Coronavirus Update, RE: School Closed Through April 15, Remote Learning Information
Dear Parents,
As many of you may now be aware, Governor DeSantis has issued a decree giving executive authority to the Florida Department of Education and Commissioner of Education, Richard Corcoran, to close all public and private K-12 schools through April 15, 2020. We have confirmed this to include St. John’s, meaning we have no choice but to extend the period of remote learning until at least April 15. There are no reported confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the St. John’s community and no reported contact with any individual with COVID-19 symptoms.
As a result of this mandated closure, all events on the school calendar between March 29 and April 15 are postponed or canceled (with the exception of virtual chapel services, see below). The St. John’s leadership team will continue to be in regular communication, and will again review the calendar to see if it is possible to reschedule any of the events. Given the nature of this situation, it is also possible that events on the school calendar scheduled for post-April 15 may be impacted. Additionally, the CDC has recommended that for at least the next eight weeks (or until May 11) any gatherings that do take place are limited to no more than ten attendees. We are incorporating this recommendation into planning school operations for when students and faculty return.
Finally, I want to assure the entire school community that we will continue to exercise the utmost adaptability in support of our students. What is normally a group-oriented profession is temporarily becoming an isolated one. Flexibility will be extremely important. We will emerge from this challenge an even stronger school.
Below you can read more about our plans for remote learning, which will begin on Tuesday, March 24. Throughout this process, you can expect to receive direct communication from you child's division head.
Please use the buttons below to access division-specific remote learning information, to access and watch virtual daily chapel services via our YouTube channel, or to login to your MyBackPack account.
As we navigate this unchartered territory, we know that you may have questions and concerns. Please join us for a Facebook Live Stream on Monday, March 23, at 2 p.m. for an open discussion regarding COVID-19. Division Heads Lisa Strauch, Ana Ibanez, and I will answer your questions and discuss the School's latest action steps as we navigate this fluid situation.
As always, please reach out to me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Hugh Jebson
Head of School
Remote Learning Information
What is remote learning?
Remote learning is the strategy St. John’s has employed in response to the unprecedented challenges we are facing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. With students physically unable to attend classes and interact directly with their teachers and each other, alternative methods are being implemented to serve our students and families. Remote learning involves a number of different teaching strategies, including increased use of technology for older students and adjustments to workload and objectives for younger students. Classroom teachers have been provided training and a number of online resources to help prepare. We will use all methods and strategies available to us to continue teaching and learning and minimize disruption. This is uncharted territory. We will continue to meet and defeat this challenge with dedication, patience, compassion, and a passion for serving our students.
How long do we expect remote learning to last?
Our hope is to open the school to students and resume direct teaching and learning as soon as possible after April 15. This will depend on the evolving situation with COVID-19 and recommendations made by the various government agencies. It is entirely possible adjustments to the school day and learning may have to be made even after a return to school. Given the situation, the emphasis will shift more to content and skills mastery and less on traditional testing. We must use the time available to us in ways that best serve our students.
What is expected of the administration?
The school’s leadership team has been and will continue to be in regular contact to review, plan, and carry out academic and non-academic operations. A central tenet of this is the ongoing support of St. John’s families, faculty, and staff. The Head of School and Division Heads will continue to provide the resources to support remote learning, and will continue to be available to address any parent questions or concerns. The administration will communicate frequently and efficiently with faculty and families, and will work with faculty and parents to identify and support struggling students and families.
What is expected of students?
Students should expect between 3-4 hours of work each day.
What is expected of faculty?
Faculty will be available via email between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday - Friday, and are expected to respond to all communication with students and parents as soon as possible, and at most, within 24 hours.
What else should I know about remote learning?
The transition to remote learning will be exactly that: a transition. We believe this is the best pathway to a positive experience and outcome for our students and families. Our faculty and administrators have worked hard to prepare for remote learning and will do the very best they can to serve the children in the face of unprecedented challenges. Patience and flexibility on the part of all constituencies will be key moving forward. As extensive as our preparations have been and will continue to be, we anticipate the process will be imperfect and will require a learning curve and adaptability. We will get better! Our main priority at this time is the health and wellbeing of our school community and maintaining the educational process to the best the circumstances allow. All of us at St. John’s are committed to serving and supporting our students and families.