Covid-19 Updates
We are dedicated to providing you with the most updated Covid-19 communications as it relates to the daily operations at Saint Mark’s.
Below are some of our Administrators showcasing what our Lower School and Middle School classrooms and our Dining Hall will look like this upcoming school year.
3/9/2021 - We are anticipating that all of our teachers and staff that would like to receive the COVID-19 vaccine will have their first shots by the end of March. We are currently at over 40% and have two designated times this week at one of the county vaccination locations specifically for our teachers. We want to thank those at the County and local hospitals for all their assistance in achieving this goal.
In addition, our Board of Trustees have recently discussed our social distancing, cohort, and mask wearing protocols with administration. The Board decided that based on the information we know today, St. Marks will keep the current protocols in place through the rest of the school year. We expect that these protocols will be phased out sometime this summer as we receive updated reports on adult and child vaccinations from Dr. DeChurch and County Health Department.
Finally, we will make a slight change to drop-off protocols. Starting tomorrow, we will postpone temperature checks at drop-off until further notice and ask parents to please continue to self monitor and report via the Health App or through communication with our clinic. Any child with an elevated temperature should stay home, and the parent should seek the advice of your pediatrician. We will continue to distribute hand sanitizer at drop-off for each student as currently planned.
We thank you for all your support and help in keeping our campus safe. Stay Lion Strong!
10/1/2020 - I wanted to take a moment and update you on where we are as a school regarding COVID and Phase 3 announcements from the Governor.
1. Today, we were notified of a Saint Mark's family in which the parent tested positive for COVID on 9/29. The family will be quarantining following CDC guidelines. It should be noted that the Saint Mark's student tested negative and has not been on campus since last Thursday. The clinic immediately began contact tracing this morning and adhering to their strict protocols including consultation with Dr. DeChurch and the family. Our campus was immediately cleared of any risk. It is our promise that if a student, class, or division has come into contact with a positive COVID case, you will be notified immediately by the school in addition to a broader schoolwide email.
2. The recent announcement by the Governor and subsequent Emergency Orders by Broward County have begun to reopen parts of our county and state that have been closed. Phase 3 allows for extended park and public facility openings and gathering of 100 people or less in certain circumstances. As an administration, we have met and decided we are not changing any of our protocols at this time for our campus. We continue to be mindful and patient and are looking forward to the day we can return to normal operations.
We remain in contact with all of our channels of communication including local officials and health experts. Thanks to your commitment as a community, we have had a very successful first quarter of school. We remain ready to respond if needed should a student or employee test positive for COVID. Our combined efforts to adhere to safety protocols on and off campus will continue to help us stay safe. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to the administration or the clinic.
8/5/2020 - We are two weeks away from our first day of school. I have taken the time this summer to listen to many of you convey the hardships, sacrifices, and frustrations you have endured during these last few months. I know asking one more thing maybe what upsets the delicate balance of your current reality. However, I ask that families try their best to quarantine themselves, just as I have asked our faculty to do the same. Wherever you are currently, your efforts to limit gatherings and respect social distancing with face masks will help in enabling us to successfully keep everyone engaged on our campus. Our success is dependent upon our community effort to stay focused on social distancing, washing hands, and face masks. We are depending on each other and cannot thank you enough in advance for your support.
A few updates I would like to share at this time:
Just as a reminder, the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida is not associated with the Catholic Diocese. I mention this as the Catholic Diocese decided to move all schools to online learning for several reasons including not being able to adhere to social distancing in classrooms under CDC guidelines. In addition, the majority of their schools are located in Miami-Dade County. The Episcopal Diocese operates differently and has approved our reopening plan. St. Marks, as many Episcopal schools, operates as an independent school much like the other private schools here in Broward County. While we still report to the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida, we have much more autonomy than Catholic Schools.
In our recent survey, 15% of families are choosing to begin in our Synchronous Learning environment, while 85% are choosing to start on campus. We will have multiple children in each grade level in the synchronous learning environment. Also, we will have an orientation specifically for those entering synchronous learning. The details will be forthcoming next week.
In the next few days, we will be sending out orientation as well as the start of school. Please watch out for this information via email.
If you are choosing our Synchronous Learning:
We are asking that you commit to at least 30 days so that we can fine-tune our new platform.
After 30 days, if you choose to return to campus, a seat will be waiting for you in your socially distanced classroom.
If you are on campus and at any point want to switch to Synchronous Learning:
We are asking that you remain on the online platform for 14 days before returning to the campus.
Students who are sent home for illnesses other than COVID-19 may return to campus before the 14 days so long as they have been medically cleared.
In the future, we plan to allow for more flexibility around our Synchronous Learning Environment but want to phase in that flexibility as our teachers get acquainted with the technology. In addition, we are fine-tuning all of our procedures and safety protocols for the opening of the campus. Our faculty returns to campus on Monday, August 10th, to begin their training and pre-planning for the school year. We are very excited and want to make sure all of your questions are answered.
Feel free to join us today at 12:00 noon for another Facebook Live Q&A with Dr. Stephanie DeChurch about the latest research around COVID-19 from Nicklaus Childrens Hospital and Joe DiMaggio Childrens Hospital. Remember you do not need a Facebook account to watch on the school's Facebook page. We will provide a link for the recorded version later this afternoon on our website.
We look forward to seeing your children soon. Stay safe and lion strong!
7/29/2020 - I want to begin by reiterating that a successful return to campus will depend on all of our personal and collective behaviors and actions. We all must take steps to stay well and persistently keep each other safe, both at school and while out in the community, by limiting chances of exposure. As an example, we have asked all faculty and staff to begin a 14 day quarantine period prior to returning to campus for pre-planning. This as well as other actions are part of our commitment to your child's and our faculty's safety.
To provide some updates on overall campus management of COVID-19, we have:
Purchased and currently applying BIOPROTECT 500. This is water-based solution of a Silicone Quaternary Ammonium Salt, which can produce a durable, non-leaching, and non-migrating antimicrobial finish to all surfaces for up to 90 days of protection. BIOPROTECT 500 is effective against gram (+) and gram (-) bacteria, fungi, Virus (including COVID-19) algae, and yeasts. This product has been widely tested in hospitals and is approved for schools, offices, etc..
We have further altered our schedules to decrease student interactions, especially in the middle school across grade levels.
We are currently developing a COVID-19 curriculum for all grades that will educate students about why it is important to maintain safety standards and what is COVID-19.
As we continue to update our families on programs and policies, we wanted to share the following with you:
You will receive an email tomorrow about whether you plan to start the school year with your child attending classes on campus or through our Synchronous Learning Lab. Please complete this survey as soon as possible. A Synchronous and Asynchronous option is now available to PK3 and PK4. A link to our new Synchronous Learning Lab video is shared below. *
Please find attached our face mask policy. As the local health and county government alter their face masks requirements, we will follow their recommendations.
Fall Athletics
All activities will follow national/local guidelines (social distancing, no sharing equipment, etc.) as advised by The Florida High School Athletic Association.
The start date will be in late August (most likely Monday, August 31st)
To start, sports activities will be on St. Mark's campus only (no games will be played for at least the first month)
7th/8th graders will practice / participate on Monday/Wednesday – keeping students in same clusters as the school day.
5th/6th graders will practice / participate on Tuesday/Thursday – keeping students in same clusters as the school day.
We do plan on implementing volleyball and flag football later in the school year if/when possible
As always, we are available to answer questions over the phone, over email or by appointment. Watch for my next Head of School update on Wednesday, August 4th. Please also respond to tomorrow’s survey as soon as you can.
*Watch new Synchronous Learning video at https://vimeo.com/441676740
7/22/2020 - During the past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has created extraordinary challenges impacting our school which has required us to pivot in a myriad of ways. Throughout this difficult time, St. Marks community has shown strength and resiliency while demonstrating courage in navigating this unfamiliar landscape. As we prepare for the first day of fall classes on August 19, we remain focused on the health and safety of our students. Together, we will emerge as a better, stronger school.
A successful return to campus will depend on all of our personal and collective behaviors and actions. We are one St. Marks family, and that means we always look out for each other and support one another in challenging times. It means that each of us must take steps to stay well and persistently keep each other safe, both at school and in the community. Creating a safe and healthy environment for all of our students is a shared responsibility that will include protecting your own health, while also protecting your friends, family, and your children. While our procedures will return to normal in time, your cooperation with our safety and operating guidelines to open school will be pivotal to our success.
As we fine tune the particular details of what the daily life for St. Marks students and faculty look like at the start of this school year, we will share the details of these plans in a weekly letter from my office through the start of the school. To begin, I would like to share the following:
On July 31, you will receive a Google form that asks whether you intend on August 19 to have your child attend on campus, attend on-line locally, or attend on-line from out of the area. This will help us prepare for our school supplies to be distributed on campus, via pickup, or via mail.
We are offering the option for students to attend classes either on campus or our via synchronous learning lab. The synchronous learning lab is a live interactive feed from our classrooms through Google meets in which students will follow their daily schedule. This is being offered for grades K-8 currently and we are exploring the idea of expanding that to Pk3 and PK4. We will have a special on-line orientation for those students and parents who are choosing this option from the onset.
Each classroom has been set up so that student’s desks are seated 6ft apart from each other in all classrooms. Classroom capacity has been capped based on this requirement. We have removed group table furniture as well as other pieces from our classrooms temporarily to accommodate for this requirement. The band room has been relocated to the Multi purpose room to adhere to spacing requirements in addition to several other safety measures around playing instruments. Choir has been relocated to the band room for extra space and will utilize outdoor spaces when available.
Middle School Hallway traffic will be reduced by 50% through a two bell transition schedule and will flow only in a clockwise foot traffic pattern. Lower School will follow a similar pattern. In addition, the lower school playground will be divided into four distinct areas separated by a barrier in which only a single class at a time will be allowed in an individual section. This will allow us to maximize student out outside play time.
Students will be required in grades K-8 to have facial coverings of their choice (no offensive wording or designs) when CDC social distancing guidelines cannot be followed. Facial coverings in PK1-PK4 will be optional. All teachers and staff will be required to have facial coverings and/or shields as required by the CDC.
PK1-PK4 will eat lunch in their classrooms. K-4 will eat lunch in the Parish Hall with no more than 3 students per table in two different lunch periods. Middle School students will eat lunch in two lunch periods with no more than 3 students per table. Students will have daily opportunities (weather permitting) to eat lunch outside.
I hope you find this information helpful. I will share more information each week as we get closer and more details of what students and parents can expect when we open campus. We continue to monitor the local health environment and update our procedures as additional information arises. When our greater community health environment improves, we will begin returning to our normal daily life.
As we move towards the opening of school, it will take a collective effort. We all must do our part to ensure our campus is safe for our students and faculty. We encourage you to reach out to our administration with any questions or concerns. We are here to help.
7/15/2020 - The recent announcement by Broward Public Schools to be 100% online starting in August does not affect our plan as a school to open with both virtual and on-campus options. We feel that our plan is well thought out, safe, and takes into consideration CDC and medical professional's recommendations. Many of our families may wonder what the difference is between St. Marks and Broward County School District when it comes to student COVID safety. The key differences are:
Class sizes are much smaller. Our average class size is 9-13 students compared to BCPS at 25-35 students. In addition, our school campus is enrolled with around 350 students compared to 800+ on most BCPS campuses.
We have a plan to keep school divisions isolated and 6 feet apart in their classrooms because of our classroom sizes and 10+ acre campus. This includes dining and enrichment activities.
Our new synchronous learning lab will give parents and students the option to come on or off campus depending on their own family preferences without missing a day of instruction.
Our cleaning and preventative COVID measures go beyond that of public schools, thus allowing us to keep environments cleaner and safer than most due to our size and maintenance staff.
I will host a Facebook live event next Wednesday with Jami Kadivar, our nurse, to answer questions about our reopening plan as well as the start of the school year. We continue to monitor the current conditions daily and are corresponding with local and statewide agencies as well as our own medical advisors. Things could change that result in St. Marks altering our plan. However, at this point in time we are moving forward with opening campus on August 19th under Stage 2 procedures which are outlined in our COVID operating plan. We encourage you to reach out to our administration with questions. Thank you again for your support and commitment to our values and school.
Be safe and lion strong!
7/12/2020 - A big thank you to Roosevelt and the entire maintenance crew for their already hard work on campus this summer. It is looking great and keep up the outstanding work!
By now, you should have received the email sent out last week that contained our full re-opening plan. Some of the things that make our school so incredibly strong are our relationships and sense of community. Please understand all of our decisions are being made to honor those principles. It is important for you to know the changes and investments being made in our school for which we need your help. We hope the summary below brings you a sense of comfort and reassurance that we are taking every step and measure to protect the well-being of our school and the continued commitment we need from you as teachers and staff to not just survive this uncertain times but to thrive within it.
When you return on campus in August, you can expect:
We will put into place a social distancing protocol in classrooms and minimize the possible transfer of the disease from person to person
Smaller class sizes (cohorts) of approximately 10-12 students (No more than 9 students in EC and Pre-K) depending on the grade
Students will remain in their divisions throughout the day with little to no cross-over. This includes the lower school eating lunch in the parish hall while EC and Pre-K eat in their classrooms or outside.
Enrichment teachers at in PK2-4th Grade will rotate through classrooms to carry on the well-balanced program of excellence that families are used to (i.e. music, science, art, etc.)
Breaks, PE, and Recess will continue as normal (students will remain in their respective grades). The playground will be divided, as will the gym with a new drop down ceiling curtain
Parents will have limited access to our campus
Teachers and staff will be required to wear facemasks except when teachers are teaching at the front of the room. Students will be asked to wear masks when six feet of social distancing cannot be maintained for certain grade levels, while other grade levels will have an option due to the age of the students
We are making significant investments in our campus and classrooms by:
Giving each teacher a new fully capable laptop (i.e. not a chrome book) to better equip them for the flexibility needed in the current environment
Installing in each classroom a mobile synchronous lab cart which allows students at home to google meet simultaneously with you and their classmates at school. Each cart will have a 55" monitor, web cam, Chromebook, and battery backup. Teachers will be given training on how to utilize the technology for everyday use in your classroom
1:1 device for every student in grades 1st thru 8th, for both in school and at-home use in the event of remote learning
Furniture set-up with 6 feet distancing where possible. This may mean that we will have to remove some furniture from teachers classrooms but will only do so after consulting with teachers
Individual school supplies for each student
A robust cleaning and disinfecting system including the addition of a devoted daytime cleaner
We will depend on your partnership to enable your children to come to school in a loving, secure and inclusive environment. This may include:
Adjustment to scheduling
Help in temperature checking and screening as well as helping to keep our environment clean
Voluntary quarantining if/when necessary
Helping our students be comfortable with the new school procedures
The new normal at St. Marks may look different, but it comes with old values - values like loving concern for our school community and well-being. Thank you for your patience and support throughout this journey. We will continue to provide you updates as new information comes up.
Finally, we want you to feel safe on campus but need to know if the current plans and measures pose a risk to you or your family that would impede you from returning to work on campus. Their maybe some options but we expect that we will open campus and expect our teachers and staff to deliver our mission and values within the new normal we will have to endure during this time. If being on campus will be a roadblock for you, please reach out to an administrator no later than August 1st so we may engage in a conversation about how to approach this together.
Please reach out if you have any questions or comments on the above. Be safe.
7/10/2020 - We understand you are eager to know how the coming year at Saint Mark’s will look. In every office, at every level, we are monitoring the developing health situation and working to create the best environment for your child’s journey. We want to thank you for your patience, feedback, and most importantly thank you for your continued support and commitment to Saint Mark‘s.
We are well under way and have a clear path to address both families who want their children on campus and those that want remote learning. Our plan is to open campus on August 19th in Stage 2 which is dependent on state and local authorities. A detailed plan can be found on this page which is continually being updated. We encourage you to reach out with questions and concerns so that we may work together to find solutions. We are here to help.
As new findings within the scientific community are shared, our plan evolves. That said, Saint Mark’s is committed to the following:
To provide a safe environment in which students have access to all their enrichments through controlled, clean and isolated settings.
To provide an environment in which students can engage with their teachers and curriculum in meaningful ways that continues their educational and emotional growth.
To provide a remote learning option for families that places the child virtually in the classroom with other students via a synchronous learning lab.
We have spent the summer working tirelessly to plan and execute our objectives to be ready for the new school year. We have purchased all the equipment needed for our classroom synchronous learning labs - currently in a testing phase (demo video to be released in the next two weeks).
Eventually, the pandemic will pass and we will begin our new normal. Until then, thank you for patiently allowing us time to make the best possible decisions for your students' safe return to campus and for working with us to kick off a successful and enriched academic year. We know that the past few months have been hard, not only for students, but also for you as parents and family members. We commend and thank you for all that you do.
We are all in this new process together.
KEEP ROARING LIKE THE LIONS YOU ARE!
6/19/2020 - Happy Summer Days to our entire community! We have been working hard to prepare for the coming school year. As promised, our reopening guide is attached. We are currently in Phase 2 and expect to open school in Phase 2 as well. We continue to monitor the latest research from both national and international research institutes. The important thing to note is that we are offering synchronous learning through our synchronous learning lab which will allow students to attend live classes with their classmates who are at school. This will enable students of families who are at high risk to COVID-19 not to miss the classroom instruction while they wait for a vaccine to become available. We are currently testing the platform and hope to have a demonstration video in early July.
We will also be posting our detailed reopening plan with a lot more information on our website on July 1 for your review. The detailed plan goes in depth around our daily schedule and activities. It also explains how we are sanitizing the campus and making sure that St. Marks is a safe place to learn and interact. We will continue to keep you posted and please know that we are committed to having our students on campus on August 19th. It is vital to the learning and growth of students to be on campus, interacting, and engaging.
5/21/2020 - I have taken some time this week to reflect on the 19 – 20 school year - what a year it has been! So much has happened. We have grown as a community and school. Our successes in the classroom and on the field of play have been incredible. Our struggles and obstacles, from water main breaks, to the challenges of online learning, have made us stronger and more resilient. I am so very proud of our students and teachers.
Communicate – communicate – communicate is my motto. With that in mind, I wanted to update everyone on our Re-Opening plan for 2020-21 academic year. We intend to share a full plan by the end of June. Today, I share our plan, based on current information. First and foremost, it is our goal to have students on campus. Our priority is the educational and social/emotional needs of our students, and we recognize that being on campus is optimal for this. We are also devoted to making sure we are maintaining a safe environment when we return to campus. Our goals are to:
Protect the health and safety of students, teachers, staff and families while on campus. We will have health checks, incorporate UV technology for sanitizing, and use CDC approved cleaners that reduce any bacteria or viruses on surfaces for several weeks.
Advise the school community regarding protocols for social distancing and face coverings while on campus.
Monitor conditions and immediately take steps to limit and mitigate any COVID-19 positive tests by closing a grade section or the school for a few days, returning to full online learning for a period of time, and further sanitization of the facility.
Saint Mark’s Episcopal School will be following these general protocols in relation to the Local and State phase recommendations. In relation to our school, the phases and school response are:
Phase 1: School will be in online learning full time. Students and families are to remain home. Teachers, administrators and staff are to work from home. Campus will have limited hours for essential work personnel and for families/employees to pick up supplies and materials to maintain online learning. If allowed, our Toddler-PK4 will be on campus in small classes with no more than 10 individuals in a class as part of the Governor’s essential programs.
Phase 2: School will reopen with specific guidelines. Employee and student health screenings will occur daily. Employees, and when applicable students, will wear cloth face coverings when social distancing cannot be observed. Parental or guardian drop-off/pick-up will be via car line only and should be performed by the same parent, if possible. Social distancing on campus will be established. Limited events will occur but be subject to 50 or fewer individuals in a group. Outdoor events may allow for more participation but be subject to local health guidelines. There will be limited after-school activities or athletics as students are recommended to depart campus at the end of the academic day. Individuals, over the age 65, should consider remaining off campus if practical.
Phase 3: School will be open with after-school activities and athletics. Relaxed social distancing guidelines will be adhered to. Events will occur with time limits to reduce the time larger groups are together. Parents will be allowed to attend campus events and walk their children to campus. “At risk” students, employees, and families should continue to wear face coverings.
These plans are subject to change if Local, Episcopal Diocesan, and State Health officials advise otherwise. If we have to be in online learning for grades K-8, we will be following a synchronous model in which students and teachers will be in structured classes throughout the day with teachers and students live online together for the school day. This differs from our current model which incorporates more of a blended model. Our parents have provided key feedback as to what is working and not working, which is helping guide us moving forward. This option will also be available to parents and students who have concerns even if our campus is open.
We all hope to be back on campus, but we are planning several models to make sure we are prepared. I hope that the information shared in this email gives you some comfort. We will continue to communicate as we close this year and finalize planning for next year. It has been a great year with many events and successes beyond the last several weeks. We have lived our mission to educate our students both in mind and in character. I am proud of our school and proud of our students. Thank you for all your support.
4/22/2020- The Administration and our Board of Trustees has decided to remain in our online learning environment for the rest of the year per the recommendation of the State of Florida.
We are completing two possible plans for our 8th Grade graduation, one will include an in-person ceremony and the other a virtual ceremony. We will announce which of these plans will happen on May 8th. All other end-of-year events will be scheduled virtually, and we will release a calendar of these events by May 1st.
We are also finalizing plans for Summer Camp that will include both academic and enrichment offerings. We hope to have those announcements by May 15th or sooner as we receive further information from our local health department as to how to properly conduct camp in a safe environment.
4/1/2020- The State of Florida Department of Education extended their school closures until May 1st. Thus, our online classes will resume on April 14th following Spring Break. We understand the considerable disruption this is causing for all of our parents, students, faculty, and staff. With all of this uncertainty, consistency and routine are more important than ever for our students. With this in mind, we are weighing our options closely and keeping our students at the center of all our decision making.
As we settle into our temporary new routines with the uncertainty of when normalcy may soon return, I challenge our students and families to be thankful of the little things we take for granted and take the time to express love and care for those around us, for those that are doing their best to protect us, and for those that simply may need uplifting words of compassion. As we enter Spring Break this Friday, I wish all of you safe and happiness and provide any hope needed to you that this time will come to an end and normalcy will return.
We are here to assist you and your family in any way that we can. We are in this together.
Dr. Spencer Taintor is the author of “Building Authentic Confidence in Children”, father of 2 and Head of School at St. Mark’s Episcopal School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.