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Dear St. Timothy's community, These days bring back memories to me of when I first arrived at Cornell University, almost 800 miles from home, and my mother suddenly died. My life was split in two. Everything that was comforting and good had come to an end. Now my life was uncertain and more than a little frightening. It hurt. Yet, I knew my mother expected me to make the best of this new opportunity I had been given as hard as it was going to be for me. My new community helped me to find new meaning in my own life. I found a new family surrounding me that was working to make other lives better while calming the chaos that disrupted our own. In the midst of misfortune, I found great meaning in a new place. Over the last few weeks, it has sometimes felt to me—as I’m sure it does to you—that the full life we’ve known has vanished for good. But it will get better. And we will reunite on campus. For now, my mom’s spirit assures me that we can, and we must make the very best of this new life. In the midst of misfortune, each of us can find meaning. Each of us has a calling. Our important work has only grown bigger and more urgent, even if the path is now far less familiar, far less certain. We must find new ways to do many things, but none is more important than keeping close. I hope, in some small but meaningful way, these words do a little of that for you. Stay strong. Stay safe. Stay in touch. And now for a few weekly updates. The schedule for next week is below. I know there have been questions regarding grades in visual arts. Please note that all visual art students, including the Sixes, will have access to their art grades on Friday, 5/8. Ms. Rogers was ill and unable to provide an interim grade. She has been very busy getting caught back up on all of the assessments to update the gradebook. While the IB 1 Visual Arts students will have just submitted their current unit project when grades are posted, the up to date grade will reflect progress and engagement in process at this stage. The Sixes just completed final visual arts process portfolio this week after each student received detailed individual feedback on work before refining and completing final submissions. The visual arts grade submitted on May 8 will be the third trimester grade. For individuals who have questions or require further details, please contact Ms. Jaber. Finally, I want to recognize one of our Sixes traditions. If we were on campus today, we would be celebrating May Day. May Day (May 1) is a celebration of the seasons changing as well as a day to celebrate workers’ rights. April showers bring May flowers, as the saying goes. This old custom involves gathering flowers on May Day morning and leaving them in front of the main threshold of a room or building. It was believed to protect the house from harm or evil. (I have attached a photo of a bouquet that I received from Dr. Marsha for May Day for you.) At St. Timothy’s School, it is a day when Sixes wear flowered dresses and give flowers to faculty, staff, and students in celebration of spring. Happy May Day. Sincerely, Mr. Stevens Head of School |
Dear St. Timothy's Community, Few of us could have anticipated how radically our lives would change over the course of the last few weeks in response to the coronavirus pandemic. As we all work to settle into new routines, as we try to settle into this new normal here at school, I want to acknowledge the disruption and challenges that we are all experiencing in various ways. Like many of you, I am seeking to balance working in a restricted environment, caring for family who are far away, and concern about loved ones who are in the hospital. I have developed an ever stronger appreciation of, and connection to, my friends, family, and colleagues that now I can mostly only see electronically. I am encouraged by the way that we are coming together to support each other during this time. Please find a revised schedule for next week below. Please note that Art classes will resume this coming week. Ms. Rogers continues to be ill and in Canada so you will have a substitute teacher during this period but it is critical that we continue your coursework now. We have made some modifications to the schedule to respond to the feedback we have received. We are only going to have Advisory on Tuesday next week so that Thursday can be freed up for coursework. We are continuing to monitor workload balance, but I encourage you to remember that Tuesday and Thursday are academic class days. Additional information has been provided to the Fives regarding the Extended Essay. Please let Ms. Jaber or me know if you have any questions. One of the most gratifying aspects of this challenging time has been seeing how our school community (faculty, staff, students, parents, alumnae, and trustees) have tackled this situation with a true spirit of teamwork and working for the best interest of all. I am so honored to be part of these efforts. I have been moved by the parents in China who have sent our faculty and staff masks to use while they continue work here on campus. I was truly touched this morning by one student who is currently making masks by hand for our entire faculty and staff to wear for protection during this crisis. My heart has been warmed by a number of alumnae who have reached out to make gifts in support of the school during this financially difficult time. While this has been difficult for us all, my heart goes out especially to our Sixes, who were anticipating this final special time together on campus with their classmates. Yet, I have received some of the most positive responses and emails of encouragements from them. Their positivity has meant the world to us all, as they have continued to stay focused on the important tasks before them. It is reassuring to know that with their St. Timothy's School education, our students are equipped to play a key role in addressing the most pressing challenges we face and will do so with resiliency and a commitment to finding ways to improve lives in their communities and beyond. It is certainly times like these when resiliency and grit are born. While we are currently focused on the complex and challenging situations in front of us, it is refreshing to remind ourselves that there will again come a time when our students, faculty, staff, and alumnae are all able to return to our collective home at St. Timothy's School. I wish for you and all of your family members good health, and I look forward with great hope to the day when I see you back on campus once we get through these uncertain times together. Sincerely, Randy Stevens Head of School |
Click here if you cannot view the image above of the updated academic plan starting April 6, 2020. |
Dear. St. Timothy's community, Today was the first day of the spring term. It was the first day unlike any other term of my seventeen years at the school. The campus was empty, and it was raining. It was probably appropriate that it rained today. While there was gloom in the air today, there was also visions of hope as I looked out around the campus. The daffodils are in full bloom and the flowering cherry and apple trees are starting to come back to life. It does give us hope that we will be back as a community soon. We made it through the first day of online instruction, thank you to our entire community of students, families, faculty and staff for stepping up during this challenging time. We know there will be issues, questions, etc. as we move forward and navigate this new temporary world. I recently participated in a webinar with Heads of Schools of west coast colleagues talking about what they had learned over the past three to four weeks and one commented that in this new environment of distance learning, all teachers are like first-year teachers, and all students are like first-year students. I thought it was an important comment to keep in mind. We are all learning together, and it takes an enormous amount of energy, emotion, and time. We need to accept failure and learn from it. We need to appreciate and underscore small successes. We need to remember the lessons we are learning, because many of them may prove to be gifts that will be meaningful long into the future. We appreciate everyone responding with patience and kindness. We know it's not easy, but as a community we will make it through this together. Bishop Mariann Budde shared these wonderful words at the National Cathedral yesterday and I thought they were worth sharing with you today as we start our new term online: I can’t help but think of a line from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, when the reluctant young hero, Frodo, confesses to his mentor Gandalf, "I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened." Gandalf replies, "So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." Gandalf goes on, "There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil." That is a statement of faith, there are forces for good at work in the world, even in the darkest hours. I believe that God wants us to trust that, in the midst of this pandemic and the enormous cost of efforts to slow its spread, there are also forces for good at work now, and that we are our best selves whenever we join those forces and do our part, tipping the scales ever more slightly toward the good in the midst of trial. In our various religious traditions, we are often told, "Do not be afraid." But it’s important to remember that we are not being scolded for our fears. Fear is an understandable response to the realities we are facing. But I believe what our faith teaches us is that in the midst of all this legitimate fear, the spirit of wisdom and courage and love is also here. Fear in itself is not a bad thing; we are meant to pay attention to legitimate fears. Yet they need not be the only lens through which we see, and thus the sole driver of our lives. There are other forces at work for good in the world and in us. All best, Randy Stevens Head of School |
During this time of uncertainty, we are grateful for the caring and supportive nature of all in the St. Timothy's community. We hope to provide you with some positive content. We invite you to spend a few moments and walk the St. Timothy's Class of 1965 Labyrinth with us. Breathe deep and take in the sounds of nature, the wind and the birds, as you walk. |
St. Timothy’s Online Academic Plan 3/17/2020 Starting the week of 3/23, our students should log into their myschoolapp to connect with teachers using the schedule below. Once you log into myschoolapp you will have instructions in student area for how to connect to Zoom which we will be using for “live” connection with your classes. Attendance will be taken. If you are ill and unable to attend a class you should notify Ms. Ireland as normal. Attendance, participation, and timely assessments will be critical for St. Timothy’s School to be able to provide students with credit for the third trimester. Each course will have three forty-five minute “live” meetings a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays). Students will use Tuesdays and Thursdays to complete independent assigned work. We will use the usual EST time zone, but sessions will be recorded and links to each will be stored in topic folders labeled with each meeting date for students in different times zones to access. Students in different time zones can reach out to their teachers individually to coordinate further support or seek online help through Zoom. ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THEIR TEACHERS AT LEAST THREE TIMES PER WEEK. For each course, the weekly assignments will be posted on the announcements page of the bulletin. Individual teachers will explain to students during the first meeting of the week where materials related to the topic are stored and provide the usual instructional support to help them navigate new material and manage assignments. It is imperative that you are vigilant in following the honor code and the academic honesty integrity agreement, which all students signed at the beginning of this year. Assessments and assignments submitted should abide by all regulations and parameters stated by teachers (for example: no calculators for certain assignments, open book, closed book, time limits, etc.). We will do the best we can to maintain the usual routines and points of reference for troubleshooting. Students will have daily homework and assessments, the school calendar for assessments will be used as usual to coordinate workload. If a student has any academic issues with instruction, support or assessment, she should contact the Academic Dean, Ms. Jaber. For problems with connection or technology issues, contact Ms. Ireland. For counseling support, contact Ms. Geter-Hunter. If you are sick, please let our nurses know and make sure your teachers are aware particularly if further accommodations (extension on an assignment or additional support) are needed. Class meeting bulletin pages will continue to be used for grade level specific announcements. Please check them frequently for announcements from form deans, academic dean, or dean of students. Ms. Cook will continue to meet with students virtually through Zoom. She will establish a schedule so that students can continue their one-on-one sessions. Given the modified schedule the times will need to be adjusted but the amount of time supported will not change. Ms. Cook will be in touch with each student directly to work out a time to provide their one-on-one sessions. Parents are kindly asked to provide quiet space for their student to study and connect with teachers from home. Resuming the structure is critical to their success during the third trimester. We know these are unusual times, but we have confidence in our students’ commitment and resilience, and we trust that, with their teachers continued support, they will make it through this year successfully without compromising their education and preparedness for next year. |