April 9, 2020
Dear Moses Brown Community,
We’re now one week into distance learning at Moses Brown, and I’m happy to report that overall the experience so far has been successful, if also complicated.
In the accompanying video, I share some of the joys of teaching and learning that took place in Week 1, as well as some of the lessons that we learned as a school. I hope you enjoy it. (I know I have enjoyed having an excuse to visit campus---the flowering trees are beautiful right now.)
With distance learning scheduled to extend for at least the month of April, today we are publishing a more detailed plan and rationale for how distance learning will work at MB. The digital booklet
linked here
describes how Quaker values shape our approach to online learning. It discusses an appropriate balance between synchronous and asynchronous learning. And it articulates sensible schedules for each division together with clear guidelines regarding screen time.
Please read this plan carefully and let us know if you have questions. As an institution devoted to learning, we want to continue listening, seeking feedback, and making adjustments to optimize our students’ experience. Feedback can best be shared through our weekly divisional surveys, or through the online
Suggestion Box
on MB’s website.
As we continue to focus on educating and caring for our students, we are also thinking about how to keep the broader school community connected in ways that are meaningful. We know that this situation is affecting families in very personal ways and social distancing makes it harder for us to stay attuned to those who might need support. Please reach out if you or someone you know is in need of care, or if you have ideas for maintaining community connections.
I hope that you and your families are adjusting to this ‘new normal’ of remote work and learning. While it’s a challenging time for us all, I have been buoyed by the many expressions of support and stories of success and resilience that I have heard from our community. Please stay in touch with us, and with each other, in the weeks ahead.
We miss you!
In friendship,
Matt Glendinning
Head of School
