SAAS Message from Rob: Looking Back At Two Years Ago

Reflecting on Two Years Ago

Dear SAAS Community, 

As we kick off the spring trimester on Monday, I feel it is important to take this time to reflect on where we were, as a community, two years ago today. As I mention in the video message above, in order to know where you are, you have to know where you came from. When we went into full remote learning on March 10, 2020 (letter below), we didn't know when we were going to see each other again or what the future would hold for our dynamic school community. Now two years later, it's equally important to celebrate where we are and what's ahead. We have sacrificed as a community to get to this point where we can opt to both mask or unmask and I am grateful for this autonomy. I'm excited to see the faces of our community and to renew our appreciation for each other. Let’s continue to respect and remember what we've been through together while we start an exciting spring ahead.

Thank you,

Rob Phillips

Head of School

March 6, 2020

Dear SAAS Community,

We have made the decision to go into extended closure status effective Tuesday, March 10th through our return from Spring Break, on Monday, April 20th. 

The goal of this letter is to let you know the What and the Why of my decision, not to lay out the specifics of the plan. That information will follow, and will by nature be evolving in the coming days and weeks.

This is not a decision that I make lightly, nor in response to any kind of political or social pressure. And it’s not made in response to specific cases of Covid-19 being present in our community. Seattle Academy continues to have no reported or confirmed cases of students, faculty, staff, or administration with Coronavirus COVID-19 or who have had direct exposure to someone who has been diagnosed with Coronavirus COVID-19. 

And……

I believe that given what we know about the virus, we would be taking this action at some point.

And I don’t see the benefit in waiting until that happens, and then reacting.

There comes a point where the best way to deal with the mounting variables is to begin to take control of the situation when and where we can.  We will provide clarity in ways that may be easier said than done, but that can be addressed as we roll up our sleeves and dig in.

And while continuing to plan is prudent, I’m also mindful of a piece of wisdom attributed to many military leaders: “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.”

Their point was that plans are not unimportant. Their point was rather that once the plan goes into action, the real learning begins. The ability to execute, adapt and iterate is more important than the ability to plan.

There are always reasons to wait, and there will always be a range of opinions about why and when to act, but ultimately I believe that we’ve reached the point of needing to move from plan to action.

I’m confident in our faculty and staff, and in our students. The challenges in the weeks ahead will bring into focus what it means to be “a dynamic community that challenges students to question, imagine and create in order to contribute boldly to a changing world.”

We’ll continue to navigate a lot of uncertainty as we provide continuity of instruction, as we try to find ways to keep kids active and engaged, and as we grapple with how to be a supportive and caring community absent the kinds of proximity and connection that we’re used to.

In a letter sent last night to the class of 2020 and their families, I shared with them the disappointing decision that the Senior Trip would not go to the Yukon in April. The following is applicable to all of us right now:

I am asking you to understand the decision, but I want to be really clear about the following to the class of 2020: You get to be disappointed, you get to be angry, and you get to flat out be really bummed about this. I am all of those right now too, and will be for a long time.

Unfortunately, with the trajectory of the public health outbreak in our city, there are probably more disappointments to come. We won’t be in a business as normal mode this spring. The virus will have all kinds of implications for lots of things that are on the calendar for the end of the year. So right now, I’m trying to keep the bow of the kayak straight into the wind and keep us moving forward in the waves rather than trying to make decisions too far out ahead.

But there will likely be more emails like this to come. And when they do,  you get to be disappointed, you get to be angry, and you get to flat out be really bummed about it.

And then at some point, we’ll need to refocus on the things we can control, and look for ways to do what we can to make up for this together. The legacy of the class of 2020 is going to be the senior class that provided leadership in a tough time, and helped the community navigate a really challenging spring.

I would ask all of us to lean into the request I made of them in that final paragraph.

These are difficult times for our city, our state and for our nation. But in the midst of all these challenges, I continue to be grateful to be a part of this community.

I ask that you continue to share your feedback, frustration, and encouragement with me.

I ask for your patience as we move from Plan to Action.

I’m grateful for the many ways you’re taking care of each other and working to strengthen our community. And I’m reminded time and again of how important it is that we continue to be clear about our mission and values, that we consciously work to strengthen the bonds in our communities, and that we take care of each other.

You’ll receive additional information and instructions from division and academic leadership specific for your kids and again, commit to updating you along the way.

Please reach out to me directly if you have questions or suggestions.

Rob Phillips

Head of School