Dear Berkwood Hedge School Community,
I want to thank you for the overwhelming trust and support you have shown throughout this complex and emotional journey as we navigate the evolving COVID-19 situation in the Bay Area.
While as of yesterday, March 11, there have been no confirmed cases of community acquired COVID-19 in Alameda County and no cases at Berkwood Hedge School, we recognize that this will change at any time. Recently released modelling of outbreaks in Italy and China suggest that earlier social distancing would have helped prevent the spread of the virus. County health officials have confirmed that the persistent lack of test kits has created a scenario in which it is virtually impossible for a child to qualify for a test in the near future.
It is against this backdrop that we have made the difficult decision to temporarily move instruction to At-Home Learning beginning Monday, March 16 with a planned return date of April 6, after Spring Break.
It is our intention to continue to provide instruction through At-Home Learning--a combination of hand-on activities, carefully chosen by each teacher and scaffolded by virtual check-ins, and enriched by recorded read-alongs, songs, guided movement exercises, and stories featuring the Berkwood Hedge School faculty. Details of our At-Home Learning program will be shared tomorrow.
While we know that At-Home Learning can never replace the face-to-face Berkwood Hedge School experience and we are concerned about the health and wellbeing of our community, we view this as an opportunity to stretch ourselves as educators. We are confident that our children will appreciate the learning opportunities that their teachers have carefully crafted with them in mind.
Thank you again for the commitment you have demonstrated throughout this process. The support you have shown for each other and for the school makes it clear to me that our community is strong and will continue to thrive.
In Partnership,
Love
