I hope the first few days of summer break have been restful and that you are looking forward to the launch of GSFS Summer Learning on Monday!
Last Friday, we shared our intention to open campus for physical learning as soon as we are allowed to do so by government officials. We continue to follow developments closely and believe that, with proper precautions and safety measures, we will be able to provide full-day academic instruction for five days a week when local, state, and federal authorities allow us to open.
The re-opening plans are still very much in progress and based on CDC, Pennsylvania Department of Education, and other public health officials' recommendations
. Realizing these guidelines could change before we gather again on campus, we wanted to share a few guidelines we will have in place for the upcoming academic year.
The below guidelines are for in person instruction, we are simultaneously planning for a scenario that includes remote learning and our faculty is refreshing their virtual education skills through summer programming.
Please note the following health precautions that we anticipate being in place next academic year:
- All faculty, staff, and students will be required to wear face coverings at all times. These face coverings will most likely remain at school and disinfected each day to reduce the possibility of contamination in travel.
- Each classroom will function as an individual cohort. Each class will mainly stay in its classroom and have "Specials" like art and music come to them.
- Students will have recess and the outdoor play that we know is so important for childhood development. Each classroom will have a designated time and space on the campus playgrounds to allow for as much social distancing as possible.
- GSFS will increase the amount of handwashing and disinfecting sites available on campus. Each classroom will have a handwashing schedule and hand sanitizer stations will be available across campus.
- A staff member will take the temperature of each student as they arrive on campus each day. If a student has an elevated temperature, they will move to an expanded health space on campus and be sent home with a caregiver.
- Large group activities will be limited. Lunch and Meeting for Worship will all take place in the classroom next year. Special events will be limited to adhere to Re-Opening Pennsylvania Guidelines. If Pennsylvania is in the "Red Phase", campus will be closed and events will be prohibited. If Pennsylvania is in the "Yellow Phase", campus will be open and events will be limited to 25 people. If Pennsylvania is in the "Green Phase", campus will be open and events will be limited to 250 people or 50% of occupancy. Some events will move to a virtual format for the 2020-2021 academic year. Events will be handled on a case by case basis and the school will make the final decision on holding events - and the procedures put in place - for the safety of our community.
- Unfortunately, visitors are only allowed on campus by appointment. We will have modified drop off and pick up guidelines for families.
- We will have a new health staff member who will be a daily presence on campus and allow us to evaluate and monitor members of our community for illness as well as apply first aid.
- We will also have increased regular cleaning and disinfecting, especially on high touch surfaces.
- We are developing plans for things like early care, ASP, and transportation, and will have more to share about those later in the summer.
We are working on a more extensive Re-Opening Guide that we will distribute to GSFS families later this summer. That document will contain more of the day to day rhythms and routines of the next year. Please reach out to either of us if you have any feedback or ideas to share- we welcome your input and recommendations.
In partnership,
Associate Head of School Director of Finance and Operations
