Letter from the Head of School October 21, 2020
Dear Perkiomen Community,
At Perkiomen, the end of October means it is time for Spirit Week – one of my favorite celebrations of our Perk Pride. Students are preparing by creating reverse tie dye t-shirts, making Target runs for costume necessities, and planning coordinated outfits. The Student Senate has even incorporated a funny "Zoom" themed day – professional clothing on the top with casual items on the bottom. We all can use this creative escape and a return to some sense of "normalcy." Stay tuned for some great photos next week from Student Life.
This week we began an adjusted Daily Academic Schedule. Largely, this slight shift improves access to recitations for AP classes for online students. It also provides on campus students some breathing room around lunch time and a space for student leadership meetings with fewer conflicts. By swapping the two conference periods, we expect to see a significant impact.
The foundation of the 2020-2021 academic year, which has allowed us to operate effectively, has been our flexibility. My administrative team and I routinely consult with education and healthcare experts, consider scenarios, and then make informed decisions. However, we know we need to live through these decisions to see what actually works, what can be improved, and what we should modify.
Before any shift, we evaluate our students' behavior and that of our fellow Montgomery County residents. Because we have had decreasing cases of COVID-19 in the county, and no positive cases on campus, we reviewed and adjusted our athletic program to include a return to competition. We have also begun to welcome day students to campus during the weekends for specific campus activities, as well as permitted boarding students to take a few trips off campus – with preference given to outdoor locations like Green Lane Park or the Promenade shops.
The calendar and popular culture remind us that winter is coming. We have been blessed with beautiful late summer and fall weather and have been fortunate to be able to take advantage of being outdoors. Frankly, I cannot remember the last time we had such beautiful weather in the fall season. We know that it will soon turn colder and the holidays will follow - both may limit our ability to control our situation. If we need to adapt and make adjustments, we will.
Resilient is a word I've often used to describe our community, and I recently heard a definition of resilience that made me pause. In her book, Leadership in Turbulent Times, presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin describes resiliency as leadership through frustration. That struck me as honest and fitting for today's world. Although we know we will have limits in the days ahead, it is crucial that we remain focused on those things we can control in order to set our community up for success. I cannot emphasize strongly enough that our Perkiomen Community has been successful this fall because of buy-in on everyone's part at school and at home. Making the right decision when no one is watching is essential if we are going to continue to this positive in-person school experience. For those who are struggling with our preventative measures—we have a virtual option.
I will continue to communicate regularly with you in the days ahead. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Sincerely, Mark A. Devey Head of School
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