. However, we feel obligated to do our part in minimizing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting our community.

At this time, there are still no presumed or confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the Parish and Carruth community. Our primary motivation is to protect the health and safety of all members of our community, their families, and all individuals in the Houston area and beyond.

My commitment to prompt and transparent communication will continue. In the meantime, I encourage you to follow the CDC, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for the latest COVID-19 updates.

Be safe and healthy!

Cheval

Dear Parish and Carruth community,

As you know, the school and clinic will be closed for spring break next week (March 16-20). During that time, I will continue to monitor the events related to COVID-19 and provide an update about whether school will resume or remain closed for the week of March 23rd. Since many of the area public school districts will be closed during the week of March 23rd, faculty and staff’s ability to report to work may be adversely impacted due to lack of childcare. Please know that a school closure will be the last resort, and teachers are prepared to provide some level of remote learning in the event we are closed beyond spring break.

Please look for a decision near the end of next week. Stay safe and healthy during the break!

All the best,
Cheval

Parish and Carruth community,

Last night, around 11:45 PM, I was informed that the person our student’s teenaged sibling had contact with was confirmed positive for coronavirus. Everyone in the student’s household remains asymptotic at this time. The fact remains that no one in the Parish or Carruth community is suspected or confirmed to have coronavirus. As such, our original plan to remain open for the remainder of the week stands. Again, I understand that every family is processing the current events in their own way, and I encourage you to make the decision that you believe is best for you and your family. Absences will be excused. I will continue to be in contact with our student’s family and reassess the situation daily. Faculty and staff are also encouraged to do what’s in the best interest of their own health and that of their families.

I will continue to honor my commitment to be completely transparent and prompt in my communications to you so you can make timely and informed decisions. I will keep my eye on this situation throughout Spring Break and continue to provide updates as I get them. Instructional teams are planning for the possibility of a prolonged school closure so that we can provide some type of remote learning to our students if that becomes a reality.

I appreciate all of your support and kind words as I continue to navigate these very uncertain and quickly changing times.

Cheval

Parish and Carruth community,

Thank you so much for your patience and commitment to bringing your students to school and therapies. Today was another great day of learning!

The Parish School and Carruth Center will remain open with normal hours for the remainder of the week unless otherwise notified. To minimize students sharing common spaces, art, nature studies, music, and drama teachers will transition from class to class to the extent that makes sense and is feasible. We will continue to take each day as it comes and provide updates as we monitor news and reports from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

Also, I would like to confirm that there are still no suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 coronavirus in the Parish/Carruth community.

I look forward to a strong finish to the week as we head into Spring Break.

All the best,
Cheval

Parish and Carruth community,

Thank you for handling this anxiety-producing day with such care and grace. Despite the current circumstances, we had a relatively smooth day. We will continue normal school and clinic hours tomorrow and take each day as it comes. As soon as I have new information, I will share it promptly with you. Feel free to continue to contact me with your questions and concerns. I look forward to a wonderful Wednesday!

All the best,
Cheval

With the recent concerns over the Coronavirus outbreak, our goal is to limit exposure of our students, faculty and staff to the wider community. With that being said, we will be limiting visits for upcoming campus events. Community groups/volunteers will not be allowed on campus, and community visitors will be required to RSVP for upcoming events.

All events planned for this week are still taking place, but please see the updates detailed below.

Additionally, we are evaluating each event planned for the remainder of the school year. Currently, no events have been canceled and we plan to move forward as scheduled. However, we will update The Parish School community on whether they will take place for certain as the events come nearer. Thank you for your patience!

Adult Education: Camp for All Info Session (for upper & lower elementary parents)
Wednesday, March 11
8:15-9am | Staff Lounge
At this time, the upper and lower elementary overnight field trip to Camp for All is taking place as planned. Camp for All has assured us that there will be no other groups in attendance while we are there, and that their facilities are cleaned using hospital-grade disinfectants. Attend this info session if this is your child's first time to attend or if you have any questions for the director of elementary.

RSVP here...

March PTO Meeting
Wednesday, March 11
9:15-10:15am | Staff Lounge
This month's meeting will be an open forum Q&A about COVID-19 (coronavirus), where we'll be fielding questions and discussing implications for the remainder of the school year. All parents with concerns are welcome to attend.

RSVP here...

Adult Education: Elementary Preview (for pre-primary parents)
Thursday, March 12
9:15-10:15am | Staff Lounge
This preview event is for current pre-primary parents (Armadillos and Dinosaurs) who are interested in learning more about the elementary program at Parish. The morning will include a short presentation, opportunities for question and answer and a quick peek at the primary level classes. 

RSVP here...

Spring Break
March 16-20
No School

Dear Parish and Carruth Center Families,

As we continue to closely monitor the situation regarding coronavirus (COVID-19), we would like to assure you that the safety of our school community is our top priority.  As of March 8, 2020 at 7:15 P.M., there are 5 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Harris County according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).  As such, our efforts to stay informed of the latest developments are heightened, and we will provide periodic updates and information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and DSHS.

With spring break beginning March 13th, we know many families will be traveling and we want to provide you with the latest information from the CDC regarding travel to countries where there is widespread community transmission of COVID-19.  While domestic travel is not a current concern, the CDC has identified four countries (China, Iran, South Korea, Italy) for which a Level 3 Travel Health Notice has been issued, and one country (Japan) for which a Level 2 Travel Health Notice has been issued.  If you will be traveling to or through a country while a Level 2 or 3Travel Health Notice is in effect, we are asking that you stay home for 14 days after returning to the United States.  We recommend that you visit the CDC’s website for the most up-to-date travel guidance.

• CDC traveler’s health notices (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel) – for guidance related to specific countries
• CDC information for travelers visiting countries where there are confirmed cases of COVID-19 (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html.)

All students, families, faculty and staff who travel to or through a country with a Level 2 or 3 Travel Health Notice are asked to comply with the guidelines of the CDC.  If there are no signs of illness at the completion of the 14-day monitoring period, the student, faculty or staff member may return to school.  Parents are asked to contact the school upon return to the United States so that the 14-day monitoring period can be determined. 

As a reminder, the CDC recommends the following everyday preventive actions to minimize the spread of respiratory viruses.  The Parish School will do the following:

• Monitor students and staff for symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, etc. Students and staff who have a fever will be sent home and asked to remain home until they have been fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication
• Encourage parents/guardians to keep students home if they are sick. These absences will be excused.
• Teach students and staff effective handwashing
• Teach students not to share personal items or food

In addition, we will do the following:

• Disinfect frequently used objects such as door handles, desks/tables, and classroom manipulatives daily.
• Cancel all non-essential school trips (ie: field trips)
• Notify our school community if COVID-19 directly impacts any of our students, faculty, staff, or families.

Also, as the developments regarding COVID-19 unfold, students’ curiosity and anxieties may also rise.  The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) has created a great tool, Talking to Children About COVID 19 (coronavirus)-A Parent Resource, to assist parents with this conversation.

While I hope the Coronavirus will not impact our school community, we are prepared to take the necessary steps should the need arise.  Again, the safety of our students,  faculty, and staff is our utmost priority.  We will continue to monitor information from the CDC and DSHS and share updates as necessary.

Sincerely,

Cheval Bryant
Head of School

Parish Newsletter Message:

The Parish School follows the guidance of the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the CDC with regard to all communicable diseases. More specifically, we are closely monitoring their guidance on the recent outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19). While there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Harris County, we would like to remind our school community that the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are the same preventions that are recommended for the spread of the flu and common cold. As a precaution, during Spring Break, we will have our facilities deep cleaned to disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. Parents, please keep your child home if they are sick and until they are fever-free for 24 hours. Their absence(s) will be excused.