20-21 School Plans

Dear Elms Family:

I hope this email finds you well and healthy! 

As you know, we are in the final stretch towards the end of the 2019-2020 academic year. Teaching days will conclude on Friday, May 22, with next week, Memorial Day week, reserved for drop off, final projects and tests to be completed, pick-up of materials for summer reading, used uniform drop-off, etc. Friday, May 29, is dedicated to celebrating our Seniors. We have scheduled Elms graduation for Saturday, June 6, and will share the full schedule with you very soon.

You may be wondering how the Elms envisions school this fall. I can share the following plans with you, recognizing that requirements from the State of Ohio might impact the final outcome.

The Elms' is smaller by design and that's never been as important as it is today! We are a school with four divisions (Pre-School through High School) and a campus constructed to accommodate all grades. We believe it is in the best interest of our students for the Elms to return to a traditional Monday through Friday school day model. We have made the decision to limit class sizes rather than develop a rotating schedule of any kind. We have reviewed school days and how a child moves through the day, and we have measured every classroom and every space typically occupied by students. Here are the details I can share with you at this time.

Pre-School and Primary Grades K-5

We have experienced increased demand for fall and are adding a second Kindergarten. We will limit those classes, along with Primary Grades 1-5, to 14 students per classroom. We may not have a young three-year-old program in the fall, but we will offer a four-year-old program in preparation for Kindergarten.

We are prepared for teachers of our "specials" to join students in their classrooms, rather than students moving from room to room, at least to begin the year. Imagine this for music, art and Spanish. Organized recess and separate lunch schedules will be a part of our daily routine. We will make plans, over the next few weeks, for students to enter through various doors and at specific times - more to come on that topic! 

As summer camp specifications were released by the State of Ohio last week and do NOT require students to wear masks, we will continue to monitor the State’s regulations on that point and share that information with you as it becomes available. 

Middle School

Middle School Grades 6-8 will be limited in size to 17 per grade; currently, Eighth Grade is full for the fall. It is likely that the teachers will move from grade to grade rather than the girls moving from room to room. Lockers will be spaced out to ensure social distancing norms are a daily practice. The girls will move to lunch together and will have reserved seating.  

Elms Farm will continue operating with specific schedules for tending the chickens and the gardens. We will be adding two small goats this summer and a goat barn.

High School

We have measured all high school spaces and know what our maximum capacity is per space. We are investigating creative options, such as dividing grades into cohort groups that travel together throughout the day. We also know that some spaces not formerly used as classrooms will be brought online in the fall to provide flexibility. The dance studio and the Brennan Theatre, for instance, could provide much-needed flexibility throughout the day.

Lockers will be assigned in a way to adhere to social distancing. There will be two lunch periods per day, with assigned seating.

All School Notes

Our plans include facility sanitizing for both school buildings on a rotating schedule -- daily in all cases and periodically throughout the day in other cases depending on space usage. We imagine taking temperatures in the morning for all children, faculty and staff will be a requirement and one we support. Hand washing protocols will be established that includes hand sanitizing upon entering the building and when changing spaces. Visitors to the buildings will be limited. Students who are exposed to COVID-19 will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days and take extra precautions when returning to school. In summary, the Elms will adhere to daily precautions as identified by the State of Ohio in order to return to school in August.

Mindful that sometimes a student may have pre-existing conditions that prohibit her from attending school until the pandemic has ceased. We are prepared to address the educational needs of that student on a case-by-case basis, including streaming classes daily. We will work with families to ensure the best options for their children – it’s the Elms way!

I hope this is helpful to you as you work with your child on plans to end this school year on a high note and prepare for next year. We will continue to provide information as it becomes available. We are honored for the opportunity to share in your child's education and look forward to returning to a classroom schedule in late August.  

Blessings, 
Deborah Farquhar Jones
President
Our Lady of the Elms School