610-687-9660
March 9, 2020
Dear Woodlynde School Families,
We are continuing to monitor the evolving developments in regard to the COVID-19 outbreak and are working with the Chester County Health Department and the Pennsylvania Department of Health to stay up-to-date. Updates are constantly coming across my desk, and as a school community, we are aware of the impact this situation is having on everyone. Thank you for your support, patience, and understanding as we navigate these rapidly changing circumstances.
Survey:
In an effort to be as prepared as possible in the weeks ahead we are asking each family to complete a short five question survey found here. Please help us by taking just a minute to answer the questions as the data will help us make informed decisions.
Below you will find a few updates and reminders.
Travel, School Trips & Events:
Due to the fact that there has continued to be a rapid pace of change around the spread of the Coronavirus, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Upper School trip to Greece over spring break as well as the grade 10 trip to Washington D.C. planned for March 16-17. With everyone's safety and wellbeing in mind, we made this decision based on the data currently available to us and the primary risks of proceeding with the trips.
Travel right now comes with the risk of increased exposure to COVID-19, and Maryland's declaration of a state of emergency indicates that there is increased risk of exposure for individuals traveling to that area. Travel involving planes, airports, hotels, transportation transfers, and buses also increases the risk of exposure to the virus for students and colleagues as well as the possibility of getting sick on one of these trips or even quarantined. Traveling outside the country also poses a risk should international air travel be suspended due to the virus.
Please note that for students booked on the trip to Greece, we will be reaching out directly with additional information on the possibility of taking the trip next year or other means of recovering as much of the cost as possible.
Cancelling both of these trips was a difficult decision, and I am grateful for the level of professionalism and commitment shown by our colleagues as we plan in this environment where things are changing daily and even hourly. Moving forward, we will continue to monitor the situation related to COVID-19 to determine whether or not we are able to run other school activities and events. Should we need to cancel or postpone an activity, we will inform you as early as possible.
Distance Learning Plan:
The Leadership Team and colleagues are working on a comprehensive distance learning plan that will be utilized across all divisions in the event that the school should need to close for a period of time. We will share details of the plan later this week in an effort to keep everyone informed.
We will be encouraging all students in Middle and Upper School to take home their laptop and charger each evening to be prepared in the event of a school closing. Please check-in with your student to be sure that they are following through on this important process.
Health Reminder from Woodlynde's School Nurse:
Prevention
We advise everyone in our community – students, colleagues, and families - to follow the same practices that help prevent the spread of the flu and other illnesses:
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners that are at least 60-95% alcohol are effective.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes.The main way that the flu and COVID-19 spreads is from person to person is in the droplets produced by coughs and sneezes, so it is important to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or cough/sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands.
• Do not share personal items such as drinks, food, or utensils.
• Do not attend school if you are sick. Any student or staff member who is determined to be sick while at school will be immediately sent home. It will be important to pick up your sick child within the hour to prevent the spread of illness at school.
• Keep sick individuals at home for at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medicine like ibuprofen or acetaminophen and after no vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours.
• Children who return to school too soon after illness are at risk for picking up another infection.
For the health and wellbeing of all members of our community, please follow these guidelines on when to keep your child home from school.
Thank you all for your continued support and understanding as we monitor the situation and navigate uncharted waters. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or concerns. We will continue to communicate on a regular basis. In addition, we are building a web page to provide ongoing updates and resources which I will share with you later this week.
All my best,
Amy
Amy L. Clemons, Head of School
clemons@woodlynde.org | 610-293-6630
Back
We are continuing to monitor the evolving developments in regard to the COVID-19 outbreak and are working with the Chester County Health Department and the Pennsylvania Department of Health to stay up-to-date. Updates are constantly coming across my desk, and as a school community, we are aware of the impact this situation is having on everyone. Thank you for your support, patience, and understanding as we navigate these rapidly changing circumstances.
Survey:
In an effort to be as prepared as possible in the weeks ahead we are asking each family to complete a short five question survey found here. Please help us by taking just a minute to answer the questions as the data will help us make informed decisions.
Below you will find a few updates and reminders.
Travel, School Trips & Events:
Due to the fact that there has continued to be a rapid pace of change around the spread of the Coronavirus, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Upper School trip to Greece over spring break as well as the grade 10 trip to Washington D.C. planned for March 16-17. With everyone's safety and wellbeing in mind, we made this decision based on the data currently available to us and the primary risks of proceeding with the trips.
Travel right now comes with the risk of increased exposure to COVID-19, and Maryland's declaration of a state of emergency indicates that there is increased risk of exposure for individuals traveling to that area. Travel involving planes, airports, hotels, transportation transfers, and buses also increases the risk of exposure to the virus for students and colleagues as well as the possibility of getting sick on one of these trips or even quarantined. Traveling outside the country also poses a risk should international air travel be suspended due to the virus.
Please note that for students booked on the trip to Greece, we will be reaching out directly with additional information on the possibility of taking the trip next year or other means of recovering as much of the cost as possible.
Cancelling both of these trips was a difficult decision, and I am grateful for the level of professionalism and commitment shown by our colleagues as we plan in this environment where things are changing daily and even hourly. Moving forward, we will continue to monitor the situation related to COVID-19 to determine whether or not we are able to run other school activities and events. Should we need to cancel or postpone an activity, we will inform you as early as possible.
Distance Learning Plan:
The Leadership Team and colleagues are working on a comprehensive distance learning plan that will be utilized across all divisions in the event that the school should need to close for a period of time. We will share details of the plan later this week in an effort to keep everyone informed.
We will be encouraging all students in Middle and Upper School to take home their laptop and charger each evening to be prepared in the event of a school closing. Please check-in with your student to be sure that they are following through on this important process.
Health Reminder from Woodlynde's School Nurse:
Prevention
We advise everyone in our community – students, colleagues, and families - to follow the same practices that help prevent the spread of the flu and other illnesses:
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners that are at least 60-95% alcohol are effective.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes.The main way that the flu and COVID-19 spreads is from person to person is in the droplets produced by coughs and sneezes, so it is important to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or cough/sneeze into your elbow or shoulder, not into your hands.
• Do not share personal items such as drinks, food, or utensils.
• Do not attend school if you are sick. Any student or staff member who is determined to be sick while at school will be immediately sent home. It will be important to pick up your sick child within the hour to prevent the spread of illness at school.
• Keep sick individuals at home for at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medicine like ibuprofen or acetaminophen and after no vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours.
• Children who return to school too soon after illness are at risk for picking up another infection.
For the health and wellbeing of all members of our community, please follow these guidelines on when to keep your child home from school.
Thank you all for your continued support and understanding as we monitor the situation and navigate uncharted waters. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or concerns. We will continue to communicate on a regular basis. In addition, we are building a web page to provide ongoing updates and resources which I will share with you later this week.
All my best,
Amy
Amy L. Clemons, Head of School
clemons@woodlynde.org | 610-293-6630
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Woodlynde School is a private, co-ed college prep day school located in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that serves intelligent, talented students with learning differences in grades K - 12. Woodlynde provides a comprehensive, evidence-based Kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school program in a challenging yet nurturing environment for students with average to above average cognitive abilities (IQ) who have language- or math-based learning differences (such as Dyslexia, Dysgraphia or Dyscalculia), Executive Function Challenges, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Auditory Processing Disorder. Even for those students without a diagnosed learning disability (LD), Woodlynde offers expert and caring teachers in small classroom settings that support academic success. Woodlynde School also offers a post-graduate (PG) program in partnership with Rosemont College as well as a regional Summer Camp for students who learn differently.
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