100 signatures reached
To: School principals in Lake Washington School District
6 feet LWSD lunches by adding outdoor or other means
Greetings!
School is just around the corner - and we, as LWSD parents, are concerned. Concerned about a variant 60 - 200% more contagious than the initial COVID-19 virus. Concerned about the safety of our students, especially unmasked, indoor eating.
Many schools cannot meet district and CDC guideline:
Even though the Washington Department of Health and CDC provided guidance and recommendations, some LWSD schools have difficulty modifying the facility to have 6-feet spacing during lunch. Many do not have an outdoor option. According to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community/schools-childcare/COVID_SchoolMealtimeSpaces_508.pdf, 6 feet is required during lunch for both indoor and outdoor. Given that vaccines remain unavailable to many students and many students have immune issues, schools need to implement the guidelines.
What can be done about it?
We believe that solutions are possible if schools and families work together and use some creativity. For example, to increase spacing, LWSD students can eat lunch outside as an opt-in option. We can utilize spare rooms or a staggered lunch schedule to ensure 6-feet spacing if we add a few more minutes for students to clean up after themselves.
Here are the benefits:
By combining the outdoor lunch option with more indoor room allocation, it will help reduce transmission of COVID-19, such as the Delta variant which is very transmissible. It will provide students with more open-air time to fresh their minds and lower the risk of an outbreak in schools and missed school days so students and teachers can focus on learning.
Why is this important?
For LWSD Families, teachers, staff, and community members:
If you feel this initiative aligns with your preferences, we strongly encourage you to consider signing this petition to demonstrate your support. Additionally, by signing this petition, you help articulate to school leadership the level of interest for the rain or shine outdoor eating option and the importance of 6-feet spacing for indoor lunches.
LWSD Teachers & Staff
We fully support our outstanding LWSD teachers and staff and applaud the dedication and work each has done to provide the best possible learning environment for our students. This option serves to keep teachers and staff safe while elevating the unique LWSD student experience.
LWSD Leadership
Please help us. Indoor, 3 feet or less spaced, unmasked eating is a dangerous proposition. Science tells us this. Our local laws and federal government underscore this (pre-vaccine) by limiting and temporarily closing indoor dining when community spread rates were high. Implementing new and sudden protocols may be inconvenient - and even expensive, but in the final analysis, it is the right thing to do for the health of our students, our schools, and our community.
* There are elementary school principals fully on board and supportive of this effort and for that, we are encouraged.
How it will be delivered
The concerned parents can share the petition with your school principal and discuss options.