RHP START DATE HAS MOVED TO SEPTEMBER 8TH

Dear RHP Parents,

I am writing to update you on the new plans for the fall term, following the governor’s recent announcement regarding COVID-19 and the reopening of schools.  We know you are all eager for this difficult period to end, and our children’s lives to return to a more “normal” routine.  

After review with Mrs. Moore, the Pearl principal, and other KARE directors, we have moved back the fall start date to September 8th* for both RHP and Pearl, in order to have a better chance of re-opening in person - and adding three weeks in late May and into June - when it is much more likely that we will be able to provide in-person classes. *(All tuition payment due dates will be extended by one month. If you are on the early payment plan and you are caught up, you can skip your August payment. If your first payment was due July 15, that due date has now been extended to August 15).

We want students to have the opportunity for IN SCHOOL instruction as soon as possible, as we know how much their social and emotional growth depends on interaction with friends and coaches. The current state plan allows schools with elementary grades K-6 to apply for a waiver to re-open early.  This includes 6th grade at RHP, as well as all K-5 at Pearl.  In our school administrators’ county health briefing yesterday, we learned that within the next week LA County will provide a process for us to seek a waiver to open K-6.  The criteria for this waiver include support from the school, parents and staff and positive COVID health data from the neighborhood where the school is located - rather than the entire county.  The waiver request must be approved by both the county and state.

If our waiver request is approved, we plan to open grades K-6 in person on September 8th, or later as soon as approved.   Grades 7-12 will re-open in person as soon as the LA County COVID health data takes us off of the state monitoring list for a minimum of 14 consecutive days.  In addition to the academic courses, we plan to continue to offer outdoor, in-person conditioning and fitness classes - similar to those we have offered this summer.

So, we will open for all grades on September 8th, whether in person or online - then move to in-person at the earliest date allowed.

To help us firm up our schedule, we need information from each family, as to your preferences for your child’s academic program.  Based on our previous survey, we plan to offer three options:

1. In person instruction 100% as soon as available.
2. Hybrid - In person partial day - together with some online classes 
3. 100% at home online classes.

Depending on the responses we receive, we will provide more specifics on times of the Hybrid option. We are very thankful for the continued support of our RHP Community and want to work together on the best possible options for all children.

The school office is currently closed for vacation  - but will reopen Monday, August 3rd.  We welcome your feedback and again appreciate all of the support you have shown to our teachers and staff.   We will be successful together - GO KARES!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Leslie Orsburn
Principal

July 23, 2020