These past three weeks have no doubt been stressful, as our kids navigate the regular stress of back-to-school, compounded by trying to keep COVID-safe throughout the day in schools at full capacity. On top of that, some of our children are returning in person for the first time since March 2020.

COVID-19 cases among PA school-age children are already 10 times higher than they were last year at this time, yet the push appears to be to make school as "normal" as possible this year. But, "normal" is not possible in these times while also keeping children safe.

While we have the mask mandate in place, it is only one piece of the puzzle in trying to keep our children, families, and community safe. Please keep aware of the following:

• Problem: With schools at full capacity, layered mitigation has proven difficult, as anticipated. Some reported problem areas are mask compliance, inability to physical distance, close, unmasked proximity at lunch and recess, and large events and assemblies. Also an issue is the lack of remote instruction available for those quarantining.
• Action Item: What can you do? Speak up. Our school principals and administrators need to hear from you, even if it's not something you normally do. They need to be made aware of potentially unsafe conditions so they can address them. Email them, call them, repeat. Remember, what keeps one child safe helps keep other children safe.
• Problem: Assuming that the fight for mask mandates and layered mitigation is over. There are many lawsuits against the mask mandates at the PA state level, but also the local level. While not unexpected, a group of four parents in our district filed a lawsuit suing the Tredyffrin / Easttown School District over the mask mandate. Read more here: https://patch.com/pennsylvania/te/tredyffrin-easttown-school-district-sued-over-mask-mandate. Several of those parents were also the same anti-mask individuals shouting and disrupting the school board meeting in August.
• Action Item: While not pleasant, stay up to date on local news. Unfortunately, we cannot be complacent in the fact that our leaders will "do the right thing" in the face of such challenges. It takes vigilance, feedback, and support from us.
• Problem: The experts don't always agree, and it isn't clear whom our leaders are following to make decisions. Each Friday, the Chester County Health Department publishes weekly COVID case information here: https://www.chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/60838/Monitoring-and-Protecting-Green. This information is what determines the transmission level for the county. The CDC also provides updated information, https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view|Pennsylvania|42029|Risk|community_transmission_level. The issue is that those figures do not match and often have a wide discrepancy, which is very problematic considering they play into how the school district makes decisions.
• Currently, our neighboring county, Montgomery County, recommends masks to be worn even in outdoor settings. Chester County does not. The school district, obviously, follows Chester County recommendations. However, is the CCHD (Chester County Health Department) issuing guidance that is stringent enough?
• Action item: These are complicated times, and our leaders are being bombarded from all angles with both facts and disinformation and are also facing intense pressure from the contingent of the community for whom COVID is "over." COVID is not over. Stay vigilant. Stay informed. Ask questions. Get to the bottom of things and invite others to as well. Don't assume that those in charge know everything; it's impossible. Be loud.

Stay safe everyone and thank you for whatever you do keep your children and families safe, because it keeps ours safe as well.