COVID-19 Information
As We Plan For the Next School Year
Dear Parents and Students,
As summer approaches and we begin planning for fall, I wanted to give you a clearer picture of how we see the opening of York Prep. First, we truly look forward to the return of our students for a full school day. Students will discover an environment transformed to enhance their safety, as well as new expectations for hygiene and interaction. We know they will rise to embrace this experience. We are determined to open school in synchronous mode in the fall. That means a regular program in terms of length of school day, and delivering that program in our facilities on 68th Street (unless prohibited by the State or Local Government). Our successful application, within our distance learning program, of live streaming classes in our normal time schedule, gives us confidence to continue to embrace a full day schedule when we return.
Our first consideration is always the health and safety of students and faculty. We have already begun physical construction in the building to address this. We have consulted experts on hygiene to help rethink key areas. But you will recognize the York Prep we know and love.
Again, I believe, that school will open in a relatively normal mode in September. New safety measures will be in place; we will be taking temperatures at the door, everyone will likely be wearing masks, hand sanitizing stations will be widespread, ventilation in classrooms will be enhanced, and we will have regular deep cleaning.
I appreciate that some parents may feel apprehensive about sending their child back to school. While that is clearly a family by family decision, I can assure you that we will provide the safest and most conducive learning environment possible. We have handled distance learning as well, or better, than any other school. That will be the same in September, no matter what this crisis throws at us. We plan to have all classes and student services run on Zoom so that a student who, for any reason, is at home can attend and engage until they return to school.
There may be some students who feel that they would like extra review in certain subjects before they advance to the next grade. For them, there will be free optional classes in August to give them confidence by reviewing critical material. This will also give students the opportunity to connect with the faculty before the school year formally begins.
We have always been very flexible and devoted to meeting the needs of our students. In these stressful times, we are therefore adding to our emotional support staff. Additionally, in the potential absence of after school competitive athletics and to provide a safe space, we also recognize that parents will need their child to be productively engaged at school after they complete their classes. We are examining and creating programs to meet their academic, health, and wellbeing needs. Thus, we will have spaces and programs for students until 6:00 pm.
Our parent body has been so supportive, and we count on continued communication and support to sustain our successful cooperation with you. I am exceedingly proud of how our teachers adjusted to synchronously live stream their classes as they did. It was a great team effort. We really are one family in this stressful time. I will continue to keep you fully informed at regular intervals as we wrap up the school year and throughout the summer. While some things are out of our control, we are prepared to support the York mission and sustain our excellence into any contingency.
I wish the entire community health and peace in this strange world we are adapting to together. Thank you for trusting us with your child’s education.
Sincerely,
Ronald P. Stewart
Headmaster
