From Head of School Dear TKA Community,
I hope this email finds you all doing well and ready for the Thanksgiving Break. As you prepare for meeting with family and enjoying a big Thanksgiving meal, our county health officials have provided us with helpful reminders about keeping each other safe.
We know that many families and some staff members will be traveling this Thanksgiving, and one of the county's recommendations is to quarantine for 14 days. Realistically, we cannot ask everyone to stay home, nor can we prevent travel. To keep everyone safe, we have decided the week of November 30-December 4 will be distance learning for ALL cohorts, following the current rotating schedule. We are hopeful that no one comes down with COVID-19 over the holidays, and this extra week of distance learning for all will give everyone an added measure of safety.
The following week, the Blue Cohort will return to campus on Monday and Tuesday, December 7-8, while the Gold Cohort will return to school on Wednesday and Thursday, December 9-10. Monday through Thursday will be A-G days; December 11 will remain Flexible Friday.
I also wanted to share a few of the results from the recent parent survey. Question 2 (below) asked whether or not parents would support testing students for COVID-19. With the county moving back to the purple tier, the Santa Clara Office of Education and the Santa Clara County Public Health Department highly recommend that schools test their staff and their students monthly. We will be testing our staff this week, and we are considering it for our students in the future. The survey results show that close to 70% of parents would support testing of students before returning to school. A decision has not been made yet, but it is something to consider as cases are on the rise. Until we have a vaccine that will protect those who are high risk, including some of the staff and those at home, testing could be one tool in our arsenal of defense.
Question 3 (below) asked how parents would rate their student's experience in the hybrid setting. The good news is 94% were either highly satisfied, satisfied, or neutral. Given the increasing numbers of COVID-19 in the Bay Area, it appears we could be in a hybrid or distance learning format for many months. This is why your feedback is so important to us as we seek to make improvements in the delivery of your child's education. We will continue to seek your input as we strive to achieve 100% satisfaction.
Lastly, I want to encourage everyone to follow the state and county guidelines for safety over the holidays. I hear that some of our families are hosting get-togethers with multiple households or that our students are meeting with their friends for group activities. I understand that many are buckling under the pandemic fatigue. However, now more than ever, it is essential that we follow the guidelines and keep everyone safe from coronavirus. II Timothy 1:7 says, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Now is the time to follow the science behind the transmission of the virus, not to be afraid, but to let it guide us into safety so that we can all return to a normal, pre-pandemic school year.
Please continue to pray for our state, our nation, and a quick return to normalcy.
In Him,
Head of School The King's Academy is a Christ-centered school that inspires academic excellence,
The King's Academy 562 N. Britton Avenue • Sunnyvale, CA • 94085-3841 408.481.9900 www.tka.org |