2 0 2 0 - 2 1 S C H O O L Y E A R R OA D M A P
All Roads
U P DAT E D J U N E
2020
LEAD TO A WHOLEHEARTED EDUCATION AT ST. MARTIN’S
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ED Dear St. Martin’s Families, When the school year began in August 2019, who could have imagined how different it would be? That year is now behind us, but the changes it demanded are very much with us and will continue to impact St. Martin’s and other educational institutions moving forward. As we look toward August, I wanted to provide this road map for the new school year that will provide details on our current plans. Created in a Q&A format, it will give you an overview of where we’re headed. Know that it includes the counsel of the St. Martin’s Re-Entry Task Force; many other heads of school in the area; the CDC; and state, federal, and local officials. (Links to the COVID guidelines we’re sourcing can be found on Page 10.) We felt that the idea of a road map was particularly appropriate for this time. A road map is used to chart a journey, one with a specific goal in sight. For St. Martin’s, that goal is, has been, and always will be providing the very best education and experience for your child. We acknowledge that we, like other schools, are exploring new territory, and that the road along the way may, by necessity, take some turns. But we will always keep moving forward, with wisdom and faith, toward our ultimate destination. I hope this road map will answer many of your questions. We realize that new questions will arise, and more answers will be needed. Please know that addressing those in a timely manner is a priority for us. For now, in addition to outlining planning options, you’ll notice our continued commitment to investing in infrastructure and technology to ensure the ongoing health and safety of the community. And, as such, we will closely examine our budget for cost-savings initiatives. You can expect updates to this document to be shared as new information becomes available and more decisions are made. At the end of the road map is a list of resources. Please reach out to us with any questions, concerns, or comments you might have. We very much value the input of the St. Martin’s community as we continue our journey in the new school year. With love, light and blessings always, TABLE OF CONTENTS Our Promise To You......................3 Finances.............................................4
Dr. Luis Ottley
Health & Safety...............................5
Head of School
Learning Options........................... 7 Classroom Experience..................8 Other Questions.............................9 Resources........................................ 10
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Our Promise To You
TUITION, TECHNOLOGY + INFRASTRUCTURE
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To show our commitment to and partnership with our families, St. Martin’s will absorb the activity fee for all students for the 2020-21 school year. This $120,000 savings to SMES families is an acknowledgement that next school year may not allow for the normal level of student activities associated with a St. Martin’s education. SMES will be investing upwards of $500,000 in technology and infrastructure upgrades for the safety and well-being of our entire community in addition to distance learning enhancements to ensure robust learning and safe transition into the school year. Technology and Infrastructure Investments:
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Installation of video collaboration technology in classrooms to ensure seamless synchronous and asynchronous learning.
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Installation of remote carpool technology to eliminate the need for all students to gather outside for afternoon carpool and allow them to remain in classrooms and efficiently be called and escorted (if necessary) to the carpool loading area.
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Redesign and rebuild the St. Martin’s nurse station to expand equipment and the footprint to better meet the needs of the school. This will include a quarantine waiting area.
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Distance Learning professional development for all faculty to hone skills should the need arise for periods of distance learning next school year.
Installation of infrared personal body temperature kiosks at every entrance to monitor body temperatures of all students, faculty, staff and guests.
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Questions About
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FINANCES
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Will tuition change for the new school year?
St. Martin’s is committed to delivering a robust teaching and learning program regardless of the environment necessitated by the pandemic. Like all non-profit organizations, the vast majority of our annual budget is dedicated to our employees. We are wholeheartedly dedicated to maintaining the continuity and highquality of a St. Martin’s education experience for our students.
Should virtual learning become a reality for an extended period of time due to COVID-19, the Board of Trustees and the school will explore the possibility of a tiered tuition discount for that portion of the 2020-21 school year.
Will there be reimbursements for services not used?
Should the 2020-21 school year necessitate virtual learning, any unused services or fees (Explorers, Enrichment, lunch and the Dunwoody bus) will be credited accordingly. More than $200,000 in fees were credited to SMES families for unused services in the spring of 2020.
Can families customize payment plans?
We invite you to reach out to our business office to discuss your individual circumstances to discuss alternative tuition payment plan options.
Is purchase of tuition reimbursement insurance still an option?
Yes. St. Martin’s families will be notified with details for purchasing a tuition refund plan option until July 31, 2020. Our goal is to ensure that our community remains intact and that we successfully navigate the COVID-19 crisis as one St. Martin’s family. The school encourages families to take advantage of this opportunity.
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Questions About
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HEALTH AND SAFETY
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What protective cleaning measures will be implemented?
Deep-cleaning and disinfecting protocols for all St. Martin’s facilities and equipment will be guided by Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations for schools. The SMES facilities management personnel will oversee daily cleaning and will be supplemented by an Atlanta-based biological decontamination team using a Clorox Pro T-360 system. The school is investing in an additional system to supplement the rigorous cleaning schedule already in place. The SMES facilities management team will also undergo training by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (see link on p. 10) for industry accreditation.
Will social distancing be practiced?
Until a reliable COVID-19 vaccine is available, St. Martin’s will implement a variety of social distancing guidelines using CDC recommendations. This may mean smaller class sizes, groups of student cohorts that remain together throughout the day, augmented lunch procedures, use of non-classroom space for classes, and other safety solutions.
What will the protocols look like for temperature taking, hand washing and/or mask wearing?
St. Martin’s will closely monitor CDC guidelines for schools along with Georgia Department of Health and other agencies in order to formalize health and safety protocols including, but not limited to, arrival procedures (temperature), hand washing, mask wearing, and compliance with test and trace protocols. A personal management body temperature kiosk will be installed at each school entrance to capture the temperature of each person attempting to enter the SMES campus.
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Questions About
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HEALTH AND SAFETY
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Will there be hand sanitizer stations?
Yes. Hand sanitizing stations are located throughout the campus. Additional hand sanitizing stations have been ordered and will be installed as soon as they arrive to campus.
Will St. Martin’s still offer before-and after-care (Explorers)?
Yes. As classroom protocols are finalized, these guidelines will also apply to the St. Martin’s Explorers program.
How will this affect sports and other extracurricular activities?
All extracurricular activities will be guided by the standards recommended by the CDC. Sports protocols will be guided by league-adopted guidelines, in addition to those established by the CDC.
Will there be enhancements to the HVAC system?
Yes. St. Martin’s will be installing an air purification system to all units. This state-of-the art REME HALO® in-duct air purifier utilizes proprietary Reflective Electro Magnetic Energy technology which reduces airborne microbials and particulates thereby reducing the risks of infectious airborne pathogen transmission. Installed into the supply plenum of an existing air conditioning or heating system air ducts, the REME HALO® in-duct air purifier produces Hydro-Peroxide plasma that is distributed through the air handler, through the duct system and into the conditioned space.
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LEARNING OPTIONS
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What will teaching and learning look like in the coming school year?
Health and government experts emphasize the need for schools to plan for multiple learning environment options, particularly until a COVID-19 vaccine is available. Schools are encouraged to be prepared for periods of no restrictions as well as periods of shelterin-place should the coronavirus have a resurgence.
ON-CAMPUS LEARNING This option allows for all students to attend school on campus utilizing adopted health and safety guidelines that will be finalized over the summer break.
BLENDED LEARNING This hybrid scenario blends some remote learning with a reduced number of students on campus according to a rotating schedule on any given day. Health and safety protocols would apply to all on campus students.
VIRTUAL LEARNING This scenario would be implemented should a resurgence of COVID-19 cases emerge or if the CDC and other health and safety entities deem that On Campus or Blended Learning are not possible. The campus would be closed with 100-percent remote learning.
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Questions About
THE CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE
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Will teacher-student ratios change?
The school will follow and exceed all guidelines set forth by the Georgia Department of Education and subsequent executive orders decreed by Governor Kemp as it relates to classroom social distancing safety guidelines. Please reference links on p. 10 for the most-up-to-date information.
Will on-campus classroom sizes or layouts change?
Physical classroom sizes may remain the same, but practices will be implemented to better utilize the current spaces to comply with physical distancing requirements. Barriers and utilization of nonclassroom space in order to spread out may be part of the new classroom structure.
If virtual learning is necessary, what technologies will be used for instruction?
Schoolwide, developmentally appropriate technologies will be used for virtual teaching and learning. Web conferencing tools, such as Zoom, Google Meet and others, will be used in addition to learning management platforms such as the school website, Google Classroom and Seesaw.
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Additional Questions
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What if I’m not comfortable sending my child to campus?
Regardless of the re-entry plan, our goal is to serve the entire St. Martin’s student population. If classes are scheduled on campus and a family isn’t comfortable sending students back to campus, we will work together to develop a teaching and learning plan.
What happens if there is a pandemic resurgence?
If there is a resurgence of the virus, we will make decisions based on the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff – likely resulting in a period of shelter in place with remote learning or a blended learning scenario.
What happens if one teacher or student tests positive?
As part of any re-entry scenario, notification to the community that a student or teacher has tested positive for COVID-19 will follow a strict protocol overseen by the St. Martin’s School and Safety Committee which includes the school nurse. Confidentiality would be honored for the individual(s) affected and contact tracing guidelines would be implemented.
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Resources
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AND LINKS
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - https://www.cdc.gov https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/open-america/community-mitigation.html
Georgia Governor’s Office - https://gov.georgia.gov • Governor’s Executive Order - https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders
Georgia Department of Education - https://www.gadoe.org/Pages/Home.aspx • Georgia Dept of Early Care and Learning - http://www.decal.ga.gov/Default.aspx • Georgia Insights - https://www.georgiainsights.com/uploads/1/2/2/2/122221993/georgias_k-12_recovery_plan.pdf
Other • Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) - https://gbac.issa.com • DeKalb County Schools - https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/documents/coronavirus/update-23-b.pdf
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