Dear MCDS Families,
By the time you receive this, you will undoubtedly be a little exhausted, having supported your students on their first day of distance learning while juggling your own remote working environment. I hope you'll also be inspired by our teachers and your children's resilience. Please know that we're all in this together, and as teachers hone how they deliver distance learning, we expect that your children will settle into a more sustainable rhythm as well. In the meantime, please don't let the learning cause more stress. It's meant to be engaging and enriching, and if you or your children have questions, please reach out to the teachers. Everyone is learning at this moment, and we are all practicing empathy.
Extended Campus Closure and Distance Learning
As you know, this afternoon officials in six Bay Area counties ordered a shelter-in-place for residents, starting midnight tonight through at least April 7. This includes San Francisco and Marin. Therefore our campus closure will have to extend through spring break, ending on April 10. We will have parent-teacher conferences on April 13 via teleconference if needed, and registrations for conference times will be available as the date nears. For now, we hope to return to school on April 14; however, the situation continues to change every day. I am sorry that we can't predict if or how long this closure may last, but I will continue to send updates as usual.
As we shift to an extended period of distance learning, we are also developing plans to provide more synchronous learning opportunities for your students. We know that connecting live with teachers and fellow students is important, and we are working quickly to make that happen.
News
I am happy to report that we heard from our staff member who was awaiting test results for COVID-19, and the result was negative. Therefore we have not had a known case of novel Coronavirus in our community. Nonetheless, our counties are very much affected, so please take this news with the precaution that is still required of us. Continue to practice thorough handwashing, cover your coughs, and take the directives for social distancing seriously.
Parent Resources
We've gotten good questions about how to talk with children about this global crisis so that we don't make them more anxious, but also that we tell them the truth. Our counselors Margie Schwartz and Nell Branco have put some great resources on our COVID-19 webpage that we hope you find helpful. Please reach out to them as well if you or your child needs support at this difficult time.
I wish you a good night with your families, and I will be back in touch tomorrow.
Warmly,
marin country day school 5221 Paradise Drive • Corte Madera CA • 94925 To unsubscribe from future emails, click here. |