Dear Crossroads Community,
I hope this note finds you well at the end of this unusual and complicated school year. It’s an understatement to say that it’s been an unpredictable time, with perhaps the one certainty being that no one knows precisely what will be required for students and teachers to return to our classrooms in the fall. However, it is certain that Crossroads teachers will continue their vital work with our students in one of three ways: in the classrooms on our campus, remotely through on-line learning platforms, or with a hybrid-style of learning that offers both on-site and distance education models. We will also need to accommodate the possibility of closing for short periods (between two and three days) if a deep cleaning of the campus is required. With all of these factors in mind, our faculty and staff are now creating a variety of contingency plans so we can prepare our entire community for a wide range of scenarios.
In an ongoing effort to share these plans as they become available, I am writing today to provide you with our most current information and an approximate timeline for when we expect to have further updates. As we shared last week, Kathy Barth has joined the NH Governor’s Department of Education Return-to-School Task Force and this group is meeting regularly to review what other schools around the world have done to reopen safely, as well as to anticipate the specific requirements for schools in our region. In early July, we expect to learn additional details from this task force as well as receive guidelines from the NH Department of Health and Human Services and the NH Department of Education that will help us plan for the end of August.
This summer we will also be offering professional development to Crossroads teachers, with a focus on implementing highly effective synchronous, asynchronous, and on-line pedagogies. We are considering optimal uses of our classroom spaces as well as planning new safety protocols as there will certainly be new health requirements to implement when our campus reopens. We are also exploring additional technology that would allow for classroom instruction to be viewed remotely either through a live stream or a recording, should some students be unable to attend classes in person after we resume. In summary, all of us at Crossroads are dedicated to providing our students with the best possible educational experience, while fully responding to the health and safety parameters that the State will provide schools in the next four to six weeks.
We also expect the NH Department of Health and Human Services to issue its recommendations for summer camps that will allow us to determine if we can offer these programs on our campus. Once these guidelines are clear, we will share details of our programs at least two weeks before the start date of each summer session.
All of us at Crossroads recognize that this uncertainty around programming is not easy for you or your children. We greatly appreciate your understanding and patience as we strive to achieve the best possible standards for the health and safety of our community, while ensuring that the Crossroads mission continues to be met in all of the ways that are vital for our community.
Yours truly,
Brad Choyt
Head of School
