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Nov 12: Letter to Families

Dear Bryn Mawr Families,

Based on the significant rise in COVID-19 cases in Baltimore City and County, the spiking positivity rate throughout the state, the rapid increase of admissions to local hospitals, and reports from our families of more exposures in the community, we have made the decision that beginning Monday, November 16, Bryn Mawr will shift to Distance Learning for students in grades 4-12.

Pre-kindergarten through third grade students will remain on campus through Friday, November 20, then shift to Distance Learning for November 23-24 ahead of Thanksgiving break. We know that learning independently from home can be challenging for our younger students and want to extend their time on campus as long as possible. Furthermore, statistics suggest that this age group is less likely to contract or transmit the virus. During this extra week on campus, classes will spread into other spaces around the school to accommodate for additional distancing, and fewer “specials” teachers will rotate through their classes.

The Little School will continue to operate as an Essential Childcare Center and maintain its schedule of closing for Thanksgiving on Wednesday, November 25, and reopen on Wednesday, December 2.

As previously announced, we anticipate Little School and pre-k through third grade students returning to campus on Wednesday, December 2. We are now planning for grades 4-12 to return to campus on Monday, December 7. As we get closer to these dates, we will reevaluate the situation to determine whether a return to campus is, in fact, feasible. By then, the impact of Thanksgiving travel and gatherings throughout the state will be more evident.

You will receive more information from Division Directors tomorrow with greater details about the shift to Distance Learning and specific expectations of students. Until then, a few notes:

It is extremely likely that COVID-19 testing will be required for some students and employees prior to their return after Thanksgiving.
It is important for families to continue to fill out MyMedBot screenings every day that school is in session, virtual or in person.
Families who have purchased lunches for next week will receive an account credit.
Important dates recap:

Little School: Closed for Thanksgiving Wednesday, November 25, through Tuesday, December 1.
Grades PK-3: On campus next week, shift to Distance Learning for November 23-24, return to campus on Wednesday, December 2.
Grades 4-12: Shift to Distance Learning on Monday, November 16, planning to return to campus on Monday, December 7, with COVID testing requirements.

As you know, we’ve taken the health and wellbeing of our community very seriously. We know that the social aspects of school are important to our students and families. We will continue to maintain a strong program with academic, athletic, arts and social opportunities online. As a reminder, our Continuity of Learning Plan is available on our website.

This is, of course, not the Thanksgiving message that I hoped to send. I have been extraordinarily grateful this entire fall for the time together, and the true dedication to learning that each member of our community has exhibited. We have had an absolutely terrific run with 11 weeks on campus to get to know one another, to spend time together, and to establish the routines of the school year. The weather has continued to be an asset, allowing us to use the full campus for learning. Our teachers and administrators have done phenomenal work to maintain both an in-person and online option for our students. Our campus staff has done a fantastic job keeping campus clean and in full operation. We are grateful to our families for your strong commitment to community health which has allowed us to operate to this point. We’ve also had tremendous engagement from our alumnae community through virtual programs and appeals. Our success this fall can be attributed to the strong support of our “village” working together.

So, even if my announcement isn’t what I hoped, my gratitude is as strong as ever for the Bryn Mawr community. I send wishes for a happy Thanksgiving holiday, and a healthy and safe few weeks ahead.

Sincerely,

Sue Sadler
Head of School

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