Celebrating a Healthy School... Madrona School has maintained a COVID-Free campus since the beginning of the pandemic

Dear Madrona School parents,

Last week I had the opportunity to deeply understand and follow our health protocols. I woke up Wednesday morning with a mild sniffly nose and that vague, cotton ball feeling in my head that I get when I have a cold. In a normal year, I would have gone to school without thinking about it. However, this is not a normal year. Out of an abundance of caution, I stayed home and watched my symptoms. I knew that if they disappeared within 24 hours I could return to school, but if they lasted longer, I would have to get a COVID test or quarantine for 14 days. I decided to get a test so that I was ahead of the game if the sniffly nose didn't go away by the next morning. I'm glad I got the test because my ever-so slight cold symptoms didn't go away so I had to wait for negative test results before returning to school. Friday morning I opened my email to discover I was negative for COVID, which was my suspicion all along. It was very inconvenient to stay home, but it was the right thing to do for the community.

Last year, as a result of masking, frequent hand washing, and the care the whole community took to stay home when sick, I didn't have any cold or flu symptoms all year long. It was great to have a little vacation from illness. But, I am also glad to have a mild cold to give my immune system a work-out. And it is working well. I was right as rain by Friday.

Moral of the story: if your child is sick, please keep them home and follow the return to school protocols linked in the COVID-19 tab on our website. It is inconvenient, and it is worth it.

Many of you have already experienced this same dilemma. I appreciate your choice to keep your children home, despite the fact that they may be missing a first milestone of the year. It is that care of our community that adds to the specialness of Madrona School.

Thank you, Jocelyn Waite
Head of School