Dear Members of the Loomis Chaffee Community:
I suspect that you are currently being inundated with updates and messages, not only from Loomis but also from all the organizations with which you are affiliated, regarding the coronavirus and COVID-19. While apologizing for adding to that load, I want to answer some of the questions that I have received and to provide a context and framework for you to understand the decisions that we are making as a school community.
One question relates to our decision to move to online learning for the start of the spring term. Some of you have asked why this was necessary given that our students are among those least likely to be affected by the virus and most likely to recover quickly if they were to catch it. This is of course the case. There are several interconnected reasons, however, why we decided to go in this direction. As the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have indicated, we are now in the midst of a pandemic the consequences of which remain largely unknown. COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new virus, and there are many unknowns about how the virus spreads, how contagious it is, and what the associated mortality rate is.
What we do know is that it is in our interest as a society to try to slow the spread of the disease. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, explained that we need to flatten the rate of increase of the spread of the virus to give our medical system a better chance of responding effectively to the cases. (See this New York Times article here.) The best way to slow the rate of transmission is through mitigating measures like social distancing. Closing the school and moving to an online platform, at least temporarily, not only protects the vulnerable members of our community — those students, faculty, and staff members with compromised immune systems and asthma, as well as older employees — but also benefits our wider society and is certainly aligned with our mission to serve the common good. I will share here also the latest column for The New York Times from Loomis alumna, parent, and Trustee Dr. Pauline Chen '82, "No Room at the Inn."
Another question we received was from some parents who wondered if a two-week delay was enough. It may not be, and we will try to make a decision next week about whether to extend the period we have outlined for distance learning. But we will take this situation step by step, taking appropriate measures as needed when needed. As stated above, there are still many unknowns associated with this particular virus. I would simply advise students and their families to remain flexible, to pay attention to messages coming from the school, and to make the decision that you feel is best for you and your child. If your child is unable to return to school once we resume, we will work with individual families to ensure the continuation of their education.
As I mentioned in my earlier communications, we have a COVID-19 Task Force that is meeting frequently and that is considering all the possible angles that we may face. I suspect that while the virus is proving to be massively disruptive, it will also lead to some interesting educational innovation and some changes to the normal flow of business. I am looking forward to seeing the creative ways faculty and students find to continue their Loomis Chaffee teaching and learning. Here at Loomis, we put a premium on problem solving, critical thinking, and liberal arts learning. Technology will allow us to implement some very new ways of learning, but we may also relearn some older practices like quiet reading and reflection. This situation will allow us to rethink much of what we do and why we do it in a particular way.
I know many parents and students will have plenty more questions and comments. Please keep sending them my way at sheila_culbert@loomis.org. We are a community, and I want to hear from you. We have now set up a web page with all of our communications and information regarding the school's response to the virus. That web page also contains a question-and-answer section with some of the most commonly asked questions. We will continue to add to that as needed.
Finally, stay well. Wash your hands, get enough sleep, look for the joy in life—and remember to think of others. Peggy Noonan in The Wall Street Journal wrote yesterday: "Don't 'wash your hands'; wash your hands like Lady Macbeth with obsessive-compulsive disorder." This situation more than most allows us to practice our school mission of being our best selves and serving the common good.
Warm regards,
Sheila
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