Upper School Parent Coffee

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Virtual Zoom Meeting

Welcome, Sally Keidel, Head of School

Sally, as well as Covid Response Team, are looking at local data and numbers daily to ensure faculty, staff, and student safety

Member of Covid response team that sole responsibility is to watch the data and numbers daily

Watching Test Positivity and Population-adjusted Case Rate/Case Counts daily

We know our space best, and how these numbers affect how we can use our space to safely spread out also comes into account

Watching the case count per 100,000

Looking at zip codes by counties that we draw from – where our employees and students are coming from.  

Taking guidance of our medical expert, who met with faculty and staff this week to answer their questions as well.

Covid Testing – this topic is not off the table.  We are aware that some schools have administered testing, and other larger schools have not.  We are continuing to discuss this with our medical expert about how we should approach this, we will share any decisions.  

We have done extensive amounts of work to prepare safe spaces for the students and faculty.  Proud of our team who creatively planned to make this the best year that we can for our girls.  

Camille Seals, Assistant Head of School for Academic & Inclusive Excellence and Interim Director of Upper School

Theme for the year is Community.  

Digging down into our Core Values of Excellence, Community, Character, and Respect to help us navigate the year.  

New Upper School Faculty:

Lindsey Permar – English

Dr. Colbert Root – English

Jasmine Griffen – English

Paolo Morales – Photography

Allyson Henkel – Modern Languages (Long-term sub)

Amy Anderson – Math

Joseph Hurford – Math

Will Harasta – History

Maureen Murray – History

Fabio Pechin – Squash

Shelby Coy - Trainer

Covid Overview

Classrooms and multiple other spaces have been converted into a safe classroom spaces, such as the Alumni lobby, and dance studio.  

 

All classrooms have a desk top plexi barrier for each student to utilize for mask removal, either during snack/lunch, or for brief mask breaks.  

All bathrooms have been changed into single use bathrooms.  Only one person to use that bathroom at a time, there are locks on doors, and flip signs on the outside of the door to show if the bathroom is vacant or not.  This sign will be easily visible from classrooms, so that people will not have to walk down the hallway only to discover that the bathroom is in use.  

Water fountains have a cap on the drinking spout and are available to use to fill a water bottle only.  

Hallways have been divided and marked in lanes for safe – one-way travel.

 

Learning in the time of Covid

• Teaching the girls to be ready for anything

  • Preparation

  • Practicing resiliency

  • Empathy for each other

  • Mastering both modes of learning – on campus and remote

• Takeaways

  • Girls need reminders and good modeling

    • Home impacts school behaviors, attitudes, and anxieties

  • More synchronous time = more exhausted girls

    • Online school feels different, we want to make sure we are practicing what is best for the girls.  One way is making sure they have time to relax away from screens.

  • Flexibility is critical

  • Empathy is essential

    • Important to honor that the way my family is experiencing the pandemic is different than another family’s.  We are a diverse community with everyone being affected in a myriad of ways.  We are navigating this together, and empathy will bring success.  

Collective Responsibility

• Honoring our agreement

• Positive Peer Pressure

  • Personal choices

  • Shared responsibility among the community

  • Decisions made for the collective well being

• Understanding the consequences

Meg Scott, Director of College Counseling

Updates on College Counseling and Brief Overview

• A lot has changed in the past six months.  The classes of 2021-2024 even will feel the effects of the college admissions shift. 

• 9th Grade – Same programming as previous years

  • Personal assessments through the year

  • Pathway to College in the spring with Sarah Leonard (Dean of Students)

  • Girls should stretch themselves as they try new things in the high school experience.

• 10th Grade

  • The 10th grade college night for parents will be this March

  • PSAT for 10th and 11th will be on October 14th, at 8:30am.  

    • Both grades will receive information on that soon.  

    • They will take the PSAT in their grade cohorts, with faculty proctors

    • Emphasized for the 10th graders that this is a practice SAT, the scores don’t count for anything.  This is more about the exposure to the process of standardized testing for them.  Which has shifted in the past 6 months. 

    • The outcomes and expectations of standardized testing may shift with colleges going forward, but we will be educated and prepared for those shifts.  

  • In the spring the 10th graders will find out who their college counselor is.

• 11th Grade

  • PSAT is coming up on October 14th, at 8:30am.  

  • AIS will be offering Mock ACT opportunities.  

    • 1,500 Universities nationwide have gone test optional in the past 6 months, which send a mixed message regarding testing.  

    • We want the girls to still practice and register for these so that they are prepared for tests that a University may want.

  • AIS partners with other private schools in the area to host various college talks and events that AIS parents can attend.  Keep your eye out for more information on that. 

  • Junior Parent Night for parents to ask their questions is coming up on November 11.  More information coming on that as well.  

  • This spring there will be an application workshop for the Juniors. 

• 12th Grade – We are ready and prepared! 

  • The girls meet with us every week, for a 60-minute Wellness class that are application workshops.  

  • College representative visits for Seniors begin next week.  

    • These will take place during the lunch hour, so that the girls do not miss class time.  

  • 2020 TWIST – This is the name for this year’s case study night.  Instead of one college representative, we have 9 college representatives joining us.  There will be a mock admissions committee experience, so the girls can see how it works, and how to work on their presentation skills.  

  • Next week there will be an opportunity for parents to meet with the college admissions team and ask questions and have an in-depth conversation about the process.  A detailed email was sent last week about it.  

  • We are seeing your girls every day, as well as working with admissions colleagues on the college side.  The best way to reach us quickly is to reach out to Amanda Benincasa at abenincasa@agnesirwin.org

Sarah Leonard, Dean of Students

First week was full of catching up on traditions

• Juniors received their rings, which usually happens spring of Sophomore year

• Seniors received their blazers

• Retreats happened at school

Overview of happenings

• Bridge program that happened during August at 672

• Signs for upper school lawns, well received – over 50 parents helped to distribute the signs.

Year to look forward to

• School is working on fun, safe activities to keep the girls having fun – which is a big part of the school experience, the memories made with out of class activities

  • Perhaps an outdoor movie night, yoga, or using Zoom to our advantage and have lunch with alumnae or other all girls schools across the country

Student Handbook

• Every year the handbook is revised and updated in the summer by Sarah Leonard and Camille Seals

  • This year we responded to the clear call from the community to have transparency on our discipline process

    • Based on a model to support the girls, with clear expectations for the girls to help them move through it

• Every year we ask the parents and students to read the handbook, and sign that you have read it.  An email will be coming soon for you and your daughter to electronically sign after you have read the handbook.  

  • It is important that you read the handbook to be up to date with all the changes and updates.

School day, 2020-2021

• Office hours are 8:00-8:30

  • Teachers have meetingbird links for the girls to use to sign up for a meeting

• Hard start to the day is 8:30 with the first period.  

• What we are seeing with how other school arrivals are happening with Covid precautions in place, is that your daughter will need some extra time to enter the building.  Please aim to arrive on campus at 8:15-8:20 to get them to their first class on time.  

  • 12th grade will arrive through the Arts & Science door

  • 11th grade will arrive through the Alumnae Lobby, which is usually closed but will be open

  • 10th grade will arrive through the Sands wing

  • 9th grade will arrive through the Lennox Lobby

  • Anyone arriving after 8:45 must enter through the Lennox Lobby

  • These were chosen by their proximity to their classrooms

• It is very important that parents are in touch with USAttendance@agnesirwin.org with any late arrivals or early pickups.  

John Gomes, US Math teacher, Coordinator and Interim Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Friday Forums and Civil Discourse

• This is our third year of Friday Forums and Civil Discourse.  Bringing students together on Fridays around lunchtime to discuss tough topics.  It is done in conjunction with what we are putting in our guidelines for civil discourse.  

  • We want the students to feel safe at school, and comfortable enough to speak their mind, and have the skills to have a dialogue around it

  • Engage meaningfully and respectfully in dialogue

Curriculum

• Working to make sure we provide windows and mirrors for our students.  For them to see themselves and learn more about other people.

  • US History, Math, and English courses are working to connect their curriculum with DEI topics

Community In Action Day

• We want this day to feel like a culmination of the year and what is happening in classes, rather than a standalone day

  • Special events and special speakers

Lauren Wray, Assistant Athletic Director

Athletics are going to look different this year

• We recognize how important athletics is to so many students, as well as for their physical and mental wellbeing.  All the screen time makes movement that much more important

Decision was made in late August by the Interac league to suspend inter-scholastic athletics until January 2021.

• No outside competitions with outside schools

• Interac has allowed each school to create their own programming for the fall

  • We have created an in-house athletics training program, begins 9/21 and runs to 11/20.  

  • Practices have been designed to be in accordance with the school’s guidelines – cohorted and socially distance.  

  • Girls have received a sign-up genius for practices

    • Must be on campus to participate

    • Virtual learners will have a virtual training program until they are back on campus

AIS Athletics website is the most up to date with all the information you may need for schedules and updates.  Any cancellations will be posted their first.  

Required forms

• Current physical exam must be on file for all student athletes.  

  • Flexibility on timing this year because of covid

• Concussion and cardiac arrest presentation on AIS-On is required for parents and students

We are in the process of developing and adding to our Upper School student handbook with procedures that we are using for modified practices, hopefully out later this week.

• There is a digital signature acknowledgement form that must be signed after reading it.  

Julie Diana, Director of Libraries and Humanities Innovation

Remote Learning, and AIS-On – we have had discussions with the girls about what they need for success:

• Before class, take care of your needs, ie. finish eating, getting a drink, and arrive early

• Turn off all other devices to avoid distractions

• If possible, find a comfortable dedicated space to be when you are on

• During class, use headphones, and keep your device on a solid surface.  

• Place your name on the call, and in breakout rooms, be present and engaged.  

Google classroom is the class management system we are using. 

• Weekly class plans will be posted on Sundays by 5pm.  

• Parents have access to summaries of their daughter’s work.  It shows what is due and what might be missing.  If you are not signed up for receiving these summaries, and you would like them, email jdiana@agnesirwin.org for help signing up.  

We are asking the girls to use their google calendar, and to use the meetingbird link to make appointments with their teachers.  

Kim Polonsky, Upper School Counselor

Here as a member of your daughter’s education team.  Here to help your daughters, the teachers, and parents to overcome any barriers to access academic curriculum. 

Meets with the girls individually, and new this year will e meeting with them in groups.  

• Will be creating groups for girls to come together with peers about common problems they may be facing

• Emailing the girls soon for topic suggestions

Available to parents as well, to help parents support their daughters in this pandemic.

Additional roles:

• Concussion coordinator

• 9th grade advisor

Nissa O’Mara, President, Parents’ Council

Welcome to Parents’ Council, if you are a parent at the school, you are automatically a part of Parents’ Council

Parents’ Council also has an 11-member Executive Committee

• This committee oversees the class parents, and organizes Parents’ Council meetings 

Parents’ Council meetings typically happen on the second Thursday of the month.  

• Full schedule is listed under the Parents’ Council tab on AIS-On.

We host several events throughout the year, both fundraisers and community builders

• This year events will look different.  If you have any fun virtual events that you have participated in, please pass the idea along.  

We welcome anyone that would like to get involved.  Nominations occur every spring, and we are looking for volunteers for events and class parents.  

Please follow us on social media: 

  *   Instagram: @AISParentsCouncil (https://www.instagram.com/aisparentscouncil/)

  *   Facebook: Agnes Irwin Parents' Council https://www.facebook.com/AgnesIrwinParentsCouncil/