COVID-19 UPDATES AND RESOURCES

 

At Keys School, we are closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation and taking proactive measures to ensure the health and safety of every member of our community. We base our decisions on the facts, advice, and guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the California State Health Department, and the Santa Clara Public Health Department, in addition to medical specialists.

This page is meant to provide timely updates specific to our school’s response and planning efforts as well as an archive of resources and community updates. New information and updates will also be sent via email to our parents, faculty, and staff.

Recommendations put forth by government agencies may change based on new information regarding COVID-19, so please refer to the experts for specific questions regarding COVID-19.

 

CAMPUS REOPENING DOCUMENTATION

COVID-19 Safety Plan

 

Social Distancing Protocol Visitor Information – Lower School

School Site-Specific COVID-19 Preparedness Plan Summary – Middle School

Santa Clara County Public Health

 

Green Apple Certification – School Preparedness Plan to Meet County Guidance for COVID-19 – Visitor Information – Lower School

Green Apple Certification – School Preparedness Plan to Meet County Guidance for COVID-19 – Visitor Information – Middle School

Santa Clara County Public Health

REOPENING STATUS

Grades K-8:

Currently campus is open for Campus-Based Learning for grades K-8.

 

 

 

 

 

 

KEYS COMMUNITY UPDATES

March 15, 2021: Planning for the 2021-22 School Year

Dear Keys Families,

We’ve come a long way since last March 11, 2020, when we announced Keys’ move to remote learning due to the pandemic. It has been quite a journey, and it continues. Yet today marks the beginning of Keys’ third trimester and both campuses are open. We are making progress toward that goal of having our community fully back on campuses. We are grateful for your partnership throughout it all, and although challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic persist, we look forward to a vibrant year ahead.

We’re preparing for the fall of 2021. In our conversations with medical experts, as well as county and state officials, we are confident we can bring our students back to campus safely in August. Our plan for the next school year is for in-person learning and teaching, five days per week, for all students K–8. Although we intend to resume as-close-to-regular operations as possible, we anticipate a continued need for appropriate health and safety measures in line with guidance from public health, medical, and government experts. We will continue to do our due diligence to keep our community safe while vibrantly delivering the Keys’ mission.

What will next year look like?
  • Continued Masking – We will continue masking as a recommended mitigation strategy. Experts note that masking is even more important than social distancing.
  • Social-distancing – The county and state are moving toward adjusting social distancing guidelines. Current indications are that we will be able to accommodate all our students in the classroom while following adjusted distancing protocols.
  • Cohorting – Keys will follow protocols determined by the state and county.
  • Testing – To begin the year, we will continue testing students, faculty, and staff to monitor potential transmission.
  • Vaccines – By August, the majority of our faculty and staff will be vaccinated which allows faculty to cross the thresholds of classrooms and teach more than one cohort.
  • Ventilation – At this time, the school has upgraded MERV 13 filters (which are replaced at a minimum monthly), keeps doors and windows open, and uses fans to facilitate airflow. We are investigating air filtration systems.
  • Handwashing and other behavioral best practices – We will continue to teach students to wash their hands routinely and other best hygiene practices.

If you have further questions about next year and what it will look like, I invite you to join Lower School Head, Betsy Doss, Middle School Head, Larry Purcell, and Director of Finance and Operations, Greg Engel, and me for a Lower and Middle School Q&A at 7 pm and 8 pm respectively on Monday evening, March 22nd. We welcome the chance to connect, answer questions, and walk through our thinking.

If you have concerns about returning to campus full-time next fall, please contact me as soon as possible so the school understands your concerns.


For more resources regarding fall openings:

Here’s to a successful Trimester 3 for our Home- and Campus-Based Blended learners!

All my best,
Heather

March 2, 2021: 7th & 8th Graders Returning to Campus

Dear 7th and 8th Grade Families,

We learned on our Santa Clara County call today that Santa Clara County will be in the Red Tier effective tomorrow. It’s official then! We are opening our Campus-Blended Learning option for students in grades 7 and 8, starting on Monday, March 8, for students in grade 7 and Tuesday, March 9, for students in grade 8.

Though our county will enter the Red Tier, officials on the call emphasized that county COVID cases have plateaued lately instead of steadily trending downward. County officials attributed this to the public complacency, i.e., being less concerned with social-distancing and mask-wearing protocols. They reminded schools on the call to continue to be vigilant and enforce safety protocols in order to mitigate the risk of spread and consequently support a decline in cases.

Please note that travel advisories now revert to state guidelines and not county guidelines.

STUDENT INFORMATION AND Q&A SESSIONS

We invite you to join Larry Purcell for a comprehensive Trimester 3 Information and Q&A Session to discuss the logistics of returning to campus. Please see below for details:

Grade 7 Student Information and Q&A Session

Tuesday, March 2

8:00-8:30pm

Grade 7 Parent Information and Q&A Session

Tuesday, March 2

8:30-9:00pm

Grade 8 Student Information and Q&A Session

Wednesday, March 3

8:00-8:30pm

Grade 8 Parent Information and Q&A Session

Wednesday, March 3

8:30-9:00pm

TEST KIT DROP OFF

If your child is returning to campus, please drop off your student’s completed test kit to the Middle School campus on either of the following collection date and time.
  • March 3, 3:30-5:30pm or
  • March 4, 8:00-10:00am

If you have any additional questions regarding testing, please contact Greg Engel directly.

COMMUNITY COMMITMENT FORM

For those participating in our Campus-Based Blended Learning Program, we ask that you read and sign the Keys Community Commitment Form by March 3, to indicate that you understand Keys’ expectations of students and families who return to campus-based learning.

To access this form, please sign in to your KeysNet account. Upon signing in, you will see a yellow notification bar at the top of your homepage indicating that you have a form to complete. You can also find this form by clicking on your name in the top right-hand corner of your homepage and choosing “Files & Forms” in the dropdown menu. If the form does not appear this means you already signed the Keys Community Commitment Form for your student in Trimester 2.

STUDENTS REMAINING IN HOME-BASED LEARNING

If your child is remaining in Home-Based Learning, please note that there will be no significant changes to the schedule until March 15 (other than conference week next week). You’ll hear more from us about upcoming schedule changes and the start of Trimester 3 soon.

We look forward to welcoming our 7th and 8th graders back to campus and continuing the great momentum we have with our Home-Based Learners.

Warm Regards,

Heather

February 2, 2021: Grades 5 and 6 Opening

Dear Middle School Families,

We are pleased to announce that we have received the green light from Santa Clara County to open the campus-blended option for grades 5 and 6!

For grade 6, the first day of Trimester 2 Campus-Based Blended Learning will be this Thursday, February 4. Tonight, Larry will host a call at 8:00pm with sixth grade students who will be participating in Campus-Based Blended Learning for the remainder of Trimester 2 to discuss the logistics of returning to campus, followed by an 8:30pm call with the parents of these students.

The first day of Trimester 2 Campus-Based Blended Learning for students in grade 5 will be Monday, February 8. Stay tuned for information regarding a call for the fifth grade students and parents participating in Campus-Based Blended Learning.

What does this mean for grades 7 and 8? At this time, seventh and eighth graders will continue with Home-Based Learning, until Santa Clara County has been in the Red Tier for 5 consecutive days. We look forward to welcoming all of our students back onto campus soon.

All my best,

Heather

January 24, 2021: 6th Grade Testing Information

Dear 6th-grade families,

We are eager to have our 6th-graders return to campus and hope that opportunity is approaching soon!

In anticipation of the 6th-grade students’ return to school on Thursday, February 4, we have decided to postpone Test Kit drop-off until Monday, February 1st. There are two reasons for this change:

  1. Adjusted case rates are announced on Wednesdays at the Blueprint for a Safer Economy website. To open campus, the adjusted Case Rate (CR) must be below 25 per 100,000 population. If the CR is 25 or higher, we may not open campus the following week.
  2. Collecting Test Kits on Monday, February 1, reduces the time between testing and return to campus and thereby reflects a more up-to-date health screening.

I will speak to the adjusted case rates at Wednesday evening’s State of the School. If the adjusted CR is below 25, we will provide testing instruction on Thursday, and Larry will revisit the topic on Thursday evening at the Middle School session. In the meantime, stay safe and take good care of yourself and one another.

Thank you again for your continued support.

All the best,

Heather

January 22,2021: COVID-19 Community Update

Dear Keys Families,

On Thursday, January 14th, Governor Newsom updated regulations regarding the opening of schools in the document COVID-19 and Reopening In-Person Instruction Framework & Public Health Guidance for K-12 in California, 2020-2021 School Year. We have reviewed the document, and today, we consulted with Santa Clara County Deputy Counsel, and our county Department of Ed liaison. We have verified the following:

What this means for Keys waiver: The state’s K-6 waiver process has been eliminated. The January 14th mandates now supersedes all previous protocols. Waivers in process are now void.

What this means for the Lower School: Grades K-4 will continue to function on their existing schedule.
  • Keys must post a COVID-19 Safety Plan on the school’s website and submit it with multiple county and state administrative departments before February 1st.
What this means for the Middle School:
  • Keys must immediately submit its CSP to the Santa Clara County Department of Health and the State for approval. The county and state have 7 business days to respond.
  • 5th and 6th graders must remain in Home-Based Learning until the adjusted CR has been less than 25 per 100,000 population per day for at least 5 consecutive days.
  • 7th and 8th graders must remain in Home-Based Learning until the adjusted CR has been less than 7 per 100,000 population per day.

Schools serving students in grades K-6 that have not already reopened may not reopen for in-person instruction in counties with adjusted Case Rate (CR) above 25 cases per 100,000 population per day. They may resume in-person instruction once the adjusted CR has been below 25 per 100,000 population per day for at least 5 consecutive days. Grades 7-12 may not reopen until the adjusted Case Rate is below 7 per 100,000 per day (when the county enters the Red Tier, CR 4-7 and Testing Positivity is between 5-8%).

It’s challenging to predict at what point the county will transition to a CR < 25 per 100,000 for 5 consecutive days. Given that, and in preparation for the soonest possible return to campus, we plan on testing our 6th grade Campus-blended students next week with February 4th or 5th being our earliest return. 5th Grade Campus-blended students will begin testing the week of February 1st with an anticipated first day on campus being February 8th. Please stay tuned for further information this weekend about testing.  7th and 8th grade will remain in our full Distance Learning model for the time being.  We are watching our county numbers daily and will communicate any expected changes.

I will review this at the State of the School next Wednesday, January 27th, at 7 pm, along with a high-level overview of Keys’ K-8 program goals for the year. Betsy and Larry will present learnings from the Parent Feedback survey and a more detailed look at program goals in the Thursday evening’s Lower and Middle School presentations at 7 and 8 pm respectively.

We have all been looking forward to the day when we can return to the Middle School campus, and these new guidelines are one more delay. We will forge ahead and will stay in touch as we continue to monitor the case rate numbers in the coming weeks. I look forward to seeing you next Wednesday evening, and in the meantime, please reach out if you have any questions.

All my best,

Heather

December 3, 2020: Grades 3-4 Returning to Campus

Dear campus-blended 3rd-4th grade families,

We are excited to welcome your child(ren) to campus on Monday or Tuesday morning. The faculty and staff have been working hard to prepare the campus and classrooms.  In order to help you prepare, we wanted to share a few additional items.

Drop-Off: Drop-off times are staggered in order to de-densify the number of people entering campus at a time. Please arrive at school during your designated drop-off times, which are last names A-M between 8:10-8:20 and last names N-Z between 8:20-8:30.  When you drop-off your child, be sure to pull all the way up and remain in your car.  A faculty or staff member will come to your car.  You will need to present a green Visitu badge. Once you have been approved, your child/ren will be able to enter the campus.  Please watch the Returning to Campus video with your child/ren in preparation for the first day.  One note, this student is entering through the K-1 gate.  Your child/ren, the 3rd-4th graders, will be entering through the big black gates rather than the wooden gate.

Pick-Up: In order to help dismissal run more smoothly, please note the staggered dismissal times and remember that pick-up for your family will be based on your last name. Dismissal times for those with last names A-M are between 3:00-3:15. Families with last names N-Z dismissal times are between 3:15-3:30.  Cars should not queue up until their dismissal time. Should you queue up early, you will be asked to move out of the line until your pick-up time begins.

We are committed to your child’s safety and want to be certain that each student is picked up at the end of the school day by the appropriate person. In the materials, you picked up today (or are picking up tomorrow) you will find two placards with your child/ren’s name. These placards will be marked with a unique QR code for your family. Please place this placard in your car every day at pick-up, and give the other placard to any other person who will be picking up your child. Please note that outside of parents/guardians, children will only be released to individuals listed on your “Adults Approved To Pick Up My Child” list (which you completed in the online KeysNet Student Form). Contact Michelle Mathers by phone at (650) 328-1711 x100 or e-mail at mmathers@keysschool.org if you need to add someone to this list.

Headphones: There have been a few questions in regards to headphones.  There will be times throughout the day when your child/ren may need to wear headphones.  While the school does have headphones students can use, we also know that families have different priorities around them.  Therefore, if you would prefer for your child/ren to use headphones from home, please ensure that they have them in their backpack each day.  If you would like your child/ren to leave their headphones at school, please let your teachers know.

Looking forward to seeing you on Monday or Tuesday morning!

Warm regards,

Betsy
Head of Lower School

December 1, 2020: Middle School Reopening Delay

Dear Middle School families,

Late this afternoon, I was on a Santa Clara County Department of Education Zoom call for private schools. I learned that the county hopes to open the K-6 waiver process tomorrow and that the process of earning county and state approval will take approximately two weeks. With this in mind and the timing of our upcoming Winter Break, the Middle School campus will remain closed for Grades 5 through 8 through the month of December. All Middle School students will continue with their Home-Based Learning program.


When will the Middle School open?
Providing that the course of the pandemic allows, the Middle School campus will reopen on Monday, January 11, 2021.

What this means for Grade 5 and 6
Grades 5 and 6 will return to campus on Monday, January 11, 2021 following the Winter Break and a week of Home-Based Learning to allow for testing, providing our waiver has been approved, or the county has been in the Red Tier for 14 consecutive days.

What this means for grades 7 and 8
Because waivers cover grades K-6 only, Grades 7 and 8 will remain in Home-Based Learning unless, on January 11, the county has been in the Red Tier for 14 consecutive days. If the county is still in the Purple Tier or has been in the Red Tier for less than 14 days, Grades 7 and 8 must continue in Home-Based Learning.
We are committed to continuing to provide an excellent Middle School Home-Based experience for these next few weeks. We will be ready to welcome students to campus in the new year, and we hope we will be able to do so! As always, please know we will provide you with updates as we learn more, or if our current planning needs to shift due to evolving state and county mandates and public health conditions.

All the best,

Heather

December 1, 2020: December School Updates

December School Updates

TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Update from Santa Clara County
• Grades K-4 Test Drop Off Reminder
• Grades 5 and 6 Return to Campus Update
• Grades 7 and 8 Distance Learning Update

Update from Santa Clara County

As we return from break, please be aware that the Santa Clara County Public Health Department issued a new Mandatory Directive on November 28 concerning travel. This directive states that, leisure and non-essential travel are strongly discouraged, and a new Mandatory Directive on travel will require people to quarantine for 14 days upon return to the County from travel of more than 150 miles. Healthcare workers traveling into the county to provide care or patients traveling into the county to obtain treatment will be exempted from this requirement.

Please keep this quarantine and on-campus return dates and activities in mind when contemplating any travel. Also, if you did travel during the Thanksgiving break, please contact Larry Purcell or Betsy Doss to discuss your status.

Grades K-4

Test Kit Drop Off Reminder

All students, faculty, and staff who are coming to campus on December 7th are required to test for COVID-19 in a regular cadence beginning the first full week of December. Faculty and staff will be tested weekly. Each week we will test 25% of the Lower School.

Drop-Off Information

Please drop off your student’s completed test kit to the Lower School campus during either of the following collection dates and times:
  • Wednesday, December 2nd, 3:00-5:30pm or
  • Thursday, December 3rd, 8:00-10:00am

For families with students in Grades 3 and 4 please remember to also return the forms mentioned in the video below with your student’s test.

Test Kit Instructions

The test kit can be administered to your student the night before you drop off the test kit to the Lower School; however please be sure your student does not eat or drink 30 minutes before you administer the test.

Test Kit Instructional Video

Click here to view pdf of steps for using the test kit.

Click here to watch the DiaCarta test kit instruction video.

Student Testing Groups: 

Lower School: Click here to find your student’s testing group color.

Middle School: Click here to find your student’s testing group color.

Test Result Notification:

The turnaround time for results is 24 to 48 hours. You will receive an email from Keys to inform you of a negative test result, or a call from Keys to let you know if the result is positive.

Grades 5 and 6

Per state mandate, grades 5-8 must stay in Distance Learning until our waiver is approved by Santa Clara County, at which point grades 5 and 6 may return to campus.

We are in close contact with the county and paying close attention to data. We will be in touch within the next 24 hours to let you know if Santa Clara County has approved our waiver and we are able to open grades 5 and 6. If grades 5 and 6 can return to campus as scheduled on December 7th, then we will move forward with the test kit drop off on December 2nd and 3rd.

Grades 7 and 8

At this time, grades 7 and 8 are not permitted to return to campus (even with the approval of our waiver) until Santa Clara County has been in the Red Tier for 14 days.

There are NO test kit drop offs scheduled for students in grades 7 and 8 at this time.

November 30, 2020: Grades 3-8 VisitU Invitation

Greetings from Keys,

We look forward to welcoming faculty, staff, and your students on campus Monday, December 7th. As mentioned in previous community town hall meetings, Keys will be utilizing a health screening app (Visitu) to help proactively keep our campus healthy and safe for all.

Today, we invite you to download the Visitu App on your smart-device and set up your account. This is a very simple process, using either your email address or mobile phone number as listed on your KeysNet profile. Please reference this helpful “how-to-sheet” with step by step instructions and screenshots to walk you through this 2-minute exercise.”Tuesday and Wednesday, we encourage you to practice your daily health screening so this is easy and familiar for your family.

  • Your student(s) name may show “inactive.” To clarify – your student(s) email address is inactive, as they will not receive emails from Visitu, but their Visitu status is active.
  • After completing your health screening, you will receive a “badge.” This will be the same badge you show a Keys employee when dropping off each day.

Beginning this Thursday, health screening for on-campus faculty, staff, and student(s) will be required, and will continue on all weekdays on campus. Helpful reminder notifications will be sent through the Visitu App.What to Show at Drop Off
Be sure to complete your daily health screen survey BEFORE coming to campus each day. At drop-off time, please show the screen that shows your child’s name, date and time with a green checkmark. See below for visual aid.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Ryan Matyjasik.

Thank you for your partnership in helping to keep all students, faculty and staff safe upon campus reopening.

All the best,

The Keys School Administrative Team

November 29, 2020: Post-Thanksgiving Home-Based Learning Week

This is a friendly reminder that campus-based cohorts will be in home-based learning from November 30th through December 4th to allow the recommended time to quarantine, and permit time to conduct another round of testing before campus-based cohorts can return to campus.

November 24, 2020: Campuses Update & Happy Thanksgiving

Dear Keys families,

I hope this week you are finding quality time with your family, some connection with friends, albeit from afar, and opportunities to express gratitude during a trying time. Know we, at Keys, are thinking of you.

Even over this week’s break, we’re staying in close contact with the county, and we now have clarity regarding the next steps for re-opening campuses.

Lower School Campus Details: 
K – 2 will remain open for Campus-Based Learning; Grades 3-4 will return to campus as planned on December 7.
Please plan to drop your test kits off at the Lower School on Wednesday, December 2nd, from 3:00 to 5:30 pm or Thursday, December 3rd, between 8:00 and 10:00 am, but no later than 10:00 am.

Middle School Campus: 
Per state mandate, the Middle School campus will remain closed, and Grades 5-8 must stay in Distance Learning until Santa Clara County has been in the Red Tier for 14 days or until our waiver application is approved.

The state directive allows schools with more than one site to remain open; however, if one of the campuses hasn’t yet opened, the unopened campus must remain closed until the school secures a waiver. Keys submitted its waiver in October. We’ve learned from the county that schools that submitted waivers when Santa Clara County was in the Red and Orange Tiers must resubmit their waiver. While the waiver application process is unfolding, we will be closely following both the state Tier levels and the county’s response. Once our waiver is approved, we will be allowed to welcome grades 5 and 6 to the Middle School campus. Because waivers cover only grades K-6, grades 7 and 8 will not be allowed to return to campus until the county has been in the Red Tier for 14 days.

Traveling & Group Gatherings – Please quarantine. 

If your family plans to travel or gather in groups over Thanksgiving and Winter Break, please consider quarantining for 14 days before returning to campus. (See CDC Guidelines for Travel  & CDPH Travel Advisory)

Our adherence to the Keys Community Commitment is essential during this time of increased covid cases in our area, nationally, and worldwide. If your family is traveling over Thanksgiving or Winter Break or if your plans include gathering together with people outside of your immediate household, we ask that you quarantine. Our strict adherence to safety protocols at home and school is vitally important at this time. If you have a child at the Lower School who is enrolled in Campus-Based Learning and will be in quarantine, please connect with your homeroom teacher so we can make the necessary arrangements to support learning while staying safe at home.

Gratitude for our Community

I’ll close with something for which I’m grateful. One of my favorite movies is Apollo 13. I love the film because of how it highlights human resilience, teamwork, and ingenuity. I recently shared my love of the film with a Keys parent, who later forwarded a copy of the 2019-20 D-School Yearbook featuring a story about NASA astronaut Nick Hague, guest teacher at the d-school’s Design Work 2020. Hague shared a personal story about his first spaceflight to the International Space Station with fellow astronaut Aleksey Ovchinin. 37-seconds after liftoff, an explosion occurred, causing both astronauts to eject from the spacecraft and eventually land safely in Russia.  Six months later, Hague and Ovchinin were strapped into another rocket, lifting off again, for a successful mission. When asked how he could consider climbing back into a spacecraft after his first failed attempt, he replied, “You survive something like this because of the people around you.”

This Thanksgiving season, I am grateful for the people around me – my family, friends, Keys students, faculty, staff, and families. Navigating this pandemic is a team effort and a constant exercise in resilience and ingenuity. Thank you for your support, commitment, and partnership. You have helped me to tap into a deeper reservoir of passion and purpose than I ever knew I had, and I’ve seen the same sense of passion and purpose in every faculty, staff, student, and parent with whom I have connected.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve Keys, and I look forward to reconnecting after the break. Have a wonderful, restful Thanksgiving holiday!

My best to you and yours,
Heather

November 19, 2020: Update on Campus Reopenings

Dear Keys families

As you know, our country is experiencing a national surge of COVID cases. As a result of the surge, on Monday, Governor Newsom took preemptive measures to protect California from further increases in the rate of infection. He announced: “Now is the time to do all we can – government at all levels and Californians across the state – to flatten the curve again as we have done before.”  Many counties in California, among them Santa Clara, have moved back into the Purple Tier. Keys is still learning the details about how this shift in tiers will impact the school, and we want to keep you informed about what we’re learning from our County officials.

What this means for the Lower School Campus:

Grades K-2 will remain open for Campus-Based Learning; Grades 3-4 will return to campus as planned on December 7.
Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades already returned to campus while the County was in a less restrictive tier (Orange), and as a result, K-2 are able to stay open as long as Keys follows all protocols that the state and County have put forward for the safe operation of in-person instruction. Because the Lower School was in a phased, scheduled return to in-person instruction for grades 3 and 4, Keys may continue with bringing grades 3 and 4 to campus on Monday, December 7.

The Developing Situation for the Middle School Campus: 
At the moment, we are uncertain about whether we will be able to re-open our Middle School campus on December 7 as planned.
I am in daily contact with County Public Health and Department of Education officials to determine what the new directives from the state will mean for our Middle School. Several questions related to the waiver process and our planned staggered campus re-opening remain unanswered at the moment because the Middle School is at a separate site. As we learn more from the County, we will keep you updated and informed. As planned, the Middle School will return from Thanksgiving Break in Distance Learning mode, and we will respond to directions from the County as we learn more. We will update you about testing protocols and a return-to-campus date as soon as possible, to allow students, faculty, staff, and our community to prepare for our next phase.

What this means for the Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks
The State and County implore citizens to postpone travel.

Members of the Keys administration participate in weekly calls with expert medical professionals, County officials, and other heads of schools. During yesterday’s Department of Education call, Dr. Vit Kraushaar, from the County Department of Public Health stated, “It’s an unprecedented time. Now is the time to postpone travel plans.” If you intend to travel for Thanksgiving or Winter Break we ask that you quarantine for 14 days.

As we enter the holiday season, we are also entering a time of increased vulnerability to Covid. In order to be able to safely return to campus after the break, we must all review and uphold our Community Commitments. I am proud of all that we have done as a community in these first weeks of on-campus learning for our youngest students. I am inspired by and grateful to everyone–students, faculty and staff, parents and caregivers–for responding so responsibly to the challenges of this pandemic.
Please note that as this is a rapidly evolving situation, the plans we have shared with you may need to change due to changing public health conditions or new state and county guidelines. Rest assured we will update you with any details, information, or changes regarding Keys campus re-openings as soon as we learn about them from the County Department of Public Health.
Again, I am proud to be a member of a community that is flexible and nimble while holding both the safety of the community and the mission of the school front and center. Thank you for your continued support and please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
In gratitude,
Heather

November 16, 2020: Grades 3-4 Test Kit Instructions

Dear Families in Grades 3-8,

All students, faculty, and staff who are coming to campus on December 7th are required to test for COVID-19 in a regular cadence beginning the first week of December. Faculty and staff will be tested weekly. Each week we will test 25% of the Lower School and 50% of the Middle School students.

See details for Grades 3-8 testing below:Families will pick up test kits (the number is dependent on your student’s “color”  cohort group and will be enough to last through Winter Break.) See color groups below. When you arrive to pick up your student’s test kits please stay in your car, and we will bring your bag of test kits to you.

Pick-Up Locations
  • For students in Grades 3 and 4 please pick up test kits from Lower School
  • For students in Grades 5 through 8 please pick up test kits from Middle School
Pick-Up Times
  • Tuesday, November 17th, 3:00-5:30pm or
  • Wednesday, November 18th, 3:00-5:30pm
Inside the bag you will find these two forms:
  1. DiaCarta’s Authorization Form
  2. Authorization for Disclosure and Use of Medical Information
Drop-Off Information
Both of these forms only need to be filled out once. Please return the forms listed above with your student’s test on the first test collection day to their respective campuses, Lower and/or Middle School. Please make note of the 2 test collection dates and times below:
  • Wednesday, December 2nd, 3:00-5:30pm or
  • Thursday, December 3rd, 8:00-10:00am
Test Kit Instructions
Click here to view pdf of steps for using the test kit.

Click here to watch the DiaCarta test kit instruction video.

Your Student’s Testing Group: 

Lower School: Click here to find your child’s testing group color.

Middle School: Click here to find your child’s testing group color.

Test Result Notification:

The turnaround time for results is 24 to 48 hours. You will receive an email from Keys to inform you of a negative test result, or a call from Keys to let you know if the result is positive.

Please reach out with any questions.

All the best,

The Keys School Administrative Team

November 16, 2020: COVID-19 Community Update

Dear Keys Community,
Today, Governor Newsom announced that in response to the sharp increase in cases of COVID-19, many counties in California, including Santa Clara, have moved back into the “purple zone,” effective tomorrow, November 17, 2020. Right now, grades K-2 will be continuing with on-campus learning as planned, unless we hear otherwise from the county. We are in communication with Santa Clara County and will be in touch as we learn more. Please stay tuned for more information in the next 24-48 hours.
All my best,
Heather

November 2, 2020: VisitU Invitation

Dear Keys Families,

We look forward to welcoming your students on campus this Monday, November 9th. As mentioned in previous community town hall meetings, Keys will be utilizing a health screening app (Visitu) to help proactively keep our campus healthy and safe for all.

Today, we invite you to download the Visitu App on your smart-device and set up your account. This is a very simple process, using either your email address or mobile phone number as listed on your KeysNet profile. Please reference this helpful “how-to-sheet” with step by step instructions and screenshots to walk you through this 2-minute exercise.”

Tuesday and Wednesday, we encourage you to practice your daily health screening so this is easy and familiar for your family.

  • Your student(s) name may show “inactive.” To clarify – your student(s) email address is inactive, as they will not receive emails from Visitu, but their Visitu status is active.
  • After completing your health screening, you will receive a “badge.” This will be the same badge you show a Keys employee when dropping off each day.
Beginning this Thursday, health screening for your on-campus student(s) will be required, and will continue on all weekdays your child will be on campus. Helpful reminder notifications will be sent through the Visitu App.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Ryan Matyjasik.
Thank you for your partnership in helping to keep all students, faculty and staff safe upon campus reopening.
All the best,
The Keys School Administrative Team

October 30, 2020: Grades K-2 Test Kit Instructions

Dear Keys Families,
Just a reminder to pick up your test kits today, Friday, October 30th, from 3 – 6pm or Monday, November 2nd, from 8 – 11am at the Lower School campus on a table in the parking lot. When you arrive at the Lower School, you’ll be greeted by Keys employees. Please stay in your car. We will bring your bag of test kits to you.
Inside the bag you will find these two forms:
  1. DiaCarta’s Authorization Form
  2. Authorization for Disclosure and Use of Medical Information
Both of these forms only need to be filled out once. Please return the forms with your child’s test on the first test collection day. Please make note of the 2 test collection dates and times below:
  • Wednesday, November 4th, from 3 – 6pm or
  • Thursday, November 5th, from 7:30 – 10am (10am at the very latest)
Test Kit Instructions
Click here to view pdf of steps for using the test kit.
Click here to watch the DiaCarta test kit instruction video.
Enjoy your weekend and have a safe and happy Halloween!
All the best,
Heather

October 27, 2020: Grades K-2 Testing Schedule

Dear Families in Grades K-2,
All students, faculty, and staff who are coming to campus are required to test for COVID-19 in a regular cadence beginning the week of November 2. Each employee will be tested weekly. Each week we will test 25% of the Lower School students. See details for K-2 testing below:
Student Testing – Grades K-2:
Families will: 
  • Pick up 4 or 5 test kits (the number is dependent on your “color” group and will be enough to last through Winter Break) and the “Authorization for Disclosure and Use of Medical Information” form at the Lower School campus on a table in the parking lot. (See color groups below.) You can pick up your test kits on:
    • Friday, October 30th, from 3 – 6pm or
    • Monday, November 2nd, from 8 – 11am
  • Instructions for taking the test will be emailed to you later this week.
  • Return one saliva test and your completed “Authorization for Disclosure and Use of Medical Information” form to our Lower School campus parking lot on either:
    • Wednesday, November 4th, from 3 – 6pm or
    • Thursday, November 5th, from 7:30 – 10am (10am at the very latest).
  • Expect testing results via email from DiaCarta. We plan to deliver the tests to  DiaCarta’s lab on Thursday afternoon, November 5th. Turnaround time is 24 to 48 hours.
  • If your child receives a positive test result, alert Heather Rogers, Head of School, or Greg Engel, Director of Finance and Operations.
Your Testing Group:
Your child will be assigned to a test group identified by a color: Yellow, Green, Blue, or Red. You can find your child’s Color Cohort by clicking here. Once school begins, 25% of Lower School students in each cohort will be tested each week. Test drop off dates are:
  • Yellow: 11/5, 11/16, 12/3, 1/7
  • Green: 11/5, 11/16, 12/3, 1/7
  • Blue: 11/5, 11/16, 12/3, 12/14, 1/7
  • Red: 11/5, 11/16, 12/3, 1/7
Please reach out with any questions.
All the best,
The Keys School Administrative Team

October 6, 2020: An update from Heather regarding this week's data presentation and Q&A Sessions

Dear Keys Families,
The Leadership Team is busy collating the data based on the result of family choices for Campus-Based and Home-Based Learning. In order to provide quality information to Lower School and Middle School Families, Heather will present K through 8 data to all families from 8:00 to 8:30 pm tomorrow, Oct. 7. At 8:30, following the all school session, Heather and Betsy will meet with Lower School families to look at data specific to the Lower School. On Thursday evening, Heather and Larry will meet to discuss the Middle School data with families during the regularly scheduled Middle School Q&A session.
Presentation Schedules for the week:
  • Tonight, Tuesday, October 6th, 8:00 pm: Regular Tuesday night Lower School Q&A Session with Betsy to discuss our current Distant Learning model. Campus-Based and Home-Based data will not be discussed at this session.
  • Wednesday, October 7, 8-8:30 pm: All K through 8 family presentation of school-wide data regarding Campus-Based and Home-Based Learning choices.
  • Wednesday, October 7, 8:30-9:00 pm: Lower School Families with Betsy and Heather to discuss Lower School data results.
  • Thursday, October 8, 8:00 pm: Middle School Families with Larry and Heather to discuss Middle School results.
Again, we want to meet the needs of our families, and funnel information by Lower and Middle School to provide more effective use of your time. Thank you again for partnering with us through this process.
All the best,
Heather

October 1, 2020: Student Enrollment Form

Dear Keys Families,
Student Enrollment Form – Due noon on October 5
At this time, we ask that you enroll your child in either our Campus-Based Blended Learning Program or our Home-Based Learning Program. Your selection at this time will last for the duration of our second Trimester (March 5). Every student must be signed up for either our Campus- or Home-Based program by noon on October 5.
Please note that variables such as the number of students participating in each model (a number that could differ significantly by grade) and the number of faculty members available to teach on campus versus from home will affect some aspects of these two models (see below):
  • Assigned homeroom teacher or advisor may change
  • Makeup and size of cohort group may change
  • (Lower School) Possible mixed age cohorts for Morning Meeting and Closing Circle
  • (Middle School) Method of lesson delivery may change (use of OWL technology to enable Home-Based students to view a live on-campus lesson vs a dedicated zoom class with only Home-Based students)
Once we know how many students we have signed up for each program at each grade level, we can design our program appropriately – assign staffing, arrange class cohort groups, and refine our models to match our numbers.
You will have the opportunity to change your program selection at the end of Trimester 2 (March 5); however, as student enrollment will have a significant impact on the staffing and class groups, and with the need to maintain stable cohorts, it will not be possible for a student enrolled in the Home-Based program to switch to the Campus-Based program during Trimester 2.
As we shared in our email last week, we are planning a staggered approach to re-opening our campuses for on-campus instruction. Based on current planning, students will transition from our Distance Learning program to either the Campus-Based or Home-Based Learning program on the following dates:
  • K-2nd Grade (5 days a week) – Nov. 9
  • 3rd-4th Grade (2 days a week) – Dec. 7
  • 5th-8th Grade (2 days a week) – Dec. 7
We hope that you are feeling informed about our learning models and safety protocols for on-campus learning, and have had the opportunity to ask and receive answers to your questions. For quick access, we are sharing again the links to some helpful documents:
Additionally, below you will find links to the videos from the recent Town Hall and Q&A Sessions.
  • Town Hall – 9/30/2020
  • Grades K-2 Q&A Session – 10/1/2020
  • Grades 3-4 Q&A Session – 10/1/2020
  • Grades 5-8 Q&A Session – 10/1/2020
Please be aware that in the current shifting landscape, any plans we share with you now may need to be adapted or even cancelled should circumstances change.
Our next Town Hall meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7. At this meeting we will share results of student enrollment in our Campus-Based and Home-Based Learning programs. Mark your calendars and we hope to see you there.
All my best,
Heather

September 25, 2020: Update on Re-opening Campuses for On-Campus Learning

CONTENTS:
Program transition dates
Make an informed decision
Submit questions by September 28
Town Hall – September 30
Gr. K-2 Q&A – September 30
Gr. 3-4 Q&A – October 1
Gr. 5-8 Q&A – October 1
Student enrollment form – due October 5

Dear Keys Families,

As we wrap up week 5 of Distance Learning, we look with excitement toward the re-opening of our campuses for on-campus learning. Over the past month, our planning and preparations for the safe return to in-person learning have continued to progress.

Dates for transition from Distance Learning to Campus-Based Blended Learning or Home-Based Learning Programs
We are planning a staggered approach to re-opening our campuses for on-campus instruction beginning after the end of our first trimester on November 6. Please be aware that in the current shifting landscape, any plans we share with you now may need to be adapted or even cancelled should circumstances change.

Based on current planning, all students will transition from our Distance Learning program to either the Campus-Based or Home-Based Learning program on the following dates:

  • K-2nd Grade (5 days a week) – Nov. 9
  • 3rd-4th Grade (2 days a week) – Dec. 3
  • 5th-8th Grade (2 days a week) – Dec. 7

Make an Informed Decision
We want to provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for your child and your family. While you will have the opportunity to hear more about our plans at a Town Hall on September 30, we recommend you review the following documents before that time:

  • Campus-Based Blended and Home-Based Learning Program Overview: This document provides an overview of these two programs. Please note that variables such as the number of students participating in each model (a number that could differ significantly by grade) and the number of faculty members available to teach on campus versus from home will affect some aspects of these two models, such as:
    • Assigned homeroom teacher or advisor may change
    • Makeup and size of cohort group may change
    • (Lower School) Possible mixed age cohorts for Morning Meeting and Closing Circle
    • (Middle School) Method of lesson delivery may change (use of OWL technology to enable Home-Based students to view a live on-campus lesson vs a dedicated zoom class with only Home-Based students)
  • Community Commitment: This document summarizes the health and behavioral agreements we collectively commit to to mitigate risk in our community. Every faculty and staff member, and family whose child returns to on-campus learning, is required to review and sign that you have read our Community Commitments.Please be aware of the community commitment asking families to quarantine for 14 days prior to returning to campus following a potential risk of exposure – remaining home as much as possible, cognizant of travel, and avoiding crowds and people outside our immediate family.
  • New Health and Safety Protocols for a Safe On-Campus Environment: This document briefly lists some of the new practices and protocols we will be putting into place to create a safe environment for on-campus learning.
  • Pandemic Response Plan: This document is our comprehensive and regularly updated guide to the protocols and procedures (based on the guidelines established by the CDC and county/state authorities) that Keys School will take to maintain health and safety while on campus.

Submit your questions by noon on Monday, September 28
Additionally, we invite you to submit your questions regarding Campus-Based Blended Learning, Home-Based Learning, and new safety protocols before noon on Monday, September 28 to allow us time to incorporate responses into the Town Hall conversation.

Town Hall meetings and Q&A Sessions

  • All School Town Hall – Wednesday, September 30, from 8-8:30 pm
  • Grades K-2 Q&A – Wednesday, September 30, from 8:30-9 pm
  • Grades 3-4 Q&A – Thursday, October 1, from 7-7:30 pm
    (Mr. Quintin will be offering an optional story time for children during this time.)
  • Grades 5-8 Q&A – Thursday, October 1, from 8-8:30 pm

We hope you can join us for both the all-school Town Hall and grade specific Q&A Sessions. We will have a general Pandemic Response Plan overview at the Town Hall. We anticipate that you will have questions, so we have created grade level Q&A Sessions so we can speak more specifically. At these meetings we will share more details and answer your questions about the safety protocols we have put in place as we return to campus and the learning models to which we will be transitioning.

Student Enrollment Form – Due October 5
On October 1, following grade level Q&A Sessions, you will receive a link to a Student Enrollment Form. You will be asked to enroll your child in either our Campus-Based Blended Learning Program or our Home-Based Learning Program for the duration of the school year. Every student needs to be signed up for either our Campus- or Home-Based program by October 5.

Once we know how many students we have signed up for each program at each grade level, we can fine-tune our program accordingly – assign staffing, arrange class cohort groups, and refine our models to match our numbers. Please note that as student enrollment will have a significant impact on the staffing and class groups, and with the need to maintain stable cohorts, it will not be possible for a student enrolled in the Home-Based program to switch to the Campus-Based program after the October 5 deadline.

We will be working diligently to provide as smooth a transition as possible for our families, while acknowledging that any change is a disruption. Together, we will work to create a new rhythm, which will take a bit of time. We appreciate your patience and your partnership during this process, which has required us all to tap into our resilience and reserves like never before.

I look forward to seeing you at the Town Hall this coming Wednesday evening.

All my best to you and yours,

Heather

September 11, 2020: Update on Re-opening Campuses for On-Campus Learning

Contents:

  • Message from Heather
  • CA Criteria for Re-opening Schools
  • Keys Criteria for Re-opening Schools
  • Waiver Update
  • Pandemic Response Plan
  • Family Survey
  • Town Hall

Dear Keys Families,

Here we are at the end of the third week of school in Distance Learning mode. I know this is as much a feat of endurance for parents as it is for our faculty and students! I hope that by this time, you have managed to put some effective routines in place and are beginning to find your footing in this new terrain. It has been such a joy for all of us to see the eager faces of our students every day, and we continue to look forward to the day when we can do that in person.

It occurred to me the other day that 2020 is a year I won’t forget. The pandemic, closed schools and businesses, record breaking temperatures, raging wildfires with their dangerously smokey skies, and unhealthy air quality have made a deep impact on our lives and will stand out in my memory. If you are feeling a sense of overwhelm, it is hardly surprising, and you are not alone. These are uncommon times.

As parents, we are called upon to be the foundation for our family, and that is not always easy at times like these. I hope that you are able to intentionally take a few minutes each day to care for yourself, whether that means taking a walk and listening to your favorite music, a few minutes of meditation or deep breathing, listening to an audio book while preparing dinner, or reflecting on all that you are grateful for. It may seem counterintuitive, but it is at times like these that we can most benefit from recalling and reflecting upon all that we can be thankful for. For that reason, I’m re-sharing here the archived podcast of my conversation with Christine Carter, acclaimed author, TED speaker and more, on the topic of Gratitude. I hope you may find it helpful.

Between the virus and wildfires, one might hesitate to breathe deeply. But, if you can find a peaceful space with clean air, please take a few deep cleansing breaths. Thank you for the support and flexibility through the launch of this unprecedented school year. We will weather these times together.

Be well and stay safe.

Heather

 

Update on Re-opening of Campuses for On-Campus Learning

While Keys remains committed to Distance Learning through the first Trimester of the year, we continue to move forward in our plans for re-opening our campuses for in-person learning. Below we have shared updates on the planning, thinking, and work that is happening behind the scenes.

California’s Criteria for Re-opening Schools for In-Person Instruction

  • Based on California’s new color-coded tier system, schools may open for in-person instruction when a county’s risk level has been in the Red Zone (substantial risk) for two weeks. Santa Clara County moved into the Red Zone” on September 8.
  • Schools also have the option to apply for a waiver that allows elementary schools to open for in-person instruction for students in grades K-6, even while a county remains in the Purple Zone. Waiver requirements are more rigorous and conservative than CDC guidance as additional cautionary measures are included in the process. The approval process can take about two weeks. Below you will find more information about how Keys is approaching the waiver process.

Keys School Criteria for Re-opening Schools for In-Person Instruction

For Keys School to consider re-opening campuses, the following criteria must be met:

  • We have created as safe a campus environment as possible by addressing current COVID conditions with rigorous community compliance, and have met all required state and county safety protocols. The safety of our community remains our top priority.
  • We closely monitor transmission rates in our immediate Keys community and the Bay Area.
  • We can meet the county’s requirements for testing and contact tracing.
  • We have community confidence among families, faculty, and staff for re-opening campuses.

We will continue to monitor the risk level in Santa Clara and surrounding counties, stay informed about changes to the tier system and school re-opening guidelines, continue to seek advice from experts and public health officials, and update our re-opening plans as needed.

Waiver Update

While Keys has committed to Distance Learning through the first trimester, we are in the process of completing the county waiver application to be prepared for the possibility that Santa Clara county could return to the Purple Zone later this year. We will continue with the waiver application process (even though Santa Clara is currently in the Red Zone) to ensure that we have met the necessary safety requirements (in our case, Keys exceeds county requirements) and are ready to pivot to hybrid learning when it is safe to do so.

The waiver application has four requirements to it:

  1. We must submit our Pandemic Response Plan (PRP) to the county and post it publicly on Keys’ website. The PRP explains all the measures and protocols Keys has put in place to operate under recommended county guidelines for re-opening.
  2. We must review the PRP with faculty, staff, and families so that all are aware of the protocols Keys has in place and have the opportunity to ask questions and share feedback.
  3. We must provide a plan for testing and contact tracing. Currently, we are in the process of exploring testing options. All faculty, staff, and students will be tested, at the school’s expense, before campuses re-open. Faculty and staff will continue to be tested at the school’s expense throughout the remainder of the school year.
  4. We must provide templates for how we will communicate if someone is COVID positive or is connected to someone who is positive at home.

We will submit our waiver at the end of September, once we have shared our Pandemic Response Plan with our community and have a testing plan in place.

Pandemic Response Plan

We have been hard at work drafting our Pandemic Response Plan, the document that explains all the measures and protocols Keys has put in place to operate under recommended county guidelines for re-opening. Click here to view our Pandemic Response Plan.

Family Survey

In the coming weeks, we will require each family to complete a survey in which you let us know your intentions for your child when our campuses re-open, indicating your plan to participate in Campus-Based Blended Learning or Home-Based Learning. Before we send the survey, we will provide more information about these learning programs. Your survey responses will allow us to create a plan for cohorts, staffing, room assignments, and for faculty to begin more focused planning.

Town Hall

On Wednesday, September 30, we will hold our next community Town Hall to discuss the details of our Pandemic Response Plan. We hope you will take some time in the meantime to review this plan so that you can bring your questions to this event. Please mark your calendars, and we hope you will join us (time to be announced). A video of the meeting will be made available for those unable to attend.

 

July 24: Distance Learning Update

CONTENTS

Update from Heather
Grade Level Town Hall Meetings next week
Distance Learning at a Glance

UPDATE FROM HEATHER

 

Dear Keys Families,

It is nearing the end of July, and what a busy and unique summer it has been thus far for every one of us living this COVID-19 experience. The Keys Leadership Team and Task Forces have worked tirelessly all summer long to develop and prepare safety protocols for our campuses, as well as to design rich curricular experiences to deliver our mission vibrantly, regardless of the model we employ. There has been no pandemic handbook for us to turn to; however, I’m deeply proud of the work our teams are doing to keep the mission alive, and most importantly, holding your children and our community at the center of all we do. The work continues full steam as we head towards fall, and I write to share more specific details of that planning with you.

Last Friday, I shared that Keys K-8 will begin the year in a Distance Learning model. Our Leadership Team arrived at that decision to ensure the safety of our students and faculty at a time when California cases are surging. We want to provide a strong, consistent, and predictable start to the year for all of us, and to focus solely on the best delivery and realization of a Keys education in an online format. With this in mind, and to provide stability and structure for our students and faculty, our Distance Learning Program will extend through the first week of November, which coincides with the end of the first trimester.

This fall, our Leadership Team will pay close attention to the virus’s course of action, and we will communicate regularly with you about our plan for re-opening our campuses. We will consider the following criteria when making that decision:

  • Transmission rates in our immediate Keys community and the Bay Area
  • In keeping with the governor’s guidelines, the County of Santa Clara must be off the watch list for a minimum of 14 consecutive days
  • The enforcement of required state and county safety protocols to gain re-opening approval from the county
  • Testing availability and timely results for contact tracing
  • Community Confidence among families, faculty, and staff. When cases surge, confidence wanes, and safety is questioned. As cases decline, confidence increases.

Our Keys faculty delivered a strong Distance Learning Program in the spring, and we also recognize that it did not work for all learners. Our Learning, Professional Development, and Community Mental Health Task Forces have spent considerable time this summer researching best practices, professional development opportunities, and reviewing student, parent, and faculty surveys. As a result, we are honing and adapting our curriculum and delivery, and we’re excited about it! With our new learnings and a clear direction for the first trimester, we can focus our attention and energies on delivering the strongest possible Distance Learning program for our students in the fall.

I know you will have many questions, and Betsy Doss, Larry Purcell, and I are here to answer them. Below you’ll find “Distance Learning At-A-Glance,” and it will provide a high-level view of the program. You’ll also find dates and times listed for grade-level meetings hosted by the Division Heads, where they will drill down on specifics for each campus and grade. Additionally, please click here to share any remaining questions you have. We will curate these questions, fold them into FAQs for Distance Learning, and address them in our grade-level town hall meetings. FAQ’s for our Campus-Based and Home-Based Learning Programs, and from the Town Hall will be available at the end of next week.

We know that this year will not be school as usual. What will be usual is Keys commitment to and passion for educating the whole child, cultivating genuine relationships, growing emotional intelligence, providing an excellent academic experience, and loving your child and family. All this you can count on.

As always we are grateful for your partnership. With our community’s strength, focus, resolve, and grace we learn and grow together.

Here’s to your good health and family connection!

All the best,
Heather

GRADE LEVEL TOWN HALL MEETINGS

Betsy Doss and Larry Purcell will host grade level zoom calls in the coming week to share more details about our Distance Learning program and to answer your questions. Click Grade Level Town Hall Meetings for the zoom links.

Kindergarten Town Hall – Wednesday, July 29, 7:00-7:45 pm

Grade 1 Town Hall – Tuesday, July 28, 6:00-6:45 pm

Grade 2 Town Hall- Tuesday, July 28, 8:00-8:45 pm

Grade 3 Town Hall – Thursday, July 30, 6:00-6:45 pm

Grade 4 Town Hall – Thursday, July 30, 8:00-8:45 pm

Grade 5 Town Hall – Tuesday, July 28, 7:00-7:45 pm

Grade 6 Town Hall – Wednesday, July 29, 6-6:45 pm

Grade 7 Town Hall – Wednesday, July 29, 8:00-8:45 pm

Grade 8 Town Hall – Thursday, July 30, 7:00-7:45 pm

 

DISTANCE LEARNING AT A GLANCE

Laying a foundation – the first two weeks

As we kick off our new school year, our focus will be to build community and make connections between students and teachers. In small, more intimate groupings, teachers will facilitate conversation and relationship building among students. During these initial weeks, teachers will be focusing on getting to know their students as people and as learners.

In these first two weeks, students will learn how to be a student in a virtual classroom environment. This foundation will be vital to a successful Distance Learning program. All students in grades K-8 are still in the years where they are building their habits and mindsets as learners. Our youngest students are learning for the first time what it means to be a student at school. While our older students may know what it means to be a student in a physical classroom, they are newcomers to the experience and accountability of being an effective, active participant in school from home.

Our classrooms on campus have been carefully and thoughtfully designed to facilitate learning, maximize focus, and minimize distraction. Doing school from home has a whole different set of challenges, distractions, and temptations. Prior to the start of the school year, we will share our recommendations with you about how to support your child in creating a pleasant, functional, and productive work space.

Bearing in mind developmentally appropriate expectations, teachers in Lower School will be taking the time to intentionally and purposefully teach younger students the skills to safely and effectively use the physical and digital tools that will be a part of their learning experience. Older students will be learning about how to show up for, and get the most out of, class – which means showing up on time already breakfasted and dressed, sitting up at a workstation, and bringing their full attention to their sessions.

 

Distance Learning at Lower School

With elementary students’ need for routine in mind, the Lower School Distance Learning program is designed to establish and maintain the regular rhythms of a school day. Each day will be bracketed by opportunities to connect socially and emotionally with one another through a Morning Meeting and a Closing Circle.

We have made many modifications and enhancements to our Lower School Distance program with the benefit of parent, student, and teacher feedback. Our schedule has been adjusted to include shorter on-screen times per learning period with regularly scheduled breaks, allowing students the chance to physically move, take a break from screens, and mentally take time to transition between different classes. We have increased the frequency of specialist classes, and class sizes will be smaller, allowing for greater engagement and more interaction with the curriculum, classmates, and the teacher. In addition, knowing that young children thrive in an environment where they feel known, not only academically but also socially and emotionally, we have built in many more opportunities for one-on-one and small group check-ins throughout the day.

Each morning, students will start their day in a live group meeting, either with their classmates in Morning Meeting or the entire Lower School in Gathering. These meetings provide opportunities for building community. Each is structured to allow for students to greet one another as well as share details about themselves.

Students will have five 30-minute lessons over the course of a school day. Most classes will be engaged in direct live instruction, discussion, and activities for the entire class time, while at other times, classes will include small group or guided independent exploration time. The teacher will almost always be present and available to students during assigned class times, even if independent exploration is taking place.

Each day, students will have a 30 minute break in the morning and an extended 90 minute lunch break, allowing students to connect with friends via a Zoom lunch bunch, take a walk, bike ride, or have a relaxing lunch, so that students can return to their afternoon classes refreshed.

Distance Learning at Middle School

Distance Learning at Middle School this fall brings an enhanced focus on the individual student and individual student needs. Our schedule and modes of teaching are structured to better serve online learning and fuel student engagement. Various class sizes and cohorts, advisory check-ins, office hours, embedded breaks, improved lesson design and feedback loops, as well as balanced workloads will allow students to have robust, connected, learning experiences.

Four days a week, our Middle School students will start their day with a live group check-in with their advisor and their advisor group of approximately 10 students. During this meeting, students will review their schedule, play community building games or share more personal check-ins, ultimately, setting the tone for the day. This is a time for students to ground themselves and start their day with purpose. On Wednesday mornings, the entire Middle School student body and faculty will meet via a zoom assembly for announcements and to discuss larger themes and community news.

Each school day is divided into four 75-minute blocks with a 15-minute break in the middle. Students will have four or five classes a day. Most classes will be engaged in direct live instruction, discussion, and activities for the entire class time, while at other times, classes will include small group or guided independent exploration time. The teacher will almost always be present and available to students during assigned class times, even if independent exploration is taking place.

Core subjects (English, math, social studies, and science) will be taught in smaller groups of approximately 12 students to allow for increased personal connection, greater engagement in discussions, and more accessibility and opportunity for one-on-one time with teachers. Specialty classes (art, theatre arts, music, self-science, dance (grades 7 and 8) and research and design (grades 7 and 8) will be taught in groups of roughly 18 students. Spanish or Mandarin classes will be groups of 12-15 students and P.E. will include all the students in a grade level.

Students will have an hour long break for lunch every day, and this will also be a time when students can participate in a club or simply meet up with friends via zoom. Some of the clubs last spring included meditation, knitting, and gardening.  We are excited for students to bring their passions and interests to this year’s clubs.

Another important addition is that core teacher Office Hours are now built into the schedule. Separate from class time, every core teacher is available to each grade for 30 minutes once a week. Attendance at Office Hours is highly encouraged and will be yet another mode of feedback and redirection should students need support.Office Hour time can be used for students to ask questions, receive homework support, review concepts, or partner with peers.

Two 75-minute blocks a week are scheduled for independent work. During this time, students may work on homework, meet with a teacher, or connect with classmates for small group work. Embedding dedicated time for independent work within the school day is a direct response to needs that emerged in the spring.

 

THE PLANNING CONTINUES…

As a community of diverse learners, we will be monitoring student engagement and progress closely to ensure that all student needs are met.

Social and emotional learning and the mental health and wellbeing of our students is such a vital part of our mission and program at Keys. Our counselors and faculty have been hard at work this summer, redesigning their curriculum for a virtual program, so that we can continue to provide the rigorous social and emotional learning and support for which Keys is known. We expect to share more with you on this front in the coming month.

And, we continue to explore creative ways to incorporate in-person and safe social opportunities for students beyond the school day and will be in touch with more details when we have them set.

 

July 17: Fall Distance Learning Announcement

Dear Keys Families,

As I shared in my most recent communication, our highest priority in this truly unprecedented moment is the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff. The Leadership Team and I have been closely monitoring the COVID-19 metrics and trends as well as our community’s level of comfort with returning to campus at the start of the year. This afternoon, Governor Newsom further clarified statewide mandates for schools. As Keys is situated in Santa Clara County, we are impacted by these updated guidelines. We will begin the 2020-21 school year in a full Distance Learning Program. Today’s decision will, I trust, enable us to move forward together with clarity.

We want you, your children, and our faculty to be able to envision and plan for the start of the school year. Making this decision now allows us all time to prepare, and provides some predictability as we look ahead to August 25th. In the coming weeks, we will share our vision for the launch of this unique school year, including more details about Distance Learning and its evolution since the spring.

We will continually monitor the situation to assess when we can open campuses, either partially or fully, and will apprise you of possible changes as they emerge. At every point along the way, the health and safety of our community will remain our top priority.

As always, I thank you for your partnership, your encouragement, and support. To say that we are living in uncertain times is clearly an understatement. But one thing that is certain is the strength of the Keys community and our shared commitment to navigate these uncharted waters together.

All my best,
Heather

July 12: School Opening Announcement Update

Contents:
  • School Opening Announcement Update
  • Learning Plan for the 2020-21 School Year
  • Town Hall – Wednesday, July 15, at 8PM
  • Action: Required Student Form Coming Soon

Dear Keys Families,

I hope this email finds you and your family safe and sound and enjoying the summertime together. I am looking forward to the time when we can come together again. Preparing for the start of the school year during a global pandemic has been no small feat! Today, I am writing to share with you our plans for the start of the 2020-21 school year.

While we do not yet know whether we will start the school year with in-person learning or distance learning, we are prepared for both, and have designed a plan that will allow us to shift fluidly between the two modes as needed with as much forewarning as possible so faculty and families can plan ahead. We will let you know in early August which approach we’ll use as we return to school.

Informed by infectious disease experts and physicians, risk mitigation authorities, several emergency management agencies, and peer international schools, we have put in place New Health and Safety Protocols for a Safe On-Campus Environment so that we are prepared for in-person learning to happen on our campuses. We acknowledge that an in-person model has some degree of risk even when strictly adhering to county health guidelines. It is for this reason that at Keys we have set the bar high. We have designed a plan that exceeds the current public health requirements and guidelines in many critical areas.

CAMPUS-BASED BLENDED LEARNING MODEL

The flexible learning model we have designed is a hybrid of both in-person and distance learning. With the safety of our students and faculty in mind, we have chosen a cautious approach, allowing for small classes and physical distancing. Lower School students will meet in stable groups (cohorts) of up to 9 to 10 students and Middle School cohorts will have between 10-13 students. A stable cohort is a fixed number of students from the same grade level who form a learning group. These students will stay together throughout the day for all classes and activities, and spend time with a limited number of adults in a limited number of spaces over the course of a day. Stable cohorts have been found to be a highly effective strategy in limiting risk of exposure and facilitating contact tracing if necessary. We will make every effort to schedule siblings for the same on-campus learning days, however, this may not always be possible.

We will continue to review and refine our model throughout the year, taking into account the needs of our students, faculty, and staff, updated health and safety guidance, and the numbers of students participating in Campus-Based Blended Learning.

Grades K-2 

  • on campus 3 days a week
  • Home-Based Learning 2 days a week
  • students will be on campus Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, or Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday and doing Home-Based Learning on the off campus days
  • each grade divided into 4 cohorts (no students overlap)
  • 2 cohorts per grade on campus at a time

Grades 3-4 
  • on campus 2 days a week
  • Home-Based Learning 3 days a week
  • each grade divided into 4 cohorts (no students overlap)
  • 2 cohorts per grade on campus at a time
  • students will be on campus Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday and doing Home-Based Learning on Wednesdays and on the other off campus days

Grades 5-8 
  • on campus 2 days a week
  • Home-Based Learning 3 days a week
  • each grade divided into 3 cohorts (no students overlap)
  • 2 grades on campus at the same time
  • students will be on campus Monday and Tuesday or Thursday and Friday and doing Home-Based Learning on Wednesday and on the other off campus days
 
WHAT WILL ON CAMPUS LEARNING LOOK LIKE?
Lower School
In the Lower School, students will spend the majority of their day with their homeroom teacher. The homeroom teachers will rotate between a maximum of two small, stable cohorts over the course of a week. Specialist teachers will also interact with the students over the course of the week with safety protocols in place, sometimes by coming to the classroom, sometimes virtually, and sometimes by having the students travel to an outdoor space. Over the course of the day, multiple fifteen-minute breaks will allow students to move, get outdoors, wash hands, and recirculate the air in the classrooms. Students will have opportunities to participate in core academic classes (language arts, math, social studies) and specials, to have recess and outdoor time with the children in their stable group, and to take advantage of the many benefits of the Keys campus.Middle School
In the Middle School, each grade will be divided into three stable cohorts. Though the entire grade will be on-site at the same time, students will remain in their stable cohort for classes and recesses/breaks. Class time will be spent with their core teachers in-person (English, math, science, or social studies), while other specialist teachers will connect virtually for lessons in order to minimize in-person contact. World Languages will occur daily, in a virtual format and P.E. will also occur on campus, with options for in-person and virtual lessons. A single designated classroom, outdoor space, bathroom, and handwashing station will be assigned to each student cohort to minimize group-to-group interactions and maximize physical distancing practices. Over the course of the day, multiple fifteen-minute breaks will allow students to move, get outdoors, wash hands, and air-out classrooms. An extended lunch break will also take place, and students will remain in their cohorts for that time, with options to remain in their classroom or use their assigned outdoor space.
FULL-TIME HOME-BASED LEARNING

We recognize that some students may be unable to return to campus for all or a portion of the school year—and any student or adult who shows symptoms of illness will need to stay away from classrooms and shared spaces until they are healthy. Be assured that the school will serve any students remotely who are not able to or choose not to come to campus during the academic year. We are also prepared to shift to a fully remote learning environment if necessary.


WHAT WILL HOME-BASED LEARNING LOOK LIKE?

Lower School

For Lower School students, Home-Based Learning will begin each day in a virtual synchronous Morning Meeting. Throughout the day, students will participate in homeroom and specialist classroom experiences through both synchronous and asynchronous instruction. The day will end with a virtual synchronous Closing Circle.

Middle School

Home-Based Learning for Middle School students will feel similar to our distance learning practices from the spring. Students will attend advisory, see a combination of core and specialist teachers, and will have individual work time to complete assignments, review material, and check-in with teachers.

INFORMATION SESSION – WEDNESDAY, JULY 15 FROM 8 – 8:45 PM

Join us for a Town Hall Zoom Meeting where you have a chance to
  • Learn more about the day in the life of a Lower School and Middle School student
  • Review our safety protocols
  • Drop your questions into the chat and have answered either during the Town Hall or in the follow-up FAQ

ACTION: REQUIRED STUDENT FORM

We will be requiring every family to complete a short form for each student to indicate whether, given what you know at the moment, your child will participate in the Campus-Based Blended Learning model or the full-time Home-Based model when campus re-opens. We understand that this may be a difficult decision. Your response is important, as it will allow us to create a plan for cohorts, staffing, and room assignments, and for faculty to begin focused planning to balance remote and in-person instruction. When the school does re-open, families will be expected to make a commitment to on campus or at home learning, and any families who choose home-based learning will be bound to that through December 2020.

Please note that while it will be possible to opt-out of in-person learning, due to safety concerns regarding cohort configurations and social distancing protocols, it will not be possible to opt-in to Campus-Based Learning until we return from our planned winter break. If, in the interim, the science proves otherwise or County social distancing guidelines loosen, we will revisit the December date.

The survey link will be sent out following the Town Hall, and your response will be due by Saturday, July 17th.

IN CLOSING

We continue to monitor evolving public health conditions, and we will keep you informed as details of our plans continue to take shape. As always, stay safe, wash your hands, keep calm, and mask on! Take good care of one another!

All my best to you and yours,

Heather Rogers
Head of School

June 26: Planning for the New School Year - 2020-21

Dear Keys Families,

We want to update you on our planning for the upcoming school year. In the coming weeks, we will have more specifics to share with you. Today, the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health announced that it expects to issue a new order next week, and we want to incorporate that revised information into the next phase of our plans. We recognize that families are eager to know what the start of the next school year will look like, and the revised county order will help us to hone our plans. Please stay tuned.

In the meantime, please click on the document below for an update on what we know at the moment.

We will be in touch again soon. As always, stay calm, carry on, wash your hands, and take good care of one another.

All my best to you and yours,

Heather

May 25: Status Update on Next Year

Dear Keys Families

I hope this message finds you in positive spirits and good health. On behalf of the faculty and staff, we’re missing all of you more than ever, and we’re savoring these last two weeks of school and connection with your children. Thank you for sharing them with us.

Given the continued challenges of the pandemic, many of you are seeking answers to questions concerning the next school year. At present, the unpredictable course of the COVID-19 pandemic has made it challenging for us to discern a clear and specific path forward. For this reason, I wanted to touch base and take a moment to update you on our work and thinking, which is evolving every day.

Context and Background:

From our work with health and safety professionals and government officials nationally, regionally, and locally, our Leadership Team understands that the coming school year will bring some uncertainty as we continue to navigate the conditions brought by COVID-19. We are engaged in comprehensive planning to prepare for a range of scenarios that could include a full return to campus with social distancing and other health and safety measures in place, periods of distance learning, as well as hybrid models of in-person and distance learning.

From the outset, I want to identify several core principles that guide the Leadership Team’s work for the 2020-21 school year.

They are to:

  • Promote the health, safety, and well-being – both physical and emotional – of students, faculty, staff, and families.
  • Deliver our mission vibrantly, whether on campus or remotely, by educating the whole child and keeping our commitment to the development of emotional intelligence as the foundation of academic success.
  • Utilize and optimize resources to ensure the long-term strength, sustainability, and vitality of the school.
  • Continue our commitment to building and nurturing a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible community.

Determining how school will look in the fall requires thoughtful planning and consideration. Our Leadership Team and sub-committees are outlining steps, timelines, and processes to begin school under a number of different scenarios. Should we be able to reopen campus in August safely, we will be sharing with you a detailed plan for that course of action. We also understand that school may look different from past years, and we are simultaneously working to create a number of hybrid models that would allow us to keep health and safety at the forefront of our decision making. We deeply understand that different age groups have different developmental needs and want to assure you that our planning takes those essential considerations into account.

We also recognize that families may have varying comfort levels about sending their children back to school. We know that the same may be true for faculty and staff. At this point, it is too soon to make firm plans because the landscape changes daily. Though we’re unable to predict the course of the next few months and what the state and county directives will be, I am confident Keys will be poised to respond and respond well!

Questions that you might be asking:

How can I provide feedback about my comfort level about sending my child to school in the fall and what my priorities are and suggestions are for the start of school?

Look for a survey from Keys in the next weeks soliciting your feedback on your comfort level with the idea of sending your child to school, as well as prioritizing options the school is considering.

If the school year begins on time, and then there is a new wave of health issues that require the school buildings to close, will the school move to distance learning?

The short answer is Yes. We anticipate the need to be nimble and to pivot as necessary, just as we have been doing this spring. We will communicate expeditiously, knowing that a change of course may be sudden due to the unpredictability of the pandemic’s intensity. We will keep the health and safety of our students and community central to our decision-making.

Is there financial aid available?

Yes! Keys has emergency funds available for families that qualify. If you’ve experienced a change in your financial situation due to COVID-19, please reach out to our controller, Douglas Ibey, at dibey@keysschool.org. All inquiries are kept in the strictest confidence.

Future Communications

Please know that as we clarify planning for different scenarios, we will share these plans with you. This will take time as we observe the pandemic’s movement and learn the government’s directives but do rest assured, we’re planning.

Again, we know this is a challenging time, and we stand strongly with you to support your children and your family. We are a resilient community, and we are grateful to everyone in it for doing their part, together, to rise to meet this moment.

As always, stay calm, carry on, wash your hands, and take good care of one another.

All my best to you and yours,

Heather Rogers
Head of School

May 11: Community Update

Dear Keys families,

As we enter the ninth week of distance learning at Keys, I again express my deep gratitude for your patience, flexibility, and partnership during these challenging and uncertain times.

With less than a month remaining in the school year, we are hard at work re-imagining the meaningful celebrations, ceremonies, and other end-of-year events, beginning with those designed to honor our graduates and to appreciate departing faculty and staff. We will share additional details with you as plans solidify. Given that public health guidelines continue to be fluid, we remain poised to course-correct as needed.

Many of you may be asking, “Heather, what exactly will school look like next year?”  I certainly know what I hope for and the range of “what might be.” In the words of Rev. Victoria Safford, I naturally “plant myself at the gates of hope.” At the same time, we understand that hope is not a plan. While Gov. Newsom recently suggested that public schools may reopen as early as the end of July, for the moment we intend to reconvene, as usual, in late August.

Although there remains much uncertainty about the coming weeks and months, the Leadership Team is receiving wise counsel from our COVID-19 Crisis Response Team, Contingency Planning, and Kindergarten Task Force.* All are actively engaged in assisting us to prototype promising scenarios. In addition, we are collaborating with similar schools in our region, across the nation and around the world to benefit from their thinking about various models. These range, as you would expect, from (1) full return to campus to (2) a blend of on-campus and distance learning and (3) more fully refined approaches to distance learning. Keys’ ultimate path will be determined by all of the above, beginning with guidance provided by county health officials. Again, I can’t thank you enough for your patience, encouragement, and support as we find our way through this uncharted territory. Without a doubt, as you well know, our highest priority is the health and well-being of our students, families, faculty, and staff.

In closing, I am moved to shine a light on the strength, resolve, and capacity of the Keys community to meet these unprecedented challenges with such intelligence, unflappability, and generosity-of-spirit. We will get through this, together, and I want you to know how blessed I feel to be linking arms with you as we move forward.

As always, be calm, carry on, wash your hands, and now, add a mask,

Heather

*Keys COVID-19 Crisis Response Team – Reviews directives from local, state, and national governments and public health organizations to assess and recommend courses of action in response to the pandemic: Heather Rogers, Betsy Doss, Larry Purcell, Kate Atmore, Ryan Matyjasik, Jan Bruzzese, I-Han Liang, Sharon Williams, and Dave Hong

Keys Contingency Planning Task Force – Considers scenarios and resulting impacts in order to recommend strategic decision making to the administration and board to keep the school in a position of strength during this time of crisis: Amy Schneider, Sharon Williams, Jesse Johnson, Katie Miller, Linda Jiang, and Heather Rogers

Keys Kindergarten Task Force – Works to reimagine the onboarding and community building process for Kindergarten students and families: I-Han Liang, Betsy Doss, Sharon Diamond, Maria Purcell, Susan Essary, and Cameron Johnson

April 12: Virtual Message from Heather & Community Updates

A MESSAGE FROM HEATHER 

A brief message from Heather sharing the week’s overview and her gratitude for Keys’ community connection.

COMMUNITY UPDATES

FAQ’S FOR DISTANCE LEARNING 

Click here to view a list of frequently asked questions about Distance Learning at Keys.

EMPLOYMENT UPDATES

Nine years ago, Sara Poplack came to Keys to teach third grade. In her time at Keys, she has moved from third grade to become the Lower School Librarian and Curriculum Coordinator. She stepped out of the library and expanded her contributions by stepping into the Head of Lower School role when Betsy went out on parental leave. For the past three years, Sara has served as the Assistant Head of Lower School and LS Curriculum Coordinator. Known for her deep commitment to education and pedagogy, Sara embodies all that we strive for in our community. An advocate for the teachers and students, she has strengthened not only the Lower School curriculum but also the Mentor and Associate Teacher Programs. Sara is deeply knowledgeable about all aspects of elementary education and a talented administrator. Prior to departing, Sara will be moving over the Middle School to help out while Katie Dlesk is out on parental leave. We will miss her dearly at the Lower School and wish her all the best.

We are delighted to announce that Victoria Kimball will be returning to the admission department from her maternity leave beginning April 13. Welcome back, Victoria!

We would also like to thank Nicole Shiotani, who served as Victoria’s leave replacement, for her incredible support and work during the admission season. We’re so grateful for her many contributions, especially during peak admission season. Thank you, Nicole!

Daphne Razon has returned recently from her parental leave. We are thrilled to have her back for the remainder of the school year. Prior to her leave, Daphne was the parental leave replacement teacher in the KA classroom. She will be joining the first-grade team to provide additional distance learning support. Welcome back, Daphne!


A LETTER FROM OUR LEARNING SPECIALISTS

Learning Support Information

Dear Keys parents,

With our recent transition to Distance Learning and some time to settle into these new routines and expectations, we wanted to take a moment to dive deeper into how this virtual and often asynchronous format may impact your student. Know that we continue to collaborate with teachers to ensure that accommodations are provided during this time, and that as an entire school, we will be needing to be as flexible and patient as we can through the inevitable adjustments and changes. We also understand that as caregivers, you are faced with your own balancing acts as you navigate family needs and manage your personal workload. With that in mind, here are some general tips to ease into these initial weeks:

  • Be patient and reassuring.

  • Provide an organized, quiet work space for your student.

  • Remind your Middle School student to check their email and KeysNet regularly.

  • Have your student explain their work and due dates. Remember that KeysNet is the Middle School hub for central, consistent access to information. For Lower School, please refer to the weekly schedules sent by homeroom teachers.

  • Continue external academic and social-emotional support structures you have in place, if possible.

  • Encourage your student to reach out to their teachers, advisors, technology integrationists, learning specialists, or counselors. We’re here to help!

Students with language-based learning differences

You may notice an increased demand on:

  • Reading (for example, schedules and instructions sent to students ahead of time)

  • Writing and/or typing (for completing assignments or participating in discussions), and

  • Active listening (live directions from the teacher, for instance, when audio and/or internet connectivity isn’t the best).

Students with language-based learning differences will likely need more time to process these instructions and complete tasks while integrating these with technology. Be aware that learning stamina may be less than usual during these first few weeks as their brains are working overtime! Please check in with us with any questions about dictation, audiobook or video access, and other accommodations.

Students with attention and executive functioning challenges:

Distance Learning requires students to integrate a number of executive functioning skills such as time management, perseverance, workspace organization, and sustaining attention.

These executive functioning skills are supported in a traditional physical classroom setting in various ways including teacher cueing, prompts to hand in assignments, assistance with monitoring independent work, and catching students at the end of lessons to check for their understanding. With the altered form of learning supports, these students may require assistance in a different way to:

  • Starting, finishing, and turning in assignments. Now is a great time to check in with your child about their planning systems and where they can access the information necessary to complete their planners to account for adequate time and other commitments that can pop up along the road to turning in a project.

  • Navigating potentially unfamiliar menus and buttons on their devices and apps. While many of our students are near-digital natives, please remember that the flurry of new systems will require extra reminders and explanations of steps to access websites, different sections of apps, or even features of their devices. Please reach out to us, the teacher(s), tech resource pages and/or our tech integrationists with any questions.

  • Gathering materials and dedicating space (including seating tools!) for an activity. Collecting materials in advance (from home or sent by teachers), your student can be prepared for an interrupted thought process once a lesson begins.. You can also engage your student in conversation about the learning tools, such as hand fidgets, timers, and wiggle stools, that they’ve found helpful in the physical environment, and which of those are replicable at home (please let us know if you have questions about obtaining these tools).

Students with (visual and auditory) processing (speed) challenges: 

  • Video recording: Encourage your child to pause, rewind, and replay, or even slow down altogether, the recorded lessons from their teachers, to fully familiarize themselves with the directions, content, and/or task.

  • “Wait/think” time: This need may be supported by working out a different participation method or signal with the teacher. You can also help ensure your child is familiar with Zoom tools such as “raising” their hand, using the “thumbs-up” emoji, or simply typing “Please wait!” or “Come back to me” in the chat box.

  • Tracking: Students with vision needs may find themselves extra-busy as they become accustomed to keeping track of multiple windows, texts, and moving people in their backgrounds.  Raising the level of visual aids both online (bolding fonts, changing font size, adjusting screen brightness, to name a few) and offline, if possible (like highlighting key terms in printed assignments, using a line tracker when reading) will help ease your student through this virtual world. For our Middle School students, encourage them to think about the best screen set-up for the particular class (split screen, minimized Zoom screen over a Google doc, gallery or speaker view, etc.)

  • Listening: We recommend headphones, if available, as the first tool for your student to follow along with instruction, whether live or recorded. Also, work with your student to notice and adjust their device, body position, and/or environment to ensure they’re receiving the audio input needed to participate.

Students with anxiety and social struggles:

Many students rely on discussions and group work to clarify and solidify their understanding. They may also rely on the teacher and classmates’ non-verbal language for assurance and social cues. This support will be hard to receive through virtual lessons. Students will likely be more anxious trying to start a lesson and keep up with the technology and pace. Should you notice other impacts on their learning, please reach out to the support team.

We recognize there is a lot to digest in this communication. Know that we are here to support you and your student to make it all as manageable as possible. Please be in touch at any time, as we are always happy to set up a Zoom call with your family.

Be well,

Patricia and Monica

Lower and Middle School Learning Specialists


ERB’s CANCELLED

Please note that ERB’s (standardized tests taken yearly by students in grades 3-8) are cancelled for Spring 2020. We will offer ERB’s again in the Spring of 2021.

SPRING ATHLETICS SEASON CANCELLED

The WBAL Spring Athletics season has been cancelled due to school closures throughout the league and COVID-19. It is unfortunate to not have our Spring Season sports play out, but ultimately safety comes before anything else. Thank you for supporting Keys Athletics and I look forward to next year’s Athletics year.

Best,

Natalie

UPDATES ABOUT ZOOM

In recent days there has been news about Zoom that raises concerns about the security and privacy of their platform. This service, along with services from other vendors, is instrumental to our ability to function as an online school. Keys School works hard to maintain the online safety, security, and privacy of our students and we take these concerns seriously. We seek to partner with companies that will also uphold high standards.

Zoom’s privacy policy meets our standards for use with students. According to zoom.us/privacy, they do not sell user data and are compliant with applicable student privacy laws, including COPPA, FERPA, and CCPA. The specific issue of sharing data with Facebook was limited to iOS devices (iPhones, iPads) and was resolved on March 27th once Zoom was made aware of it. Also, the limited and unlikely routing of data through international servers as a fallback has been remedied through geo-fencing and updated whitelisting.

The most dramatic concern in the news is ZoomBombing, wherein a malicious person hijacks a meeting or online class session. Unwanted participants can be reliably kept out of Zoom rooms by utilizing passwords, the waiting room functionality and locking meetings once all attendies have joined.  These settings have been turned on by default for all of our teachers and classes at the school account level. Zoom has also released updates to their software, released new training materials and changed default settings to help curb the possibility of these occurrences. Since we have such a tight-knit community, teachers will only admit students they know into their classes. Please look for new links to Zoom meetings from your teachers. These links have the password embedded in them for the ease of our students connecting.  Students and other members of our community should refrain from sharing these links outside of our community.

We feel Zoom is a powerful and safe tool for our teachers and students, and the company’s quick efforts to improve security, privacy, and reliability since this crisis began gives us confidence they trustworthy partners. Along with the training of our teachers, comfort level of our students and various features that Zoom excels at (breakout rooms, gallery view, reactions/virtual hand raising, and classroom management), we plan to continue to use the Zoom platform while continually evaluating all tools to make Distance Learning successful. Thank you for sharing your concerns! That’s how we all get better. Your feedback allows us to make quick changes and thorough improvements to ensure safety and the best possible experiences for our students.


TIPS FOR USING AND MAKING FACE MASKS
Click here to view information from the CDC on how to wear, remove, clean, and make face masks.

April 3: Word of Gratitude from the Board of Trustees

Dear Keys Community,

As we prepare to enter spring break next week, and with the relatively new knowledge that our school will continue to operate in a distance learning model for the remainder of the school year, I am writing on behalf of the Board of Trustees to extend a message of gratitude, support, celebration, and connection.

We are grateful to everyone in the community who has dug deep into their professional, emotional, creative toolkit. We thank our beloved teachers and the incredibly committed administrative team who have dedicated countless hours to reimagining how the school can operate while we cannot physically gather together. We thank our families for responding to this new mode of learning with generosity, honest communication, and continued partnership.

To say that these past three weeks of Distance Learning have presented each of us with unique challenges may be an understatement, yet it contains a profound truth. While reflecting on how our community has responded to our current reality, I couldn’t help but notice that our mission is very much alive in each of us, even as we are apart.

Faculty and Staff have developed new approaches to teaching that allow them to continue to deliver a Keys education remotely, modeling curiosity and reflection as they respond to lessons learned along the way. Students are stretching their flexibility and creativity muscles, trying innovative ways to learn and sharing their learning with their classmates and their teachers from afar. Parents and caregivers are advocating for themselves and for others, sharing tips, asking for support, and being present for one another as we experience the ups and downs of this uncertain time. It is an honor to witness and to celebrate these moments of community.

Rest assured that the Board of Trustees is keeping our mission at the front of our minds and at the heart of our thinking. We are adjusting to the new reality, ensuring the continuing vitality of the school, and tapping into shared resources from area schools and from professional organizations in the world of independent schools, both locally and nationally. We are working closely with the administration and are confident that Keys will continue to provide the creative and supportive Distance Learning Program that will ensure the school will thrive through this experience.

Heather Rogers, our Head of School, has assembled a Contingency Planning Task Force, bringing together a group of administrators and trustees to work in partnership to address the needs that might arise as we navigate this pandemic. Looking ahead to the remainder of the school year, many questions remain unanswered. The Contingency Planning Task Force will work with the school to anticipate, and create strategies to respond to, whatever the next weeks and months will bring.

One event on the horizon has already moved from in-person to online: the Keys Annual Party & Auction Online Reboot, on Saturday evening, May 2. This Reboot is completely free, and it is our opportunity to gather together–virtually–to celebrate our community, have some fun together, and to share our resources to provide for the outstanding educational programming and tuition assistance that allow our teachers and students to flourish. In this current climate of economic uncertainty, now, more than ever, we need to count on the generosity of our community. We hope you’ve saved the date, and that you’ll join in the fun and in the spirit of giving to this school we all cherish.

On behalf of the board, I’d like to wish every member of our community a spring break that allows us all to recharge, to find some moments of peace, and to return refreshed and ready to welcome our next adventures together.

Warmly,

Amy Schneider
Chair, Board of Trustees

April 1: Response to Governor Newsom's Announcement and School Campus Closures

Dear Keys Community,

At noon today and in conjunction with other state agencies such as the department of education, the medical community, and local governments, Governor Newsom announced that California schools will likely remain closed throughout the academic school year. Though it is a decision the Keys Leadership Team hoped to avoid, we support the effort to prioritize the health and safety of our community and contribute to the national and global effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. To that end, we feel it is necessary to continue our Distance Learning Program through the remainder of the academic year and keep the Keys campuses closed.

We realize that many school events and traditions will not be able to proceed as originally planned. We will use this opportunity to put our adaptability and creativity to work as we envision ways to reimagine and reshape upcoming events to fit our changing circumstances. We are going to do everything we can to celebrate the achievements of our graduates and our community as the school year draws to a close, and we will stay in touch with you as we determine how we can make that happen while holding true to the spirit of our Keys traditions.

While we received this news only six hours ago, the board and leadership team have been preparing for this possibility. As such, I have assembled a Contingency Planning Task Force, comprised of trustees and administrators, who will work with the school to anticipate needs and plan for our response to whatever may come.

I know you likely have a lot of questions, and while we don’t yet have all the answers, we are working tirelessly together to create a comprehensive plan for our community. We will be in touch with more information as we address this new reality in the weeks ahead. School campuses may be closed, but teaching and learning continue!  We are committed to refining and enhancing the Distance Learning experience for our students and finding new ways to create community connection.

It is the incredible strength of the Keys community that will carry us through these exceptional times. We miss all of you enormously. Take care of yourselves and your families. Again, stay tuned for more information, and as always, stay calm, carry on, and wash your hands!

All my best,
Heather

March 31: Virtual Message from Heather and Community Updates

Dear Keys Families,

I hope you are all doing well and beginning to adapt to our new normal. Please check out the video message from me as well as the community updates below.

 Daily Quarantine Questions from the Greater Good Science Center
I am proud and humbled by how our community is responding to a challenging and unprecedented situation with fortitude and resilience. We are here for you. In the meantime, take good care of yourself and your family.

Heather

COMMUNITY UPDATES

UPDATED STAY-AT-HOME ORDER WITH NEW RESTRICTIONS 

Today, health officers in seven Bay Area counties issues an updated Stay-at-Home order that includes some new restrictions. Click here to view the updated order.

DEALING WITH INTERNET CHALLENGES AT HOME

In these times of working from home and distance learning, many of us are coming to realize the “high speed internet” we have at home may not be as fast as we once thought. Streaming a show or movie and sending a couple emails is much different from multiple family members all using video conferencing at the same time. Luckily, many of the big internet providers are offering speed upgrades or other services at this time. Click here to find out more.

FREE VIRTUAL SPRING BREAK SUPPLEMENTAL CARE 

Keys will be hosting free Virtual Spring Break Supplemental Care on April 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, & 10th, from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm.  We will be offering a variety of fun Zoom based activities to keep your kiddos engaged and active during the break. Click here to view the daily schedule for Spring Break.

If interested, please contact Quinton Rief, Lower School After Care Coordinator, to get your kiddo’s name on the roster. Thank you!

HOME ACTIVITY IDEAS SHARED BY THE KEYS COMMUNITY

We’ve gathered a few more at home activity ideas and some of you shared ideas as well.  See the list below:
  • Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems (author of Elephant and Piggy books): https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/mo-willems/
  • Tech Museum:  Is streaming their IMAX movies and providing at-home activities  https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/the-tech-in-san-jose-providing-stay-at-home-entertainment/2261329/
  • Seussville.com:  has some fun Dr. Seuss related activities
  • Art Activities from Michael’s:  Michael’s has some fun activities on their website. They also do a Michael’s Facebook Live every Wednesday at noon Central Time that features fun family activities. Go to www.michaels.com
  • Sports:  NFL opens 2009-2019 all seasons including super bowl for free. Sign up via nfl.com till May 31st, 2020. NBA opens 2018-2019 all seasons，sign up and watch at https://www.nba.com/scores#/ for free till April 22nd.
  • DisneyPlus:  offers 7 day free trial to watch Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic documentaries
  • Kindle Unlimited: Sign up Kindle users for Kindle Unlimited for 2 months to access to 1M e-books and 20K digital comic book libraries such as Kindle in Motion Harry Potter animated books. Note: This deal is valid for new subscribers only. Kindle Unlimited also supports PC.
  • Google Arts&Culture: to access 2500 museums around the world and listening to the concerts at https://artsandculture.google.com/
  • Yellow Stone virtual tours：https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/photosmultimedia/virtualtours.htm
  • Yosemite: https://www.virtualyosemite.org/
  • San Diego Zoo live cams: https://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/live-cams
  • Monterey Bay Aquarium live cams: https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals/live-cams
  • Georgia Aquarium webcam:  https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/beluga-whale-webcam/
  • Great Wall virtual tour：https://www.thechinaguide.com/destination/great-wall-of-china
  • Access to mars: https://accessmars.withgoogle.com/#
  • Scholastic home-school:  20-days for free: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
  • Apps: BrainPop – Curiosity Stream – Tynker – Outschool – Udemy – iReady – Beast Academy (Math) – Khan Academy – Creative Bug – Discovery Education
  • YouTube Channels: Crash Course Kids – Science Channel – SciShow Kids – National  Geographic Kids – Free School – Geography Focus – TheBrainScoop – SciShow – Kids Learning Tube – Geek Gurl Diaries – Mike Likes Science – Science Max – SoulPancake
  • Our family discovered this wonderful card game called Totem (https://store.totemteam.com/pages/card_game) available on Amazon and elsewhere for purchase. The idea is to identify and rank positive characteristics of the other people you are playing with. The cards have cute pictures of different animals and include descriptions of personality traits. We’ve been enjoying playing in the evenings and the children love it. It also has really awesome vocabulary so in addition to playing a “feel good” fun game, it also gives us a word boost. Highly recommend it!
  • Walks
  • Scooter and bike rides around the block as a family
  • Family board game nights
  • We brought out our 12 yrs old Rock Band video game and have been playing that as a family.
  • We are starting to cook together more. The kids are starting to cook from a children cook book.
  • We played a family vs. family (FaceTime) game of Trivial Pursuit. Would be super fun with a family you usually get together with and miss hanging out with!
  • Friday Movie Night with popcorn!
  • Game Night with another family via Zoom.  Thinking of games that would translate in a virtual space like charades, apples to apples, Pictionary
Thank you for sharing your great ideas with us!  Keep them coming. 

March 25: School Closure Extended to May 1

Dear Keys Families,

Today, the Santa Clara County Office of Education sent out a press release announcing that seven Bay Area county health officers have made the unified decision to extend school closures through May 1, 2020. Keys will tentatively reopen on May 4, and we are preparing for the potential that the closure date could extend. We understand the vital importance of this order in helping to slow the transmission of COVID-19 and prevent our healthcare system from being overwhelmed, nevertheless, we share your frustration with this disruption to our normal program, and we miss you all.

While recognizing that we cannot virtually replicate the full value of the in-person Keys experience, we continue to work as hard as we can to deliver excellence through our Distance Learning Program. We thank you for your continued partnership as we navigate this new terrain together.

Spring Break will proceed as scheduled the week of April 6. At the moment we are exploring possible options for Supplemental Care for Lower School and will get back to you with more information in the near future.

Please stay tuned for additional email updates later today.

Heather and the Keys School Administrative Team

March 24: Words from our Counselors

Dear Keys Community,

We recognize that the last few weeks have brought enormous change for all of us. The global pandemic is not just something we are hearing about on the news – it is impacting our lives, daily, in real and very tangible ways. We have all had to make adjustments. Our predictable, functional, and comforting routines have been upended. For the moment, our lives are full of change and unpredictability, and we are called upon daily to navigate new, uncharted waters. But none of us are alone in these struggles. We, at Keys, are walking beside you, here to provide support and guidance along the way.

We are living in unprecedented times. As such, amongst other emotions, you may well be feeling exhausted, stressed, discombobulated, disconnected, stretched, or even just sad. In the video below, we hope to provide a few tips to support you and your family as you work to find your new normal.

You will also find links below to resources we hope you will find helpful, including activity ideas for your kids and family. One of the ways that we can support each other during this time is to share our wisdom with each other. If you have ideas about activities for kids or families, we hope you will share them with us via this form. We will share all your great ideas with our community in a future email. Remember, together we are stronger.

In the meantime, take care of yourselves and be well.

Warmly,

Sharon Diamond (Lower School Counselor)
Joan Young (Middle School Counselor)


RESOURCES


Activity Ideas
Share your own activity ideas here.  

Silver linings: how to stay positive during the coronavirus crisis – The Guardian
Do watch the brief video (under 3 minutes) if you are a parent working from home!

Welcome to the Teaching Force! – Girl’s Leadership
Tips from teachers.
RULER Community Strategies for Managing Anxiety around COVID-19 – Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
Helpful tips to take care of bodies, tune into our feelings, and build and maintain relationships.

March 22: The Week Ahead

Dear Keys Families,

I hope that you are all well at home with your family. Having been on many a Zoom call with faculty and staff, please know our community’s health and well-being, in addition to distance learning programming, are top of mind during our conversations. We’re thinking of all of you.

With this in mind, I wanted to reach out with a 35,000 ft view of what’s ahead this week for Lower and Middle School families. Stay tuned for more specific information from Betsy and Larry regarding the following:

Lower School

  • Homeroom and specialist teachers stepping in with new and more formalized schedules
  • Regular Gathering for grades K-4 on Monday at 8:30 am
  • Opportunities for aftercare via Zoom – starting this Friday
  • Upcoming Parent Zoom calls

Middle School
  • Continue with Long Term Distance Learning program/schedule – no big changes
  • Settling into 4 “classes” a day – some teachers will hold Zoom calls during their class time while others are assigning independent work and everything in between
  • All grade/advisories have Community Connection Time (Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri) from 11-11:30 am
  • Second virtual “Opening” for grades 5-8 on Wednesday at 11 am
  • Upcoming news about MS Conferences & Office Hours for support staff
  • Upcoming Parent Zoom calls

An SEL Tip for Families this week:

If you have time to read on your hands, I recommend purchasing Permission to Feel, a book by my dear friend Marc Brackett Ph. D., founder of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and the RULER Approach (K-12 SEL curriculum). In the book, Marc talks about “unlocking the power of emotions to help our kids, ourselves, and our society,” and it also outlines strategies to regulate emotion.

Now more than ever, we need strategies to regulate emotion because balancing working from home with managing a family and conducting school online, requires strategies. It’s a stressful time for families and teachers.

One strategy I find powerful is “positive reappraisal.” Positive reappraisal means reframing a situation that may appear negative to a position of positive power. For example, we’ve constantly been talking about social distancing. It’s something we’re all practicing. Today on a call with California Independent School heads, someone referred to “social distancing” as “distance socializing.” I liked that positive spin on the phrase. It enabled me to focus on not only keeping a healthy distance but also placing importance on “connection.” Suddenly social distancing felt less isolating.

This week I invite you and your family to find ways to positively reappraise things that come your way. It’s a skill that needs to be practiced, and I wish someone had introduced that self-regulation strategy to me somewhere between Kindergarten and 8th grade. In addition, this week, look out for SEL parenting tips from our school counselors Sharon Diamond and Joan Young. They will share some self-regulation wisdom for parents to navigate working from home while your children are in the midst of distance learning.

We’ll be in touch again soon. In the meantime, take good care of yourself and your family, and as always, stay calm, carry on, and wash your hands.

All my best,

Heather

March 18: Update

Dear Keys Community,

We are living in an extraordinary and unprecedented time. Since Santa Clara County ordered a shelter-in-place directive, the Keys faculty and staff have fully mobilized our Distance Learning Program (DLP). Due to the County’s directive, nearly all faculty and staff are working from home at this time, using technology to collaborate and communicate in small and large groups. They’re making lemonade out of this situation and like the theater manager says, “The show must go on!” we’re saying, “…So shall school!” We are working every “muscle” to deliver a high-quality social-emotional learning DLP for our beloved Keys students.

We have launched our DLP while in motion. In other words, it’s a lot like building a bike while riding one. The opportunity to do this has been a challenge, but it’s also been a gift. Every faculty member has embraced the occasion to embark on this new adventure as a unified, energized and highly committed team, and we are so grateful for your patience and commitment as we initiate our DLP. We also recognize that in addition to the normal challenges that come with introducing a new program, we all may experience connectivity issues, device malfunctions, bandwidth problems, or other technical issues. We’re human and this much change can cause frustration – this is the time to use the social-emotional learning skills Keys is known to develop in our students and teaching practice. I have been struck by the compassion, kindness, and partnership Keys community members have demonstrated during this period of change. We are living through an extraordinary time, and I have confidence that we will find our way through this together because we are an extraordinary community!

Important DLP Notes:

If your student experiences any technical issues, the first place to look is the new Technology Resources section on KeysNet. Here you will find a collection of School Policies, Instructional Videos, Tutorials, Best Practices and Tips on how to be successful when using our distance learning tools.  As we often tell the students, use the 5 R’s when dealing with a technical issue:

  1. Relax – keep calm, we all understand there will be hiccups along the way
  2. Retry – try again, try another browser, quit and relaunch application
  3. Research – brief search using the search engine of your choice, check out KeysNet resources
  4. Restart your computer
  5. Reach out – ask a teacher, ask a parent, ask classmates, email Ryan Matyjasik, Steven Zeigler or Cameron Johnson

Likely, many of you heard Governor Newsom’s remark yesterday about school closure and the possibility that schools may not reopen until fall. Governor Newsom provided no definitive answer. Presently, we are operating with the intent to reopen after April break, and like you, we are learning of updates from government officials in real-time. We are preparing accordingly, and as we receive messages from the state and the county, we will communicate with all of you as soon as possible.

In the meantime, we recognize the challenges of social-distancing in our close-knit community, and yet, we understand that closing schools, businesses, and group gatherings are only effective as a mitigation strategy when we all make the daily choice to keep our distance from one another as much as possible. This is taxing when we are deeply connected. Nonetheless, we need to do our part. Check out the article, “Social Distancing: This is Not a Snow Day,” by Asaf Bitton, MD, MPH, executive director of Ariadne Labs in Boston, MA for more information on this topic.

We also recognize how challenging it can be for adults and children alike when the ground keeps shifting beneath our feet and our normal, daily routines are upended. One of the most stabilizing actions you can take at a time like this is to work to put in place new routines and structures for yourself and your family. While we are temporarily suspending our weekly Wednesday Letter communication, we will be reaching out to you regularly in the weeks ahead with updates, information, and resources, including (in the coming days) tips around building routines, setting up schedules, and creating new opportunities for your family.

We hope you and your family are faring well and finding some new footing in this unfamiliar territory. Please stay tuned for more information and keep yourselves safe. We are here for you and want to do whatever we can to help us get through this together, and we will!

All the best to you and yours,

Heather

 

March 18: Lower School Distance Learning

Dear Lower School Families,

I hope that you all are well and that you have been able to join us each morning for Gathering and each afternoon for Closing Circle. It has been such a pleasure seeing all of the students (and you all as well). It has been quite a week and we appreciate your partnership and patience with us in helping your child to learn how to use the Zoom tool and taking the time for them to share their learning from the past trimester through their student-led conference reflections. We hope that you have had an opportunity to reschedule your student-led conference experience with your teachers.

Beginning next week, our Distance Learning Program (DLP) deepens and gathers momentum as our homeroom and specialist teachers dive into classes. The teachers have been busily working behind the scenes to create experiences, both synchronous and asynchronous, that are engaging and developmentally appropriate.

Each day you will receive an email from the homeroom and specialist teachers regarding the expectations for the day. These expectations will include real-time virtual experiences, pre-recorded video lessons, links, or activities. Each of the assignments will also be posted on your child’s KeysNet page, under assignments, so that families can continue to reference them as needed.

How do I access assignments on KeysNet?

To access this section of KeysNet, follow the instructions below:

  1. Log into KeysNet
  2. Click on your child’s name in the upper left corner
  3. Click on the “Assignments” tab

When will my child(ren) meet with their homeroom teacher?

In addition to Morning Meeting and Closing Circle, your child(ren) will have additional opportunities to connect with their homeroom teacher throughout the day. Your child’s homeroom teacher will be reaching out with specific scheduling details by Friday evening.

When will my child have specialist classes?

In addition to the daily meetings with your child(ren)’s homeroom teacher, each specialist will also be holding virtual experiences via Zoom. Each of their links are included below. These experiences will follow a Monday through Friday schedule. At the designated time and day, students are strongly suggested to “attend” these opportunities through the day, though they will not be required to do so. If a student cannot attend the sessions, sessions will be recorded and made available to students to review. Either way, students will be required to complete relevant work.

Note that there are designated times through the day for students to “have class”. If you (students)/your child cannot “attend” a session, you/your child will have access to the work and/or videos as soon as possible, once the session ends.

You will note, there are some classes that are still filling in the final details. We will have the complete information for you on Friday.

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Kindergarten
Art
1-1:45pm
Music 9:30-10:00
Library
2:00 – 2:30
Spanish
10:00 – 11:00
Mandarin
11:00-11:3-
PE
TBD
Science
9:00-9:15
1st grade
Science
9:00-9:15
Art
1-1:45pm
Music 9:30-10:00
Library
2:00 – 2:30
Spanish
10:00 – 11:00
Mandarin
11:00-11:30
PE
TBD
2nd grade
PE
TBD
Science
9:00-9:15
Art
1-1:45pm
Mandarin
10:00-10:30
Music 9:30-10:00
Library
2:00 – 2:30
Spanish
10:00 – 11:00
Mandarin
10:00-10:30
3rd grade
Spanish
10:00 – 11:00
Mandarin
10:00-10:30
PE
TBD
Science
9:00-9:15
Mandarin
10:00-10:30
Art
1-1:45pm
Music 9:30-10:00
Library
2:00 – 2:30
4th grade
Music 9:30-10:00
Library
2:00 – 2:30
Spanish
10:00 – 11:00
Mandarin
10:00-10:30
PE
TBD
Science
9:00-9:15
Mandarin
10:00-10:30
Art
1-1:45pm

How do I schedule my child(ren)’s day?

While schedules for each family may vary, we strongly recommend that in addition to the scheduled learning experiences provided by the homeroom and specialist teachers, that each family incorporate some play time, down time, and family time.

A sample schedule might include the following:

8:30-9:00
Gathering/Morning Meeting
9:00-9:45
School Activity Time*: Science Zoom lesson
9:45 – 10:15
Play time
10:15 – 11:00
School Activity Time*: Pre-recorded video lesson to watch and respond
11:15 – 12:00
School Activity Time*: Small group lesson with homeroom teacher
12:00 – 12:30
Lunch time
12:30 – 1:00
Outside time
1:00 – 1:45
School Activity Time*: Independent learning activity
2:00
School Activity Time*: Library Zoom lesson
2:40
Closing Circle

*Will vary by grade level and subject

My child(ren) is able to stay connected. Will there be opportunities for me to stay connected as well?

Yes, we will be providing parents with regular opportunities to connect and ask questions. I will be available on Zoom tonight (3/18) and tomorrow night (3/19) between 8:00 PM and 9:30 PM to answer questions. I will be sending out additional information early next week about grade level opportunities.

We will continue to share information as we go along. We welcome any questions that you may have along the way. Thank you again for your partnership and patience every step of this process. Now, as always, we are grateful for your support, growth mindset, and flexibility.

Stay well and wash hands!

From a distance,
Betsy and Lower School team

March 16: Shelter-in-Place

Dear Keys Families,

You are likely aware that today the public health departments from six Bay Area counties (San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa, and Alameda) announced a “shelter in place” order for all residents, to take effect at 12:01 a.m. This order is to stay in place until at least April 7.

Public health officials report that scientific evidence shows that at this stage of the outbreak, it is essential to slow virus transmission as much as possible to protect the most vulnerable and to prevent the health care system from being overwhelmed. One proven way to slow the transmission is to limit interactions among people to the greatest possible.

People are directed to stay inside their homes and away from others as much as possible in the coming weeks, except for meeting essential needs. Essential services will remain open, such as transit, police, fire, healthcare services, and essential stores like grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, and gas stations. Restaurants will be limited to take-out and delivery only. “Non-essential stores” are to close. This article from the Palo Alto Online helps to explain what this may mean for you.

When we’re asked to shelter in place, the potential exists for us to feel all the more disconnected. Remember we’re not. The Keys Faculty and Staff are thinking of you and serving you during this time apart. A friend of mine sent me a beautiful reflection from a Rabbi Yosef Kanefsky. In the post, Rabbi Kanefsky explores the possibility of this time being one of re-orienting rather than disorienting ourselves and our communities. Rabbi Kanefsky writes, “Every hand that we don’t shake must become a phone call that we place. Every embrace that we avoid must become a verbal expression of warmth and concern. Every inch and every foot that we physically place between ourselves and another must become a thought as to how we might help that other, should the need arise…let’s draw one another closer in a way that we’ve never done before.”

We, Faculty and Staff, are drawing you close. While doing so, we continue to work diligently to deliver the Keys mission keeping the whole child, social-emotional learning and academic excellence at our core. We also see our mission alive in all of you. We are warmed and heartened to see the many ways in which the Keys community is already rallying and reaching out to provide support to one another during this challenging time. Keep the network of support and care alive!

Please note that in the spirit of the county directive, Keys will minimize employee presence and access on our campuses; however, we are still here. You can still reach us via email or video conferencing in the days and weeks ahead.

Be well and take care of one another.

Heather and the Keys School Administrative Team

March 15: Distance Learning

Dear Keys Community members,

Thank you for your support, patience, and flexibility over the past few weeks. We are grateful for your partnership in these unprecedented times.

Below you’ll find a link to a community message from Lower School Division Head, Betsy Doss,  Middle School Division Head, Larry Purcell, and me. In it, we speak about Keys’ move to Distance Learning and how we are sustaining the Keys’ mission through distance learning. Below you will also find campus-specific directions from each Division Head where you will learn in more detail how our Lower and Middle Schools will provide instructions and community-building during the weeks ahead.  We ask that parents/guardians and students (where developmentally appropriate) familiarize themselves with the materials so that everyone is aware of schedules, program, attendance, and behavioral and academic expectations.

We have a new COVID-19 Updates landing page on our website that enables you to access community updates and resources in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak.  Please note that any new information or updates will be sent to you directly via email as well as being archived on this page.

Even though on-campus learning is suspended temporarily, there exists an exciting opportunity to live our mission in new ways through our Distance Learning program. The faculty and staff are using their keen intellect and calling upon their curiosity and reflection to provide a stellar program for our students. We are advocating for ourselves and others, and we know you are doing the same. Collectively, I know our generous spirits will rise to the occasion to engage, inspire and persevere through these next weeks. Most importantly, our generous spirits will stay connected to support one another through a unique moment in history.

Again, on behalf of the faculty and staff, thank you for your partnership. Your kindness, compassion, and support for our community are extraordinary. We are grateful. Please feel free to reach out to me (Heather) or your child’s division head (Betsy Doss/Larry Purcell) with questions.

All my best,

Heather

 

March 15: Lower School Distance Learning

Dear Lower School Families,

I hope that you are all well, staying sane, and finding the silver lining in these unprecedented times. Like you, we have all been experiencing a wide range of emotions, from missing all of you, to being excited for the opportunity to think differently and creatively about how to deliver a program that continues the rich and thoughtful Keys experience, even from a distance. Last Thursday and Friday, the faculty closed our time together by sharing out “Three Good Things” as a way to stay positive, mindful, and appreciative and we encourage you to do the same.

On Monday, March 16, between 7:30 AM and 4:00 PM, come to campus to pick up Student-Led Conference work, Learning Packet and supplies. When you arrive at campus, we will meet you at the gate and hand you the necessary work and supplies.  Unless closed by the county, Mondays will be a time to drop off completed work and pick up work for the following week. If you are unable to get to campus on Mondays, please let us know and we will make accommodations.

Each day during the week of 3/16-3/20 students are expected to:

  • Participate in or watch Gathering and Closing Circle: These events will be held and recorded on Zoom.
    • 8:30 – 9:00 AM Gathering
    • 2:40 – 3:10 PM Closing Circle
      • Click on the Zoom link to join
      • If you are unable to join at 8:30 AM, Gathering and Closing Circle will be recorded and archived in the Lower School folder.
  • Read a minimum of 30 minutes: This could include reading with an adult, listening to and following along with an audiobook, or reading independently.
  • Complete three activities from either the Student-Led Conference stations or the Learning Packet.
Starting the week of 3/23, the homeroom and specialist teachers will begin grade specific Distance Learning. Students are expected to:
  • Participate in or watch Gathering/Morning Meeting and Closing Circle: These events will be held and recorded on Zoom.
    • 8:30 – 9:00 AM Gathering/Morning Meeting
    • 2:40 – 3:10 PM Closing Circle
  • Learning experiences will vary by grade level and subject. Teachers will be posting activities by 9:30 AM each morning. These activities may be real-time virtual experiences, pre-recorded video lessons, links, or activities.  We recognize the challenges of scheduling and will be recording any real-time experiences so that families may access them at their availability.

Student-Led Conferences will be held virtually over the next few weeks.  More information will be coming from the teachers with whom you had previously scheduled conferences. Please note that the student-led conference stations, coming home on Monday, should be completed before your homeroom conference.

What should I expect with Distance Learning for my Lower School student? 

Distance Learning for our children does not mean that the children will be online all day. Students will have a large chunk of time during the day to complete learning experiences.

Distance Learning does mean that the children are technically in school even though we are not seeing them physically in front of us.  There is an expectation that you will ensure that the activities presented to them are worked on and completed to the best of the ability of each child. There is flexibility in the time it takes to complete learning experiences.

How can I set my child(ren) up for success?

  • Set a daily routine and schedule during the school week. Kids thrive on routine and predictability.  Work with them to create a daily/hourly schedule that breaks up the day into school time, play time, down time, family time. Establish expectations for technology usage and keep family time sacred.
  • Designate a work space if possible. Just as recommended for homework, designate a space where your child(ren) can work with limited distractions. Knowing that some work will occur online, please keep devices in a shared/public space where you can easily see the monitor.
  • Let your child drive the learning. Let your child make choices when they are presented. We don’t expect you to teach your child, but engage in the learning activities and encourage them to participate. If this becomes difficult, know your teachers are here to support you.
  • Reach out for support. Teachers will be available by email during the hours of 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Starting Monday, March 23rd, teachers will also hold “office hours” during which they will be available on Zoom.
  • Provide opportunities for reflection. Whether through a regular family meeting or a reflection journal, provide opportunities to check in with one another.  Share gratitudes, emotions, hopes, and challenges.
What is Zoom?

One distance learning tool we will be using at various times during the closure is Zoom.  It is a video conferencing platform that will allow our teachers and students a way to connect virtually.  To be sure you are prepared, take a look at some of the resources below. Feel free to reach out to Ryan Matyjasik with any questions regarding this tool.

Joining a meeting – Usually the software will install itself the first time you join a meeting.  The software has already been pushed out to all Middle School students. If they have any trouble, they can reach out to Ryan Matyjasik or Steven Zeigler

Test your audio and video – Zoom offers a “Test Call” in which you can see if your audio and video is working. Once you are in the test call, click the microphone in the lower left corner of the screen and choose “Test speaker and microphone…”

KeysNet Tech resources – We are in the process of building a section on KeysNet to answer some questions that may come up.  It is an ever growing resource, so check back often to see new updates.

I am feeling nervous about Zoom.  How can I get experience ahead of my child(ren)?

Give it a try. I will be available on Zoom tonight (3/15) and tomorrow night (3/16) between 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM. If you would like to check your connection. You can use the link above or follow the instructions below.

Meeting ID: 510 651 1129

Online: https://zoom.us/j/5106511129

By phone: (669) 900 6833

We will be sharing more information throughout the week.  We welcome any questions that you may have along the way.

Stay well and wash hands!

From a distance,
Betsy and Lower School team

March 15: Middle School Distance Learning

Dear Keys Middle School Families,

Well, here we are- learning from afar!  Students, to be clear- school is still in session! Your teachers have been hard at work to not only keep some aspects of our learning experiences familiar to you, but also to create new and exciting ways to engage with material and further your understanding and skill sets. Though school will certainly work in new ways, our values (of respect, community-mindedness, integrity, caring and inclusive behavior, etc.) are very much an expectation.

We recognize that the significant shift in how learning happens, particularly when a community like Keys needs to be apart, can bring a lot of questions.  We welcome your questions and will be discovering the answers with you as we go!

How will Distance Learning work, exactly?

Materials

Though we will be relying on KeysNet to post class agendas and assignments, not all work will be online.  In addition, and as a complement to some of the digital work posted, some teachers have materials awaiting your pick up at school.
  • 5th – 8th grade families, please arrange to stop by campus on Monday or Tuesday, 3/16 and 3/17, from 8am-4pm.  We will have a “drive-thru” set up for grade-specific materials (books, binders, worksheets, PE equipment, etc.) for you! Most of these materials will help students with learning experiences beginning later this week or next week.

Beyond our materials packets, laptops will be a primary source for viewing teacher agendas and processing work. Stay tuned for more information from teachers, but know that screen time should be limited to teacher directed work only. 5th and 6th grade students cannot use school laptops for recreation.  We recommend that 7th and 8th grade students only use school issued laptops for school purposes during our school closure. Families who have the submitted paperwork to allow their 7th or 8th grade student to use the laptop beyond school purposes are the only ones allowed to do so.

SOFT LAUNCH TO DISTANCE LEARNING – March 16 – 18th

To help the gradual adjustment to Distance Learning, 5th – 8th graders will spend the first three days of our closure working on 5 different assignments, corresponding to the 5 classes in our regular letter day schedule.  KeysNet will be our center for information and course resources.
  • By 9am, teachers will post Class Captures (agendas, resources, etc.) and related homework on KeysNet.
  • Students, use your KeysNet “Assignment Center” view to see all instructions and assignments teachers have set for you.
  • Students will have the rest of the day to complete the Class Capture from each of their five teachers.
  • Students will be able to email teachers through the day, as needed, to ask questions, clarify understanding and submit completed work, as needed.
  • Any assignments due on this day should be submitted no later than 4pm.

The flexibility in this plan allows students, families and teachers to continue our planned learning while recognizing that demands of time and the logistics of being away from campus are unique to all.  By design, students will be learning entirely asynchronously (not at the same time) during this period.

Count on the following structure for our first three days of Distance Learning (3/16 – 3/18).

8:45
Morning greeting video will be shared with the community.
9:00
5 Class Captures and related homework posted by teachers on KeysNet
9:00 – 4:00
Students:
  • create a plan for the day, prioritizing and completing work
  • email their advisor to “check in” as a form of attendance
  • email teachers with questions about work (if needed)
  • complete at least 20 minutes of physical exercise in the day
  • complete at least 40 minutes of independent reading over the course of the day
  • submit all assignments due (4pm deadline)
  • maintain healthy practices (washing hands, rest, play, etc.)
Teachers
  • respond to student inquiries via email
  • message the class as needed
  • continue to create plans for upcoming learning experiences
  • assess student work
  • maintain healthy practices (washing hands, rest, exercise, play, etc.)
LONG-TERM DISTANCE LEARNING PLAN – March 19th – onward
Beginning Thursday, 3/19, our Distance Learning model at Middle School will transition to our Long-Term plan. This plan will be in effect until further notice and/or a return to in-person learning is established. KeysNet will remain our center for information and course resources, but the schedule will change, as we create structures that allow for synchronous (happening at the same time) learning.
We will follow our A-F Day schedule, but students will only see 4 courses per day, instead of 5.
  • Students will continue to receive “Class Captures” for each course, and they may receive additional opportunities to connect with a class via conference call, small group collaboration, direct instruction from a teacher, or other guidance from faculty at their specified class meeting time. Students are strongly suggested to “attend” these opportunities through the day, though they will not be required to do so.  If a student cannot attend additional sessions, sessions will be recorded and made available to students to review. Either way, students will be required to complete relevant work.
  • Students will be able to email teachers through the day, as needed, to ask questions, clarify understanding and submit completed work, as needed.
  • Any homework due should be submitted no later than 4pm.
Here is a sample schedule.  Further down you will find a link to our fully populated, grade and section-specific schedules. Note the fact that, there are designated times through the day for students to “have class”.  If you(students)/your child cannot “attend” a session, you/your child will have access to the work and/or videos as soon as possible, once the session ends.

Please also note, above, that Community Connection Time will vary from day to day.  These sessions will most often be coordinated conference calls on zoom. A significant element to productive learning is fostering a sense of connection and belonging. The combination of asynchronous and synchronous modes of learning bolsters the sense of routine and structure, provides a sense of connection, collaboration and community, while providing the unique flexibility families, faculty and students need during this time.

Use this link to access all Long-Term Distance Learning Schedules, 5A/5B – 8A/8B. Ask your child which group they are in to be sure you consult the correct schedule!

Lastly, stay tuned for another grade-specific email where I will reshare schedules, invite students and parents to separate sample zoom conference sessions, and provide opportunities for families to submit questions, offer suggestions, and share.

General Resources

Technology Resources
  • We have a newly created tech resource board, on KeysNet.
  • This will be regularly updated as new supports, tips, and needs surface.
    • One distance learning tool we will be using at various times during the closure is Zoom.  It is a video conferencing platform that will allow our teachers and students a way to connect virtually.  To be sure you are prepared, take a look at some of the resources below. Feel free to reach out to Ryan Matyjasik with any questions regarding this tool.
      • Joining a meeting – Usually the software will install itself the first time you join a meeting.  The software has already been pushed out to all Middle School students. If they have any trouble, they can reach out to Ryan Matyjasik or Steven Zeigler
  • Should you have a recommendation for this resource board, or questions, please email Ryan Matyjasik or Stevent Zeigler at rmatyjasik@keysschool.org or szeigler@keysschool.org.

March 11: School Closure

Dear Keys Community,

In response to the continuing growth of COVID-19 and emerging information today, Keys School will close beginning tomorrow March 12 through April 10 (including Spring Break). While Keys does not have a confirmed case of coronavirus in our community, we believe that the evidence of widespread community transmission warrants school closure at this time. In lieu of Student-led Conferences, our faculty will meet this Thursday and Friday for professional development days to prepare for distance learning. Stay tuned for more information about our framework for distance learning as well as plans for remote student-led conferences.

We recognize the significance extended school closure has on your family. We made this decision after countless hours of deliberation and consultation with other school leaders in our area. While it may not minimize any sadness and frustration, it’s important to note the Leadership Team and I have worked diligently to avoid suspending classes and campus activities. We realize that the closeness of our community makes us more vulnerable to the virus and has led us to this decision. We believe this action is the best course to take at this time. Our responsibility to safeguard the health and well being of our students, families, faculty, and staff is a charge we take very seriously.

WHY CLOSURE AT THIS TIME
At this stage of the health crisis, one of the most critical safety protocols for slowing the spread of COVID-19 is social distancing, which is extremely challenging (if not impossible) to fully implement and enforce with young children, teens, adults, and visitors to campus. Likewise, we are aware that we have many older adults and extended family members within our community who are at greater risk of serious infection if exposed to the coronavirus.

WHAT’S NEXT

  • Thursday and Friday, March 12 and 13 – Professional Development Day – Faculty will work on campus to plan remote learning materials and strategies. We know that some families have signed their children up for extended care over the next few days. We ask that if you are able to keep your student at home, please do so. If you are unable to keep your child at home tomorrow and Friday, please contact Quinton Rief (qrief@keysschool.org) so that we know how many children to expect.
  • Sunday, March 15 – Look for communication from Keys with more information about distance learning in the coming week.
  • Monday, March 16 – Friday, April 10 – In-person classes and regular school programs including outdoor ed are canceled. Remote learning will be in place. No childcare will be available.
    The idea of separating for any amount of time is painful, and these are extraordinary circumstances and times. We are grateful for your continued support through this evolving situation, and you can be confident that we are working to provide excellence on our end while keeping our community safe.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and be well.

Heather and the Keys School Administrative Team

March 6: Update

Dear Keys Community,
As communities around the globe navigate the evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, we want to thank each of you for the cooperation and calm you have shown over the past weeks. We applaud our teachers, families, and students for supporting one another and modeling kindness and inclusivity in the larger community during this challenging time.

COVID-19 SITUATION UPDATE
From recent public health reports, we understand that COVID-19 is spreading in our area, though it is unclear how extensively or how quickly. The County of Santa Clara is taking proactive steps and has issued new guidelines to slow the spread of the virus and minimize the number of people who become infected.
It is important to note that according to the Santa Clara Public Health Department (SCPHD):
“…the vast majority of people who become infected with COVID-19 do not become seriously ill, and fully recover.”  More rigorous recommendations have been put in place to protect the most vulnerable people in our community and to slow the spread of the virus.”  
At this point in time, we all need to take assertive actions to inhibit the spread of this new virus and lessen its impact for our most vulnerable community members.

People at higher risk:
It is important to be aware that some people are at higher risk for COVID-19, and may have a more severe response to the virus. People at higher risk should be more cautious about avoiding large gatherings of people and exposure to anyone who is sick.
According to SCPHD the following groups of people are at higher risk:
  • People over 50 years of age. The risk increases significantly thereafter and escalates with age, with persons over age 80 in the highest risk category.
  • People, regardless of age, with underlying health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, or chronic lung diseases like COPD, as well as those with severely weakened immune systems.
If you believe your child might be at higher risk, contact your doctor about whether they should stay at home at this time.

POSSIBILITY OF SCHOOL CLOSURE
It is likely that many of you are wondering about the possibility of school closure. As we mentioned in our communication last night, the SCPHD is not recommending that schools close at this time.
“The reason we are not recommending school closures at this time is because children have not been shown to be a high-risk group for serious illness from this virus.  As much as possible, children should be allowed to carry on with their education and normal activities.” 
Should a Keys staff member or student be confirmed with COVID-19, the Public Health Department will immediately step in to evaluate the specific facts and circumstances of that case to determine whether school closure is warranted.

Help Us Prepare for the Possibility of Distance Learning in the Event of School Closure
To help us prepare for the possibility of remote learning, we are asking that you take a few minutes to complete the following survey. The goal of this survey is to help us gauge device and internet accessibility within our community, as well as prepare to allocate resources, should distance learning need to be implemented. All information received will be kept confidential.

STEPS WE ARE TAKING
  • Our Leadership Team continues to make our response to COVID-19 a top priority, to ensure we are doing all we can to safeguard our community and plan for many different eventualities, including the possibility of school closure.
  • We have been working to adapt and refine our Response Plan to guide our responses to this unfolding situation, while recognizing that the fluidity and unpredictability of present circumstances will likely require a dynamic response.
  • Our teachers and curriculum coordinators are working in tandem with other schools and educators across the country to develop resources, should we need to deliver instruction to students in alternative ways.
  • We are currently evaluating the activities and events planned for the weeks ahead, considering whether any modification, rescheduling, or cancelation is necessary. We will make decisions on a daily basis, as circumstances are rapidly evolving.
  • We continue to do all we can to ensure that our campuses are germ-free with rigorous new cleaning protocols.
  • Faculty continue to teach and remind students to use best hygiene practices.
  • We are encouraging greetings that don’t involve physical contact such as a friendly wave or a bright and cheery, “Hello!”
OUR EXPECTATIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY
  • All community members and visitors who enter our campuses will wash or sanitize their hands frequently throughout the day.
  • No community member or visitor will come to campus feeling ill or with a fever.
  • Any community member or visitor will leave campus if they begin to feel ill while on campus, and will report their status to our office.
  • All community members will contact our office if anyone living or working in their household has been exposed to, presumed to have, or has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
  • Take care of your physical and mental health. Keep your immunity strong by getting plenty of rest, drinking plenty of fluids, eating healthy food, and managing your stress.
WHEN WE WILL COMMUNICATE NEXT
We will plan to send out another update on Tuesday, unless a meaningful change in the current situation necessitates that we reach out to you sooner – most likely by email, however, more critical or time sensitive information will be sent using our emergency call system.
We have added a few additional resources to our Coronavirus Resource page.  Please reach out to us if you have questions or concerns. And in the meantime, take care of yourself and be well.
Sincerely,
Heather and the Keys School Administrative Team

March 5: Skate Night Canceled

Dear Keys Families,

Keeping you, the members of our community, safe and healthy is our highest priority at Keys.

Late today, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department (SCPHD) asked local communities to postpone or cancel large gatherings. With this new information and in consultation with our local expert in infectious disease this evening, we have chosen to err on the side of caution and cancel Skate Night. We are disappointed to lose this opportunity to come together as a community, but we recognize the importance of doing all we can to help reduce risk to our community and others. We will follow up with additional communications over the coming days about ticketing details, and we are grateful for your understanding that this process may take a little time.

Please note the decision to cancel Skate Night is not due to any immediate concerns within our community, but rather to comply with SCPHD recommendations.

At this time, public health officials are not recommending that schools close. Per the Santa Clara County Public Health Department:

“The reason we are not recommending school closures at this time is because children have not been shown to be a high-risk group for serious illness from this virus. As much as possible, children should be allowed to carry on with their education and normal activities.”

We appreciate your understanding and your support in helping to keep our community healthy. We will be in touch again tomorrow with further updates, but wanted to get this information to you promptly. In the meantime, take care of yourselves and be well.

Sincerely,

Heather and the Keys School Administrative Team

March 3: Update

Dear Keys Community,

As we have done for the last several Tuesdays, we are sending out another email to our community with an update regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and our response.

Every day we learn new information about the spread of the virus around the globe and locally; it is generally not simple or straightforward. It is challenging, even as adults, to comb through headlines to find reliable data and to quell our feelings of anxiety. As educators, parents, and caregivers, we are a vital source of security and safety for our children. We must work to find our own state of balance to help our children navigate uncertainty and fear, so that they may continue to face the world with optimism. The expert resources we connect with daily and rely upon for guidance, the County Health Dept., the CDC, the WHO, and a local expert on pediatric infectious disease, continue to remind us to remain calm and carry on. We are doing just that, and we are poised to course correct, keeping the safety of our children and community at the forefront, should the need arise.

OUR RESPONSE
We closely follow the guidelines for schools laid out by the public health agencies, and are, at times, choosing to take a slightly more conservative path. Based on current information (see COVID-19 Update below) and guidance, we plan for all field trips to proceed as scheduled, with heightened practices of good hygiene emphasized throughout each trip. As information evolves rapidly, we have to stay open to the possibility that plans may need to shift. In some cases, we may make slight modifications to existing plans if there is an opportunity for us to mitigate public exposures without impacting program.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

  3. Use your voices to counter stigmatizing conversations and behavior you encounter related to the virus.
  4. Remain calm.
COVID-19 UPDATE – March 3, 2020

At present, there are approximately 43 positive cases in California, and at least 9 cases in Santa Clara county. California airports (LAX and SFO) are screening passengers. At this time, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is not recommending the cancellation of public events and continues to report that, “there is no evidence of sustained person-to-person transmission of the virus in the United States. The health risk from COVID-19 to the general public remains low at this time.”

The CDPH also announced that new kits used to detect COVID-19 are now becoming available in California. With the new ability to test for COVID-19, it is probable that we will see a significant increase in the number of identified local cases of COVID-19 in the coming days, not due to a sudden and drastic uptick in the rate of transmission of the virus, but because existing cases are now being confirmed and counted.

Given how quickly the global situation is evolving, we continue to reevaluate our steps and actions daily. The health and safety of our students is our highest priority and at the forefront of all decision-making.We will continue to update you as this situation unfolds.

Take care of yourself and stay well,

Heather and the Keys School Administrative Team

PARENT RESOURCES

The links below are now available on Keys Net.
Hand Washing Video – 44 second video

February 27: Update

Dear Keys Community,

As you are likely aware, on Tuesday, February 25th, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) gave a press conference updating the country on the current status of the coronavirus (COVID-19), and what steps should be taken moving forward. Today, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department has confirmed a third case of coronavirus in the county, and the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to rise worldwide, with over 80,000 cases in more than 45 countries, according to WHO. On Tuesday, San Francisco Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency for San Francisco, a step which allows the city to increase its efforts to proactively prepare for a potential outbreak (CNN article). We want to assure you we are taking steps to prevent the spread of illness across our campuses and working with public health agencies and medical experts to plan for the possible spread of the coronavirus in our community. Our community’s safety is our highest priority.

As the CDC emphasized, there is not currently a coronavirus pandemic in the United States. A pandemic occurs when a disease is spreading from a variety of sources across a large region, and the number of cases across the US is still small. However, given how quickly the global situation is evolving, we are monitoring new developments and will continue to reevaluate our steps and actions daily.In the meantime, the CDC does not have any special recommendations for the public to prevent the coronavirus beyond taking everyday preventative actions to help minimize the spread of infectious respiratory illness.

School Actions:

  • Our teachers are regularly reminding students to wash their hands. Hand sanitizers (with at least 60% alcohol) are available in each classroom. Teachers are following the same practices.
  • During the day and in the evenings, classroom surfaces are disinfected.

Home Actions and Requirements: 
  • If you, your child, or someone who has close contact with your child has recently traveled from China or Korea (or any country with an outbreak of coronavirus), we ask that you self-quarantine for 14 days from your date of return or date of contact with another traveler, as recommended by the CDC travel advisories, and notify Keys School.
  • NEW – If you, your child, or someone who has close contact with your child has recently traveled from Taiwan, Vietnam, Iran, Japan, Italy, Thailand, Hong Kong, or Singapore (any country where there is a current risk of community spread) we ask that you check your temperature twice daily for 14 days. If you develop a fever of 100.4 or higher or show signs of flu, you should stay home, be evaluated by your physician, and let your physician know you’ve been in a higher risk country. Additionally, please notify Keys School.
  • Get a flu vaccine.  It’s not too late to get vaccinated.
  • Remind your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol), and do so for at least 20 seconds. You can set a good example by doing this yourself. Remember, for a hand sanitizer to work correctly, it should be allowed to dry on your hands – do not wipe dry.
  • Remind your children not to share personal items like drinks, food, or unwashed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues or their elbow.
  • Be alert to the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and fatigue. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea. These symptoms usually come on quickly.
  • Keep children at home and avoid contact with others when they have a fever above 100.4 degrees or show flu-like symptoms. Children may return to school after they have been free of fever, nausea, or other signs of illness for at least 24 hours without medication.

We are closely monitoring and proactively planning our response to this evolving situation, and we are prepared to alter our procedures should the situation change. We are also thinking ahead regarding the impact upcoming school trips and other non-typical school activities will have in the context of the coronavirus. We will communicate any changes affirmatively when the time is appropriate.

It is important to remember that handling the spread of a serious contagion like the coronavirus is primarily a task for public health agencies. Any directives from the World Health Organization, CDC, or local governmental organizations should be followed. Please see the list of resources below.

And finally, we are saddened to hear reports about the rise in racially and culturally insensitive language and behaviors occurring around the globe. We encourage you, members of the Keys community, to continue to be models of kindness and respect toward all cultures. Use your voices to help to counter stigmatizing conversations and behavior you may encounter in your daily lives with the reminder that race, ethnicity, or cultural background are not risk factors for novel coronavirus. Risk is based on one’s travel history or the travel history of a close contact.

Thank you for your patience with these many additional communications. Know that the safety and well-being of our students, employees, and families is our top priority. We will continue to update you as this situation unfolds. In times like this, we are particularly grateful for the strength and connection of the Keys community.

Stay well,

Heather and the Keys School Administrative Team

PARENT RESOURCES

The links below are now available on Keys Net.
Hand Washing Video – 44 second video

February 25: Update

Dear Keys Community,

We want to reassure you that we are staying in touch with the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health, the Santa Clara Office of Education, and monitoring the CDC website for the latest information regarding the novel coronavirus outbreak. At this time, these organizations continue to report that the risk to the general public in the Bay Area and in all of California is low.

According to the Santa Clara Office of Education:

“Currently, there is not an increased risk to the residents of Santa Clara County, and the novel coronavirus is not circulating in our community. Since this is a new virus, we cannot predict how long the virus might continue to spread in mainland China or if it may spread in other locations.” 
While guidance and recommendations for schools from the Santa Clara Office of Education remain largely unchanged, the following statement has been updated:
“Students and staff returning from mainland China arriving in the United States since February 3, 2020, should be excluded from school for 14 days, beginning the day after they left China.” 

As we are following the protocols recommended by the CDC and Santa Clara Office of Education, we ask that if a member of your household or a close contact has traveled to China, please be in touch with our school immediately.

Additionally, we want to reiterate that in light of the fact that travel restrictions regarding novel coronavirus are focused on mainland China, we are aware that fear may lead to wariness or insensitivity towards some people because of their race. As a community, we strive to continue to model kindness and respect toward all cultures. We can all help to counter stigmatizing conversations and behavior we may encounter in our daily lives with the reminder that race, ethnicity, or cultural background are not risk factors for novel coronavirus. Risk is based on one’s travel history or the travel history of a close contact.

We will continue to monitor this situation and share updated recommendations and guidelines with you. In the meantime, we hope that you and your family are staying healthy during this flu season.

Warmly,

Heather and the Keys School Administrative Team

February 11: Update

Dear Keys Community,

We want to reassure you that we are staying in touch with the Santa Clara County Public Health department, the Santa Clara Office of Education, and monitoring the CDC website for the latest information regarding the novel coronavirus outbreak. At this time, these organizations continue to report that the risk to the general public in the Bay Area and in all of California is low, and the recommendations for schools in the Bay Area remain the same. Click here if you would like to view the more extended update and guidelines we sent to you last Friday.

We do want to reiterate that if a member of your household or a close contact has traveled to China, please be in touch with our school and exercise caution.

In light of the fact that travel restrictions regarding novel coronavirus are focused on mainland China, we are also aware that fear may lead to wariness or insensitivity towards some people because of their race. As a community, we want to continue to model kindness and respect toward all cultures. We can all help to counter stigmatizing conversations and behavior we may encounter in our daily lives with the reminder that race, ethnicity, or cultural background are not risk factors for novel coronavirus. Risk is based on one’s travel history or the travel history of a close contact.

We will continue to monitor this situation and share updated recommendations and guidelines with you. In the meantime, we hope that you and your family are staying healthy during this flu season.

Warmly,

Heather and the Keys School Administrative Team

February 4: Update

Dear Keys Community,

We continue to actively monitor the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Santa Clara County Public Health websites for the most up-to-date information about this coronavirus outbreak. The CDC has issued a Level 3 travel advisory, asking people to avoid all non-essential travel to China due to the coronavirus outbreak. Additionally, there are now several confirmed cases of coronavirus in Santa Clara County and the Bay Area. At this time, the Santa Clara County Health Department, the California Department of Public Health, and the CDC continue to report that the risk to the general public in the Bay Area and in all of California remains low.

Yesterday afternoon, the Santa Clara County Office of Education released the following updated guidelines for schools in Santa Clara County.

Guidelines for Schools from the Santa Clara County Office of Education

We are asking that any students or staff who have been in Hubei province within the last 14 days, immediately return home and call the public health department during regular business hours (408-885-3980, M-F 8-5) so that they can receive guidance on monitoring themselves carefully for symptoms for the 14 days since their last day in China.

Family members of travelers who visited Hubei province within the last 14 days do not need to quarantine at home, but they should also monitor for symptoms and avoid attending large gatherings.

Students or staff who have been to other areas of mainland China (this excludes Hong Kong) within the last 14 days should also not come to school. They should monitor themselves for symptoms for the 14 days since their last day in China. Per federal guidance being released today, they should also call the public health department during regular business hours (408-885-3980, M-F 8-5) for further guidance.

In either case, if they become symptomatic within 14 days since their last day in China with fever (including chills or night sweats), cough, or shortness of breath, they should call a healthcare provider and let them know their travel history and symptoms.

Schools, please do not require a physician’s clearance to return to work or school for students, employees, and other staff who have returned from traveling and are not sick. We are receiving communications that this is happening, which is impacting the medical system and preventing doctors from seeing patients who are ill.

We encourage all students and staff to take common-sense precautions to prevent the spread of all infectious diseases, including common illnesses like colds and flu:

  • Encourage all students and staff to stay home when they are sick.
  • Those who have a fever at school should go home immediately and stay there for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever without the use of fever-reducing medicine.
  • Separate sick students and staff from others in a separate place, until they can be picked up to go home.
  • Promote hand hygiene through education and availability of soap, hand sanitizers, and tissues.
  • Avoid touching your face, particularly your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Encourage proper cough etiquette—cough or sneeze into a tissue, sleeve, or arm. Do not use your hands.
  • Perform routine surface cleaning, particularly for high-touch surfaces.
  • Consider not attending or hosting large gatherings. This is where cold, flu, and other respiratory viruses are often spread.

The Public Health Department has a webpage dedicated to novel coronavirus in English, Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese at sccphd.org/coronavirus. We will keep the webpage updated as we know more. We will monitor the developing situation and inform you of any additional public health recommendations. We deeply appreciate the partnership of schools in communicating this information to students and families. We also greatly appreciate everyone’s efforts in staying informed, calm, and thoughtful as we all do our part to help keep our communities safe.

We ask that all our Keys families and employees abide by the guidelines stated above. We are aware that many Keys parents and/or families travel internationally. If you, your child, or someone who has close contact with your child has recently traveled from China, please let us know. As this is a rapidly evolving situation, we will continue to follow the latest CDC updates for guidance on the most effective and sensible prevention measures.

We hope you and your family are staying healthy. At Keys, we are asking students to wash their hands with greater frequency during the school day, including before lunch. (We recommend taking a look at this 44 second video about hand washing.)

Stay well.

Warmly,

Heather and the Keys School Administrative Team

January 24: Coronavirus and Flu

Dear Keys Community,

Flu season has arrived, and you are likely also aware of the outbreak of the coronavirus which originated in China and now has confirmed cases internationally. We are doing our very best at Keys to minimize the spread of germs by asking students and adults to wash their hands often, frequently sanitizing surfaces around our campuses, and reminding children to cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze.

You can help us by adhering to the guidelines in our Family Handbook, by keeping children at home and avoiding contact with others when they have a fever above 99 degrees or show flu-like symptoms. Children may return to school after they have been free of fever, nausea, or other signs of illness for at least 24 hours without medication.

If there are any outbreaks of coronavirus in the area, Santa Clara Public Health will notify us and we will alert you immediately, with whatever additional guidance the experts provide us. For those of you traveling or receiving visitors, please take care and practice extra caution. Click here for additional information from the CDC about this coronavirus outbreak, precautions, and travel alerts and recommendations.

Please help us keep all of our students (and by extension, your family), teachers, and staff as healthy as possible during this season.

Warmly,

Heather and the Keys School Administrative Team

RESOURCES

COVID-19 UPDATES

 

World Health Organization (WHO) – Rolling Updates

Santa Clara County Public Health Department – Coronavirus Updates

Talking to Your Child About the Coronavirus Outbreak – Keys School Counselors

“How to Have a Panic-Free Conversation with Your kids About the Coronavirus” – The Week, Anna Bassi

“How to Talk to Your Kids About the Coronavirus Outbreak” – TIME, Jamie Ducharme

“Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus” – Child Mind Institute, Rachel Ehmke

“Talking to Teens and Tweens About Coronavirus” – The New York Times, Donna De La Cruz

OTHER RESOURCES

 

The New Normal: Coping with Stress and Managing Family Life  (NEW)

“How to Work from Home” – Mission Minded, Zach Hochstadt (NEW)

“Getting Your Workplace Ready for COVID-19” – WHO

Hand washing – CDC

“Coronavirus Hits All the Hot Buttons for How We Assess Risk” – New York Times

Anxiety Grounding Method – Insight Timer Blog, Isabelle Pikorn

“How to Structure Your Child’s Extended Time at Home” – plinkit, Paige Abramson Hirsch

CONTACT US

OUR ADMINISTRATORS ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP YOU WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS:

 

Questions regarding our crisis response

Heather Rogers  |  Head of School

Questions regarding Lower School distance learning 

Betsy Doss  |  Head of Lower School

Questions regarding Middle School distance learning

Larry Purcell  |  Head of Middle School

Questions regarding technology access

Ryan Matyjasik  |  Director of Technology

Questions regarding communications

Jan Bruzzese  |  Director of Communication

 

SPREAD KINDNESS

Viruses don’t discriminate... and neither should we. We urge everyone to use their voice to help counter stigmatizing language and behavior you may encounter in your daily life with the reminder that race, ethnicity, and cultural background are not risk factors for novel coronavirus.