25-8-2020

Dear students and parents,

Hopefully you enjoyed the summerbreak and while it may have been different than planned, we hope you are rested and ready to start the coming schoolyear.

This new schoolyear we will all have to take into account the special circumstances surrounding the corona virus. With this letter we want to inform you about various matters, so that we can all start the school year in a good way.

Ventilation

The role of ventilation in schools in relation to the possible spread of the coronavirus is regularly in the news. We understand you may be concerned about ventilation. We take care of ventilation and air quality thoroughly. We do it like this.

• As of the new school year, the school will ensure that the ventilation in the classroom is at the highest possible setting.
• The classrooms are well ventilated before and between classes and during breaks by opening the windows and doors against eachother.
• Separate (swing) fans, mobile air-conditioning or so-called recirculating fans will no longer be used. We thus prevent air flows from person to person.
• We will not use areas where we cannot guarantee air quality.
• As a school, we ensure careful control of the ventilation systems. The LVO Foundation is currently in talks with, among others, the installer, GGD and VO council to explore possibilities to keep the air quality optimal and improve it where necessary.

By strictly complying with the guidelines and agreements on ventilation together, we contribute to better air quality.

Guidelines

All students, with the exception of those who are ill or have complaints, attend all lessons at school according to the timetable. It is not necessary for students to keep a distance of 1.5 meters from each other. All adults in the school keep a distance of five feet from each other. We ask the students to keep five feet away from teachers and other school staff. We are aware of the national discussion about the possible spread of the coronavirus from older teens. Until more is clear about this, we adhere to the above current guidelines of the RIVM. We also adhere to the guidelines of the RIVM with regard to wearing mouth masks. Mouth masks are not compulsory at school. Pupils who prefer to wear a face mask are of course allowed to do so. Everyone washes their hands often and thoroughly, of course. We ensure that sufficient hygiene means are available at school and in the classrooms. You stay at home in case of (cold) complaints or illness. If someone in the family is ill, the pupil also stays at home. Do you belong to a risk group as a student? Or are there people in your immediate environment who belong to a risk group? Then contact your mentor. We take care of each other and this also means that we hold each other accountable for compliance with the guidelines at school and the behavior that goes with this. We would therefore ask parents, before the students return to school on the first day, to speak with their children again about the importance of complying with all regulations.

RIVM makes an exception for the practical lessons. There, the distance between pupils and adults must be maintained as much as possible. During these practical lessons, the distance between one and a half meters is not mandatory if this is not possible due to the lesson conditions. We count on everyone's common sense in these situations.

Quarantine

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has drawn up a travel advice using color codes. Anyone who has recently visited a country or area with the color code orange or red is urged to go into home quarantine for a fortnight. For students in home quarantine, this means that they do not go to school and do not enter the playground. However, we can ask these students to work online / digitally on certain subjects. Report home quarantine at school to Birgitte Kroon 06-54254111.

Absenteeism and compulsory education

Since 1 July of this year, all students, with the exception of sick students or students with complaints, have returned to school. Pupils who are absent without permission are reported to the attendance officer. Pupils who, for general health reasons, are in home quarantine are not reported.

In conversation

We can imagine that there are questions from both pupils and parents about the course of events. We are happy to discuss this. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us through the mentor. Our students are often full of good ideas and are cordially invited to contribute ideas at school, so that together we create a pleasant learning environment.

Although the start of this new school year is different, we are very much looking forward to seeing all our students again. We are going to make it a good year together!

Regards,

Birgitte Kroon
Coordinator Novo College
b.kroon@stichtinglvo.nl