Greetings WCCS Community,

I am writing to you today to share with you Volume TWO of our Re-Opening Guide. Before you jump to that document attached below, I hope you will allow me to make a few comments.

First, I feel the need to reiterate that, while we are doing everything that we can to prepare for face-to-face learning beginning on August 13th, we have already learned the importance of holding loosely to our plans. Even as we have tracked the recommendations from the CDC and SCDHEC, guidance from these and other agencies has shifted from where they were just a few days ago. And, we expect them to shift again - likely before school starts.

Second, given the continued rise in Covid-19 cases in and around York County, some of the specific plans for ensuring the health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff are going to be more restrictive to start the school year than we had hoped. We are ALL going to need to be more intentional at maintaining social distancing, wearing face coverings, and attending to proper hygiene. Adhering to these recommendations is the ONLY way for us to care well for each other.

Third, I chose our Scripture passage for the year back in the beginning of the summer. I usually roll it out to our school community mid-summer, but have had so many other things to share that I have not done so - yet. Given where we are now as we approach the new school year, it is time!

Matthew 22:36-40 says: "36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."

This second volume of our Re-Opening Guide was written in hopes of showing HOW each member of our school community might best love their neighbor. As you read through it, I hope that you will do so from the perspective of one who has been commanded by Jesus to love God AND your neighbor as yourself, knowing that Jesus set the example in loving as He gave of Himself to the point of death on a cross. We are asking the entire WCCS community to sacrifice for the good of your neighbors. While sacrifice is not always pleasant, it is always worth it. I have not seen some of our faculty/staff in almost five months. I so badly want to greet them with a handshake or a hug. But, I am going to forgo that want out of love for them. I don't like wearing masks, but will do so because I love those in our community more than I hate the mask. I am sad that we are needing to kick off the year with further restrictions, but would rather do so if it means that we can be together again, doing school differently but together!

May God grant ALL of us such an overwhelming love for our neighbors that we joyfully lay down our own preferences as a means of loving God with our heart, soul, and mind! And, in doing so, may we bless our world as disciples of Jesus Christ!

Scott Dillon

Head of School