Dear Mountain Laurel Families:
We are having a great opening of school, with new and returning students eagerly stepping out of their bus or parent’s car and, without hesitation, walking up the steps to their classroom. It has been clear since the first day of school that everyone is benefitting from having the children at school. The teachers are in their best element when they engage in the moment with their students and the children are savoring their connectedness with their peers.
There is a tangible feeling of calm and peace in the school and keeping it so hinges on everyone’s commitment and behaviour. Although it appears that we have the virus under control in Ulster County and New York State in general, we are still all very vulnerable. With our local college back in session, we urge everyone to be extra cautious when in town.
For 2020/21, as always, we are dedicated to maintaining the caring, creative, compassionate and loving environment that is Mountain Laurel Waldorf School. As a supportive school community, we prioritize a safe and healthy campus. We want to partner with our families to support each child’s adherence to safety and health measures while they are on campus as well as at home.
Making this Work as a Community
What can we do as a community that will help us stay healthy and connected into our future?
Having patience with each other as we learn a whole new way of being at school. As we have all experienced as we move from the New York State mandated school closure to a slightly more normal life, it is not normal at all. The more patient and caring we can all be for each other as we experience the stress and anxiety of returning to school the more we will be able to come together and make this as nurturing an experience as possible for the students.
Following the Health Department guidance around health and when to stay at home. This means that faculty/staff members who usually work through almost any illness, need to take the time off this year, and parents must keep children home when they are unwell, and we understand how hard this can be at times.
Understanding the critical importance of responding to the daily health screening questions on the SchoolCues app truthfully. We are placing the entire school community at risk, and if we do not do so, it could lead to the school taking substantial action.
Refraining from judgement and curiosity when someone does test positive for COVID-19. At some point in the coming year someone, whether a faculty/staff member, parent, or student, could test positive for COVID-19 and will have potentially exposed some community members. It will be easy to assume that they were doing something risky, but they may have just been going to the grocery store, or to work. We need to be supportive of anyone in the community who is taken ill.
Considering how our personal behavior may open up risk for the community members we are in contact with. The choices we make in our personal life will have more of an impact on those around us than usual, so please make every effort to limit your exposure to COVID-19 in order to protect the school community. We understand each exposure is a cumulative health risk and we ask that you limit contacts to the extent possible within your own class cohort. Mountain Laurel School is not offering after care or after school clubs for that reason. We therefore ask that you refrain from signing up your child in extracurricular activities where they could come in contact with a wider group of people.
Sharing when things are not working well for us. We all need to be able to ask for support when we need it, and your class teachers, the school administration and fellow parents can all work to solve problems, address concerns, and give a physically distanced hug. Together we can get through this coming school year in the best way possible – one that supports and nurtures our children and each other.
In community,
Susan and Patricia
