2 minute read
LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear Valley School Community,
CHILDREN BELONG IN SCHOOL. Here at Valley School, we know the importance of consistency in education, and believe unwaveringly in the vital stability a school community can provide for children. Guided by these certainties, Valley School responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by making thoughtful changes—structural and procedural—in order to increase the likelihood of having students on campus full-time during the 2020-2021 school year.
Advertisement
The human spirit is, by nature, a creative one, and Valley School’s administration, faculty, and staff relied on their creativity to make inperson learning possible beginning in September. Together, we reimagined the Valley School experience. As we re-envisioned classroom spaces, we saw new opportunities to take advantage of our gorgeous natural surroundings. As we adapted schedules, we were reminded of the value of small group collaboration. As we explored innovative technologies, we discovered the potential for digital platforms to enhance our students’ access to distant people and places. And, amidst these augmentations, we studied state and CDC recommendations to ensure that all protocols and procedures at Valley School would maximize the safety and health of our community.
PEOPLE BELONG TOGETHER. Children benefit socially, emotionally, and intellectually from interacting with their peers and teachers. Therefore, we incorporated meaningful socialization opportunities into our newly-formulated, physicallydistanced school days. The Valley Core Values Committee established routine touch points to maintain the work of our SEL (Social Emotional Learning) programs. As a result, the strength of our Valley School community remains evident. Masks don’t conceal the bonds that connect students with their classmates and teachers, or the joy that children experience as they grow and learn. Togetherness may look different than it did one year ago, but it is no less significant. In fact, it may be more so.
Though we always prefer to teach and learn in-person, we also prepared assiduously for the possibility of closure. When regional conditions necessitated school closure in late November, we were ready. In the pages that follow, you’ll see and read about our time on campus, as well as the Valley School Distance Learning Program, and the ways in which our administration, faculty, staff, and students have contributed their talents to its success.
Though our world circumstances are precarious, our commitment to the Valley School mission is resolute. Whether we fulfill the promises of our mission with our students on campus, or must pursue them via a distance learning model, Valley School will continue to provide the very best for our students—capitalizing on our creativity to foster and embrace teachable moments and stick together through it all.
