Fall 2020 Opening

The first day of school will be Tuesday, September 8, 2020. All students will be dismissed that day at noon. Pre-K-1st grade students will visit school the week of Monday, August 24th to become more familiar with health protocols (hand washing, social distancing, navigating the classroom/building). Details will be sent directly to those families via email by their teacher in July. All students will complete a ‘dry-run’ the week of August 31 in order to prepare for the first day of school.

At this time, there will be no changes to the academic calendar that was distributed with re-enrollment agreements in March. Should conditions change during the school year, the calendar may be modified to ensure that learning objectives are met. The 2020-2021 one-page calendar can be found on the Parents page of the TPS website.

Our plan is to open the doors of Blairhame to students for an official start on September 8 with a traditional 5-day in-person schedule. Should conditions or NYS guidelines for K-12 schools change during the summer, we will modify our reopening plans as required. In accordance with NYSED requirements, TPS created a comprehensive plan for a schedule that includes in-person, remote and hybrid learning models (see details on the models via the Reopening Overview link above). All models will ensure equitable and standards based instruction, continuity of learning, and substantive daily interaction between students and teachers. 

We are aware of the profound effect remote learning places on families and the emotional hardships students can experience while learning from home. As such, we have developed a new program to improve the remote learning experience, with guidance from intensive professional training over the summer months, and have  also incorporated opportunities to support students’ social and emotional well-being. 

Academic Enhancements: •Blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning with an increase in synchronous learning based on developmental appropriateness •Remote schedules mirror in-person schedules • Lower grades focus primarily on individual and small group instruction •Digital resources and subscriptions to support curricular programming • Co-curriculars and electives incorporated into the daily schedule •Regular teacher office hours 

Social/Emotional Enhancements: •Increased opportunities for students to engage in social and light-hearted activities to mitigate emotional distress associated with distance learning •Daily homeroom check-ins •Weekly individual check-ins•Bi-Weekly parent office hours for parents to touch base with teachers •Buddy classes, assemblies, town halls, live lunch, etc. 

In the event a student cannot attend in-person classes (e.g., illness, family member who is quarantined, underlying medical condition), TPS will work with that student and family to ensure they are supported and can access the material needed for learning.  We have invested in new technology that will allow students to participate in class remotely.  If you have questions or feel you may need an accommodation, please contact the Associate Head of Academics, Serena Mueller.

As we do every year, grades, sections and advisory groups are assigned to ensure a small, intimate and manageable size in order to maximize student learning and engagement. An evaluation of class size and room capacity has been performed to ensure appropriate social distancing. As always, relationships between teachers and students will be a high priority.

All classrooms and common spaces have been evaluated and capacity restrictions will be enforced. Different entrances will be marked and used for entering and exiting the school building-and child-friendly signage will be used when traffic patterns are necessary for stairways and hallways. In addition, we have adjusted passing times between classes where necessary.

• Parents will be required to complete a health screening using the remote Daily Parent Screening/Attestation Mobile App before placing their child on a bus.  If they have symptoms, they should not board the bus.
• While waiting for the bus, students will be expected to wait in their cars, or wear masks and maintain social distance. 
• Students will be required to wear a face covering at all times while riding a bus.  
• No food or beverages are allowed to be consumed on the bus as this requires a student to remove their face covering.
• Students will board the bus walking to the furthest seat from the front of the bus that is available.  Students must sit by themselves in a seat unless they are from the same family.  One row should be skipped between students, unless the driver instructs the students otherwise based on the number of passengers.
• Exiting the bus will occur opposite to boarding instructions.  Students closest to the front door will exit first, followed by each consecutive row working towards the back of the bus.  Students should remain seated until there is at least 6 feet (or 3 rows) of distance between the person in front of them. 
• Both school districts and bus companies will be wiping down the seats with disinfecting products before students enter and again after they exit.
• Public school district and private bus company rules are subject to the latest guidance provided by NYS and/or CDC, and any changes will supersede this policy.

Students will wash their hands with soap and water frequently throughout the day, especially before entering and exiting a space. Hand-sanitizer will be placed in every classroom and throughout the building. Cleaning routines are being enhanced to ensure thorough disinfecting of all surfaces and touch points throughout the day.  

In order to comply with guidance, our family style dining is postponed until further notice. TPS values nutrition, healthy meals and student choice - and we will continue to encourage faculty and student interaction, manners and healthy eating during meal times. We are working closely with our food vendor, FLIK Dining, to deliver best practices that are safe and aligned with our mission. All meals will be served to students by Food Service staff: • Lunch times will be staggered to avoid lines • PS students will pick up lunch in the Primary School wing • MS/US will pick up lunch in the Dining Room • Students will eat outdoors or in their classrooms.

All employees and students will be required to wear proper face coverings when social distancing is not achievable. What is an acceptable face covering? •Cloth-based face coverings and surgical masks that cover both the mouth and nose •Face shields may be worn with an acceptable face covering (face shields may not be used alone) •Bandanas, scarves, or gaiters are not allowed. Questions about face coverings? Please contact the Associate Head of School for Academics, Serena Mueller.

The school’s health office routinely treats students who become sick after arriving at school. There will be separate rooms for students depending on their illness, and all sick children will be supervised by a caregiver until they can return home. 

We are grateful for the ongoing partnership and cooperation between TPS, its students, and families. During this pandemic, we must all take responsibility for our own health, the health of our families, and those in our community - and will require compliance with new health & safety protocols in school and at home to keep all TPS community members healthy. 

• All families will be expected to sign a TPS Health & Safety Pledge before school begins.
• Parents will not send their children to school if they are knowingly exposed to a person positive for or suspected with COVID-19 within the past 14 days. 
• Parents will not send their children to school if they have traveled to a restricted state on the NYS Travel Advisory list within the past 14 days. 
• Parents should check children for a temperature each day before leaving for school and update questionnaire  in Magnus Mobile App. 
• Parents can encourage children to wash their hands frequently and wear masks when social distancing cannot be maintained.  
• Parents should communicate with the school regarding any symptoms or concerns.

Parents and visitors without an appointment will be prohibited from entering the building to protect the community. While TPS has traditionally encouraged parents to visit for various activities, these practices will likely be suspended for the near future. At the beginning of the school year, we expect that most non-student events (e.g., PA meetings, committee meetings, Back to School Nights, Parent/Faculty Dinner) will be done virtually in an effort to keep everyone safe and healthy.  We look forward to opening up the school when it is determined safe for in-person parent and visitor activities! 

At this time, interscholastic sports are prohibited by NYS. Instead, students will engage in physical activities from 3-4pm, Monday-Thursday, doing sports-specific skills & drills and engaging in training & conditioning. *Students will no longer change for athletics. 

TPS recognizes the importance of exercise and physical activity for all students and will continue to offer a full PE curriculum. Pre-K-5th grade students, will be outdoors whenever possible and at least 12-feet apart when in the gym. Our curriculum has been adapted in line with new health & safety guidelines.

*Students will no longer change for PE.