I hope this email finds you doing well and your families safe and healthy. I am writing to give you a few updates about Oakwood's transition to online learning. As I am sure there are feelings of anxiousness and uncertainty during these complicated times, I want to reassure you we are working tirelessly to make this transition as smooth as possible for you and your children. More than anything right now, we love and miss our Oakwood community members, our faculty can't wait to reconnect with our students next week (even if in a virtual environment), and we hope you all stay safe and healthy.
Although our methods of teaching and learning will be different, we are excited and optimistic about the new learning opportunities - for our students, faculty and staff, and community. Why?
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This challenge will spark useful innovation and unleash creativity among our teachers and students. Having spent several days this week working with our faculty, I have witnessed them rise to the occasion and become an even stronger and more innovative team. They are brimming with innovative ways of connecting and creating with your children.
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This emergency will re-emphasize the true mission of Oakwood:
to instill in our students the strength of character, the creativity, and the wisdom to make a difference in the world.
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This is our opportunity to stretch ourselves as learners - leaning into discomfort, showing that all of us can try new and challenging things, and being transparent and vulnerable about our occasional discomfort.
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In the coming weeks, our students will find more ownership of their learning as they take more responsibility than ever before. They will grow in their independence, autonomy, and drive.
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This unprecedented national and international challenge is the first of many for our young learners and future leaders. Right here, right now, we - as parents and educators - can help them navigate the world they will inhabit as adults and learn to thrive in the face of adversity.
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Especially in the coming days of this pandemic, we have an opportunity to help our students understand that they have a critically important role to play in the health of their families, their community, and their nation. We believe that students come to understand that their growth occurs in the context of others' needs and views; that their own gifts can enrich the lives of others; and that other human beings, however different, have inherent dignity and value. This is how they will learn to make a difference in the world.
Our faculty and staff met multiple times this week to refine plans for online learning and campus operations. With the help of our new FACTS Learning Management System and other online resources, the students will be able to continue their education and growth. We have also intentionally built real-time, online interactions between teachers and students into our weekly schedules to ensure that our students maintain a sense of personal connection with their teachers and peers.
You should have received a letter from your child's Division Coordinator yesterday regarding their online learning schedule, instructions and expectations. We are working hard to make our virtual environment a place for comfort, routine, discovery, and creativity. Though students will not be on campus, the learning and relationships will continue.
Moving forward, in recognition that time away from screens is fundamental to our well-being as students, faculty and staff, and families, I ask you to understand that our faculty and administrative team will be striving to balance their time online, and I want the same for our students. Sleep, hydration, nutrition, and exercise - like time spent outside and/or with our families - keeps all of us healthy, balanced, and able to care for each other with attention, creativity, generosity and grace.
Once again, I thank you for your support and collaboration as we transition to a new reality. I am embracing the opportunity to emerge from this experience as a stronger school and community.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
Thank you and be well,
