A Word from Our Headmaster As We Stay Connected Through the End of the Academic Year and Beyond
Dear Parents,
Well, we have “socially distanced” and Zoomed, and these measures seem to have worked. Although tragically, we have lost so many, the number of cases is dropping, and hospitals are no longer reaching the threatened “breaking point”.
So what now? As you no doubt saw, the Governor closed schools for this academic year. We will not have normal classes at the School for the last month of the term. We will continue as we are doing with distance learning in our synchronous mode. In this, I have been so impressed with how our students adapted to a new, temporary model of education, one which they had every right to find strange and unfair. We are watching them all very closely and are anticipating a successful end to the year, where benchmarks have been met and they can have a little more fun online. Grades are being monitored in every class, and we will not allow any circumstances to disadvantage our students. Rather than hold traditional exams, we will teach right through the exam period. Therefore, the last day of classes for this final quarter is Wednesday, June 3rd.
Of course, our seniors finish even sooner. Their last day of classes is Thursday, May 14th. It is the seniors I feel for most at this moment. The colleges they will attend in the Fall are a source of great pride to us all. The seniors worked exceptionally hard, hand in hand with our college guidance team, and will represent York at prestigious institutions at home and abroad. The vast majority of our seniors, as is usual, were accepted to their first-choice college. They are to be congratulated. But the final weeks of high school, once this high achievement is met, is a special time in a teenager’s life. Sadly, it is one that our seniors can not currently enjoy to the fullest. Our Graduation Day, planned for May 20th, will move online. We remain absolutely committed to serving these fine seniors with the important rites of passage, whenever and however these changing circumstances will let us. When we can, we will celebrate with them in style.
This past week, our deans called all of our parents, just to check in and see how students are managing. If you did not have this opportunity, a message was left, so please do not hesitate to return that call if you wish. Our deans reported to me scores of good conversations, and these, in turn, are a great help to us as we constantly seek to evolve in this unfamiliar and unsettling time.
After the close of this academic year, Summer School will begin on Monday, June 8th. But for most of our students that date probably represents the beginning of summer, and an end to the structure our familiar daily schedule brings to the formless nature of quarantine. We feel this routine has been important to our students, so we have decided to offer a range of free, fun online courses, also beginning on June 8th. Our faculty will offer classes over Zoom that are open to all students: from healthy cooking and yoga to digital storytelling and a history of rock and roll. You will receive a description of all available courses closer to the end of the quarter. Middle and high school students will have separate offerings. These courses will each run for two to three weeks and, knowing the talents of our faculty, I am sure they will be both informative and great fun. For you parents, who have been a member of your child’s educational team for these weeks, we will offer courses and activities too.
I think we now have to look at September and wonder what type of environment students will encounter when they return to school. One of our parents, who is the head of a lab working on the Coronavirus, sees case numbers continuing to drop. And the various therapeutics are promising. Whether it is plasma from the antibodies of survivors, Remdesivir, or some other treatment, there seems to be consensus that there will be a common protocol for treating the disease more effectively in the future, maybe even a vaccine.
So there is general consensus that schools will re-open in September. What is not clear (understatement) is how to do this in a safe way? What we can say for now is that however it can be done safely, learning and community will continue at York Prep.
The fact is that the situation is constantly changing. All we can do is make multiple plans and reasonable predictions. I predict that school will re-open in September and that it will be much more “normal”. As soon as things are clearer, we will share any and all thinking with you. If some of the above seem vague it is because, even with great advice, I only am the head of a school and not a seer. What I am proud of is the learning that is currently taking place by Zoom, and the hard work by students, and their teachers. And I include all of you as members of the faculty. If ever there was a school that feels like one community, it is now. Thank you for sharing with us your support, as so many of you have done. Together, we really have accomplished learning in a very stressful time.
I hope you and yours stay safe.
Sincerely,
Ronald P. Stewart
Headmaster
