GPS Interim Head Dr. Kirk Walker released the following information regarding the return to school in January.
Dear GPS Families,
We hope you and your loved ones are enjoying the holiday break. We have been keeping a close watch on the current pandemic situation. We have been encouraged by the GPS community’s commitment to safety throughout the school year and heartened by the relatively low illness rates on our campus.
However, we recognize that the virus has entered a new phase in terms of number of infections and hospitalizations. There is also a major concern among public health officials, as well as our own medical advisers, that the holiday break may see another surge in those numbers. While we certainly hope for the best, we feel it is prudent to monitor the infection rates within our own community before we return to classes on campus.
In order to have a clearer picture and out of an abundance of caution, we have decided that classes will be held virtually for the week of Jan. 4. That will give us time to learn more about the current impact on both our students and our employees.
In preparation for the coming week:
The Middle and Upper School Division Heads will be in touch soon with students and families regarding specific distance learning plans and protocols.
Some athletic activities will take place under restrictions. Coaches will be in touch with their athletes directly about the specific plans for their sports.
An email announcement about returning to on-campus classes for the week of Jan. 11 will be made by Thursday, Jan. 7.
To help us make informed decisions regarding our return to in-person learning, we need your help. Please continue to notify our COVID Coordinator, Kimberly Reid, about positive cases and/or close contacts.
Thank you for your ongoing support of GPS through the pandemic. Your thoughtfulness and consideration for others has kept our girls on campus for classes. We hope to be back together soon.
Sincerely,
Kirk Walker