Dear MPH Community,
We are living through a historic period when the health of all people around the world requires a concerted and comprehensive response to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The state of New York has been affected more than any other, and in Central New York we’re doing our part by adhering to social-distancing protocols.
A big question for all of us is whether we will be able to return to MPH before the end of this school year. I suspect most everyone would like for that to happen; I know I would. And yet we live with many uncertainties. What is certain, though, is schools in New York will continue distance learning through May 15. And if the New York State “Stay at Home” order is lifted, there remains the question of if, how, and under what conditions we would transition back to campus. In this area, as in many others, my colleagues and I are developing contingency scenarios, all of which prioritize the safety, health, and well-being of our students and employees. [
NOTE
:
Governor Cuomo just announced that all New York schools will remain closed for the remainder of the school year.
]
Our community provides strength and inspiration in many ways. Given the extraordinarily difficult nature of this shared experience, we understand and appreciate the significant challenges confronting many MPH families. In recent weeks, as we transitioned to a distance-learning platform, most of our efforts have been dedicated to supporting our students, their education, and their social-emotional well-being. This commitment will endure.
As referenced in last week’s letter, I’ll now provide an update on our current financial picture, on certain implications related to suspending on-campus programming and transitioning to distance learning, and on the ways we plan to move forward balancing a fiduciary responsibility to MPH with supporting our families during this extraordinary time in history.
For context, the MPH Board of Trustees met on April 21 to discuss and consider, among several governance and policy matters, the COVID-19 pandemic and attendant MPH response. Following robust deliberations, the board voted unanimously in support of the following (excerpted) motion:
“…to begin the process of refunding MPH families a proportional share of 2019-2020 operating budget projected savings, due to the programmatic disruption as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
These refunds are possible because the School will not spend as much as was budgeted for in areas such as utilities, fuel for bus trips, dining services, cleaning, etc. While there are still two months left in the fiscal year and some financial uncertainties remain, we believe enough information is now available to engage in this exercise, which will include several considerations, such as each family’s tuition rates, financial aid awards, and anticipated operating-budget savings. When communicating with each family, we’ll provide substantiation for our calculation and outline options for families to receive their refund.
With the MPH mission providing direction as our north star, the guiding framework for this decision-making process is to ensure we are “responsible, reasonable, and resourceful.” This unprecedented moment in history calls for unconventional responses that align with the culture and values of our School. We are all in this together.
We will be in touch on this matter in the next two weeks. In the meantime, I extend best wishes to you and to your loved ones for good health.
Sincerely,
Dave McCusker
Head of School
