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03/20/2020
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Thacher News
Important Notice from Head of School

Dear Thacher Community,

After serious review of the fast-changing information from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the MA Department of Public Health, as well as conversations with other Montessori Schools from around the world, I have decided to extend the closure of Thacher through Friday, May 1 . For those of us in the United States, it is still unclear how many families will be affected by this pandemic, when it will peak, and for how long it will last. Indications at this time are that we have not yet begun to see the depth of the spread in our country. For these reasons, and in consultation with my administrative team, I feel this is the best course of action to help in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
 
For the remainder of the school closure, students and families will receive weekly correspondence from their guides on Monday mornings. You should have received this past week's letter from each level with suggestions for “work at home." We will continue to work with students and families to facilitate student learning while school is closed during this “social distancing” period. We are reviewing different options for online learning that will benefit your children. We ask for your patience as we develop this new platform. This is uncharted territory and we hope that a slow, methodical approach will take us the distance.
 
Thacher relies on tuition payments to maintain the operations of the school, therefore, there will be no credits or refunds on tuition. I have committed to uninterrupted pay to all of our Thacher Montessori staff and the school's expenses do not cease because of these new pandemic protocols. The school's ability to retain and compensate teachers and support staff is vital to our ability to effectively carry out our school's mission and to be ready for successfully resuming normal operation of the school once the containment period is over.
 
Again, thank you for your patience, support, and understanding during these challenging times. 
 
Stay well and healthy.
 
In partnership, 
 
Deba
Remote Learning Update
As we embark on a time of 'Learning from Home' we have collaborated with Montessori schools worldwide to produce a ' Thacher Montessori - Learning from Home Handbook. ' Our handbook provides Thacher students and parents with the support of a Montessori-based framework that can be implemented from home.

We hope that everyone will take the time to read the ' Thacher Montessori - Learning from Home Handbook.'

Google Classrooms
The Adolescent Program has been using Google Classrooms for several years and this week we set up Google Classrooms for Upper Elementary students. The Classrooms will be introduced to the students early next week. UE students will each be given a Thacher student email to be used for any school-related matters and communication with their Lead Guides. UE parents should expect an email soon with instructions on how they can help their child set up their email and link to their Google classroom.


Online Teaching Platform
We are reviewing different options for online lessons and will keep you informed of our progress.


Electronic Communication Packet
On Mondays, families will receive age-appropriate packets from their Lead Guides containing work assignments, activities, and suggestions for your child's weekly work-at-home responsibilities.


Music and Movement (Jazz-Pop)
We are working with staff members to create You Tube videos and live-streamed musical entertainment for your children—stay tuned!

Lead guides will begin contacting families next week to start scheduling parent conferences. Guides will work with parents to determine the method that works best for families i.e., phone, Zoom, Skype, etc. 

We understand that some families may not be able to logistically arrange a time to "meet" with their child's guide to have their parent conference. You can discuss this directly with your child's guide when they contact you.