Dear WES Families,
I hope the final week of school before break went well, and you have been enjoying our holiday concert series, The 12 Nights of Christmas.
I have been doing a great deal of reflecting recently. I am so incredibly thankful for the partnership between our families and the school this year. Our entire community has done extraordinary work to help our Dragons maintain a sense of normalcy, continue to advance in their studies, and keep our community safe.
Thanks to this partnership, we have not yet had a single case of community transmission of COVID-19 on our campus. The holiday season has brought its challenges, though, with six faculty members currently under quarantine and several of our students as well. We have also had one faculty member and some household members of students test positive during this time. My thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery are with those who fell ill, and I hope that the remaining members of our community will continue to remain safe during the next several weeks.
As the holiday season draws to a close during the next few weeks, and holiday travel and extended family gatherings decline, we feel confident in our ability to resume on-campus learning in January. As we re-open our campus to all of our students, we will continue to watch for evidence of community transmission at WES and other independent schools in Montgomery County and Washington, DC. In addition, we will continue to monitor COVID trends in our surrounding area.
We are also taking additional measures to enable us to proceed safely.
- We are increasing on-campus COVID-19 testing to a weekly basis.
- We are adding HEPA air purifiers in each classroom as winter weather means our children will not always be able to eat outdoors as they have been.
Our Plans to Return to Campus
All students will learn virtually the week of January 4. After that, we will utilize the following schedule of return:
Early Childhood
Nursery-Grade 1 will be offered full-day, on-site learning beginning January 11. Nursery and Pre-K will have the option of on-site learning 5 days a week with a noon dismissal on Wednesdays. Kindergarten and Grade 1 will operate on our 4+ 1 model, with virtual learning on Wednesdays.
Elementary School
Grades 2-5 will begin on-site learning on January 19, as previously communicated, under the 4+1 hybrid model.
Middle School
Grades 6-8 will resume on-site instruction on January 19, also as previously scheduled, and will continue to operate under our AAWBB hybrid model.
Reporting Travel and High-Risk Events
As we prepare to bring more of our Dragons back to campus, it is critical that families continue to report travel and high-risk event attendance via this form. Please note that holiday travel may cause your student to delay their return to on-campus learning. You can review WES’s policy on travel and quarantining HERE.
Choosing On-Site or At-Home Learning
While many of our families continue to prefer on-site learning, we recognize that some families are not able to participate in on-campus activities. In early January, we will ask you to take a survey to let us know your preference; this will be a commitment to on-site or at-home learning through February 26.
COVID-19 Testing
WES will offer weekly testing during the months of January and February. Testing is mandatory for all students and faculty members who plan to come to campus for any learning or activities; it is optional for the remaining members of our community.
- Friday, January 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Saturday, January 16, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Friday, January 22, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Friday, January 29, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Friday, February 5, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Friday, February 12, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Friday, February 19, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Friday, February 26, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
I hope your family enjoys a restful and joyous winter break. We are looking forward to the New Year and seeing more of our Dragons back on campus.
Sincerely,
