Burgundy’s Reopening Plan

Dear Burgundy Community,

We are sharing additional information on our thinking about and preparations for reopening school. We will be holding a town hall meeting to provide updated information and offer an opportunity for families to ask questions on Tuesday, August 18, at 7 p.m. (You will find the Zoom access information below this letter.)

At the recommendation of the Reopening Task Force Coordinating Committee, and following the vote of the Board of Trustees on August 12, we will begin the 2020-21 year with JK on campus and K-8 in remote learning mode, with planned opt-in ‘Burgundy Remote+’ on-campus activities in September. As we proceed through September, we will assess the integration of our on-campus activities and continue to monitor our reopening criteria and the evolving landscape as we hope to transition to a hybrid ½ day on-campus phase for grades K-8 in early October, as a step toward the hope of school returning to fully on-campus learning. This ongoing discernment process will continue to be supported and guided by the Reopening Task Force Coordinating Committee and the Board of Trustees.

We have spent the summer preparing to reopen our campus in September, with new operational plans and mitigations in place to reduce risk and protect the health and safety of our community. However, as we indicated in our most recent July 31 letter regarding reopening plans, the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to evolve, with cases rising through the summer in several states around us, as well as in parts of Virginia, and even regions within our immediate enrollment catchment area. The uncertainty about the course of the virus has understandably caused concern and impacted our immediate thinking.

Our final reopening plan has had to change to meet the challenge of changed conditions. Reading our community and current context over the last few weeks, we further understand that among us there are a range of interpretations of current regional conditions and our ability to provide a safe and familiar Burgundy full-day, 5-day schedule with the entire student body on campus. Out of our desire to recognize the vulnerability of, and to care for, our fellow community members, we believe that a measured return to campus is the appropriate next step.

The links below provide several of the key details relating to the first month of school. Our plan for continuity of learning and community has arisen from the dedicated efforts of our Reopening Academic Continuity Task Force and employees, who have worked all summer to ensure we are prepared to pivot between on-campus, remote, and blended scenarios. Our remote learning plans have been updated to include more synchronous classes and touch points and improved balance to the academic day. In addition, this remote learning schedule is designed to translate well between on-campus and remote scenarios. Teachers have engaged in a significant amount of work over the summer, including professional development and working with each other and with division heads to be ready for September.

From core subjects to specials, we will commit all of our efforts and resources to deliver quality programming. Many teachers also are planning on-campus opportunities in small groups for community building activities and so students can practice social distancing and protocols. Burgundy Remote+ will offer some on-campus and Cove programming, making use of our outdoor spaces. We may hear about some of these on Tuesday evening. The smaller group experiences of on-campus activity will support students and teachers together in a transition into a hybrid schedule—on-campus in the mornings with remote specials in afternoons. We recognize that a half-day on campus phase may create challenges for families and are examining ways that we can provide afternoon care for a limited number of students of families with particularly long or difficult commutes or other circumstances.

I invite you to attend our Town Hall on Tuesday, August 18, at 7 p.m. You also can look forward to a communication from me and our Division Heads, Elizabeth and Jared, regarding next steps in preparation for the coming school year. Thank you for your patience as we made this difficult decision regarding the beginning of the school year and for recognizing the challenges of making decisions that honor all of our constituents and the health, safety, and wellbeing of all. We want to recognize the hard work of our Reopening Task Force Committee and Workgroup members who developed core parts of this plan. Like many of you, I am disappointed that we will not begin the school year full-time on campus. But I know we will make our start to the school year the best experience possible for our students and families and continue to keep community as we work towards the time when we will be all together again.

See you soon,

Jeff

Reopening Plan Links

Burgundy Preparations for Reopening Main Page
Remote Learning Plan
Blended Learning Plan
Overview of Different Learning Scenarios
Social Contract and Community Expectations
Health and Safety Measures
Mask Protocols
Cohort Model
Academic and Student Support
Task Force Membership

Zoom Access Information

Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/96446376843?pwd=bTFtZTJNdy92NktsTXpQVVlGbEo3dz09
Meeting ID: 964 4637 6843
Password: 196701