I hope this finds you well and caring for yourselves during this difficult time. I write to update you on developments and ongoing planning at St. John’s. Before doing so, I want to, again, express how immensely proud I am to be part of a school community that continues to respond so well to challenges none of us have faced before. In addition to our wonderful students and parents, I want to strongly commend our faculty and staff. By the time it was clear that schools would close, St. John’s already had a system in place. When confronted with this unprecedented situation, the manner in which our faculty and staff responded has given entirely new meaning to the idiom, “answer the bell.”
Earlier today, Governor Ron DeSantis ordered all Florida public and private schools to remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year. While we must follow statewide efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus, we know this makes it no less a disappointing decision for our St. John’s community. We must remember that closing schools until the end of the academic year is in the best interest of our students, faculty and staff, and our families.
St. John’s continues to be an area leader in responding to this evolving crisis. While taking care of ‘today’, our faculty and staff are simultaneously looking to the future, remaining adaptable, and planning how best to serve our students. Our resolve and commitment to providing an outstanding education for your children has never been stronger. Having considered a range of options for the remainder of the school year and sought the input of our faculty, we have decided we will finish this school year via distance learning rather than extend or end it early, as some have wondered. We are fully confident our students will be well served by this plan. Our teachers have developed distance learning plans for the duration, and we believe it is important to deliver on those plans and our commitment to end the year on a strong, positive note. Equally important, we believe that extending the current school year is not only unnecessary from an educational standpoint but would be detrimental to the overall well being of our school community.
We fully expect to reopen school in August (see below). Given the nature of the virus and the risks it poses, parents should expect significantly increased controls, including restricted campus access. Additionally, we have already purchased several hundred N95 masks, two forehead thermometers for each campus, installed hand sanitizer dispensers in every classroom, and deep cleaned all three campuses. We are also introducing social distancing measures, as well as revising our attendance, campus entry, and classroom policies. From the start, we have solicited parent and faculty input, incorporated new ideas, and adapted distance learning practices to best serve each student. This will remain our standard. I am equally proud of the fact we have adjusted our budgets to provide financial assistance to a number of St. John’s families directly impacted by the economic consequences of the pandemic, who very much want to remain part of our school.
We are also taking important steps to ensure no child experiences any learning loss associated with distance learning or the summer. As I have stated before, as strong as we have made distance learning, no school can fully or truly replicate the school environment at home. We, however, are not leaving anything to chance. Our teachers are preparing summer work packets for students that are more robust than ever and designed specifically to address any possible gaps in content and skills.
In addition, St. John’s will open the 2020-2021 school year two weeks earlier, beginning Tuesday, July 28, instead of the previously published Tuesday, August 11. Teachers will use this time to review materials and ensure every student is academically prepared for a successful 2020-2021 school year. Our curriculum is vertically integrated, and current year teachers will liaise and coordinate with colleagues to ensure the smoothest possible 'handoff.' We offer this two-week preparatory period to parents at no additional cost and student participation is optional. You will receive more detailed information and the 2020-2021 calendar of events (subject to change) in the coming weeks, and as the overall situation progresses.
There is much more we will be communicating, including end-of-year arrangements. As things stand, we are still planning on offering Eaglet Camp in June and July. I remain very optimistic about the future and steadfastly believe there has never been a better time to be part of the St. John’s community. You continue to prove this daily. We cannot wait to welcome our students back to school! When we do, we will be ready in every sense. We appreciate your understanding, patience, and support as we strive to create an even safer school environment for all.
I hope you stay well, stay strong, and stay positive. I apologize for the length of this email but wanted to make sure I communicated with you in a timely manner and, hopefully, one that assures you your children remain in very good hands. Thank you for sharing them with us. The best days for our school lie ahead. As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. I know I speak for every one of my colleagues in sharing just how much we miss our students and their families. Go Eagles!
