Greetings,

With the arrival of COVID-19 vaccinations to Washington State, a vaccination timeline outlining the schedule phases when categories of people are eligible to receive the vaccination has been developed by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH). At this time, Washington State has moved to Phase 1b which includes:

• Those in Phase 1a not already vaccinated as listed below.
  • High-risk workers in health care settings
  • High-risk first responders
  • Residents and staff of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other community-based, congregate living settings where most individuals over 65 years of age are receiving care, supervision, or assistance
  • Once these categories are completed, all other workers in health care settings
• All people 65 years  or older
• All people 50 years or older in multigenerational households (home where individuals from 2 or more generations reside such as an elder   and a grandchild)

While the vaccination is not mandatory, employees and their families are encouraged to receive the vaccination from their health care provided as soon as they are eligible under the DOH timeline linked above. Additional information related to those eligible for vaccination can be found on the DOH COVID-19 Vaccination website.

Thank you,

Veronica Zura

Executive Director

Human Resources

Dear Colleague, 

With continued elevated rates of COVID-19 in our region, I am announcing two important updates for our community regarding our current pause in attendance on campus and our plans for spring quarter. 

Extending the Temporary Pause in Campus Attendance 

The College will extend the temporary pause in on-campus attendance announced last month through January 31. We ask that employees and students refrain from coming to campus during this period to help reduce the spread of the virus after the winter holidays. Limited instructional programs approved to start earlier may continue to meet on campus as needed, and the curbside pickup/drop-off service will remain in operation for students and employees. 

Remote Spring Quarter 

Based on current health data and the anticipated time for widespread vaccinations to take place, the College will continue remote learning and operations through spring quarter (ending June 18, 2021). We will continue to offer primarily online, asynchronous courses, with limited exceptions for face-to-face learning in pre-approved programs. While we are eager to return to campus in greater numbers, the safest choice for our students, employees, and the community at this time is to limit as much in-person gathering as possible. 

Updates to Public Health Guidance 

Governor Inslee recently updated the Healthy Washington recovery plan to restart the state in Phase 1. We continue to ask everyone in our community to keep up the excellent work of wearing masks, staying 6-feet apart, avoiding crowds, and washing hands frequently. As COVID-19 vaccines begin to become more available in our region, there is a phased plan for vaccinations, starting with those at highest risk. You can learn more about this plan on Public Health Seattle & King County’s website. 

New On-Campus COVID Coordinator 

I am pleased to announce that Ellen Gottas has taken on a new role as our on-campus COVID coordinator. Ellen will be scheduling staff for the student check-in stations, facilitating communication between departments, and working with Greg Jensen to purchase personal protective Equipment (PPE) for the campus. 

In this new year, while we face many challenges, we also have overcome much and can celebrate the resilient community we call Shoreline. I look forward to seeing all that we will accomplish together in support of our students, even as we remain apart. 

In health, 

Cheryl Roberts, Ed.D.
President