Letter from the Head of School March 16, 2020 Dear Perkiomen Students and Families,
Our entire faculty and staff team met virtually this morning to connect, prepare for remote teaching, and to ask and answer questions. The majority of questions revolved around students' well-being and safety, their ability to access teachers and lessons, and how faculty can best serve students in a quickly-changing environment.
Jonathan Moser, Krishna Davda, Amber Goupil, and Shaun Yorgey have prepared an excellent distance learning program that will begin with an Orientation on March 19. Below you will find an outline of Virtual Perkiomen. Please review the content and expectations.
We are preparing as if we will be continuing on this platform for the balance of the school year. CDC guidance recommends no gatherings of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks and the White House recently shared a guideline of avoiding gatherings of more than 10 people. However, we will continue to monitor the situation and reassess the possibility of on-campus instruction at the mid-term, on April 17. Should we decide to open campus, students who are unable to return will continue to receive instruction through Virtual Perkiomen and will complete their year.
Thank you for your continued support and patience given the unprecedented circumstances that this moment in history presents. We may be physically distancing from one another - but that does not mean we need to be distant socially. Let's stay in contact with each other, check in with your classmates and advisory group, and put our Perkiomen values into action. We are ready to return to learning - virtually - on Thursday.
Sincerely, Mark A. Devey Head of School
Virtual Perkiomen - Distance Learning Plan
Distance learning is an authentic and innovative reality of 21st century education. Most of us (students and faculty) have already or will in the near future, take a course with a component taught or facilitated remotely. "Virtual Perkiomen" is an opportunity to experience this recent educational shift while being responsive to our external priority of safety. Our shared goal remains the same; to deliver high quality teaching and learning while following best practices for health and security. A PDF version of the plan is available HERE.
Daily Schedule
Preparation Before Thursday, March 19 Before the start of Virtual Perkiomen, all students should check the following:
If you are having an issues with any one of these, please contact PerkHelpDesk@perkiomen.org as well as your advisor.
Orientation Virtual Perkiomen will begin on Thursday, March 19 with an advisory meeting at 10:30 am EDT. Students will review the daily schedule with their advisor and troubleshoot any tech issues.
On Friday, March 20, students should look for emailed instructions from their teachers and check the Portal to preview their course assignments for next week. The Virtual Perkiomen daily schedule will begin with regular classes on Monday, March 23. As the plan rolls into action, adjustments will be made to optimize student experience.
Important Reminder As we collectively increase our use of digital forms of communication, it is essential that all community members follow our "acceptable use policy," all school rules, and abide by the Community Handbook. Email, discussion board posts, and any other digital communication tools require the use of common sense and sound judgment. Your goodwill and vigilance are essential.
Confidentiality Notice: This communication and any accompanying documents are confidential and privileged. They are intended for the sole use of the addressee. If you receive this transmission in error, you are advised that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or the taking of any action in reliance upon the communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please contact me using the above contact information.
Perkiomen School 200 Seminary Street • Pennsburg, PA 18073 • 215-679-9511 • perkiomen.org |