Update from the Head of School - Distance Learning Information
March 24, 2020

Dear Green Hedges Families,

As I shared yesterday, the Governor of Virginia announced that all public and private K-12 schools in Virginia will close in response to the continued spread of COVID-19 for the remainder of the school year. As a result, Green Hedges School campus is closed but learning will continue.
 
Green Hedges is prepared to begin distance learning starting on Monday, March 30, 2020 . This morning I was on a Zoom call with many of our teachers. They are excited about the opportunity to continue to teach your children from a distance. The teachers spoke about growth, opportunity, excitement, and creating an enriched learning opportunity in this new virtual setting.
 
The document below is intended to be a guide for learning for the remainder of the school year and we fully realize that it is no substitute for the extraordinary presence of students and teachers on campus . I know the first few days will be an adjustment to new routines, schedules, and ways of distance learning will be challenging, but please rest assured that we will do this together--slowly, purposefully, and calmly. The Distance Learning Information document below provides you with more guidance, and I encourage you to read it carefully. It also outlines roles and responsibilities across our grade levels for you, for students, and for teachers. This is a living document, one that we will no doubt be rethinking and adjusting as we move ahead.
 
As a reminder, parents and students should take some time to be sure student iPads are connected to their home WIFI network. You may want to try a Zoom conference to be sure that connectivity is working. We have created a meeting that runs 24 hours a day for the next week to test. Carl Hutzler, IT Administrator, is the host but will not be in the meeting. Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/287036837 .
In addition, we have created a Frequently Asked Questions page for you to review that will hopefully answer some of your questions. You are always welcome to reach out with questions or suggestions.
Distance Learning Plan for Week 1
Monday, March 30, 2020: Orientation Day
What will the first few days look like, you may ask? In discussion with Mrs. Pence, we both feel the first day, Monday, March 30, will be an “Orientation” day. It will be a day to find a working space for your child(ren), set up that space with supplies he or she may need, log-in to the iPad, and have a scheduled Zoom call with your homeroom teacher or advisor. You will hear from your homeroom teacher or advisor later this week with further instructions for this Orientation day and your scheduled time to Zoom.

Each grade will have a dedicated Zoom time minimizing scheduling conflicts for parents with multiple children.
 
Tuesday, March 31, 2020: Practice Tuesday Schedule
Tuesday will be a test run of what a “normal” distance learning day will look like. We’ll send the schedule to you later this week. Again, there will be some hiccups and many lingering questions, but we will try it together and see what works, what needs to be tweaked, and be on hand to answer those questions.
 
Wednesday, April 1, 2020: Game Time!
By Wednesday, we hope that you, your child(ren), and our teachers will begin to fee l a little bit more at ease with the flow of a school day from home. Our distance learning will be in full swing starting Wednesday.
 
I am hopeful and excited for this journey that Green Hedges is about to embark upon. I have trust in our teachers that the exceptional level of teaching that happens everyday at Green Hedges will continue. As we settle in, please know that both Mrs. Pence and I will reach out for virtual coffees with parents in each grade level to check-in and see how things are going. You are always welcome to reach out to either of us if you have any questions, comments, or feedback.
 
Later this week, we’ll provide you with more details about the weekly schedule and how to access Zoom to meet with your teachers and classmates.
 
I am grateful to the Board of Trustees for their collaborative leadership and support, the Green Hedges Administrative Team for their extraordinary effort, the faculty and staff for their dedication and professionalism, our students for their resilience and ability to adapt to change, and our parents for their trust and engagement. We find ourselves in unprecedented times. But we nevertheless have an opportunity to support one another and our students during a time of uncertainty, and to draw deeply upon the value of community. This effort will require us to demonstrate patience, trust, and, above all, it will require us to act with kindness toward one another. 

Sincerely,
Jennifer Bohnen
Head of School
We inspire young people of talent and promise to develop clear values, a desire for wisdom, and an appreciation for all endeavors which broaden the mind and enlighten the spirit.