Dear 6th Grade Bridges Parents,
As I am sure you are aware Gabrielle Hovinen has been out sick for several weeks now. We have been hesitant to share more detailed information for several reasons. First, as with any medical situation there is a need to protect the individual’s privacy. Second, we experienced a period of uncertainty regarding exactly what the medical issues actually were, and finally, there has been a lot of uncertainty about when Gabrielle might be able to return.
In conversation with Gabrielle she would like me to share the following information with you. First and foremost, Gabrielle is really missing her students and being here at school. In classic Gabrielle fashion, she is feeling badly for affecting her community. Gabrielle wants her students and their families to know that this has been an extremely challenging medical issue and she would much rather be here at the Open School. After much analysis, a final diagnosis was made. Gabrielle has an aggressive E. coli virus that suppressed her bone marrow and immune system. Gabrielle is in the process of recovery but has experienced a few setbacks in the process. It is her desire to return to school as soon as possible but the final approval about her return will be made by the medical professionals. We are currently preparing for the possibility that she may be out for several more weeks to a month.
We want to thank Chris, Gabrielle’s student teacher and substitute, for the amazing work she has done with Gabrielle’s class. She has done an incredible job helping the students navigate the transition. Due to the fact that Gabrielle’s recovery will take longer than first anticipated, we are going to make a few adjustments to the classroom. Chris will continue to work with the class in order to provide continuity. Additionally, we will be moving Kristie Edwards (our IA Intervention Specialist, former IA advisor and veteran teacher) into Gabrielle’s room where she will be the lead teacher in partnership with Chris. We will employ a substitute, Kelly Leonard (an Open School alumni, former Open School Para-Professional, and licensed teacher), to pick up Kristie’s intervention groups.
It is our sincerest hope that this solution is short term and that Gabrielle returns, happy and healthy, as soon as possible. That being said, we also want Gabrielle to take all the time necessary to recover fully. Our thoughts go out to her and her family and we wish her the best during her recovery.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me directly at 303-982-7045or sbain@jeffco.k12.co.us
Sincerely,
Scott Bain
Principal
Jefferson County Open School
Scott Bain
Principal
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“We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience.” – John Dewey