Remote Learning

180 days.

On March 12, 2020, Marksmen left campus, not knowing when they would return.

COVID-19 was spreading across the country, shuttering schools, businesses, and daily life. Dallas County was preparing to execute a shelter-in-place order. At St. Mark’s, boys and teachers were told they would be learning remotely for at least a week, maybe more. No one could anticipate that it would be another six months before Marksmen returned to 10600 Preston Road.

During the month of May, Eugene McDermott Headmaster David Dini invited a small group of alumni to record messages of encouragement and support for the Class of 2020 as their final year at St. Mark’s came to a close.

What followed was unprecedented in the history of St. Mark’s. The remaining 11 weeks of the 2019–2020 school year were undertaken entirely off campus. Video conference calls became the new classroom, and dining room tables became the new desks. Naturally, there was some trepidation as the community was forced into uncharted waters within a short timeframe.

Just before remote classes began, Eugene McDermott Headmaster David W. Dini told the

faculty and staff, “We have all witnessed the seismic shifts that are happening around us with many new realities that none of us could have ever imagined. As we go forward with the boys, let us do so thoughtfully, deliberately, and intentionally, as we always do. Tending to the needs of our students, one boy at a time, will ultimately make all the difference.”

Despite the sudden and unexpected move to remote learning, St. Mark’s responded quickly, forming a Remote Learning Team. Before leaving campus, the entire faculty gathered for a full day of training on online teaching tools. Following Spring Break, teachers led asynchronous classes, allowing students to log in and complete assignments on their own schedule.

“We wanted to make sure we could create

a foundational baseline that established

meaningful interaction and delivery of programming content and curriculum,” Mr. Dini told The ReMarker student newspaper in April. “We then built on and enhanced that foundation

as time went on.”

By the start of April, the School introduced Phase II of its Remote Learning Plan, creating dedicated meeting times for each class and restoring some sense of normalcy and routine. While campus remained closed, St. Mark’s strived to preserve the sense of community that lies at the heart of the Marksman experience. The most visible result of this effort was 10600, an online hub updated daily with content from across the community. Coach Dilworth kicked off each week with a Motivation Monday video, while, on Thursdays, Dr. Gabby Reed hosted a Mindfulness Moment to help boys cope with stress and uncertainty. Rev. Arbogast led virtual Chapel services, inviting students to record themselves reading the lessons and prayers. Boys submitted videos showing how they were staying busy, perfecting ping-pong trick shots, learning the Alma Mater on piano, and even building a Van der Graaf generator. Faculty showed off some unique skills and hobbies, from Coach John Turek’s planter box project to Mark Sullivan’s fly tying. Even alumni joined in, with Carl Sewell ’02, Clark Hunt ’83, and Emmanuel Acho ’08 filming messages of encouragement.

(above) David Fisher welcomes his remote class.

(left and far left) Teachers lead remote classes on Teams

For the Class of 2020, the final weeks of school were yet another opportunity to demonstrate their leadership and resiliency. The seniors had already stepped up in many ways following the tornado in October 2019, leading by example and encouraging their fellow Marksmen to stay “St. Mark’s Strong.” Now, these seniors faced another unprecedented challenge, and, once again, they rose to the occasion. Senior Class President Taylor Hopkin ’20 recorded virtual Friday Assemblies while the Super Fan Men kept spirits high with regular updates and even a few pranks. Seniors also delivered Chapel Talks, This I Believe (TIB) Talks, and video messages to their fellow Marksmen, offering words of encouragement and advice.

“Stay positive through all of this!” offered Nicholas Cerney ’20. “I know how difficult this time is for everyone, but as a community, we must remain optimistic through these difficult times and persevere. Take time to reflect on how fortunate we truly are to be in a close, tightknit community.”

A Whole New School Year

Even as the 2019–2020 school year came to a close, St. Mark’s was already looking ahead. As COVID-19 cases spiked in Dallas over the summer, the School began carefully evaluating its plans for the start of the 2020–2021 school year. Much had to be accomplished to bring boys safely back on campus.

Over the summer, the facilities team completed several major overhauls to the physical plant. Impressively, all air filters across campus were brought up to MERV-13, one of the highest filtration ratings. To mitigate the possibility of contamination, all bathrooms were converted with touchless water fixtures and water bottle fill

stations were installed in place of water fountains. A major effort was undertaken to meet social distancing requirements in the classroom, with all students spaced six feet apart and facing the same direction. Every class recorded seating charts to help with contact tracing in the event of a positive case. And across campus, thousands of signs and stickers were posted, redirecting traffic flow, reinforcing mask wearing and handwashing

(left) Mrs. Broom welcomes a new first-grader on Orientation Day

(below) Signage across campus reinforced new health and safety procedures

(bottom) Teachers line up for COVID-19 testing

(above)

Nurse Julie teaches first- graders to social distance using "airplane arms" policies, and reminding Marksmen to keep their distance during the day.

“The on-campus staff undertook a truly Herculean effort to ensure boys were able to return safely,” said School Nurse Julie Doerge, who was instrumental in crafting the School’s COVID response plan. Over the summer, Julie also joined Dallas County’s school health team and took a contact tracing course from Johns Hopkins. “St. Mark’s is an incredible community because everyone is working toward a single purpose: the boys. From facilities to food services to athletics and beyond, everyone has been laser-focused on making sure the boys have the best – and the safest – experience possible.” The 2020–2021 school year kicked off in ways both unique and familiar. Dallas County issued an order delaying the resumption of in-person learning for at least two weeks. Once again, boys donned their Oxford shirts and logged in online to begin their classes.

Opening Convocation was livestreamed from the Great Hall, where the entire student body normally gathered to open the new year.

“As I stand now in the Great Hall, I am overwhelmed with nostalgia from my past years at St. Mark’s and excited with anticipation for this one,” said Student Council President Blake Hudspeth ’21. “We must use this time to grow closer and rely on each other now more than ever. This year is going to be awesome, not in spite of the obstacles in front of us but because of them.”

Finally, on Tuesday, September 8, Marksmen once again set foot on campus. Exactly six months after that uncertain final day of in-person classes, boys and teachers met one another on campus.

Before resuming regular classes, everyone spent a few days learning about and getting used to the new normal of campus life. Campus traffic was redirected through one-way hallways and walkways. Depending on class size, some classes were moved into different buildings to accommodate social distancing. And face masks became an official part of the St. Mark’s uniform. Despite these necessary precautions, the School also worked to ensure some parts of the Marksman experience remained intact.

“We want our boys to be healthy and balanced, and play is a big part of that,” said Nurse Julie. “All of the boys, especially the little ones, need a mask break during the day, so we’ve figured out new ways of letting them play. Games like Four Square and Spikeball give them an outlet for all that adolescent energy while also maintaining acceptable social distancing.”

Across campus, students and teachers have settled into a new normal. Everyone is figuring out their new traffic patterns, adapting to an altered lunch routine, and remembering Nurse Julie’s “Three W’s”: wash your hands, wear your mask, and watch your distance. And yet, the most important part of the St. Mark’s experience is unchanged. Students and teachers engage in lively discussions. Boys collaborate and play together. And the St. Mark’s community continues to grow stronger.

“The energy of being back on campus is unmatched,” said Aayan Khasgiwala ’21, Senior Class President. “Wearing a blue shirt and feeling the sense of responsibility we have as seniors is daunting but incredible at the same time. The bonds we create with Marksmen across all grades are part of what makes this community so unique and being on campus and seeing each other really reinforces those connections.”

(top to bottom) Geoff Stanburg holds class outside

Danielle Clayton teaches Humanities

Lower Schoolers sanitize their hands before school