‘You feel like you failed’: COVID-19 outbreaks traced to Bend child care facility

(Update: adding video, comments from director and teacher)

Challenges that come with trying to protect children from virus

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- "Part of your family is missing when there's an empty classroom for 10 days."

Ten days, at least, is how long children, teachers and families have to quarantine after a classroom is exposed to COVID-19.

The Growing Tree Children's Center in Bend is experiencing its third outbreak.

Tammy Rundle, executive director of the day care facility, reflected Friday on the challenges that come with COVID outbreaks.

"It's disappointing and it's hard, because you think you're doing everything you need to do following all the protocols, and yet it comes in and takes down a whole class," she said

Deschutes County has reported 12,284 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, with 2,233 active cases and 88 deaths.

One teacher, several children and their families made up a total of 11 COVID-19 cases at Growing Tree.

Rundle says sickness aside, outbreaks are hard, because the center is a child care facility -- something so many Central Oregon parents are scrambling to find slots in.

"It does feel like we're imposing on our parents," Rundle said. "We're here so parents can go to work -- and when these things happen, they can't go to work."

Even though Growing Tree has followed all the same protocols throughout the past year and a half, children still got sick.

"You're just devastated. I mean, you feel like you failed." Rundle said.

"Because we do everything that we need to do, so you feel like you are protecting all of these little people that we're taking care of." Rundle told NewsChannel 21 on Friday.

"So you're just devastated."

Emily Krohn, a teacher at the facility, says keeping yourself safe is one thing, but being in charge of 20 little ones can be emotionally draining.

"I think we're all kind of at an exhaustion point," Krohn said. "I think the uncertainty of going up and down and being able to relate to the kids through that and then also -- you know,  maintain our own safety and mental health."

"It's a lot."

But when a class is quarantining, the other students will practice something they call "the wishing well."

They sit in a circle and sing a song, wishing those who are sick to get better soon.