FAR HILLS REMAINS #FALCONSTRONG
DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

In the face of a fast-moving pandemic, spring of 2020 required swift action from Far Hills Country Day School’s administration, faculty, and staff. Overnight, we pivoted from having a campus full of smiling, curious students, to meeting those faces online. Rather than dwell on what was supposed to be, we forged ahead with a new, fluid plan that allowed us to continue to work with our students in the best ways possible. Our Kindergarten students completed their Wonder Projects and presented them digitally; our Grade 5 students went virtual whale watching; and our art department coordinated an art pen-pal initiative. Challenging? Yes. Different? Yes. Successful? YES!

As we prepare for the 2020–21 school year, our Reacclimation Task Force is already hard at work. This group of educators, administrators, and staff members is responsible for preparing for a number of possible scenarios for how we will approach the 2020–21 school year. They’re working on such things as:

Making adjustments to the course schedule and classroom layouts necessary to meet safe distancing guidelines across a full course schedule.
Facilitating a better learning environment should the need arise to return to a distance or hybrid setting, by expanding the power of our technology.
Working with our Director of Athletics, Ron Sansone, and our Director of Physical Education, Linda Houghland to coordinate a plan for student fitness and wellness.
Planning for safe programs to deliver the extended day you have come to expect from Far Hills.
Arranging for additional cleaning and deep sanitization throughout the school year.

We have much work ahead of us, and still more in adopting and embracing new practices, but we are confident that we will achieve our shared aspirations. There are many paths to success. We look forward to exploring them with you.

Distance Learning at Far Hills

Learn how Far Hills does Distance Learning by clicking the image above.

Resources

Coronavirus: Prevention and Guidelines

The spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve quickly in the United States, with new information and new cases confirmed daily. Far Hills continues to vigorously monitor and respond to these developments and recommendations from our school physician, the New Jersey Department of Health, the Somerset County Department of Health, and the Bernards Township Health Department. The school also continues to review the public health and travel advisory guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. State Department. In the face of this rapidly developing global health emergency, our highest priority remains the health and welfare of our students, faculty, and staff.

Prevention
Links to Online Resources

Prevention

While there currently is no vaccine for COVID-19, community members can take other important steps to avoid being exposed to the virus and prevent the spread of germs. The CDC recommends the following:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home when you are sick.
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Cover coughs and sneezes in your elbow or sleeve, not your hand, or use tissues and discard them in the trash.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Avoid sharing drinks and food.
Clean high-touch areas such as door knobs, railings, phones and computers as often as possible with a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Use non-contact greetings (nod or bow rather than shake hands or hug).

As a matter of course, the CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine to prevent seasonal influenza, though it is not effective against COVID-19. Use this link to find a location near you. Please check with your physician prior to any action.

Links to Online Resources

Parenting During Quarantine

Current FH Families

We will be reaching out to FH families, faculty, and staff with updates via text and email. If you need to update your contact information, please do so using the form below.

Complete the Form
Parent Portal

Complete the Form

Parent Portal

Communications Archive

May

May 21

May 14

May 14, 2020

Good Evening,

We invite you to listen to a message from Acting Head of School Georgia S. Zaiser about end-of-year Zoom meetings by Division, all-school events, and celebrations.

You'll find the information and login for the Lower School and Upper School Zoom meetings with the Division Directors here. Please be sure to read Community News every Sunday to stay informed as plans unfold!

May 7

April

April 30

April 30, 2020

Dear Parents, Faculty, and Staff,

I hope this message finds you and your families safe and healthy this evening. As you know, Far Hills planned to follow the state's timeline for the reopening of schools; however, our school calendar, like most other independent schools, is far different from that of public schools. With each extension of the state’s reopening date, it only makes sense that independent schools would, at some point, determine their own path as the end of their school year draws closer. Therefore, I am announcing that Far Hills will continue with our Distance Learning program through the end of this school year. The last day of instruction is June 5.

I am deeply saddened for our students, as their 2019-20 academic year unfolds in an unexpected way. I am also incredibly proud of our entire community for their growth mindset and agility in the transition to Distance Learning. Our Distance Learning program is powerful—online curriculum, teaching strategies, and techniques have evolved, students and families have adapted, and we continue to provide ongoing support and resources to our entire community of families, faculty, and staff.

You’ll hear more from us in the coming days as we announce

the procedure to pick up personal items from campus,
a schedule of grade-level, virtual meetings with Division Directors,
and a series of Head of School Coffees.

For 90 years, Spring at Far Hills has been filled with pride and joy. We will do everything in our power to carry forth that legacy under the circumstances. We will work collectively and creatively to produce an experience that is uniquely Far Hills for the Class of 2020 and for all of our students who deserve to be recognized for their accomplishments during this extraordinary year.

I encourage you to read this Sunday’s blog for a deeper understanding of this decision made with the emotional and physical safety of our community as our paramount concern. Thank you for your enduring support. We are #FALCONSTRONG.

Be well,

Georgia S. Zaiser

April 23

April 23, 2020

Good Evening,

We invite you to listen to a message from Acting Head of School Georgia S. Zaiser about the power of positivity and pause.

You’ll find our Mindfulness playlist featuring Grade 2 Teacher Sue Miller on YouTube, part of our Distance Learning Extras for the FH community. We hope you and your entire family will find these mindful moments helpful.

April 16

April 16, 2020

Dear Parents, Faculty, and Staff,

As you may have heard, this afternoon, Governor Murphy announced that New Jersey schools will remain closed until at least May 15, 2020.

We anticipated an extension of our Distance Learning Program, and so our faculty has continued to add depth and breadth to their online teaching. In true Falcon form, our community has risen to the challenge, demonstrating resilience, collaboration, and creativity. I am deeply proud of all of you.

Please be sure to read the Community News this weekend to see snapshots of Distance Learning from our community, and visit the Parent Portal for updates and resources as we continue this journey together.

April 14

April 14, 2020

Good Evening,

We invite you to listen to a message from Acting Head of School Georgia S. Zaiser about service, compassion, and kindness.

This link will take you to the new private Facebook Group created for the FH community to share volunteer opportunities. Please request access. Once approved, you can upload appeals, announcements, and updates. If you have any questions or would like us to post to FB on your behalf, please email Shannon Hurley, Digital Media Specialist.

April 9

April 2

March

March 26

March 26, 2020

Dear FH Community,

As you may have heard, today, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy mandated that statewide school closures extend through April 17, 2020. At his daily coronavirus media briefing, Governor Murphy said, “The decision to reopen will be based on careful discussion with our public health and safety experts...and will be guided by the facts on the ground.”

We know that future extensions are possible, but we remain hopeful that we can return to the Far Hills campus later this spring. At this time, the earliest possible date to resume school operations is Monday, April 20.

We will continue to keep you informed about our response to the COVID-19 crisis. We appreciate your continued patience and partnership.

March 23

March 23, 2020

Dear FH Community,

I am writing to share with you the Distance Learning plan for Far Hills that will launch on Wednesday, March 25. We have intentionally designed the plan to ease into our program, being mindful that all of us are facing numerous changes to our lives right now. Our goal is to gently roll out the process for everyone's social and emotional well-being. Visit the parent portal to access the plan.

Every teacher has thoughtfully crafted lesson plans that allow us all to gradually adjust to this new dynamic. These plans are based on both synchronous activities and asynchronous learning assignments.

A phased approach Is essential to ensure that parents and students are comfortable with this paradigm. Therefore, on March 25–March 27, we will launch our Distance Learning model with a modified schedule to allow students, parents, and teachers to adjust to their new learning and teaching environments and bond as they understand their roles, responsibilities, and expectations. It’s also a chance to acknowledge and accept with forgiveness, kindness, and humor that there will be unforeseen bumps along the way. We are a community of creative problem-solvers. The plan is to evolve and grow our teaching as families adapt to this new paradigm and we distill feedback from our families and faculty.

I look forward to “seeing” you at the All-School Community meeting on Tuesday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. Please see the login instructions published in the March 22 Community Newsletter. Please know that we encourage you to share your screens for tomorrow evening’s event with your children. I appreciate this opportunity to speak to our students as we embark on this adventure together.

March 20

March 20, 2020

Dear FH Community,

I hope that you are well and remain healthy during this challenging time. We are all grappling with this worldwide crisis and the profound impact it is having on our lives. Please remember that you are always in our thoughts. You are so important to us!

We have spent this week virtually meeting with many of our teachers and staff regarding our distance learning plan. Monday, the first day back from their Spring Break, our entire faculty will collaborate, share, and finalize their lesson plans. We’ll share those plans and platforms (complete with how-to instructions) with you on Monday evening via email. While their preparations continue through Tuesday, our Tech Team will be available to troubleshoot any issues you may have with the platforms. On Tuesday night, I will host an All-School Community Meeting webinar to present the Distance Learning objectives, roles, and expectations. I am excited to “see” you then. Our entire staff looks forward to bringing FH into your home on Wednesday.

I recognize that you have many questions as we navigate these uncharted waters of distance learning. You will find the most frequent questions we have received throughout the break on this web page. This page will be updated regularly and serve as the hub for our distance learning communications, policies, and procedure.

As we forge ahead, there will undoubtedly be some difficulties along the way, but we know we are stronger together. I continue to marvel at our fantastic community—the supportive outreach of our parents is what makes this such a special place. I appreciate your thoughtful notes and emails.

We are here to support you and your family as you adapt to this new paradigm. Thank you for your continued support, kindness, and partnership. Stay strong and be well.

March 16

March 13

March 13, 2020

Dear members of the FH community,

We continue to take steps to safeguard our community in a rapidly changing public health environment. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid exposure to the virus. And with most students and faculty away for Spring Break, we are in a unique position to put policies in place to minimize exposure. We recognize that any shift in operations is disruptive, and we do not take these measures lightly.

For this reason, we have decided to delay the reopening of school until Monday, April 13, 2020. This date could change based on the latest health information available.

Specifically:

Monday, March 23, and Tuesday, March 24, there will be no classes for students—teacher preparation via online meetings.
Coursework will be conducted remotely, March 25–April 10. (Details will be shared by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24).
Classes may resume on campus on Monday, April 13. You will be notified via email and text, so please continue to review all communications from FH.
All extracurricular activities are postponed or canceled until further notice.
Students and families will not have access to the school building until further notice.

The health and safety of our Far Hills community is our top priority as we navigate the challenges associated with COVID-19. We appreciate your partnership in helping us continue, to the best of our ability, our academic mission while protecting the well-being of those in our community.

While we realize that these decisions will immediately raise questions and concerns, we ask that you exercise patience as we navigate this complex situation together.

During this time, we strongly encourage you to stay home and practice social distancing. This time period will cover the quarantine from travel over Spring Break. We encourage you to avoid playdates and visiting public places, such as malls and other venues that attract large gatherings. Please take seriously recommendations issued by global health authorities and our campus directives, and exercise good judgment. Please refer to our COVID-19 webpage for an overview of all our communications and information.

This decision is one of the hardest I have ever made; it may well be one of the most difficult school-related situations your family has had to accommodate. We have prepared for this kind of experience at FH. Our faculty and students are facile with technology, and we will rise to the challenge. While this is not how we had envisioned spring would unfold, we know that the strength of our community will bolster us during these uncertain times. I will be in regular contact as we proceed through the coming weeks. Thank you for your continued partnership.

Sincerely,

Georgia S. Zaiser

Acting Head of School

March 12

March 12, 2020

Dear members of the Far Hills community,

The FH leadership team and staff will continue to follow all instructions provided by the CDC and New Jersey Department of Health about travel, screening/reporting, and care for any "person under investigation" for coronavirus. Students returning from travel after March break may be subject to any airport screening and quarantine restrictions put in place by the CDC. The recommendations and potential changes are evolving on a day-to-day basis. Our policy for screening students who have any symptoms of respiratory illness can be found on the CDC's Coronavirus Evaluating and Reporting webpage. The screening protocol is quite specific concerning both clinical symptomology and travel history. Any suspected cases of COVID-19 at FH will be immediately reported, and further instruction for potential testing, treatment, quarantine, and/or school closure will be guided by protocols established at the State level.

To maintain the health and safety of our school, we kindly ask that you self-report your travel over break (March 7-22). Please complete this form to indicate your completed or potential travel throughout the break.

Please note that our first athletic contests begin on April 14th. Ron Sansone is in close communication with other area directors and will be in touch regarding interscholastic games as we get closer to the date. Social distancing will be implemented on the playing field as well as in PE. All equipment will be sanitized regularly along with all parts of our facility.

We will continue to evaluate other programs as we get closer to their start dates. We ask for your continued patience with this.

We are finalizing details of a distanced learning plan for our students. A reminder that our options will be age-appropriate and take into consideration the availability of technology for multiple family members.

Stay tuned for updates, and be sure to check our FH Coronavirus webpage for more updates as they develop. Should the need arise to close school, we will make that decision by the end of next week. We appreciate your continued patience and support.

Sincerely,

Georgia S. Zaiser
Acting Head of School

March 10

Dear members of the Far Hills community,

Far Hills continues to closely monitor developments related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. This is a rapidly evolving situation. We will continue to update you with information about the school's preparedness and response measures.

Campus Education Efforts: Staying informed about travel advisories, presumptive, and confirmed cases and how to protect yourself are critical to containing the spread of coronavirus. As such, the school has launched a comprehensive awareness campaign to keep our community up-to-date on all coronavirus developments.

This effort includes:

Fhcds.org/coronavirus: We have launched this web page to serve as the official source for all information regarding coronavirus. The page provides links to resources and will be used to keep the Far Hills community informed.
- The page is accessible on the FH app. Look for the Health icon in the first position on the arc.
Campus Signage: Around campus, we have installed signage at hand sanitizer stations in the hallways and high traffic areas. We have ordered mirror clings for all restroom mirrors to remind students to wash their hands for a minimum of 20 seconds.

Campus Operations:

Far Hills has implemented a deep clean and disinfectant protocol in all classrooms and common areas on campus.
We are mindful that the nature of the virus and the uncertainty about its potential spread may be a source of anxiety for our children. The National Association of School Psychologists has collected some good advice on how parents might discuss the virus with their children. We believe children are best served by maintaining their routines to the fullest extent as is safely possible, and while we have plans for every scenario, we hope that we can proceed with school as usual.
Teachers have been working on lesson plans should the need arise for remote learning. LS teachers in grades Preschool–2 will use Seesaw to push out information to parents. Grades 3–8 will use Google Classroom to post assignments and pertinent information.
Teachers in Grades 5–8 will have designated office hours to answer questions, and support distance learning.

It is my hope that most of these measures will prove unnecessary, but we are prepared. I will continue to communicate over the break, and the new web page will serve as a repository for all related items.

Sincerely,

Georgia S. Zaiser
Acting Head of School

March 5

Dear FH families,

Just a quick update as we gear up for Spring Break. I want to assure you that we are on top of all things Coronavirus. I am speaking regularly with our school physician, as well as other heads of school, to ensure we are on the right track with proactive measures. I will continue to be in touch over the break regarding next steps.

To be proactive, we are preparing for post-Spring Break distance learning, should the need arise. That in mind:

Lower School teachers may be sending work home with students; and
Upper School students are being asked to bring home any necessary materials and to ensure that they have access to devices that would enable them to work from home.

We have structures in place that could support distanced learning should the need arise to attend school remotely:

Seesaw
Google Classroom

Other technologies are also being considered.

That said, as of today, March 5, 2020, we expect students to return to Far Hills from Spring Break on Monday, March 23, 2020.

Now that that's out of the way, go have a wonderful Spring Break. Have fun and stay healthy, Falcons!

Sincerely,

Georgia S. Zaiser
Acting Head of School

March 2

Dear Parents,

I am writing today to provide you with updated information regarding FH's response to the ongoing global coronavirus (COVID-19) situation. The most up-to-date general information regarding COVID-19 can be found at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website.

FH is taking the following steps to address the evolving COVID-19 situation:

FH leadership team and division director team, in conjunction with our consulting physician, will work to oversee planning for all potential operational, medical, safety, academic, communication, and student life impacts related to COVID-19. The team will continue to meet during the March break and into the spring term as needed.
We will look to use such technologies as Google Classroom and Seesaw, as well as additional meeting technologies for virtual classroom options, should a need arise to close school for any period of time.
Our emergency alert system and enotify system will provide parents with updates as needed.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding as we continue to monitor COVID-19 guidance. We will continue to update you with any information that may impact our students. I will be in touch with additional updates as we move forward. Please feel free to contact me at any time should you have further questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Georgia S. Zaiser
Acting Head of School

The CDC advises the following routine best practices for remaining healthy during any infectious disease outbreak:

Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, especially after using the bathroom; before eating, after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
Stay home when you are sick.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue if possible and then discard the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect surfaces and frequently touched objects with regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
Please note that the CDC does NOT advise the routine use of surgical masks for healthy individuals in the general public. Masks should be used by people showing symptoms of COVID-19 to help limit transmission from droplets and airborne particles spraying in the air and for healthcare workers and those taking care of ill household members.

FAR HILLS REMAINS #FALCONSTRONG DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

FAR HILLS REMAINS #FALCONSTRONG
DURING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC