Dear St. John’s Parents:

Rather than send you updates that have to be changed a few days later, I have delayed writing about our August opening plans. There are, however, a few plans I must let you know about.

Our teachers will report for professional work days on August 4, 5, and 6. We will invite you to attend an Open House in the afternoon of Friday, August 6th to meet your children’s teachers and get a brief orientation for the school year. Expect more specific plans for that event within the next week. If we can have an in-person Open House, that will be our preference.

I am anticipating another briefing by the DPHSS for school administrators. Currently, we only have the most recent guidelines from the CDC.

It appears that we will be able to reduce the distance between desks to three feet, thereby returning the classroom furniture and appliances that we had to store. However, we will continue to restrict access to campus to students and employees only. Pre-K and Kindergarten parents may continue to park at the swimming pool and walk their children to the Lower School’s back entrance.
Those of us who are vaccinated have the awesome responsibility to protect our younger students. Therefore, we will continue the mandate of masks on our campus. We will await advice from DPHSS regarding outdoor mask requirements.

In concert with your responses to our poll, we will continue to stagger our morning arrival and afternoon pickup schedules. Lower School classes will continue to begin at 8:00 and be released at 3:00. In a small change, both Middle and Upper Schools will begin classes at 8:30. They will be dismissed at 3:25 in the afternoon. You may review all school class schedules on our website.

As we did last school year, we will help you and your children ease back into full-day, full-week classes. On Monday, August 9, Lower School students will attend classes from 8:00 to 11:30. Middle School students will attend that afternoon (Monday, August 9) from 12:00 to 3:30. Upper School students (only) will attend classes on Tuesday, August 10, from 8:30 to 12:30. Then EVERYONE will begin full-day classes on Wednesday, August 11th

I am so very grateful to the St. John’s family for the wonderful spirit of cooperation that brought us safely through last year’s challenges. This year, we plan to bring everyone back together for the kind of face-to-face instruction that best meets our school’s mission.

As always, please let us know of your concerns and questions.

Sincerely,
Pat Bennett
Tel: (671) 646-8080 | Fax: 649-6791