Dear All,
My apologies in advance for the lengthy communication, but I encourage you to bear with me all the way to the end. First, I could not be prouder of the Darlington Community. Our faculty has led the way in this unprecedented and unpredictable journey to distance learning and our students are right behind them. Our faculty and students are engaging and committing to the unknown, while working through challenges we could have never imagined. And parents - your positive attitude, love for your children, and commitment to our community are an inspiration to me. It is during challenging times that we remember what is most important.
Last Friday, I received an email from a parent that has stayed with me. She wrote, “As a parent, I get the feeling that Darlington is trying to find ways to make this odd situation special and memorable, as opposed to just ‘getting through it’.” It is partially with this sentiment, and definitely with our survey data in mind, that I share with you some significant changes to our distance learning program.
Of great interest is the validation that the survey data reflects our educational philosophy that our focus must center around Skills and Relationships and not simply Content. While our Office Hours will remain voluntary for many reasons, this time for synchronous learning and connection is invaluable for both students and faculty. I encourage you to ask your children about their Office Hours and, where possible, make it your expectation that they attend at least once a week.
We greatly appreciate your feedback as well as that from our faculty about the last two weeks of distance learning. After much discussion, we will be making the following adjustments to our schedule:
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Distance learning will continue for all students, Pre-K through grade 11, from Monday, April 13, and conclude on Friday, May 15.
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Going forward, distance learning will focus on a four-day week. Fridays will be considered “Flexible Fridays.”
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Mondays and Wednesdays will be odd days.
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Tuesdays and Thursdays will be even days.
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The goal of “Flexible Fridays” is to connect, empower, and engage students in areas that are important to them and connected to the values of Darlington. Fridays are not a day off. They will be flexible for students, and skill-building opportunities will be provided. A new website will be introduced next week to help us get started. Fridays will also give students and faculty an opportunity to “catch up” and ensure they are positioned for success moving forward. There will not be graded assignments due on Fridays.
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The last day of academics for the Class of 2020 will be Thursday, April 30.
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Beginning Monday, May 4, and continuing until May 8, we will celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating class during “Senior Week.” Seniors, please look for separate communications, including a survey, from the Upper School.
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All seniors will be exempt from exams for their non-AP classes.
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Division Directors will communicate important information regarding the end of the school year (including final assessments, AP exams, and grade-level celebrations).
There is a great deal to process in this communication, so I will try and take a little more time in explanation and hopefully address some of your concerns.
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Preparedness for Next Year: One goal of our distance learning program is to make sure students are prepared for what comes next in their academic journey. We believe that our students will be ready for what comes next and likely even more prepared for having experienced the tribulations of the COVID-19 outbreak. For those parents worried about their child and next year, I encourage you to reach out to his or her teachers and division leadership as you always would.
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New Academic Week: One of the great downsides of distance learning is that it eliminates many of the moments that make Darlington the special community that it is. Distance learning changes the school day so that every minute of school is now essentially an academic minute. For example, we will not have field day this year, host the Special Olympics or have awards day. As a result, the necessary material and skills can be covered in a four-day week schedule. The school also maintains the appropriate number of minutes we need to be in school for the year through a combination of our time already spent and the way our distance learning schedule is arranged. “Flexible Fridays” provide us with the opportunity to achieve the ultimate goal in our mission which is to empower our students by providing new opportunities to peak their intellectual curiosity.
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Emotional Health: In a holistic approach to educating the whole child, our emotional health is of utmost importance. We have no way of knowing what each of us is going through during this time, but we do know it is significant. As a result, we are attempting to focus on the controllables. We feel that bringing some clarity and closure to the end of our “new” school year is important so that we are reminded to continue pressing forward. These plans will be clear following specific communication from your division leadership. We also believe that this plan offers greater opportunity for the connections that we all crave right now.
We understand that real concerns exist. It is not lost on us that Darlington is not operating in a “business as usual” manner. We also recognize that our community is not immune to the financial pressures facing the country and the world. Next week, I will begin hosting “Coffee, Questions and Conversation” over Google Meet. Invitations can be found in the daily “Today at Darlington” email.
As many of us prepare to celebrate Easter, I am reminded that we have many reasons to be grateful. Babies are being born, special occasions are being celebrated, new bike riders are flying around neighborhoods, parents are hearing children read for the first time, many who are sick are healing, we are keeping our spirit of service, our sense of honor and, of course, our sense of humor.
I hope you will join me in honoring our first responders, medical professionals, parents, friends, and grandparents by following the social distancing and personal hygiene guidelines put before us. As a colleague shared with me today, “Small progress is better than no progress.” I hope that you feel that you are making small progress; I believe our community is making significant progress.
As our Alma Mater reminds us, “Forward ever be our Watchword.”
Warmest Regards,
Brent Bell
Head of School
