Coronavirus Information

Aidan Montessori School Distance Learning Plans for the 2019-2020 have been consolidated and archived. You may now find them on Aidan's Parent Portal. 

July 30, 2020

Dear Aidan Community,

I truly hope that this message finds you all well. I wanted to give you an update: As you may already know, Mayor Muriel Bowser today announced that DCPS will be entirely online for the first term of the year, until November 9. This announcement reflects similar declarations coming out of several counties such as Loudon, Fairfax, and Montgomery. This has implications for Aidan’s reopening plans, and we expect to be able to report out to our community what our plan will be over the coming week, August 3-8. 

As previously reported, we do not necessarily follow the District in lock step, but we make our decisions informed by what the District does as well as information that we receive from various other sources such as independent school organizations, the Office of the State Superintendent for Education and our Legal Counsel. Please, be on the lookout for further communications in the coming week.

Please rest assured that, as a parent myself, I am mindful of the need to give families clarity and time to plan ahead; however, it is a balancing act, as reporting out too early will lead to inevitable changes.

I also wanted to let our community know that I have been working all summer with fantastic teams of people, both staff and volunteers, preparing to deliver the best Montessori education we can this fall, while prioritizing the health and safety of our families and faculty. While our work is ongoing, here is an update on what we at the school have been doing recently:

• The school has hired a school nurse, and we are now working on “on-boarding” her. We will be creating a nurse’s office, working with her on our reopening plans, talking through what Aidan was like pre-COVID, and what it might look like so that it may be as safe as possible.
• The Reopening Task Force continues to meet regularly and keeps abreast of the latest guidance relating to school reopening. As outlined in the matrix we issued in the spring, the Task Force is planning for multiple scenarios, including in-person instruction, full-time virtual learning, and “hybrid” scenarios. The Task Force is also in the process of drafting a reopening handbook containing detailed written guidance for parents. Our plan is to release the reopening handbook during the week of August 10, with subsequent updates as necessary. This goal of this handbook is to explain to families how the school and its operations might be different if/when the school is able to re-engage in in-person learning. If you have any questions, please email us at reopeningtaskforce@aidanschool.org.
• The Reopening Task Force also continues to work closely with the Board’s indefatigable Buildings & Grounds Committee, which has conducted an exhaustive survey of our facility, including classroom, office, and common areas, air management systems, bathrooms and plumbing, and points of entry and egress. The Buildings & Grounds Committee has also made recommendations for equipment purchases to keep our families and staff safe.
• The DLP 2.0 Committee—comprising admin staff and lead Montessori guides from Toddler, Primary, and Elementary—has been meeting weekly and working hard to ensure a successful redesign of our distance learning program. To date the Committee has digested the results of family and staff surveys, conducted extensive interviews of parents spanning all levels of our community, and held focus groups at both the Lower and Upper School levels to gain family insight into this iteration of DLP 2.0. The Committee is currently refining the distance learning program in response to focus group feedback, and will provide details about DLP 2.0, staff training, and family orientation information before the school year begins.
• The school is also in the process of organizing opportunities for new and transitioning families to meet their teachers. Information about meeting the newest additions to our community, Hamed Isaza (Red Oak Lead) and Katia Kozhakova (Dogwood Lead) will follow shortly as will plans for students who will be new to their communities and information for new parents about our “Family Buddy Program.”

I am very thankful for our school staff and Board of Trustees who have spent countless hours this summer working on reopening and the DLP. I also extend a big “thank you” to our Aidan community at large and to the many parents who have contributed their helpful feedback and expertise. During this time of pandemic, when so much of the daily news is disheartening, I remain uplifted by the kindness of our community—our staff, volunteers, parents, and students.

Community is truly the most important resource we have these days. I know that, working with each other, we can get through this together.

Wishing you continued good health, love, and resilience, 

Kevin Clark

Dear Aidan Families,

Please note the two sets of information below: Aidan Montessori School’s Reopening Matrix and the School’s Draft Schedules for its Distance Learning Program (DLP). The goal of these documents is to provide a better understanding of the circumstances for which the School is preparing, as varied as they may be, and how we are thinking and strategizing around them in order to best meet the needs of our students and families.

AIDAN MONTESSORI SCHOOL REOPENING MATRIX

• This document is self-explanatory, and it may lead you to have questions. Please send all questions to reopeningtaskforce@aidanschool.org.
• This document will continue to be referenced and refined as more information becomes available and as decisions are made over the coming weeks and months.

View Reopening Matrix

AIDAN MONTESSORI SCHOOL DLP 2.0 SCHEDULES

• These are the schedules that will be followed if/when the School needs to implement its distance learning program in the coming year.
• At this point in time, it is unknown whether stay-at-home orders may be announced at the beginning of the year or at any point during the year.
• These schedules and the DLP 2.0 will be implemented according to the Reopening Matrix, as necessary.
• The Elementary schedules are very close to the regular daily schedules of the Elementary programs.
• The Primary schedules include teaching blocks with Specials teachers who are supplemental within the DLP, but not ordinarily a component of the classroom-based Montessori program.
• The Toddler schedule will mirror the morning work block and include individualized support for parents.

Toddler Schedule

Primary Schedule

Lower Elementary Schedule

Upper Elementary Schedule

Thank you for continued patience and support, and we encourage you to direct any questions to our Reopening Task Force.

Sincerely,

Aidan Montessori School

Dear Aidan Families, 

Last Thursday and Friday, we hosted "Q&As with Kevin" for each program level at Aidan. Thank you to those who participated and shared your questions with our community. In case you missed the meetings, please check out the recordings below. 

• Toddler Recording from Friday, May 22 at 7 PM
• Primary Recording from Thursday, May 21 at 7 PM
• Elementary Recording from Friday, May 22 at 8 PM

Please stay tuned for additional updates that will be sent to all Aidan families later this week. If you have any questions, please feel free to send them to reopeningtaskforce@aidanschool.org.

Stay well,

Aidan Montessori School

May 14, 2020

Dear Aidan Community,

Below please find the links to two important documents: a list of Frequently Asked Questions, about which many of you may be wondering, and information about Aidan's COVID-19 Emergency Family Relief Fund. Please note that the COVID-19 Emergency Family Relief Fund is time sensitive and responses should be submitted by Wednesday, May 20th at the latest. 

COVID-19 and Aidan: Frequently Asked Questions

COVID-19 Emergency Family Relief Fund

In addition to the list of FAQs above, you may anticipate a follow up document which will explain the school's (fluid) thinking and contingency planning about the school year ahead of us.

You will also be invited to a virtual level meeting at which the Head of School will be able to follow up on these two communications as well as other issues that are important to your family and the year ahead. Please be on the lookout for these communication, which will be coming soon.

Sincerely,

Aidan Montessori School

Dear Parents,

As President of the Board of Trustees and a fellow Aidan parent, I hope you and your families are safe, healthy, and have been able to settle into a rhythm as we adapt to a different routine.

For Mark and me and our children, not being able to be with others in person is hard. The boys miss being in school - laughing with their friends, working with Montessori materials, and learning and creating alongside their classmates and teachers. However, we are enjoying our family time together (most of the time) and figuring out ways to stay connected with loved ones. We are grateful to our friends at Aidan who have reached out to offer support and solidarity in those times when we feel overwhelmed.

Over the past few weeks I have found myself returning to a quote from Dr. Maria Montessori: “We discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being.” This is ever present in my mind as we grapple with balancing our own work with creating space for learning to occur at home. It is one thing to visit a Montessori classroom and observe children engaged in their work, but another thing entirely when creating space for learning to occur at home and confronting our definition of education. After all, the Montessori method is about process and while completion of work is important, the approach to work is what makes the difference. 

Our school has handled this transition with grace and I want to express my gratitude to Kevin Clark and Aidan’s administrative team, as well as to our dedicated faculty and staff. When Aidan’s leaders became aware of the seriousness of the threat posed by COVID-19, they immediately began planning for a variety of scenarios. The administration, faculty, and staff worked tirelessly to ensure Aidan would be positioned to deliver a distance learning program that would be congruent with a Montessori education and inclusive of our community. The issues to be tackled were complex, ranging from creating a Montessori framework for distance learning, caring for our physical campus, continued business operations, communications, and supporting the mental and emotional health of our students. Along the way, Kevin and his team spoke with schools and educational associations around the country to learn from their experiences. Ultimately, Aidan’s administration developed a plan to fit with Montessori and support our community.

The Board of Trustees has been actively working with the administration to help ensure that we are doing what’s best for our students, our community, and our school. We have formed a COVID-19 Task Force, which is focused on matters of strategy, finance, and policy. A key decision the board and administration made early on was to retain and continue to compensate all Aidan employees through the remainder of this school year. This decision was one way to affirm our commitment to supporting our faculty and staff. As we look ahead, our board is confident that with strong leadership, an engaged community, and a commitment to Montessori education, our school is well positioned to continue delivering on the promise of its mission.

To create a Montessori-congruent distance learning program from scratch is a remarkable accomplishment. Our faculty and staff have demonstrated remarkable agility in adjusting to a new learning environment and helping Montessori lessons come alive from a distance. The administration has shared that Aidan’s distance learning program is an iterative process and the team is working to keep making it even better. 

Looking toward the end of this academic year and beyond, we know there is much uncertainty and many decisions yet to be made. While definite plans would be reassuring, many factors are beyond our control. At Aidan, we will continue to focus on determining the best course of action for our school. We are actively gathering information, discussing various options, and working to determine the right time to make decisions in order to protect the health and safety of our students and community.

Your support of Aidan has been, and continues to be, critical. On behalf of the board, administration, and faculty and staff, I want to thank you for your partnership in this ongoing effort and your offers to help in so many ways. You have adjusted and adapted, working with our guides to ensure your children continue to benefit from their Aidan Montessori education. Your patience, flexibility, and feedback have helped smooth the transition to distance learning. You have modeled resilience and a positive spirit for your children, and you have consistently expressed support for our school and community. We appreciate your engagement, and we also appreciate the way that our children have adapted during this unprecedented time - responding to new ways of engaging with each other and learning with enthusiasm and grace.

We can choose to emerge stronger from this challenging situation. The compassion demonstrated by our community has kept me going. The creative activities and videos, the personal outreach by Aidan faculty and staff, and connection among parents have reaffirmed my belief in our school. Let’s commit to our community and continue to support each other.

Take good care,

Leanne Davis

President, Board of Trustees

Aidan's Board of Trustees for 2019-2020 School Year

May 1, 2020

Dear Families,

Welcome to May!

A question frequently asked among my family of five is, “Do you know what day of the week it is?” I wonder if this question makes its rounds in your home, too. Do you feel disoriented on those rare runs to the grocery store when familiar areas of your city look like they’ve been cleared for a movie to be filmed, as if vehicles from Mad Max might suddenly come careening around a corner? Have you found yourself sleeping more? Unable to sleep? If any of this sounds familiar, please know that you are not alone. These are things that I hear from our community on a regular basis. Please do not go through your days thinking,“I’ll bet so-and-so has this all figured out and is thriving during this global pandemic.” We are all in this together. Everything you feel is likely universal.

At (virtual) Aidan Montessori School, we continue to follow the new “standard of care” as established by several organizations. We continue to receive (and wait for) guidance and requirements, and we look at things through a specifically “Aidan” filter. Mayor Bowser’s office reports out regularly, and a Reopen DC Education and Childcare Committee has been created. May 15th has been set for further guidance from her office, presumably about the coming summer and fall. We are in close contact with our licensor, which deals explicitly with early childhood programming. We have complete access to major regional and national, independent school organizations, which are providing the most up-to-date information. And we are connected with the global Montessori community to guide us into the future. We could not ask for better resources in terms of information, forward thinking, and strategizing.

Our teachers and entire staff continue to work in the best interests of the children, and the administrative team works to support them. Your feedback to date has been instrumental, and we hope the additional individualization, contact, and presence of Specials and Assistants has been a noticeable improvement in your DLP experience. This is National PTA Teacher Appreciation Week and never have these wonderful people been more deserving of recognition.

The administration is working on calendared events scheduled between now and the end of the year. Stay tuned for adjustments to be communicated out as we work through whether events are postponed, cancelled or replaced by an alternative. One big work is the finalizing of next year’s calendar, which is a bit more challenging of a process than it has been in previous years. “Contingency planning” is the phrase of the season, and our thought processes go deeper than ever as we work through all the possible variables and how the School might be proactive about them.

There have been many inquiries about our summer camp program. To date, we are planning for Aidan Explorers to take place. Mr. Katinas is flexible in his thinking as we consider the many constraints that may or may not be in place come June. We are all hoping the children will be able to get out of their homes and into fresh air activities. Should this not be possible, we will announce as soon as we are able, and families who have registered will be refunded.

Also, families who signed up for ASP and/or Discovery have already received partial refunds. Now that we are online through the end of the year, those families will again be receiving refunds. Without going into too much detail regarding the logistics of cutting checks, please understand that this process takes a little bit longer than usual nowadays.

All of us, administration, teachers and staff, get together every Wednesday for a Zoom meeting. When this was new to us, it was mostly a raucous calling out of “hellos” and well wishes. As these calls have become calmer and more structured, I’ve heard some wonderful things from our teachers. They talk about how children are now learning resilience, how to deal with the unknown, how to occupy themselves. The teachers talk about the children’s ability to practice, with repetition, in a more-than-ever unhurried, home environment. They talk about parents, and their successes at even more actively partnering in their children’s education. They talk about how much they want to return to the classroom, and how ready they are to meet the children where they are and take them to where they can go.

Coronavirus has truly changed the world. We can all imagine a day in the future when things will feel “normal” again. In the meantime, let’s capitalize on this new normal, full of together time (for better or worse!).

Stay well,

Kevin

April 17, 2020

Dear Aidan Families,

Just this past Wednesday, I wrote to tell you that Aidan Montessori School would remain on its Distance Learning Plan (DLP) until at least May 15th. I am writing today to tell you that the school building will remain closed and our DLP will remain in place through the end of the school year. This comes on the heels of DC Mayor Muriel Bowser announcing that this is what DCPS will be doing.

While not all of our decisions are or will be made in lock step with DCPS, there are several influences on the School’s decision-making process. One of these is that the Stay at Home order will remain in place, and its social distancing parameters forbid the basic workings of our school. Also, there is a concept known as “standard of care.” In this case, the government has declared that the standard of care remains, as is, through the end of the school year, and all institutions are ethically obliged to operate within a set standard of care.

The challenges that COVID-19 has posed to date have been extraordinary, for our children, our families, our teachers, and our staff. No matter how you feel you are doing in the midst of the obstacles you have faced, please congratulate yourself, then turn to the people you are with and hug them. No matter how you feel, you are doing your best, as are the people around you. The School will continue to be a resource to you and your family, even on those days when you might be too overwhelmed to make use of us.

I am truly sorry for today’s news. I had very much hoped that we would all have six weeks, four weeks, two weeks of normalcy before the school year ended. The School will continue to seek ways to normalize some of our annual traditions as much as it can. Regardless, my guess is that this news has made nobody’s Friday a little brighter. Please, take the weekend and find some peace of mind so that we may all demonstrate our combined resilience come Monday.

Sincerely,

Kevin

April 15, 2020

Dear Aidan Families,

I am writing to all of you today to let you know that Aidan Montessori School will continue to keep its building closed and deliver its Distance Learning Program until at least May 15th. Our decision is informed by our local and national professional organizations and in concert with Aidan’s outstanding Board of Trustees. It is also informed – but not solely driven by – Mayor Muriel Bowser announcing that she is extending and expanding the District’s stay at home orders, including the closing of DC Public Schools. 

We continue to keep pace with best practices through our affiliation with the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington (AISGW), and the Association of Independent Schools of Maryland (AIMS). These organizations are in hyper-drive, supporting all of their independent schools. We take advantage of the multiple Zoom conferences available daily to the personnel and leadership of independent schools. These are invaluable opportunities to reap the benefit of rich resources, others’ perspectives, and best practices. Our engagement with these organizations continues to provide insight that helps us anticipate the evolving COVID-19 landscape and establish our unique path.

Aidan’s Distance Learning Program is in its third week, and everyone has been preparing for the potentiality that it could go on past April 27, and now it will. As each week goes by, we all get better at what we are doing, and we could not do it without your very valuable input. May all of you continue to do your best, given your own circumstances. Please, continue to give us feedback on the Friday surveys so that we may continue to grow. I thank and acknowledge our teachers, assistant teachers, specials, and administrators for the extra work, dedication, flexibility, creativity, and resourcefulness that this situation has demanded. Much will be learned as a result of this period in our country’s history. May we all grow from adversity.

As the DLP finds its stride and settles into an ebb and flow, the School hopes to supplement the community’s experience in other ways. Hopefully many of you were able to attend or view the recording of our virtual EPIC on the subject of social media and children. In addition, next Wednesday, April 22, we will host an all-school Zoom session: “Coping with Kids During COVID-19: How to manage stress and anxiety for you and your family.” More information about this event will be sent to families shortly. Again, our immediate focus was delivering an academic program by distance. We have since been integrating our Assistant teachers and Specials into the children’s experience. We have also pushed for more touch points between teachers, children, and parents. And, we hope to continue with other supportive efforts such as bi-weekly Virtual EPICs and community events.

We will unfortunately be cancelling Grandparents’ and Special Persons’ Day, which was scheduled for Friday, May 8th. We will also be unable to hold Evening of the Arts as an in-person event. However, Ms. Skor is working on an online alternative event, and she will be communicating out about this in the near future. To that end, she requests that families – according to their ability and understanding of time demands – take pictures and/or videos of their children creating art. This is in anticipation of the alternative event likely being an online opportunity for the community (local and distant) to celebrate Aidan’s artists virtually. Again, details regarding this event will be forthcoming. In the meantime, Children and families are invited to share their own art or for inspiration, ideas, and activities, check out the Art section on the Specials page.

As we navigate the evolving COVID-19 landscape, we will continue to try and act in the best interests of our community. We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we learn together and evolve our response together. Please, continue to give us your feedback and let us know how we can be supportive of your children and your family. We share your goals and aspirations and our faculty are working very hard to rise to these uniquely challenging times. 

I remember first hearing Maria Montessori’s contention that children learn when they struggle, and I immediately understood this to be true. And, I believe we all learn from struggle, which means we are all learning more nowadays than usual. From parent feedback, I know that many are struggling to aid their children in their learning while at home. While this quote from Dr. Montessori offers no solutions, it does serve as an acknowledgement to all who teach, including parents: “When you have solved the problem of controlling the attention of the child, you have solved the entire problem of (their) education.” 

Stay well and stay healthy,

Kevin

April 1, 2020

Dear Aidan Community, 

As we enter our third week of social distancing, it feels as though months have passed since we last saw each other. Personally, I miss the sounds of children in the hallway outside my office and glimpses of the children as they work on math bead chains and pass by on the way to recess and dismissal. The most mundane things are of great value to me now and I hope that I may more consciously value them when they become everyday again.

The not-so-mundane – our new shared reality – has also presented opportunities to be appreciative. The strength of our community has been amazing. I have so very much valued the influx of postings on the (unofficial) Aidan Parents’ Facebook page. From baking to typing, from tincture-making to 3D animal interactions, from poetry to dumplings, and toys up-cycled from the 90s, it has been inspiring not only to see these things, but to know that many of them have been posted by people who, despite their own stresses, wanted to alleviate that of others. These posts have featured inquiries and helpful suggestions, and demonstrated flexibility and understanding from our community. May the mundane and the above-and-beyond both be by-products of these times that stay with us when it’s all over. Let these things become our next “new normal.”

As you are likely aware, the School was notified of one positive COVID-19 diagnosis in our student population. In fact, the student’s family all tested positive. Given the rate at which testing was available and results were processed, it was really on the tail-end of that family’s odyssey that the results were confirmed. The mother has reported that while there were some harrowing moments, the worst of it is over and they are all on the road to recovery. Many, many offers of support and statements of empathy were immediately offered… another sign of how wonderful our community is.

Given recent predictions, the number of infections and, unfortunately, deaths in the USA is likely to seriously rise over the next couple weeks. The odds are that the Aidan Community is unlikely to be only peripherally affected. As we brace for the worst and work toward the best, please do let me know should your family be affected. Many community members stand ready and willing to help and be supportive. In turn, the School will continue to report any information in this regard, while protecting confidentiality.

The launch of our Distance Learning Program has received positive feedback. Your thoughts are important to us,  so keep an eye out for the survey on Friday. That survey will solicit your feedback so that we may continue to improve this program. I am reminded of the adage of building a plane while flying it, and I’d like to think of all of you as our engineers and builders.

As previously reported out, the School is committed to keeping paychecks going to our teachers and staff. The majority of Aidan’s workforce is working harder now than under normal circumstances. Because of our commitment to both our community of learners and to our employees, tuition will continue to be collected. We recognize, however, that families’ financial situations may have changed, and I encourage any family that may be challenged as a result of COVID-19 to contact our CFO Blake Brophy to discuss how payments may be differently structured.  

As a school, we differentiate between the obligations we can meet by distance and those we cannot. To that end, all families who signed up for Discovery programming will be refunded. Also, all families who enrolled in an ASP contract or who arranged drop-in dates will be refunded for all school dates between March 16 and April 24.

Picture, if you will, your child as an 18 year-old reflecting back on these times and saying, “I remember all of us playing games together and putting together puzzles. I remember we all ate dinner and spent time together. I remember having all day, all week, all month to be a family, doing things together and being completely unhurried.” 

I know it does not feel this way to us, the parents, right now. But, in the future, we will be a different society in unpredictable ways. For now, we have the opportunity to build memories, support each other, enjoy experiencing time differently and practicing patience.

Best wishes of health and humanity to everyone, 

Kevin

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)