March 13, 2020

Dear Village School Families,

Based on the evolving concerns around COVID-19, the Village School is taking new measures that are in-line with the other area schools. One of the ways we can stem the spread of COVID-19 and help protect our community is by limiting our interaction with others and not congregating in large numbers. Starting on Monday, March 16, 2020, we will limit access to the school building to students and school personnel only. This means that we are asking all family members, community members and volunteers, and the general public not to enter the school.

NEW PROCEDURES FOR ARRIVAL, DISMISSAL, APPOINTMENTS

Arrival:

Parents and guardians dropping off students in the morning will now need to do so outside of the school building. Extra staff members will be in the lobby to greet our Pre-K through First Grade students and assist them to their classes. Before Care, Morning Gym, and Breakfast will continue as normal.

If your student is tardy, please ring the door bell, and your student will be greeted and signed in at the door.

Dismissal:

In the afternoon, staff members will be dismissing students in Pre-K through First Grade from the basketball court. When there is inclement weather, dismissal will happen from the lobby.

Students in Grades 2-6 will be dismissed as usual and will be asked to go directly outside for pick-up. After Care will continue to be available, and Rachel Maher, the Student & Employee Relations Coordinator, will send out an email to families who use Before and After Care about some changes in the drop-off/pick-up procedures.

Appointments:

If you need to pick-up your student early for an appointment, please notify the school office in advance and ring the doorbell upon arrival. Your student will be signed out from the front door.

ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT CHANGES

• All field trips and school-wide events will be cancelled until further notification
• The use of school facilities by community organizations will be suspended until further notification
• We strongly discourage students and families from congregating on the playground after school

During this time, we urge you to follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines around best practices for hygiene and social distancing when on school grounds and out in the community. Additional recommended resources are on our school website at https://vsnb.org/covid-19/. Should a school closure become necessary, we are putting into place procedures and plans for distance learning and to meet the varying needs of our students and families. More changes may be necessary, and we will communicate these as quickly as possible through emails and text messages. I thank you in advance for your cooperation, flexibility, and patience during this unprecedented time.

Warm Regards,

Tim Newbold

Head of School

Mission

Children are at the heart of all we do. We nurture a child's curiosity, ignite enthusiasm for exploring, develop tools for inquiry, for invention, for achievement. We welcome families into a community-wide collaboration to help our children grow into their best selves - responsible citizens and stewards of the greater world, makers of the future.