December 8, 2020
Dear Parent/Caregiver

With recent increased cases of COVID-19 in the interior and in our community, I would like to take this opportunity to review a few processes that will unfold, as well as some reminders, if a case occurs in our school.

Should District Office receive confirmation from Interior Health of a positive case in our school, we will work closely with our medical health officer to get information out as soon as possible. The process involves first issuing a letter to all staff and families to indicate that there has been a confirmed COVID-19 case. To protect personal privacy rights, no additional details will be provided. We will cooperate with Interior Health to provide them with all necessary information to conduct contact tracing to determine whom, if anyone, should self-isolate.
Only Interior Health can determine close contacts and this process takes time. We ask for your trust and confidence that we will work through this process as quickly as is possible. We also ask for your patience, compassion, and understanding to support all students, families and colleagues as next steps are being determined.
While our processes and procedures are set up to respect the privacy of individuals with COVID-19, people have a right to share their own information and this may well occur and spread faster than Interior Health is able to communicate a confirmed case. If you hear of any potential cases on social media or other platforms, please know that we are working to get confirmation from Interior Health before making any announcements.

Now is the time that we all must remain vigilant about the protocols that are in place to reduce risk of transmission including staying home when COVID symptoms present. We have shown our schools are safe when we all follow the protocols.

We are confident that we are prepared as best we can, and we will work together to address any positive cases with efficiency, transparency, and kindness. We will respect any decisions that parents make regarding sending their child(ren) to school. Please note that teachers will not be providing on-line learning as face-to-face learning continues. They will post assignments and/or notes on their Teams sites. If your child is staying at home, please contact the office. It is the responsibility of the student to contact their teachers regarding their learning. The safety and well-being of staff, students, and families remains our highest priority.
Take care and stay safe.

T. Harrington
Principal
Southern Okanagan Secondary School (SOSS)