Dear parents,
As our students and teachers begin a much-needed break, I write to reflect on our progress to date and to outline our hopes for the remainder of the school year. At announcements last Thursday, our final day together before the break, teacher Don Conolly commended the students for the way they have stuck with the work despite the fatigue and stress that comes with hybrid schooling. They—and the teachers—have been remarkable, and I'm heartened that so many recognize and appreciate the efforts others have made.
We have been incredibly fortunate to have seen only four positive COVID tests since September, and, more important, no in-school transmission of the disease. The students have complied with the safety guidelines we have in place impressively. Their responsible behavior is one big reason we've fared as well as we have, especially through the spike in community cases we saw earlier this winter.
As the numbers have been coming down over the past weeks, and as access to the vaccines has increased, we now have an opportunity to start thinking about the months ahead. I'll invoke once again the metaphor I've used of the long night-time journey with only a lantern to light the steps ahead: we make decisions as the path comes into view, always ready to make adjustments as new obstacles appear. The decline in case rates warrants new planning, but we will be ready to adjust should, as some fear may happen, we see another spike in cases or a dangerous spread of novel variants. But as more people in Massachusetts are vaccinated, our confidence in being able to move and work more freely will grow more assured.
Our teachers and staff have been determinedly securing appointments for vaccines, and we hope that by mid- to late April, a substantial majority who have been teaching remotely will be able to return safely to in-person teaching. With the prospect of having teachers back, we are also beginning to make plans for having more students back in the building. It has been clear to us, especially in recent weeks, that returning to more in-person school is important for the well-being of many of our students: most want the company of their friends, classmates, and teachers, and almost all of those who have been in the building report that it's easier to learn on those days. Such plans would involve continued safety measures (masking, testing, controlled movements and eating, open windows), with some adjustments to accommodate the greater numbers. There is, for example, strong evidence that, with the measures we have in place, a reduction to three-foot spacing entails negligible increase in risk of transmission. The return to in-person instruction will be optional: students who so choose will continue to be able to participate in classes remotely. We will in the coming weeks be reaching out with some questions, and we will communicate our plans as they take shape and as the possibility of return grows more likely. Let me emphasize that no firm decision has been made, that we have the capacity to respond nimbly to changing circumstances, and that students will have the option to participate in person or remotely.
We have also started discussions about other spring events, from AP exams to substitute Hancock to graduation, and are exploring ways to do more in person, with particular emphasis on giving seniors some semblance of normalcy in their final months at Commonwealth.
This year has been quite a trial. I want to thank all students, faculty and staff, and parents for the support and commitment you've shown to the school and its work. A year ago we had no idea that we would be capable of accomplishing all that we have, and we could not have gotten here without the efforts, trust, and good will of all.
Yours, Bill Wharton Headmaster 151 Commonwealth Avenue • Boston, MA 02116 • (617) 266-7525 © Commonwealth School, Inc. |