Dear PAA Family and Friends,
Information surrounding COVID-19 in Multnomah County has been rapidly changing, and we are in close contact with state, local, and denominational officials.
Based on the guidance from these daily interactions that emphasize social distancing whenever possible, PAA has decided to have students stay home next week and use distance learning (eLearning using their PAA Chromebooks).
Teachers will contact students each day through their PAA email accounts, take attendance, and provide instruction and assignments according to our eLearning policy.
Part of caring for our community is supporting efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 by reducing the number of people coming together. Some schools have the additional responsibility of significant numbers of students who depend on free breakfast and lunch as well as the healthcare provided by the school. We are not in this situation. What we do have are students who come from Portland, Forest Grove, Salem, Vancouver, and beyond Sandy. We impact a very large geographic area. It doesn’t make sense to bring this far reaching group of people together daily, when all attempts are being made to limit the spread of COVID-19 and all extra-curricular and group activities are required to be cancelled. Our goal in having students learn from home is to help to slow the transmission of illness and reduce the risk to our more vulnerable members of the community.
We are blessed to have the equipment and eLearning procedures in place to continue student learning next week. At the end of next week, we will begin our scheduled spring break. During that time, we will continue to closely monitor the information and recommendations for schools in our area. If you have concerns or if eLearning causes challenges for your student, please get in touch with me.
In addition to moving to eLearning next week, the following activities are paused until further notice:
athletics
club activities
performances (including Gospel Choir at Ohana Church tomorrow and feature church participation at Sharon Church this Sabbath)
field trips
Parent-teacher conferences (parents will get separate emails about conducting conferences via phone or email)
Finally, we have received direction that our mission trips are cancelled, please see the letter below from Gale Crosby, V.P. of Education for the Oregon Conference. We are so sorry for the disappointment for those involved. Above all, is our need to keep everyone safe.
We are not afraid. We are hoping to be good citizens, supporting our communities, especially those most vulnerable. We are determined to continue providing excellent education in a different way for a period of time.
Let’s all continue to pray for those already personally impacted by COVID-19, as well as our world as a whole as we all work through new experiences.
Mechelle Peinado
Official Statements Regarding COVID-19 – Oregon Conference of Seventh-day Adventists – Oregon Conference Education Department – Adventist Health Portland – Oregon State Governor, Kate Brown – Multnomah County Health Department