Guide to Return to Campus

St. Paul Parents,

We continue to look forward to the beginning of the school year and welcoming your children back to our campus. This summer, we have spent considerable time evaluating every space on our campus and discussing every aspect of the school day to ensure that when our students, teachers, and staff members return to St. Paul, they do so in a safe environment where they can learn, be in community, and work confidently.

Through our discussions for reopening, we have thoroughly reviewed guidance from groups, including the CDC, Tennessee Department of Health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, in addition to being in contact with our peer schools across the Nashville community and member organizations. While there are many factors to consider, we are confident that our reopening plan will provide a safe environment.

As with any plan or changing situation, adjustments will need to be made along the way to address specific needs, circumstances, or changing external factors. We firmly believe that the best place for our students to learn is in their classrooms with their teachers, and data from our recent survey confirms that you agree. The strong majority of you are comfortable with students being in school with distancing and other precautions in place. In the event that we need to move to a partial or full closure of our campus, our teachers are prepared to offer a robust distance learning program that will bring the classroom to our students at home. While we cannot recreate the full classroom experience online, our teachers have prepared to ensure that students will have access to as much of the classroom as possible from home. We are finalizing the daily grade-level schedules for distance learning, which we plan to share next week, along with other distance learning updates in the event that your child’s classroom moves online for a period of time this school year.

Every school year requires a partnership between parents and the school, and this year that partnership will be as important as ever. Just as we are considering the wellness of the St. Paul community in every decision we make, we encourage you to continue making the best decisions for the health of your children and household. While COVID-19 is certainly the most apparent health issue facing our country, we will still deal with the flu, strep throat, and the many other illnesses that can impact our health.

As part of our reopening plan, all students' and employees' temperatures will be taken upon arrival daily, and anyone with a temperature above 100.00° will be sent home. In order to limit the number of people inside our buildings, we will not be allowing parents or visitors to enter the buildings. We also have a personal responsibility to physically distance ourselves and wear face coverings where indicated in our reopening guide. We encourage you to speak with your children about returning to school and the importance of remembering their health and the health of others when they return. As parents, we realize it can be difficult to have our children wear face coverings when instructed, and we encourage you to work with them on this before returning to campus. We will share information from our school counselor, Mindy Harvey, to help with these conversations. We will also send a back-to-school video for our students (with a surprise guest) to help get them excited for their return and show them what it will look like to come back to campus.

We will remain committed to providing the safest learning environment possible and look forward to welcoming you and your children back to campus on August 11 for Meet Your Teacher and parents to campus for Child Focus Conferences on August 12 and 13. Please take a look at the reopening guide below, and continue to be on the lookout for more information as we look forward to August 17.

As always, I welcome you to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.

Gratefully,

Susan Cobb
Interim Head of School

Delivered: July 22, 2020
Updated: August 12, 2020

Back-to-School FAQ

St. Paul Parents,

It is such an encouragement that your children will be back on campus with us in two weeks. As we continue to prepare for the start of the school year, I wanted to take a moment to provide answers to FAQs that are on your minds.

Our goal is to continue to be transparent as we lead up to the start of school, and we will be sharing several messages with you next week to help keep you informed in the return process. Our decisions will continue to be informed by discussions with medical professionals, peer schools, member organizations, and health organizations. As with any plan, we will make adjustments as needed along the way. We have all learned that circumstances can change, and we need to be prepared to adapt, tweak, and refine our plans.

While much of our communication has focused on keeping parents informed, we also want our Saints to know how excited we are for their return. Our own hero, Super Saint, made a surprise visit to campus recently and has a video for you and your family to enjoy.

Thank you so much for continuing to partner with us during this ever-changing and challenging time, and please know that I am here to speak with you at any time as we prepare for our return.

Gratefully,

Susan Cobb
Interim Head of School

Delivered: August 5, 2020
Updated: August 12, 2020

Distance Learning Schedules

St. Paul Parents, 

As we’ve prepared to re-open our campus for the 2020-2021 school year, there have been two important pieces of information to share. The first was our reopening guide shared last week as well as a preview of what distance learning will look like in the event that we need to close campus at some point this school year. 

Through our research, surveys of St. Paul parents and faculty/staff, and discussions with other schools, we have created a distance learning model that we believe will serve our students well if they are unable to meet together in-person on our campus. This model is segmented by grade level, with plans specific to Junior Kindergarten, Kindergarten, First-Third Grades, and Fourth-Sixth Grades. The Center for Student Success will continue to provide small group support for students whom they serve on campus and will provide as a continued resource to teachers.

The overarching goals of our plan are to provide continued academic growth and focus on the social and emotional wellbeing of our students. In order to accomplish this, we have created developmentally-appropriate schedules to provide clear and consistent frameworks for families to follow. These schedules will serve as a guide if we need to move to distance learning, and we will share an FAQ next week to address a number of scenarios that we've planned for as well as a follow-up to recent questions.

Each schedule includes a balance of synchronous and asynchronous learning, brain breaks, and physical activity. These schedules are intended to provide the daily consistency that is important to a child’s success and to help parents know exactly what to expect. With that in mind, we understand that some families’ circumstances will not permit a student to login to a live class every day or to follow the schedule exactly as written. We will provide recordings of live classes and will remain flexible and committed to partnering with you to support your child.  

Students will be engaged through daily live instruction, check-ins, and interaction with homeroom and core teachers, weekly live instruction and content from co-curricular teachers, and dedicated time each day for small group and individual follow-up on distance learning and assignments.

School counselor Mindy Harvey will offer regularly scheduled meetings with students by gender and grade level and can provide family support as well. It’s also important for us to be transparent with you through this time, and we will be seeking your feedback. We will provide ongoing opportunities for you to share feedback through surveys, and you can also contact us at any time.

St. Paul will use SeeSaw and Zoom in all grade levels as the primary platforms for teaching, learning, and communication. We purchased SeeSaw for Schools recently which provides a streamlined single sign-on for users and enhanced teacher tools. Our distance learning committee, led by Dres Yanes, has worked diligently this summer on the revised plan and schedules, and Erin Curry and Mr. Yanes trained teachers in our chosen platforms so they are best prepared to continue to deliver our mission with excellence whether on campus or at home. If a move to distance learning is needed, we will provide second through sixth-grade students with school-issued iPads. Teachers will work with families in first grade and below whose child(ren) do not have access to a device. 

Students will follow the weekly schedules outlined below. 

Every school year requires a strong partnership between parents, faculty, and staff and that partnership will be as important as ever this year. Thank you for trusting us to help nurture and grow your child as well as keep them safe on our campus. You are welcome to reach out to me with questions at any time, and we will continue to be in communication with you as we prepare for the 2020-2021 school year.

Gratefully,

Susan Cobb
Interim Head of School

Distance Learning Update

St. Paul Parents, 

The impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt across our country, and we are closely monitoring the latest numbers in Nashville and the zip codes where members of the St. Paul community live. Through our planning and ongoing review of mitigation and safety protocols, we have remained in contact with members of the medical community for their counsel and input on steps being taken to protect the health of our school community. This semester, our commitment has been to partner with you transparently as we seek to keep our students in the classroom, while protecting their health and safety.

We remain confident in the protocols we have in place but also consider all data and medical guidance when it comes to making decisions that we believe are best for students, faculty, and staff. While COVID-19’s impacts have been on the rise in Nashville, we continue to see a low level of COVID-19 transmission within our community. At this point, we have not been made aware of a case of COVID-19 within our school that was the result of a student to student transmission. Our primary focus will continue to be providing the safest and most healthy environment possible for your children to learn and grow.

After much consideration, we have made the decision to hold distance learning from December 14 through December 17 (December 17 will remain a half-day). Each class will follow the distance learning schedule shared at the beginning of the school year.

There are several factors we considered as we made this decision. First, we would like to provide an opportunity for students and faculty to re-engage in distance learning in the event that St. Paul needs to make this transition at some point during the school year. For some time, there has been modeling and predictions that the winter months will see an increase in COVID-19 cases. While we currently have no plans to move to distance learning following December 14-17, we want to be prepared to make that transition quickly in the event that the health of our community or a mandate requires us to do so. We also want to provide families, faculty, and staff a full 14 days away from campus before Christmas day. We know that the holidays are an important time for all families, and many of you may be traveling or spending time with individuals who are at greater risk of complications from COVID-19. Our intent is to provide a full 14 days for families who choose to do so the opportunity to self-quarantine prior to Christmas day. Ultimately, we want to provide families with the opportunity to ensure their health as much as possible during the important time of Christmas.

When we return from Thanksgiving Break on November 30, we encourage you to use caution by not sending your child to school if they are displaying any COVID-19 symptoms. If your child is sick, please contact Banica Crockett at nurse@stpaulchristian.org. We will work with any family on distance learning options when their child tests positive for COVID-19. We also encourage you to continue to complete the daily health screenings in your SchoolDoc account. This helps our school nurse to establish a baseline for your child and be aware of any current health concerns if your child comes to the clinic.

As we enter the winter months and more time is spent inside of the classroom, it is important to provide as much space as possible for our students to play and learn. The definition of a close contact by the CDC shifted recently and is now defined as someone who is within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes in a 24 hour period. We are re-evaluating classroom setup and programming and will make the appropriate changes to further protect the health and safety of students while doing everything in our power to keep them learning on campus.

In addition, we are considering how best to celebrate school holiday traditions, including our Christmas Program. This year, it will not be possible to host the St. Paul community on our campus for an in-person program. We fully intend to celebrate the Christmas season and accomplishments of our students and are evaluating the most impactful digital opportunities. More information will be shared about this following Thanksgiving Break.

We know that COVID-19 has presented many unknowns for all of us, but our promise is to continue to be transparent as we strive to provide the best possible environment for your child. As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Gratefully,

Susan Cobb
Interim Head of School

Delivered: July 30, 2020
Updated: November 20, 2020

Updates to Student Illness Procedures

St. Paul Parents,

As we prepare to begin the 2020-2021 school year on August 17, I wanted to share several policy updates. After discussion with physicians and continued monitoring of CDC and TDOH recommendations, we plan to modify our protocols for face coverings, lunch, and class changes to begin the year. Returning to campus will be an adjustment for our entire community, especially our students, and we intend to set the best examples possible in order to ensure the health and wellness of our school community in the weeks and months ahead. We will continue to evaluate and make changes to our plan along the way, and it is our hope that some guidelines can be loosened as we progress through the semester and receive updated guidance from medical organizations and professionals.

We will employ these additional measures in order to further reduce the risk of virus transmission on campus. We recognize that we are all in a unique time and that the school year will look a little different than it has in the past. Returning to school does come with a level of risk, but we feel confident in the measures we have put in place to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and keep our students, faculty, and staff safe. This year, it is particularly important that we partner together to commit to the health and safety measures we have shared leading up to school to give ourselves the best chance of keeping our doors open and have our students on campus. As always, you are welcome to contact me with any questions, and I look forward to welcoming your child(ren) back to campus Monday.

Face Coverings Policy

Face coverings will be required for K-6th grade students when indoors and when entering the building each morning. Face coverings may be removed when eating, exercising, or outdoors. JK students will wear face coverings during carpool, in high traffic areas and in some circumstances in the classroom when distancing is not possible. We understand that younger elementary students may be unable to wear a face covering properly, particularly for an extended period. Teachers are encouraged to take students outside for additional breaks throughout the day, and we are also setting up a number of tents to serve as flexible learning spaces on campus to allow students to learn outside when weather permits.  Face coverings will be stored in individual Ziploc bags when not in use.

Lunch 

After careful consideration, we have decided to update our lunch policy and have students eat in their classrooms as we begin the school year. We are very fortunate to partner with SAGE Dining for our food services, and it is important for our students to have time to take a break from learning and enjoy lunch with one another. As we have continued to evaluate our return to campus, we believe that having students eat in their classrooms will better serve the health and wellness of our community for the time being. Students will still go through the lunch line to make their choices, and it will be packaged in a to-go container and taken to their classrooms. We are working with SAGE to increase portion sizes as part of this process.

Rotation of Classes

Students will not travel to other classes outside of attending P.E. and recess as we begin the school year. Co-curricular teachers will travel to the homeroom in order to limit the number of students traveling in and out of a co-curricular classroom on a daily basis. Keeping our students engaged in learning activities is a very important part of the St. Paul experience, and we realize that students will need a break from their classrooms at times. We are setting up a number of tents to serve as flexible learning spaces on campus to allow students to learn outside when weather permits as well as flexible classrooms in areas such as the Dining Hall.

We are looking forward to your children returning to school on August 17, and we know that our teachers cannot wait to welcome them to their new classrooms. As you prepare to come on campus each day, please remember to have everyone over the age of four in your car wearing a mask, and temperatures will be taken upon arrival of all students. Any student with a temperature over 100.00° will not be able to come to school. In addition, it is imperative that you follow these guidelines as you plan to come to campus each day.

SchoolDoc

Parents and guardians will be required to complete a health screening before arriving on campus each morning. Information will be submitted and linked to your child’s SchoolDoc account. More information will be shared later this week.

Our procedures around student illness will be different this year. Please see the graphic below for a quick reference guide of what to do if your child becomes sick:

You and your children are being prayed for daily by me, our teachers, and staff. We look forward to seeing you on campus this evening and tomorrow for Child Focus Conferences. You and your children are being prayed for daily by me, our teachers, and staff. We look forward to seeing you on campus this evening and tomorrow for Child Focus Conferences.

Gratefully,

Susan Cobb
Interim Head of School

Delivered: August 12, 2020
Updated: August 12, 2020

Regarding student illness and exposure, St. Paul Christian Academy will follow the guidelines and recommendations set forth by the CDC and Department of Health.

Resources from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and World Health Organization (WHO).

• COVID-19 Symptoms
• How to Protect Yourself & Others
• Considerations for Wearing Masks
• COVID-19 Dashboard
• COVID-19 Resources