Dear Families,
In light of the spread of coronavirus and the recommendations of public health officials, Foote School has decided to delay our return to campus after Spring Vacation, and to institute a temporary plan for distance learning. We wanted to inform you of this decision now, and to share our plans for distance learning, in order to give you time to make preparations that will be necessary to support your children and family.
Medical experts we've consulted with have stressed that the only way to limit the spread of the virus is through social distancing, and Foote School has a part to play. For this reason, we ask that our families abide by this recommendation, including refraining from playdates, sleepovers and group gatherings.
At this time, we are planning to remain closed until at least April 10. We will reassess that timeline and consider any decision to reopen based on the recommendations of public health officials. We understand that this situation will require considerable sacrifice and careful planning for families. We also know that closing school is one of the most effective ways that we can bend the curve and prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Our highest priorities are to safeguard the health and safety of our community and to maintain an academic program that delivers high-quality instruction.
Teachers have been hard at work developing plans for distance learning and will be ready to hit the ground running on March 30. Click below to read more about these plans:
You can also find these plans, along with other important updates and information, at www.footeschool.org/coronavirus. We recognize that distance learning is not a substitute for the in-person learning that takes place in our classrooms, especially the social-emotional benefits of collaboration, and we will do our best to make these daily lessons meaningful, engaging and consistent with Foote's academic standards and approach to experiential learning.
Additional changes:
- Students taking private music lessons through the After School Program will have the option of continuing them online-only. Your child's instrumental teacher will reach out to you for scheduling; billing and payment will remain through The Foote School.
- All public events, parent meetings and gatherings are suspended until school is re-opened.
We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and to re-evaluate our planning as the situation changes, and we will communicate any updates as quickly as possible. While we have all been preparing for this eventuality, I imagine you may have questions now and as we transition to distance learning in two weeks. Please see the list of important school contacts on our COVID-19 page and reach out if you have questions or need support. We ask that parents refrain from contacting individual teachers during spring vacation so they can have time with their families and prepare for this new way of learning. Please feel free to contact me at any time.
In an effort to continue to keep our community healthy and safe, we are asking all of our families to please share with us if anyone in their family has been diagnosed with COVID-19, or has come into close contact with someone who has been diagnosed so we can communicate potential exposure to our faculty, staff, students and families in a responsible manner. Please know that we will not share any personally identifiable information unless you allow, but we do believe it is critical to our collective wellness to ensure our community has accurate information regarding potential contacts.
Finally, I want to express my sincere gratitude to our faculty, who have worked with great speed and professionalism to put together a plan for distance learning that will ensure continuity in our program. Likewise our staff is working diligently to keep all aspects of our school running smoothly through this challenging time, and to keep the best interest of students at the center of every decision we make.
While we don't know what the coming weeks will bring, I know that by supporting one another we can embrace this challenge with flexibility, resilience and a sense of purpose. Foote is a caring community and I'm heartened in knowing that we will pull together with compassion and positivity.
Best,
Carol Maoz
Head of School