03.11.20: Evening update

From: Julie Smith, Head of School
Subject: Announcement of upcoming extended school closure (March 16–27, 2020)

Dear Stanbridge Parents and Guardians,

The COVID-19 coronavirus situation is rapidly evolving throughout the Bay Area with a number of schools announcing closures today, despite both the San Francisco Unified School District and San Mateo Union High School District recommending that schools remain open. To dispel any concerns, I want to provide our community with clarity on our plans going forward.

First, the safety and welfare of our students, families, and staff are paramount. While there has been no evidence of any Stanbridge Academy community member testing positive for COVID-19 or being exposed to the virus, we are ramping up contingency plans for an extended campus closure and distance learning, given the virus’s rapid spread throughout surrounding communities. The information below outlines our planned schedule for tomorrow, Friday, and next week:

• School will remain open for students and staff tomorrow, March 12, and Friday, March 13. On both days, teachers will be working with students to practice distance learning and illustrating what school from home will look like. On-campus afterschool clubs will continue as scheduled, and we still plan to hold our Senior Day basketball scrimmage on campus at 2:30 on Friday.
  
  
• Monday, March 16 will be an in-service day for staff. Students will not report to campus on Monday as teachers finish preparation for delivering instruction through the distance learning model practiced this week. Instructions will be sent home to parents from your child’s teachers and/or division heads regarding schedules, materials, and processes. Additional materials may be posted for access through the Stanbridge website, Google Drive, and other online resources.
  
  
• Next week, starting on Tuesday, March 17, we will hold our first day of remote learning for all students. School will remain closed to students and we will continue with remote learning for two weeks through Friday, March 27. Students will not report to school during that time.
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• Once we have a sense of how the situation and local response is evolving during the next two weeks, we may update our timeline for reopening campus, or provide details on how long we may have to extend the closure. This situation is dynamic and there are many unknowns, but I want all of our families to be able to plan accordingly for students to be learning from home for the next two weeks and possibly beyond.

As noted, unless directed otherwise, we will be in session tomorrow and Friday in order for teachers and students to work together and plan for distance learning, for students to gather related materials, and for parents/guardians to be able to plan as best they can. I understand the significant burden this can cause families given an unexpected, extended closure, but we feel the closure is in the best interest of our community and the community at large.

Know that we are still closely following the directives and recommendations issued by the San Mateo County Office of Education, San Mateo County Health Department, the California Department of Public Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The decision to move to distance learning is based on a desire to be deliberative, proactive, and predictable—and to plan optimally for the health of all involved. While we do not want to cause undue stress or alarm, we are also aware of the growing number of COVID-19 cases in San Mateo and throughout the Bay Area, with diagnostic testing not yet widely available. Inevitably we expect to be forced to close; having the next two days to prepare our students and faculty will help make this transition a little smoother. 

Please know we will be in constant communication with you as the academic instruction at Stanbridge pivots from the classroom to your home. Our teachers have been diligently preparing for this and have thoughtfully considered the unique needs of every one of our students. I am confident that, despite the distance, our Stanbridge community will remain connected.

To that point, I will be sending out follow-up information tomorrow and Friday, and we will utilize all channels to ensure you remain connected to our teachers, support staff, and administration as needed. Circumstances are continuously changing, and I will immediately alert all families if the above timeline changes. This is truly a unique situation and while there are many variables during this uncertain time, I am inspired by the strength and understanding of our community.  As always, should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

With gratitude,
Julie