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Dear WCCS Community,
I hope this note finds you well - physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I pray that we all are able to rest and refresh in preparation for next school year.
I am writing today to share with you VOLUME ONE of our
Re-Opening Guide. This document will give you much of the information needed as we plan for school to open next month. We have also launched the
WCCS Re-Opening Portal on our website, which will house the Re-Opening Guide, as well as all pertinent back-to-school information.
It should be noted that VOLUME TWO of the Re-Opening Guide will be coming out towards the end of July with even more specific school-level details. This first document is the culmination of months of work by the Administration and Re-Opening Task Force teams. We believe that this lays out a plan that, according to the survey results of our parents and faculty/staff, will allow for us to honor a wide range of hopes and comfort levels as we kick off the school year while keeping our students, faculty, and staff healthy and safe according to appropriate CDC (Center for Disease Control) guidelines and recommendations.
Before we jump to the Re-Opening Guide, allow me to share a few of our most recent Parent Survey results:
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71% of our parents plan to have their children return to WCCS for face-to-face learning on a regular schedule with 19% still unsure and 10% not yet comfortable.
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19% of our parents are more comfortable now than noted in the May survey, 48% said that their comfort level is the same, 18% are less comfortable, and 15% did not fill out the last survey.
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When asked if they would commit to keeping their own children home from school if they showed any signs of illness, 99% of the parents said they were "fully willing" with 1% noting they were "somewhat willing." None said they were unwilling. From the comments noted in the survey, this was one of the primary factors listed for parents who were either unsure or not yet comfortable in sending their children to campus. (The other most mentioned comments were about hygiene and sanitation.)
I should also note that the Faculty/Staff Survey results were also very helpful. 67% noted a readiness to return to campus, 28% are still unsure, and 5% not yet comfortable. Their percentages since the May survey are almost identical to the parents. And, their comments were almost identical sharing concerns about folks (students AND teachers) who might come to school with symptoms as well as the need for vigilance in hygiene and cleaning.
Over the next two weeks, the Administration and Task Force teams will continue to spell out the specific plans to address the questions and comments mentioned in the surveys. As noted above, this will take school-level communications to clearly address age-appropriate questions. For example, the times when social distancing is more challenging is different with the younger students (recess) than older students (class changes). Also, the ways in which we come alongside families who are not-yet-comfortable with face-to-face learning must be done differently in elementary school than high school. And the list goes on.
There is still work to do, particularly in light of changes in predictions about where the spread of the virus would be by the end of summer. There continues to be differing opinions and the need for us to come together as a community and care well for each other is greater now than it was even just a few weeks ago. Would you PLEASE commit to praying for us as we seek God's will for the upcoming school year at WCCS??? Thank you ahead of time!
That We May All Be One,
Scott Dillon
Head of School
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