On Wednesday, I joined other heads of school for a meeting with Dr. Travis Gayles, Montgomery County health officer, and Dr. Earl Stoddard, the county’s emergency manager. Citing rising COVID cases in the DMV, Dr. Gayles stated that it is unsafe to open any school for in-person learning in the county at this time, and their recommendation is that we continue to utilize virtual learning platforms when school opens.
Also on Wednesday, Gov. Hogan shared that a recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in Maryland signaled a need to pause the reopening plans for the state. Dr. Gayles echoed his sentiments. Although Montgomery County has made significant progress on controlling the spread of the virus, COVID-19 cases have increased as businesses have begun to reopen. Dr. Gayles believes strongly that reopening schools will further increase community spread of COVID-19.
We have invested tremendous time and resources during the last several months to prepare us to return to campus, and we are both ready and eager to do so. But we also have a responsibility to protect the health and well-being of our students, our faculty, our staff, our families, and the general public.
In light of recent trends, the WES Board of Trustees met to discuss these issues. In consideration of the best interests of the WES Family and the larger community, we have made the decision to proceed with caution and care as we move forward with our plans for the 2020-2021 school year. We will begin the school year learning virtually while planning to resume on-site learning as soon as we believe it is safe to do so. We will reassess the conditions in our county on Thursday, October 1, to determine if there are opportunities to transition to a hybrid model at that time. While classes will be virtual as we start the school year, we are exploring safe ways that students can be invited to campus periodically for age-appropriate activities in September.
While we are now shifting our focus from an in-person start to a virtual one, the significant time and resources we have invested will allow us to pivot quickly to on-site learning when we are able to do so.
We remain committed to providing an exceptional educational experience for your children. Our Continuous Learning Task Force has been working diligently this summer to help us build upon our earlier remote learning model and incorporate the feedback we received from our surveys last spring.
We have expanded our capacities for at-home instruction from both a technological and a pedagogical perspective. All students will receive a WES device on which to learn, and at-home learning will vary by division and grade level. In order to meet the developmental needs of all our students, we will provide live, synchronous instruction as well as opportunities for independent and project-based learning.
We have also invested in additional faculty members to help us provide a high-quality and seamless continuous learning experience, and our teachers have engaged in professional development over the summer to further expand their skills in remote instruction. We understand that the ability to learn and flourish is deeply rooted in social-emotional health as well. Throughout this pandemic, we have sought to prioritize mental well-being and community connections, and we will continue to do so.
I presented the news that we will begin the school year learning virtually with our teachers at a faculty meeting yesterday afternoon. While much of our planning has been based on the hope that we would return to campus, our teachers instantly began sharing ideas as to how they could make a virtual start of the school year special, bringing the same creativity, dedication, and passion for educating children that they have consistently displayed throughout this highly fluid situation. I know they will inspire and nurture joyful learning in our students as we begin the new school year.
As we reflect upon our values, and the virtues that we hope to instill in our students, we must proceed forth with compassion and be wise stewards as we protect the community to which we belong. Our first responsibility is to promote the health and safety of our students and our faculty, and we must also be good neighbors to those around us.
Thank you for your patience and flexibility. I will continue to be in touch frequently with the latest updates.
Sincerely,
Danny Vogelman
Head of School
Summer 2020 WES Magazine is Here!
The latest addition of the WES magazine is in your mailbox! Read about a unique Grade 8 graduation and explore how the WES Distance Learning Plan kept the ball rolling.
Got Talent? Show It Off Virtually!
Continuing to Work Toward a More Equitable Society
Roughly 250 members of our community joined us on the WES soccer field last Saturday, to march for racial justice and show support for Black lives. The demonstration was organized by local high school students, many of whom are WES alumni. The rally’s speakers reflected on being Black in America, as well as their experiences with racism within their communities and schools. We then marched down Little Falls Parkway to Arlington Road and circled back to finish at WES.
The protest was very well-organized and a testament to the gifts and talents of our alums. Many members of the WES Family, including both current and past parents and faculty, attended this high-energy event. I was incredibly proud to see our alumni and other young adults use their confidence, passion, and leadership skills to promote positive change.
The rally was also evidence of how much work we still have left to do in creating a more equitable society. In my last newsletter I shared about our faculty’s professional development work over the summer in this area, and now I am pleased to announce that Courtney Clark will join the administrative team as our new director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She will continue to teach a few art classes as she transitions into her new role.
Courtney and Dr. Dibinga will collaborate with the administrative team and faculty in our efforts to ensure our curriculum reflects multiple perspectives as well as content centered on respecting and embracing differences and acting against bias and injustice. She will coordinate the Faculty and Parent Diversity Committees, and help us maintain a focus on recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and retaining faculty and professional staff who reflect and support a diverse and inclusive school community.
Courtney has demonstrated tremendous passion, knowledge, and skills in this area through her work on the Faculty Diversity Committee, and we are excited to have her in her new role.
WES Hosts Food Truck Tuesday on July 14
Tired of cooking? Want to support local business? Join us for FOOD TRUCK TUESDAY with B.S. BBQ!
It’s not quite a party….but a chance to say “hi.”
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
4 – 6:30 p.m.
Click on the link to order: https://Wes.bsbbq.us
All orders need to be placed by 2 p.m. July 10
If Taking Home Your Order:
- Please limit the number of family members waiting in line.
- Please wear a face mask.
- Physical distancing etiquette, please.
If your family would like to eat at WES on the Gosnell Field:
- Bring a blanket and/or chairs.
- Bring your own trash bag and dispose of it at home.
- If you will be blanket “hopping” please wear a face mask.
- Physical distancing etiquette, please.
- Restrooms will not be available.
- If there is inclement weather, all food will be for take-home only.
