April 3, 2020
Dear RWS Community,
I hope this finds you well. As we’re approaching the end of our second week of continuous online learning, we should all be proud of the work, flexibility, understanding, and enthusiasm that the students and faculty have put into this new process. Thank you also for all the work families are doing to support the students. I know this is a challenging situation for everyone.
We want to provide information we believe you will find helpful:
What we, Administration, Faculty and Board of Trustees are doing:
- Academic Year 2020-2021. We fully expect to start our next academic year in late August. Major 2020-2021 Calendar dates were published in this week’s Messenger. The budgeting process for next academic year is being compiled and each teacher provided their budgets for their classrooms, including plans for Field Trips and requests for new learning materials and equipment.
- COVID-19 resources. New regulations for small business (including non profits) will benefit our school and we are pursuing all resources.
- RWS Employees. For this academic year, no employee will be furloughed.
- Family Impacts. If your family has been impacted and you are concerned about your current tuition and/or next year’s tuition, you should contact me or Valerie Hogan. A timely review for each situation will be considered to help as much as we can.
- Sun Fund. You will be hearing more about this Fund being established for donations to help families in our community who are or will be experiencing serious financial impact due to the virus. Some in our community have lost jobs. In response to the global pandemic, RWS is establishing a crisis support fund, funded in part by generous donors, like you. Giving to The Sun Fund will directly support our Waldorf School community. People are suffering, and this gives us an opportunity to come together and help our children in this time of great need. Together, we can keep this one great family united. Help our families, help our school, help our community. More details to be announced soon!
- Feedback. Please take time to complete a brief survey about your experience with Distance Learning, that is in this week’s Messenger. We want your feedback as it will highlight what we are doing well and indicate areas where we can improve.
What you can do:
- Enrollment. Your help is needed for planning! Please enroll as soon as you can for us to have a clear picture of enrollment to do our best planning and budgeting. Our largest expenses are staff salaries and our building. We want to maintain all classes, Specialty classes and Early Childhood for next year. Our budgets are based on enrollment.
- Assistance. We want to have all students return and want you to know if you have financial impacts due to COVID-19, let us know! The Tuition Adjustment deadline has been extended.
- Supporting others. We have community families who are having a difficult time with finances. If you have the means, please consider making a contribution to the Sun Fund (tax deductible).
Thank you all for the great support you have shown to the community and faculty during this time. I’m sure we were all disappointed with Governor Northam’s announcement that we will not be reopening RWS in April or May. We have much to be thankful for and our community is a strong and caring group!
We hope everyone will enjoy the Spring Break and rest and come back ready to complete this unusual and historical event.
Interim Director of Administration
