More Information on Laptop/Meals/Supplies

As we start the 2022 year, we continue to face challenges associated with COVID-19/Omicron. Over the past two weeks, staff and student absence rates have gone up and we have determined that it is best for the Hewins Early Learning Center to switch to remote learning Thursday, January 13. 

As a support for our students & families during remote learning, we will offer the following services.

1. Student Laptop Check-Out
2. Learning Packets & Materials (crayons, pencils, scissors, etc.)
3. Weekly Meal Boxes (starting 1/18/22)

We will distribute laptops, learning packets, & supplies onsite using a “drive-through” process in the bus crescent on Thursday, January 13^th from 9:00-3:00 and Friday from 8:00-4:00.  Weekly Lunch & Breakfast Boxes will be distributed on Tuesday, January 18^th & Monday, January 24^th.

Expect a call from your child’s teacher, IEP case manager, and/or Family Support Specialist tomorrow, 1/13/22, to offer further details about times and schedules.

If you are unable to pick up a laptop, supplies, or meal boxes, please call your child’s Family Support Specialist or Hewins front office at 253-298-4675 to make other arrangements.

Please know that we do not take this decision lightly, but ultimately believe that this is the best decision for students, staff and families at this time. We will continue to monitor staff and student illnesses and plan to resume in-person learning on Monday, January 31.

This decision was made based on a variety of circumstances tied to staffing capacity as well as the overall health and wellbeing of ELC students, staff and families:

• The ELC has a very high percentage of staff and students that are out due to illness, and current isolation or quarantine procedures
• The ELC adheres to health regulations specific to childcare and early learning facilities, offering fewer options for shortened quarantine and isolation periods

On  January 13, your child’s teacher or family’s assigned Family Support Specialist, will call you to discuss the transition to remote learning. While each of the class schedules will be slightly different, families can anticipate approximately one hour of online engagement with their teacher each day.

We realize that these types of changes create additional stress for children and that they will miss coming to school with their peers and teachers. We also believe that this decision is in the best interest of our school community as we work to reduce the spread of the virus and ensure a safe learning environment.

Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to being in touch with you over the next couple of days.