From the Desk of the Head of School- February 26, 2021

Dear Parents,

I am hopeful you all were able to connect with your child’s teachers and heard from them how, over the course of the school year, your child(ren) has been growing. One of the things we have learned over the course of this year is that having kids in person and on campus has meant that overall they are thriving academically, as well as socially and emotionally. One indicator of that is that at every grade level the ERB CTP scores continue to improve and almost always remain at or above their independent school peers. This is a testament to our teachers. 

There are encouraging signs out there as it relates to the pandemic. You all have seen the national and county case count over the seven day average coming down to levels close to September. Additionally, the vaccination clinics for independent and parochial schools at HCA this weekend served approximately 1,900 educators. We dipped under twenty remote learners this week for the first time all year (only five of which are remote due to being in quarantine) and will end the week with only one active case. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and we want this positive trend to continue.

So, as we come up to Spring Break, I wanted to send another reminder of the updated (as of Feb. 2) CDC guidelines around travel. With the update on February 2, the CDC has made the difference between domestic travel and international travel minimal (the only difference being the required negative test to re-enter the country). Harding Academy is not in a position to (nor do we desire to) monitor the comings and goings of all of our families. We are not in a position to provide testing for families who travel, only for members of our community who are displaying symptoms or have been deemed close contacts. So we are encouraging you all to consider the broader school community and the steps you, as a family, can take to keep us in school as you embark on and return from Spring Break. 

Have a great weekend. Stay safe and healthy.