April 27, 2020

Dear Oakwood Community,

I hope this email finds you and your families safe and well. If you are like me, then Friday's communication announcing that Oakwood would continue distance learning through the end of this school year left you saddened by the reality we will not be able to finish the year together on campus. I am fortunate though to see examples of the wonderful Oakwood community in the online classes I have visited, the virtual meetings and communications I have had with Oakwood families, faculty, and staff, and the many social media postings I have seen from members of our community. The strength and spirit of Oakwood is on full display for all to see.

I apologize in advance for the length of this communication, but I do feel that it is important, as we will now be operating in this environment for the remainder of the school year. I want to discuss in greater detail how and why we chose the structure we did for our distance learning and how it continues to evolve based on continued research and experience, collaboration with our peer schools and educational associations, and feedback we are receiving from our school community. While the faculty, staff, and I would all prefer to be holding classes on campus and in person with our students, we are committed to providing the best educational experience for our students while keeping them safe under the circumstances.

Our current distance learning structure is modeled after schools with established online programs that utilize both synchronous instruction (allowing teachers and students to gather in real time via a virtual online meeting to engage, review, and discuss material and assignments) that also serves to maintain a sense of community, and asynchronous  instruction (digital and online learning in which students learn from instruction that is not being delivered in person or in real time) where deeper learning occurs. A well-structured distance learning program maximizes student learning and experience by combining synchronous instruction in moderation with more substantial asynchronous instruction. This research-based approach is what Oakwood has been using since we transitioned to distance learning. I have since learned that some area schools attempted unsuccessfully to rely on synchronous instruction to keep their daily schedules unchanged when they transitioned online, but they had to overhaul those schedules after the first week when it became apparent that students cannot effectively attend a full daily schedule of online classes. While we have made some modifications in some grades based on our experience since the transition, our overall distance learning structure has remained the same thanks to research we had done in advance.

The Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) recently clarified what is required of schools to satisfy accreditation standards in this distance learning environment, and we continue to meet those standards. Activities recommended by SAIS include a wide range of learning experiences, including educational videos, engaging in a virtual classroom, group work, readings, written work, worksheets, app-based activities, activity packets, textbook assignments, interactive hands-on activities done at home, and other activities. Lower grade schedules, however, are at the discretion of school administrators given the ages of the students involved. SAIS also advises that teachers plan in reliance on these requirements and that schools review these plans. 

Oakwood administrators have been regularly engaged in research and collaboration with peer independent schools and associations through webinars, roundtables, etc. as we navigate the current situation both for this year and also as we plan for next year. Heads at schools in the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools (NCAIS), SAIS, and other Greenville-area private schools are communicating on a regular basis. Faculty and staff are also participating in multiple weekly webinars relevant to their areas offered by NCAIS, SAIS, the National Association of Independent Schools, and Independent School Management -- all in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

We are also continually reviewing faculty, parent, and student feedback through weekly faculty division level meetings, regular individual faculty and Division Coordinator meetings, and group and individual meetings of faculty advisors and their MS and US students. We also appreciate and thank those parents who have reached out and had individual meetings with their child's teacher, Division Coordinator, or me to work through solutions for any specific concerns related to their own child or to distance learning as a whole. We would also like to thank those parents who have taken the time to share the positive experiences of their children. 

• Oakwood parent Allison Moran-Wasklewicz, who is an Educational Technology and Curriculum Design Coordinator for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, recently shared, " I wanted to say thank you to you and your team for the time and energy behind continuing our kids' education. The structure has been supportive and organized. Getting all educators on the same page with dissemination isn't always easy. Kudos to you and your team for rising to the occasion and really easing the transition for students and families. As an educator specifically one that deals with distance learning, I have been impressed with Oakwood's rollout of education during this time. Thank you! "

• I also heard from a MS parent on Friday who had this to say, " I wanted to commend you and your team for working so diligently to create an online learning environment for our students. In this uncertain and isolating time, it is a relief to watch my kids connect with familiar faces everyday. I have been impressed with how quickly teachers and students have adapted to this change...so, thank you to you and your staff for continuing to support students and their families. It is much appreciated. "

These encouraging words are so uplifting and appreciated, particularly the kudos you are sharing about teachers and their work to ensure continuity of education in a distance learning environment. I remain grateful for the adaptability of our community and how quickly everyone has embraced the "new now" that has allowed us to continue our children's education, especially while others all over the country are struggling to reset educationally.

I realize that thinking about the coming days and weeks may feel daunting. If you are feeling this way, please read this article from Harvard Business Review, "That Discomfort You're Feeling is Grief," which names the anxiety and grief many of us are experiencing. I would also like to remind everyone of the importance of social, emotional, and physical well-being and of our commitment as a supportive, nurturing community. During this time, please be sure to lean on professional resources and experts, and know that our talented team of administrators, as well as your children's advisors, teachers, and our school counselor, are also available to provide support.

If you have not had a chance to do so, please take a few minutes to explore Oakwood's social media pages (see links at bottom) , where you can see and share uplifting posts and videos from members of our community. Recently, we received a video gift entitled "A Day in the Life of Oakwood" from Oakwood alumnus Peter Clark '09. The video does an incredible job of capturing the feel of being together on campus that we all miss so much, and we are now using it to support our recruitment efforts through our new Virtual Admissions process. We have also created a new page on our website to honor our seniors, the Class of 2020 . All of these stories and sharing keep us connected as a community and give us great hope as we look forward to being back together on campus. 

Please stay safe and know that we are in this together.

Dan Quesnel

Head of School