It's inevitable - this fall will be like nothing we've ever seen before...
A lot of parents have been (understandably) asking how the current COVID-19 epidemic will impact our learning environment. We have every intention of opening our doors to learners this fall. Of course, conditions are changing daily so we'll adjust our plans depending on the situation as we near the date - in sum, too soon to tell, but we remain hopeful.
That said, here are some things that we already do as a learner-driven environment, that also happen to contribute to a healthier school environment during this unique time:
- Parent-Free Drop-off/Pick-up - "Crossing the Threshold", as we like to call it, from home to school on their own is an important ritual that begins any Acton Academy learner's day. For this reason, parents and family members are not typically permitted to enter the studios (much less get out of the car!) when dropping off or picking up their learners. This policy will also help minimize the FREQUENCY of exposure to infection from outside our school community.
- Limited Studio Visitation - Keeping our studios sacred for our learners means that we don't hold tours or allow outsiders to visit/observe while learners are hard at work in studio. This policy will also help minimize the QUANTITY of exposure to infection from outside our school community.
- Lots of Outside Time - Part of the reason we chose our particular location was that we're on 1 acre of wooded property for our learners to explore. We are passionate about outdoor play and the importance of cultivating a deep and meaningful connection with nature and our planet. Being able to interact outside in open air, with plenty of room to run around also helps minimize possible exposure.
- Parent Contract - As a parent community, we all sign a parent-owner contract that serves as the foundational social contract for our tribe of like-minded families. We believe that building a strong tribe requires establishing clear expectations and guardrails, placing trust in our fellow travelers and then holding each other accountable when needed. This aspect of our parent culture will help further facilitate productive discussion and agreement around how we will handle COVID safety as a community.
Here are some additional things that we might consider, depending on local regulations/recommendation and the needs of our families:
- Additional sanitation procedures - Studio maintenance is already an integral part of our day. This is where the learners take direct responsibility for keeping their studio space clean/sacred. This will be particularly important to cultivate within the studios this fall. And while adult intervention in this activity is typically kept to a minimum, given the current health crisis, we'll plan on implementing reasonable additional sanitation procedures (like wiping down surfaces one more time after the learners have left for the day, etc.).
- Limiting Year 1 Enrollment numbers - We're intentionally trying to only accept the most qualified families into our program and keep enrollment numbers to ~10 learners per studio - with the hopes that we might be able to stay under even the most extreme max group size regulations that may be imposed by local officials come fall.
- Daily Temp Checks - Though some would argue that this is of minimal effectiveness, if our community wanted to all agree that we'll temp check our kiddos before bringing them to school every day, along with any other additional symptom guidelines (that aren't already included in our sick policy in the handbook), that's certainly something we can explore, for instance.
- Transparent Communication and Infection Response Procedures - We will have clear expectations and procedures for notifying the community should situations change and additional risks emerge. We will also do everything we can to equip our families to keep everyone informed as well. As a tight-knit community of conscientious parents, we all have a responsibility to each other to uphold any promises we make re: navigating this health crisis.
- Virtual Exhibitions - One of the few times that the public is welcome in the studios is during our Exhibitions of Learning that occur at the end of each 7 week Session. This is typically a chance for our learners to showcase what they have been learning over the past few weeks and share/teach family, friends and mentors. We may need to pivot to virtual events (or limit headcount in some way), should these events present to great a risk re: community spread of COVID.
- Limiting Physical Interaction Between Studios - I (Angela) personally do not believe it is reasonable to expect children to social distance while in the studios. That said, there would typically be a lot of interaction between the 2 studios (Spark and Discovery). We could consider temporarily limiting inter-studio interactions if needed.
- Temporarily Going Virtual - Though this is absolutely our last resort, there may come a time when we need to pivot to a virtual format. Luckily, given our learning methodology, Acton Academy learners at other locations over these past few months have proven to be FAR more equipped than most to adapt and thrive when learning virtually is necessary!
Exploring options for fall?
Grab our FREE Info Kit to learn more.
Message from the Lucas Family
"As parents, we were frustrated with the old, traditional educational model that teaches students to check boxes and spit out facts. At Acton Academy, we believe learning should be an adventure, unique to each student, preparing them to bring their own special genius to the world."