April 30, 2020 PARENT NEWSLETTER Dear Parents and Students,
With all of the changes that have come, we add one more major deviation to the norm. Please know that like the rest of the world, we are adjusting as situations change. I know "hard and fast" answers are wanted, but the situations created by COVID-19 are fluid and unpredictable.
We are delaying the opening of the 2020-21 school year with the hope that a later start date will allow us to gather again on campus as a full community. Of course we will keep assessing, but the new calendar is located here. Please note that the usual pattern of breaks is quite different, but we ask that you strictly adhere to arrival times and departure times. It is very important that we do not start adding exceptions for early dismissals and late arrivals as our instructional time is precious and the exceptions create a contentious atmosphere on campus. For each break, we are open one additional night for students who need an extra evening on campus, and this will include the Christmas break.
Please know on our end that we are aiming to play to the students' strengths as we calculate year-end grades. As AP readers know, the aim is to build a student up, not tear him/her down, and we will have that mantra in mind as the year closes. Assessments are still vital, and so many students have been working very hard to maintain, and even improve, their grades – we want this terrific work to be recognized. But we also do not want a student's hard work through the first two trimesters to be overly hindered by the novel world of online learning. This does not mean there is license on the part of a student to simply trail off from academic responsibilities. It does mean, though, that the faculty will be taking a more (and I hate to use this overtaxed word) holistic view of a student's progress. I am aware that this sounds very subjective, but perhaps subjectivity is the operative word in a situation that has called for so much more in the way of understanding and compassion.
Details on Prize Day, Baccalaureate, and Commencement are being hammered out as this letter is being written. In terms of timing, it looks as though the general schedule of the traditional ceremonies will be in place, with Prize Day and Baccalaureate on May 30 and Commencement on May 31. Our Sixth Formers are especially hard hit with the emotions of the change, but please know the teachers talk each day about how much they are missed. My English class may be tired of me talking about analyzing prose passages, but, selfishly, my live classes with them are still the best part of my day.
As I watch my own son deal with losing his face-to-face connections with his friends at college, I read the following article with interest:
Please stay in contact with any questions or concerns. Don't forget to refer to the Handbook if you are in doubt about who to contact for an answer.
Sincerely,
Marc Batson Assistant Headmaster
IMPORTANT NOTES From the Dean's Office:
Boarding students and families: Please refer to the email sent on April 27 for a preliminary schedule on returning to campus to collect belongings and move out. Please be in touch if you have any questions.
From the College Counseling Office:
If your student is enrolled in an AP course, it would be helpful if you could confirm with your student the AP schedule for exams by following this link.
It is important that students are receiving emails from College Board regarding AP exam materials and updates. Most students have a College Board account set up through their Saint James school email, but a few are using their personal email. Either is fine, but students need to let their teachers know if they are not receiving emails from the College Board regarding AP exams, as specific exam information will be emailed to them, including instructions on how to take the exam online in May. Please check all spam/junk folders before contacting teachers, as College Board emails sometimes filter to these folders.
From the Communications Office:
We would like to collect photos of our students continuing their learning while at home. Snap a photo of your student in their home workspace and send it to Kim Dudash at kdudash@stjames.edu.
Are you a frontline helper? If you are a doctor, nurse, researcher, pharmacist, care worker, cleaner, social worker–-if you are part of the battle to contain COVID-19 or help sufferers of the virus, please let us know. We want our students to know that when a crisis arises, the Saint James community steps up to lead bravely. If you have a moment, we'd love for you to share your story. Your work is invaluable and we are deeply appreciative of your commitment!
From the Development Office:
Three important things to know about the CARES Act:
From the Parents Association:
We will be holding our last meeting of the school year on Sunday, May 3, at 12:30 pm via Zoom. Please click here to read the email for instructions on how to join us.
Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up and we encourage you to sign up for a gift card donation, if you are able. Please also continue to send any notes of encouragement to the teachers and staff. QUICK LINKS Saint James School |