May 2, 2020
Dear St. Andrew’s Parents,
Yesterday marked seven weeks since our faculty, staff, and students transitioned to distance learning. I am so proud of our community’s resilience, creativity, and initiative! Whether mapping the oceans to measure kelp forests, recreating Vermeer and Kahlo portraits in their homes, or greeting each other for Chapel services or virtual lunch tables, our Lions have remained connected and supportive of each other as always.
I deeply miss seeing my colleagues and students every day, and can’t wait to welcome you all back to Postoak as soon as conditions permit. Unfortunately, it is not yet safe for our students and employees to resume in-person classes this spring. Therefore, St. Andrew’s will extend distance learning through the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year, which will end on May 29 for students in all divisions.
We will utilize our contingency end-of-year plans for the Class of 2020 as detailed in our
updated Passport to Graduation
, and will be sure to celebrate the accomplishments of the year across each division. In addition to honoring the transitions of our fifth and eighth graders to Middle and Upper School respectively, we plan to gather on campus on July 30 to celebrate those milestones in person, before cheering our seniors’ graduation at the National Cathedral on July 31.
St. Andrew’s will deliver this year’s summer programs virtually as well. The offerings, which include academic and enrichment opportunities for students from Kindergarten through Grade 12, can be found on our
Summer Programs page
.
Like all of you, I am eager for our students to return to campus this fall. We are actively and hopefully planning to begin the 2020-2021 academic year in person on September 8. The school continually reviews current guidance and best practices to ensure that we reopen and operate the campus safely, and we will continue to plan carefully over the summer. We are also refining and expanding our current distance learning plan in case campus use is limited by COVID-19, bad weather, or other reason at any time during the coming school year. Rest assured that in September, St. Andrew’s will be prepared to deliver the exceptional teaching, learning, and community we all value so deeply.
During these times of uncertainty, here are some guarantees I can make now. First, school will resume as scheduled on September 8 – we will not be altering our start date. Second, we remain committed to retaining our full faculty and staff in these challenging times. Finally, whether or not distance learning is required again in the future, we will work tirelessly to keep improving the already exceptional experience your children are currently experiencing. St. Andrew’s has never settled for doing something well enough; it has always been in our DNA to improve.
Early next week, you will receive our annual May communication which details everything you need to do to prepare for next year, and we will keep you informed over the summer, of course. The 2020-2021 academic year is just four months away – and while that might feel and sound like a lifetime in our current climate, it will be here before we know it. And we will be ready.
Faithfully,
