Dear Gregory School Families-

It is exciting to have students attending classes on campus again! During this week’s staggered return, the faculty, staff, and I were impressed with students’ adherence to safety protocols, and we are grateful to families who have contacted us about following travel, quarantine, and other guidelines. I so appreciate our Gregory School community and our willingness to help keep one another healthy.

As we move forward, our teachers have discussed the importance of students consistently attending classes in the format to which they have committed (either remote or in person). The primary reason for this is that teachers are planning activities based on expected in-person/remote attendance. For example, a teacher creating a lesson for nine in-person and three remote learners will determine many things in advance:

• How can I arrange the classroom for social distancing?
• Should I plan to have the entire in-person class, or a small group of students, meet outside the room?
• How should I arrange my teaching space so that both the in-person and remote students can best participate?
• How can I create working groups with one remote student in each?

Now, if five of the in-person students decide to learn remotely that day, imagine what happens to the lesson! Deciding to learn remotely for a day affects the quality of the educational experience for all students. For this reason, it is crucial that students who selected in-person learning adhere to the following expectations:

 In-Person Expectations:

• Attend classes on campus each Day 1 and Day 2 as scheduled. If a student is sick, in quarantine, or has an appointment, a parent or guardian should email attendance@gregoryschool.org or call the main office as soon as reasonably possible.
• Take all quizzes and tests in class. Students who will miss a test or quiz should communicate directly with the teacher in advance of the testing date regarding make-up testing.
• Attend tutorial and advisory in person and on time.

If you have questions about the above, or at some point are thinking that adhering to these expectations is not appropriate for your student, please contact us to discuss the options.

Remote learners should continue to follow the remote learning expectations found on our COVID Response Plan page.

 I am grateful to our teachers, students, and families for working together toward a fantastic fourth quarter, and I look forward to seeing all students who chose in-person learning on campus on Monday!

Best wishes for a restful weekend,

Julie A. Sherrill, Ph.D.
Head of School