MESSAGE FROM ROB PHILLIPS, HEAD OF SCHOOL

June 12, 2021

As we move into mid-June, the end of the year school celebrations are in full swing. Thanks to all for a spectacular graduation at T-Mobile Park and congratulations to the Class of 2021. Our community showed up in a big way and brought the noise as this graduating class represented the culmination of their final school year with incredible performances and thoughtful speeches. 

It was fitting that we held graduation at T-Mobile Park, where the hum and buzz of students connecting with each other, their families, and those of us in the stadium was a reminder of how powerful it is to come together in community, whether that’s at a graduation or an athletic contest or in the classroom. 

The excitement, energy, and creativity that was so in evidence at graduation has been true of the end of year arts performances, and will be on display at the upcoming Curtain Call and Middle School Moving Up ceremonies.  

These final months, including our community in-person events, have highlighted so much of what we’ve missed this past year, and how excited we are to be making plans to return to campus in the Fall of 2021 as an in-person community.

With fall in mind, I want to communicate some important decisions and plans for the upcoming school year. We’ll continue to communicate the logistics of how these decisions will be implemented by all of us, but I want share with you the high-level “here’s what we’re planning on” now, so that we can move forward together with a shared frame of reference.

• Starting in the 2021-22 Fall Trimester, we will return to our pre-pandemic school schedule starting classes at 8:15 AM, ending at 3:00 PM. The school week will look much as it did in the fall of 2019, with four classes a day and classes occuring five days a week with in-person learning. We will create more time for connections, community building, and clubs in the daily schedule, rather than having one day a week devoted specifically to these areas.
• After careful considerations and thorough discussions, we have decided to require all students, faculty, and staff to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before they return in the fall. There will be exceptions to this policy including students aged 12 and under who, due to their age, are not yet eligible to receive a vaccine. In addition, exceptions due to medical and religious reasons are supported and are required by law. As is the case with most vaccinations in our state, a qualified philosophical exemption will also be allowed.  

There may be different protocols for those unvaccinated like wearing masks while on campus, social distancing, and continued COVID-19 testing— these are all areas where we’ll continue to receive guidance from public health, and where the requirements are still in a state of flux.

Bottom line—WE  ARE EXCITED TO WELCOME EVERYONE BACK IN PERSON IN THE FALL!

We’ve learned a ton in these past 15 months: how to reflect on our own needs and experiences while considering the perspectives and circumstances of others; how to act with purpose in the absence of certainty; and how to move forward while being aware of the need to adapt. We’ll continue to call upon these skills together as a community, with the shared foundation of our shared mission and values, and the muscle memory of having navigated so much together.

I know many of you will have questions, clarifications, and concerns. We will be sending out a communication in the coming week about how to get vaccinated, how to submit your vaccination card if you haven’t already, how to request an exclusion, and the details for navigating this process. Please know that we will provide thorough information and details, and that many of your questions will be answered up front, once this communication is disseminated. 

In the meantime, I want to invite you to the All-School Town Hall this coming Monday, June 14th at 6:00 PM. Here is the link to register: 

Register for All School Town Hall

I’m so fortunate to be a part of this community, and I’m encouraged by our ability to stand together in challenging times. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve worked together to take care of each other, to strengthen the bonds in our community, and to live our mission and values. I’m excited to see you on campus and at events in the fall, and for the coming opportunities to connect, grow, and build community in the years ahead.

As always, please reach out to me directly with your questions, suggestions, and input.

Rob Phillips