Friends,

Everyone is probably looking forward to our upcoming holiday breaks, perhaps like never before. My administration and I want everyone in our community--students, families, and employees alike--to enjoy these breaks, and to be able to return to school safely. We are therefore planning to transition temporarily to iSelectLearning for the two weeks immediately following our winter break, from Monday, January 4, through Friday, January 15. School will resume with in-person instruction on Tuesday, January 19, after Martin Luther King Day.

We hope this decision offers everyone the chance to take advantage of a much needed winter break. Please remember that we need to consider the health and safety of our community during that time, which means that the two weeks of iSelectLearning following winter break is a time to quarantine, in order to ensure that in-person instruction can continue starting Tuesday, January 19. During those two weeks of iSelectLearning, you should also continue to complete your daily health screening via Ruvna. This will help us keep track of the overall health of our community, and follow up with individuals experiencing concerning symptoms or exposures.

The schedule for Thanksgiving break will not be modified. Friends Select will be closed from Wednesday, November 25, through Friday, November 27, and Monday, November 30, will be an in-service day for employees. Classes will resume on Tuesday, December 1. Again, we encourage you to be mindful of the health and safety of our community during that time. If you must travel during Thanksgiving or winter break, and will be visiting a state with high amounts of COVID-19 cases, you must quarantine for 14 days when you return. Please take a moment to fill out our survey regarding your Thanksgiving travel plans, so that we can help determine whether your student may need to quarantine. Our plan is to continue to maximize in-person instruction, because we feel our current educational model is serving Friends Select well.   

We are all keeping a close eye on the rising number of COVID-19 cases in our area. As a general reminder, let's be extra vigilant about following our health and safety protocols with regards to washing hands, wearing face coverings, and practicing physical distancing to the extent possible, especially during social gatherings like Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the winter holidays. Please also consider limiting interactions and social gatherings as per Philadelphia's health commissioner, Dr. Thomas Farley, from a recent press conference. Many families have already told us they have made the difficult decision to wait until the winter holidays to see family and forgo their usual Thanksgiving celebrations. We will be sure to send follow-up communications if we need to adjust our schedule further due to changing circumstances in the Philadelphia area regarding COVID-19. Thank you for helping us maintain the health and safety of our entire community.

In partnership,



Michael Gary
Head of School