What’s Next?

By Dr. Terry Macaluso, Head of School

The one question that everyone is asking right now is, “What will school look like in the fall—or whenever we return to campus?”  Unfortunately, I have the same answer every time that question is posed…”I wish I knew.”

We don’t have enough information to be able to make a plan that we know we will execute.  What we DO know is that there are many, many possibilities—and we’re thinking about all of them.  We know school will be different post-COVID-19.  We just don’t yet know how.  Among the possibilities currently being discussed and researched are:

1. It’s not likely that everyone will return to campus at the same time.
2. There will be some kind of staggered start when we have appropriate clearance and feel that we can meet whatever conditions may be mandated.
3. EPS needs to be equipped to pivot—again—and again—as the planet battles this virus. Will there be a resurgence?  When?  For how long?
4. How many students can we accommodate in our largest teaching spaces, and what does that mean in terms of a staggered schedule over the course of the year?
5. Can we accommodate the 5^th and 6^th grades on campus for the entire year and stagger attendance for students in grades 7 – 12?
6. What components of the curriculum really have to be delivered on site due to the need for special tools or equipment?
7. What technological tools will we need to enhance our ability to teach remotely, on site, and, potentially, in both locations simultaneously?
8. What kind of training will students and faculty need to take optimal advantage of whatever tools we’re able to provide?

I pass these thoughts along—not so much to tell you what we’re planning—but to tell you THAT we’re researching, thinking, and imagining possibilities to prepare ourselves to be ready—whatever “Next” turns out to be.  More to come!

-Taken from the April 29, 2020 Community Briefing