Moments of: The Blog
The View From Here: Welcome Back
This has been such a long week, filled with the endless cycle of political commentary about election returns and the undetermined outcome of multiple states. It feels as though the election and ballot counting have been going on for months now; there is so much anxious anticipation swirling as we await the final outcome. That feeling of nervous excitement (and a bit of exhaustion) is nothing new for the members of our Health and Safety Task Force. Like the intrepid ballot counters, our team of staffulty members has worked methodically and carefully to ensure that everything goes smoothly as we welcome small groups of students back to our campus. For months, they have been preparing protocols and procedures, procuring supplies and planning for all of the uncertainties, and working overtime to bring our students and staffulty back to SA as safely as possible.
Sonoma County is still classified in the Purple Tier under the state’s color-coded reopening system, and this precludes us from being able to open our campus to in-person instruction. However, we are allowed to bring small groups of students back for extracurricular activities and learning support. Starting next Friday, November 13, 9th grader students will be invited to campus to meet with their Health and Wellness TA groups, some even visiting SA for the first time, and extracurricular groups will be scheduled to meet in person in the coming weeks.
We have put countless hours into developing safety guidelines, establishing a Covid-19 testing process, and working through the logistics involved with bringing our students back. Please refer to the email that was sent to all students and families last night and to our detailed Return to Campus Guidebook for more information about our plans to keep our community safe.
We cannot overstate our excitement about this initial phase of our reopening. Our 9th graders, who have not been together as Coyotes, will have an invaluable opportunity to connect and experience time together during our asynchronous day next Friday. The cast of our Fall Theater Production, A Midwinter Night’s Dream, will finally be able to conduct in-person rehearsals. Our Fall athletes will be able to reunite with their teammates for drills and skills practice. It will also be my first moments as Head of School with students on campus, and I am anxiously awaiting our return next week.
This week has clearly been a lesson in patience. We are all waiting and watching as we anticipate the outcome of the presidential election. Fortunately, patience is a skill we have been sharpening for many months now. These small cohort meetings will be a reward for our patience as we continue to prepare for a broader reopening with more cohorts and grade-levels on campus following our Thanksgiving break. I cannot think of a better reward than to have time on campus as we reconnect and reimagine our community together.
Sonoma Academy Is...
...the only private, independent, college preparatory high school in Sonoma County. On our beautiful campus nestled at the base of Taylor Mountain in Southeastern Santa Rosa, our students are able to explore their interests and passions in a rigorous and inspiring environment that develops a lifelong love of learning and prepares them for college and beyond.
Sonoma Academy admits students of any race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity or national origin, citizenship, gender or gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and tuition assistance programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
