The Griffin: A Monthly Newsletter from the Head of School

Dear Garden Community,

It has been nearly 70 days since the start of the school year and 125 since opening camp. The fact that we have been open every day, has been a point of pride for us. When we had to make the decision this week to close campus for 14 days, we did so with an understanding of what was at stake, but did not hesitate for a moment. While it was hard to say aloud that we were going remote, any decision that puts safety first is actually an easy one to make.

The news that a member of our community tested positive was upsetting especially after the swift and smooth return to business as usual with the situation earlier in the week in PKFA at our Northern Blvd facility. We have also enjoyed this long stretch without incident and three consecutive weeks with no positives from on-campus testing. In fact, this week also produced no positives from our pool as the test that resulted in the campus closure came from a private doctor. We are thankful that the daily screener prompted the positive case to remain home and hope this yields stronger outcomes for us all and a good example of what everyone can do to minimize risk when even the slightest symptom presents.

We will face this challenge as we have faced each one before - with caution, clarity, and calm. We are proud to have precautions and protocols that exceed those of DOH and to operate with conservative measures upfront in order to be in a more nimble position after we have minimized immediate risk. We continue to consult with experts, look to best practice, and seek to be fully informed and transparent. It is inherent to our thinking about being a school that we ask ourselves what information we do not yet have and let knowledge and expertise guide us. We remain calm and ensure that the children, staff, and families of Garden understand the facts and our plans. Transparency is key always, but especially at difficult moments.

By now, families have received directions from Mr. Vogel and Mr. Battaglia about how to access Garden’s fully remote program which begins tomorrow. We are confident you will quickly see the incredible work our faculty and staff put into being prepared for such a circumstance. These plans were built in August and refined and revisited since to make access as easy as possible. There are tutorial videos and thorough instructions, but if you are not clear or need assistance, please reach out to us so we can make sure no child misses a beat.

As you know, we anticipate much of the main building remaining remote until Wednesday the 18th which means this is likely a learning format our children will be in for seven days of school. We will look specifically at risk factors in clusters or classrooms that had no contact, seek guidance on what is safe and wise, and may determine that reopening some parts of our school earlier is in everyone’s best interest. Time and consultation will reveal the best path forward so we ask for your patience and trust as we navigate the days ahead.

Again join us in sending positive thoughts and healing well wishes to our entire community, but especially to those directly impacted by this recent positive test.

Very best,
Chris

We had all wondered how our community would handle July 4th, summer vacations, Labor Day, fall holidays and Halloween. Not surprisingly, the Garden Community has been a model of responsibility all along. Families stay home, stay safe, and when they do not or cannot, they let us know and follow rules to ensure their activities and celebrations never run the risk of being the source of another family’s tragedy. We are proud of our community for the collective effort thus far and this week is yet another reminder that we must remain vigilant in our approach and careful at every turn.

Hopefully we will all be back to campus soon and then we face our next major hurdle – Thanksgiving. Medical professionals urge us to avoid unnecessary travel. We strongly encourage everyone to take appropriate precautions in order to stay safe and healthy. The rules changed recently and any travel to a state that is non-contiguous with NYS now requires quarantining or multiple PCR tests before returning to school. That means strict new restrictions on travel anywhere other than NJ, CT, MA, VT, PA, or within NYS. Please review the new rules as you consider your Thanksgiving plans.

We hear many families plan to stay home and celebrate locally. We also expect some to travel to see family and understand each family must make its own decisions about what they do and where they go. Our only ask for these families is that you inform us, follow all applicable laws, and give us ample time to prepare a meaningful remote program for your child’s quarantine. Families with travel plans that take them outside of bordering states, please complete this simple form so we may plan to continue excellent instruction for your child during quarantine.

October was Disability Awareness Month and that provided our Equity team a great opportunity to discuss the many ways individuals with learning differences and physical challenges navigate the world. This included study of artists Willow Bascom and Chuck Close, learning about CP watching I Am Tyler, and an analysis of the oft-stereotyped character Lenny from Of Mice and Men. It also included a closer look at a number of influential individuals with visible and invisible differences like Christina Sanz, Gina Rodriguez, Selma Hayek Jiminez, Tom Harrell, Aaron Fotherington, Grace Anna, and Beethoven to name a few. Garden also hosted a visit from a Therapy Dog and her Handler, and will be hosting upcoming visits from award winning Cinematographer Larry Banks, The NYC Kids Project, a social justice Arts organization that teaches inclusion, and a representative of Eye to Eye, a national organization that mentors young people with learning and attention issues.

In lower division language arts classes, the students are learning about the importance of developing a broader consideration for others and how our differences can often bring us together as one. Fourth graders read The Year of the Book which focuses on qualities of friendship, second chances, developing empathy, and cultural competency. In the story, Anna is initially ashamed of her Chinese heritage, but eventually learns to appreciate and embrace her traditions and customs. The fifth grade read The Sign of the Beaver, which focuses on a cultural exchange between two teen boys - a white settler and an Amerindian of the Beaver Clan. After spending months together, the boys learn each culture offers new ideas and ways of life. The sixth grade read The Egypt Game - a story that shows how girls from different racial and ethnic backgrounds can come together over common interests to become best friends. These themes speak to issues intimate to the lives of our young readers and spark much conversation within the classroom. All provide writing opportunities for students to personally connect with each book.

We believe schools are important spaces for civil discourse and an open exchange. For this reason, and for the fact that we are neither a red nor blue institution, we were proud to see the ways Garden School leveraged the election to show students how it is more important than ever to seek answers to their questions about the role of government, to navigate difficult topics through a respectful exchange, and how we owe one another the effort to think about issues from multiple perspectives before jumping to conclusions about the intentions or values of others. The history department hosted a live-streamed mock debate where issues at hand were presented and various positions explained. If an education is the foundation of a true democracy, then we should be proud that our History Department is making sure students learn how democracy works while they are with us. The debates, part of a decade long tradition, hosted by AP American History students, were detailed, informed, and civil. They gave every student in grades 6 -12 an opportunity to see the real issues evaluated.

Garden Senior, Zhouran "Wilson" Wang, was humble when describing how he addressed 6,000 attendees at an online forum last month. The forum discussed nutrition and health among young children and adolescents, especially during a pandemic. Wilson contacted Shenzhen Children’s and Adolescent Health and Development Association to express his interest in sharing his passion for healthy lifestyles in young people. In partnership with them, Wilson co-hosted the forum with six others, including two nutritionists and a UNC-Chapel Hill sophomore in the school of Public Health. Following the panel, Wilson remarked, "That was my first time holding a live online forum, but it went unexpectedly well. I expect to hold more events like this in the future." After graduation, Wilson plans to study Public Health and is currently considering schools such as Cornell University, UNC-Chapel Hill and Johns Hopkins.

Mentorship guarantees young people a connection point beyond school and family. Research has demonstrated time and again that mentoring relationships have lasting and powerful impacts on young people. Positive personal, academic, social, and professional outcomes can often be traced back to a meaningful relationship with a mentor. At Garden School, our Alumni network is impressive and the current students are hungry to interact and learn from the network. If you are a Garden Alum interested in helping launch our budding formal mentorship program, please submit interest here. This is one of the most important ways you can give back to Garden and ensure a bright future for every Griffin.

After collecting 75 responses from Trustees, Faculty, Staff, Alumni, Students, and Families, as well as completing over 25 interviews and seven focus groups, we are pleased to announce that we have entered the Committee Phase of the Strategic Planning process. That means over the next three to four weeks, 50 committee volunteers will be working behind the scenes to take community priorities and draft goals for the next Strategic Plan. We remain on target to publish the Garden Road to 100 Strategic Plan this winter. Thank you to all of our committee volunteers and to everyone who has provided valuable input thus far. If you are not involved and would like to participate, please contact cherman@gardenschool.org so we can ensure you are part of our inclusive process. Every voice matters as we set the course for the Garden Road to 100.