Hello NHS families. Like many of you, I was pleased to hear that we will have enough shots by the end of May to vaccinate all adults in the U.S. I am also heartened to hear the current plans to get vaccinations to all teachers and school staff by the end of March. While they are still testing the vaccines for safe use on children, I am hopeful that will not be far behind.
Every family should have received the NHS Hybrid Reopening survey on Monday. Marla and her team have worked hard to develop a partial reopening plan that would meet state and federal requirements. About half of our families have responded already, and we look forward to hearing from the rest of you about your experiences over the past school year and expectations moving forward.
Truth be told, COVID still scares me to death. In some of the work I have done with nursing homes, the impact of COVID has been staggering on both the residents and staff. I wouldn’t want to see any of our children, faculty/staff, or families have to endure the pain and tragedy we have seen in those facilities over the past year.
Also, if Marla decides to move to an approved hybrid model, there will be additional challenges. Splitting the students half-and-half into one-week-on-campus one-week-remote schedules will create a number of logistical challenges for teachers, students, and families. In addition to safety considerations, please consider carefully how your family will handle transportation, schoolwork, and the inevitable emotional disruption and stress on your child.
I know my child is looking forward to seeing his friends in person. After all, the social and emotional learning and growth is one of the main reasons we all came to NHS. We may not see that fully until we can make it back to one hundred percent live instruction. Until then, we appreciate your thoughtful input and feedback on the hybrid learning survey.
As always, thanks to all of you for supporting your kids. I wish you all the best as we move forward, and please continue to stay safe and healthy!
Respectfully,
Mark Sullivan
2020-2021 NHS Board President and NHS Parent