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April 1, 2021

Dear friends,

This has been a week of such sorrow at the passing of Gabriela Fernández and of deep appreciation for the FSA community. The one constant in this volatile year of the Covid-19 pandemic has been the strength and caring of our community. Our success in navigating these difficult times has required that every individual put the health and well being of the most vulnerable first. And the community has come through every time.

Happily, as vaccinations have become more available, more members of our community are returning to campus. Starting on Monday, April 19, we will be welcoming back several more students. We are also delighted to see more faculty and staff back on campus after being away more than a year. It hardly seems possible that we have been physically separate for that long. Thank goodness for Zoom, which has kept us connected in so many ways. For everyone returning to campus, please review the Updated FSA Guide for Returning to Campus.

As this week ends, spring break begins! And when we come back, we enter the last seven weeks of the school year, which will pass by at lightning speed, as always. In addition to completing another year of academics, we will be welcoming new families who have enrolled for 2021-2022. We will be planning celebrations to mark this momentous year. We will be reflecting on what was lost while our community was so fractured and what new tools for instruction we will keep in the future. We will stay focused on our anti-racist efforts. And we will pay tribute to faculty, staff, students and parents, all of whom qualify in my book as heroes for their persistence despite so many challenges, for their ingenuity and patience and for their authentic dedication to the value of community.

When the public health authorities say the time is right, whether this year or later, we will also indulge in one big, joyful, tear-filled group HUG!!

Enjoy your break!

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

March 26, 2021

Dear friends,

For many of us, the pandemic has created the most widespread and prolonged threat to our health and well being we have ever faced. For members of BIPOC communities, challenges to health and well being just for being non-white are threats experienced daily over entire lifetimes. The intersection of this public health crisis with a call for racial reckoning in America has illuminated the all-pervasiveness of racism, inflamed bigotry and violence among some and inspired others, including the FSA community, to deepen their commitment to becoming anti-racist and to dismantling institutional racism and white privilege.

As you know, The Friends School of Atlanta has been dedicated to diversity and inclusion and to promoting social justice since its founding in 1991. FSA’s administration, Board and FSPATA leadership recognize, however, that being a model of diversity and delivering a values-based education is a start, but the ongoing work requires honest self reflection, difficult conversations and action. Building on a 30-year foundation of educating for peace and justice, FSA is putting its deeply felt commitment to dismantling racism at the center of every decision made, including those related to the pandemic.

Some highlights of the anti-racism activities and actions FSA has conducted over the course of this school year include:

The Board has combined two long-standing committees, Diversity, Equity and Justice (DEJ) and Quaker Life, as the Friends for Racial Justice and Action (FRJA) Committee, with a mission to promote an anti-racist school community and world through specific actions, aligning actions for racial justice and human rights with Quaker values. The FRJA Committee has hosted virtual book discussions for the community, co-sponsored a virtual forum on immigration with Atlanta Friends Meeting, provided anti-racist educational resources to teachers and contributed relevant resources and news of events for the Late Quaking News, among other activities.
The Board has made time at every meeting to discuss queries related to racism and, as financial stewards of the school, has considered the specific needs of the BIPOC members of our community when authorizing pandemic-related spending.
The school has signed a statement of support for Asian Americans Advancing Justice.
FSA has organized school community vigils for peace and justice and held silent meetings with concern for racial justice.
The administration has provided several opportunities for faculty and staff to gather for conversation and support regarding topics related to racial justice, including creating affinity groups by race.
FSPATA is organizing a facilitated Black Family Forum/Community Meeting.
FSA has participated in conversations about the broader efforts of Friends schools throughout the country, led by the Friends Council on Education, to live up to our values of peace, equality and community through continuing anti-racism advocacy.

The pandemic will eventually be brought under control and fade to a bad memory as we resume our “normal” lives. We cannot let our efforts to dismantle institutionalized racism and white privilege fade as well. With the winds of social change at our backs, we are optimistic that our continuing work will bring about real change and growth as we move ever closer to the ideal of Beloved Community, where every individual is valued and no one is ever suppressed for their race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender identity or family circumstance.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

March 19, 2021

Dear friends,

Not even this rainy week could dampen our joy around vaccinations! Nearly all of the teachers and staff have scheduled or received their first doses and are on the books for that glorious second round. It appears that we will have a fully immunized staff by early May!

Thank you all for completing the latest poll regarding on campus/remote learning selections for the last seven weeks of the school year. Plans for that time have gelled and the school will continue its commitment to offer both on campus hybrid and remote learning options to all students. Middle school students will continue with the same daily schedule and afternoon remote/on-campus learning plans per the last parent poll. Remote and on-campus schedules will remain unchanged.

Elementary school students will also continue to have the same options for their schedules. One significant change for these students will be the return of many of the teaching teams to classroom grade levels. Elementary teaching teams will remain with their on-campus learners through the afternoon. Elementary remote learners will see changes in schedules and will begin learning concurrently with on-campus learners throughout the day. More information about the changes in the elementary schedule and program may be found here.

Another adjustment to our plans is that we’ll move our return-to-campus date for students switching from remote to on-campus learning from Monday, April 12, to Monday, April 19, allowing one more week’s time to prepare for more students on campus and more teachers to be fully immunized. This means students will return from Spring Break and continue with current schedules and current on-campus or remote learning designations.

The school will not be able to offer after school care, sports programs or clubs through the remainder of the year. As FSA starts summer camp in June, we hope to resume a more traditional schedule that will include “after camp” until 6:00pm. Current planning for the start of the 2021-22 school year in August foresees a complete return to our school programs and schedules.

I’ll take this opportunity to appreciate and thank our extended day teachers who are unsung heroes of this year. These amazing people have offered their support to our school and provided loving care to our students throughout the pandemic. Know that these fine people will continue to support our school throughout the remainder of the school year.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

March 11, 2021

Dear friends,

Back on March 13, 2020, when our students, faculty and staff packed up supplies and technology and left the Friends School campus, we thought the coronavirus disruption would last two weeks at most. It seemed like a long time to be at home, but we had planned ahead. We were confident we could make it work. Here we are one year later, still navigating the dangers of the pandemic, still monitoring Covid-19 cases daily … and still making it work.

This is not the kind of anniversary we celebrate. Some of us have endured Covid-19 illness. Some of us have lost loved ones to the coronavirus. People of color have experienced the disproportionately severe vulnerabilities Covid-19 has posed to BIPOC communities. We have all done our best to adapt and to give each other grace. Our teachers have risen to the challenge of delivering education remotely and in person, even while constrained by strict safety protocols. Our students have done a remarkable job keeping themselves and others safe while attending to their studies on campus and at home. Our parents have been fully invested in our safety measures, including timely health-related communications from home. And our trustees have been provided critical guidance and support. Looking back on it all, I am deeply moved by and grateful for the sustaining power of community at The Friends School of Atlanta.

Looking forward, hope for an end to the pandemic grows like the daffodils coming up all over campus. As the weather gets warmer and Covid-19 vaccinations become more widespread, the numbers of coronavirus cases are starting to come down. Now that vaccines are available to educators and school staff in Georgia, many FSA faculty and staff have either received their first shots or have made appointments. We believe that by the end of April, all of our teachers and staff seeking vaccines will be fully immunized. Yet even with vaccinations, we must remain vigilant and continue our practices of wearing masks, physically distancing and washing hands to keep everyone safe until the health authorities declare the pandemic under control.

Thank you for communicating your learning options preferences in our last parent poll. We look forward to welcoming even more students back to campus after spring break. Next week’s update letter will convey the decisions we’ve made for the rest of the school year. Between now and then, we will continue to evaluate the costs and benefits for possibly extending our schedule to full days on campus. The factors we will be considering are classroom spaces, staffing and the health and well being of teachers and students as well as the impact any changes might have on the quality of our current learning plans. Stay tuned.

If you are traveling and/or planning to gather with more than ten people at one time over spring break, don’t forget to fill out our Travel Plans Poll by Monday, March 12.

Thank you for your unwavering partnership over the past year. We recognize and appreciate all the sacrifices you have made to help keep this educational enterprise strong.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

March 4, 2021

Dear friends,

On Monday, April 12, when we return from spring break, we will begin the final leg of the 2020-2021 school year. We are looking forward to graduation, a time of celebration for all students that takes on new meaning this year! But first, we are asking you one last time to choose the best learning option — On Campus Hybrid or Remote — for your students for these last two months. Please fill out the March Learning Options Poll by this Monday, March 8. (And if you’re traveling over spring break and/or plan to gather with more than ten people, please fill out the Travel Plans Poll by March 12.)

Please note that as of now, we will be continuing our current schedule on campus: core academics in the morning, dismissal at 11:45am and remote learning in the afternoon. As always, extended care will be offered until 3:00pm. We are considering the benefits and drawbacks of extending to full day schedules on campus. There are many variables that affect the decision. In addition to the usual guidance from public health authorities regarding the rate of Covid 19 infection in DeKalb County, including concerns about variants of the virus, we will be assessing staffing and space needs. Additionally, we will consider the ability of remote staff to become fully immunized and return to campus on a timeline that makes sense for teachers and students alike. We will also do a cost benefit analysis related to educational programs, student learning and the impact on teaching if we extend our on-campus schedule to a full day.

To be fully transparent, there is no guarantee that all of the necessary factors will align to extend the on-campus schedule this late in the year, but we are committed to making that analysis. We will announce our final decision regarding any further schedule changes on Friday, March 19. If we are able to shift to a full day of classes on campus, we will give families one more chance to adjust their decisions about preferred learning modes at that time.

For professional development on Monday of this week, we had an outstanding presentation by FSA parent Michelle Pratt, who is a nurse and the Director for OB Community Programs & Navigation at Emory Decatur Hospital. For the first part of the talk, Michelle gave a highly informative overview and status report about Covid-19 vaccines and answered staff questions. The second half of Michelle’s presentation dealt with Racism in Healthcare, emphasising how racism, not race, impacts the health and disproportionate mortality rates of African Americans. It was a thought-provoking conversation, making the point that medical racism can and should be eliminated and providing resources to help make that happen. The afternoon was spent providing teacher technology training to hone skills for synchronous teaching of both on-campus and remote students.

I appreciate all that you do to keep FSA moving forward. Please stay safe. We may not be at the finish line yet, but it is definitely in sight!

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

February 22, 2021

Dear friends,

Hooray! The state has announced that starting March 8, teachers and school staff are eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine. We will be monitoring the roll out closely to determine when faculty and staff will actually have access and be fully vaccinated. We will also be assessing how vaccinations will impact any future plans around changing school day schedules for students on campus. The whole process will take several weeks at best. Meanwhile, we must continue to abide by all of our safety protocols.

So …. at the approach of spring break, it’s time for a new travel poll! The ONLY PEOPLE who need to fill out the poll are those planning to travel over break by any means other than a car and/or those planning to gather with more than ten people at one time over break. As you know, these circumstances, per our Travel Reporting Guide, will necessitate that your student quarantine for 14 days and attend remote classes before returning to campus. We need to plan ahead for that shift. You have until March 12 to fill out the poll.

We also need to address the importance of being on time for morning carpool. In the alternative reality of conducting school during a pandemic, there are many routines and responsibilities that happen behind the scenes related to on-campus safety. Morning carpool duty and health checks are among the more visible components of our safety protocols. Once carpool ends, however, those same staff are needed inside to help keep our small cohort groups at a distance from each other and to ensure that all safety protocols are observed. Thus, we have no wiggle room when it comes to ending morning carpool later than planned.

Here again are our morning routines:

Elementary School (including PreK3 and PreK4) morning carpool ends at 8:00am. Starting Monday, this door will be locked at 8:00am. If you are dropping off later than 8:00am, please park in the main parking lot, walk your child to the main door and stay through the health check.
Middle School morning carpool ends at 8:15am. If you are dropping off later than 8:15am, please park and walk your child to the main door and ring the doorbell. An administrator will check your student in, including health check. Please stay until the health check is completed.
If your child is returning after an absence, we require the Documentation of Absence form to permit your child to return to class on campus. If your child has been ill with a contagious disease, we also require a Doctor Release form. This year, more than ever, we must have those completed forms to ensure that campus is as safe as possible.

Thank you for your cooperation. While the promise of vaccines may lift our spirits, we want to acknowledge that the hardships related to the pandemic remain a reality for many. We still must do all we can as a community.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

February 18, 2021

Dear friends,

This is the time of year when the administration and board are focused on enrollment and the budget for next year. It occurs to me that focusing on the school’s enrollment and finances is a lot like focusing on safety protocols during the pandemic. Even with some folks getting vaccines and numbers of Covid-19 cases trending down, it is absolutely necessary that we stay vigilant regarding the health and safety of the community. The same holds true for the fiscal health of the school. The financial picture for FSA is looking good, but we cannot stop the work of recruitment, fundraising and expanding sources of revenue. And in both incidences, the participation of our whole community is crucial to our success.

Here are some of the ways you can help underwrite the success of Friends School in support of our mission with the students:

If you have not yet signed your re-enrollment contract for 2021-2022 and you are certain your child is returning, please complete that process. If you are uncertain, please communicate your plans/challenges to me. (Thank you to all who have either signed or reached out!) Having as accurate a headcount as possible for next year affects all aspects of school operations, especially regarding staffing and any additions to programming.
If you have friends or family with school-aged children who need to know about FSA, by all means send them our way! We are still conducting weekly admissions tours and accepting applications, class space permitting. We are especially seeking rising students for PreK4 and 1st and 2nd grades. There is no more effective endorsement than the words of a parent!
If you have not yet contributed to the Annual Appeal, now would be a great time to make your gift or pledge. (Pledges must be fulfilled by June 30.) Our Annual Appeal is a line item of our budget, providing crucial funding for operations that are not covered by tuition and fees. This year the Annual Appeal has been even more important, as it is helping us make up for pandemic-related expenses and lost revenues. To date, we have raised $77,588 toward our $110,000 goal. We’ve heard from 20% of our families. Thank you! Once our remaining families make their gifts, we know we can make our goal! You can make your gift online or write a check payable to FSA and noting Annual Appeal in the memo.
It is not too late to participate in the Georgia Student Scholarship Tax Credit program with a 2021 tax credit. This is a program, administered for FSA by Apogee, wherein you redirect a portion of what you or your business owes to the state in income taxes and designate those funds to FSA’s financial aid program. The tax credit program has become an essential component of our financial aid program over the past ten years, allowing us to bring a greater number of students into FSA and to ensure economic diversity among our student body. For more information and to apply for a 2021 tax credit, please visit the Apogee website. It is a quick and easy process to apply.Thanks to the many of you who participate with a tax credit through Apogee year after year!

Thank you for all you do for FSA. And thank you for considering these most important ways to support the school. I am continually grateful for the power and generosity of the Friends School community. You are the ones who keep the momentum going as we navigate the narrows of these difficult days.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

February 11, 2021

Dear friends,

Who knew when we sent everyone home that fateful Friday the 13th in March, 2020, we would still be waiting to bring everyone back to campus nearly a year later? What a wild ride! Here we are on February 11, 2021, hoping to be vaccinated soon, wondering what the impact will be of the variant strain of Covid-19 that is already showing up in Georgia, wishing we could just be done with all of this anxiety and extra effort. But we can’t. Not yet.

As always, we will monitor the case rate of Covid-19, especially in DeKalb County. We have set a deadline of March 19 for informing the community of any significant scheduling changes like extending the day on campus, which could take effect sometime after our return from Spring Break in April. Please note, there are many variables that will affect these decisions, such as the availability of vaccines for school personnel who are currently teaching remotely, a decrease in the numbers of families choosing remote learning options and, of course, the level of spread of the virus.

Two members of our on-campus community have tested positive for the Covid-19 virus (they are doing well with their recovery), and several members have been directly exposed, but are reporting no test positives or symptoms. We are grateful to everyone involved for following the protocols spelled out in our Guide, which are based on guidelines from the CDC and Georgia Department of Public Health. Your effort to adhere to these protocols once again affirms the effectiveness of our Community Compact. Thank you so much for doing your part.

Here are some other notes on ensuring the safety and health of our on-campus population:

When dropping off in morning carpool, please remember that staff is exposed to all passengers and particulates in a car. All people in the car must be properly masked.
Do not get out of your car in the carpool line unless you need to quickly get your child out of a carseat. It is imperative that you be masked.
If you need extra time in morning or afternoon carpool to assist your child with exiting or entering the car, please feel free to park and walk to the appropriate door for either drop off or pick up.
If you are late arriving in the morning (after 8:00am for elementary school; after 8:15am for middle school), please park and walk your student to the front door and stay through the wellness check. We have a tightly choreographed pattern of movement through the building in the mornings, designed to limit exposure of one group to another. Latecomers must be carefully worked into the flow.
ONLY IF YOU ARE TRAVELING THIS WEEKEND BY MEANS OTHER THAN CAR OR PLAN TO GATHER IN LARGE GROUPS: please fill out our travel poll if you haven’t already.

We hope you have a wonderfully relaxing Late Winter Break and find a moment or two between rain showers to get some fresh air. We’ll see you Tuesday!

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

February 5, 2021

Dear friends,This week the work and events of the school took center stage. Our admissions deadline for applicant families was Monday. Contracts from returning families are due today. The annual Book Fair launched on Monday and has been extended to Wednesday of next week. We welcomed a new school nurse, Stephaine Warren. Today we held our first-ever virtual Grandparents and Special Friends Day, and let’s just say we learned a lot about what to do differently should we need to hold that event virtually in the future.

Thank you for filling out the latest Learning Options Poll for the next period of February 16 through April 2. We are looking forward to welcoming three more students back to campus. You’ll have an opportunity to choose at least one more time for the next window starting in early April.We look forward to the day coming soon when faculty and staff of schools can get the Covid-19 vaccine. Not only will this be a step toward greater community health, but also we will be able to bring faculty and staff who have been working remotely back on campus. That will be a happy day.

Meanwhile, we remain ever-vigilant regarding keeping safe and healthy during this year-long pandemic.A special shout out to the 8th graders who are finishing up applications to independent high schools and to the whole 8th grade and their families as they enter the final stretch of their time at FSA. I’m sure this will be a year not soon forgotten.

Have a good weekend, everyone.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

January 27, 2021

Dear friends,

This is the time of year folks start planning for the future, whether it be anticipating high school for eighth graders or signing 21-22 contracts for returning families. At the same time, we must continue to contend with Covid-19 in the here and now. Thank you for all the ways you help administrators, faculty and staff keep the school community safe, including through timely communications so we can plan adequately for the health and safety of all who come to campus.

Once again, we need to hear from families regarding any plans you might have over late winter break (February 12-15) to travel outside of Atlanta or to gather with more than ten people. Only if you are planning to travel or attend large gatherings over late winter break, please complete our most current travel poll. We also want to hear which learning options will be best for your students during the period of February 16 through April 2. ALL families are asked to complete our February Learning Options Poll. The deadline for both polls is this Sunday, January 31. Thank you!

We are still feeling the reverberations from the January 6 attack on our nation’s Capitol building and on our democracy. The Friends Council on Education has issued a statement calling for us to continue the “work still to be done to turn hearts and minds toward becoming a society that is truly equitable and just.” The full statement, which I signed along with Heads of Friends schools throughout the country, can be read here: Insurgency, Inauguration, and Our Children.

At the risk of repeating myself from week to week, thank you again for your support, for the integrity of your communications and for your unflagging partnership on this crazy year-long journey to keep Friends education thriving on Columbia Drive, despite a long list of challenges. Here’s to educating for peace, justice and good health as we look forward to a better day.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

January 20, 2021

Dear friends,

As our nation inaugurates a new President and Vice President today, let us hold dear our school’s mission and its commitment to sending students out into the world with conscience, conviction and compassion. I’m holding in light the promise of a better future as we continue to stand against racism and all forms of injustice. Our work with children is inherently optimistic and filled with hope, all the while our school community acknowledges how far we must reach to realize these dreams. I wish us all strength and peace as we continue on that journey together.

Also of great importance is the work we must do to provide education safely during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Administrators, teachers and staff are gearing up for the return of in-place PreK3-8th grade students to campus on Monday, maintaining the same schedules as before. We are watching test positivity rates and the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in DeKalb County and recognize that the numbers are still high, but appear to be in decline. According to public health officials, spikes drive the numbers up quickly, but the decline happens more slowly. We are keeping a close watch.

We are also considering the internal factors that inform our decisions. Thanks to the diligence of our community to date, we have been able to keep our students, faculty and staff safe on campus. As students return to campus on Monday, many doing so after several weeks away, we will renew our vigilance regarding physical distancing, mask wearing and hand hygiene. We have also updated the Guide for Returning to Campus. The updates pertain to the Covid Diagram: Situation 4 on Direct Exposure and Testing. We will no longer require a Doctor’s Release Form for students/faculty who come in contact with a direct exposure to Covid, but there is still a mandatory quarantine period. For students, we will still require a full 14-day quarantine, but will consider quarantine reductions for teachers and staff who are vital to the on-campus learning of students at FSA. We have also updated the travel guidelines for what we consider high-risk travel requiring a mandatory 14-day quarantine. (See the Reporting Travel: High Risk Travel portion of the Community Compact.)

We will continue to do all we can do internally to keep our community safe. But should the metrics of Covid-19 spread overwhelm our good intentions and planning, we are prepared to pivot back to all remote learning. Recognizing that situations can also change for individual families, we are planning to give everyone another opportunity to change their options for on-campus or remote learning for the period starting Tuesday, February 16. Please look for a new learning options poll in next week’s update letter on January 26, and plan to complete that poll by Friday, January 29.

May President Joe Biden’s call for unity and inclusion provide new vigor to get beyond this pandemic and get on with building a beloved community, one cherished student at a time.

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

January 12, 2021

Dear friends,

I cannot remember a time of greater collective anxiety in this country. As we keep up our 10-month vigilance against a deadly coronavirus pandemic, we must also cope with the trauma of an attack on our nation’s Capitol building and on the peaceful transfer of power that lies at the heart of American democracy. With the approach of Inauguration Day next Wednesday, there are escalating threats of violence in Washington, DC, as well as in every state capitol in the country, including Atlanta. Due to the confluence of these threats to both health and civil society, we have decided it best to move to remote learning for all students (PreK3-8th grade) next week, following Monday’s observance of MLK Day.

We do not make this decision lightly. We understand the burden placed on many of our families when asked to go to remote learning. Regarding the pandemic, which has spiked to higher levels than last summer, we will continue to weigh all external and internal factors to determine the degree to which we feel we can mitigate risk on campus. There is no perfect metric or formula, but we have learned a great deal over these months about watching trends and keeping safe. We will continue to find a balance between the need for many of our students to be on campus and the safety of all students, faculty and staff.

Regarding the threats related to the Inauguration, it is critically important that we recognize that the incitement to violence is aimed especially at people of color, Jews, Muslims and members of the LGBTQ community, all of whom are represented and valued within the FSA community. In a statement on the January 6 assault on democracy, The Friends Council on Education, reminds us that, “We are called to affirm that every member of our larger Friends school community is beloved to us and that we are committed to creating environments not only of inclusiveness but of belonging.” We don’t know what will happen next week, but we can take every step possible to keep every one of our students, faculty and staff as safe as possible.

To be clear, this decision is in no way a capitulation to fear. As I wrote to faculty and staff last week:

“… the principles of Friends also call upon our school to stand firmly against that which plants the seeds of violence or would set one person’s humanity above another. We stand against those who would silence others and are called to act in opposition to those who use violence as a means for securing their power and privilege.

Today, and forever, we must continue to hold up peaceful activism in defense of human rights and our shared humanity as the way forward. We must acknowledge that this work is a responsibility of the white majority in our community and we must hold our concern for the equal treatment of community members of color in the forefront of our thinking as we do so. Repairing historic harm should be our guiding light.”

Typically MLK Day is a time for members of the FSA community to come together and march in solidarity with those who share the values of peace, justice and nonviolent protest. It is a time to focus on community and how each individual can act in service to the greater good. But at this moment of history in January, 2021, I cannot help but reflect on the courage of Dr. King and all who marched for civil rights, freedom and opportunity. They endured the most hateful and violent resistance, yet succeeded in moving our society toward the ideal of a beloved community. It is my greatest hope that the violence we are witnessing today represent birth pains for yet again bringing forward a better, more inclusive America. I take great heart in the attainability of that goal when witnessing the unprecedented level of civic engagement in the November election and last week’s runoff.

As of now, we intend to resume on-campus classes on Monday, January 25. As always, we will update you next week to confirm that decision as we keep watch over this very volatile situation. Please be safe, friends. And let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

January 5, 2021

Dear friends,

As promised, we wanted to update you on our intentions for bringing students back to campus as soon as possible. Weighing all factors and using an abundance of caution, we have committed to bringing our youngest on-campus students — PreK3-2nd Grade — back on Monday, January 11. The other students who have opted for on campus instruction will remain in remote learning until Tuesday, January 19. (Monday, January 18 is MLK Day.)

The current spread of Covid-19 in DeKalb County and Georgia has exceeded even CDC projections. Over the weekend, CDC tracking revealed that both case loads and test positivity rates are up in Georgia. While DeKalb isn’t as high as Georgia on average, the seven-day rolling averages are still high, with a percent positivity rate of nearly 15%. There hasn’t been enough time to pass since holiday travel and gatherings, including on New Year’s Eve, to know the full extent of any subsequent spike in the spread of Covid-19.

Navigating the pandemic is a constant balancing act, with first priority on the health and safety of students, faculty and staff, yet also weighing the educational needs of our students and the economic needs of our families. Our remote learning program continues to garner rave reviews, even in our youngest classes, but we know that most of our youngest students learn best with face-to-face instruction. Additionally, this age range poses the lowest risk for spread of the virus. We also know that the older students are more adept at the independent study built into the remote learning program. Hence our decision to bring the youngest students back next week and the rest of the on-campus students the following week.

It is our greatest hope that we can continue to keep students and teachers as safe as possible during on-campus instruction. We so appreciate the support and validation from the public health experts and scientists within the FSA community for our safety protocols and our careful decision making. As we have said repeatedly, a cautious approach to reopening school now will surely result in a safer and more sustainable on-campus program. Please know that we are all on the same team, continually adapting to an ever-changing environment in order to achieve as much stability as possible for our students and families as well as for our teachers.

We will continue to watch the numbers and keep you up to date. And despite all the challenges, we wish you a happy, healthy new year!

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

December 29, 2020

Dear friends,

I hope you and yours are well and staying safe and sound over this holiday vacation and that the past week has brought you much joy and peace. As promised in FSA’s last Weekly Update, I’m writing to share plans for school’s start on Tuesday, January 5.

FSA will begin the second semester remotely for all students (PreK 3-8th grade) and teachers on January 5. On campus teachers and learners will return to campus on Monday, January 11. These decisions are based on forecasts by the CDC and other scientists which project that metro area Atlanta (Dekalb and Fulton Counties) will continue a three week plateau for numbers of new cases through this week. Beginning the week of January 4, the CDC projects that the spread of the virus will begin to slowly recede. These forecasts have been regularly accurate. You can explore the data more on the CDC website or another excellent health data site.

By moving to remote learning for our first week back in January, we allow some time to see if these projections are accurate and to gauge the level of spread within our school community. FSA families’ travel plans out of the metro area have been closely monitored. In all, we have tracked nine families’ plans, so there appears to be a relatively minimal amount of risk and 100% compliance with the school’s requests for information and with post travel precautions.

I know that remote learning brings on many hardships to families who have relied upon the on-campus option for their children’s education. It is our fervent hope that by taking the precaution of remaining in a remote learning mode during this first week of the semester, we safeguard the health and well being of all those who will return and remain on campus throughout the next five months. A cautious approach to reopening school now will surely result in a safer and more sustainable on-campus program. Of course the level of community spread of the Covid-19 virus will be determined by all the usual suspects. The school will confirm a safe reopening plan as we move through this week and next. Should the forecasts by the CDC prove accurate, we’ll move ahead with on-campus learning starting Monday, January 11.

Thank you for all the ways that you support our school and help keep our community as safe as possible.

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

December 17, 2020

Dear friends,

Here we are. One more day and we can exhale, turn off zoom and sit down with a cup of hot cocoa and a heart full of gratitude that we made it this far into the pandemic with our health and safety relatively intact. At the top of my gratitude list is the FSA community. When you track the rising numbers of Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths, you realize it is no small feat to remain healthy and safe on a school campus. You all have been amazing at caring for yourselves and others, at honoring our Community Compact and at communicating about your family’s exposure, activities and needs.

Even though there is a faint, hopeful sound in the distance — is it a rescue helicopter? the cavalry? a fleet of refrigerated trucks bringing vaccines across the land? — we have to continue caring and communicating for a while longer. As predicted by CDC and other public health authorities, the Covid-19 numbers surged after Thanksgiving and continue to increase slowly. We will keep watch and will communicate with you the second week of break to confirm that we are indeed returning to campus on January 5 or to indicate we are moving to remote learning for some or all of the students.

We recognize that there are varying degrees of tolerance for risk among us, but that most of us are feeling some discomfort with the high incidence of Covid-19 cases right now. We hope that over the winter break you will take your precautions to the highest level. Always wear a mask indoors in public or when meeting with anyone outside your household. Always maintain social distancing. If sharing a meal with others, consider having that meal outside. As we’ve said so many times before, the success of FSA’s on-campus program absolutely depends on everyone in the community making every effort to stay as safe as possible.

Communication also remains vital to our success. If you haven’t already done so or if your plans have changed, please let us know via the Updated Travel Plans Poll whether or not your child will need to quarantine for 14 days following travel or for any other reason. The school stands ready and able to shift your child from on campus to remote learning for that period of quarantining. We just need to know how many and which students will be requiring that preventive measure.

During this Season of Light, I am holding us all in the Light and celebrating each and every member of our beloved school community. Take good care and enjoy the break!

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

December 10, 2020

Dear friends,

I have no doubt that you, like me, are counting the days until we can ring out 2020! What a special (but safe and quiet) celebration it will be to welcome a new year that eventually brings an end to the pandemic. As we have been saying, however, we cannot ease our vigilance until the vaccinations have been disseminated widely over the next several months.
Our most immediate concern is travel over winter break as Covid-19 cases surge throughout the country. We have revised our Travel Plans Poll. If your plans have changed since you first filled out this poll in November, please fill out the Updated Travel Plans Poll. Thank you for your ongoing communication, which is so essential to planning for classes and for keeping our community safe.

Throughout the pandemic, the CDC has continually updated its health and safety guidelines per lessons learned over time. Over the next three weeks, the FSA administration will be reviewing both our Guide for Returning to Campus as well as our Community Compact and revising to reflect CDC updates, as necessary. We will be looking particularly at any revisions related to quarantining, testing and travel and will communicate any changes we make.

We remain optimistic that students can come back to campus on January 5. There will be one more update letter next week to confirm our status regarding on-campus classes. We will only send an update letter over the break should it become necessary for on-campus students to resume remote learning.

If you are filled with end-of-year gratitude for the teachers and for the work of FSA with our students, there are many ways to express your support:

FSPATA is collecting for the Teacher/Staff Appreciation Fund through next Wednesday, December 16. You can give online until December 16 or look for folks taking donations in carpool through the end of this week.
Participating in the state Student Scholarship Tax Credit program through Apogee supports financial aid at FSA. The deadline to apply for a 2021 tax credit is Tuesday, December 15. It is quick and easy to apply on the Apogee website.
If you would like a tax deduction for your 2020 gift to the Annual Appeal, you have until December 31 to make your contribution. (Did you know that the CARES Act allows you to deduct up to $300 in charitable giving JUST in 2020, even if you don’t itemize?) You may give online or write a check payable to FSA, noting Annual Appeal in the memo.

Thank you all. Have a good week at home next week and look for one more update before break.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

December 4, 2020

Dear friends,

We are so grateful for how cooperative all of you have been throughout the pandemic. Your responsiveness to each of our learning options polls, for example, has been essential for our planning and ultimately for keeping our on-campus community safe. (If you haven’t yet filled out the January Learning Options Poll, please do so by Sunday.)

Honestly, we can’t say thank you enough to our Board of Trustees, faculty and staff, students and families. You have all stepped up in so many ways during these challenging times, reaffirming the tremendous power of community. For nine long months, we have held the light for each other as we moved along what might have been a much darker and more treacherous path.

Now we find ourselves in the middle of a strange crosscurrent. The Covid-19 virus is surging just as the public health authorities predicted for this time of year. Yet hope is on the horizon with the promise of two or more highly effective vaccines. There are two big takeaways from this moment of anxiety and hope. First, we cannot let down our guard even for a moment. Covid-19 still presents great danger to all of us, but particularly to people with medical vulnerabilities and people of color. Second, this pandemic will be brought under control. We just have to hang on a while longer.

In fact, for the first time in what seems like forever, we are beginning to imagine a post-pandemic future at FSA. Here are just a few of the ways our faith in the return of normalcy is showing up:

We will soon be issuing contracts to our families returning in 2021-2022.
The administration and Board are working on the budget for next year with many contingencies, including a return to campus for all students!
The faculty and staff have started a conversation about what they have learned from delivering an educational program during the pandemic and what new resources and insights would be useful to retain going forward.
FSA’s reaccreditation process with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools/Southern Association of Independent Schools is back on track.
Planning for campus development has resumed.

So hang in there. Enjoy the bright, cool days of December. Stay warm. Stay safe and healthy. And take joy from the true pleasures of family and friends. I take joy from you, my friends.

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

November 27, 2020

Dear friends,

I hope you had a safe and restful Thanksgiving Day. As promised, we have been watching the Covid-19 numbers and feel that it is safe for on-campus students, faculty and staff to return to campus on Monday.
While there has been a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in DeKalb County as well as Georgia, our determination is based, in part, on the CDC’s forecast for the next four weeks using 25 different modeling groups. With the caveat that there is still an element of unpredictability in the forecast, CDC is expecting the numbers of new Covid-19 cases in DeKalb County to plateau for the first two weeks of December. We also feel confident that our FSA community will continue to comply with all the protocols of the Community Compact that have been so effective in keeping FSA’s on-campus students, faculty and staff safe and healthy to date. Something else to be thankful for!

We will continue to monitor the Covid-19 numbers and will inform you immediately if there is a change in plans. Our goal is always to balance the health and safety of our community, faculty and staff included, with the benefits of providing in-person instruction. Remember, we will be closing the campus for the week of December 14, and all students, including the youngest children, will move to remote learning. This closure is to give everyone an extra week to quarantine before visiting loved ones over the winter break.

Enjoy the remainder of your holiday. Stay safe. We’ll see some of you on campus on Monday and the rest of you on Zoom!

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

November 19, 2020

Dear friends,

Thanksgiving break is a day away! We are so grateful to all of you for your communication about travel plans and for your cooperation with school protocols for maximizing community safety. If all goes well, we will meet our goal of having on-campus classes through the second week of December and move to all remote learning for everyone in the third week of December, providing time for those traveling to quarantine in advance of the winter break.

As Covid-19 cases rise in Georgia, however, there is no way of knowing if we can indeed safely hold classes on campus per our schedule. Therefore, once again, we are planning for all possibilities.

Here is what you need to know:

Out of an abundance of caution, we will be sending students home tomorrow with the materials they would need to shift to all remote learning should Covid-19 metrics and the guidance of public health authorities indicate it is not safe to return to campus on November 30.
Should we have to shift to remote learning starting November 30, we will aim for our youngest students — PreK3-1st grade — to return to campus as long as it is safe.
If over break anyone in your family is exposed to or diagnosed with Covid-19, please email me.
If your Thanksgiving travel plans change and your on-campus student will need to shift to remote learning for a 14-day quarantine, but you didn’t indicate that in the travel poll, please email me as soon as possible.
We will send an update next week, during the break, to keep you informed of evolving plans.

As the incidence of statewide Covid-19 cases has fluctuated over these many months, we have had no cases of infection among our students, faculty or staff, and there have been very few cases of infection or direct exposure among our entire FSA community. That is a testament to the seriousness with which our community takes this public health threat and to the spirit of cooperation that characterizes our school family. Know that all of your efforts have been and continue to be key to holding on-campus programs. We are so grateful.

We also appreciate the feedback we received from nearly a third of our families via the National Association of Independent Schools parent survey. The results revealed that most everyone is affected by this pandemic, whether it be financial hardship, mental stress or fatigue from juggling work, childcare and education in a constantly shifting landscape. The majority of families gave FSA high marks for interactions with teachers and classmates, real-time online lessons and in-person lessons. Many parents indicated they would like to see more work assigned to the students. And a great majority of the responding parents said they would like more connections with other families. Many used the comment box to express appreciation and concern for the stress on faculty, who have done such a valiant job in delivering educational programming under difficult circumstances.

I, too, share your admiration for our teachers and staff. I am so proud of our students and equally grateful for all that you do for the FSA community. Hope is on the horizon, but we have to remain vigilant for now. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and stay safe!

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

November 13, 2020

Dear friends,

One more week and we can all take a breather and be thankful that 2020 is almost over! With the rapid approach of Thanksgiving and winter break, however, we want to encourage all who haven’t filled out the travel poll to do so today. For all who have, we thank you!

I know that with so much to worry about, filling out this poll may not be at the top of your list. But in the life of FSA, the information we are asking for is absolutely crucial for the effective delivery of both the on-campus and remote learning programs. We want to support families who are traveling by offering the option of joining a remote class to on-campus students who must quarantine for 14 days following travel other than by car. (See the travel portion of the Community Compact.) Offering this option isn’t simple. Our two learning modalities (on-campus/hybrid and remote) are not perfectly in sync in terms of lesson plans, collaborative projects or even materials used. If your child needs to temporarily join a remote class, we must plan ahead to ensure a successful experience for your child, the teacher and the rest of the remote class.

The pandemic has engendered a continuous learning cycle for everyone, including school administrators! In terms of safety and wellness policies and protocols, we stay tuned in to both guidance from public health authorities as well as lessons learned from the three months (only three months??) that we have been back on campus. Our latest tweaks to our policies and protocols are documented in the revised FSA Guide for Returning to Campus. The updated sections include the situations related to Covid-19 exposure and when a student must stay home; when moving from on-campus to remote learning for core classes is permitted and when it is not; and policies regarding illnesses with non-Covid-19 (unflagged) symptoms. Please review the Guide.

We were pleased to welcome more students back to campus on Monday. Thanks to all the families for their cooperation, as always. And a shout out to all the students remaining at home. We are so proud of your work and look forward to being together again soon.

The election is now over, except for senate runoffs. We can exhale and begin to focus back on the very important goal of building Beloved Community and taking action to dismantle racism. Since the beginning of the year, we have held four Silent Meetings with Concern for Racial Justice (two for the whole community and two for faculty/staff only). At every Board meeting since June, FSA’s Trustees have devoted time to exploring how racial justice manifests at the school. The Friends for Racial Justice and Action, a committee of the Board, meets monthly and has hosted two book club discussions related to racial justice, which are open to everyone. And tomorrow, the school will hold its second vigil for Peace and Justice in front of the school from 11:30am to noon. We would love for you to join us.

Did you know that today is World Kindness Day? I am so glad to be part of a community that lifts up kindness all year round!

In peace, waman French, Head of School

November 6, 2020

Dear friends,

It seems like we have been living in simultaneous time dimensions for the last nine months. The pre-pandemic past is ever present as we yearn with all our hearts to go back to those days when we could all gather together. At the same time, we stay ultra vigilant to the present, making sure everyone stays as healthy and safe as possible while delivering an uninterrupted educational program. Then there is the immediate future as we plan for all contingencies and make preparations for having an additional 15 students come back to campus, starting this Monday. And, of course, we must remain ready to go to all-remote learning should the Covid-19 numbers at any time spike to dangerous levels per the public health authorities.

So that our heads don’t collectively explode, we wanted to break down what is important for you to know and to do now and in the near future:

Keep the information coming! Input from families is absolutely essential for successful planning. To date, we’ve heard from about 40 families about their pandemic experiences through the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) parent survey. We would love to hear from more of you with the goal of continuous improvement. So we are leaving the poll open until the end of next week. Thank you in advance for taking the ten minutes to provide us feedback. Also, remember to fill out the quick poll about your travel plans by November 13. Thanks to all who have already completed both surveys!

Plan for a new round of learning option commitments. As we’ve said, the next window for learning options begins on Monday and runs through the end of the semester. In coming weeks, however, we will be asking families to once again confirm or change their preferences for the on-campus hybrid learning program or the all remote learning program for the period that begins January 5, just after break. Before you are required to make that commitment, we will provide you any updates or changes to our programming so you can make the best choice for your student and your family.

Rest assured the planning never stops. In addition to planning for the immediate next phases of delivering education in the middle of a pandemic, we also have our eyes on the horizon, where we hope to expand to a full day of classes for on-campus students, while continuing to provide an all remote learning option. This may happen in the spring, but we do not have a definitive plan or timeline. Just know that we are continually assessing for what is possible as we journey forward through the challenges.

Connect with community. A big takeaway from the NAIS parent survey so far is that many people are missing connections with others in the FSA community. We are, too! One way to connect safely outdoors is by participating in one more garden workday on Saturday, November 14, from 9:00-11:00am, followed by a Vigil of Peace and Justice in front of the school that same day from 11:30am-noon. Wear a mask, bring your signs and come stand six feet apart with us in support of a more peaceful and just world. And even though our 30th Anniversary Auction this Saturday is virtual, it will still be a great way to share a community experience and to remember why the world needs FSA students more than ever.

I’m so grateful for all the people who are The Friends School of Atlanta.

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

October 30, 2020

Dear friends,

I think it’s safe to say we are all experiencing pandemic fatigue to one degree or another. I know I want this to be over and to have my old life back, where I can just focus on educating children and not be constantly on guard against a potentially debilitating or fatal virus. Nonetheless, we all have to overcome our fatigue and stay on our guard, especially as the virus metrics spike and the holidays bring high risk for infection with travel and gatherings with loved ones.

DeKalb County, like all of Georgia and most of the country, is experiencing an uptick in confirmed Covid-19 cases, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. Science educator Dr. Amber Schmidke states in her well sourced daily newsletter on Covid-19:

“Probably the best summary of how things are going this week in Georgia is that we are reversing the downward gains in cases from the summer surge. If we are seeing the beginning of a new surge and it matches the trajectory of the last one, then we should expect this coming week and the four after it to be big. The concerning thing about this increase in cases is that we are starting what may be a new surge from a disease rate that is twice as high as where we were prior to the summer surge. It is therefore likely that our next peak will be even bigger than the summer surge. So where we peaked at 26,197 cases in a week in July, we will see much bigger numbers this time. That, of course, is not a forgone conclusion. We have the power to stop these cases, but we need to do so now with our actions.”

This message is worrisome, but the last sentence gives me hope. We have the power to stop these cases with our actions. So far, FSA gets top marks for taking actions to ensure the health and safety of our community. Our administrators and teachers have been extraordinary in planning and creating safe conditions on campus. And the diligence of the entire FSA community in following our safety protocols and abiding by our Community Compact are the reasons we have been able to bring students in all grades back on campus. For that to continue, we all must remain vigilant!

Here are some highlights to keep in mind as we move forward into the holiday season:

If you are celebrating Halloween with others this weekend, please heed the CDC guidance regarding all holiday celebrations. Wearing masks and keeping a physical distance are imperative to community safety.

If you plan to travel or receive visitors who have traveled over the holidays or if you attend an event with more than ten people, your child may be required to quarantine for 14 days before returning to campus. If that is the case, your child may attend remote classes during quarantine. We need advance notice, where possible, to plan for this temporary shift from on-campus to remote classes. Everyone should fill out this poll about your travel plans by November 13. (Do you have poll fatigue yet?)

We want to remind you that if your on-campus students miss school for illness that does not include flagged symptoms of Covid-19 or for other reasons, we cannot accommodate your child in a remote class for a day or two. Teachers make plans based on a consistent group of remote students, and it is disruptive to briefly add students to this group. Vacations, staying home for a day or reasons other than extended illness will be treated as in any other school year. Teachers will help students catch up upon their return to campus.

Remember that we will be moving to all remote learning the week of December 14, which is the last week before winter break. This calendar change gives everyone, including teachers and staff, extra time to quarantine at home before heading out to be with family and friends.

We can do all we can do at school to keep our community safe. We rely on our families to take adequate precautions in their lives outside of school to keep our on-campus program viable. If one member of a cohort becomes ill, the entire cohort must quarantine for 14 days. If there are multiple cases of Covid-19 throughout the school, we are prepared to pivot to remote learning for all our students.

Thank you again for your cooperation and communication with the school. If you haven’t filled out the National Association of Independent Schools parent survey yet, we would love to hear about your experiences with the school’s programs during the pandemic, so we can identify areas for improvement. The deadline is today.

Finally, a couple of notes about other actions we can take to help mitigate the high anxiety and injustices in our world. You may not be aware, but there is a rather consequential election coming up on Tuesday, November 3. We encourage you to vote, if you haven’t already. Also, on Thursday, November 5, we will be holding a Silent Meeting with Concern for Racial Justice at 3:00pm. If you are led to join us, please look for the link in Monday’s Late Quaking News.

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

October 23, 2020

Dear friends,

These days, I take joy in small things. As temperatures have finally cooled a bit, I find great pleasure in seeing the students busy at study in outdoor classrooms or just being kids, running around the playground. Whether on campus or at home, our new routines have increasingly become the norm. Dare I say a calmness has settled in? Let’s all savor that calm for now, because the holidays are right around the corner. And in a pandemic, holiday travel and gatherings are fraught with risk.

As with all aspects of FSA this year, we have been busy planning for how to manage the likely impact of holiday travel on our community. We do not wish to quash anyone’s plans for gathering with loved ones or the solace that may bring during these relentlessly difficult times. But we must consider and mitigate the potential increase in risk to the entire community, should someone’s travels or visitors result in Covid-19 exposure or infection.

Guided by public health authorities, as always, here is what you need to know and do to minimize risk during the holidays:

We will close the campus the week of December 14, our last week before break, and shift to all remote teaching and learning. This extra week off campus will give everyone, including teachers and staff, a head start on quarantining, should anyone be planning to gather with others over the holidays.
We ask that you review and abide by the Community Compact, especially noting the new bullet point on travel.
If you are planning to travel by airplane, train, bus or boat, a 14-day quarantine period at home will be required for your students before they return to campus.
If you gather with more than ten people, please abide by all safety precautions, including wearing masks, physical distancing and hand washing. (We recognize that CDC has not defined a small group by a specific number of people, but for clarity, FSA has set this number at ten or fewer.) Depending on the size of the event, a 14-day quarantine may be required before returning to campus.
If your students must quarantine following travel or attending a large event, we will allow them in this special circumstance to join remote learning classes until they can return to campus.
Please be mindful of your exposure to the total number of people you are in contact with over multiple meetings, especially if you learn someone has a confirmed case of Covid-19. CDC has just revised its definition of a close contact with someone with a confirmed case as being within six feet of that person for a total of 15 minutes over a 24-hour period.
Please review further CDC guidance for travel during the pandemic.
Please complete the poll we will send out next week regarding your plans for travel, starting with Thanksgiving. Advance knowledge of which students will be quarantining and temporarily shifting to remote classes is critically important for our planning.

We are so grateful for your cooperation with all of these polls and for your integrity in keeping the school informed of your outside plans and activities. FYI, here are the results of our last learning options poll for the remainder of the first semester, starting on November 9: 102 students will participate in the Hybrid On-Camus Learning program and 70 students will be in the Remote Learning program.

As predicted all along, the risk of Covid-19 infection is increasing all over the country, including Georgia, as we move deeper into the fall. We will continue to focus intently on the cases per 100,000 and test positivity rates in DeKalb County. If per these metrics the public health authorities recommend we move back to all remote learning, it is unlikely we will be able to give you much advance notice. So please, everyone, make a contingency plan for the possibility of a quick pivot to remote learning and the need for childcare.

Typically, right about now we all start to anticipate the relaxation and fun that comes with the Season of Light. May we all do what is best for family and community and still find some of that fun wherever we can find it. Maybe kick off the season with the virtual auction on November 7, which promises to be a ton of fun! Thank you for all you are doing!

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

October 15, 2020

Dear friends,

I don’t know about you, but I feel like I’m in a crazy time warp where each week flies by, but is also filled with a year’s worth of educating, processing new public health directives and tweaking plans for all possible outcomes. The timely exchange of information between home and school remains a critical element for successfully navigating the pandemic as we strive to deliver a high quality education regardless of the circumstances. Thank you for your responsiveness!

On that note, remember that today is the deadline for committing to On-Campus or Remote Learning for the period of November 9 through the end of the first semester on December 18. We also need to hear about your needs for extended care on campus (from 11:45am to 3:00pm) for supervised afternoon remote learning activities. We must plan ahead for all staffing, including extended care staffing, so this is the time to register your needs. Here again is the link to the current poll. FYI, we’ll soon be sending a poll regarding your feedback on how well all of the school’s educational programs and health protocols are working for your students and your families.

Here is an update on the most recent measures the school has implemented to keep the entire FSA community safe and healthy:

With the assistance of families, the students have by and large gained mastery over wearing masks and keeping socially distant from others. Many thanks to families for continuing to send in snug fitting masks!

We have expanded health checks with the latest information from world public health authorities regarding symptoms of Covid-19 and how kids spread the virus, such as diarrhea, among others.

We have streamlined communications regarding illness among students, with Melody Cameron, our school nurse, providing guidance and next steps for families of children unwell with any complaint, as well as for those exposed to Covid-19.

The school nurse is making regular visits to classrooms to observe student compliance with health and safety protocols and to address any questions, needs or concerns.

We have added a section to our Community Compact regarding travel, requesting that families keep the school informed regarding travel to any high risk areas, as well as high risk modes of travel requiring airports, bus or train terminals, or attendance at large gatherings and events.

The school is also planning for possibly having more students on campus starting November 9. A larger student population may mean the relocation of some classroom spaces and some adjustments to schedules. We will continue to utilize outdoor classrooms, even when temperatures drop as low as 40 degrees in December. Meanwhile, we are also studying how to livestream some of the on-campus classroom activities so that remote students and on-campus students can experience the instruction together in real time.

It is important to remember that all of our planning ahead assumes steady or decreasing trends in Covid-19 spread in DeKalb County. As we head into the holiday season, when people travel, gather with families and spend more time indoors, Covid-19 cases could easily spike. Should there be an increase in cases per 100,000 or rate of test positivity to unsafe levels, especially for such vulnerable members of our community as people of color, we may need to return to remote learning for all, as before. If we have to make that call, chances are we will not be able to give much notice. Please make plans as a family for all contingencies.

Have a wonderful Late Fall Break. You all deserve it!

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

October 9, 2020

Dear friends,

As we complete the second week with more students back on campus, we again commend the community, including students, for the high degree of cooperation with health and safety protocols as well as flexibility around learning models. With every new phase of operations during the pandemic, we are learning more about what works best and what needs to be tweaked. We are also always looking down the road to what comes next, with the standing caveat that plans can change with a spike in Covid-19 infections, especially in DeKalb County.

Emphasis on Health and Safety

We are so grateful to our families, who have gone above and beyond to keep each other safe. Strict adherence to our safety protocols is essential for having students on campus. We appreciate everyone for abiding by the FSA Community Compact regarding Covid-19. This compact also comes into play outside of FSA. Public health officials have highlighted the high risk for Covid-19 exposure, for example, while traveling or gathering with family. As we head into the holiday season, please be mindful of staying as safe as possible in all scenarios. We encourage you to consult with Melody Cameron ([email protected]), our school nurse, prior to travel or family gatherings regarding the possible need to quarantine afterward.

Remember, when students come to campus, the insulation of any pod they belong to is no longer in effect. Once in class, they become part of a classroom cohort that includes the teacher(s). This is another reason our protocols and Community Compact are so important. We ask that you continue to reinforce at home the importance of such protocols as properly wearing masks, washing hands and keeping a six-foot distance from others while at school.

One of the trickiest aspects of managing on-campus activities during the pandemic is discerning when a common symptom like a scratchy throat or mild headache is a flagged symptom of Covid-19. This Doctor’s Release Policy: Covid-19 will help determine the proper path should your child get sick. Please reach out to Melody or me if you have any questions or need help deciding on the best next steps. (If your child is sick, he/she/they should rest and recuperate until symptom free. During the 48 hours they are symptom free and waiting to return to campus, they may temporarily sit in on remote classes.)

Another Round of Parent Input and Choices

On November 9, you will be given another opportunity to stay with or shift to the learning model that is best for your student and family. The options continue to be: On-Campus Hybrid (core academics on campus in mornings/remote afternoons at home) or Remote Learning exclusively. The commitment you make will go through the end of the first semester on December 18. It is always critically important that we know your intentions in advance so we can plan for staffing and resources. Here, then, is another poll for your input, including your need, if any, for extended care on campus until 3:00pm. Unlike aftercare, extended care is not a drop-in program. You must make arrangements ahead of time so that we will have enough staff to maintain the safety of small classroom cohorts. Please complete this poll as soon as possible and no later than Thursday, October 15.

One other note on the different learning models: once you commit to the On-Campus Hybrid program, you must remain with that program for the defined period of time. Extended absences because of illness are the only reason on-campus students should join the remote cohort. Teachers make plans based on a consistent group of remote students, and it is disruptive to add students to this group. Vacations, staying home for a day or reasons other than extended illness will be treated as in any other school year. Teachers will help students catch up upon their return to campus.

Here’s hoping the pandemic metrics in DeKalb County continue to trend downward!

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

October 2, 2020

Dear friends,

This week we are celebrating our students. Whether coming back to campus or continuing with remote learning, all of our students have done an amazing job supporting the transition to a hybrid program.

Hearing so many more voices coming from classrooms, running around the playground or dismissing to carpool brings all of us joy. On-campus students have been terrific in following safety protocols. We have also been so impressed with the ability of our remote students to shift in more nuanced but equally important ways to working within hybrid classes now. It is as if we are asking our students over and over again to learn a new choreography to keep the learning effective and harmonious. Their adaptability and spirit of community are making a complex job that much easier.

Kudos, too, to the teachers, many of whom have returned to campus and yet again charted a new course for a successful educational program regardless of the challenges. As we’ve said so many times, the consistent support of our parent partners has been absolutely essential. In fact, even on the hardest days, when the pandemic seems so endless, this dedication to community buoys us. And happily, as we come into the eighth week of school, conversations are broadening from the logistics of safety and hybrid learning to such community events as garden days, Friendly Hour and the auction coming up on November 7.

I hope you are all finding ways to take care of yourselves and your families during these extraordinarily difficult times. We keep waiting for normalcy to resume, but it never does. That can be so wearing. So go for a family hike. Have a game night. Tell some jokes or sing a few songs. And plan to vote!

As we approach this momentous election day, let’s keep holding in the Light peace, integrity, equality and community. Together we have come so far. Together we will get through this.

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

September 24, 2020

Dear friends,

If this were a typical school year, we would have just wrapped up Responsive Classroom’s First-Six-Weeks-of-School program, which helps the students transition to a new year by setting expectations and building collaborative classroom communities. We love this program because transitions are hard not just for children but for everyone, and learning what to expect is very calming. Goodness knows this year is anything but typical … or calm. I want to validate you if you feel like you never know what to expect and the transition never ends. It doesn’t! (Here is a CDC toolkit for parents to help during these crazy times.)

Our next transition will be to welcome about half of our students back to campus on Monday and Tuesday of next week. Teachers have returned this week to prepare indoor and outdoor classroom spaces, to plan for blended on-campus and remote learning and to implement all of the new protocols related to health and safety. The big payoff to these complicated efforts will be the joy of receiving the children participating in the on-campus learning program. That joy, however, will be tempered by our missing the other half of our student body. We truly long for the day when our entire community can safely come back together on campus.

Over the next four weeks we will focus on delivering a quality education via two learning models while continuing to watch the pandemic metrics. Toward the end of the next four weeks, we will once again assess where we stand regarding health, safety and educational options. We will also give parents the opportunity at that time to provide input about what is best for their children and families.

In addition to endless transition, our days are marked by loss and the stress of political and social upheaval stirred by the unjust treatment of Breonna Taylor’s death and of so many others. The loss of such tireless advocates for equality as John Lewis and Ruth Bader Ginsberg feels so heavy, yet reminds us to never give up. Their accomplishments have shown that every single individual has the power to better our world. The very essence of a Friends education is to equip and inspire our students to do just that.

We are holding our school community, our city and our country in the Light as we move through these difficult times. More than that, we are calling the FSA community to action as we seek to dismantle institutional racism and white privilege. If you are so led, please join us tomorrow for a virtual Silent Meeting with Concern for Racial Justice from 3:30-4:00pm and on Saturday at the school for a Vigil for Peace and Racial Justice from 12:00-1:00pm. Details for both events were included in an announcement that went out today.

Take good care and hold fast to the values of peace, justice, equality and community. They will get us through.

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

September 18, 2020

Dear friends,

We are so happy to announce that we will be bringing more students back on campus starting with 1st through 5th graders on Monday, September 28, followed by 6th through 8th graders on Tuesday, September 29. The PreK3-Kindergarten students will keep the same schedule they have been following all school year.

A dedication to community has always defined the families of The Friends School of Atlanta. But the responsiveness, support and flexibility of our parent community as we’ve worked out details and options for bringing students back to campus have been nothing short of remarkable. Your concern has clearly extended beyond the students to also acknowledge varying levels of risk for faculty, staff and people of color. Your understanding and cooperation have made the heavy lift of delivering education during a pandemic significantly lighter. We are deeply grateful.

Thank you also for your prompt input to polls. About half of our students will be returning to campus. The final number of students needing to stay in the afternoons is small enough to be managed with additional staff and established safety protocols. Please note, we will continue to update the Revised Family Guide for Returning to Campus and will notify you when significant changes have been made. Our Community Compact, for example, will be revised to include a commitment to report to the school any travel to areas with a high risk for Covid-19. More details on this update to our Community Compact will follow next week, but we wanted you to know we are thinking about travel and the impact on safety here at FSA.
For students returning to campus, the school day schedule will be as follows:

Morning carpool for PreK3-4th grade: 7:45-8:00am

Morning carpool for 5th-8th grade: 8:00-8:15am

Elementary school core classes: 8:00-11:45am

Middle school core classes: 8:15-11:45am

Carpool for all students leaving campus: 11:45am-12:00pm

Lunch and recess for remaining students: 12:00-1:00pm

Supervised afternoon remote learning: 1:00-2:45pm

Afternoon carpool for all remaining students: 2:45-3:00pm

Thank you again for your cooperation. There is no group of people I’d rather share a boat with on these choppy seas!

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

September 15, 2020

Dear friends,

We know that FSA’s next steps regarding on-campus versus remote learning directly affect your plans for work, school and childcare. So we pledge to be as transparent as possible as we work through the variables to bring us all to the next level of planning and implementation. Our goal, after health and safety considerations, is always to meet the disparate needs of our students and families while delivering an exceptional educational program.

Thank you for your input through the parent poll. The results are in and, thanks to the brilliant work of our teachers and educational heads, about 50 percent of our families are electing to remain with remote learning. For those opting for on-campus learning, we can tell you now that at minimum, we will be able to bring those students back to campus for core academics in the morning. Afternoon classes will continue with a virtual format, with all students coming together in collaborative work. Providing supervision on campus for afternoon classes is our current hope … and challenge. (Academic programming for two distinct learning platforms will require all our faculty’s attention during typical school hours.) We are currently seeking to add supervisory staff so that students whose families need afternoon support can remain on campus until 3:00pm.

In essence, the next level of programming is still a work in progress, but we are getting close! We will communicate with you later this week about the date we can bring students back to campus and the final word on whether we can safely accommodate students in the afternoons. For families of 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds, our program will remain exactly the same as it has been since the beginning of the year.

Thank you for your support and patience. We’ll be sharing more information as soon as we can!

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

September 11, 2020

Dear friends,

Our optimism is growing that we can bring more students back to campus by the end of September. It is all about numbers: pandemic metrics in DeKalb County, number of families wanting to remain in a remote learning model, number of families who prefer their students to return to campus, number of teachers available for each learning model, number of grey hairs on the head of the head of school, and on and on.

To sort all of these numbers out and plan accordingly, we must hear from every family about your preference for each of your students. If you have already filled out the most recent parent/caregiver poll, thank you! The deadline for everyone to communicate their preference is this Monday, September 14. Remember, we are asking for a four-week commitment to the learning model of your choice. At the end of four weeks we will re-evaluate once again.

FSA remains committed to remote teaching and learning for families who will be unable to send children to campus at any time during the pandemic due to medical vulnerabilities of family members. Of course, there are also families selecting the Remote Learning Plan because they feel that is best for their families at this time. Many families feel an urgency around their children’s return to On-Campus Learning. Their concerns are equally shared by administration and faculty who know the importance of relationship building and face-to-face instruction.

Once everyone has communicated their preferences, we will be able to determine whether or not those students participating in an On-Campus Learning program will be returning for a full day or a day that is blended with remote learning in the afternoon. Again, it’s all about the numbers and the time and staffing resources available to deliver two viable options for a high quality development-based educational program. After assessing where we stand, we’ll be able to provide more definitive information next week, including when and how we will bring more students back to campus. Thank you for your input!

As promised, here is a Revised Guide to Families for Returning to Campus, including an updated and expanded flow chart and scenarios regarding actions to be taken in the event of Covid-19-related illness or exposure. New to the Guide is a decision-making tree that gives insight into the steps being taken by administration to bring more students back to campus. We hope this information will help bring clarity to your decision making.
Friends, I believe that our school can rise to this challenge of holding pandemic concerns and carrying out an excellent school experience for all students. We must also keep the health and well being of our teachers in the forefront of these concerns. These amazing professionals are most capable of meeting the demands of teaching across two platforms of instruction, but they must be given the time necessary to do this well. We ask that our community hold their health and well being in the light. We’re not able to do much of anything without ’em!!

Included at the end of the revised guide is an FSA Community Compact that goes to the heart of what makes FSA so effective and beloved — a shared commitment to the well being of the entire community. On behalf of the faculty and staff, thank you for your commitment and your partnership.

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

September 4, 2020

Dear friends,

We have made it to Labor Day weekend with much success to celebrate, having launched our remote learning program for the first through eighth graders without any major glitches. Talk about teachers, students and parents rising to the occasion! Thanks to all!

Now we are planning for the safe return of more students to campus. While we still cannot name a definitive date, we are watching Covid-19 metrics continue to improve and are cautiously optimistic that we can bring more students back by the end of September or beginning of October. Please know that we are exploring the benefits of a phased return of students and the possibility of staggered start times for different classes.

To plan our next steps, we need to hear from families about whether or not you intend for your children to come back to campus. So much of our planning regarding staffing, resources and even the length of the day on campus starts with knowing how many students will continue with remote learning and how many wish to return to in-place learning. Please fill out this new parent/caregiver poll with your preference no later than September 14. Whichever option you choose, you will be making a four-week commitment, starting on the day we can safely bring more students back to campus.

If you know your choice now, please fill out the poll ASAP. If you are uncertain, you may want to review our revised Family Guide to Returning to Campus, with amended safety protocols based on lessons learned so far, observations of other schools and, of course, updated guidance from CDC and other public health authorities. The revised guide will be out on September 11.

One of the major revisions to the guide will be a rethinking of our responses to various scenarios regarding members of our community having flagged symptoms of or exposure to Covid-19. This week in the Kindergarten class, for example, one member of that cohort came down with flagged symptoms, while another was exposed to a family member diagnosed with Covid-19. In that scenario, it was determined the entire Kindergarten on-campus cohort should switch to remote learning until the affected individuals could be tested and cleared by a doctor for a safe return to campus.

FYI, we are also preparing a Community Compact, asking our whole community to commit to best public health practices, such as wearing masks and physically distancing, while at school as well as outside of school. Be on the lookout for that Compact next week.

Thank you for filling out the parent/caregiver poll as soon as you possibly can. Have a safe and relaxing Labor Day weekend.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

August 27, 2020

Dear friends,

As we mark the second week on campus for our littlest learners and the first week of remote learning for the rest of the students, kudos to everyone! Congratulations to the 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds on campus for becoming expert at wearing masks and physical distancing. Congrats to their teachers, too. A shout out to the rest of the students who got right into routines for remote learning, taking special pleasure in virtually reuniting with classmates and welcoming new friends. Thanks also to the parents and caregivers whose support for remote learning is so essential. And a big thank you to the teachers and educational heads for designing an engaging remote educational program that provides challenge, reflects the SPICES we hold so dear, facilitates a sense of community and is just plain fun. The spirit of FSA cannot and will not be dampened by the Covid-19 pandemic!

We want to update you on where we stand regarding a return to campus for all students choosing the Blended Learning model. We continue to track Covid-19 test positivity rates and new cases per 100,000 population in DeKalb County in particular. Happily these indicators are trending downward. The CDC projects a continued downward trend for DeKalb County. Nevertheless, the spread of Covid-19 is still too high at this time to support a return to campus on September 14. (Georgia ranks second in the country for the number of new cases daily!)

As of this writing, the earliest we could possibly bring students back to campus is September 28, but there are no guarantees about that date. As Dr. Carlos del Rio of the Emory University School of Public Health says regarding Georgia, the downward trends represent a “fragile progress.” We will stay in consultation with public health agencies, medical experts and our school nurse to track the spread of Covid-19, and we will update you again on September 14, regarding a possible return on September 28. Remember, once we are able to greenlight a return to campus, whenever that is, you will be polled once again about which learning model — Blended or Remote — is best for your students and your family.

While we cannot be definitive about decisions regarding Covid-19 right now, we can be forthright about another plague on our country: institutionalized racism. Once again, an African-American man has been shot by police. This time it was Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, who was shot in the back and is now paralyzed from the waist down. Violence against those protesting Jacob’s shooting resulted in the death of two individuals. At FSA, we continue to hold these acts of violence and racism before us as we work to dismantle racism in our communities and our world. We continue to stand with the Black Lives Matter movement. We continue to hold our African-American members of community in the light as they experience rising levels of fear for themselves and their families. And we continue as a community to advocate for racial justice. Next Friday, September 4, the Quaker Life Committee in collaboration with the Diversity, Equity and Justice Committee is holding a virtual coffee to lift up the ways our faith and integrity call us to action now to support racial justice in our school, wider Quaker community and society at large. Look for details in Monday’s Late Quaking News.

I’m so grateful we can all draw support from our FSA community to navigate these difficult times.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

August 21, 2020

Dear friends,

It was such a great joy to welcome our 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds back to campus this week and to hear the happy sounds of children coming from classrooms again. We had 16 students and 16 faculty/staff in the building, a very manageable ratio for starters. Congratulations to all, including teachers, staff, parents … and students!

We also appreciate the families of students in 1st-8th grades for a successful distribution/exchange of tech tools and study materials this week. On Thursday, middle school advisors had meet and greets with their students, enabling the students to gather with each other as well as to meet their new teachers. And parents are meeting with Michelle and Laura for Q&A zoom sessions later today. The highlight of next week will be getting our students in gear for remote learning and getting them started on community-building activities. (If you are having trouble with technology, you can email [email protected] and ask for assistance. That email address can also be found on the Home Learning Technology Tips and Troubleshooting tile on your resource board in FriendsNet.)

We want to clarify our plans regarding how and when we can bring more students safely back to campus. The current plan will remain in place for three more weeks at least. We will, however, be assessing several Covid-19 infection indicators and, as promised, will communicate with you by the end of next week whether or not we feel it is safe to bring the other Blended Learning students back to campus on September 14.

While there is no exact formula, the administration will continue to follow the public health guidelines from CDC and the national, state and DeKalb County public health authorities, who recommend that opening schools be tied to the positivity rate of Covid-19 testing, the 14-day trend in new cases of Covid-19 in DeKalb County and the number of cases per 100,000 in Dekalb County. Melody Cameron, our school nurse, is tracking that data and making daily reports. We are also looking at the capacities of area hospitals to care for Covid-19 patients and others as another indication of risk. In addition to data tracking, we are closely monitoring those independent schools who have brought students back to their campuses, either fully or in a blended learning model, to see how many of their students are being sent home due to Covid-19 illness or exposure. While the indicators are slowly moving in the right direction, health officials such as Dr. Deborah Birx of the White House Task Force on the Coronavirus see it as “fragile progress.”

The moment we have greater confidence that it is safe for our Blended Learning students to return to campus, we will communicate with you right away. We all look forward to that day when we can come back together in community and “remember when” the Covid-19 virus caused such a disruption to our lives. Be safe and we will keep in touch!

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

August 11, 2020

Dear friends,

This pandemic journey we are making together has brought us to a new and important crossroads. Our plan has been to build an infrastructure that will ensure the safe return of students to campus for a Blended Learning program, starting next week. We have made careful modifications to our campus, developed a host of health and safety protocols and adjusted our educational programming for maximum flexibility. All of those internal, controllable factors, are now set. What we cannot control, however, is the rate of Covid-19 infection in metro Atlanta and in Georgia, which is now at levels that diminish our efforts to ensure the safety of not just our students, but of our faculty and staff as well. Therefore, for the next four weeks, we will open remotely for all grades except for PreK3-Kindergarten.

This decision has not been made lightly. Everyday begins with the same agonizing assessment balancing the needs of our students with the safety considerations of our whole school community as this pandemic continues to surge. We know that for many of you, keeping your children home a while longer poses great challenges for you and your work responsibilities. We also acknowledge that some students are not as well suited to remote learning as others. We understand and will continue to reassess the situation every 14 days. Here are the factors that have influenced our decision making:

CDC guidelines for opening schools are fundamentally based on the transmission rates in a given community.
Dr. Deborah Birx, White House Coordinator for the Coronavirus Task Force, reported to CNN on August 2 that, “schools in states with a 5% positivity rate should remain closed or have distance learning only.” Georgia currently has a 14-day average positivity rate of 10.9%, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.
Our community draws students from the top four Georgia counties with the highest Covid-19 infection rates. DeKalb County currently records Covid-19 cases at a rate of 190/100,000 people.
We now know that children comprise 8.8% of all cases of Covid-19 reported. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, Georgia is among seven states in the country with over 15,000 cumulative cases among children (ages 0-17).

Regarding our youngest students in PreK3-Kindergarten, we recognize that many students’ cognitive, social and emotional development is best served by an in-person educational program versus remote. The number of students in those classes whose families have chosen to return to campus totals 19. We have the staff, space and protocols in place to bring those students on campus. Therefore the Blended Learning program and extended care in those classes will begin on Monday, August 17, as originally planned.

For families of students in grades 1st-8th, we have developed a schedule for picking up tech tools, if needed, and returning books from last year:

Monday, August 17, from 2:00-3:00pm for 7th and 8th grade students.
Tuesday, August 18, from 2:00-3:00pm for 5th and 6th students.
Wednesday, August 19, from 2:00-3:00pm for elementary school students as well as middle school students with siblings in elementary school.

Families should keep the tech tools they used last year, but return any books, including text books, used for 2019-20 classes. When you arrive at the school, you will be directed to line up in a carpool line and should open your trunks or the back of your vehicles when you get to the front of the line. Have materials for return in plastic bags ready for pick up. Put a sign in your windshield with the name and grade of your child(ren) written in bold lettering. Please wear a mask and do not leave your car. If you are unable to come to school for your designated pick up time, please do all you can to find someone who can pick up materials for you. Let me know if you have questions or concerns. This situation will get better. We will continually reassess the situation. As we progress back toward a safe return for all students, we are ready. We now have the infrastructure and programming in place to accommodate the various phases of reopening our school.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

August 6, 2020

Dear friends,

This week we kicked off pre-planning for the new school year. Our heroic teachers are back and getting ready to deliver instruction and build community in whatever way best serves our students and their families. We appreciate your cooperation in choosing a learning model, which has given us the time we need to finish our preparations for what we hope will be a one-of-a-kind year!

The top of the agenda has been a focus on the health and safety of the community. On Monday, we went over the Faculty/Staff Guide for Returning to Campus that lays out health and safety protocols and practices in great detail. FSA parent Michelle Pratt, Unit Director of Nursing for Emory Decatur Hospital, made a presentation about the proper use of masks as well as the lessons she and her colleagues have learned about preventing infection with Covid-19. Hint: masks work! We thank you for doing your part as well. Here again is our Guide to Families, which is also posted on the resource boards in FriendsNet.

This week we welcomed new staff, including Keli Gagen, who will teach language arts in the 5th and 6th grades, Melody Cameron, our school nurse, and Marco Hinds, Help Desk Analyst. Teachers began meeting in levels to review schedules for Blended and Remote Learning programs and to anticipate the needs of students who will be returning to classrooms that look very different from the ones they left in March. We are also working hard to create outdoor class spaces as an additional safety measure.
Some steps parents should take now to prepare students for Blended Learning include:

Find the right mask for your child and practice wearing the mask for extended durations of time.
Practice eating snacks using wrapping/containers that your child can manage on their own.
Make plans for childcare and support for remote learning in the event that your child is sent home for 14 days due to developing flagged symptoms of Covid-19 or becoming exposed to someone who has flagged symptoms.

It cannot be emphasized enough that this is a fluid situation that requires a willingness to shift course. Some days it feels like we’re all playing a big game of musical chairs. When the music stops, we scramble to sit in a new seat with a new perspective and a different game plan. And then the music starts again! Thank goodness for this community of caring folks who put health and well being front and center and recognize we’re all in this together.

I stay overwhelmed with gratitude for the administration, teachers, staff and parents. I want to say a special thank you to the Trustees, who have been so instrumental in assuring the financial health of the school, who have served as a sounding board for this new way of educating and who have kept us focused on our mission, particularly as it relates to deeper conversations about racism and white privilege. We typically do not meet as a Board in June and July. This year we met three times in those two months!

To each and every one of you, thank you. We can do this!

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

July 23, 2020

Dear friends,

Since communicating our plan for reopening school, we have heard from many of you with your questions and concerns. We want to acknowledge how weighty your decision is regarding whether or not to send your child back to campus in August. Some of you are figuring out how to juggle work and school with the blended learning program. We understand that every parent is trying to reconcile a great number of variables.
Please know that you will be getting more information before the deadline of Wednesday, July 29, for making your decision. On Monday, you will receive a Guide to Families for Reopening School, which will provide greater detail on safety protocols and routines, classroom organization, and expectations for both the blended learning program as well as the remote learning program. Also, we strongly encourage you to attend the virtual meetings next Monday (5th/6th – 5:00-6:00pm; 7th/8th – 6:00-7:00pm) and Tuesday (PreK3-1st – 5:00-6:00pm; 2nd/4th – 6:00-7:00pm) to ask your questions and to draw support from community. The sessions will be recorded for those who cannot attend. The Zoom links for the respective meetings are posted on your calendar in FriendsNet. Remember that whichever plan you choose, your commitment is only until September 25, when we will reassess the options per the spread of Covid-19 and the advice of public health authorities.

A great deal of research and collaboration about best practices was invested in creating the plan for reopening, designed to prioritize safety and maximize learning while providing a high quality program for both students remaining at home and those returning to campus. Considering the medical vulnerabilities of some of our students, faculty and staff as well as the higher risk of complications from Covid-19 for communities of color, we know that we need to offer a continuation of remote teaching and learning as one option. However, the remote learning model, obviously the safest choice, is more feasible for some families than others and more effective for some students, than for others. The blended learning day was chosen as the safest model for those families choosing a return to campus given the current high level of Covid-19 cases in the Atlanta area. We will continue to rely on guidance from public health authorities and hope to shift to all students on campus all day when rates of infection decrease.
For those considering the blended learning model, with students coming to campus from 8:00am to noon and transitioning to virtual mostly co-curricular studies at home in the afternoons, the following benefits of this model include the following:

Core academics can be taught in person at school;
Increased safety for students includes:
Reduced in-person contact with additional adults;
Classes held outside more frequently as temperatures are lower in the morning;
Better ability to adhere to strict social distancing from students with shorter day on campus;
Reduced transition times; and
No lunchtime at school, which would require sustained time without wearing masks.
Timeframe that is more emotionally and behaviorally sustainable for students with strict protocols in place;
Block schedule and reduced time for transitions maximizes academic time;
Remote learning in the afternoon reduces stress on teachers who must enforce very strict social distancing protocols with children while on campus;
Community activities, social times and multi-age co-curricular programs and some middle school classes can happen in the afternoons, where all students can participate together virtually.
Medically vulnerable staff can work remotely with both the remote and blended learning groups; and
Time for planning for both remote and in-person instruction is built into these models.

The bottom line is that our best hope for keeping the students, from the youngest to the oldest, distant from one another is to limit the number of hours on campus. Please be on the lookout for the Guide to Families for Reopening School and let us know how else we can support you in making your choice. Once you have clarity, please let us know your choice just as soon as possible, but no later than Wednesday, July 29. Our work cannot be completed until we have a final tally for which students will be on campus and which will be learning from home, so we can allocate staffing and resources and create schedules accordingly.

Again, thank you for your partnership in navigating these crazy times. Just as John Lewis would frequently counsel colleagues and constituents, “Never give up hope.” Together we will get to the other side.

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

July 17, 2020

Dear friends,

The administrative team has been deep in dialogue about FSA’s path forward as we plan for our reopening in August. All of us acknowledge that there are no easy or definitive answers when the Covid-19 pandemic brings new challenges with every news cycle! Thank you for all the input and support you have communicated through emails, calls and our Return to Campus survey. It has never been truer or more comforting to say that we are all in this together!

Central to our planning is concern for the safety, health and well being of our students, their families, and our faculty and staff. We have a primary concern for those who are medically vulnerable. We also are highly conscious of the significant discrepancies in the rates of contagion and the quality of healthcare for people of color and the additional threats the pandemic has wrought upon those members of our community. We know that economic security is also key to well being and are aware that remote learning poses a challenge for those parents who cannot work at home while supervising their children’s studies. We have made every effort to incorporate all such considerations into our planning.

The results of the parent survey revealed that many families are seeking a return to campus, while many others have expressed a preference or need for continued remote teaching and learning. Therefore, with the caveat that plans can still change based on guidelines from public health and government authorities, FSA is going to offer two learning model options: Blended Learning, which has students on campus in the mornings (8:00am-12:00pm) and working remotely in the afternoons, OR remote teaching and learning only. Some of you already know which option suits your family best, while others will want more information. Next week, we will be sending out a Guide to Return to Campus that will detail health and safety protocols, classroom environments, protocols for such daily activities as carpool or movement through the building, etc. We will also be meeting virtually with groups of parents to answer questions, per the following schedule:

5th and 6th Grade Parents: Monday, July 27, 5:00-6:00pm

7th and 8th Grade Parents: Monday, July 27, 6:00-7:00pm

PreK3-First Grade Parents: Tuesday, July 28, 5:00-6:00pm

2nd-4th Grade Parents: Tuesday, July 28, 6:00-7:00pm

You will be asked to commit to one option or the other through September 25 so that we can finalize plans, staffing and schedules as well as offer enough consistency to our students so they have time to adjust and buckle down to learning. (As of September 25, we will reevaluate which model(s) are safest to offer in relation to the prevalence of Covid-19 at that time.) Please submit your choice for each of your children via this form no later than Wednesday, July 29. The sooner we hear from you, the more effectively we can plan. Thank you!

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE START OF SCHOOL HAS BEEN CHANGED TO AUGUST 17 FOR PREK3-1ST GRADE; AUGUST 19 FOR 2ND-5TH GRADES AND AUGUST 24 FOR 6TH-8TH GRADES. The first two weeks will be half days for all, with no instruction in the afternoons. Beginning the week of August 31, the Blended Learning program and the remote program will be in full effect.

Schedules for the first weeks:

WEEK ONE (August 17-21)

On-campus students in PreK3 through 1st Grade will start school on August 17, for half days on Monday through Thursday, giving our youngest students maximum time and support to become comfortable, learn and practice new physical distancing routines and reacclimate to being on campus;
On-campus students in 2nd through 5th grades will start school on Wednesday, August 19, for half days on Wednesday and Thursday;
Students coming to campus may arrive as early as 7:45am, class will begin at 8:00am and carpool will run from 11:45 to 12:00pm;
All class time this week will be devoted to learning and practicing new routines and building safe and comfortable classroom communities for the on-campus students;
For families opting for remote learning, this week will be used for disbursing necessary devices and making preparations for online learning;
No aftercare (but we are studying the feasibility of offering limited aftercare that requires preregistration);
No school on Friday, August 21, giving teachers time for planning, fine tuning and training.

WEEK TWO (August 24-28)

On-campus students in 6th through 8th grades start school on Monday, August 24, for half days;
All on-campus students will attend half days;
Students coming to campus may arrive as early as 7:45am, class will begin at 8:00am and carpool will run from 11:45 to 12:00pm;
Educational program begins for all on-campus and remote students on Monday, August 24;
“First Six Weeks of School” protocols and practices will be adapted to
- Help students returning to campus adjust to a new classroom environment and to master new social distancing routines,
- Help remote students master the virtual environment and technology tools,
- Build connections among all students and teachers in grade groups whether remote or on campus, and
- Establish expectations about ways the class will learn together in this new way of going to school and generate excitement and enthusiasm about the curricula.
No aftercare (but we are studying the feasibility of offering limited aftercare that requires preregistration);
No school on Friday, August 28, giving teachers time for planning, fine tuning and training.

MONDAY, AUGUST 31 – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

All remote learning will move to a full day.
Students on campus will move to a blended learning day:
- 8:00am-11:45am academics will be taught on campus;
- Afternoons, students will return home for such remote learning as co-curricular instruction and assignments, social and emotional learning and some independent learning activities.
Aftercare will be offered to PreK3, PreK4 and Kindergarten students in their respective classrooms until 3:00pm, with the caveat that we believe it is in a child’s best interest to leave mid-day, if at all possible, due to how strict our social distancing protocols must be. (You must preregister for aftercare.)
No aftercare for students in 1st through 8th grades, but still considering this possibility;

FOR REMOTE TEACHING AND LEARNING

Remote teaching and learning will include academic instruction in the morning using multiple instructional strategies including instruction with teachers via Zoom, instructional videos and other asynchronous assignments.
In the afternoon, the focus shifts to co-curricular instruction and assignments, social and emotional learning and some independent assignments;
Opportunities to meet virtually with on-campus classmates;
All families should be prepared with access to the internet for students to attend class meetings and access online educational resources, given that public health officials could at any time recommend a continuation of or return to remote teaching and learning for all students;
FSA will provide all students from PreK4 and older with touch screen tablets or chromebooks for use with remote teaching and learning.

OVERVIEW OF HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS

School counselor to provide mental health and emotional support for students and staff;
School nurse to assist with developing health and safety routines and protocols, conduct daily temperature checks on students and adults, attend to students who fall ill during the school day, conduct health screenings for Covid-19 and support families with health education;
Students at least six feet apart at individual desks rather than tables in classrooms;
Frequent handwashing, including before and after eating;
Additional handwashing stations installed on second and third floors;
Personal protective gear will be worn by staff at all times (masks always, face shields where warranted);
Masks required for students;
Individual supply packs for students to prevent sharing of educational materials;
Doors propped open, where feasible, to mitigate the need to touch surfaces;
Expanded cleaning staff, who will sanitize high touch areas, such as bathrooms and other common areas throughout the day;
Sanitizing routines built into classroom schedules;
Use of atomizer with EPA-recommended disinfectant to deep clean the entire building six nights a week;
Installation of a new recirculating ventilator to assure a proper ongoing exchange of fresh air with interior air;
Outdoor zoned play areas/outdoor classrooms equipped with sanitizing kits;
Climbing structures prohibited from use because of difficulty to sanitize;
Families should notify the school immediately if a family member is diagnosed with or exposed to Covid-19 and abide by CDC recommendations for quarantining and clearance to return to school;
If anyone within the FSA community is diagnosed with Covid-19, the school will inform the community.

On Friday, July 31, you will be receiving our annual Back-to-School email with more finalized details about the when, what, where and how of the new school year, including the Parent Handbook, forms to fill out, instructions on drop off/pick up and much more. Some information will be familiar to returning families and some will be adapted for these extraordinary, ever-changing times. Be on the lookout for that mailing.

Inherent in all of our planning is a dedication to keeping Friends education alive and well in the metro Atlanta area not just for this year, but for decades to come. The school is in a strong position to weather these difficult times, thanks in no small way to your partnership in the education of your children and to your ongoing emotional and financial support. We are deeply grateful and count on your continuing partnership going forward.
As always, please let me know if you have any questions or would like to speak further about any concerns. Blessings to you and your families. I’m holding you all in my heart.

In peace, Waman French, Head of School

June 16, 2020

Dear friends,

The following is FSA’s plan regarding reopening school on August 10. As always, our plans are based on guidelines from the CDC and other health and governmental authorities. Obviously, pandemic planning is subject to change and refinement as the public health risk recedes or surges. Our pledge to you is that we will continue to communicate any changes as soon as it is possible. We know no single document can cover all the questions you may have. Please email me your questions and concerns. Also, we plan to meet with parents in grade groups in late July to answer questions and give updates, as appropriate.

VALUES-BASED EDUCATION FOR CHALLENGING TIMES

The Friends School of Atlanta’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic has been to anticipate all possibilities for delivering an uninterrupted, values-based education that prepares students to be agents of transformative change in a very challenging world. Our path from the day we closed campus on Friday, March 13, to now has been one of utmost concern for the health and well being of our community, ingenuity in the execution of emergency remote teaching and learning and an enduring commitment to those values, such as community, equality and stewardship, that continue to light the way as we plan for the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.

OPENING DAY: MONDAY, AUGUST 10

FSA is closely monitoring the evolving pandemic metrics and guidelines issued by CDC, public health authorities and local and state government. The school is also considering the needs of the most vulnerable in our community. Based on these considerations, FSA will launch the 2020-2021 year on Monday, August 10, using one of the following plans:

PLAN ONE: HIGH RISK, CLOSED CAMPUS

If the pandemic still poses a high risk to the health of all, per guidance from CDC and other public health authorities and the government, school will open with a five-day remote education program. Campus will remain closed, and all student learning will be conducted online with a combination of real-time meeting and instruction as well as age-appropriate assignments for self-paced student activities using a variety of educational resources. Enhancements for remote teaching and learning will include:

Easier navigation of assignments and video instruction sessions
Enhanced differentiation of instruction
A new online reading platform for elementary school
Refined online programming for middle school
Schedules that allow movement from on-campus to remote learning with greater ease
Teacher-led units of independent study (e.g., Arts and Innovation)
Professional development for teachers in the delivery of online classes

PLAN TWO: LOWER RISK, ON-CAMPUS CLASSES

If public health authorities advocate the reopening of schools in DeKalb County, but urge continued caution regarding social distancing and other preventive measures, FSA will open on campus with a traditional school calendar and five-day school week, from 7:45am-3:15pm each day. Classrooms will be modified, replacing tables with desks and will elevate social distancing routines and procedures:

Strategic drop off and pick up routines to reduce chances for student and staff exposure to Covid-19
Class sizes limited by available classroom space; grade levels utilizing a limited number of classrooms depending on class size
No mixing between student groups
Limited student movement indoors
Zoned outdoor areas that will be assigned to individual grade levels on a rotating basis and only used by one small group at a time
Restricted access to the campus by parents and other adults, other than faculty and staff
No beforecare, aftercare, after school clubs, athletics or performances, per CDC and government guidelines (Exception may be able to be made for PreK3)

PLAN THREE: LESSENING RISK, ON-CAMPUS CLASSES

If pandemic tracking by public health authorities indicates a marked reduction in risk, school will reopen on campus with a traditional school calendar and five-day school week, from 7:45am-3:15pm each day. Classrooms will be modified, replacing tables with desks and will implement social distancing routines and procedures:

Strategic drop off and pick up routines to reduce chances for student and staff exposure to Covid-19
Class sizes limited by available classroom space
Some mixing of students per grade allowed
Some movement between 1-3 indoor school spaces allowed
Zoned outdoor areas that will be assigned to individual grade levels on a rotating basis
Recess all together per grade level in designated zone
Restricted access by parents and other adults, other than faculty and staff
Aftercare limited to small groups meeting in separate spaces
No before care, after school clubs, athletics or performances. The school MAY be able to offer Afterschool Care in small grade groups.

All of these plans are subject to variation and change based on the most current information and guidance provided by CDC and other public health organizations. Should the need arise to shift from campus-based to remote learning, the dedicated faculty and staff of FSA stand ready to make that transition as quickly and seamlessly as possible.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS

School counselor to provide mental health and emotional support for students and staff
School nurse to assist with developing health and safety routines and protocols, conduct daily temperature checks on students and adults, attend to students who fall ill during the school day, conduct health screenings for Covid-19 and support families with health education
Handwashing a minimum of four times per day, including before and after eating
Additional handwashing stations installed on second and third floors
Water bottle filling stations installed to replace water fountains
Personal protective gear (e.g., masks or face shields) will be worn by staff at all times
Masks required for students, when feasible
Individual supply packs for students to prevent sharing of educational materials
Doors propped open, where feasible, to mitigate the need to touch surfaces
Expanded cleaning staff, who will sanitize high touch areas, such as bathrooms and other common areas throughout the day
Sanitizing routines built into classroom schedules
Use of atomizer with EPA-recommended disinfectant to deep clean the entire building seven nights a week
Outdoor zone areas equipped with sanitizing kits
Climbing structures prohibited from use because of difficulty to sanitize

WHAT FAMILIES SHOULD KNOW

Families will need access to the internet for students to attend class meetings and access online educational resources, should public health officials recommend a continuation of or return to remote teaching and learning.
FSA will provide all students from PreK4 and older with touch screen tablets or chromebooks for use with emergency remote teaching and learning.
If anyone has a special need regarding Covid-19 prevention, please contact Waman French ([email protected]), Head of School.
Families should notify the school immediately if a family member is diagnosed with or exposed to Covid-19 and abide by CDC recommendations for quarantining and clearance to return to school.
If anyone within the FSA community is diagnosed with Covid-19, the school will inform the community.

WHO TO CONTACT WITH QUESTIONS

For educational program questions, contact either Michelle Cullen ([email protected]), Elementary School Head, or Laura James ([email protected]), Middle School Head;
For questions about billing and payments, contact Elsie Santway ([email protected]), Director of Finance;
For technical issues, contact Laurie Marion ([email protected]), Director of Technology;
For any other question, contact Waman French ([email protected]), Head of School

Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, The Friends School of Atlanta remains dedicated to providing an education that recognizes the unique light in every student and that is steeped in the values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship. Now more than ever, the world needs Friends School students to go out with the conscience, conviction and compassion to bridge divisions, advocate for peace and justice and make a true difference in the world.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

June 2, 2020

Dear friends,

The Friends School of Atlanta (FSA) stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and all of those waging a peaceful protest against the institutional racism that has led to the death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Talyor and so many other African Americans who have died unjustly at the hands of those with the power of authority. An expression of solidarity, however, is not enough. Racism against Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) is a far more insidious and lethal pandemic than any public health crisis. It cannot be brought under control with a treatment or prevented by a vaccine. It can only be eradicated by addressing the actions of those who perpetrate racism deliberately or through a failure to speak and act against it.

Quakers have a long and deep history of peaceful protests for social justice. The Quaker peace testimony was conceived to remove the seeds of war. Quakers established Friends schools over 330 years ago to promote equality and democracy through education. Quakers came to Atlanta to support the Civil Rights Movement as fully committed activists, work that led to the founding of The Friends School of Atlanta in 1991 as a model of diversity and an educational program dedicated to equity and justice.

In response to the current unrest, FSA seeks to bring solace to those in our community who are in pain and to deepen our commitment to eradicating racism through education and activism. I have been meeting with the leadership of the Friends Council on Education and other heads of Friends schools from throughout the country to discuss how collectively we can further focus the curricula at our schools on understanding and confronting racism in America. We will continue to communicate as those conversations evolve into an action plan that enriches our programs.

FSA will also hold a virtual Silent Meeting with concern for racial justice every Friday in June from 11:00 to 11:15am. As you may know, the purpose of our Silent Meeting times is not to be silent. It is a time to sit together and listen deeply to the Light within to nourish the soul, seek clarity of mind and spirit and find the courage to speak out against the injustice of racism wherever we find it.

FSA is a community as well as a school. We value each and every one of you and support you in these most challenging times. Take heart. Change for the good is coming.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

May 27, 2020

Dear friends,

Congratulations to all for weathering one of the most challenging years ever for schools around the globe! While the uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic continues to cause concern, come Friday we can exhale just a little as students complete their studies for the year and families take some time to cautiously venture into summertime relaxation and fun.

A special congratulations to FSA’s Class of 2020. This year’s eighth graders have been tremendously good sports, finding ingenious ways to transcend difficult circumstances and uphold FSA traditions, such as their asking for acts of kindness to observe Day of Silence or putting on the virtual middle school dance that will take place tomorrow afternoon. On Friday, we will gather via Zoom to celebrate their accomplishments and honor their enduring place in the FSA community. The graduation, as always, will be a moving representation of how Friends education prepares our beloved graduates to leave with the conscience, conviction and compassion to make a real difference in the world.

We know you still have so many questions about next year. Rest assured the administrative team will be working diligently throughout the summer on planning and campus preparations. We will continue to communicate about evolving plans with weekly letters, except for the two weeks from June 29 through July 10, when the administration will take its summer break. As our plans become more definitive, guided as always by best practices recommended by the CDC and boards of public health, we will communicate with as much detail as possible about what students and parents can expect when we launch into the 2020-2021 school year.

We are profoundly grateful to our families this year. We simply could not have gotten through this crisis without your partnership and support. We hope this summer is restorative for you, too!

In peace and appreciation,

Waman French, Head of School

May 22, 2020

Good afternoon, parents,

As we come to the final week of this unique school year, students and teachers are finding ways to reflect and affirm goals met, challenges overcome, and special moments in community deserving of much celebration. We are missing some of our treasured traditions this spring, but I’m delighted to share that our clever Student Council is hosting a virtual Middle School Dance next Thursday at 4:00. The theme is Summer, and I’ll circulate a link soon. We also have a wonderful virtual Graduation Ceremony scheduled for Friday at 9:00. Please join us for these events as we come together on screen and in spirit to honor our students and embrace this beloved community.

This semester we are using an alternative grading scale to account for multiple variables that were beyond our control. At FSA, we have always differentiated instruction and assessment to meet students where they are, within the context of standard academic benchmarks. A single universal grading model hasn’t ever aligned with our objectives, but current extraordinary circumstances require even more recalibration to measure success authentically, but fairly. For many students, second semester grades will be the average of quarters 3 and 4, as usual. For some, we will average the first 3 quarters. And still others will receive pass/fail reports, which is the way many schools have adjusted during the crisis this term. We will choose the algorithm that gives each student the highest final grades. I am open to collaboration with you if you have a strong preference, so please reach out if you’d like to discuss once reports are published the first week of June.

I hope you have a beautiful long weekend!

Thank you,

Laura James, Middle School Head

May 19, 2020

Dear friends,

There are eight school days to go until we cross the finish line for the wild ride of the 2019-2020 school year. May 29, however, is certainly not the end of the story. We know you have many questions regarding the operations of FSA in the time of Covid-19 and our plans for the next school year.

First, let me reassure you that thanks to the financial stewardship of the school’s administration and Board of Trustees, FSA is on sound financial footing. At the administration’s urging, a few families who have encountered pandemic-related financial setbacks have reached out and are working with the school to organize new tuition payment plans. But there has not been an overwhelming number of requests. We continue to receive many messages of confidence in FSA’s ongoing ability to provide a strong values-based educational program to our students from both current parents as well as from the families of our newly enrolled students.

FSA continues to benefit from the dedication of faculty and staff and from operations that are nimble enough to quickly change direction when necessary to protect the health and well being of our community. A case in point is the recent shift from a place-based summer camp program to a slate of virtual camp offerings for June and July. This shift required some fast out-of-the-box thinking, resulting in an impressive new list of fun and enriching STEAM-based camps that can be conducted remotely. Take a look at our June offerings and stay tuned for the July sessions, which will be announced on June 1.

As we wind down the school year, our administrative team has begun to work in groups to plan for what comes next. We are watching the trajectory of the pandemic closely and are beginning to be very cautiously optimistic that we can open the 2020-2021 school year on campus in August. More specifically, our planning for on-campus schooling includes:

Strict adherence to CDC guidelines regarding social distancing, wearing masks (for adults) and washing hands;
Increased housekeeping staff;
The addition of a school nurse (currently seeking to hire) who will help manage new school routines to ensure student health and safety;
A rigorous schedule of thorough sanitizing of classrooms, bathrooms, offices, the gym and other common areas.

We also recognize the possibility that we will need to switch back to remote teaching and learning for some parts of next year. In order to be ready for whichever scenario is required at any given time, we are planning without pause to optimize the technology platforms for effective emergency remote teaching and learning for all grade levels, to equip and support our youngest students with the technology they will need for learning at home and to continually refine our abilities to deliver the curriculum remotely, when necessary.

Another central element of our planning is our communications plan. We are adding new marketing strategies that reflect FSA’s capacity to provide a quality, uninterrupted education during the pandemic, and we always appreciate your kind endorsements of FSA’s good work when speaking to other parents. We are also committed to communicating frequent and transparent updates to our families, faculty and staff as we chart this new course over the summer and throughout the next year.
But for now, eight more school days!

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

May 18, 2020

Hello elementary school families,

This week we begin closing tasks for the 2019-2020 school year, although these very important tasks will look a bit different this year.
At the end of the week, students will participate in a virtual step-up morning meeting. They will meet their teachers for next year and get a chance to meet new classmates. For rising elementary students, the meeting will occur on Thursday at 9:00 am, and for rising 5th graders, it will occur on Friday at 9:00 am. Zoom links will be posted on homeroom bulletin boards.

Teachers have been working to make the last week of school (which is next week) somewhat similar to a typical last week of school with some fun activities and assignments planned. They have also been working to ensure their last class meetings will provide some closure to the school year for students. Because of graduation, there will not be any class Zoom meetings on that last half-day of school on Friday, May 29. Please try to have your child attend their last class meeting on Thursday, May 28.

Academic reports for students will be published to FriendsNet during the last week of school. You will receive an email when they are available to read with other information about small changes to the reports.

Your student’s current teachers will also be meeting virtually with future teachers in the coming weeks and communicating about each student’s academic, social and emotional strengths and growing edges. This occurs every year to help set students up for success in the coming school year and helps teachers start making plans for their incoming class.

Although our school year is closing in a way that no one expected, we hope our plans help to provide some closure and some fun for students as we look toward the future.

In peace,

Michelle Cullen, Elementary School Head

May 12, 2020

Dear friends,

As we continue to define and cope with the “new normal” in the time of Covid-19, there is one essential group that deserves recognition: our students! Clearly it is the students who inspire us to push through the fog of uncertainty and fear to ensure their education continues uninterrupted. But our job would be so much harder and less rewarding if the students weren’t participating in emergency remote learning with such great cooperation, creativity and technological know how.

We have discovered in this journey of emergency remote teaching and learning that instruction must be both synchronous and asynchronous. Synchronous means students and their peers are meeting together with their teacher in real time via Zoom to have a class. Asynchronous learning refers to all of those online materials and activities that are enabling students to study on their own, at their own pace. Teachers are also supporting asynchronous learning by holding “office hours” via Zoom to answer questions and provide other support to individual students. With the full and active participation of students in all modes of learning, we have been able to make adjustments and recalibrations as we go. Our current objective is to find that just right balance between synchronous and asynchronous instruction as we move toward the finish line for this year and plan for possible remote teaching and learning next year.

Our students have also been key players in maintaining FSA as a vibrant community for students and adults alike. The middle school’s student government has continued to meet. They galvanized support for the recent Earth Day and Day of Silence observances, enlisting students throughout the school, including elementary students, to contribute their wishes for the earth and to perform acts of kindness that have been such a balm for difficult days. The student government has also convened virtual town hall meetings on Mondays, providing a platform for their peers to voice concerns and ask questions. They are now planning a virtual middle school dance. Meanwhile, the elementary students have been active members of community, too. They have recorded themselves telling jokes, sent messages of appreciation to their teachers and been all around good sports about learning from home and being separated from their beloved friends.

For these and so many more reasons, we love and celebrate the students of The Friends School of Atlanta. We are committed to keeping the light of a Friends education burning brightly for them. Always.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

May 7, 2020

Hello, parents,

We are nearing the end of Week 7 of Emergency Remote Learning!

It has been a whirlwind of weeks, with so much change. When we embarked on this journey on March 13, we expected only a brief pause in our plans. We sent students home with chromebooks and a working knowledge of FriendsNet for digital communications, but it wasn’t long before we realized the scope of this crisis and knew that wouldn’t be enough. We began exploring best practices at a dizzying pace to move our students forward from a distance. We adopted new systems, created training modules, participated in more webinars/workshops/ed tech discussion panels than I can count. We built on relationships with independent school leaders as we engaged in the same solution-seeking work, and we began to develop a richer, deeper program to advance academic progress and maintain beloved community. Weeks later, teachers and students now engage with multiple platforms, including Zoom, Loom, Seesaw and several tools in GSuites.

We are still learning, through trial and error, surveys, communications with parents and students, and we continue to strengthen our program so that we are well prepared for whatever next year brings. In these final weeks, we are going to explore a different balance of synchronous and asynchronous models, with a greater focus on interactive experiences. Below is a new schedule beginning Monday for our remaining days that involves more Zoom classes. Please review this with your child and let me know if you have questions. Synchronous Class Schedule May 11-28.

Thank you for your patience as we’ve moved through this time of change. The path has been flawed and imperfect with all sorts of messy, difficult parts. I have considered throwing my laptop out the window, and I imagine you have too. We may yet, but it is comforting when I remember that this is a shared experience among a community who have the same goals for our children–that has not changed. We will hold fast together to the promises that come with a growth mindset! It’s all about where we were, where we are, and where we’re going. I appreciate you.

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week. The learning curve has been a steep one for all of us; much of our teachers’ learning has happened late into the evenings and on weekends. Their commitment has been simply unbelievable. Please join me in thanking them for giving us all their very best and more.

Peace,

Laura James, Middle School Head

May 5, 2020

Dear friends,

This week is teacher appreciation week. If there is any silver lining to this dark pandemic cloud, it is the FSA community’s outpouring of love and appreciation for our teachers. And goodness do they deserve it!

Every teacher at the Friends School is passionate about teaching. They love their students. They are committed to helping each child in their care build the skills, knowledge and confidence to thrive as students and to make a difference as world citizens. They animate their lessons in countless ways that go above and beyond the core curriculum, reflecting not just the interests of the students, but also bringing their unique talents to the task. They are among the most dedicated, creative, caring people I know.
Our teachers are also heroes. They have risen to the daunting challenge of delivering emergency remote teaching in a very short period of time. They have embraced the technology that has been central to keeping education alive during the pandemic, overcoming the frustration they feel being many steps removed from their students. But the really impressive accomplishment is how the teachers have found ways to connect and educate despite the intervening technology tools. They have become actors, directors and cinematographers of their own videos. They have transformed objects and aspects of their homes into teaching tools. They have called to check on and encourage students who are struggling with the isolation of remote learning. Their ingenuity and caring are truly boundless.

So please, if you feel moved by appreciation for the teachers of The Friends School of Atlanta, send them an email and tell them. Have your child draw a picture and send that photograph. Honestly, the simplest thank you can carry a teacher a long way through those rough patches we all are experiencing.

As people slowly find safe ways to transition from strict shelter in place isolation to tentative movement around town, we are all watching with some degree of apprehension. FSA will continue to err on the side of caution and will continue to monitor the recommendations of government and public health authorities. Our ultimate guide is and always will be what is best for the health and well being of our community.

We are in the home stretch of the school year. We are finishing the fourth quarter curriculum. We are planning a virtual graduation ceremony for our eighth graders and their families. (Stay tuned for details.) We are developing detailed contingency plans for the summer and the next school year. We can do this … together.

I appreciate all of you.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

May 4, 2020

Hello elementary school families,

We have reached the last month of the 2019-20 school year. It will surely be a year that all will remember.

I wanted to let you know that our flexible, friendly Fridays will now include more options. Students and families are still welcome to use Fridays exclusively to catch up on academic assignments. Students can also make a choice to use Fridays to complete specialists’ assignments, to attend Silent Meeting and/or to complete activities in the various activity banks, which are linked on homeroom bulletin boards. Beginning this Friday, homeroom teachers will also be posting an optional challenge activity on FriendsNet for students who would like more work on Friday.

As we continue to forge ahead in this difficult time, I wanted to share what I am using with my family to guide our days outside of academic and work responsibilities. I have teenagers who actually seem to appreciate this list, which is no small feat. The first five on the list come from Responsive Classroom. The last two are personalized for my family.

Who will I connect with today?
When will I get into nature today?
How will I move my body today?
What am I grateful for today?
How will I be creative today?
What will I read today?
How will I be helpful today?

I think all of our children are craving both structure and choice. Using this list, presented as suggestions rather than directives allows for both. It is also not a bad list for adults!

In peace,

Michelle Cullen, Elementary School Head

April 28, 2020

Dear friends,

All of the FSA faculty and staff want to acknowledge and offer heartfelt gratitude to our parents and caregivers, who have been our active partners in emergency remote teaching and learning for the last six weeks. We know that you have competing demands on your time and attention. We know there are technical challenges to overcome, restless children to be kept engaged and on track and households to support. The work is hard and the road is long, made more arduous by the stress of not knowing where or when it will end. We also know that you share our commitment to providing an uninterrupted education to your children and are doing everything you can do to ensure that happens. You are our heroes.

It is in the DNA of The Friends School of Atlanta to start with where a child is and teach from there. Likewise, we want to start with where the parents are now, and make adjustments to strike the best balance we can to support the education, as well as the health and well being, of our students and families over the remaining weeks of the school year. Please take a few minutes to give us updated feedback by filling out this survey. Your input is not only immensely helpful for our planning, but also helps maintain that sense of community that is at the heart of the FSA experience. Thank you in advance for your help.

As for today’s news of the school, we can tell you that the Summer Camp program will definitely not be held on campus in June. (July plans are still unknown.) Instead, we will be offering some virtual camps for June. Information and registration for those sessions will be posted as soon as possible. And of course, we will be refunding camp deposits and fees. We are also committing to holding school until graduation day on May 29. There will be a virtual graduation ceremony for eighth graders and their families, with an on-campus reception later in the summer.

Looking toward next school year, we have developed contingency plans for multiple scenarios, all of which keep the health and well being of students, faculty and staff front and center. The scenario we choose, at any given time, will be in response to information and guidance from public health officials.

We hope you can join us for Silent Meeting this Friday, where we will be observing Day of Silence with a program that highlights acts of kindness during these trying times.

Again, thank you for all you are doing.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

April 21, 2020

Dear friends,

We are in week six of sheltering and learning at home and want to acknowledge how truly heroic our students, parents, teachers and staff have been in keeping our educational programs vital and productive. Our north star has always been to provide a continuity of learning, care and counsel to our students and entire community while keeping the health and well being of everyone central to all decision making. We also want to acknowledge that this has been a difficult disruption to our lives, fraught with uncertainty and anxiety. In a word, this has been a hard road. It’s okay to have feelings about that.

We can report that the work of the school proceeds. In addition to ongoing efforts to refine and enhance emergency remote teaching and learning, we continue to work on crucial projects. We have met virtually with the chair of our accreditation team and are right on track with that important process. We are finding creative ways to hold such capstone events as Earth Week and Day of Silence. Please check out the activities for Earth Week this week in the LQN or on your FriendsNet resource board. Planning is underway for a virtual graduation celebration, followed later in the summer, we hope, with an in-person event. We are welcoming new families who have enrolled for next school year and encouraging other interested families to apply. We are making contingency plans for different enrollment/budgeting models. We continue to ask for your support, if you are able, for our Annual Appeal. We continue to focus on professional development for staff as well as campus development/capital campaign planning. All systems are on go, with modifications as needed.

So what comes next? With ongoing uncertainty about social distancing and the financial fallout of this pandemic, we are making contingency plans for various scenarios. Below are some answers to questions you may be having. These answers reflect today’s thinking and, of course, are subject to change.

Will FSA continue to have classes through the end of May as originally planned? We know many public school systems are choosing to end their school years early due to the stress and strain of remote teaching and learning. Again, with concern for the well being of our students, parents and teachers, we are reevaluating this year’s end date and will keep you posted, but no decision has been made yet.

Will FSA have a Summer Camp Program this year? We are looking at many options and will communicate our decision in early May. Some possibilities are to offer virtual camps sessions; have on-campus sessions later in the summer, if safe; have a hybrid program; or cancel altogether. We are highly aware that changing or canceling camp affects the livelihoods of our camp instructors and partners, such as Critter Camp and Circus Camp, and are taking the time to make an informed decision.

When will FSA begin the next school year? We cannot say we will definitely open on August 10 unless there is a significant flattening of the pandemic curve. Plans are being made for any eventuality, with the health and well being of the most vulnerable members of our community factoring into our decisions. Just some of the possibilities include staggering schedules for students (e.g., every other day) so that social distancing can be maintained in the classrooms, carpool lines, etc.; transitioning from emergency remote learning to providing quality online courses; creating multiple, adaptable processes for educating students with the ability to shift back and forth as needed. There are many questions that influence this complex planning process: What kind of staff development is required? Do we need to upgrade technology? Are there enough essential cleaning supplies available? What if there is a resurgence of COVID-19 in the late fall, as many public health officials predict? What is the impact on student mental health over time as we are required to constantly switch modes of teaching and learning? How can we plan a program that supports all aspects of the experience for teachers, students and their families?

We all will have to remain flexible as we move forward. It is so important that we continue as partners in educating these children we care about so dearly. They are being shaped by these challenging times. They will be tomorrow’s innovators and problem solvers. It is incumbent on us to see that they have the knowledge and skills, as well as the conscience, conviction and compassion, to take us confidently into a better future.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

April 14, 2020

Dear friends,

I know I speak for the entire faculty and staff when I say how much we appreciate the overwhelming support of the FSA community for the ongoing work of the school and for each other during these difficult times. Even small transitions can be stressful. The impact of such an abrupt and enormous transition would be so much harder to bear without the commitment, compassion and humor you have brought to this new reality of education in the time of COVID-19.

One of the most important commitments you have made is to honor your contracts and tuition payments, providing critically important operating revenue for the school, the majority of which covers faculty/staff salaries and benefits. Our commitment to you is to be transparent about the state of the school and how we can continue to pull together to weather this storm. As soon as we were able, we applied for and received a Paycheck Protection Program loan from the Small Business Administration, which helps. But there are still bills to pay regarding the operation of a campus-based school. We have lost over one hundred thousand dollars in revenues from the aftercare program, after school clubs and rentals for the remainder of this fiscal year, ending on June 30. We have incurred expenses associated with delivery of emergency remote teaching and learning (consensus is that emergency remote teaching and learning is the most accurate term). We are still studying the feasibility of the summer camp program, typically another large source of revenue, and will communicate our decisions about that program in early May.

The bottom line is that school operations are steady and continue to benefit from the careful financial stewardship of the Board of Trustees and administration as well as by your commitment to stand by FSA. While the Board has determined that we cannot offer refunds for tuition, we do recognize that some families have lost income during this crisis. If you have financial challenges regarding tuition, please get in touch with me. We want to help.

We still do not have definitive answers to such big questions as: What will next year’s school calendar look like? How will the school respond to anticipated peaks and valleys related to this pandemic? We, in community with the leadership of other independent schools, are focused on immediate and long-term planning. FSA’s educational leadership, working with their respective teams, continue to do an outstanding job of honing emergency remote teaching for now, while planning strategically for various scenarios next year. We will keep you posted as those plans evolve. Once again, we are so grateful that as a small school, we are nimble enough to pivot and then pivot again when circumstances dictate the need to do so.

As the pandemic spreads, many people are experiencing some personal connection with the disease. We have now learned that one of our FSA families is in recovery from COVID-19 infection. Please join me in holding them in the light.

If you haven’t yet attended one of our virtual Silent Meetings on Fridays, we hope you can make it this week. It is such a comforting reminder of the power of community.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

April 13, 2020

Hello elementary school families,

I hope you all enjoyed a break last week and had some time outside away from screens.

As we look toward finishing the school year in an online model, we are expanding our approach to incorporate some new tools. In our first three weeks, students worked hard to establish routines, practice new ways of communicating and develop the stamina that online learning required. Families had the challenge of setting up and supporting students in their work while trying to work from home themselves and juggle competing demands for time and attention. During those initial weeks, faculty and staff dove deeply into building skills as online educators, learning new ways of engaging our kids and advancing curriculum in a brand new context.

Our goals in these remaining weeks are to provide a program that is stimulating and rich, allows for flexibility and offers ways for students and parents to be engaged in community, all while advancing academic objectives and ensuring students’ continued learning.

With this in mind, we will be adding a new and exciting tool to our toolbox. Seesaw is an online way for students to both receive academic content as well as show their learning to teachers in a variety of ways. Both teachers and students can record videos, take photos, create drawings, record voice recordings and upload documents. A student’s work will be all in one place in a digital journal. Teachers can provide feedback on a student’s work and send it back for editing or corrections. Specialists will also be using Seesaw with students. Each student will need an individual code to access Seesaw. Instructions and login codes will be coming soon.

Elementary classrooms will continue to use zoom meetings for both social and academic times. You will notice some changes in the security of these meetings including passwords among other changes. Teachers will be communicating passwords in FriendsNet. As we establish secure zoom meetings, please have patience with us as links to meetings may have changed.

As we progress, please do share feedback with us. If there are ways we can make adjustments to better meet needs, we will want to do so. This experience affects us all in different ways. I appreciate your support, encouragement, and trust in this partnership and look forward to the day we see each other again.

In peace,

Michelle Cullen, Elementary School Head

April 13, 2020

Good morning, MS students,

Wasn’t it beautiful weather last week for being outside, away from screens and school? I loved it, but am happy to be back with everyone–even virtually. Now that we’re all getting better at this distance learning, we’re ready to add some new things. We’ve made some adjustments to ensure we meet our academic goals for the year, and I’m hoping the new routine will help you feel more connected to friends and teachers, too.

What’s new?

You will have a 10:00 Zoom class Mon-Thu. It is required, so set your clock. This class “counts” toward your hour in that subject. Advisory/Homeroom meetings are on Fridays at 10:30, followed by MS Silent Meeting. You are expected at these meetings. Spanish, Latin, and Classical Roots assignments will become part of core content for these students.

Daily Afternoon Zoom Meetings are OPTIONAL. They include lunch with friends, guided study groups, exploratories, and Choice.

What’s the same? Everything else

Read and respond to email each day.
Spend 4 hours on academic study each day.

Go to the Resource Bank if you have time after assignments. Stop after 4 hours even if you haven’t completed all assignments. Email teachers when you need more time–This will happen. It’s fine. Fridays are for catching up.

Record in your journal each day the work you completed.
Connect with your teachers when you need help. Even if you don’t–they like hearing from you.

The schedules below outline daily Zoom meetings we’ve added to the routine. If you have questions, or you need more or you need less or you need something different, let us know. We’re figuring this out along with you and want you to be successful. We sure do miss you.

Love,

Laura, Middle School Head

5th Grade Distance Learning Schedule

6th Grade Distance Learning Schedule

7th Grade Distance Learning Schedule

8th Grade Distance Learning Schedule

April 12, 2020

Hello, MS families,

I hope you all enjoyed a break last week and had some time outside away from screens.

As we look toward finishing the term in a distance model, we are shifting our approach to incorporate some new tools and increase interactive experiences. In our first 15 days, students worked hard to establish a daily routine, practice new ways of communicating and develop stamina and independence that online learning required. Families had the challenge of setting up and supporting students in their work while trying to work from home themselves and juggle competing demands for time and attention. During those initial weeks, faculty and staff dove deeply into “skilling up,” as distance educators, learning new ways of engaging our kids and advancing curriculum in a brand new context.

Our goals in these remaining weeks are to provide a program that is stimulating and rich, allows for flexibility and choice, incorporates lessons from the arts and steam curriculum and offers ways for students and parents to be engaged in community, all while advancing academic objectives and ensuring students’ continued learning as the priority. In our new routine, we will add a bit more structure to our students’ work, implement multiple methods of providing feedback for growth, increase live interaction between teachers and students and offer daily opportunities for our kids to socialize virtually. Schedules below are now posted in FriendsNet. We understand the transition will take some time and practice, but we will be gentle with each other as we make this shift to a program designed for a longer interval of distance learning.

As we progress, please do share feedback with us about how you’re doing, how your children are doing. If there are ways we can make adjustments to better meet needs, we will want to do so. This experience affects us all in different ways, but what I believe is consistent is the demand for strength and courage. I appreciate your support, encouragement and trust in this partnership and look forward to the day we see each other again!

Thank you,

Laura, Middle School Head

5th Grade Distance Learning Schedule

6th Grade Distance Learning Schedule

7th Grade Distance Learning Schedule

8th Grade Distance Learning Schedule

April 3, 2020

Dear beloved Friends School community,

Three weeks ago I arrived at FSA to shut down campus operations and begin a transition to online, distance learning for 180 students and their teachers. I remember thinking on my drive into Decatur that this two-week hiatus from campus might, perhaps, stretch out to three and get us to our spring break, where we’ll have the gift of an additional week’s time to ride out this storm in the safety of our homes. Like many who I’ve spoken to since that time, I half-believed that was the scenario that was to come. My head understood the meaning of the word “pandemic,” but my heart wasn’t there yet. Today, I’m announcing plans to be away from campus for the remainder of the school year.

My heart still wants to hope for a future that I cannot yet know or count on. I know that I’m grieving a loss of something unimaginable mere weeks ago. And like other loss of monumental proportions that I’ve known, this grief rolls like waves in the ocean, cresting in sorrow then finding solace, fermenting in frustration and then surprising me with times for joy. My mother used to say that grief was the price of love. Those words provide me with some comfort as I think of you all and the love that binds our school family. I know I speak on behalf of all our faculty and staff and the trustees of FSA when I say we miss you all tremendously. We miss our life together at school.

So, I’ll take my time in this letter to acknowledge that we are all grieving our losses. I’m imagining the tremendous stress and the avalanche of challenges brought upon our families as we transitioned to online learning. Working families, families who are caring for older parents, families who are experiencing illness and those facing loss of work – the challenges seem endless. I’m particularly sensitive to families of our very youngest and very oldest students. Online schooling looks so different for our pre kindergarteners. No matter how amazing the teachers have been at keeping connections with their students or how engaging the educational content they are bringing to these younguns (and it’s a mighty plenty!), the children are still 3 and 4 years old and at home with parents who have double (quadruple) duty. Please know you are held in the Light. And, our oldest are mourning the loss of their last weeks together as Friends School students with their classmates and their teachers. This was to be a time for special events, school dances and class parties in anticipation of graduation day. Instead, they are learning from home, without the social interaction that has been such a hallmark of their time at FSA and so important to these young adults. I want our community to know that we are hard at work planning for that important graduation day and also imagining other ways to celebrate our soon-to-be graduates and all the students throughout our school. At today’s silent meetings, I promised our students that upon our return from spring break there will be more opportunities for engagement with their friends and their community. Our faculty and staff have already begun plans for Earth Day, Day of Silence, Spring Musical and an EPIC graduation.

Our faculty and staff. Please take a moment and hold these beloved people in the Light. Many of you have expressed and I’ll echo a deep appreciation for the amazing work that has been accomplished these past three weeks. To the staff that has pivoted to support our community in this new way of schooling AND kept the wheels on the bus and all the plates spinning, I want to share how proud I am to be on your team! Talk about a can-do spirit! And to our faculty, I know I speak for your students and their families when I acknowledge our collective thanks to you for transitioning to online learning with such grace. These teachers have spent their careers engaging students each day in classrooms, building loving relationships from which the best of Friends School emerges, and suddenly are required to shift their passions for teaching to an online format! I am not surprised but I stand in amazement at this crew’s optimism and esprit de corp. FSA’s shift to distance learning wasn’t perfect but it was great! We continue to learn and train each day in ways to make this platform for learning even better. When we return in April, you’ll hear about tighter schedules and smoother communications systems for students and parents. Teachers will begin introducing new tools to students and expanded program offerings. We’ll be refining how we grade middle schoolers to account for their progress. And we’ll get better and better at this business, and then we’ll be GREAT! And so will our students and our families.

So, as we head off on our week long break. Know that your FSA community is still there for you. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns you may have during that time. We want to know how we can support your family during next week and beyond. We really are all in this together.

In peace and gratitude,

Waman French, Head of School

March 31, 2020

Dear friends,

The work goes on. Everyone — teachers, staff, students, parents — continues to put forth their best efforts to rise to the many challenges inherent in learning while at a safe social distance. We thank you for all you are doing and assure you that the teachers and staff are in a mode of continuous learning and improving as we deliver education online to a wonderfully diverse student body. Per guidelines issued from Governor Kemp and the President, we will keep campus closed through the month of April, with a tentative start back date of May 4. Obviously, that date is subject to change as efforts to contain the pandemic continue to evolve. The health and safety of our community is always at the forefront of our thinking as we move forward with planning at FSA. To date, our school community remains well with no reports that anyone from our faculty, staff or families has become ill due to the COVID-19 virus.

Thanks to all of you who filled out the Parent Feedback Survey following two weeks of at-home learning. We had a robust response, which has clarified for us what kinds of technology support parents and students most need to be successful with distance learning. Respondents expressed big thumbs up on use of technology and tech support received during the transition from to school to home. There was also a high level of satisfaction expressed with the content and platforms in use for online education. Some of the adjustments we are making include:

Making sure we direct students and parents consistently and to as few places as possible to access assignments.
Employing zoom video conferencing on a regular basis after Spring Break.
Streamlining communications so we don’t confuse or overwhelm students/parents.
Introducing Flexible Fun Fridays to help all of us destress a bit! You heard more about Friday fun in yesterday’s letters from Laura and Michelle.
Planning more ways to connect with community online, including Silent Meeting, observances of Day of Silence and Earth Day and opportunities for students to engage with their classmates.
Opening up the FSPATA Facebook page for more parent interaction — see yesterday’s LQN for more information.

If you are having continued technical issues, please reach out to Laurie Marion ([email protected]), Director of Technology. Laura James ([email protected]) and Michelle Cullen ([email protected]) are happy to address your questions about educational programming. To communicate confidentially with me, please email me at [email protected].

We know the uncertainty about when and how this pandemic will be contained and what the economic fallout will be is unsettling. Know that the Board of Trustees, led by the mission of the school, is working to ensure that FSA is on sound fiscal ground and will be as strong as ever on the other side of this crisis. In addition to calling two meetings in April, the Board is working with the administration to create models for different enrollment scenarios in order to chart the best financial course for the school. We have been learning what is available to nonprofits like FSA from the CARES Act, the $2 trillion economic stimulus bill just passed by Congress. Not only are we drawing on the experience and expertise of our leadership, but we are also tapping the optimism and deep sense of community that have always guided Quakers through hard times.

Please continue to be safe per the recommendations of the CDC and the WHO. Just a reminder, next week is Spring Break. There will be no online instruction for the students, but feel free to use the bank of activities that has been built by our wonderful teachers. I will monitor email, should you need to be touch.

In peace,

Waman French , Head of School

Good morning Middle School Parents,

It was so nice to see some of you and your children at our first-ever virtual silent meeting last Friday. Many students shared that they were ready to return to school. I know they speak for all of us. While we cannot yet return to school, our goal is to continually improve our “virtual” FSA, and below I’ll share a few of the ways we are growing our program.

Starting this week we will have Flexible Fun Fridays! Fridays will be days for students to catch up on work assigned earlier in the week and interact with teachers for support, to attend the MS silent meeting, and spend time in the MS Activity Bank, which is full of rich activities in academic subjects as well as art, music, drama, and engineering–many of them offer a break from screen time. We are developing plans for community connection through virtual family events, and these will be scheduled on Fridays.

Fridays will also be the day teachers train with new online tools they can use to enhance the distance learning experience. Our teachers are working incredibly hard to learn how to teach effectively in a different way. I know our families are working incredibly hard, as well. Last week, MS teachers experimented with Zoom video lessons. There were some glitches, but mostly it went really well, and the opportunity to see our kids and interact with them more directly was a balm for all of us. This week, we’ll continue to practice this new way of teaching and learning. Think of the level digital literacy we are gaining! You will now find a tile for Online Learning Resources in FriendsNet (Resource Board) that contains instructions for the tools we are adding as we learn more about effective distance learning.

Without the daily interactions between teachers and students, it’s become critical that we streamline communications about assignments. The MS faculty has developed a more standardized system for using FriendsNet to simplify the process. Students already know how to navigate several ways to find information on FN, but this new way of posting will minimize the amount of work required to access instructions and resources. By the end of this week, our plan should be well established, and I think it will help.

Another place where we’ve identified a need involves issues with ensuring accuracy in gradebooks. Inputting discrete scores as well as calibrating averages in live time are presenting new challenges in this virtual reality. We’re working with other independent schools experiencing similar needs and hope to discover new ways to measure learning, to provide helpful feedback, and to mark grades. I will share more soon, but please know that what you see in gradebooks at this time may not be reflective of progress. You will panic if you look, so maybe wait til I let you know we’re back in business!

Your patient and tireless commitment to partnering with us in this challenging time inspires me. Many of us are working long hours from home, developing new ways to do our jobs, many of us with anxious little ones underfoot–all of us are being strong for our kids, struggling with imperfect tech tools, trying to stay positive and flexible. Your encouraging words and your confidence and trust shine brightly. Our goal now is the same as always. We want school to be a safe place, where learning new things is interesting, where students feel successful, their gifts are valued, and their efforts are seen. Please reach out to us if your child needs more support or if there are adjustments we can make to improve the experience. We will do our very best.

Peace,
Laura James, Middle School Head

Hello elementary school parents,

It was so nice to see many of you and your children at our first virtual silent meeting on Friday. Many students shared that they were ready to return to school. I know they speak for all of us. While we cannot yet return to school, our goal is to continually improve our “virtual” FSA. As a result, we have some changes to our virtual schedules.
The first change involves specials. Beginning today, your children will be able to access assignments from their specialists. Our specialists have been working hard on creative and inspiring activities that require minimal adult supervision. Below you will find the specialist schedule for all elementary students, as well as the instructions on how to access the assignments. If you have any questions about this, please contact Chris Willoughby <[email protected]>.

Specialist Schedule:

Monday: Music
Tuesday: Art
Wednesday: PE
Thursday: Innovation Lab
Friday: Reading Room/Spanish

Instructions for student access to specialists pages:

After logging into FriendsNet, click on your child’s name in the top left corner.
You are now on their progress page.
Scroll down for the list of specials.
Click on the special you are looking for (for example, Music and Movement if it is Monday).
All lessons for specials will be posted on the specials’ bulletin board as news.
Please note you will continue to access all academic assignments on the homeroom bulletin board.

Also, starting this week we will have Friendly Fun Fridays! Fridays will be days for students to catch up on assignments from earlier in the week, to do enrichment activities from the specialist activity bank and the science activity bank, and/or to attend the elementary school silent meeting and other virtual events or activities that may be planned on Fridays. Fridays are meant to be flexible days to suit each family’s needs. Fridays will also be the days that teachers receive training on new online tools that they can use to enhance the online learning of students. Our teachers are working incredibly hard to learn how to teach effectively in an entirely different way. I know our families are working incredibly hard to adjust to this new situation as well.

As always, please reach out to teachers, specialists and/or administrators if you have any questions. Have a great week!

In peace,

Michelle Cullen, Elementary School Head

March 24, 2020

Dear friends,

It’s day 11 of social distancing and day 7 of online learning. We want to congratulate every single member of the FSA community for bringing us to this moment with only small kinks and glitches to address. Students and their families have embraced the new normal of at-home learning with a high level of cooperation and creativity. To say we are grateful is a huge understatement. Educational heads and teachers have worked tirelessly to build a whole new vehicle for delivering education. The entire FSA staff has rallied around to pitch in where needed. The trustees are involved with short- and long-term planning for the school. Nobody is in this boat alone, and we have begun to reach that higher ground of newly established routines and expectations for maintaining FSA as a dynamic school community. Thanks to all of you for that!

It should be no surprise that the value FSA places on the well being of community is central to every decision we have and will make. We continue to pay our faculty and staff, including aftercare staff. All of our students have made the transition to online learning. We have introduced zoom conferencing as another tool for teaching and convening. Coming later this week will be a survey to families for providing feedback on what is going right, what adjustments are still needed and what questions you may have. We ask that parents and caretakers be mindful of screen time beyond what is necessary for schooling and monitor students’ activities on the internet. Whether attending school on campus or at home, FSA’s Technology Acceptable Use Policy remains in effect while using school technology.

In the near future, you can expect additional resources and ideas for keeping students engaged and for connecting with community. We are, for example, working on a calendar for connecting socially with students and families through such activities as virtual Silent Meeting, Earth Day celebrations and Day of Silence observances. Keep your eye on FriendsNet for these developments.

Meanwhile, you may have issues or questions best addressed by individual administrators:

For technical issues, contact Laurie Marion ([email protected]), Director of Technology;
For online learning questions, contact either Michelle Cullen ([email protected]), Elementary School Head, or Laura James ([email protected]), Middle School Head;
For questions about billing and payments, contact Elsie Santway ([email protected]), Director of Finance;
For any other question, contact Waman French ([email protected]), Head of School.

So much about the impact of the pandemic remains unknown. At this moment we cannot say with certainty when we will bring everyone back to campus. We continue to rely on the CDC and state and local public health departments for guidance. We continue to encourage you to keep safe per the recommendations of the CDC and the WHO. And we want you to please stay in touch and let us know what kind of support you need.

What we can say with certainty is that we will all take a much-needed Spring Break the week after next (April 6-10). Until then, we will keep working to educate and enrich your children and to support each other through this time of historic challenge.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

March 30, 2020

Hello middle school families,

To increase opportunities for community connections, our administrative team has focused on expanding our online program to include a way for teachers and students to collaborate academically as well as interact socially. This week, some teachers will begin using Zoom meetings with their classes. Invitations to join zoom meetings will be posted on FriendsNet, so all information that you need each day will still be centralized in one place. Instructions for joining zoom meetings:Joining a Zoom Meeting.

A few reminders about new routines–

Each weekday, students check email by 10am.

Students will have 4 assignments–math, social studies, science, and language arts

Assignments are posted in FriendsNet.

Students write a brief entry in their journal about their studies.

There is no weekend work assigned.

Expectations are that students spend four hours in study. This includes daily communications with teachers, journaling and reading. For students who work quickly or who crave more intellectual stimulation, we have the MS Activity Bank, where we’ve uploaded activities and projects related to arts, drama, coding, music and more. There are free ebook libraries, typing practice sites, and even some yoga videos!

One suggestion I’d like to make, as we have children spending more time online than is typical, is it seems more important than ever to have boundaries with time on screens. In addition to articulating the screen time limits that work for your family, I recommend chromebooks (and phones) are “parked in a device garage” at a certain time each evening, even if it’s just before bed.

I am grateful for your partnership and inspired by everyone’s community spirit as we create this new path forward. Last week most students (and parents) reported a successful experience, and those who had some tech issues seem to be on track now. The MS faculty is maintaining a high level of communication about how we can best support our kids and we speak regularly about the need for flexibility and patience. We will soon circulate surveys for students and parents about what’s working and what we can improve to ensure success. Please reach out any time with questions or just to check in.

Thank you,

Laura James, Middle School Head

March 30, 2020

Hello wonderful elementary school families,

Thank you for all of your kind words to me and to teachers as we forge ahead with online learning. I cannot tell you how much we miss your children. While teachers get very excited about the content that they teach, it is the relationships with their students that sustain them as teachers. We know students miss their teachers and their friends, too!
Knowing this, our administrative team has focused on expanding our online program to include a way for teachers and students to interact with each other in wonderful and safe ways. This week, some teachers will begin using Zoom meetings with their classes. Invitations to join zoom meetings will be posted on friendsnet, so all information that you need each day will still be in one place. Below are instructions for joining zoom meetings.

Joining a Zoom Meeting

Open the link on the homeroom bulletin board in Friendsnet to join. It will be in the announcements section.
You may be instructed to download or open the Zoom application. Please follow the prompts to do this.
Depending on your device you will click one or more of the following: “Join,” “Join with audio,” “Join with video.”
The meeting should open.

Note for school-issued Chromebooks: Students may only attend meetings scheduled by teachers on school-issued Chromebooks. At this time, we ask that students not schedule meetings themselves on school-issued Chromebooks.
As children may be spending more time on electronic devices than is typical, we offer the recommendations below.

Allow children to use electronic devices in the main living area or where you can easily see what your child is doing.
Have children “turn-in” all electronic devices to you at a certain time each day. Do not allow devices to stay in your child’s bedroom overnight.
Set limits on screen time that work for your family and your child.

We know that different families face different challenges. We hope that you will “right-size” online learning for your child and your family. We know that all students may not complete all assignments each day. That is okay. We know that all students may not have a device available to attend all zoom meetings. That is okay, too. While maintaining learning is important, exercise, play, rest and time away from screens are equally important.

Please continue to reach out to teachers and me with questions.

In peace,

Michelle Cullen, Elementary School Head

March 20, 2020

Dear friends,

I wanted to reach out to you and let you know that all of us at FSA are thinking about you right now. We hope you are feeling safe and remain healthy in your homes, but we do miss seeing your wonderful faces every day. We are all learning together how to practice good social distancing while building beloved communities from a distance. A challenge for sure, but if any community is up for it, we believe it is ours,and please know we are here to support you in any way we can through this difficult time.

First and foremost, please remind yourself often you are doing the best you can in a very challenging situation. We think you are doing a tremendous job, and we all know just how hard that job can be! Many of you and your kids may be feeling more stress, overwhelm and uncertainty than you are used to managing. That is completely understandable, and while we are not together physically, know that you are not alone. We wanted to start by giving you a quick and easy practice to try when these moments get intense for you as a family — or even just as a preventive practice each morning when you wake up. Here it is:

Take 3 – 5 deep breaths. Breathe way into your belly and all the way out until you do not have any more air in your lungs. At the end of each breath, imagine squeezing all the tension, stress, anxiety and overwhelm OUTside of you.

Then, say to yourself, WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS and I CAN DO THIS. Say it to yourself at least once and as much as you need to to get through whatever THIS is. (That is left intentionally vague so that you can put in whatever it is that is concerning you in the moment or keep in general and global.) If these words do not resonate for you, replace them with your own simple phrase. The goal is to keep the intention and message you are giving yourself positive and uplifting when things are really challenging.

And, you can practice this (and my next suggestion below) with your kids! Make it fun by squeezing every muscle in your body and making silly faces when you squeeze all the air out of your lungs. Continue to make up your own sayings that fit your family and situation, but keep it simple if you can, so kids can remember and return to it on their own.

Next, reach for moments of joy and gratitude as you are able. There is much to complain and worry about right now, but try and find things for which to be appreciative. Since I’m not leaving my home, I’ve noticed so many things about my space that I never noticed before. Things like how the light moves around my house depending on the time of day and how everything outside is starting to bloom and how it changes overnight. I’m trying to notice more small, simple things that create beauty and calmness and that can be appreciated in that moment.

Finally, reach out to others. Call, text and email each other, smile and wave at neighbors and send good thoughts to each other. One of our biggest challenges is creating and maintaining connection with others right now, while practicing social distancing. Get your creativity flowing — I believe we can only imagine what new and stronger connections could come out of this time.

Know that we are thinking of you and sending you so much light. Also know that we continue to work to figure out the best offers of support that we can provide to you and your families from our different spaces. We’ll get through this and we can do this together — for now, in spirit (and lots of deep breaths!) Enjoy your weekend and remember that it is the WEEKEND so take the time to rest, relax and know all of us at FSA look forward to connecting with you again next week.

One last note. FSA dad Jason Bonander, who works for the CDC, has sent us a link to a brand new CDC COVID-19 self-checker bot. It’s the little floating tab on the right that says “self check.” Accurate information can be calming, too. Thanks, Jason!

In peace,

Rachel Wellborn, School Counselor

March 19, 2020

Dear friends,

As we approach the end of week one of at-home learning, we want to congratulate everyone in the FSA community for their cooperation, communication of needs and can-do attitude as together we navigate the ever-changing impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Governor Kemp has requested that all public school campuses remain closed through the end of March, while many systems are announcing that they plan to extend the closure to the other side of their spring break and reopen on Monday, April 13. FSA has made that determination as well, provided it is safe to open on April 13. We will continue with at-home, online learning the week of March 30 – April 3. Our spring break (April 6 – 10) will occur as planned the following week. We encourage everyone to take that time for self care and relaxation. While school will not be in session that week, we are working on some fun activities to recommend should we still be practicing social distancing. Stay tuned for those ideas and resources.

We recognize that as time goes by, the novelty of at-home learning is going to wear off for students, placing more stress on parents to keep the educational routines going. Please know that our amazing faculty and staff are continuing to work diligently to develop new and varied ways to engage with students online, including video conferencing for some. As time goes by, we will also offer more activities for SEE (social, emotional and ethical) Learning to help mitigate the stress all around. Our specialists will be contributing activities as well. Be sure to look for Chris Willoughby’s daily song posted on Facebook!

We are also exploring ideas for online programs or events that will enrich, or at least entertain, the adults of our community. Did you know the Indigo Girls are doing a free concert via Facebook and Instagram tonight at 6:00pm? We’ve shared that information on our Facebook page.

Meanwhile, FSA’s planning is a week to week endeavor. Here is what we can tell you this week:

Session 4 Afterschool Clubs are on pause until further notice, and no one will be billed for Session 4. Any billing you have received to date is for Session 3 or earlier.
The Southern Friends School Gathering planned for faculty and staff at the end of April has been cancelled. If it is safe, we will hold school on April 23, 24 and 27 after all.
The admissions process for 2020-2021 continues on.
The administration continues to plan for next school year, such as issuing faculty and staff contracts and completing a new round of strategic planning, so that we do not miss a beat when we are able to return to campus.

Please continue to keep safe per the recommendations of the CDC and the WHO. Please stay in touch and let us know what kind of support you need. And please be assured that we will keep you informed as the situation evolves. Thank you for all you are doing.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

March 13, 2020

Dear friends,

Thank you so much for your generous words of support and appreciation as we move to at-home learning and working.

At the core of the decision to close campus is the notion of social distancing, which means that we avoid gathering in large groups or settings where there is a higher likelihood of coming in contact with somebody who is ill with COVID-19. The decision is not about panic, but about an effort to keep the illness from spreading so fast that it overwhelms our hospitals and other health or community organizations, as it has done in other countries. To be clear, social distancing does not mean that we stay in our rooms and avoid all human contact, but that we are much more cautious for a period of time when the spread of the virus is at its worst. Taking this step is in alignment with the best practices being promoted by the CDC, World Health Organization and local departments of public health as well as by Governor Brian Kemp.

While we cannot be definitive about how long it will be necessary to stay at home, you can plan for the FSA campus to be closed for the next two weeks. As the situation evolves, we will be diligent in keeping you updated if and when plans change.

Meanwhile, starting Monday, we begin online instruction. For those students who will be working on school-issued chromebooks, you will need to help your student gain access to FriendsNet, where assignments and other resources will be posted. We have discovered a glitch in initially signing onto the internet with the chromebooks using your wifi network at home. This link will take you to instructions on how to sign on at home. Please try to log in this afternoon, if possible. If you encounter any difficulties, please send an email to Laurie Marion, Director of Technology, [email protected] and copy Michelle Cullen ([email protected]) or Laura James ([email protected]). We will make every effort to troubleshoot before Monday morning at 10:00.

Many thanks for your cooperation as we embark on this adventure in at-home learning!

In peace

Waman French, Head of School Head of School

March 12, 2020

Dear friends,

We have decided closing the campus is necessary to protect the health of students, faculty and staff as the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) rapidly increases. As of 11:30am tomorrow, no one will be allowed access to any of the Friends School buildings until further notification.

The PreK3 through 2nd grade students were sent home today with all that they will need to begin online learning, starting Monday. There is no need for children in these classes to come to school tomorrow. Students in 3rd through 8th grades should arrive tomorrow morning at normal start times so that they can receive chromebooks and further instructions. These students will be dismissed at 11:30am, and online learning will begin for them on Monday as well. There will be no aftercare or clubs tomorrow.

As you are well aware, the faculty and staff have been working with great diligence and creativity to prepare for this eventuality. You have heard from Michelle Cullen and/or Laura James regarding how you and your child will access assignments each day and how to use the support materials that have been provided to you.

We have tried to anticipate all contingencies, but there are bound to be questions as we go along. Please email questions to the teachers, educational heads or other administrators, as appropriate. Faculty and staff will be keeping regular work hours from home and continue to be a resource and support to students and their families. Should your child or anyone in your household become diagnosed with COVID-19, please let me know immediately.

We will send regular update emails, all of which will be archived on the Coronavirus Updates tile on the top of your resource board on FriendsNet. As soon as we are confident about a time when we can safely reopen, we will let you know right away.

Thank you to everyone for pulling together in community to help navigate this stressful pandemic.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

March 12, 2020

Dear middle school families,

As administration continues to share weekly updates regarding precautionary measures we’re taking to keep our community healthy and safe, please know the faculty are making preparations for online learning plans that will enable teachers and students to continue their academic program in the event of a school closure. While it is not possible to replicate most collaborative classroom experiences online, we are committed to creating a digital plan that provides rich and engaging lessons aligned with curricular objectives and organized in a simple, accessible format.

I will send more details soon outlining the structure of our plans for virtual instruction and communication should we have a temporary closure. For now, know that students continue to practice using the tech tools that would be essential–FriendsNet, Gmail, and Google Drive, Docs, and Forms. In homerooms, teachers have given students a brief overview of how things might look, with consideration given to avoiding alarm and focusing on the ways adults are keeping children safe.

The timeline is unknown, of course, but we are prepared to transition quickly if necessary. Beginning tomorrow (Friday), students will bring home their chromebooks and chargers after school each day to ensure they have the tools they will need if our campus closes. The same internet filters we have installed at school will be in place at home. Some parents may want to hold onto the devices when students aren’t in school–some of our kiddos would be tempted to indulge in more screen time than you’d like if it’s accessible!

Please reach out with questions. I’ll provide more details about academic programming should closure become imminent.

Thank you,

Laura James, Middle School Head

March 10, 2020

Dear friends,

Our commitment is to communicate with you at least weekly regarding the impact on FSA by the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Georgia and the US. Please remember that each of these communications is archived on your resource board in FriendsNet. Look for the Coronavirus tile.

As the situation continues to evolve, we are closely monitoring various public health websites (e.g., CDC, Johns Hopkins University, Georgia Department of Public Health) and news sources regarding coronavirus updates, school closures and other related information. To date, only Fulton County schools have found it necessary to close due to a teacher who regularlry traveled among three different schools in the system being diagnosed with COVID-19.

School Updates

FSA has purchased an industrial-sized atomizer for efficient and thorough spraying of disinfectant throughout the school, including classrooms, hallways, the CMR, the lunchroom and the gym. The nontoxic disinfectant is among the top rated for effectively killing viruses and other germs.
FSA has contracted with our cleaning service to add staff from 11:00am-2:00pm, starting this week, whose sole daily duty is to disinfect surfaces.
FSA has hired Lillie Thomas to serve in the clinic everyday from 11:00am-3:00pm. Morning hours continue to be covered by Anna Knipfer and our beloved volunteers.
FSA has implemented “social distancing” policies such as finding no-touch replacements for high fives and bowing and saying “namaste” instead of shaking hands at the end of Silent Meeting, among other creative substitutions.
FSA continues to emphasize frequent hand washing or hand sanitizing, especially before and after eating and when moving from one classroom to another.
Administrators and teachers continue to develop contingency lesson plans that can be delivered to students at home via FriendsNet. Simple tutorials for parents are also in the works!
FSA will determine whether scheduled events and trips should be cancelled as the situation evolves. The benefit singalong co-hosted by FSA will take place as planned this Friday.

IMPORTANT To-Do List for Families

Review and update, as necessary, your family’s emergency contact information in FriendsNet, in case we need to contact you with an urgent school message.
Be vigilant in monitoring symptoms of COVID-19 in yourself and your child(ren), which include a fever of 100.4° (or more), cough and shortness of breath. Please stay home if you or your child(ren) are sick and follow CDC guidelines if symptoms appear.
Inform FSA administration immediately if you or any member of your household receives a diagnosis of or has been exposed to COVID-19.
Develop a plan for childcare should FSA be required to close. You can find resources for households in planning and preparing for COVID-19 from CDC.
We do not want a lack of technological expertise, devices or access to the internet to be an obstacle to any student participating in remote learning. Please assess your child’s ability to participate in online learning and let administration know right away if you need any support to meet this need.

Thank you so much for your part of this community effort to minimize the effect of COVID-19 on FSA and on the broader community. Please let me know if you have any concerns that have not yet been addressed by our communications.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

March 3, 2020

Dear friends,

These are anxious times as everyday there is new and distressing information regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19). As you may know, two people in Fulton County have just been diagnosed with the virus following travel in Italy. We want to assure you that FSA is keeping a close eye on the situation, planning for short-term and, if necessary, long-term actions while always keeping the health and well being of our students front and center.

Not wanting to overreact or cause undue alarm, our intention is to carry on with all plans for school classes, events and trips while doubling down on our practices for maintaining a healthy school community and continuously monitoring the situation in the following ways:

Tracking information on the virus by monitoring
- the CDC website
- Johns Hopkins tracking website
- the Georgia Department of Public Health and other local health departments
- news reports of local cancellations, shortages, quarantines and school closures
Asking that parents keep up the great work of abiding by the documentation requirements for students returning from sickness that can be found on the resource board in FriendsNet under “Health-Related Policies and Forms” or in the Parent Handbook. For handy reference, here are two important forms:
- the Documentation of Absence Form
- the Doctor Release Form
Asking that parents immediately inform the school if any member of their family has been exposed to coronavirus (COVID-19).
Enhancing school efforts to tend to sick children and contain illnesses by:
- hiring additional housekeeping staff to assist Amy Perkins in keeping the school clean and help implement CDC recommendations for cleaning surfaces frequently touched by hands, such as door knobs, phones and water fountains
- adding part-time staff in the clinic
- encouraging healthy practices of handwashing, sneezing/coughing into elbows and staying home when sick
Establishing clear communication regarding travel
- Parents, students, teachers, staff, volunteers and other visitors who have traveled to areas of the world that have been designated Level 2 or Level 3 by the CDC, should refrain from coming to school for a minimum of 14 days. Folks in this category should also inform the school of travel to these areas as well as consult with their personal physicians regarding the possible need to self-quarantine for longer than 14 days..
- Please note that the CDC is asking all travelers arriving in the US from China, even if asymptomatic, to self-quarantine for 14 days.
- Please stay abreast of coronavirus-related travel restrictions when traveling over spring break via such websites as the US Department of State.

We remain optimistic that the coronavirus will not disrupt our school life in significant ways. Planning, however, is underway for the possible need to cancel events or school trips and, in the extreme, to close school and provide online instruction through FriendsNet. While these plans are still in development, we can say that students in grades 3 through 8 will be able to bring school chromebooks home for online work. Younger elementary students may also require supervised access to online exercises. Please let me know if you have challenges at home accessing the internet.

As this is an evolving challenge, we are committed to updating you at least once a week about any ways the coronavirus may change our school routines and operations. We have created a tile on the resource board in FriendsNet to archive our update letters and provide other resources as needed.

To help mitigate any fears the students may have, tomorrow teachers will be talking to the students about coronavirus in age-appropriate, factual ways.

It is times like these that make me the most grateful for the FSA community, where everyone is doing their part for the well being of all.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

February 28, 2020

Dear friends,

We wanted to reassure our community that in keeping with FSA’s ongoing priority for the safety and health of our students, faculty and staff, we are closely monitoring the evolving situation regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19).

While the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that the coronavirus has not begun spreading in the United States, we know the situation could change at any time due to the unpredictable nature of the virus. We are therefore following the CDC, World Health Organization (WHO) and local health department guidelines on the most effective and up-to-date measures to prevent the spread of illness, including influenza and coronavirus.

The following recommendations are based on guidelines from the Georgia Department of Public Health, which are designed to prevent the spread of any respiratory virus:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Here is a helpful handwashing demonstration from the WHO.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. A distance of six feet is suggested.
Stay home when you are sick. FSA recommends keeping students home until they are 24 hours fever-free without medication.
Cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue to cover it, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

We encourage concerned families wanting more information about the coronavirus to refer to such credible resources as the CDC, the WHO and the Georgia Department of Public Health. Those concerned about travel during Spring Break may want to reference the CDC’s information related to travel and the coronavirus.

We will continue to monitor this situation as it evolves and will keep you informed should response to the virus require a change in normal school routines.

In peace,

Waman French, Head of School

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