A Note From the Head of School: Information Regarding Radcliffe Creek School and Plans Regarding COVID-19.
Dear Radcliffe Creek School Community,
Our mission is centered around helping students optimize their potential in a dynamic learning environment. We strive to create dynamic learning environments each and every day. With an option of distance learning or in-person learning, we feel really lucky to serve our children in a customized way that works for their family amidst a pandemic.
Please know that our goal is to continue to offer in-person instruction and child care for as long as possible. Compared with many other schools, we have more of a capacity to be together due to the size of our classes and cohorts, our stringent community guidelines and the physical plant of our building.
Over the last few weeks, the positivity rate and daily increase rate per 100,000 for COVID-19 has risen all over Maryland. Radcliffe Creek School serves children who come from as far as Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Talbot, Queen Anne's and Caroline Counties as well as children from Delaware. If those rates continue to surge, we are looking to be as prepared as possible, should we need to shift from our physical campus to a distance learning model. We are also trying to problem solve ways to mitigate the impact of spreading the virus with minimal impact or transitions for our children.
Little Creek students mostly come live in Kent County or Queen Anne's County. The Kent County positivity rate and daily increase rate are the lowest in the State. We understand that not only do we offer excellent education, but we offer the important service of child care. Based on feedback from parents, staff, and our knowledge of child development, we know that it is not appropriate to offer the same online learning model to our smaller students. Following the guidelines set forth by MSDE, the Health Department and the CDC, we will remain open as long as safely possible.
This week I sent out a survey to Radcliffe Creek School families trying gauge people's feelings about continuing to have their child work in our building if COVID cases reach high levels. Over a third of our families said they would prefer their child work at home whereas the remaining families said they would prefer their children receiving small group support at RCS while they participated in Distance Learning. Over 70% of parents said they were open to beginning Thanksgiving Break on Monday 11/23 and over 80% of our parents said they were for extending Christmas Break. The purpose of the holiday break extensions is NOT for additional travel, but rather to prevent the spread of the virus by remaining at home.
Based on the data collected from our RCS parents, information updates from the CDC and supporting websites regarding the demographics of our students, and in discussion with the local Health Department, the following will occur:
For Little Creek School:
- Little Creek will continue to operate as planned with a full day on Monday and a 3:00 pm dismissal on Tuesday for Thanksgiving Break.
For Radcliffe Creek School:
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RCS students will begin their Thanksgiving Break on Monday.
- The addition of one and a half days to Thanksgiving Break will not affect the length of school year. Instead we will trade back a professional development day for an instructional day and make the half day into a full day before a vacation.
- Students will be sent home with their workboxes tomorrow as a precautionary measure just in case school cannot be in session on November 30th.
- As a precautionary measure, we will look to finalize your child's schedule and supplemental tools such as distance learning guidelines etc. in the next 2 weeks. (Our goal is to prepare for the worst, while hoping for the best!).
I ask for your continued cooperation and help. In order for us to continue to be with your child in person, it is CRITICAL that our families and staff follow our agreed upon guidelines. We need you to continue to communicate with us if anyone in your family is exposed to COVID-19. Please communicate directly with the Director of Little Creek or the Head of School regarding travel to other states or international travel. In accordance with Governor Hogan's mandate from last week, if your child should travel to a state listed with a positivity rate of 10% or higher, your child and any other household members who work or attend Radcliffe Creek School, will not be able to return until they are tested for COVID-19 and receive a negative result or they have self quarantined for 14 days. Here is the map where we are tracking this information: CDC Website.
We have done extremely well as a community of almost 100 children with no cases of COVID within the walls of our school due to everyone's commitment to safety and health.
I know this season of Thanksgiving will be quite different from the way we typically celebrate. I want you to know how thankful we are to be with your beautiful children. Through all of the frustration, confusion, anxiety and sadness brought on by the pandemic, there is an incredible momentum of learning, belly laughs and giggles, skipping, song, growth, and care here at Radcliffe each and every day. Thank you for sharing your children with us.
With every good wish,
Meg Bamford
Head of School
