Dear GMS Community,
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I am writing to update you about the GMS reopening plan. As we communicated in August, instruction at GMS will be all remote through October 9, 2020. Intersession, held from October 12-15, will also be all remote. Friday, October 16 is a teacher work day and there will be no instruction for students. 

We will keep you updated as we hone in on a date for opening with our Cohort Day Model and plan to send weekly updates on Thursdays as our next steps take shape.

Reopening Criteria
As the Governor announced recently, Santa Clara County progressed from the purple tier (COVID-19 widespread) to the red tier (COVID-19 substantial) on September 8, 2020. According to the state, schools may reopen for in-person instruction when the county has been in the red tier for two weeks. On Tuesday September 22, the county reached this milestone, thus allowing Santa Clara County schools to begin to open on September 23. 

Our own decision framework includes the following criteria and time frames all of which we are well on our way to meeting:

  • Santa Clara County in the red tier for two weeks
  • San Mateo County also in the red tier, since many of our students and staff live in San Mateo County
  • Air quality generally below an AQI of 100 since our plan relies on outdoor learning spaces
  • Enough lead time to put final touches on building readiness, implement new policies, communicate detailed policies with families, and comply with latest county directives, a number of which were published earlier this week 
  • Enough lead time for faculty to adjust their curriculum plans
  • At least two weeks’ notice for families 

Cohort Day Model
Our first step in re-opening will be using the Cohort Day Model, which will allow us to practice and build confidence in new ways of being together in person. The Cohort Day Model invites students on campus one morning per week by grade level. Students will stay in their stable cohort of 8 to 9 students with only one teacher. With roughly one third of students on campus, teachers staying with a single cohort group, and students spending much of the time in the outdoor spaces, this is the most conservative in-person option. It may sound like a small step, but it feels like an important one for students to be together in person, particularly our new sixth graders.
 
I am grateful for your patience and the strong partnership we have with the GMS community. We are dedicated to addressing the challenges of balancing this step toward being together in person, delivering the best possible education to our students, and keeping everyone’s safety at the forefront.

Fondly, 

Jennifer