Stanbridge Academy
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Alerts & Updates

Stanbridge Academy's campus remains closed until further notice due to COVID-19 health and safety precautions.
We will be sharing information throughout the summer about our plans to
safely reopen our campus for the 2020–2021 school year.

03.20.20: Evening update

3/20/2020

 
From: Julie Smith, Head of School
Subject: Surveys sent for feedback; assessing week one; unplugging this weekend


Dear Stanbridge Parents and Guardians,


Exhale. It is Friday evening and we made it through the first week of distance learning. As you will soon read, the main takeaway from tonight's update is to unplug this weekend, get away from computer screens (and screens of all types), and spend some quality time with your family—we've included some links and resources below to help inspire you. Before you unplug, however, I again just want to acknowledge our Stanbridge Family. Everyone in our community has been asked to adjust to a radically-different lifestyle with very little time to adjust and settle-in. Last week, we were in school on campus; many of us were working in offices, going out and about with our daily business as usual; our teachers were planning group labs and field trips. Over the weekend, everything changed—our living rooms are now shared-space virtual classrooms and makeshift offices. Our students quickly learned to Zoom-in to an online class. Our teachers quickly adapted lesson plans to deliver remotely. Our administrators quickly figured out the logistics of how to run a K–12 school for LD students remotely, in separate spaces geographically apart from one another. All this, while balancing daily life under the mandate of shelter-in-place to curtail the spread of a global pandemic. Somehow we all got through the week. So again—exhale.

Granted, this week had its fair share of challenges, big and small—it's fair to say that we all expected it would. Our goal is to take the lessons learned from this week and build on the positives, while acknowledging and addressing the aspects that need to be improved, revised, or reconsidered. It is becoming increasingly evident that our mandatory campus closure will extend beyond just a few weeks, which means that our distance learning model is what school will look like for a while. And this is where I need you to stay plugged-in just a little bit over the weekend.

Earlier today, our Middle School and High School students received Google Form surveys asking for their feedback on how this first week went. Tonight, I will be sending a survey to you—all parents and guardians—asking for your feedback. Please check your email inbox for the link, and alert Linda Bargas if you did not receive the email or have difficulty accessing the online form. I urge you to take the time to complete the survey over the weekend, providing as much feedback as you feel necessary. We truly appreciate you highlighting the positives (and there were many—see the post below), but I also ask that you please be (constructively) critical, if necessary, and honest in telling us what is working and what is not. The sooner we know what to fix, the sooner we can course-correct and make this virtual version of Stanbridge work for everyone.

I cannot emphasize enough that we, as a staff, empathize with what you are going through. Many of our teachers themselves are in similar situations—running a classroom from home for Stanbridge students, as well as dealing with their own kids who are likewise home from school. That alone is stressful in and of itself...and then you turn on the news. So there was an almost indescribable sense of joy, satisfaction, and relief when—just a short time ago—our entire staff gathered on a Zoom conference call. Seeing everyone's faces, hearing their highlights of what went well this week, finding that—while challenges exist—there is a genuine sense that we are all still connected to our students, to each other, and to the Stanbridge community. That is helping us to get through some of the more distressing moments that these days present, and I hope you see it as a source of comfort too. Members of the Stanbridge community have helped one another through difficult times in the past, and we are here—together—as a community now. 

And we will be back together, virtually, on Monday. But until then, please take some time to connect with your family this weekend. Not in front of a computer or on a smartphone; share some true family time together. Some ideas can be found here, but even something as simple as cooking a dinner together, breaking out a board game, or making some goofy crafts together can help de-stress, unplug, and reconnect with what matters.

I hope you are able to do that this weekend. As always, please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns. And again, thank you for the tremendous patience and understanding you have shown throughout this challenging time. On behalf of our entire staff, we truly appreciate the strength and support of the Stanbridge community. Stay Strong, Bulldogs.

Comments are closed.

    Links

    For more information on the developing public health response to COVID-19:
    • World Health Organization
    • Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
    • Daily updates on COVID-19 from Johns Hopkins
    • San Mateo County Health Department
    • San Francisco County Dept. of Public Health​
    • Santa Clara County Public Health Dept.

    Resources

    San Mateo County Health offers a 24/7 call line. Call 2-1-1 for non-emergency, non-medical information on COVID-19.

    The Child Mind Institute offers helpful talking points and a video on discussing the coronavirus with your children. Click here to view. 

    The CDC has published tips and advice for managing stress and anxiety during this outbreak. Click here to read. 

    The Mental Health Association of San Francisco offers a phone and webchat non-emergency “warm line” for Californians seeking emotional support. This service is available 24/7 via phone or online chat, and is available for emotional distress related to COVID-19. Learn more here. 

Stanbridge Academy


School Hours

School Day hours
8:25 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
Main Office hours
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Contact Info

515 E. Poplar Ave.
San Mateo, CA 94401
Main Office: ​650.375.5860
​Click here for map

Click below to...

Employees/Trustees

• Schedule a tour
​• Access the Parent Portal
• View upcoming events
​• Log in to QuickSchools
Click below to login and access Stanbridge internal sites:
​• Stanbridge Staff site
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​Stanbridge Academy is fully accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS)
​
and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) through the 2025–2026 academic year.
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Stanbridge Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Stanbridge Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of our educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

​Website line icons made by Darius Dan, Freepik, and Zlatko Najdenovski from www.flaticon.com.   •   Copyright 2015–2021 Stanbridge Academy.
  • About Us
    • From the Head of School >
      • Covid Reopening Plan
    • What makes Stanbridge unique
    • Our Mission & Philosophy
    • Our Students >
      • Dawson's Story (HS)
      • Tyler's Story (MidSch)
      • Bence's Story (Elem)
    • Our Alumni >
      • Laura's Story (Class of 2008)
      • Lana's Story (Class of 2011)
      • William's Story (Class of 2012)
      • Sarah's Story (Class of 2013)
    • Our Teachers
    • Our Admin & Support Staff
    • Our Trustees
    • Our Donors
  • Academics
    • Elementary (K–5)
    • Middle School (6–8)
    • High School (9–12)
    • Post-HS Transitions
  • Programs
    • Experiential Learning
    • Postsecondary Transitions
    • P.E. & Athletics
    • Visual & Performing Arts
    • Speech & Language
    • Counseling
    • Technology
    • Afterschool & Summer School
    • Student Leadership & Community Service
  • Admissions
    • The Admissions Process
    • Tuition & Financial Aid
    • FAQ
    • Visit Stanbridge
  • Resources
    • Contact Us
    • Calendar & Events
    • Common Ground
    • Useful Links
    • Media Room
    • Bulldog Blog
    • SPA Spot
    • Parent Portal
  • Support Us
    • Donate Online
    • Give by check or phone
    • Donate stock or give through a DAF
    • Donate goods or services
    • Bulldog Wear
    • Gala2020
    • Other ways to give