2020-2021 WSPB Back to School
Re-Opening Report
On Campus Learning
On-campus learning will look similar to a normal school day with safety elements. Students will enter and exit classrooms through the outside doors and grades will stay together as small pods. Desks and tables will be at least 3-feet apart and teachers will manage their classroom flow to help maintain physical distance protocol.
During on-campus learning WSPB will utilize outdoor spaces as weather permits. When outside class is not possible due to weather, the classes will take breaks to go outside, open the doors and windows to circulate air, and air purifiers will be used in each class. Early Childhood will increase their time outside during the day as well.
Recess times will be staggered to limit mixing of grades as much as possible and to allow time to clean and disinfect.
During this time, parents will need to make an appointment to be on campus.
Masks
All persons in the building who are not maintaining a social distance of 6 feet must wear masks indoors as a general rule. With young children mask-wearing is balanced with other ways of maintaining safety in a developmentally appropriate way at the discretion of the teacher. Older students may take mask breaks in quiet corners, when eating, and at the discretion of the teacher. An example would be during class quiet work time.
Mandatory Daily Screenings
For those entering the building, including students, faculty, and staff WSPB will implement mandatory health screening and temperature checks to identify any individuals who may have COVID-19 or who may have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus. Both EC and Grades campuses will have staggered starts in order to provide enough time to check students. Once screened, students will wash hands and go directly to their classrooms for the grade students and play yard for EC students.
Handwashing
WSPB follows all hygiene requirements as advised by the CDC and DOH. These include:
Training all students, faculty, and staff on proper hand and respiratory hygiene,
Creating extra time in the schedule for hand washing, especially after restroom breaks, recess, using shared equipment, or other higher risk activities
Creating outside hand wash stations on both campuses
Providing hand sanitizer and wipes in all classrooms and near shared workplace items (copy machines, computers).
Extra time has been built into the schedule for hygiene maintenance.
Cleaning & Disinfection
The school’s janitorial service is responsible for cleaning and disinfection every evening. In addition to the work of the janitorial service, WSPB will disinfect the classrooms with an approved cleaner during the day. High touch areas (doorknobs, light switches, and common used items) will be disinfected an additional two-times per day.
Management of Ill Persons
WSPB has developed protocols for caring for a student, faculty, or staff member who develops COVID-19 symptoms during the school day. A dedicated area on both campus locations has been identified to isolate anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 from others. The school will be cleaned and disinfected as specified by CDC guidelines.
RETURNS TO SCHOOL
If a person is not diagnosed by a healthcare provider (physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant) with COVID-19 they can return to school providing there is a written note from the provider:
Once there is no fever, without the use of fever reducing medicines, and they have felt well for 24 hours;
If they have been diagnosed with another condition and have a healthcare provider written note stating they are clear to return to school.
If a person is diagnosed with COVID-19 by a healthcare provider based on a test or their symptoms, or does not get a COVID-19 test but has had symptoms, they should not be at school and should stay at home until:
It has been at least fourteen days since the individual first had symptoms;
It has been at least three days since the individual has had a fever (without using fever reducing medicine); and
It has been at least three days since the individual’s symptoms improved, including cough and shortness of breath.
DISTANCE LEARNING
Despite our time-tested practice of being with our students in their classrooms at school, we may continue to offer Distance Learning during this time of COVID-19. The Faculty at Waldorf School of Palm Beach are prepared to offer Distance Learning when necessary. Our first experience with Distance Learning was an emergency response, whereas now, faculty have had time to review, collaborate, plan, and are prepared to provide a new and more enhanced form of our remote program.
GRADES 1-8 DiSTANCE LEARNING
We have connected with Waldorf teachers across the country and around the world who have taught using various Distance Learning approaches. A wealth of new experience and teaching modalities arose from our spring emergency with COVID-19. Waldorf teachers around the globe are sharing this range of tools and approaches to serve the unique needs of each community. Although no two communities and their needs are the same, WSPB faculty now have better understanding and experience to make Distance Learning the best it can be for the unique requirements of our community. We do believe we have the tools to move forward into this new uncharted territory together and we are proud that we can do it while maintaining the beauty and magic of Waldorf education.
The key to our success will be understanding the needs of each family based on clear communication. Please be sure to speak with your teacher about you and your child's needs.
Here are some of the outstanding features of the curriculum we are envisioning:
Predictable schedules with assignments
Weekly packets ready to go with (minimal to no printing for parents)
Every Grades class will have Zoom classes each day. Zoom classes for all grades
Weekly community meetings with teachers and administration.
Excellent student teacher ratio
One on one support from teachers
Social class gatherings such as, tea parties, work shares, show and tell, and other social activities.
Early Childhood Distance Learning
We learned much through our experience with distance learning during the end of the 2019-2020 school year. We have thoughtfully considered what worked, and what did not, and have taken parent feedback into consideration when planning for the time distance learning may need to take place this year. The EC Program’s main emphasis will be on providing a weekly place for the children to socialize as a class, and to connect with their teachers over Zoom when we cannot be together in person. In addition, we will be providing weekly recorded stories, songs, finger plays and circle activities for children and parents to access as desired. During periods of Distance Learning we will offer:
One weekly, scheduled class meeting dedicated to “Show & Tell”
One weekly, scheduled class meeting dedicated to curriculum sharing
Birthday Celebrations scheduled as needed
We are committed to supporting our families during this time, and will be available for individual family support upon request.
Ongoing Communication AND TOWN HALL MEETING
The Waldorf School of Palm Beach will continue to message our reopening plans, as well as safety information pertaining to mitigating the risk of COVID-19 infection. The full Handbook will be available by the end of next week. This will provide more details of our health and safety and pedagogical planning.
While there are certainly challenges ahead, we feel ready to meet them through innovative and thorough planning and partnership with our community. In order to keep dialogue open and our community informed we are committed to offering a few options for families.
We will continue to communicate with families to keep you updated via:
Weekly email updates
Our new administrator, Wendy Gittleman, will host a weekly Zoom Tea Meetings for parents
The Board of Trustees and Faculty will host a monthly Town Hall meeting. The first Town Hall will be Thursday, July 30th. We hope you all can join.