We’re starting to get word today of some independent school/preschool closures – out of caution, NOT because of illnesses. Fauntleroy UCC confirms that its Little Pilgrim School has canceled classes for the rest of the month. From the letter sent to families:

It is with the abundance of care that the leadership of Fauntleroy Church has decided to cancel Little Pilgrim School classes starting this Monday, March 9 through March 31, 2020.

As you’ve realized by now, the issues around the COVID-19 virus have been a dynamic concern for everyone in Washington, and particularly in the King County area. New information about best strategies for prevention and health have come out every day. Each day we’ve asked, “What is the best way to care for those at Fauntleroy Church, Little Pilgrim School, the Y, and our neighbors?”

Our primary concern has been for those who are considered most vulnerable–and at Fauntleroy Church, that especially includes your children. We do not have a confirmed case of COVID-19 on our campus, but we are taking the CDC’s recommendation at its most serious level to limit group interaction.

Also, as has already been communicated, a challenging part of small programs is that they are easily rattled by even small events. It is apparent that at this moment we presently don’t have sufficient staffing to provide the quality program we want for your children. Our remarkable LPS staff’s hearts and attention are being stretched to the limit trying to care for those they love at home and at school. We have had to stretch to find substitutes in the past week and anticipate this as an ongoing challenge.

We know that closing our preschool until the end of March will create consequences for your family. However, part of our job as an organization is to continue to do what we do best, and this is putting our community and the people (especially your child) in our community first, especially in times of crisis.

We know that some preschools and area schools have not yet closed. But we suspect that we are one of many that will begin to make the same decisions in the best interest of limiting the spread of COVID-19 and helping to protect the children and families they serve…

We know that Jenny Romischer and LPS teaching staff will be in contact with you soon with information about how you can talk to your child about this closure and how LPS will continue to support your family from March 9- March 31, 2020, even though there will be no physical classes.

Next steps? Well, we assume the Coronavirus will continue to be an on-going concern. We know we will have to reassess how to best care for and love one another day by day. But that is at the heart of all we do every day. Thank you for your patience as we made this difficult decision and for your love and care of Little Pilgrim School. Let us know if you have any questions. And as we get closer to March 31, we’ll be in touch about how we move forward together in ways that are both healthy and hope-filled.

Sincerely,

The Executive Committee of Fauntleroy Church
Senior Pastor Leah Atkinson-Bilinski and Associate Pastor Karyn Frazier

As previously reported, the church itself moved to online services as of this past Sunday.