Keep Safety in Mind When Making Decisions About Gatherings

Dear Escuela Families-

Cold and flu season is upon us … and Covid is alive and “well,” spreading around New Mexico, creating uncomfortable spikes in illness. That’s the bad news. The good news is that our school community has remained relatively healthy and completely free from any Covid cases to date. I will attribute that to our collaborative efforts, both on campus and in your homes.

Fall is also the season that heralds in holidays and the strong desire to be among family members near and far. Believe me, I know the feeling! I would not presume to tell you how to answer this longing, but I do want to say a few words on behalf of our school community. I’m sure we are all in agreement when I say we need to do everything we can to keep our children, staff, and their families healthy and safe. As a secondary, very important goal, I hope we are in agreement when I say we’d like our students to be able to attend school at Escuela del Sol in person.

You are well aware that coming to school in-person at Escuela is in many ways unique. Unfortunately, one of our unique features is the level of safety our school is able to provide.  I say, unfortunately, because this is not the case in all school environments; it would be great and good for kids if it was! Our huge classrooms, wide-open spaces, staff commitment to sanitation and best practices for hygiene… and the relatively small size of our school … all contribute to making the “back to school” movement at Escuela safer than in many other schools.

While our school practices and procedures do much to keep everyone healthy, the root of success in this effort is in your homes. You may have read this warning from the CDC. According to USA Today, “… the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning that small, intimate gatherings inside homes …. are an ‘increasing threat’ to the spread of coronavirus.” From a burning desire to see relatives to the pleas of our children to see their friends (in particular adolescents), there are so many reasons to give … just a little, to lower our guard … just a little.  We ask that you do not.

Stay strong! Stay committed to the Escuela Quaranteam! Remember that the decisions you make in your personal life impact our school now more than ever before.

Right There With You,


Friedje vanGils
Executive Director
Head of School