March 16, 2020
Dear Dunham Families,
I hope this message finds you safe. Thank you for your patience as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. This is new territory for all of us and the news about the spread and measures formitigation continue to evolve as cases hit closer to home. With the safety of our students, families, and staff as our top priority, it is necessary for the School District to make some difficult decisions.
After careful consideration of many factors, on site classes for Dunham Charter School and Dunham School are suspended through April 5. Campus will be closed for students with the hopes of reopening on April 6, after school childcare is also cancelled. This decision was made in collaboration with the Sonoma County Department of Health Services (DHS) and the Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE). The District is implementing these measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) through social distancing. It is important to note that there are currently no known cases of COVID-19 among our students or staff. This decision allows our community to “flatten the curve” and reduce community spread of the virus.
At a meeting with DHS and SCOE I attended this morning, we learned that our return date of April 6 could be a moving target depending upon the spread of COVID-19 in Sonoma County. For school-related updates we will continue to do our best to keep you informed. Facts and circumstances may change quickly.
With the suspension of on site classes, students will remain at home. We encourage all students to read. Also, students should complete any work that was sent home prior to Spring Break during the week of March 23-March 27.
We are currently exploring a variety of options for distance learning. There is also the possibility that we will need to close school completely, please be patient with us as this process unfolds, since there are still many unknowns. During the week of March 23, staff will prepare instructional enrichments for pick-up on Monday, March 30th. Teachers will be available via email to answer questions related to academic experiences and materials beginning Monday, March 30 or possibly sooner. Look for communication from your child’s teacher closer to the end of next week.
The School District, as well as the County, is working on a plan to provide lunches for the students who qualify for the free / reduced National School Lunch Program. The school office will reach out individually to these families.
These are unprecedented times, please stay safe and take care of your family. We look forward to seeing everyone and having our wonderful students back on campus as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Daniel Hoffman
Superintendent / Principal
