RISE UP Far Hills Country Day School FALL REOPENING PLAN, VOLUME 3
“A shared sacrifice and desire to help one another will allow us to reopen our beloved school—and stay open.” Georgia S. Zaiser, Head of School
Dear Parents, Community: A feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. Our common wish to be back on campus together will provide us with a sense of routine, belonging, and joy. A shared sacrifice and desire to help one another will allow us to reopen our beloved school—and stay open. To protect our collective health, I ask that you focus on our Community Compact. This document will be our guiding star for the year. Be patient with yourself, your family, and our community. There will be teachable moments, but let’s lead with empathy and role model resilience and care for our children. We have been waiting for this day to come and want to do all we can to make it a seamless experience for all. Take time to review all of the vital information in our reopening plans: Volumes 1, 2, and 3. You’ll find these resources and more on the Parent Portal. Remember, we are always #falconstrong! Be well,
In This Edition: 3
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
6 ACADEMICS 7
FOODSERVICE
ACTIVITY 8 STUDENT INVOLVEMENT 9 PARENT
HEALTH AND WELLNESS Overview Our plan promotes the safety, health, and welfare of our entire school community. This plan is subject to change as new information becomes available, and as government mandates are imposed or lifted.
Daily Health Symptom Surveillance All parents/guardians must answer a brief series of questions prior to arrival using a new app called School Pass. You will receive a welcome letter, download and login instructions for School Pass next week. Upon arrival, faculty and staff will confirm the student’s temperature and receipt of the daily report via School Pass before they exit the vehicle and enter the school. If you answer yes to any of the questions on the app (see samples on the right), please keep your child at home. For the 2020-21 school year, parents will also use School Pass for any changes to arrival and dismissal (for example, to report an absence, report an early pickup, or allow another family to pick your child up). These instructions will also be included in the School Pass email next week.
Do you have a fever (temperature equal to or greater than 100.3+ without taking fever-reducing medication)? Are you experiencing shortness of breath or difficulty breathing? Do you have a cough? Do you have the chills? Have you lost your sense of smell or taste? Do you have a sore throat? Do you have muscle aches? Have you experienced any GI symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or loss of appetite? Have you been in close contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or been placed on quarantine for possible contact with COVID-19? fhcds.org | 3
HEALTH AND WELLNESS Arrival (UPDATED)
Dismissal
Student entrance assignments are determined by grade level of students by carload. Arrival window is 7:55–8:25 a.m. this fall.
To protect our students’ health and safety and the integrity of our cohorts, dismissal at Far Hills will look very different during the pandemic. Specific instructions for when and where to pick up your child will be sent via email next week.
• • •
Piazza Entrance: students in the vehicle are all in Preschool– Grade 2 Main Entrance: students in the vehicle are in Grades 3–5, mixed divisions, AND/OR expected for early arrival between 7:30–7:55 a.m. Upper School: students in the vehicle are all in Grades 6–8
All students arriving after 8:25 a.m. must enter through the main entrance.
> CHECK IN:
Students will have their temperatures checked PRIOR TO EXITING the vehicle every morning. At each entrance, lines will form at a Check In station marked by a large banner. Please put your vehicle in PARK and have students MASK UP!
< HANG OUT:
If a student’s temperature registers above normal (100.3 +), parents will have the option of leaving with their student immediately or pulling forward to a recheck area. FH staff will recheck a student’s temperature after a 10-minute wait. There is a recheck area at each of the three entrances marked by a large Falcons banner. Staff will instruct parents to pull ahead to this area if necessary.
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Carpool Safety We do not recommend carpooling with other families to school at this time. However, we understand there may be some instances when it is necessary. Should you have to carpool, we ask that you please follow the Center for Disease Controls steps “to prevent getting and spreading COVID-19”: • • • • •
Stay home if you are sick or had close contact with someone who has the coronavirus. Everyone in the car must wear a mask. Everyone in the car must wash or sanitize their hands upon exit. Keep the car windows lowered to increase ventilation inside the car. Run the car’s ventilation system in non-recirculation mode.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS Social-Emotional Learning
Mindfulness
At Far Hills, we understand that before our students can grow as scholars, we need to create a safe and supportive environment where they can develop and flourish socially and emotionally first. Our strong human-centered approach to whole-child development is the bedrock foundation by which all other learning occurs.
In Lower School, our mindfulness videos’ popularity during Distance Learning speaks to the demand for more mindful resources by teachers, parents, and students. This fall, students in Kindergarten–Grade 4 will view 10-minute mindfulness video lessons from Grade 2 Teacher Sue Miller. Topics include grounding, anchor breathing, heartfulness, impulse control, body scanning, mindful listening and communication, and how to handle difficult and uncomfortable emotions. Check out our mindfulness playlist on our YouTube channel.
This year, more than ever, attention to students’ emotional well-being is of paramount importance. In addition to morning Advisory/ Homeroom, we will continue Advisory lunches and mindfulness to our schedule to provide a safe time and space each day for students to: • • • • • •
share and discuss feelings; strengthen self-awareness and self-management to develop motivation, self-control, and emotional regulation; enhance social awareness in embracing diversity and showing empathy toward others; build relationship skills by learning how to work collaboratively and resolve conflict; embrace mindfulness to cultivate attention and manage stress; and develop responsible decision-making skills to build resilience and become productive global citizens.
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HEALTH AND WELLNESS
ACADEMICS
At-a-Glance
Our expansive 54-acre campus will be used to its full potential this fall.
All individuals who enter the school building must complete a daily attestation via School Pass that they are illness/symptom-free before arriving at campus. Temperatures will be rechecked upon arrival. Parents/guardians will also use School Pass to alert the school to any changes to attendance—absences, early departure, late arrival. Nurses will monitor absenteeism through School Pass to identify any illness trends amongst the students and staff.
Outdoor spaces include nine tented learning spaces, the ropes course, the Far Hills pond, shaded playgrounds, and green fields. Teachers are encouraged to host classes outside whenever possible. Imagine a lively discussion about history in the forest beneath the ropes course’s high wires, an outdoor music class where students play percussion pondside, and students distanced under the oak trees lost in literature. The unique features of our campus provide optimal settings for learning.
All FH employees will wear a facemask while in shared spaces on campus. Students must wear facemasks while inside and outside if they cannot maintain social distancing. “Mask breaks” will be scheduled throughout the day as safe, socially distant conditions allow. Signage reminding individuals to socially distance, wash hands, follow hallway traffic patterns and limit occupancy will be prevalent on campus. No visitors will be allowed on campus unless they have an appointment and cannot conduct business virtually until further notice.
Far Hills Country Day School
MASK UP STAY #FALCONSAFE
Lunch must be ordered through the FH app. 6 | fhcds.org
Nine tented learning spaces are easily accessed from the building.
FOODSERVICE Lunch from the Cafe will be delivered to each cohort daily. Parents, faculty, and staff will order lunch for the upcoming week via the Cafe feature on the FH app. Please be sure to download the Far Hills app from Google Play or the Apple App Store. Parents, faculty, and staff can place their orders for September 10 and 11, beginning Thursday, September 3, at 8 a.m. You may order lunch in advance for any dates available in the app. Looking ahead, the deadline for ordering lunch for the upcoming week is the Tuesday prior. You will receive an email on September 2 at 10 a.m. with specific instructions on how and when to place your orders through the FH app! If you have any questions after reviewing the September 2 email, please ask Chef Jenn.
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STUDENT ACTIVITY Athletics Athletics will take place on staggered days to keep cohorts intact and student-athletes safe. Parents should refer to Parent Portal for details and opt-out information. Ron Sansone and Linda Houghland have designed a robust athletic offering for the US, including tennis, soccer, cross country running, frisbee golf, and other lifetime games (bocce, horseshoes, and corn hole). The focus of athletics will be on skill development and practice.
Physical Education Lower School students will participate in a variety of physical education activities, including: • seven station fitness course. • lifetime activities as bocce, corn hole, horseshoes, frisbee golf, etc. • rope jumping and hula hoops. • cooperative games and activities. • low elements of the ropes course. • hand/eye coordination skills with a variety of balls and frisbees. • foot/eye coordination with soccer drills and skills. • warm-up activities with locomotor skill, stretching, strength exercises, yoga, and cardio and activities.
After School Sign up now for virtual Conservatory music lessons.
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PARENT INVOLVEMENT 2020-21 Parents’ Committee The FH Parents’ Committee (PC) is a vibrant group of engaged volunteers. They strengthen our community spirit, serve as a helping hand to the Administration and Board of Trustees, communicate with the parent body, and participate in school functions. The committee consists of grade-level Class Parents and Executive Committee Officers selected annually. The PC typically meets on the first Wednesday of each month from October–May. All FH parents are welcome and encouraged to attend PC meetings. This year, our first three meetings will take place virtually. Log-in information will be shared before the meeting dates. Save the dates! October 7 9–10 a.m. via Zoom November 4 9–10 a.m. via Zoom December 2 9–10 a.m. via Zoom
WHAT’S NEXT? Key Dates:
September 3 Place lunch orders on the FH app. All-School Meeting. September 8 Welcome letter and instructions for School Pass. Dismissal instructions September 10 School begins.
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IN-PERSON TOURS NOW AVAILABLE! Schedule one today!