Update on COVID-19
Update on Monday, March 16, 2020
Dear Mainspring families,
We have been closely monitoring COVID-19 information at the local, state and federal levels. Out of an abundance of caution for the health of our children, families, staff and the larger community:
Mainspring Schools will be closed beginning Wednesday, March 18.
We will remain closed until the severity of the COVID-19 threat has lessened, and local and federal recommendations for social distancing and closures have changed. Unfortunately, at this time, we do not know how long this closure will last, but will communicate updates regularly.
In a very limited capacity, we will be open tomorrow, Tuesday, March 17, beginning at 8:30 a.m., to give families time to make arrangements. This means:
ONLY families whose financial livelihood is at stake if their child remains home will attend. Everyone else is asked to keep their child home tomorrow.
We will assume children that did not attend school today will also not attend tomorrow. If this is not the case, please let us know immediately. We will be staffing our classrooms based on the assumption that attendance tomorrow will be lower than it is today.
If your child has a health condition that leaves them more vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19, they will not be allowed to enter the school. This is mandatory. These conditions include asthma and heart conditions.
Temperatures will be monitored at arrival. Any child or staff member with a temperature above 100 degrees will be sent home.
Any child showing illness symptoms -- including cough, difficulty breathing, runny nose or a sore throat -- will be sent home.
The safety of you, your child, our staff and the rest of our community will always be our top priority. We do not take this decision lightly, as we understand the tremendous impact that this will have on our community.
While Mainspring is closed, we will continue to be available through email and Brightwheel messaging for support, questions and any resources that we can provide to lessen the burden of this closure. MJ will send a follow-up email with tips and resources. Please continue to keep us updated on the status of your family.
We will be in consistent communication with you as the situation evolves. We fully expect Mainspring to re-open in the near future and provide the same level of care that we have since 1941.
Thank you for your understanding during this unique situation. Stay safe and healthy!
Sincerely,
Jason Gindele
Executive Director
Mainspring Schools
Update on Sunday, March 15, 2020
Dear Mainspring families,
We hope you have enjoyed your weekend, despite the challenges of this present moment. At Mainspring, we have been deliberating how to proceed, balancing the health and safety of everyone in our community with other factors. Social distancing is important, so we are moving forward with that as a top consideration.
Mainspring will operate at a reduced capacity starting Monday, March 16. Here’s what that means:
We are reducing staffing each day at Mainspring to limit overall contact.
If you can care for your child at home, please do so. If you have no care options at home and if missing work jeopardizes your wages or employment, your child can attend.
If your child has health issues that put them at higher risk if they contract COVID-19, please stay home.
If you have had any risk of exposure, stay at home. This is mandatory.
Mainspring doors will open at 8:30 a.m. and close at 5:30 p.m. Breakfast will be served until 9 a.m. Children must arrive by 9:30 a.m.
Only one person per child will be allowed to drop off or pick up. (Please avoid asking adults who are elderly or have health issues to do this.)
Therapists, volunteers, contractors and all other visitors will be prohibited from entering the school.
This reduced capacity will continue indefinitely.
We will continue to exercise extreme caution both inside and outside of Mainspring, consistent with the message that we sent out on Friday.
While much of our community will be dispersed and at home, we want to continue to be helpful. Our staff will be available to answer questions and provide guidance for all situations, so please do not hesitate to call or email MJ, Brendan, Colin, or Jason.
For those in need of meals, AISD is offering daily, pick-up food service for families with children. Learn more at https://www.kut.org/post/austin-isd-offers-curbside-lunches-students-after-schools-are-canceled-due-covid-19.
Thank you for your understanding. Moving to limited service is a difficult decision but we want to do our best to balance the health and needs of everyone in our community.
We will actively communicate any updates, so please keep your contact information up-to-date on Brightwheel and monitor your messages.
Sincerely,
Jason Gindele
Executive Director
Mainspring Schools
Update on Friday, May 13, 2020:
Dear Mainspring families,
Across the world, COVID-19 is top of mind, and that is no different at Mainspring. Our doors are open but we are monitoring the spread of the coronavirus, taking necessary precautions, and collecting information from partners and experts. I want to share where we stand today so that we, as a Mainspring community, are prepared and vigilant:
Safety
The safety of you, your child, and our staff will always be our top priority.
What we are doing:
Instituting regular and thorough handwashing by all children and adults
Encouraging the use of hand sanitizer
Sanitizing kitchenware, water bottles, and classroom toys daily
Isolating children in the office and calling for pickup at the earliest sign of any COVID-19 symptoms
Maintaining janitorial best practices, including sanitizing door handles
Continuing a regular, facility-wide treatment to ensure that all areas of the school are disinfected, antimicrobial coated, and expert certified
What you can do:
Update your contact information in Brightwheel so that we can quickly and easily reach you
Wash your hands diligently, with soap, and use hand sanitizer when you enter and exit Mainspring
Avoid close contact with those who are sick
Stay home if you or your child are experiencing any illness symptoms
Stay home for up to 14 days if you travel by air, train, or cruise ship or have had any risk of COVID-19 exposure. This is absolutely imperative.
If possible, refrain from asking elderly family members or those with respiratory issues to pick up or drop off your child
Notify Mainspring immediately if you, your family, close friends, or colleagues have contracted COVID-19
Potential for Closure
We remain open and intend to continue operating unless there is a presumptive positive case of COVID-19 by a member of our community or closing is necessary for reasonable prevention. We are monitoring updates from local and federal officials and health experts. We will follow recommendations that we receive from these sources.
Financial Stability
I want to assure you that I expect Mainspring to remain in financial good standing throughout the current situation, as we have since 1941. That doesn’t mean it will be easy. We have savings that we can tap into if any of our partners half funding, which is still unclear at this moment. We are actively monitoring the situation and preparing for all scenarios.
We will be proactive about communicating with you regularly throughout this situation. We encourage you to do the same.
Thank you for your vigilance and understanding as we navigate these unique circumstances. Stay safe and healthy!
Sincerely,
Jason Gindele
Executive Director
Mainspring Schools
