Good evening Bridges Preparatory School Families,
It seems somewhat surreal to be sending this email to you. Although we have had a hectic three days preparing for the possibility of at-home learning, I have to admit that in many ways, it has been a great experience for our school team. As educators, we are innate learners. We thrive on the opportunity to learn and collaborate. This week has provided an abundance of opportunities to do just that. Let me say that our teachers have stepped up to provide a continuum of learning during this extended time away from our school building. They have planned lessons, and prepared as best they can to teach remotely. We are ready, and we are excited!
We have tried our best to put a plan in place that will allow us to continue to provide an excellent learning experience for your children. I am confident that we have not thought of all the little bumps that we will experience; however, we have done our best to anticipate as many as possible. Through this process, I will need you to provide feedback to the teachers as to how we can best support the at-home learning experience for your children.
Please be patient with us as we enter uncharted waters.
I want to provide an overview of our plan.
· We have made every effort to keep your children’s school day as “normal” as possible.
· Teachers will have office hours each day so that you and your children will have the opportunity to clarify any questions.
· We will post our 10-day plans to our website this evening. We will have printed plans available for families that do not have access to the internet.
· Students will be able to pick up their textbooks tomorrow (3/16/20) between 9-11 on all campuses.
I would like to set the expectations for the coming weeks so that we are all on the same page.
· Your children will be expected to complete approximately two hours of “school” work each day.
o Define their “work” space for school work. They need to be at a desk or a table. I would suggest an area that can remain set up with materials: paper, crayons, pencils, etc.
o Limit distractions: pets, TV, music, etc.
o Encourage them to connect with their teacher during “office hours” if they have questions or need assistance. We are here to help!
· Please be flexible and patient as we all adapt to a new platform for learning. We will also be flexible and patient. We know that there will likely be technical issues that are out of our control. None of us can predict what will happen when the whole world is working online. We know that families will be sharing devices and bandwidth. Our teachers are adapting to teaching online.
· Our goal for closing school is to provide social distance and slow the spread of the virus. We want to protect ourselves and others. Please do not plan indoor group activities. Encourage your children to get outside and play! Please limit entertainment time on devices and use this as an opportunity to have students engage with books at home.
· Families will be permitted to pick up resources tomorrow from 9-11 on all campuses. After tomorrow the campuses will be closed. Students may not come onto campus until we re-open.
· Keep a positive attitude and make this fun for your children.
· Take time to connect with your children in intentional ways. Plan family dinners and game night. Take advantage of the gift of time!
We are in this together. Please take care of your loved ones and we will continue to update you when we receive future guidance.
Thank you for all you do to support our wonderful school environment!
Visit our online distance learning portal at https://tinyurl.com/DistanceLearningBPS.
Gary S. McCulloch ED.S
Head of School