March 26, 2020
Dear Parent,
How quickly events have evolved over the last three weeks. Each day there are new challenges we are facing with you. With the challenges there are questions and many unknown answers. As Christians, we have hope, wisdom, and strength because of our dependency on God. For that, we rejoice.
As you might anticipate from the opening paragraph, this is not an easy letter to write because I have sad news to convey. Let me share the news (otherwise you will be scanning the email to find it) and, then, explain our predicament.
For two major reasons, BJA will not be able to provide childcare at the CDC for our community families for the indefinite future—until at least May 18. First is concern for the health and safety of your children and families in light of the coronavirus outbreak. Children have no concept of social distancing nor personal hygiene, so a daycare facility becomes an obvious place for cross-contamination between each of our families’ business/home networks. The vulnerability is obvious and the possibility of spreading the virus among those networks significant.
Second, the decision was made for University students to complete their semester courses online from home. With the exit of the University students, the CDC immediately lost 500 of the 600 hours per week provided by University student workers–a tremendous blow from which we have not recovered. While we have workers willing to increase their personal work hours and a few available workers we can add, we do not return to even half the capacity we had before. We have explored every avenue to return to capacity, but still fall dramatically short of the need.
At the same time, we are scrambling to organize enough workers to provide care for the children of BJU employees—one of the benefits they receive—in anticipation of a reopening date for them sometime in the future depending on the spread of the virus and government directives at that time. The health of our employees and their families is a top priority.
The last date for CDC service was March 13. We will adjust your May bill accordingly.
We know how difficult this must be for you and, similarly, it has weighed heavily on our hearts as we have sought for any solution available. Our teachers love your children, and we know they love the teachers. It will be hard for them, hard for you, and hard for our teachers and us. We have grown to love you as part of our family.
Please contact us for answers to any questions you have. Be assured of our love and prayers. Please pray for us as well.
God is good—all the time.
Dan Nelson
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