The sun is slowly setting on summer, bringing much hope and promise to the fall season. There is a mix of excitement and apprehension in the air, as we are looking forward to safely seeing our adult participants and students in September.
Safety has been at the forefront of our reopening plans, and though we will be presented with similar challenges as the spring, we have created procedures and protocols for our Esperanza community so we can come together for the first time since March.
Adult Day Program
The Coleridge Adult Day Program will begin September 8, and slowly reopen in phases and use a cohort model. Our residential participants will be coming together in our building during phase one and we will slowly bring back our community participants in later phases. We know our program will look and operate differently and some of the changes are outlined below. Please contact Jennifer Brewer at jbrewer@esperanzacommunity.org for our full COVID-19 Prevention Protocols.
- Daily health screenings will be conducted for participants and staff.
- Masks will be worn at all times.
- Routine cleaning of work areas, high touch surfaces, and bathrooms will be conducted approximately every 2 hours during programming.
- Individual supplies to reduce sharing and cross-contamination. Even small donations will help us offset these new costs.
- Each cohort will have its own designated workspace, bathroom, and transportation to and from our program site.
Esperanza School
Esperanza Therapeutic Day School will begin the 2020-21 school year on September 8, as well. However, to keep everyone safe, students will begin the year remotely. Updated remote learning guidelines are in place, and students will have access to both live, virtual lessons, and pre-recorded lessons. One-on-one consultations with families will also be provided to further support with learning at home.
Staff have the option to come into the building to create teaching and learning materials, as well as teach virtual lessons. The same safety guidelines will be in place for school staff as the Adult Program.
At the end of the first quarter, the goal is to transition to a hybrid-learning model, after careful evaluation of national, state, and local health recommendations.
“We’ve been diligently planning for a safe reopening,” says Joy Decker, Executive Director. “And whether in-person or virtual, our staff is looking forward to seeing our adult clients, students, and families. We know we are stronger together, so we hope to work collaboratively with everyone to eventually make a full return.”
