Information and Updates

COVID-19

We are happy to announce our campus is open for in-person instruction in both our indoor and outdoor classrooms, pre-school and K-12. 

 

WSSD Health and Safety Plan (link upcoming for the 2022-2023 school year)

 

all school

Communications and Updates

2/18 **School Policy Changes**
School policy changes

Greetings All –

As we wrap up the week, we would like to wish everyone a restful break. We would also like to provide some details on changes that will take effect upon return from break.

School Leadership has made the decision to do away with the morning health screenings. When you return from break you are no longer required to fill out the parent square health screening. You can just drop your child off and drive on through. Please remember our sick policy: No child will be permitted to attend school with a contagious illness, fever, or head lice. We follow guidelines established by the San Diego County Office of Health and Human Services. In general, children must be fever-free, vomit-free, rash-free, and diarrhea-free for 24 hours before returning to school. In some situations, a doctor’s written confirmation of illness or clearance for re-entry may be required.  

With input from our COVID steering committee, we have made the decision to align with county and state guidelines for schools by not requiring masks outdoors. Masks will be optional for students, staff, and faculty regardless of vaccination status. Mask will still be required in all indoor spaces regardless of vaccination status. The school will support all families that choose to continue to mask their students but will not enforce mask-wearing of any students outdoors.

We are also excited to bring parent volunteers back on campus upon return from break. As well as resume on-site parent meetings and on-site events such as plays and festivals. All indoor volunteer opportunities and events will require participants to be masked regardless of vaccination status.  

Twice weekly on-site COVID testing will continue to be provided and any close contact exposure will still require students to follow the decision tree.

We are also providing responses to the COVID questions that were asked during the January Board meeting, please see attached.  

Have a great break and we look forward to welcoming everyone back on February 28th

 

1/2 **Change of Winter Break return date**
**Change of Winter Break return date**

Greetings All – 

We hope everyone has enjoyed their winter break and was able to ring in the new year with much joy. As many are aware, the COVID cases in San Diego County are currently on the rise. We are sad to report several of our staff have tested positive. Some are asymptotic and others have been ill. All are doing fine and working their way to full recovery.

Due to this setback, we are reaching out to let you know that school leadership has made the decision to push our return date from winter break to Monday 1/10/22. This will allow for a longer window of time to test and isolate prior to returning to ensure we can all return healthy and safe.

We are asking that all students test prior to returning on 1/10/22 through a confirmed testing location. To make it easier on our community, we are currently working on setting up on-site testing for Sunday 1/9/22. In the meantime, those that registered for and picked up at-home tests should wait to use them until later this week: we recommend using the first on Friday 1/7/22 and then the second one Sunday 1/9/22. Please stay tuned for details about on-site testing.

Thank you for your understanding and we are hoping you are all well.  

 

12/17 Free At Home Covid Tests for the Winter Break
Free At Home Covid Tests for the Winter Break

Greetings Waldorf Community,
We are excited to announce another free tool to keep our school community safe after the winter break.  

All students and school employees can get free iHealth At-Home COVID-19 tests to use before returning to school in the New Year. 

If you are already registered in Primary.Health, you do not need to register again. Instead, you will receive a link from Primary during the break to log your test results from home. See details below on when to test.

If you are not registered on Primary.Health, click the link here https://my.primary.health/l/waldorf-school-sd.

Step 1: Get Materials at morning Drop Off December 20 at ​both campuses.

  • Each box contains 2 tests
  • Register for Primary.Health

Step 2: Test your student (or yourself if you are a school employee)

  • Take test #1 3 days before returning to school (January 2)
  • Take test #2 1 day before returning to school (January 4) 
  • If you DO have any COVID-19 symptoms and/or you have HAD had a known exposure to someone with COVID-19, please call your school for next steps before you return.

Step 3: Share your results on Primary.Health!  Do not use the iHealth app!
Primary.Health is a secure website that reports your results to the school and the Health Department.

More questions? Email support@primary.health for help with the Primary.Health registration and results sharing.  

We wish you a happy holiday season and hope everyone stays healthy and safe!

Warmly, 
Your Covid Testing Parent Volunteers
Adriana, Tracy, Jennifer, Kristin, Dana, and Sarah 

[Friday, Dec 17 at 3:53 PM]
Participating in this at-home testing program is voluntary and strongly encouraged regardless of whether families travel over the break. Families do need to comply with the school’s travel policy.

11/16: **Additional COVID Testing**

Greetings, 

 We have been happy to see so many students come through our testing tent every week!  The new location makes the whole process even faster for students.  

 We have a few additional updates to help keep our community healthy and our school open during the winter surge of Covid cases.  

 1.  Testing of Students Returning to School After Being Sick 

Children coming back to school after having any symptoms (whether or not the student has Covid) must take a Covid test to return to the classroom or wait 11 days to return.  (See the Covid Decision Tree linked below)  Students who have recovered from their illness and are ready to attend school are welcome to be tested during our normal testing times before school (7:40-8:30 am) on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  

 

https://covid-19.sdcoe.net/portals/covid-19/Documents/Health%20Practices/COVID-19-Decision-Tree.pdf

 2.  Testing of Sick Students

If your child is showing symptoms of illness and you want to test for Covid, we will test those students after our regular before school testing.  Symptomatic testing will be available from 8:30-8:45 am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Parents can park in the parking lot and will take their sick child home after the test. 

 3.  Special Monday Testing After Thanksgiving Break 

We are offering an extra day of testing on Monday November 29, starting at 7:30 am.  After the holiday week full of additional gatherings and travels, we hope that everyone will test on Monday.  Public health officials recommend testing multiple times after Thanksgiving to increase the odds of identifying positive cases.  Please send your child to test two times the week after Thanksgiving, ideally on Monday and Wednesday.  

 4.  Helpful Reminders

*Screening testing is most effective when done weekly and when a high percentage of the community participates.  Please plan to test once a week, regardless of vaccine status and potential exposures. 

Thank you for considering participating in this program.  We hope to see your child soon. 

 Warmly,

 Kristin Ferguson Kacirek (grade 3)

Tracy Henry (grades 4 & 6)

Sarah Kleven McGann (grades 1, 3, & 6)

Jennifer Thunstrom (grade 5)

Adriana Villagrana (grades 1 &3)

Dana Zeff (grades 3 & 5)

11/15: **Positive Covid Case**

Notice of COVID-19 Positive Case at The Waldorf School of San Diego 

 

The Waldorf School of San Diego learned of an individual at school that tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. This individual is currently in isolation and following public health guidance. This individual was last on campus Friday 11/12/21. Due to privacy laws, information regarding this individual’s identity cannot be released. We ask that you please respect this individual’s privacy. 

 

This is a courtesy notice: If you have not already been notified that you/your child has been in close contact, at this time, you/your child are NOT considered to be at high risk for exposure to the person who tested positive for the virus. 

 

Important reminder: This is a courtesy notice, and we hope it will encourage you to stay safe by maintaining physical distance from others, wear a face covering, and checking daily for symptoms. Any individual who is experiencing symptoms, should not report to school.

11/3: **COVID Testing** (Colina)

Greetings High School Parents, 

Our testing days are currently Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, starting at 7:40 a.m. We will provide additional testing days before and after the upcoming holidays to accommodate the need for testing based on travel and holiday gatherings. Keep an eye on Parent Square for more information. 

 We don’t yet have the resources to set up a separate testing site at the high school.  

 

The test process takes just a few minutes.  Our testing tent is at the front of the school.  And with the early arrival of high school students, it would be easy to pull over to the side of the parking lot (near the annex) for the 3-4 minutes it takes to complete the testing process.    

 

All you need to do is register once then you can come during any testing time.  Here’s the link to register.  https://my.primary.health/r/waldorf-school-sd?registration_type=student

 

And if you are a high school parent who would like more information about the testing program or are interested in possibly bringing testing to the high school, please email us at COVIDtest@waldorfsandiego.org.  

Thank you. 

Warmly, 

 

Kristin Ferguson Kacirek (grade 3)

Tracy Henry (grades 4 & 6)

Sarah Kleven McGann (grades 1, 3, & 6)

Jennifer Thurston (grade 5)

Adriana Villagrana (grades 1 &3)

Dana Zeff (grades 3 & 5)

11/3: **COVID Testing** (Altadena)
**COVID Testing**

Greetings,

 

We are excited to announce that the site for our free and voluntary Covid testing is moving to the front of the school.  Now participating students will be dropped off at the front of the school just like every other day of the week.  Our tents will be set up, with privacy panels, near the playground fence to allow for an even more streamlined testing process.  It will be easy for registered students to stop by the testing tent on their way into school.  We hope that this new location will also make it more convenient for Early Childhood families to participate in testing while they wait for their school day to begin.  

Our testing days are currently Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, starting at 7:40 a.m.  We will provide additional testing days before and after the upcoming holidays to accommodate the need for testing based on travel and holiday gatherings.  Keep an eye on Parentsquare for more information.

 For those who have not yet had the chance, here is the registration link:

 

https://my.primary.health/r/waldorf-school-sd?registration_type=student

 

As a reminder, you only need to register once.  Then your child is able to test on any testing day throughout the school year. 

 

Thank you for considering participating in this program to keep our community healthy and our school open.  We hope to see your child soon. 

 

Warmly, 

 

Kristin Ferguson Kacirek (grade 3)

Tracy Henry (grades 4 & 6)

Sarah Kleven McGann (grades 1, 3, & 6)

Jennifer Thurston (grade 5)

Adriana Villagrana (grades 1 &3)

Dana Zeff (grades 3 & 5)

10/1: CA COVID vaccine mandate for schools
CA COVID vaccine mandate for schools

Greetings All –

Many of you have learned today that Governor Newsom has issued the first statewide COVID vaccine mandate for all schools. This news just came today and we will be monitoring it for updates. Once the full mandate is issued we will have a better idea of our requirements and responsibilities. We will be bringing regular updates to the community as we gain more information.

Thank You
~Rachel

9/29: On-site COVID testing

9/24: COVID Testing on-site
COVID Testing on-site

Greetings All,

We are excited to announce that this year we have the opportunity to provide a free, voluntary, on-campus COVID testing program. As has been shown at other schools, testing is an effective tool for limiting the spread of Covid.

We will be able to test those students whose parents want this service. Testing will be done weekly adding an extra layer of safety for our community. In order to plan for implementing this program, we would like to gauge how many families would be interested in participating.  

Below is a link to a short video that demonstrates what the testing looks like. It is a painless nasal swab done by the child at the direction of a trained administrator. All results are treated as confidential medical records under HIPAA and disclosed only in the same manner as a reported positive Covid test (eg, with identifying information redacted to close contacts of the individual).  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU_G-D_sL3I

We hope every family will take the time to discuss this free program and consider participating. Please complete this survey to let us know if you are interested. Additional information about the program as well as the registration form will be sent to the community late next week.  

 

8/31: School COVID Policy Town Hall with FAQ, Decision Tree, Health & Safety Plan

Hello and Good Day!

Tonight is our School COVID Policy Town Hall Meeting 6 pm via Zoom. All are welcome. Please see attached 2021-22 School COVID Policy. Additional info to be provided prior to the Town Hall via ParentSquare.

What: School COVID Policy Town Hall Meeting
Purpose: To Provide Overview & Benefits of COVID Policy and Clarify any Questions Regarding COVID Policy
Presented By: WSSD COVID Steering Committee & Administration
When: Tuesday, August 31, 2021, 6 pm pacific
Where: Zoom; click here
Length: One Hour, 6-7 pm pacific”
Thank You

 FAQ

Decision Tree

Health & Safety Plan

8/22: Updated Health and Safety Policy

Our Mission Statement 

The Waldorf School of San Diego’s mission is to awaken each student’s capacity for love of learning, for independent thinking, and for heartfelt service to the world. 

Our Guiding Principles are: 

  • An understanding of human development, as elaborated by Rudolf Steiner, being the foundation of our work. The pace, priorities, and practices of our full curriculum, from early childhood through High School, grow out of this foundation. 
  • We strive to have our student population reflect the cultural diversity of the greater San Diego community. 
  • We are a community of students, parents, and teachers committed to the principles of social inclusion and environmental stewardship. 

“Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings, who are able of themselves to impart purpose and meaning to their lives.” 

Rudolf Steiner 

  1. Overview of WSSD Approach 

WSSD seeks to create a community of care by utilizing all of the tools available for keeping our community safe. This includes masking indoors, outdoor classrooms, testing, vaccination, and physical distancing. It is our desire to allow our children to receive a full Waldorf education while keeping our community safe. 

We expect to continue to receive ongoing guidance from the State of California, the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the State Child Care Licensing Board. 

We have detailed our Curriculum and Instruction Plan in the partner document to this plan and refer you there to find all information about the way in which we will deliver the education to the children. 

Finally, as you read through these plans please remember that they are a work in progress. As we receive community input, get more guidance from the State of California, watch what is happening around us in August, and continue to work with these challenges, our understanding and planning will develop. The work to develop these plans is being carried out by WSSD Faculty and Staff and supported by the COVID-19 Task Force. Members of the COVID-19 Task Force are: 

Shaun Berger: Parent, Pediatric Physician 

Heather Corliss: Parent, Epidemiologist 

Kamalika Chaudhuri: Parent, Data Scientist 

Adriana Villagrana: Parent 

Ali Goddard: Parent 

Michael Campbell: Parent 

Grant Mcgann: Parent, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon 

Sarah Kleven: Parent 

Kelli Gray-Meisner: Parent, RDN, IFMCP 

Melda Baysal Walsh: Parent, Associate Marriage and Family Therapist; Ph.D. Arts & Humanities

Elyse Stussi: Grade 2 Teacher, Grades Chair 

Amelia Vance: High School Teacher 

Sheila Salmeron: Early Childhood Teacher 

Peter Barber: Facilities Manager 

Rachel Davis: Administrator, Parent 

  1. General School-Wide Health and Safety Plans 

We have reviewed the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) “COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California, 2021-22 School Year” (linked below) and we will meet their recommendations in the way best suited to teaching our students. We are committed to teaching a full day, five day a week schedule unless unable to by state or county order. Keeping much of our learning outside will allow us to strike a balance in not requiring face coverings for students throughout the day while physically distanced and outdoors. 

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/K-12-Guidance-2021-22-School-Year.aspx 

This school year some teaching may take place indoors with universal masking inside. We will also be following all these standards: 

California School Vaccine Mandate – School Faculty, Staff, Administration and Volunteers 

In compliance with the CDPH “Vaccine Verification for Workers in Schools” Order (linked below), all WSSD faculty, staff, administrative employees, and volunteers must be vaccinated or submit weekly testing results. WSSD will comply by 1) verifying and tracking the vaccine status of all workers; and 2) tracking weekly test results for all workers who are not fully vaccinated. 

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Order-of-the-State-Public-Health-Officer-Vaccine-Verification-for-Workers-in-Schools.aspx 

Monitoring of COVID-19 Symptoms in Students, Families, and Staff 

We encourage the community to either test or voluntarily self-quarantine 14 days prior to the start of school to help reduce community risk and increase the ability to remain open. 

  • Students will go through a health check upon arrival that will include a symptom checklist.
  • Faculty and Staff will go through a health check upon arrival that will include a symptom checklist. 
  • Families will be asked to report possible illness if anyone in their household shows symptoms or has tested positive for COVID-19. 
  • Students and staff with symptoms of COVID will be required to quarantine at home.  Siblings and household contacts of an affected student or staff member will also be required to quarantine at home.
  • The time the symptomatic student or staff will be placed on stay-at-home quarantine, the criteria 
  • to return, class shutdown, and school shutdown will be done in accordance with SD Public Health Department recommendations at that time. 
  • Parents should have plans in place for possible quarantines. 
  • Classwork plans while at home quarantine will be coordinated with the school.
  • We will limit unnecessary visitors to both campuses to minimize exposure. 

Students and School Staff who show symptoms of COVID-19 

WSSD is using the San Diego County Office of Education’s Decision Tree (Appendix A to this Document; linked below) to determine when symptomatic children and adults need to stay home and when they can return to school. It provides a more expedient return to school with a negative COVID test so long as the individual’s symptoms have improved and the individual has been fever-free for 24 hours. If you have 

questions, please contact the school for assistance. 

https://covid-19.sdcoe.net/Portals/covid-19/Documents/Health%20Practices/COVID-19-Decision-Tree.pdf?updated=081221

Asymptomatic Students and School Staff who have a COVID-19 positive close contact 

WSSD is using the CDPH Public Health Guidance quarantine recommendations for asymptomatic students and adults. The SDCOE Decision Tree (Appendix A; linked above) identifies when asymptomatic students and staff need to stay home and when they can return to school. It provides a more expedient return to school with required testing. If you have questions, please contact the school for assistance. 

Students who show symptoms while at school 

Teachers will monitor students for symptoms of COVID-19 throughout the day. If a student displays COVID-19 symptoms, the teacher will call the Front Office and a parent/guardian will be called to pick up the student. A designated COVID-19 Monitor will come to the classroom and escort the student to a comfortable but isolated place where they will be cared for by the Monitor while waiting for a parent to pick them up. Students will be asked to wear a mask while waiting for parents unless they are nauseous or have vomited. 

Returning to School after travel

Travel, especially air travel, increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. We ask that all families follow current CDC guidance regarding quarantine and testing after any member of the household travels by air. 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html

Face Coverings 

All Students and Staff: 

In compliance with the CDPH Public Health Guidance cited above, the school will require masks for Nursery-12th grade students and staff for all indoor activities. We will begin the school year requiring masks outdoors, except during class time when distanced and with the teacher’s discretion. We will continue to evaluate the need for masks as we see a reduction in the number of COVID cases.

Face coverings reduce the risk of transmission to others: 

Evidence has shown that masks reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 by as much as 6 times. Combined with physical distancing indoors, masks reduce our risk of spreading the virus even more and help us avoid shutdowns. 

Our highest goals are to protect each other in our community, especially those that have higher risk medical conditions themselves or at home, and to prevent closures to preserve an in-person Waldorf education. 

Proper Face Coverings 

PROPER MASK TYPES: Students will be required to wear double or triple-layered 100% cotton (not jersey) masks or surgical masks. Neither students nor staff are permitted to wear masks that are a gaiter style or have an exhalation valve or vent. 

Physical Distancing Measures 

  • When eating, we will space staff and students 6 feet apart. 
  • Given what is known about transmission dynamics,  adult staff within schools will also attempt to maintain a distance of 6 feet from other persons as much as possible, particularly around other adult staff 
  • Meetings among staff members will be physically distanced, outdoors, or virtual when possible.
  • Pre-school, Kindergarten, and Grades will continue to have staggered drop-offs and pickups. Further staggering may take place. Siblings of younger children may be dropped off with their younger siblings. 

Common spaces and Hallways 

  • We have installed additional hand washing and sanitizing stations as well as temporary bathrooms.
  • Students will wear face coverings in all indoor spaces, and outdoor common spaces, such as parking lots, at all times. 

Cohort classes 

We will limit the cross-over of students in indoor spaces. Limited cohort interaction will be permitted up to two cohorts at a time in Grades 1-5 and three cohorts at a time in Middle School (Grades 6-8). This interaction will primarily occur outside. High School students will be sectioned off by grade and electives with mixed groups will be held outdoors allowing for appropriate distancing. We will also be utilizing outdoor space for all classes as much as possible. High school students will be permitted to come into the lower school building (wearing masks) for use of the auditorium, but will not mix with grade school cohorts. 

Where feasible, keep students in the classroom and rotate teachers instead. Teachers will maintain physical distancing when possible and when not disruptive to the educational process. 

Use of outdoor space 

Transmission in the open air has been shown to be much less likely. 

  • We will be utilizing outdoor space for all classes as much as possible.
  • Teachers will maximize time spent outdoors and distanced to limit the length of time masks need to be worn. 
  • Activities that are considered high risk such as singing, exercising, music classes, and eating will be done outside and with physical distancing whenever possible. 
  • Separate play areas will be designated for cohorts with minimal interaction (up to two in Grades 1-5 and three in Middle School Grades 6-8) 

Limit Sharing 

The following practices will be implemented to limit sharing of materials between students. 

  • Each student’s belongings will be kept separate. 
  • Student belongings will be taken home each day to be cleaned. 
  • Students will be provided adequate supplies to minimize sharing of high-touch materials (art supplies, equipment, etc.) to the extent practicable. 
  • Sharing clothing, toys, books and other games or learning aids will be limited as much as practicable. 

Eating 

All snacks and eating will occur outside with physical distancing. 

In extreme weather conditions, Early Childhood students may eat inside, spaced throughout the classroom. 

Building Safety 

The air handling system will be thoroughly inspected, and filters replaced, and assurances will be given that fresh air is flowing in the building. Whenever feasible, windows and doors will remain open to increase air flow. We will continue to ensure that each classroom is well ventilated and has safe water systems. The water fountains will be turned off in the buildings, although the water bottle fillers will stay in operation. 

WSSD has a covered outdoor classroom for each class. EC teachers have discretion to do activities indoors with masks on. Grades teachers have discretion to teach certain portions of their lessons indoors in compliance with the mask policy. High school teachers have discretion to teach classes indoors in compliance with the mask policy. 

 

Parents, Volunteers, and Visitors on Campus

  • Volunteers will be permitted on campus to support classroom and school activities.  They will be required to comply with the California Public Health vaccine verification and weekly testing requirements.  Masks will be required.  
  • Parents and visitors will be permitted on campus outside of school hours for class activities, meetings, events, and performances.  These events will be held outdoors and masks will be required.

Hand Hygiene 

Students, Faculty, and Staff will be washing hands with soap and water, and/or using hand sanitizer throughout the day. We will require hand washing and/or sanitizing before and after mealtime and before and after entering or exiting the classroom. Hand sanitizing stations will be placed throughout both campuses to ensure there is enough supply to meet this requirement. 

We will ensure that each classroom is fully stocked with tissues and paper towels. 

Cleaning and Disinfecting 

The school buildings will be thoroughly sanitized prior to re-opening and cleaned frequently using the recommended cleaning protocols during the time of COVID-19. All high-touch surfaces and bathrooms will be cleaned frequently, and any shared spaces will be cleaned between groups of students. Common areas (sinks, bathrooms, doorknobs, table-tops, shared items, etc.) will be cleaned and sanitized frequently. 

Every effort will be made to use the most ecologically and child-friendly cleaning products that comply with state health and safety guidelines. Due to potential supply issues, products may vary. 

Training of Faculty and Staff and Educating Families 

We will train all staff and provide educational materials to families in the following safety actions: 

  • Enhanced sanitation practices 
  • Physical distancing guidelines and their importance 
  • Proper use, removal, and washing of face coverings 
  • Screening practices 
  • How COVID-19 is spread 
  • COVID-19 specific symptom identification 
  • Preventing the spread of COVID-19 if you are sick, including the importance of not coming to work if staff members have symptoms, or if they or someone they live with has been diagnosed with COVID-19. 
  • For workers, COVID-19 specific symptom identification and when to seek medical attention 
  • The employer’s plan and procedures to follow when children or adults become sick at school. 
  • The employer’s plan and procedures to protect workers from COVID-19 illness

Documenting/ Tracking 

We will document/track incidents of possible exposure and notify local health officials, staff, and families immediately of any exposure to a positive case of COVID-19 at school while maintaining confidentiality, as required under FERPA and state law related to the privacy of educational records. 

  • Possible incidents of exposure documented in the health screening questions will be referred to the COVID Working Group and the Health Department liaison 
  • Incidents of symptoms identified while attending school will be documented and referred to the COVID Working Group and the Health Department liaison. 
  1. Lower School Campus – Specific Health-Related Plans 

Cleaning and Disinfecting Play Areas 

Playground equipment will be cleaned regularly. Each lower grade cohort will have a designated play area for recess and outdoor time. Students will wash hands or use hand sanitizer upon arrival at school, between playtimes, and before and after mealtimes. 

Bathrooms 

Touch surfaces of all bathrooms will be cleaned regularly. 

Students will be asked to wash their hands after using the bathroom before returning to any activities. 

Face Coverings 

A conscientious effort will be made in all lesson planning to limit the length of time students will be required to wear face coverings. Teachers will plan for frequent breaks. 

Faculty and staff will wear masks in all indoor, shared, and public spaces. 

Early Childhood students will remove masks while napping, in accordance with licensing requirements.

  1. High School Campus – Specific Health and Safety Plans 

Cleaning and Disinfecting Movement areas 

Movement classes will be outdoors. 

Bathrooms 

Faculty and staff will be asked to use specific bathrooms. 

Touch surfaces of all bathrooms will be cleaned frequently. 

Students will be asked to wash their hands after using the bathroom before returning to any activities. 

Face Covering

A conscientious effort will be made in all lesson planning to limit the length of time students will be required to wear face coverings. Faculty and staff will wear face coverings in all indoor shared and public spaces. 

 

 

5/23: COVID Vaccine
COVID Vaccine

Greetings All,

While the COVID-19 vaccine is now available to students 12 and older, we want to remind you that our School is not currently requiring or pressuring parents to obtain COVID-19 vaccines for students. We also maintain the same position for our employees and are currently not requiring School employees to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine.  As part of our inclusive mission, we understand that there are many different reasons why individuals may not choose to get the COVID-19 vaccine at this time.

As protocols and requirements change around COVID-19, it may become necessary for the School to ask parents to disclose to us whether or not they or their children have been vaccinated, and to provide proof of vaccination status.  The reason for this is solely around the different protocols for individuals who have received the COVID-19 vaccine – for example, regarding quarantine requirements, and potentially face covering and social distancing requirements as future guidance may provide. To the extent it becomes necessary for the School to collect this information, we will maintain it in a strictly confidential manner and use it only for purposes consistent with enforcing COVID-19 protocols and requirements. 

I also want to remind everyone that the decision regarding whether or not to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine is a deeply personal one, and there are many different reasons why individuals may choose not to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine, including medical reasons, religious beliefs, and other personal beliefs. Asking other parents, students, and School employees whether not they have received the COVID-19 vaccine is a very personal question and implicates their privacy rights. It is important that we as a community are sensitive and respectful of others’ privacy and refrain from asking questions about private information that may place others in our community in an uncomfortable position.   

Consistent with our mission, we are a community committed to inclusion. We know that this commitment to inclusion is one of the reasons that you have enrolled your child at the San Diego Waldorf School, and we ask all members of our community to uphold our mission.   Please also know that the health and safety of our students is a top priority. We have been and will continue to comply with and implement all state and county-required COVID-19 protocols in order to promote the well-being of all members of our community.

Should you have any questions about the School’s policies and our School expectations, please feel free to reach out to me. We thank you for your continued support and partnership.

With Gratitude,

Rachel Davis

5/18: COVID Update
COVID Update

Greetings All –

With an increased population becoming vaccinated, many have reached out to the school to inquire as to whether we are changing any COVID guidelines this year. We have had a successful year managing COVID and have made the decision to not change any of our COVID guidelines through the remaining 5 weeks of school.

During the summer we will take up work discussing how vaccinations will impact temperature checks, masks, inside classrooms, etc. We will be welcoming parent volunteers to join our steering committee this summer and hope to hear from you if you have an interest in being part of these discussions.

Thank You

2/21: Early Childhood Updated Health and Safety Plan
Early Childhood Updated Health and Safety Plan

Dear Early Childhood Families,

This is an update to let you know that we will be continuing to have the children wear their masks throughout the day, except at mealtimes, water breaks, and while napping. We will continue to evaluate the need for masks as the school year progresses and will update you again over spring break.

Please see the updated EC Health and Safety plan below. If your family traveled during the past week, please be sure to read and follow the WSSD requirements listed in the travel section below.

Thank you for all your support, and for helping us keep our community safe!
If you have any questions, please contact your teacher.

Warmly,
Early Childhood teachers

Waldorf School of San Diego Early Childhood Program  
Health and Safety 2020/2021                                                                                              

In preparing plans for the 2020-21 school year, we have followed our County and State regulations for Kindergarten and Preschools during COVID-19 and incorporated guidance from the American Association of Pediatrics.

We have worked diligently to create a plan that places the health of children, families, and teachers at its center while remaining true to our commitment to the beauty and integrity of our Waldorf program.  As the school year unfolds, we will continue to stay informed and to seek guidance and updates that will allow us to adapt the program as needed. 

Physical Health and Hygiene

The school holds the health of our community members at the center of all our planning. Strict adherence to the school’s health and wellness policies will be maintained for the benefit of all. Please familiarize yourself with the daily health screening procedure, drop off /pick up procedures, school policies and expectations regarding sick children, teachers, and family members. Class parent meetings include reviews of these policies and procedures. 

Teachers will model frequent handwashing and support children in regular, thorough hand washing whether inside or outside at handwashing stations. Teachers will clean and disinfect high touch surfaces such as sink knobs, toilet handles, tables and door handles throughout the day following state and county regulations.

Masks/ Shields and Social Distancing

After great deliberation and research, the following decisions have been made in an effort to balance the developmental stage of the children with the health of the children and teachers.  At this time, children in Early Childhood will be required to wear masks during class except during our meal times, water breaks, and nap times.  Teachers will use creative, imaginative pictures and modeling to assist the children in wearing their masks. Teachers will also be required to wear masks and/or shields throughout the day.

While children will be guided in activities and meals in a way that allows for more space between individual children, they will not be required to socially distance from one another in their play. We will be relying on health screenings, smaller class sizes, hygiene and sanitization practices, and increased outdoor time as the main health measures for this age group.

Travel During Breaks

Families that choose to travel by air must return to their primary residence AND stay home in self-quarantine for a full 14 days after travel. Families also have the option to COVID test after being home for 5 days (COVID incubation period is 3-5 days) and return to school once they receive a negative result. For travel by car containing only members of your household, families must return to their primary residence AND stay home in self-quarantine for a full 5 days after travel. If families experience COVID symptoms at any point during the quarantine period, we ask that you test for COVID prior to returning to campus. If your family chooses to travel and does not allow for the quarantine window (specified above) to be completed before the return to school, the school is not required to provide instruction for your student during the missed school days. We ask that you visit the CDC website to familiarize yourself with the guidance on travel.

Mealtime and Water Bottles

Snacks and lunch are brought from home including utensils and cloth napkins, and are enjoyed outside picnic style.

Water bottles, provided from home and labeled with your child’s name, are refilled by the teachers as needed throughout the day.

Naptime

Children nap in their own room with the same group they were with in the morning. Nap mats are laid out in a way that  maximizes distancing and with a simple barrier between rows. Children do not wear masks or shields during naptime.  Individual mats and bedding are bagged/stored each day and washed each week. Teachers will inform parents of details prior to the start of school.

Class Groupings and Placement  

Class sizes have been reduced (Kindergarten to 10 to 14 children per class and Nursery to 10 children per class). Each class will have one teacher and one assistant. Children and teachers in a class remain together during the school day; class groups will not intermingle with other groups to decrease the potential exposure to other children and adults and thus lessen the chances of spreading COVID-19. However, occasions may arise when an additional staff member may join a particular group if needed.

Each year teachers take great care to place children in healthy groups that balance individual needs with group dynamics. Classes this year have received the same level of attention. The smaller group size and individual family needs may affect placement of returning students. 

Physical Space

Outdoor Play Areas:  We are outdoors a great deal more to take advantage of the fresh air, our beautiful San Diego weather, and to minimize risks of COVID-19 transmission. We have designated spaces so that each Kindergarten and Nursery class has access to their own outdoor play space.  The large Early Childhood yard has been separated into play spaces to be used by the classes.  Individual classes occupy different areas of the yard each week in a rotation schedule.  Nursery classes have their designated outdoor space in the Sweet Pea yard, the fenced “parent area,” and the rope swing area. Outdoor equipment will be cleaned and disinfected between classes.  Each space has been enhanced so that they are unique and enjoyable play areas that each include a shaded area.

Indoor Play Areas:  Each class also has a designated, well ventilated, indoor classroom for play and/or nap. Each child will have a personal cubby space where they can store their outer wear, lunch, water bottle and change of clothes. Indoor play areas will be simplified. Toys that cannot be easily cleaned and sanitized will be removed. Individual baskets will be provided for each child for some activities such as coloring or sewing. Toys, tables, etc. will be cleaned and sanitized throughout the day.

Curriculum

We have adapted our curriculum to spending more time in nature and less time in the classroom. 
We have introduced new activities as well as adapted some traditionally inside activities to outside. Practical work and seasonal activities continue to be rich and inviting. Each class has a rhythm to its day and week which will be shared with you by your child’s teacher.

We value parent support. Current safety guidelines unfortunately do not allow for parents to be helpers in the classroom or on the yard. Please ask your child’s teacher for opportunities to support the class through work that can be completed at home.

Birthday celebrations are another activity that have been modified in response to safety protocols and campus visitation restrictions.  Birthdays are acknowledged and honored during the school day in a way that meets safety standards.

Program Hours

Early Childhood program options:

Full Day 8:30-2:45 : At this time, there are limited kindergarten and nursery spaces available for our Full Day program. There are currently no morning care (care before the start of the school day) or extended care options beyond 2:45. Priority for the Full Day option will be given to children of working parents who have no other options for childcare. Priority will also be given to children who have siblings in our grade school. 

Morning Only 8:30-1:00 : Our morning hours are 8:30-1:00. 

Drop Off and Pick Up

The exact details of drop off and pick up procedures for individual classes are communicated to families by the class teacher.

Sunflower:  Following the morning wellness check/sign in, the teacher greets each child at their car and walks them to their outside yard area. The gate to this yard is directly off the parking lot. Parents/caregivers are asked to exit the parking lot, making room for the next families to arrive. At pick up time, children will be in their play yard and when a parent/caregiver is identified, the teacher will walk the child out to their car. 

All other classes:  Following the morning wellness check/sign in, teachers greet the children at their car and walk them to their class ‘train station’ which is a designated area adjacent to the parking lot. Each class has its own ‘train station’ with an area to sit and gather together before heading off on their ‘train’ to class. At pick up time the teachers bring the ‘trains’ of children back to their stations. Teachers will walk the children to their cars when their parent/ caregiver arrives.

Parent Class Meetings, Conferences, Parent Handbook, Contact Information

This year all scheduled class parent meetings and parent/teacher conferences are held via Zoom.  Additional information and communications may be offered via google classroom. 

The EC Parent Handbook will be sent out to parents electronically. 

Your teacher’s contact information will be included in your placement letter.

Calendar of Events

We are celebrating our festivals in our smaller groups during the school day with no parents present. Additionally, some of our activities like the yard work day, kindergarten tea/nursery cubby day, and end of year picnics have been modified or cancelled until restrictions are lifted. We will remain cautious in our approach even as restrictions are lifted, and at that time will consider possible ways to hold smaller class events outdoors with distancing. Teachers will notify their class parents of any changes.

Rolling Closures

If or when we experience a school closure of three days or more, we will offer distance learning curriculum materials.

1/9: Return to Campus

Return to campus

Rachel Davis • 4 days ago • Saturday, Jan 9 at 9:41 AM • The Waldorf School of San Diego

Greetings All

We hope that everyone enjoyed some well-deserved family time over the break. We are excited to welcome back our students to on-campus learning, Monday, January 11th. We have heard from some families regarding concerns about the rising number of COVID cases in San Diego and want to provide reassurance that we are returning with this in mind. Before the break, we had our first two COVID cases in our student population. We believe our quick action to pivot to distance learning helped to avoid any possible spread.

Over the break, we spent some time reviewing our COVID procedures and have made some adjustments to make sure we are offering the safest possible environment for our students. We adjusted scheduling to limited cross over of teachers in multiple cohorts to reduce interaction between pods. We have asked all employees to obtain a COVID test prior to reentry next week and we urge families that have recently returned from travel or spent time with extended family over the break to do the same. We are reminding families to keep their children home when they show any cold symptoms. You will also notice we have added a travel question to the daily screening.

Although we cannot prevent COVID 19 from entering our campuses. We have employed a multipronged approach to mitigate the risk of spread and make in-person school as physically, socially, and emotionally healthy and safe as possible for students, faculty, and families. We will continue to follow our standard protocols set up over the summer and want to take this opportunity to reshare those with you.

  • Cohorting in stable, trackable, smaller pods.

 

  • Through creative scheduling we have limited the number of teachers being exposed to each cohort on a weekly basis.

 

  • Monitoring symptoms, potential exposures, and cases on campus and at home, through daily health screening on our communication platform ParentSquare.

 

  • Limiting time and exposure through personal hygiene, small cohorts, face coverings, increased cleaning, physical spacing, outdoor time, and ventilation.

 

  • Space between seating, desks, and all workstations will be maximized.

 

  • Students bring their own meals, practice physical distancing when eating, and do not share food items or eating utensils.

 

  • Students and faculty use personal reusable bottles at refillable stations.

 

  • We clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces (door handles, light switches, sink handles, bathrooms, tables, etc.), in addition to daily and weekly cleaning schedules.

 

  • Drop off and arrival: We check temperatures, assure students come prepared with approved facial covering, have their water bottles, and necessary needs for outside climates.

 

  • Sick Students: when students become ill on campus, they are escorted to an isolated waiting area where we take their temperature, screen them for symptoms, and contact parents for pick up.

 

Note: When you are stopped by a response in your daily health screening and you have additional question please feel free to reach out to our administrator Rachel Davis @ 619-252-4473

 

Procedural reference resources:

COVID Decision Tree

COVID School guide

CA Dept of education December update

 

12/14: Important Covid Update

**Important COVID update**

Rachel Davis • about 1 month ago • Monday, Dec 14 at 8:47 AM 

Good morning High School Parents,

We hope this message finds you all in good health. We have recently been notified that one of our high school faculty members has tested positive for COVID-19. They are doing well and on the mend. I’m writing to let you know that this teacher is currently teaching all grades at the high school. I know this must cause you great concern for your child’s classmates and for the health of your own child as well. So, please let me address some of those questions and concerns upfront:

When was this teacher last in school?

This teacher was last in school Wednesday, December 9. If your child was in school any time in the last two weeks, they may have been in the presence of this teacher. The teacher was in fact masked during all instruction and had no mentor meetings with students in small spaces.

How high is the risk of exposure for my child?

Our consulting physician defined exposure as being “indoors, within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more.” As you know, we have taken many safety precautions to mitigate the risks of exposure, including moving our classrooms outdoors, spacing student desks  6 or more feet apart, requiring children and faculty to wear masks any time they are unable to maintain social distance from others, daily screening for symptoms, routine cleaning and sanitizing of all surfaces in the school, hand sanitizing stations throughout the school, and putting students in small, restricted cohorts limiting exposure to others.

Which teacher tested positive?

As we stated in the school-wide email, privacy laws from sharing the identity of this teacher. As they are members of our classroom community, we want to respect this and understand that they may be under significant stress and worry from this current situation. What is most needed, is our unjudgmental support during this time.

Do I need to test my student for COVID-19?

We are not currently requiring any testing, but we will be discussing testing of all faculty and staff before returning to campus after the winter break. The CDC recommends a 14-day quarantine after last exposure (which would have been December 9). As you know, we have moved to distance learning and are not returning until January 11, which is well beyond the recommended 14-day guideline.

We know you may be worried about the health of your child(ren). So, here are some additional resources you may find helpful:

 

If you have any questions please contact me or Mr. Wilcox.

 

Rdavis@waldorfsandiego.org

Nwilcox@waldorfsandiego.org

12/9: New Important Covid Update

**New Important COVID update**

Rachel Davis • about 1 month ago • Wednesday, Dec 9 at 4:45 PM 

 

Greetings All,

 

We are writing to inform you that we have just had news of two students that have received positive test results for COVID-19. These students were last on campus Monday, December 7, and were kept home at the immediate occurrence of symptoms. Due to privacy laws, we cannot disclose the names of these students. What we can say is that the students are only experiencing mild symptoms and are expected to fully recover.

 

We know this news is distressing, but rest assured that our safety precautions–restricted class sizes, outdoor classrooms, distanced desks, and the required use of masks–have minimized the risk of infection during school hours. However, we are aware that students in the impacted grade have siblings in other grades and have come into contact with cohort teachers that teach multiple grades throughout the week. We are also considering the recent rise in COVID cases in San Diego at a time of year when the cold and flu are most prevalent . To mitigate the potential impact, we are erring on the side of caution.

 

The Plan

 

  • Beginning tomorrow, Thursday, December 10 we will move grades 1 through 12 to a distance learning plan. Expect communication from your teacher today regarding materials pick-up and class schedule. 
  • We will continue distance learning through the remainder of the year until winter break, which begins Monday, December 21. 
  • On-campus learning will resume on Monday, January 11.

We realize this is a conservative approach, but we hope this plan puts your mind at ease and allows you to care for your family’s health the best you can.

 

**Early Childhood will remain open with no changes**

12/8: **Update on possible COVID case**
**Update on possible COVID case**

Greetings All,

We have received an update from our High School/Grades family regarding our recent possible COVID exposure. The family visited with their physician this morning and good news, our students are in good health, but one member of the family did test positive for COVID (a parent). The parent is doing well and on their way to recovery. Although our students are presenting with no symptoms at this time, we are again taking a conservative approach by keeping both cohorts distanced for the remainder of this week. Both 9th grade and 7th grade will remain distanced through the end of this week, resuming on-site classes Monday Dec, 14th.

Again, thank you for helping us maintain a healthy school environment so that our children can continue to thrive from the benefits of in-school attendance. Together, we can keep our doors open and give our children the best we have to offer.

For questions or concerns please feel free contact Rdavis@waldorfsandiego.org

12/7: **Important COVID update**
**Important COVID update**

Greetings All –

We learned this afternoon that we have a student in the high school that presented with COVID like symptoms last week while distanced and has since been on the mend. The family is taking their student to their physician for COVID testing tomorrow. We are taking conservative measures by moving both the High School and their sibling’s grade to distance learning tomorrow while we await the results from their doctor.

We will update the community as soon as we have more details. If you have questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Section Chair or myself.

Section chairs:
High School – Nathan Wilcox
Grades – Lynne Ross

12/4: **COVID stay home order impacts**
**COVID stay home order impacts**

Greetings All –

It was great to welcome back families this week after our brief time away for some much-needed rest and family time. We have received some inquiries regarding the Governors’ new stay home order and its impact on schools. Although exposure requirements are being tightened, schools that have reopened are able to continue to offer on-site instruction. We will continue to follow our diligent practices and keep our doors open. I have provided the link to the California guidelines here, but if you have additional questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out.

Rdavis@waldorfsandiego.org

https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/#regional

 

 

11/30: Important COVID update
Important COVID update

Greetings All, 

We hope everyone enjoyed some much needed time to slow down and spend quality time with your family. As we resume school via distance learning and later this week, on-campus learning, we want to bring you up to speed regarding some distressing news from one of our families: the parents of one of our 8th-grade home school students has tested positive for COVID. We are not revealing their identity to respect their privacy, but we are relieved to tell you that they are doing well and are in recovery. Additionally, while the student is in quarantine, the student has thus far been asymptomatic. 

Although this student is a homeschool student, they did have exposure to the 8th grade during our High School shadow days Friday, November 20th.  In an effort to be cautious and prevent any further potential exposure, we have moved the entire 8th-grade class to distance learning until December 7th. This date allows for a full two-week isolation period from the date of exposure. This student has had no exposure to the lower school students and therefore presented no risk of exposure to the lower school population. We will therefore move forward with our plan to resume on-campus instruction for the lower school starting Thursday, December 3rd. 


Thank you for helping us maintain a healthy school environment so that our children can continue to thrive from the benefits of in-school attendance. Together, we can keep our doors open and give our children the best we have to offer.

 For questions or concerns please feel free contact Rdavis@waldorfsandiego.org

11/28: High School Covid Update

High School COVID update

Rachel Davis • about 2 months ago • Saturday, Nov 28 at 9:42 AM 

Dear High School families,

We hope this week has given you much needed time to slow down and spend some quality time with your family. We hate to disturb you while you are away, but we have just heard distressing news from one of our families: the parents of one of our 8th-grade students have tested positive for COVID. We are not revealing their identity to respect their privacy, but we are relieved to tell you that they are doing well and are in recovery. Additionally, while the student is in quarantine, the student has thus far been asymptomatic.

As you are all aware the High School has already made efforts to be cautious and prevent any potential exposure by moving to distance learning until December 7th. This date will now allow for a full two-week isolation period from the date of possible exposure to this 8th-grade student: Friday, November 20th (Shadow Days). You are being informed of this news because the student was on the Colina campus for our final day before the break with your student. We maintained our separate and fully distanced learning pods for each grade for the entire day but some exposure across grades was possible and we want our families to have full information. We understand the difficulties our families may be experiencing in the face of this news, and hope that we can come together as a group for the safety of our children and the greater community. 

 Thank you for helping us maintain a healthy school environment so that our children can continue to thrive from the benefits of in-school attendance. Together, we can keep our doors open and give our children the best we have to offer.

 

 For questions or concerns please feel free contact myself or Mr. Wilcox

11/15: Covid precautions after scheduled school breaks

Covid precautions after scheduled school breaks

Lynne Ross-Witscher • about 2 months ago • Sunday, Nov 15 at 8:22 PM 

Hi all, this is the post that went out to grades families over the weekend:

As San Diego is seeing a rise in COVID cases, we want to make sure we are doing our part toward the safety of our students while staying in school as long as we possibly can. San Diego moving into the purple tier does not affect our ability to stay open; however, it does cause us pause with the upcoming holidays.

We have taken a conservative approach to all operations which has not only allowed us to keep our students on campus, it has also offered peace of mind for our families.  In light of honoring our families’ traditions, we will continue taking measures to support our school environment by putting in place a policy to address travel and large family gatherings with people outside the immediate family cohort. 

We have come together as a school to make decisions on how we will operate upon return from all school breaks. Your section chair has outlined how we will proceed following our fall break, winter break, February break and spring break. If you have questions or concerns please direct them to your section chair. 

Grades 1-8 School Break Protocol

For three days following a scheduled break, the grades will teach online. Every grade, and every teacher has a schedule that includes a Main Lesson plus one or two subject classes per day. In an effort to minimize screen time, the day will begin at 8:30 and end by 12:15. Your class teacher will post your student’s schedule for each of the following weeks and days as they approach: Nov 30-Dec 2; Jan 6-8; Feb 22-24; Apr 11-13.

Please contact me with any questions/concerns regarding these plans–lross-witscher@waldorfsandiego.org

Thank you,

Lynne Ross

Grades Chair

Here is the link for the CDC guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html

Grades, High School and EC: With our decision to move to distance learning immediately following each school break, we ask our families to support us by not extending any travel past the break and honor our request to be home and stay with-in your family cohort for the designated distance learning time. This will confirm that we are receiving our students only after they have been home with limited exposure. We want to thank our families for all their support so far this year; we could not do what we are doing without your commitment and compliance to our safety protocols.

11/14: Holiday safety protocols

Holiday safety protocols

WSSD Communications • about 2 months ago • Saturday, Nov 14 at 1:09 PM 

Greetings All –

As San Diego sees a rise in COVID cases we want to make sure we are doing our part to keep all of our students safe and in school as long as we possibly can. San Diego moving into the purple tier does not affect our ability to stay open but it does give us pause with the upcoming holidays. We have taken a conservative approach to all operations and this has not only allowed us to keep our students on campus but has also offered peace of mind for our families. With the holidays approaching we want to honor our families’ traditions. We will continue taking measures to support our school environment by putting in place a policy to address travel and large family gatherings with people outside the immediate family cohort. We have come together as a school to make decisions on how we will operate upon return from all school breaks. Your section chair has outlined how we will proceed following our fall break, winter break, February break, and spring break. If you have questions or concerns please direct them to your section chair.

High School: The High School will ensure safe transitions by using our full, Zoom-based curriculum for one week following extended holidays (Thanksgiving, Winter break, February Conference Week and Spring Break). All students will return to campus for in-person learning the second week after a holiday break. For example, we will serve all high school students on Zoom November 30 – December 4, then welcome all students back to campus for in-person learning beginning on December 7.

These are the current CDC guidelines for safe holidays: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html

With our decision to move to distance learning immediately following each school break we ask our families to support us by not extending any travel past the break and honor our request to be home and stay within your family cohort for the designated distance learning time. This will confirm that we are receiving our students only after they have been home safe and sound with limited exposure. You will notice after the Fall Break an added question on your Daily Healy Screen regarding travel. We want to thank our families for all of the support so far this year, we could not do what we are doing without your commitment and compliance to our safety protocols.

8/26: School Re-opening

Greeting All –

As many of you are aware, San Diego County has been removed from the COVID watchlist. Yesterday, we received correspondence that the school waiver process has been suspended because San Diego County is giving all schools the green light to open campuses as of Sept 1st. With this news, we have made the decision to proceed with our plans to open the lower school campus for Nursery through 6th grade on September 2nd. We have also made the decision to move forward with opening both campuses for the remaining grades, 7th – 12th, on September 8th.

We are very excited to welcome our students back to campus. In preparing for our return, we want to provide you with detail about drop-off and pick up procedures.

  • Each morning, parents must log in to Parent Square and fill out a health screening. Students who do not have a completed screening may cause significant delays in the morning drop-off process, as the screening will have to be done onsite before your child is allowed on campus. Please be sure to take a minute to complete the screening before you leave your home each morning.
  • Upon arrival to campus:
    • Early Childhood students should be dropped off at their designated drop-off location at 8:30 am where we will check names off the health screen list, verify temperatures, make sure everyone is wearing the proper mask and have a water bottle. Teachers will gather students and escort them to their play areas.
    • Grades students at the lower school should be dropped off in the drop-off lane starting at 7:45 am where we will check names off the health screen list, verify temperatures, make sure everyone is wearing the proper mask and have a water bottle. Students will be escorted to their cohort path where they are greeted by their teachers and sent off to class.
    • High School Students should be dropped at the front gate at 8:00 am where we will check names off the health screen list, verify temperatures, make sure everyone is wearing the proper mask and have a water bottle. They will then be sent across the street to the Colina pool where they will do morning circle before being escorted to their cohort area.

 

  • Pick-up from campus:

     

    • Early Childhood students will be at their designated pick-up location with their teacher or assistant. When parents arrive, students will be escorted to their car. 
    • Grades students (1st-6th) will be released from their cohort unit to admin staff in front of the school when they receive a text from the parent they have arrived. 
    • Grades students (7th & 8th) will be escorted to the Annex house by their teacher where parents will pick up. 
    • High School students will be released to designated locations along the Colina campus driveway where parents will pick them up. 

We want to stress the importance of arriving at school on time; this allows us to provide the best support to our families and our teachers. We also want to encourage everyone to please review the Health and Safety plan posted on our website.

For classroom specific questions, please contact your child’s teacher directly.

Together, we can make this safety process quick and successful for an easy drop-off and pick-up experience. We are looking forward to a great 20/21 school year!

[Friday, Aug 28 at 8:52 AM]
Greetings!
A Re-opening FAQ sheet will be posted this weekend, addressing all of the questions (and more) on this post.

We have attached the At a Glance Calendar for 20/21 – it will be updated when and if are able to add more in-person events. The calendars on the school website, BigSis and now Parent Square are all synced and updated.

20_21 Covid Case considerations

FAQ_ Re-open (1)

Who to Contact 2020_21 for Parents –

7/21: Coronavirus *Enrollment Deadline*

Dear Community,

We have received inquiries asking us to consider extending our enrollment deadline. Unfortunately, we are not able to extend the deadline without jeopardizing our ability to plan and open for the 20/21 school year.

To summarize this is what WSSD is offering for the 20/21 school year:

We have submitted plans to you for opening with on-campus learning. However, at this time, the State of California is requiring schools to open with distance learning if the county in which the school is located is on the State COVID Monitoring List. Once that county has been off of the list for 14 days, the school can begin in-person learning. A school may apply for a waiver to this rule. As mentioned, WSSD has begun the application process for this waiver. Unfortunately, the county has not provided a timeline for approval of the waiver. In our preliminary discussions with the county about the waiver they have indicated that our plans are favorable. We will open for in-person learning when we receive the waiver, or once San Diego County is off of the Monitoring List for 14 days, whichever comes first.

We are one of the very few schools in the county who will be ready, willing, and able to provide in-person learning as soon as legally permitted to do so. We sincerely hope that you will join us!

If you are opting to enroll in our homeschool program please contact our business office at finance@waldorfsandiego.org
You will be required to sign your current enrollment contract. Once you have notified the business office of your switch to homeschool your TADs account will reflect the homeschool tuition.

Thank you for your continued support
Leadership Council  

7/20: Coronavirus *Update on 20/21 Reopening Plan*

Greetings All –

We are providing you an update and our response to the State of California’s announcement on Friday regarding the safe opening of schools and the delivery of new guidelines for reopening.

In short, the new guidelines provide that schools located in counties that are on the COVID Monitoring List may not physically open for in-person instruction until their county has come off the Monitoring List for 14 consecutive days. San Diego County is currently on the Monitoring List.

There is an exception to the opening restriction. Local health officers may grant a waiver to schools that apply to allow certain schools to reopen for in-person instruction, regardless of the county’s status on the Monitoring List.

What does this mean for WSSD?

Early Childhood
These new guidelines do not apply to Licensed Day Care Centers. Since WSSD is a Licensed Day Care Center, our Early Childhood Program is unaffected and Nursery and Kindergarten classes will open on campus as planned on September 3, 2020.

Grades and High School
We have already begun the application process to local health officers for the waiver to allow WSSD to re-open and will keep you apprised of any updates.

In the case that the waiver is not granted, we will be subject to the Monitoring List restriction and will not be permitted to have in-person learning until San Diego County has been off of the Monitoring List for 14 days. Counties in California are being added and subtracted daily to the Monitoring List based on changing conditions within those counties. We are hopeful that with the new restrictions that were imposed on San Diego County beginning July 5, the numbers used as metrics for the Monitoring List will begin to decrease in such a way that San Diego will be removed from the Monitoring List in the near future. In the meantime, we will provide a robust and rich distance learning experience, just as we had prepared for in our re-opening plans. As soon as schools are given the go-ahead to reopen we will open and will be ready to welcome everyone back on campus pursuant to the re-opening plans we circulated last week.

We would like to remind our families that WSSD is a non-profit private organization with a zero balance budget. We do not have an endowment or reserves. 80+% of our budget costs are covered by tuition. With that in mind, we would also like to remind our families that the vast majority of operational costs of the school remain the same with distance learning. Faculty and staff continue to work full time to deliver the curriculum remotely. We require the same financial resources to pay the faculty and staff that deliver and support distance learning, as we do during on-campus learning. Because of this, it is not financially feasible to reduce tuition during distance learning. Doing so would require WSSD to close.

Next Steps
Since we are one of the few schools in the county that will be ready and able to open for on-campus learning, we have received a flood of applications for the 20/21 school year.  We would like to remind you that the deadline for re-enrolling families in the 20/21 school year was extended to this Wednesday, July 22.  We cannot plan and open the 20/21 school year without knowing the tuition dollars that we will be collecting from your enrollment contracts.  

Because of the complexities involved in planning for the school year amid a pandemic, we will not be able to accept new enrollments mid-semester. We will consider new enrollments in January, space permitting. Because of the changes made to the configuration of the school to accommodate physical distancing, enrollment openings will be very limited. We understand that it is difficult to proceed with imperfect information, because we, as a school, are doing the same.

We understand how turbulent these times are for families. We are committed to the continuity of your children’s education throughout these unprecedented times and providing them with a safe and thoughtful place for them to come into their own. We will continue to support your children’s social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development in the new school year in the most supportive and healthy way possible. We will keep you informed. WSSD is here for you. We are all in this together!

7/15: Coronavirus *20/21 Reopening Plan*

Greetings All –

As promised, we are writing to you today to provide you with our plans for re-opening the school for in-person instruction in the fall. We have gone and will continue to go through extensive planning and consideration to bring our Waldorf family back together albeit in new, but safer ways. All of the details of the plan have been informed by our intention to provide high-quality in person learning while following best practices aimed at keeping our community healthy. Our reopening plans are guided by the recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics for in-person re-opening of schools and they are based on the documented benefits of school for children and their families, as well as the understanding that the coronavirus is a very different disease in children than adults. The success of our re-opening requires hard work, preparation, flexibility, and collective action.

Health and Safety First
Our plans depend on the dedication of our school community and we call on each and every family to continue to follow health guidelines to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as set out by health officials To that end, we highly encourage all families to follow the advice of experts when not at school — wearing masks when out in public, physically distancing from those not in your household, practicing frequent hand washing measures, and following other state and local guidelines to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. Teachers, students, and parents will also need to remain as flexible as possible. WSSD may be able to reopen and then need to close if there is a resurgence of the virus.

A cornerstone of our plan is our ability to minimize circulation of students and teachers outside of dedicated spaces and class groups. In consideration of the safety of these cohort unit communities, we ask that families refrain from travel to high risk areas. If such travel is unavoidable, please notify us so that we may stay informed, support one another, and take extra precautions, if necessary. Of course, we must all avoid public gatherings where a safe social distance cannot be maintained. We ask that these guidelines be adhered to two weeks prior to the start of school, during the school year, and during breaks with less than two weeks duration. As a Waldorf community, we all share the value of caring for each other and with your help, we can minimize the chance that our in-person instruction will be interrupted due to COVID-19 within our school community.

On-Campus Learning
Recently, San Diego and Los Angeles Unified School Districts have announced that they are not opening their campuses in the fall.  It is evident that the size of the student populations, the configuration of their campuses, and the cut in school budgets would not permit the Districts to make the accommodations necessary to ensure the health and safety of on campus learning.  Thankfully, since WSSD has small class sizes and a campus with many outdoor areas, we are able to proceed with plans for re-opening in a safe and responsible way. Our plan to utilize these outdoor spaces to conduct a majority of classroom instruction. This plan was created in compliance with the school re-opening guidelines provided by the San Diego Public Health Department, the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Education

(CDPH and CDE guidelines school reopening).
Reopening plans for each part of our school are attached. 

Face Coverings
While no one prefers to wear face coverings, at the start of the school year, masks or face shields will be required for 1st-12th grade students and teachers while indoors. Masks or face shields will not be required outdoors unless physical distancing is not possible. Evidence has shown that masks or face shields reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission by as much as 6 times. Combined with physical distancing indoors, masks or face shields reduce our risk of spreading the virus even more and helps us avoid shutdowns. We will consider relaxing this requirement in the future as evidence and health department guidelines change. Outdoor, physically distanced mask/shield-optional time will be maximized and indoor masked/shield activity time will have breaks built into the schedule to limit the length of time masks or shields need to be worn.

We understand that the use of face coverings at school is not what any one of us imagined. These are certainly unprecedented times. We have been in contact with other Waldorf schools who are holding summer camps where children are required to wear face coverings and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. The children have been so delighted to spend time with one another that wearing a face covering has been a non-issue. We are very encouraged by these anecdotes.
Children in Early Childhood will not be required to wear face coverings while they are with their own class, and they will not be physically distanced. Evaluations of child care centers world-wide suggest that young children are not acquiring the virus from their peers. Developmentally, facial communication and play is most important in this age group. This is in alignment with our evaluation of current data and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations which states:
“In Pre-K, the relative impact of physical distancing among children is likely small based on current evidence and certainly difficult to implement. Therefore, Pre-K should focus on more effective risk mitigation strategies for this population. These include hand hygiene, infection prevention education for staff and families, adult physical distancing from one another, adults wearing face coverings, cohorting, and spending time outdoors.”

Homeschool
We understand that some families are not comfortable having their child(ren) on campus because of health concerns. WSSD’s Faculty and Administration have worked hard to offer an option for these families to ensure their child(ren)’s continuity of learning. To that end, WSSD is offering a Homeschooling Option for the 20/21 school year to accommodate the needs of these families during the pandemic. This Homeschool Plan will be an option for Grades 1-8 and for Kindergarten students of mandatory school age (6+ years). As a friendly reminder, the Homeschool Option is NOT Distance Learning. For the Homeschool Option, the parent is the teacher and will be supported by a Homeschool Coordinator. If you enroll your child(ren) in the Homeschooling Option, your child’s place will be held in his or her class.  The plan and pricing for the Homeschool Option is attached. 

Flexibility
For those in our community who will join us on campus, we must be clear that conditions may change such that state and local guidelines may require us to close the campus and provide distance learning. We will be ready to accommodate remote learning quickly and effectively.

The creativity and resilience of the Waldorf spirit helps make this amazing education accessible to every family who wants it and that still holds true, even in a pandemic.

With all that said, we are pleased to provide you with our reopening plans for the fall. There are five plans attached here: (1) Early Childhood, (2) Grades, (3) High School, (4) Homeschool Option, and (5) Health and Safety.
For questions regarding:
Early Childhood Plan – please contact Katherine Giglio at kgiglio@waldorfsandiego.org
Grades Plan, High School Plan, and Homeschool Plan – Please contact Clare Knauss at cknauss@waldorfsandiego.org
Health and Safety Plan – Please contact Rachel Davis at rdavis@waldorfsandiego.org

Next Steps
If after reviewing these plans you find that your needs are not met, you will have until Wednesday, July 22 to let us know that you would like your deposit returned (and any already paid 20/21 tuition payments). Those families who have not yet enrolled their child(ren), similarly, will have until July 22 to deliver their deposit to hold their child(ren)’s place for the 20/21 school year.

Tuition Assistance
We would like to remind the community of our Tuition Assistance program which has recently been revised and expanded. We warmly encourage any families who find themselves in financial hardship, for whatever reason, to please contact Jehanne Spriggs at ta@waldorfsandiego.org to inquire about Tuition Assistance. We also encourage any current Tuition Assistance recipients whose needs have changed to contact Jehanne Spriggs. We remain committed to preserving each and every family as part of our school community, and to welcome all families, making Waldorf as accessible as possible.

Maintaining the strength and unity of our community is integral to a Waldorf experience; we must, therefore, strive to maintain the cohesion of our connection through shared experiences and time on campus, to the extent that this is possible. We are doing our best to listen to what parents need, and offer it to them. We are committed, above all, to ensuring the future of our school, for the good of our beloved students, families, faculty, and staff.

Perhaps most importantly, we should remind ourselves of the essence of Waldorf education that we hold so dear: offering meaningful, developmentally appropriate experiences to young people so that they contribute towards goodness, beauty, and truth in the world and fulfill their human potential for the future.

Finally, we want to acknowledge and express our deep gratitude to the Faculty, Administration, Staff, and parents who have contributed valuable hours, and heartfelt consideration in creating these plans for the fall. This has been a Herculean task.
On behalf of the faculty, administration, and board, we want to express our warmest thanks, as always, for your continued support of the Waldorf School of San Diego.

6/26: Message From Leadership

Dear Community,

As we plan for re-opening in the fall, we want to reiterate that we continue to make the following our priority:

  • The health and safety of our community
  • The educational experience of our students
  • The long term financial health of the school

In furtherance of these priorities we have the following updates for the GRADES:

After multiple walk-throughs of the campus and measurements of the classrooms to accommodate physically distanced desks, we are very pleased to announce that each Grade will remain together as a cohort; there will not be a need to split classes. There will be classroom changes for some Grades to ensure that proper distancing is possible. In addition, in spite of changes made to accommodate health and safety measures, the full curriculum, including all subjects, will be delivered, with some modifications to music and movement classes. Recess will be offered; Grades will have separate play areas.

While we are thrilled that WSSD will be positioned to offer, with health and safety measures in place, what we believe is the most near-normal educational experience in the county, we also anticipate and will be prepared for possible school closures as may be mandated by the State of California. As further discussed below, more details will be forthcoming.

We understand that some families would like more details about the 2020/2021 school year before they can commit to enrolling their child(ren). To accommodate those needs amid extraordinary circumstances, and to properly ensure the financial health of the school, we are offering the following:

On July 15, we will provide you our complete re-opening plans for EC, Grades, and the High School (including our plans in the case of school closures), and our health and safety measures plan.  In the event the re-opening plans do not meet your needs, you will have until July 22 to let us know that you would like your deposit returned (and any already paid 20/21 tuition payments).  Those families who have not yet enrolled their child(ren), similarly, will have until July 22 to deliver their deposit to hold their child(ren)’s place for the 20/21 school year.  For some of you, tuition payments for the 20/21 school year begin in early July.  You may contact the finance office at finance@waldorfsandiego.org to defer payment until you have reviewed the plan, but no later than July 22.

Putting these plans together in short order is no small feat. Reconfiguring a school under normal circumstances takes months. Our small but mighty school will be completing it in weeks. We thank you in advance for your patience.

We want to remind the community of our Tuition Assistance program, which has been revised to provide additional assistance. We warmly encourage any families who find themselves in financial hardship, for whatever reason, to please contact Jehanne Spriggs at ta@waldorfsandiego.org to inquire about Tuition Assistance. We also encourage any current Tuition Assistance recipients whose needs have changed to contact Jehanne Spriggs. We remain committed to preserving each and every family as part of the school community, and to welcome all families, making Waldorf education as accessible as possible.

Finally, dear parents, we want you to know that the school faculty and staff will keep working and meeting with dedication and tenacity throughout the summer. We are getting ready to prepare to offer your children a fall learning experience that is as rich as possible. We recognize that we are all under great stress with this unprecedented situation. Although we have been instructed to stay physically distant, this does not prevent us from keeping our hearts together. We send you and your families blessings and good wishes during this time.

Thank you for your continued support,
Leadership Council

6/18: Message From Leadership

Dear Cherished Community:

We are very grateful to all of you who took the time to fill out the survey we circulated last week. Your responses and comments are extremely helpful in navigating our plans for the 2020/2021 school year. We understand that there are varying viewpoints and comfort levels with respect to health and safety. We acknowledge also that school offerings and schedules significantly impact working families. We must balance these considerations along with the social and emotional health of the children.

Today we have an exciting announcement to make.  Because of the size of our school and the availability of outdoor spaces, WSSD will be opening up our campus in the fall with on-campus instruction 5 days per week!  Although we are not able to provide all of the details to you today, we can give you an outline of our plans.  Please note that we are providing this information to you today to help you plan in these uncertain times, and these plans are not final and subject to change.

The final plans for EC, the Grades and the High School will look slightly different based on state guidelines and licensing requirements. Generally speaking, most classes will be split into two groups to enable smaller class sizes for increased physical distancing indoors. These smaller classes will alternate between indoor space and outdoor space (with shade and protection from the elements). In addition, classes will remain separate from one another so that students and teachers will mingle with the same cohort as much as possible.

The re-opening task force continues to work diligently on planning all of the health and safety measures on the campus. Here are some examples: temperature and symptom checks upon entering campus, hand washing stations, additional bathrooms, physically distanced desks in Grades and High School classrooms. We will provide you a very detailed description of our health and safety precautions as soon as they are finalized. We understand that our policy regarding masks will be of great importance to many of you. The task force is taking up the work on this and is examining state and local guidelines and the policies of other Waldorf and local schools in order to formulate our own. Next week we will provide you with more specific timelines of when you can expect to receive more information.

We understand that families may not be ready to decide whether or not to send their children to campus until all of the details of the opening are provided. Our policy around this regarding contracts and deposits will be provided to you next week, after our May board meeting scheduled for Monday, June 22 at 4:00.

Some of you have asked about the composition of the re-opening task force. It is comprised of a team of faculty for each of: Early Childhood, Grades and High School; the Director of Pedagogy, the Administrator; and parents, including a board representative, a pediatrician and an epidemiologist.

We understand that this communication may raise more questions than it answers. However, we want to provide you what we can at this time. Planning for the fall amid a pandemic is hard work and there is no playbook; we are a small school with all hands on deck and are working as quickly and as diligently as we can to transform and pivot to the changing times; we request your patience, understanding, and flexibility.

We also acknowledge that opening up the campus for in-person instruction may not accommodate the needs of some families who wish to remain at home. We are exploring a distance learning option for those families, but at this moment we cannot guarantee that we can provide both on-campus and distance learning, because of limited financial and human resources. We will keep you updated.

Here is a note from our Director of Pedagogy, Clare Knauss:

One of the main pillars of Waldorf education is the human aspect of our work. The special relationship created between teacher and student is paramount. When the teacher imparts the content of a lesson, lit up with fire and enthusiasm for the subject, magic begins to happen. Human connection, seen in the play of facial expression in the teacher and the interest and response in the mimicry of the student, improves learning outcomes, and develops social wellbeing. Human interactions constitute the heart of Waldorf education. The task of teachers at all levels is to support the developing individuality of each student and the social health of the class as a whole. Relationships are strengthened and deepened because they are cultivated over many years in interactions that electronic means cannot replace. This is why we are so happy to get back to school and provide the students with a safe space in which to learn. With the new modifications in preparing for getting back to school, we want to assure you that this is already a major step towards getting back to normal and deepening teacher and student interaction in the aforementioned manner.

Thank you for your continued support,
Leadership Council

5/21: Message From Leadership

Dear Parents, 

As we move closer towards summer and the end of the school year, we remind our Waldorf community that our educational values have not changed during these challenging times. We encourage the pursuit of individual passion and a drive for learning. We emphasize play and movement for every child as a healthy life foundation. Daily we seek the experience of nature, which replenishes us. In our homes we strengthen the foundation of family with shared activities, renewed closeness, and warmth, which is more important now than ever. 


Our community, our country, and our world is clouded in uncertainty.  We empathize with the anxiety and discomfort caused by uncertainty surrounding your businesses, your financial situations, your relationships, and what your children’s school will look like in the fall.  We are writing to provide an update to you on our plans for the 2020/2021 school year and to share how we are assimilating information and formulating decisions in this environment of uncertainty, and to provide you assurances in any way we can.  

WSSD has established a re-entry Task Force, composed of board members, parents, faculty, and staff, that is working in consultation with medical and health professionals, to develop a safe and comprehensive plan for our return to campus. As will be discussed below, the State of California has yet to propose guidelines for K-12 schools. Therefore, we are unable, right now, to know exactly what the school experience will be like in September. What we can provide to you right now as we strive for flexibility and transparency in our process, is an outline of the three major areas we are working on.

We are focusing on these areas:

• The health and safety of our community

• The educational experience of our students

• The long term financial health of the school

To that end, of this you can be certain:

• We are committed to preserving each family as part of our school community through these challenging times

• We are committed to providing a rich Waldorf educational experience for our students

• We will communicate plans as they develop

Earlier this month Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled the Resilience Roadmap for State Reopening that lays out how California’s economy will open in four phases.  As of today, we are in the first part of Phase 2.  The opening of schools, with modifications, is included in the second part of Phase 2.  The Governor has indicated that the second part of Phase 2 could begin as early as July.  We currently do not have any plans to open earlier than the originally scheduled start dates of the 2020 school year in September.  Once the state has entered into the second part of Phase 2, the State will provide guidance for the opening of schools.

Without State guidance in place, we recognize that we must forge ahead with adaptive planning that will evolve as the science, guidelines, and circumstances do. Despite this uncertainty, we are developing plans based on the following assumptions:

• School campuses will reopen in the 2020-2021 academic school year with the probability that California will experience continued outbreaks of COVID-19. We must prepare for the potential of localized, rolling closures of the school triggered by outbreaks.

• Every aspect of our school, including our physical campus, our academic calendar, daily schedules, programming, social habits, will require modifications based on guidance from national, state and local health officials, which will likely include physical distancing, wellness checks, masks, frequent disinfecting of classrooms and other areas, as well as intermittent transitions to distance learning.

• We will not be returning to a pre-COVID normal for some time and physical distancing is here for the foreseeable future. The risk of a surge in cases that would require a return to a statewide or local shelter at home order is very real.

RETURNING TO SCHOOL: THREE PLANS

In order to prepare for the fall we are developing three plans. Specific decisions and additional plans regarding on-campus modifications will be finalized over the next few months and shared as soon as is practicable. The following is a work in progress:

PLAN A: MOSTLY “NORMAL OPERATIONS” AT CAMPUS

In Plan A we welcome all students and staff back to our beautiful campus. The community will follow specific health precautions which will be in accordance with our local, state, and federal requirements and may include such things as:

• Adults must attest to being symptom-free each day
• Adults will be wearing masks
• Building staff will have sanitizing and disinfecting protocols in place
• We will reduce or eliminate shared materials
• We will re-imagine classes, festival and community gatherings

PLAN B: THE HYBRID MODEL

In Plan B we recognize that there may be scenarios where the campus is open, but due to possible state limitations on class size, for example, it may not be feasible to have all students on campus at the same time. Students will receive instruction on campus part of the time, and via our Beyond the Classroom distance learning platform part of the time, combining synchronous (live) instruction with asynchronous (accessible anytime) instruction in a schedule intentionally designed to provide a healthy school/life balance. This hybrid model does not change our mission or our commitment to provide a rich Waldorf educational experience. In addition as a part of this model we are exploring an avenue for those families who are not ready to have their children return to campus to continue to attend the school from home.

PLAN C: CAMPUS CLOSURE/DISTANCE LEARNING

If the State requires school campuses to remain closed, we are planning for campus-wide distance learning via our Beyond the Classroom platform.

Plan A is our preferred option, if feasible.  We are brainstorming creative ways to make a Plan A work in the face of likely class size restrictions.  We are also in close contact and collaborating with other Waldorf schools around the country, as well as AWSNA (Association of Waldorf Schools of North America), and will be following closely what Waldorf schools in Europe have done, as some have already reopened.

In light of all the challenges we face, we are determined to implement the closest match to a full Waldorf experience in the new school year. We hope to build a sense of familiar routine and security for the students in a time of change, which will do much to increase their resilience. Most importantly, we will be developing this new landscape together, as a community of caring individuals, committed to raising the children in our care.

In closing, we want to reiterate how grateful we are for our incredible community. We would not be able to accomplish what we have without the support of every one of us, who are doing what would have seemed impossible a few short months ago, personally, and professionally, and you have granted us grace at every turn. For that, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation.

Leadership Council  

5/15: Message From Leadership

Hello everyone,

As, sadly, we are unable to gather and be together at our campus, and therefore unable to participate fully in the traditions of our school, here is a taste of what WSSD has been up to the past couple of weeks.
 

  • Graduation plans are in the works for 12th and 8th grades!  We are working on planning outdoor ceremonies that comply with state COVID-19 guidelines and look forward to being able to celebrate these rites of passage with both our rising and graduating students.
  • The virtual presentation of the 8th grade projects was a huge success. These projects give our students the ability to showcase their amazing talents  If you were not able to attend please find links to the presentation at 8th grade project link.
  • WSSD celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week by delivering flower bouquets to all teachers and assistants.  Thank you to our community for their generosity in this endeavor.
  • The Gala Committee is busier than ever planning our first ever Virtual Benefit.  Stay tuned for more details!
  • We hope you enjoyed our Celebration of Spring communication!

We also want to acknowledge the community, faculty, and staff in their work of pivoting the school to these new times. Here are some of the efforts in that regard:

  • The school has established a Task Force that is working on the re-opening plan for the 2020/2021 school year. More details about plans to date will be provided to the community next week.
  • We are creating a virtual tour of the school that will be completed soon and uploaded to our new website.
  • The Business Office continues to work with families on tuition relief and financial planning for the upcoming year.
  • PG and LC continue to evaluate distance learning successes and opportunities.  Your feedback is strongly encouraged!
  • We want to express our gratitude to the employees dedicated to facilities.  They are working tirelessly to keep the campus clean and sanitized as teachers, admin, and staff performs some work on campus.  We require sign-in sheets and enforce social distancing, the use of masks, and limited movement within the campus for everyone’s health and safety.

And, a note from our Pedagogical Director, Clare Knauss:

“Educate through the Head, Heart and Hands” has been the motto of Waldorf educators for many years. The idea behind this is that learning should involve the whole human being, with sensory experiences involving will activity, enthusiastic feeling, and engaged thinking. Today, with Covid 19, we have a new reality where it is not possible to engage in person with one another. Yet the teachers are rising to the challenging task before them, adapting and working an artistic Waldorf curriculum into a creative online offering. A none too easy task.

In the Grades, the teachers are engaging the students online for social time, sending work home generally through Google Classroom, doing some live lesson Zooms, arranging office hours and parent meetings. Teachers continue to check-in, endeavoring to meet the needs of students and parents for rhythm and connection.

Rhythm and connection continue to be the cornerstone of work in Early Childhood with emails and phone calls helping with home life, advice given for games, crafts and recipes, parent meetings through Zoom, office hours, and letters written to the children. In the High School, ongoing work is happening rhythmically in seminar blocks, with track lessons in languages, humanities, math, and the arts continuing mainly with live Zoom, Google Classroom, and plenty of homework. Online learning is more conducive for older students, but they still miss each other and enjoy creating a feeling of connection in weekly class meetings.

We are striving as teachers, to not just deliver Waldorf curriculum, but to make sure students continue to feel safe, supported, and still a part of their class community. We believe that it is even more important to sustain human connection, even while maintaining social and physical distancing. Zoom meetings allow us to see familiar faces and feel comforted. Class Meetings continue to take place. We would like you all to know that we are committed to upholding the connection between students, teachers, and parents throughout this difficult time until we can be together again, and we truly look forward to that!

Thank you for your continued support,
Leadership Council 

4/10: Response from Community

Greetings All

The impact of COVID-19 is felt by everyone in our community. Many are under tremendous stress—parents trying to work while at home with small children, high school kids taking care of younger siblings while trying to attend to their own education, some have lost jobs, and others are putting themselves at risk while working overtime on the front lines. None of us can ever know the challenges faced by every family in our community, but what we can do is offer unconditional support. Community, personal connection, and something larger than each of us are at the heart of our mission and pedagogy. It is one of the things that draws families to our school; it is something each family creates and contributes to. And like every one of you, our staff is doing our very best to keep these ideals at the forefront as we make our way through these challenging times.

This is uncharted territory for everyone, including the school. We have tasked ourselves with finding innovative ways to provide some continuity in the education of your children, looking ahead to ensure that our doors can remain open so that you have a place to return when this crisis is over, and finally, to be true to our values and provide support to those in our community who are in need due to financial hardships or otherwise. We know every situation is different and would like to take a moment to address that, particularly in regards to the responses we received following our communication about tuition.

We realize that this sudden halt in the economy has had varying impacts on our community. Some families have had the good fortune to have little to no financial disruption, some have experienced a reduction in their income, while others have completely lost their source of income. The question is: as a community, how can we support each other through this? Every one of us is feeling the stress of uncertainty—distanced from our loved ones and disrupted from our routines for an unspecified period of time with the unanswered question about the length of our current financial situations. Yet despite the tension we are all feeling, we have seen so many steps up to do what they can in support of others. 

To that end, we want to express our sincerest gratitude for the immediate willingness that so many of you in the community have shared to protect the income of our teachers and staff, even while your own jobs may be in jeopardy. We are eternally grateful for your giving hearts. Your continued financial contributions ensure that we have the staff needed to do the challenging work of rapidly transitioning our curriculum to a distance learning platform as well as to continue paying the expenses that allow us to keep our school afloat. What you are doing is more than paying for a commodity or service, you are allowing for our unique educational curriculum to thrive and continue. The imagination of Waldorf education is a safe and insightful place for children to fully come into their own during their childhood development, and your financial support contributes to the entire Waldorf community by helping to make sure that Waldorf education can continue to exist, and in turn, change the world we live in. 

But please know that we will ask you to pay what you can. For those whose finances have been impacted, this may feel like a burden. While we are asking for your support, we want to ensure that we are also working with those of you in dire need to provide the support to survive in this current situation. And so, if you find yourself in a situation where you cannot currently make your full tuition payment, please reach out to our business office at finance@waldorfsandiego.org We are more than willing to work with you on a monthly basis to determine a solution during these unstable times. We trust, without judgment, that everyone will assess their financial position to the best of their ability, and to pay what they are able to. And we thank you for understanding that it is only because of our desire to maintain this community that we have asked for your help. Quite frankly, your continued payments—whatever they maybe—are the only way the school will survive. We do not have an endowment or reserves, and it saddens us to consider that the school will have to close its doors without the financial support of our families.

We want you to know that WSSD has also applied for government-provided assistance made available to small businesses and nonprofits. We are seeking support from both the CARES Act and the Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.  We are in constant communication with our bank to get help in facilitating the approval of these applications. We are counting on this relief to allow us to absorb the delay in tuition payments so that we can be sensitive to our family’s needs.

Finally, we want to take a moment to thank our teachers. We count on them as the spiritual pillars of the Waldorf environment for our children and without them, none of this is possible. During the time of hiatus, our teachers have not stopped their work. The physical absence of the children in our classrooms makes their work difficult, but that is a challenge they have worked hard to overcome. We ask that the community continues to do what it can to keep the spiritual pillars nourished enough to protect the sacred environment of Waldorf education through gratitude, support, protection, and collaboration. Together, this community can thrive even in a time of great change and uncertainty. Together, we can make sure that our children are loved and supported and educated now and in the future. Together, we can stand strong and strengthen the foundation of our community to nurture a future of compassionate free-thinkers and change-makers. 

Please let us know how we can support you during this time. 

With our sincerest gratitude for all,

Leadership Council

4/3: Message from Leadership

Greetings All,

We imagine it is overwhelming for most of us to be receiving so many communications from so many facets of life regarding the impact of COVID-19 on our society. The truth is, the world has forever changed. We hope that there will be much on the other side of this that we will recognize as growth, improvement, and evolution of society to a more compassionate and cooperative place; the kind of place that Waldorf Education already creates on a micro level on each of its campuses. Let’s hope so!

In the meantime, as the phrase Governor Newsom has used many times in his addresses to California, we must ALL work together to “meet this moment.” In order to ensure that WSSD continues to thrive in the face of the adversity facing all of us, the WSSD community must also work together to “meet this moment.”

Although it is unlikely that public schools will reopen prior to the next school year, we continue to carefully monitor guidance from federal, state and local public health and education agencies. If we know one thing it is that things change daily. We want to be clear that the 2019/2020 school year is not over!

We have quickly launched our distance learning program. It goes without saying what a BIG step this is for a low-tech school. Everyone should understand that this new way of teaching and learning will require adjustment, understanding, and time, for everyone (students, teachers and parents) to find their groove. Very little about this process will be perfect. A lot about this process will take patience, flexibility, and surrender.

In addition, the school is availing itself of any and all federal and state assistance available to non-profits, including the SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program as well as the Paycheck Protection Program. We need to be realistic in our planning, however, in that these funds will take time to arrive.

We have received many questions regarding tuition. As we have previously communicated, all faculty and staff are being paid during the closure of the school; this is another way WSSD is “meeting the moment.” The only way that WSSD is able to continue to pay those whose work has decreased because of the school closure is through the collection of tuition. While we continue to offer curriculum we will be holding families to their tuition contracts so that we may continue to operate the school as seamlessly as possible, and so that WSSD families may see the same faces at school when everyone returns. Of course, we will consider any family’s requests and inquiries regarding tuition on a case by case basis.

Finally, a couple of technical issues regarding distance learning.

Some parents have set up email addresses for their children for Google classroom purposes so that the parents’ email box does not get overwhelmed with Google Classroom emails. We discourage students in the Grades from having their own email address. We suggest that parents use the technology available through their mail application to filter out Google Classroom emails to a separate mailbox folder that the parents may check at their convenience without the interruption of receiving those emails in their normal inbox. If you would like assistance in setting this up, please contact technical support.

Grades: Ian Cuevas, icuevas@waldorfsandiego.org
High School: Virginia Arnold, varnold@waldorfsandiego.org and Sheila Garczynski, sgarczynski@waldorfsandiego.org

Early Childhood: Helga Conklin, hconklin@waldorfsandiego.org

And last, but certainly not least, we will be providing a standard format through which parents can provide feedback regarding the distance learning model; please watch for this community communication over the weekend. We take your feedback seriously and will try to accommodate as best we can. We are all putting in heroic efforts to get through this.

We are looking forward to going back to normalcy when the threat of COVID-19 is over. We need EVERYONE’S support and contribution to “meet this moment.” Thank you all so very much for your continued support.

Leadership Council

3/27: Message from Leadership

Dear WSSD Parents,

In these trying times, we hope that you are all doing well and adjusting to a difficult situation. Our community of parents, students, faculty, and staff at WSSD is more important than ever. Every family and student constitutes a unique, irreplaceable gift within our social fabric. Today, we are writing to you to introduce the opening of our distance learning which begins on Monday, March 30th. Faculty and staff have been working long hours to design a program that connects with you and your children, while at the same time attempting to guard and nourish the essentials of truth, beauty, and goodness that uphold Waldorf education. This program, in this particular format, is new for our Waldorf school community and it requires flexibility and goodwill to unfold it in a nourishing way. We welcome feedback from parents, as we creatively meet the needs of the students in our care. Once the faculty and families have both had the opportunity to work together over the next few weeks, Leadership will survey our community and solicit feedback and suggestions from both teachers and parents, which will be instrumental in helping us make anticipated adjustments and improvements to the way we are working together to educate your children.

Preparing for Monday, March 30th

By Sunday 5:00 PM, you will receive by email sign-in instructions from the school so you can gain access to your Google Classroom account. This will enable you to assist your child in learning from home.

Support for Parents

Our focus next week is for families to become comfortable using our new distance learning platform and to develop ways to connect with individual students, families, and classes. Each teacher will welcome you to the Google Classroom platform and will explain when and how to schedule times to “meet” or communicate with them.

We are aware of the unintended and unavoidable burden this mode of learning places on you as parents, especially in the lower grades, as we strive to uphold our desire to minimize our children’s media exposure. However, extraordinary times call for flexibility and temporary compromises, and we are grateful to partner with you and trust that our shared values will remain consistent and help us move through this challenge, and grow stronger together. Please keep us informed of your challenges, and let your teachers know if your child is experiencing difficulties with our lessons so that we can adjust the program. We are certain you have already learned a lot in these past two weeks about new family rhythms.

We expect to make adjustments as we step through this new format and ask you to stay in close communication; all teachers will have office hours. Your teacher will notify you of these.

Simple Guidelines for Families

• Prioritize nourishment and rest.
• Keep a daily rhythm & routine as much as possible.
• Create a dedicated workspace for your child(ren) to experience their online learning.
• All Grades students will need a flat surface, free of clutter, for working.
• Try to keep school materials organized and readily available in the workspace.
• If you have artwork from your child that can be displayed in this area, it may be motivating
• All students will be assigned movement activities that will require some indoor or outdoor space; outdoor time remains essential for good health.
• Offer your child(ren) comfort, reassurance, and honesty during this time.
• Don’t offer more detail than your child is asking for. If children ask about something you don’t know the answer to, it’s alright to get back to them later or find out together.
• Talk about all the positive things that are happening to keep people safe and healthy.
• It’s great for children to see you washing your hands, drinking plenty of water, resting and taking care of yourself.

Communication

• Clare Knauss,cknauss@waldorfsandiego.org, Director of Pedagogy, is available for further questions or conversation regarding educational concerns.
• The WSSD IT (information technology) team is available Monday through Friday for technical support and questions. Grades: Ian Cuevas, icuevas@waldorfsandiego.org  High School: Virginia Arnold varnold@waldorsandiego.org
• Rachel Davis, Rdavis@waldorfsandiego.org, our administrator, is always available to support non-pedagogical questions and concerns of our community.
• Merav Segal, the School Counselor, is available to families for consultation, short-term support, and referrals for outside support. Please notify Clare Knauss if you are in need of this service.
• To offer support/resources to others in need in our community or the school contact Liza Ferraro, lferraro@waldorfsandiego.org

Attached to this communication please find general instructions from the Early Childhood, Grades, and High School chairs. Your teachers will be contacting you directly with further instructions.

As the sun has been shining these past days, our school playground looks woefully empty. We eagerly anticipate the children’s return and hold each member of our community in light and love until that joyful day arrives!

In community,
Leadership Council

3/24: Supply Pick-up

Greetings All –

Our amazing teachers have been working tirelessly since the school closure to restructure their lesson plans to deliver the Waldorf curriculum remotely, and finding creative ways to support you from afar while keeping media and technology use to a minimum. By the end of the week, you will be receiving a formal communication from each section chair with an overview of how curriculum delivery will work. Some supplies will be helpful over the course of the school closure and we would like to extend the offer of making these supplies available for families for pick up this week. We have set up a schedule (see attached Schedule) for pick up of supplies from our parking lot, subject to strict protocols that are described here:
  • Each family will be scheduled for a specific time
  • Stay in your vehicle and staff will bring your student’s supplies to your car window
  • Unless absolutely necessary, only one family member may come to the campus during your pick up time
  • We have made our way through each classroom sanitizing the environment the supplies are coming from

Please note that your safety, security, and comfort is of the utmost importance to us and if you are not comfortable coming to the campus to pick up supplies, please reach out to us and we can make alternative arrangements for delivery, or for you to acquire the supplies on your own.

I hope you have been able to stay positive and healthy.

3/23: Case in Our Community

Greetings All –

I hope this message finds you all well and healthy. I write this communication with a heavy heart tonight as we were just informed that one of our community members has tested positive for the Coronavirus. It appears to be a mild case at this point. We are holding them in our thoughts and prayers for a quick and speedy recovery. I did speak with our community member via phone this evening and they did advise they are on the mend and feeling better.

The community member is a parent in our Lilac Kindergarten and was last on campus Thursday, March 12th. They have been in self-quarantine since the onset of symptoms (March 14th.) No other members of the family have presented any symptoms to date. Our staff and faculty have been notified and also have not presented any symptoms to date. Wednesday will mark the 14th day from possible exposure to any families, staff, and faculty who may have come in contact with the parent or other family member.

Although we have completed sanitation of our entire campus, we have made the decision to continue to keep the Lilac classroom quarantined until we complete further sanitation of all material items in the room.

As a school, this will change our course of action over the next week. Early Childhood will not be issuing supplies to families to take home this week but will wait until twenty-one days out from the March 13th date. Early Childhood will focus on establishing our new electronic communication and on-line support through this time.

If you have any questions or concerns please direct them to me, Rachel Davis, Administrator 

3/18: Message from Leadership

Greetings All,

We are thinking about all of you daily and hope you are all well. It has been a busy week as we prepare to engage students Beyond the Classroom. Plans are coming along nicely and you will be receiving communication from your class teachers and high school faculty soon.

As a reminder, although we are hard at work preparing, your students are currently on Spring Break. This is a time to enjoy family and settle into this new way of life.

We have very limited staff on site as we have moved most of our meetings and communication to online platforms.

Thank you for all of the warm wishes, heartfelt messages and offers of support, it has been a daily dose of encouragement.

Communication will continue to come regularly, but if you have questions or concerns please do not hesitate to send them my way.

Thank you for your continued support.

3/16: Message from Leadership

Greetings,

We hope this message finds you as well as can be expected under these circumstances. Leadership Council and Faculty Leadership came together today and we have the following updates:

  • Spring break has officially been moved to today March 16th and will run through March 29th.
  • During Spring Break faculty and staff will be preparing for remote learning to begin on Monday, March 30th.

We will be providing you a communication next week that will include details. These are unprecedented circumstances. We are sorry if the sudden rescheduling of Spring Break causes disruption for our families.

As we previously communicated, all faculty and part-time staff will be compensated during the school closure. In addition, hourly employees will continue to be paid during Spring Break.

We are still working on possible child care alternatives and will provide more information when we have it.

We will also continue to provide weekly updates or more frequently if needed.

You are all in our thoughts as we continue to work through navigating these uncertain times.

Leadership Council

3/14: Message from Leadership

Greetings All,

The Leadership Council is thankful to our community for reaching out to us with such heartfelt gestures over the past couple of days. You rely on us daily to care for your children and we are going to continue to provide care and guidance as well as we can in these uncertain times. We want to assure everyone that all admin, faculty and hourly staff will be paid through this temporary closure. We are working together on ways to offer possible alternatives for curriculum support and ways to support families and employees that are looking for alternative childcare due to work schedules. To the extent we have any at-risk employees we are making special arrangements for them.

Let us remember to take care of ourselves and each other and please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns. 

Thank you very much for all of your support,

WSSD Leadership Council

3/13: School Closure

Greetings All,

Out of an abundance of caution, and in consultation with local public health, The Waldorf School of San Diego has made the decision to join the San Diego Unified School district by closing our school in order to curb the potential transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19). We will close starting Monday, March 16 and will continue to monitor the situation to determine a re-entry date. All school events will be canceled during this time and student(s) should be kept home.

While your student(s) remains home, we encourage you to continue practicing good hygiene, which includes:

  • 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.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
  • If you feel for any reason your child may have or has been exposed to the novel coronavirus, please contact your doctor immediately. Virus symptoms can range from mild to severe and could include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear in a few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure.

The Waldorf School of San Diego is in the process of determining what options we have for our students to continue learning while the school is closed. We are considering all available options including the possibility of distance learning via the Internet.

We will remain in close contact with the San Diego County Office of Education and local public health officials throughout the duration of this closure and will provide updates to families as appropriate.

We encourage you to stay informed of the situation by regularly checking updates from San Diego County Public Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

We understand this is a time of uncertainty and concern. We will work through this together to keep our students, families, and staff safe.

If you have questions about our school, please contact Rachel Davis, Administrator.

3/9: Message from Leadership

Greeting All –

In the coming weeks, WSSD is scheduled to hold/host various community events and this time we do not intend to cancel these events. We are monitoring the California Department of Public Health guidelines on a daily basis and if the situation should change we will revisit our decision.

We will also continue to send out regular updates. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions in the meantime.

________________________________________________________________________________

Should public events be canceled?
The best prevention against COVID-19 remains taking regular health precautions such as covering your mouth with a tissue or your elbow if you sneeze or cough, washing your hands with soap and water, and staying home if you are sick. The health risk from COVID-19 to the general public remains low at this time. However, this is a quickly evolving situation. Just as with other infectious diseases, not all parts of our state are affected equally at the same time. State and county public health officials are continuously assessing the situation and will alert the community as the situation changes.

Link to California Department of Public Health

3/4: Message from Leadership

Greeting All –

As you are likely aware, on Tuesday, February 25th, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) gave a press conference updating the country on the current status of the coronavirus (COVID-19), and what steps should be taken moving forward. We wanted to share with you some of the steps our school is taking to prevent the spread of illness across our campus, and plan for the
possible spread of the coronavirus in our community.

As the CDC emphasized, there is not currently a coronavirus pandemic in the United States. A pandemic occurs when a disease is spreading from a variety of sources across a large region, and the number of cases across the US is still small. However, given how quickly the global situation is evolving, we are monitoring new developments and will continue to reevaluate our steps and actions daily.

Our community is prepared to alter our procedures and planning should the situation change. We are currently discussing the impact of spring travel, upcoming school trips, and other non-typical school activities will have in the context of the coronavirus. We will communicate any changes affirmatively when the time is appropriate. It is important to remember that handling the spread of a serious contagion like the coronavirus is primarily a task for public health agencies. Any directives from the World Health Organization, CDC, or local governmental organizations will be followed.

In times like this, we are particularly grateful for the strength and togetherness of this community. Please continue to look for further communications from us on this matter.

When should I keep my child home from school? 
Do not send your child to school if you suspect he or she may be ill and has exhibited any of the following signs or symptoms:

  • An elevated temperature of 100 degrees or more during the last 24 hours.
  • Vomiting within the last 24 hours.
  • Repeated episodes of diarrhea within the last 24 hours.
  • Chills, loss of appetite, unusual fatigue, and/or lingering headache.
  • A significant amount of nasal discharge, particularly if the discharge is yellow or greenish in color.
  • A persistent cough.
  • A significant sore throat.
  • An earache.

What happens if my child feels sick while at school? 
While we usually monitor ill students for a period of time, given the circumstances parents may be called to pick up their child more immediately.

What can families, students, and school personnel do to keep from getting sick and spreading COVID-19? 
The CDC recommends the following preventive actions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water when your hands are visibly dirty.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Stay home when you are sick (and do not return to school until you are fever-free for 24 hours without medication). We ask you to strictly adhere to this policy.
  • Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash hands.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
2/4: Coronavirus

The health and safety of students and our school community is our highest priority.

We are closely monitoring international and national advisories from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and staying in close contact with the local health department.

We are also monitoring any overseas travel to or from China by all of our employees, international students and exchange students and are reviewing the status of any planned trips to Asia.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Lori Williamson at 619-280-8016 Ext 309

Thank You

Early Childhood Communications

12/22: Winter Update
Winter Update

Dear Waldorf School of San Diego Early Childhood families,

As you head into Winter Break with your families, we want to thank you for your patience, flexibility, and trust in Waldorf education during this time of unique challenges for schools. We are so very grateful for our community and for your dedication to our school. We are committed to doing our very best to ensure that our community members stay healthy in the months ahead.

Our goal in Early Childhood has been to provide a school year experience that is as “near normal” as possible while still maintaining practical and effective strategies for controlling the spread of COVID-19. It is amazing and encouraging to see how well young children have adapted to these changes this fall. And what’s more, it is heartwarming to see their joy at having an opportunity to be with their friends and enjoy playtime together with no screens!

In order for us to provide this opportunity for them we are relying on you. As you enjoy your Winter Break, please make sure that you allow time to quarantine at home for at least the last five days of the holiday, especially if you have or seen friends/family outside your family cohort. We request that all plane travelers either quarantine for 10 days upon return.

We would also like you to know that while our desire is to allow children to play outside without masks, there may be circumstances when this is not possible, for example when there are multiple positive cases in the community or widespread closures in the grades. By donning masks at these times, we hope to be free of them even sooner. A decision has been made to encourage Early Childhood students to wear masks while at school until February break, at which time this decision will be revisited. Our community is made up of a diverse group of people, and we understand that some families may disagree with school decisions in these moments. That said, we ask that both parents and students honor our requests. The longer our students and teachers stay healthy, the longer we can continue in-person learning.

Lastly, we request your help in keeping your child home if any member of the household is unwell. 

Thank you for your continued support of the health of our community. Please speak to your child’s teacher if you have questions. We wish you the happiest of holidays and may your time with your families be blessed.

Warmly,
WSSD Early Childhood Faculty

12/9: Early childhood classes will continue on campus
Early childhood classes will continue on campus

Dear Families,

As you have likely seen by now, a community message went out on Parent Square this evening announcing that Grades 1-12 will be doing distance learning for the next 6 school days until Winter Break begins. We have determined that the Early Childhood Department (Nursery and Kindergarten classes) will continue with in-person learning from now through the 17th. Winter Break begins Dec. 18th and school resumes Jan. 6th (EC) and Jan. 11th (Grades). The Early Childhood classes have taken careful measures to adhere to safety protocols in order to maintain in-person learning; due to the rising cases and to minimize exposure we are going to encourage the children to wear their masks during the school day. This measure will be in place until the Winter Break and we will reevaluate when we return in the new year.

Thank you for your support and for continuing your efforts to help keep our community healthy. We are happy to be able to spend this time with our wonderful students in-person.

Warmly,
Ms. Anna, Ms. Laura, Ms. Sheila, Ms. Christy

11/13: Holiday safety protocols
Holiday safety protocols

Greetings All –

As San Diego sees a raise in COVID cases we want to make sure we are doing our part to keep all of our students safe and in school as long as we possibly can. San Diego moving into the purple tier does not affect our ability to stay open but it does cause us pause with the upcoming holidays. We have taken a conservative approach to all operations and this has not only allowed us to keep our students on campus but has also offered peace of mind for our families. With the holidays approaching we want to honor our families’ traditions. We will continue taking measures to support our school environment by putting in place a policy to address travel and large family gatherings with people outside the immediate family cohort. We have come together as a school to make decisions on how we will operate upon return from all school breaks. Your section chair has outlined how we will proceed following our fall break, winter break, February break and spring break. If you have questions or concerns please direct them to your section chair.

The Early Childhood Department, along with the rest of the campus, will move to distance learning for the three days following Thanksgiving Break. We ask that families use that time to quarantine safely at home before returning to school. We will return after Thanksgiving on Thursday December 3.

We ask that families use the last three days of winter break (January 3-5) to quarantine at home before returning on the 6th as scheduled, so we will not need to go to distance learning after winter break.

We will be moving to distance learning for the three days following February break (February 22, 23, and 24) and the three days following Easter break (April 12, 13, and 14).

We will provide curriculum materials to our EC families for each of those three days through Google Classroom.

Thank you for your care and support of our community. We realize the hardship to families when we are not in school, and so appreciate your understanding.

These are the current CDC guidelines for safe holidays: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html

With our decision to move to distance learning immediately following each school break we ask our families to support us by not extending any travel past the break and honor our request to be home and stay within your family cohort for the designated distance learning time. This will confirm that we are receiving our students only after they have been home safe and sound with limited exposure. We want to thank our families for all of the support so far this year, we could not do what we are doing without your commitment and compliance to our safety protocols.

4/1: Early Childhood Supply Pick-up
Greetings Early Childhood Families –
Our amazing Early Childhood teachers have been working tirelessly since the school closure on plans to deliver the Waldorf curriculum remotely and finding creative ways to support you from afar. Some supplies will be helpful over the course of the school closure and we would like to extend the offer of making these supplies available for families for pick up this week. We have set up a schedule (see attached Schedule) for pick up of supplies from our parking lot, subject to strict protocols that are described here:
  • Each family will be scheduled for a specific time
  • Stay in your vehicle and staff will bring your student’s supplies to your car window
  • Unless absolutely necessary, only one family member may come to the campus during your pick up time
  • We have made our way through each classroom sanitizing the environment the supplies are coming from
Please note that your safety, security, and comfort is of the utmost importance to us and if you are not comfortable coming to the campus to pick up supplies, please reach out to us and we can make alternative arrangements for delivery, or for you to acquire the supplies on your own.
I hope you have been able to stay positive and healthy.
3/28: EC Curriculum Support Plan

Plan for Learning

Each Monday, beginning March 30, teachers will offer activities and lesson materials for the week through Google Classroom for parents to provide for their children. The materials will be presented through written information and sometimes audio recordings and/or videos. All recordings and videos are for parents only. Parents will be guided in setting up an age appropriate rhythm for their child that includes activities such as story, songs, finger games, art, indoor and outdoor games, and cooking activities.

Communicating with Learners

  • Parents may access all materials by signing in to Google Classroom (sign in information will be sent to your email.)
  • Teachers will provide an overview each week that will include a focus on an aspect of Waldorf early childhood pedagogy.
  • Supplemental articles and resources will be offered which may include a reading assignment for the upcoming parent meeting.
  • Each activity will include a description and list of supplies.
  • A gift of materials for some activities will be made available. Supply bag pick up: Thursday, April 2 or Friday, April 3. (details forthcoming)
  • Weekly or bi-weekly Zoom parent meetings will be held by the class teacher. You will receive an invite via email. The first class ZOOM meetings will be:

Nursery Zoom class meetings: Tuesdays 7:00-8:00pm (First meeting April 7)

Kindergarten Zoom class meetings: Thursdays 7:00-8:00pm (First meeting April 9)

Morning Glory Zoom class meetings:

Thursday 8:30 class: Wednesdays 10:00-11:00am (First meeting April 8)

Thursday 10:30 class: Wednesday 1:00-2:00pm (First meeting April 8)

Friday 8:30 class: Fridays 10:00- 11:00am (First meeting April 10)

Friday 10:30 class: Fridays 1:30-2:30pm (First meeting April 10)

Expectations of Children:

  • Children will participate in the daily life of the family supported by the rhythm and activities provided by the class teacher.

Expectations of Parents

  • Parents may review the weekly overview, activities, and articles/resources provided on their own and not give access to their children.
  • Parents are encouraged to continue their efforts to eliminate screen time for their young children to the best of their abilities given the conditions. Young children need the living human connection to be part of their experiences; that breath of life and warmth that one finds only in relationship to another or in nature. Teachers are available to help parents stay strong in this effort and help them find healthy alternatives for those challenging times of day when parents can be tempted to turn to a screen to occupy their child.
  • Parents are encouraged to reach out to their teacher with any questions, concerns,or suggestions. Teachers will respond within 24 hours.

Commitment of Teachers

  • Teachers will respond to emails and Google classroom messages within 24 hours.
  • Teachers can be reached by phone during their Office Hours: Tues. and Thurs. 1-3 or by appointment.
  • Teachers will hold weekly or bi-weekly Zoom class meetings.
  • Individual Parent/Teacher Conferences will be arranged for each family.

Communications

  • Parents can email or call their teacher with any concerns.
  • Parents may also email the EC Chair, Katherine Giglio kgiglio@waldorfsandiego.org
  • Google Classroom has a FAQ section that will be updated periodically by the teacher. Please check this section first as teachers may use this space to answer common questions.
  • At this time, teachers will not be offering zoom or facetime meetings with the children but will be sending children periodic postcards through the mail.

Getting Started

To get started and access your online curriculum links and materials, follow the instructions which will be emailed separately to you regarding how to set up your google classroom account.

3/28: EC Ready, Set, Go!

Good Afternoon Dear Parents,

Hopefully, by now you have all had a chance to read the post Leadership sent yesterday regarding the unfolding of the WSSD Distance Learning Program which begins Monday. I am attaching the EC Chair Message portion of that post as well as a new document entitled  Early Childhood Curriculum Support Plan.  In this document, you will find more details about what the teachers have set up in order to share resources, materials and communications for your class. We are very excited to begin working with you in this way.  We continue to have discussions with Waldorf  Early Childhood schools, programs, and organizations not only in America but also world wide as we consider how best to support your beautiful young children through this seemingly long but truly temporary situation. We will continue to reevaluate the program we offer you and appreciate your feedback. The next couple of weeks are just the beginning!

I would like to remind you to check your emails this Monday, 3/30, to be sure you receive an invite to your  Google classroom. Once you reach the site you will see an overview message from your teacher and perhaps additional posts. At the top of your screen will be  the word Classwork. When you click on that icon , you will go to a page that has a number of topics your teacher has created to organize all they are sharing with you this week. Each week there will be a new overview and new  posts on the classwork page. If you have any technical difficulties , please contact our IT/Tech specialist Helga Conklin.( her contact info is in the attached documents)

It takes a village to raise a child. So, let us join our hearts and minds in service of our community of children.

 Have a lovely weekend, Katherine Giglio, EC Chair

3/27: Message from the Early Childhood Chair

Dear Early Childhood Parents,

The last week our school was open, I was in New Jersey at a conference spending long hours dedicated to the study of Biography and the Social Arts. We spent our time looking at Rudolf Steiner’s theory of the development of the twelve senses. We discussed qualities of each sense including the sense of warmth, touch, movement, and a vital sense of life. We considered how these senses and all the other senses are so important to the child’s development of a positive sense of self and an open, caring sense for the other. It was quite a shock to have spent so much wonderful time focused on human development and social relationships and then come home to an empty campus and social distancing. However, as in all fairytales, wisdom and harmony arise out of the challenges placed before the hero who has a loving heart. We have been given an opportunity to stretch ourselves, to support each other with love and empathy, and to face our fears with the courage of a hero. I am happy to share this journey as a member of our beautiful school community!

I hope you are beginning to settle into a new family rhythm and finding ways to provide physical activity for your growing children. Please know that the Early Childhood faculty and staff are holding each child and family in their hearts and wish you all peace, strength, and vibrant health.

Teachers and administrative staff have been working tirelessly the past two weeks to create something previously unheard of – online Waldorf curriculum for children! It has been both challenging and exhilarating to quickly design a cohesive online program for Early Childhood, Grades, and High School that maintains the intention, integrity, creativity and wisdom that is woven into our school’s Waldorf curriculum. You can imagine the lively conversations regarding the appropriate use of media given the circumstances! And this is where our faculty shines; our talented teachers are dedicated to the wellbeing of the children and will present to you next week the fruits of their collaboration.

Over the weekend, I will send you another letter via Parent Square that gives more details of our Early Childhood Curriculum Support Plan.

Monday, March 30, you will receive our first Early Childhood Distance Learning materials via a Google Classroom which has been set up for each class. Please be sure to check your email inbox for sign in instructions from the school so you can gain access to your Google Classroom.

It is the hope of the Early Childhood faculty that this platform will guide you as your family finds a new daily rhythm. We humbly offer our suggestions to strengthen your efforts to provide your children with a wholesome, balanced, and joyful homeschool experience that reflects how we work with your children at school. Most importantly, we are creating opportunities for parents to stay connected with their teachers and each other. You will receive information from your teacher about your first ZOOM class meeting that will take place the week of April 6-10.

Next Thursday, April 2 or Friday, April 3, there will be an opportunity for parents to pick up a supply bag with materials to support some of the early childhood activities. Your child’s rain gear and clothing left at school will also be bagged and available at that time. Details of your specific pick up day and time will be forthcoming. I know you and your child will welcome this gift from the teacher. I hope that many memorable moments will be shared between you and your child – simple moments as you craft together, engage in purposeful housework together, laugh and cuddle together, read stories in forts you have built together, lie in the grass together, and just be present with each other. Togetherness is the true gift of our challenging times. Treasure it! It passes by so fast but, the impact on your child’s development will last a lifetime.

Remember you have a community to lean on should you need support.

Pedagogical questions:

Class Teachers: Office Hours by phone: Tuesday and Thursday 1-3 or by appointment, email or on Google Classroom

Katherine Giglio, EC Chair: by email kgiglio@waldorfsandiego.org

Clare Knauss, Pedagogical Director: by email cknauss@waldorfsandiego.org

IT/ Tech Support:

Helga Conklin: by email hconklin@waldorfsandiego.org

To offer support/resources to others in need in our community or the school:

Liza Ferraro: by email lferraro@waldorfsandiego.org

Administrative or other concerns:

Rachel Davis, Administrator: By email rdavis@waldorfsandiego.org

Take good care and many blessings to you all,

Katherine Giglio, Early Childhood Chair

Lower and Middle School Communications

11/15: Covid precautions after scheduled school breaks
Covid precautions after scheduled school breaks

As San Diego is seeing a rise in COVID cases, we want to make sure we are doing our part toward the safety of our students while staying in school as long as we possibly can. San Diego moving into the purple tier does not affect our ability to stay open; however, it does cause us pause with the upcoming holidays. 
We have taken a conservative approach to all operations which has not only allowed us to keep our students on campus, it has also offered peace of mind for our families.  In light of honoring our families’ traditions, we will continue taking measures to support our school environment by putting in place a policy to address travel and large family gatherings with people outside the immediate family cohort. 
We have come together as a school to make decisions on how we will operate upon return from all school breaks. Your section chair has outlined how we will proceed following our fall break, winter break, February break and spring break. If you have questions or concerns please direct them to your section chair. 

Grades 1-8 School Break Protocol

For three days following a scheduled break, the grades will teach online. Every grade, and every teacher has a schedule that includes a Main Lesson plus one or two subject classes per day. In an effort to minimize screen time, the day will begin at 8:30 and end by 12:15. Your class teacher will post your student’s schedule for each of the following weeks and days as they approach: Nov 30-Dec 2; Jan 6-8; Feb 22-24; Apr 11-13.
Please contact me with any questions/concerns regarding these plans–lross-witscher@waldorfsandiego.org

Thank you,
Lynne Ross
Grades Chair

Here is the link for the CDC guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html

Grades, High School and EC: With our decision to move to distance learning immediately following each school break, we ask our families to support us by not extending any travel past the break and honor our request to be home and stay with-in your family cohort for the designated distance learning time. This will confirm that we are receiving our students only after they have been home with limited exposure. We want to thank our families for all their support so far this year; we could not do what we are doing without your commitment and compliance to our safety protocols.

3/27: Message from the Grades Chair

Dear WSSD Parents and Students,

Beginning on Monday, March 30, and on Mondays thereafter, daily lesson plans will be provided in Google Classroom for each grade. The lessons will be delivered similar to the regular school schedule with the main lesson first, followed by a subject lesson or two. Additional subject lessons may be added in the weeks following the first week. We will unfold this slowly, in a paced manner, so as not to overwhelm families and students. Again, we will welcome your feedback after moving through the first few weeks and will conduct a survey after allowing ample time to adjust to distance learning.

Lesson plans will provide students between one and three hours of activity and instruction for the students per day according to their grade level. Lessons may include written assignments, activity instruction, and pre-recorded audio or video lessons. All online material is available through Google Classroom. Whenever possible, we will have an online submission of assignments, in particular for the upper grades students. Let us know if this is a challenge.

COMMUNICATING WITH LEARNERS

Parents will access the material by signing in to Google Classroom. Teachers will create a plan to check in with individual students and their families by providing office hours. Every family will be informed by their teacher of their particular check-in system.

EXPECTATIONS OF STUDENTS

  • Students should understand that distance learning is an important part of this year’s school experience.
  • Students should bring their best efforts to this new experience.
  • Students will strive to work independently and ask their parents for assistance when needed.
  • Assignments should be submitted on time as soon as students and parents have learned how to manage this.
  • Students are encouraged to engage with optional activities, some of which may be suggested by teachers if they complete their assigned work for that day.

EXPECTATIONS OF PARENTS 

  • Parents should provide a dedicated place and time for students to work at home. Following the regular school day schedule will be helpful, when possible. 
  • Parents should recognize that they may be required to provide support to help their children remain engaged in learning and access digital material; the need to facilitate this may be greatest in grades 1-5. Parents may also need to assist their children in submitting assigned work.
  • It is not appropriate to complete assigned work for your child; however, ensuring your child understands the learning task, has the required resources, and is located in a productive learning space, is most appropriate.
  • Parents are encouraged to reach out to any teacher via email. It is also possible to schedule a Google Chat, Zoom, or a phone call.
  • If your child is unwell and unable to participate in the daily lessons, please advise your class teacher.

COMMITMENT OF TEACHERS

When possible, class and specialty teachers will work collaboratively to plan and deliver lessons. This collaboration will enhance the quality of the teaching. If necessary, teachers will organize needed supplies for pickup at school by parents. Teachers will offer office hours for which details will be provided separately

COMMUNICATIONS

Please email ahead if you wish to schedule a phone conversation. Teachers will let you know if they are available on Facetime, Google Chat or Zoom. Parents can email their student’s class teacher and/or the Director of Pedagogy, Clare Knauss at cknauss@waldorfsandiego.org to ask questions about the curriculum. For administrative questions contact Administrator, Rachel Davis at Rdavis@waldorfsandiego.org

GETTING STARTED

To get started and access the online curriculum links and materials, please follow the instructions, which will be emailed to you separately this weekend, regarding how to open a Google Classroom account.

Mary Carmichael, Grades Chair

High School Communications

11/27: Important Update
Important update

Dear Colina Staff members,

We learned today that a student in grade 8 has family members who have tested positive for covid. As the eighth grade was on campus for the day a week ago we are notifying all of you. Here are details:

1. The student is asymptomatic and fine.
2. We are keeping the student’s identity confidential (I don’t even know who it is).
3. No one is required to get tested because of this. You are welcome to get tested, but it’s your choice. 16 days will pass between our potential exposure and our return to campus.
4. We are calling all the staff members who were directly exposed to the student.
5. Parents in grades 8-12 are learning this info today via email. Grades 9-12 are hearing that the student is not in their student’s cohort. Grade 8 is learning that the student is in their cohort.
6. There is no change to our teaching/campus plans at this time. We’ll be on zoom next week and intend to return to campus the following week as planned.
7. We are making every effort to communicate to everyone clearly and transparently without breaching the student and their family’s confidentiality. Please contact me or Rachel with any follow up questions on concerns.

I hope you are all having a great break!

 

4/5: Message from Nathan Wilcox and Updated Quick Reference Guide

Dear High School Parents and Students,

On behalf of the high school faculty and WSSD leadership I’d like to extend my deep gratitude to you all for your patience and great working last week. It was such a pleasure to join together in our Zoom sessions and see your students getting back to work during this trying time for us all. I am so proud of our community.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, I’d like to share a few important updates with you all:

*Next week’s Zoom session links will arrive in your inboxes by 5 pm. Please use those links beginning Monday morning to access another successful week. We have added passwords to our Zoom Classes for additional security and privacy. The passwords will be in the weekly Zoom email.

*This week on Monday and Friday we are adding a layer of support for our students. Students will check in on Mondays and Fridays from 9:00-9:07 with their mentors then join Morning Circle at 9:10.   We will be using separate links for the Mentor Check-ins. Coach’s mentees will meet with Mr. Johnson. Also this week we will be taking attendance in Morning Circle.

*As he is needed to support his family, Coach will not be teaching the Athletics class for Grade 12 on Wednesday. 

*We are happy to add two new layers to our offerings beginning this week. Both new options are entirely optional and will not be graded. 

Students in grades 9-12 are encouraged to join Liza Alvarez for Zoom-based art classes Monday and Wednesday 1:30-2:30.  Liza’s classes will focus on art creation at home using the materials at hand. She’s eager to see any students who are eager to make art.  

11th graders will have a second option this week as well; SAT prep classes with Mr. Johnson will be held via Zoom Wednesdays 1:30-2:20.  You’ll see both options in your Zoom links shortly.

*Both Passover and Easter are this week and will be celebrated by many members of our community. Because we have already given the students two weeks off for our “Spring Break” we have decided not to take further days off for the observation of these important holidays.  As is the case in normal times, students whose families choose to take off school time to celebrate religious holidays are more than welcome to do so without academic penalty.  

Please contact your student’s mentor and seminar teacher to notify them in advance if a student is planning to take days off for religious observation so that we can support the student fully and extend their academic deadlines as needed in supportive ways.

You all are awesome!  Call me with your questions or concerns of any kind.

I look forward to seeing our students tomorrow at 9 am!

Cheers,
Nathan Wilcox (He, Him, His)
High School Chair
The Waldorf School of San Diego
619.962.8194

Click Here for the Quick Reference Guide!

 

3/29: Message from N. Wilcox and Quick Reference Guide

Dear High School Students and Parents,

We hope you are all having a safe and restful final weekend before our online experience begins for all high school students tomorrow morning at 9am.

Please see the attached “Student Quick Reference Guide for all things Online Learning”.  In it you will find a schedule for the week ahead and an overview of our offerings.  Please stand by to receive updates to this document in the coming weeks; whenever we enhance our online program we will update this document for use by one and all.

You all will receive email invites throughout the day for new google classrooms associated with our core high school classes.  Please accept invites to those classrooms as they arrive preferably before school starts tomorrow; these portals will serve as tools for the students going forward.  Faculty will instruct students in their use.

Finally, you will receive an email by 5pm today containing Zoom links for all your students classes for the week ahead  Your students will use those links daily for the week; we’ll send new links each Sunday evening for the week ahead.

Thank you so much for your support and patience during this time. And please join me in thanking Sheila Garczynski, Virgina Arnold and Rachel Davis for their incredible leadership and diligence as we make this incredible transition.

As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns.  

I look forward to seeing our students tomorrow at 9am!

Cheers,
Nathan Wilcox (He, Him, His)
High School Chair
The Waldorf School of San Diego
619.962.8194

3/27: Message from the High School Chair

Dear WSSD Parents and Students,

It was wonderful to see nearly all of you in our class meetings earlier this week. As you heard in those sessions, the high school faculty and administrative team have worked together throughout this early Spring break to reimagine our high school’s curriculum and delivery during this time. Our new plan is set to begin this Monday, 3/30/20 at 9am. We are seeking to bravely and effectively face this challenging time in service to our high school students.

You will receive a complete schedule and information sheet entitled “Student Quick Reference Guide” for the high school’s Zoom-based curriculum in a follow-up email this weekend. Please review that document with your student; it outlines exactly what your student’s week will look like while experiencing our online curriculum.

The Links for all Zoom classes will go out once per week through weekly emails. They will also be posted and pinned to the top of parent square. You’ll see the first of those emails this weekend. Use the links in that email Monday through Friday starting next week on 3/30. A week from now you’ll receive a similar email with links for the week of April 6-10.

As you will see in the “Student Quick Reference Guide,” which you will be receiving this weekend, morning circle, seminar and a single track class will be offered daily via Zoom. 

  • For the initial stage of this program we are offering our core academic subjects (Seminar, history, English, Spanish, athletics and math) along with a weekly class meeting for each grade and a weekly student government meeting.
  • Students will also receive a weekly check-in with their mentor.
  • Our school counselor Merav Segall is available to all students and parents.
  • We will roll out additional courses and student supports over time, always with the goal of achieving a healthy balance for our adolescents.

Google classrooms have been set for each of your student’s core classes. You and/or your student will receive email invites to these google classrooms this weekend. Thank you for accepting those invitations when you receive them. Teachers will direct students to these google classrooms beginning next week to retrieve materials and assignments. Here are some best practices we suggests parents and students adopt as best they can during our online curriculum work beginning next week:

  1. You are encouraged to work together as a family to create a consistent set up for your student’s zoom sessions: the best environment for your student will be seated at a desk in a private room with a solid background behind them and a strong internet connection. Avoid personal backgrounds such as bedrooms.
  2. Parents, please stand by to support your student technically if needed, but do not attend our zoom classes. If you’d like to observe a class, please contact Mr. Wilcox in advance, just as you would during regular school sessions. 
  3. Students, don’t worry too much about your grades as we get started in this new way: we simply ask you to do your very best with each class. We will not penalize you if you experience technical challenges at home or challenges of any other kind: we are all in this together!

In summary, the WSSD high school faculty and staff are eager to meet your needs. I love our school and I’m eager to see you all online in the short run and back together again in person as soon as possible.

For more information about the high school’s approach, use the following resources:

For overall inquiries about the high school, contact Nathan Wilcox at 619.962.8194 or nwilcox@waldorfsandiego.org

For technical inquiries about our online plan for next week, contact Virginia Arnold VArnold@waldorfsandiego.org

For overall inquiries about WSSD during this time, contact Rachel Davis at Rdavis@waldofsandiego.org

Nathan Wilcox, High School Chair

3/19: Important Updates from the High School Chair

Dear High School Families,

I encourage you to share this update with your students. The high school faculty and I think of them every day. We miss teaching them so much.

We have been working together all week on a detailed and thoughtful plan for the high school in the weeks ahead.  That plan will go into action at the end of our Spring Break on Monday, March 30.  

Here are a few important updates:

  1. We will hold class meetings for students and parents early next week via Zoom.  Rachel, Merav and I will join with your class sponsor to lead those meetings.  We will speak directly with your students to begin, then turn to parent concerns and questions.
  2. Here is the schedule for those class meetings: 9th Grade Parents and Students will meet on Monday 3/23 at 9am.  10th Grade Parents and Students will meet on Monday 3/23 at 11am.  11th Grade Parents and Students will meet on Tuesday 3/24 at 9am.   12th Grade Parents and Students will meet on Tuesday 3/24 at 11am.  Please join us!  We will send you a link to each of these meetings through email in advance.  
  3. In those class meetings we will share many of the details about our plans for the high school during this difficult time.  We’ll talk about the daily and weekly class schedules, all to be delivered remotely, that we are planning for students and the platforms we’ll be asking students to use in place of in-person teaching.  These platforms will include Google Classroom and Zoom, as well as Parent Square/email. 
  4. I encourage you to download and register for Zoom on your home computer, tablet or smartphone in the coming days, before the class meetings.  Doing so will allow you to participate in our class meetings and prep you and your student for some of the work ahead.  Information on how to set up a Zoom account will be sent out with the class meeting links.
  5. I want to stress our strong commitment to meeting your students’ needs.  We are living through a dramatic and challenging moment in human history.  Your students need and deserve so much at this moment.  We commit to meeting their needs in the weeks ahead.  Specifically, we’ll strive to offer balance to your students. We don’t want them on the computer all day and we don’t want them missing out on the learning they need either. They deserve the very best, and I’m very optimistic.  We’ll give you lots more specifics via the Zoom meetings on Monday and Tuesday, and we’ll follow those meetings up with more information in writing for you throughout next week. We’re all in this together!  
  6. I want to be sure you all know that we are available to you and your students right now.  Although we are officially “on Spring Break” please do not hesitate to reach out with your questions, concerns and needs.  Your student can call their sponsor, their mentor, our school counselor Merav, or me, at any time and so can you.  We are so eager to support you!  
  7. Your students came home with some assigned homework last week.  At this time we encourage students to go ahead and work on any already assigned projects and assignments.  But none of that work is due during these 2 weeks off.  They’ll learn about how to submit that work our first week back together.
  8. Your students also came home with some materials that were not yet attached to assignments.  For example, the ninth graders have their copy of The Grapes of Wrath and tenth graders came home with their copy of Pride and Prejudice.  Students should not work ahead with any new, as-yet-unused materials like this: they should await assignments with those materials once we are up and running on March 30.  
  9. To reiterate: students (and parents!) with any questions or concerns about anything are more than welcome to reach out to their teachers directly via phone whenever they wish. We are available and eager to help. All our phone numbers are available via the high school handbook or the WSSD directory, listed in the parent section of Bigsis.  If you need to get in touch with any member of our team and are unable to do so, call me.

 

Thank you everyone.  I am so proud of our community during this difficult time.  Thank you for standing with me in support of our students and our school.


Sincerely,
Nathan Wilcox
(He, Him, His)
High School Chair
Waldorf School of San Diego
619.962.8194

What lies beneath us and what lies before us are tiny matters to what lies within us.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

COVID-19 FAQ
What is Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others that circulate among humans and animals. On February 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced COVID-19 as the official name of the disease responsible for causing the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak. The breakdown of this new name COVID-19 is “CO” for corona, “VI” for virus, “D” for disease, and “-19” for 2019.  

How serious is COVID-19 to the public?

Any outbreak of a novel virus is always a public health concern. The risk to individuals, however, depends on the characteristics of the virus, including how easily it spreads between people, the severity of illness that it causes, and the medical measures available to control the virus and its impact (such as vaccines or medications) and how effective these measures are. This virus is spreading quickly and has caused illness that has resulted in death in a small percentage of those who develop symptoms. As community spreading occurs in more and more countries, the potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 continues to grow both globally and in the United States. In fact, on March 11, 2020, the WHO characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic.

What are the symptoms?

Patients infected with the COVID-19 virus have reported mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms that include:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Difficulty Breathing
Hows does it spread?

Person-to-person spread is now the main way the COVID-19 virus is spreading, meaning through close contact (within 6 feet/2 meters) with someone who is infected with the virus. The COVID-19 virus is thought to spread through respiratory droplets produced when a person infected with the virus coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in mouth or noses of people nearby and possibly be inhaled into the lungs. These droplets can also land on surfaces that people touch; if people aren’t washing their hands and frequently touched objects often, they can spread the virus when they touch their face (mouth, nose, or eyes) after touching these surfaces. It’s important to note that person-to-person spread can happen on a continuum.

How can I prevent the spread of COVID-19?

There is currently no vaccine available to protect against COVID-19. The best way to prevent getting sick, is to avoid being exposed to the virus. Here are a few proactive steps everyone can take to help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses, including the COVID-19 virus, and protect yourself and others:

  • 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 that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. 2019 Novel Coronavirus
  • Practice social distancing if COVID-19 is spreading in your community, especially if you are at high risk for health complications if exposed.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, or your elbow, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Wear a facemask if you are sick to prevent the virus from spreading
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces often.