Letter from the Head of School September 24, 2020
Dear Perkiomen Community,
Our students, faculty, and staff have done an excellent job respecting and implementing the health and safety protocols during these first weeks of school, and I am proud of their dedication to our community. Our families at home have been supportive of our efforts and are reinforcing these protocols with their students. Thank you.
New experiences can be hard, but we know here at Perkiomen that we can do hard things.
It is our human nature to push back at discomfort, but as an educator and a parent, I know when we stop doing new things we stop learning and we stop growing. Being a rookie at mask wearing, following the new lines in the dining hall, or mastering Zoom is uncomfortable, even for the adults. I believe that we all have the ability to push through those awkward moments and come out stronger and more courageous on the other side – with the added bonus of having learned new habits and skills.
So much of our learning at Perkiomen happens outside of the classroom. It is in line with our mission to embrace these new protocols as another form of education – things like adaptation, flexibility, patience – which I know can actually be very hard to learn, but are extremely valuable tools.
I am learning, also. I have observed the way we move through campus. I have consulted with other schools, who are recovering from missteps, and I have had personal conversations with hospital leaders and health care professionals. Acknowledging that there are several forces at work beyond our control, Perkiomen's leadership team has revised some of our health and safety and communication protocols as a result of what we have gleaned these first few weeks.
Know that we are making decisions with you and your family's health, well-being, and future as our driving force. This year more than ever I recognize that Perkiomen is more than the subjects we teach, the plays we produce, the contests in which we compete. Simply, Perkiomen is the people we serve. There's no product or experience that we can create that is greater than the people we are creating it for. This is not a typical year and so when things change, we pledge to respond accordingly with the next right step to keep us safe. Thank you for your continued support of Perkiomen School and our community.
Mark A. Devey Head of School
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