Coronavirus Information

 Aidan Montessori School has been actively working on our distance learning plans given the suspension of in-person education. Distance learning will begin on Monday, March 30 and the plans for each classroom will be available beginning the evening of Sunday, March 29. 

Learn more: https://www.aidanschool.org/learning/distance-learning-at-aidan

March 20, 2020

Dear Aidan Community,

We have continued to monitor the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation to make the best decisions we can for our community. In the wake of the District of Columbia Public Schools’ announcement that DCPS will remain closed until Monday, April 27, I am writing to let you know that Aidan Montessori School will do the same. We take these actions with the health and well-being of all our community members in mind, and we also recognize our collective responsibility to help flatten the curve.

Aidan’s distance learning program will start as planned on Monday, March 30. While this is not the outcome we were all hoping for, it is what we have been preparing for over the past month. The teachers and administration have been working diligently to put together a substantial learning experience, delivered by distance, that is congruent with a Montessori education. We are excited about the solutions we’ve created to meet this new challenge and can’t wait to share them with you! On Wednesday, March 25, you will receive information about our distance learning program from either Jimi Purse (if your child is in Elementary) or Denise Merkel (if your child is in Toddler or Primary).

We recognize the burden created by distance learning may be felt by our community members in varying ways. If your family faces any technical challenges to being engaged in distance learning such as a device to participate in a video call or reliable broadband access, please email me: k.clark@aidanschool.org. Aidan is in an excellent position to provide support to any of our families facing these challenges. Our goal is for our distance learning to be inclusive of our community.

We encourage you to continue to take advantage of the present extended Spring Break to the best of your abilities. This should be an opportunity for children to pause from focusing on academics and to spend time together with their families. Because of these most unusual of times it is even more important to nurture normalcy, stability, support, and togetherness.

We acknowledge that many of you are grappling with your own uncertainty at work, and balancing work and having your children at home. Please reach out to each other. Arrange virtual playdates. Visit Aidan's Facebook page and the unofficial Aidan Montessori Parent group to share what your family has been up to and to find new resources as we all navigate this uncertain time. We must continue to support each other and be the community of which we are proud.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our school and community. Please let us know how we may do the same for you and your family.

Stay healthy. Stay safe.

Kevin

Head of School

Dear Aidan Families,

It's hard to believe it's only been a few days of this "new normal" that we are all currently experiencing. Just when so many of you were starting to get the hang of your own family routines, it feels as though everything has been turned upside down and we don't know which way is up.

As we are all trying so hard to not only make sense of what is happening and keep our sanity intact, it's absolutely crucial to utilize our support systems. We are all in this together and as a school community we can help keep each other to feel connected and supported.

As your school counselor, my main role is to provide social and emotional support to both students and families. Please know that I am available to you via cell phone, email, and video chat through google hangouts. Let your (Elementary) child know that if they would like to talk to me, that I am here!

After Spring Break, I will be available between 9 AM to 4 PM, Monday through Thursday. Send me an email to set up an appointment and I look forward to helping you and your families in any way that I can. 

Here are also a few resources that may be helpful:

• Stop a Worry Becoming Catastrophic: How to Talk to Your Kids about the Coronavirus
• Four Ways to Help Prevent Loneliness While You're Social Distancing
• Free Guided Meditation
• For a little zen, a live stream of the National Aquarium in Baltimore

Here's to good health, both physically and mentally.

Jessica Kwerel

School Counselor

Dear Aidan Community,

I wanted to write to all of you today, the first day of our “extended spring break.” Last week seemed a bit hectic, with everyone waiting to hear what their employers, schools, and other institutions would do in regard to the coronavirus. Now, many of those decisions have been made and, on this Monday, many realities are setting in.

While you’ve already received this information, I thought it might be good to repeat. Aidan Montessori School is closed from March 16th to March 27th. This is an extended Spring Break. While we would have normally been closed the week of March 23rd to March 27th, we have added the present week, March 16th to March 20th, creating a two-week Spring Break.

The present week would have seen three school days and two days of Parent/Teacher Conferences. The conferences will still take place, but not in person. The conference schedule is being finalized. Then, it will be sent to the teachers who will call you at your phone number during your scheduled time. Should you want your teacher to call you at a different number, please email your teacher with that information.

Behind the scenes this week, Mr. Purse is working with the Elementary teachers and Specials teachers. Ms. Merkel is working with the Primary and Toddler teachers. These groups were able to rough out a distance learning program over the past three weeks, and they are spending this week tightening and bolstering that plan as well as testing delivery systems. This curriculum will not be delivered to families this week or next. Rather, this curriculum will be delivered should the school be required to close beyond this two-week period.

The administration also continues to work together behind the scenes. We are having daily video-conferences and ensuring our abilities to meet the requirements of our work. To that end, you should still receive responses to emails and phone call should you need any of us.

For those of you who are hankering for academics, there is a great, free site sponsored by Scholastic. This is not Aidan’s curriculum, but if you’re searching for academic undertakings for your child(ren), this might be a good resource. For resources on how to talk about the coronavirus with your children, please see Aidan’s coronavirus landing page. Also on that page is our most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and the School’s plan for these very unique times. We will be updating that page as necessary and ask that parents see that page should they have any questions.

These are unique times. They are reminiscent of other times, but different, for sure. Please, reach out to each other. The children need to stay connected, as do the parents. Please, pick up the phone. Text or call a friend. Go to social media. Have virtual play dates. We all have much time on our hands now, and that’s a great opportunity.

We will be in touch. Stay healthy. Practice patience. Grow.

Sincerely,

Kevin

Dear Aidan Community,

The administration at Aidan Montessori School has been monitoring the evolving situation with COVID-19 and working to make the best decisions we can for our school community. The administration, in consultation with the Board of Trustees, has decided that spring break will begin earlier and last for a full two weeks. Aidan Montessori School will be on spring break for two weeks – from March 16th to 27th, inclusive.

We recognize that this decision may create an increased burden on families and will be felt by our community members in varying ways. However, we believe this is the best choice for the overall safety and well-being of our community.

To be clear, Aidan is not aware of any cases of COVID-19 within our community. However, health experts expect the number of cases in the DMV will continue to rise and state that adopting social distancing approaches can support slowing the spread of the virus. We are doing our part to help “flatten the curve.” Please remember in these uncertain times that misinformation about coronavirus can create fear and hostility that hurts people and makes it harder to keep everyone healthy.

Here are a few important details:

• School will continue through the end of today, March 13th. Dismissal will be at the usual time, and all after-school activities will proceed as planned.
• Parent/Teacher conferences scheduled for March 18th and 19th will happen as scheduled but will be at a distance rather than in person. Your teacher will call you at the time that you are scheduled to meet on the phone number listed as your main contact. Please email your teacher if you would prefer to be called on a different line.
• On Wednesday, March 25th, the School will reassess the COVID-19 situation as it pertains to school communities and make the decision to either continue in-person classes as of Monday, March 30, or to move our learning to distance education, the overview of which we have communicated out and is available on this landing page.

Now, more so than usual, we need to be as protective of our children and the larger community as possible. Ours is a unique community. While the school works to continue to keep strong bonds between teachers, children and parents, we encourage parents to keep and strengthen bonds between themselves. Reach out to each other. Talk with each other. Arrange virtual playdates. Not only must we keep things as calm and orderly as possible for our children, we must also continue to support each other and be the community that we are so proud of.

Stay healthy, safe, prepared and optimistic.

Best regards,

Kevin

March 11, 2020

Dear Families,

As you are likely aware, schools and colleges across the USA are suspending classes and events as a result of COVID 19. Some are closing temporarily for a day or two and opting for a “close and clean,” a  deep cleaning designed to disinfect the classroom environments and the building. Others are moving learning online and suspending in-person meetings, classes, and events.

Aidan Montessori School has been actively working on our plans should the school need to suspend in-person education. The purpose of this writing is to let you know what you, as parents, may expect should the School move to distance education.

Montessori education, more than most approaches to education, heavily depends on the learning environment and the Montessori materials in the classroom. Therefore, the education that our teachers stand ready to deliver online seeks to be in congruence with Montessori principles while recognizing the challenges this presents in the home environment. The teachers have been working to identify activities in which the children can engage should they be confined to their homes for short- or long-term periods. On a day-to-day basis, all students in our school will receive learning activities in which they may engage. 

This what you may expect from Aidan’s distance learning, depending on the level at which your child is enrolled:

At the Elementary Level

• Lead Classroom Teachers will send out learning packets via email on a daily basis. Families should receive these packets and discuss the activities that children can engage in while at home.
• Teachers will be available every day for “office hours” so that children and parents may check in with them regarding the learning activities. 
• Throughout any given week, Specials Teachers (foreign language, art, physical education, etc.) will also send out activities for children to engage in while at home, given limited resources.

At the Primary Level

• Each day you will receive a list of activities corresponding to the different areas of the Montessori curriculum. Engage your child based on their age, developmental stage and skills and interests.
• In keeping with the Montessori philosophy of minimizing screen time for children, they are not expected to (nor should they) interact with teachers directly online. Rather, you will be the recipient of the curriculum and facilitate it as you see fit and are able.
• Teachers will be available every day for “office hours” so that you may check in with them regarding any concerns you might have.

At the Toddler Level

• Each day you will receive a list of activities corresponding to the different areas of the Montessori curriculum. Engage your children based on their age, developmental stage and skills and interests.
• In keeping with the Montessori philosophy of minimizing screen time for children, they are not expected to interact with teachers directly online. Rather, you will be the recipient of the curriculum and facilitate it as you see fit and are able.
• Teachers will be available every day for “office hours” so that you may check in with them regarding any concerns you might have.

The School recognizes that not all families may access Aidan’s distance learning curriculum due to their personal situations, but Aidan Montessori School will continue to operate as a community and regularly provide education opportunities to all of our children. We will also continue to offer ongoing support to families and update our Coronavirus Information Page as updates arise. 

We thank you in advance for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Kevin Clark

Updated: March 11, 2020

Dear Aidan Community,

The health and safety of the children at our school are always our top priority.

Aidan Montessori School cannot serve as a definitive source of information about health issues, but this link to the World Health Organization provides the most up-to-date information about the current outbreak. As you can imagine, schools, school personnel, and professional school organizations are talking about this virus quite a bit.

Prevention steps for coronavirus include the steps for flu prevention: as always, clean hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available. Cover nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue or flexed elbow. Avoid contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms. Our teachers will continue to have the children do these things at school. Please reinforce these practices at home.

On a family level, we ask that families continue to follow the School’s procedures – and to be even more conscientious – around sickness. Everyone is reminded that children should be symptom free for 24 hours (without medicine) before returning to school. The 24-hour period is a minimum. Please, if it is within your ability, err on the side of keeping your child home longer. The coronavirus’ worst results are found with the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions. Teachers will now be double-checking children’s temperatures upon their return to school after sickness.

On an institutional level, our teachers and staff are continuing to do the things listed in the preceding paragraph. Our cleaners are being extra vigilant. And, the administration is keeping tabs on developments with the CDC and in independent school circles including other schools and our accrediting organizations. In addition, out of an abundance of caution, the school is now using paper products in all of the classrooms.

We have updated our pandemic preparation plan, and we are discussing disruption of business accommodations as well as other scenarios. The administration and the teachers are working together to design a plan to deliver curriculum remotely should the school require to be closed down. Should that happen, we will communicate with you regarding our plan to keep your child working, at home, on relevant learning activities. Given the nature of Montessori education, this is even less ideal for our school than most. Regardless, as parents, you may anticipate a best faith effort in terms of continuity of learning from Aidan.

It is possible that a decision to close school(s) may be a sudden one. Should your child be dependent on anything that they sometimes leave at school (e.g.: an inhaler, an iPad, a backpack, etc.), they should get in the habit of taking these things home every day rather than leaving them overnight at the school just in case. Please talk with your child about the things that they might need to carry back and forth.

Again, the School continues to plan for all possibilities while hoping for the best. In states that have been more greatly affected by coronavirus, there are schools and districts that have closed. To date, they have done this to allow for deep cleaning because of their proximity to identified coronavirus cases (not as a containment effort). It is possible that in the near future, large gatherings in certain states may be limited, and schools and districts may close as a preventative measure. Given present statistics, the greater metropolitan area should be far down the line in terms of being affected.

At this point in time, the District of Columbia continues to monitor the situation with no recommendations in addition to schools’ standing sickness policies. Hopefully, all of this is not only premature, but absolutely unnecessary. Regardless, the safety of all of our children and community will always be our priority so we will continue to over-think things and look to your measured support as we do so.

Best of health to all,

Kevin Clark

Head of School

Dear Aidan Community,

The Center for Disease Control stated as recently as yesterday that the risk of coronavirus to the United States remains low. Yet, there has been much talk about it in the news lately, and there is a good amount of conflicting information. Aidan Montessori School cannot serve as a definitive source of information about health issues, but this link to the World Health Organization provides the most up-to-date information about the current outbreak. As you can imagine, schools, school personnel, and professional school organizations are talking about this virus quite a bit.

If ever there was a time to be extra vigilant, this influenza season with the specter of coronavirus hovering over it would be the right time to truly engage in sickness prevention. Steps for coronavirus prevention include the same steps for flu prevention: as always, clean hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available. Cover nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue or flexed elbow. Avoid contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms. Our teachers will continue to have the children do these things at school. Please reinforce these practices at home.

On a family level, we ask that families continue to follow the School’s procedures – and to be even more mindful – around sickness. Everyone is reminded that children should be symptom free for 24 hours (without medicine) before returning to school. The 24-hour period is a minimum. Please, if it is within your ability, err on the side of keeping your child home longer. The coronavirus’ worst results are found with the elderly and the young. Teachers will now be double-checking children’s temperatures upon their return to school after sickness.

On an institutional level, our teachers and staff are continuing to do the things listed above. Our cleaners are being extra cautious. And, the administration is keeping tabs on developments with the CDC and in independent school circles including other schools and our accrediting organizations. We have updated our pandemic preparation plan, and we are discussing disruption of business accommodations as well as other scenarios.

At this point in time, the District of Columbia continues to monitor the situation with no recommendations in addition to schools’ standing sickness policies. Hopefully, all of this is not only premature, but absolutely unnecessary. Regardless, the safety of all of our children and community will always be our priority so we will continue to over-think things and look to your measured support as we do so.

Best of health to all,

Kevin Clark

Head of School

How we can help kids increase their sense of control as the coronavirus approaches (The Washington Post)

A guide to keeping your child safe and reassured as coronavirus spreads (CNN)

Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus (Child Mind Institute)

Talking to Teens and Tweens About Coronavirus (The New York Times)

Just for Kids: A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus (NPR)

BrainPOP Coronavirus (BrainPOP)

Coronavirus, Wildfires, Oh My: What to Say to a Child Who's Scared by the News (Fatherly)

How to talk to children about difficult news (American Psychological Association)

Explaining the News to Our Kids (Common Sense Media)

Speaking Up Against Racism Around the New Coronavirus (Teaching Tolerance)

When Xenophobia Spreads Like A Virus (NPR)