Dear Hudson Montessori School Community,

 

I want to provide you with additional information about our approaches to manage COVID-19 when we start the 2021-2022 school year.   I also want to inform you that our guide that summarizes our approach to managing COVID is not complete.  It will be shared with you as soon possible.

 

Here are some questions and supporting answers that provides important details about our approach:

 

What will be major mitigation strategies in place to start the 21/22 school year?

 

Facemasks

 

HMS will start the school year requiring all employees throughout the school and students in our Children's House, Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary and Middle School to wear face masks when inside our building.  Facemasks will not be required when outside. 

 

Our observation last year was that the children at HMS did well with face masks.  I acknowledge that many children have not had to wear facemasks this summer.  If you feel it is necessary, I would suggest sharing with your children that they will be wearing facemasks to start the school year to prepare them.  In helping them prepare, I’d further suggest sharing that having to wear masks is based on recommendations from well-qualified doctors and scientists who study this virus and believe it will help keep them and others safe.  Lastly, I’d suggest communicating to them that this will not diminish the exciting things they will learn each day at school. 

 

I also want to acknowledge that for some children in Children’s House, wearing a face mask can be hard.  We know that and will be thoughtful in helping each child do as well as he or she can rather than forcing compliance.  It might be useful to talk to your child about trying his or her best to wear a mask and create a positive mindset as we move closer to the first day of school.

 

Social Distancing

 

We will strive to ensure that our students maintain social distancing of three feet when inside the building.  In doing this, we acknowledge and value the power of collaborative learning and the desire of children to be near one another. 

 

Maximization of Outdoor Learning in Early Portions of the Year

 

We are fortunate to have a wonderful 12 acre campus.  We will use the pleasant Northeast Ohio late summer and early fall weather to our advantage and use the outdoors for learning opportunities, lunch and outdoor play. 

 

Air Ventilation

 

We know that COVID is most effectively transmitted through small air particulates.  Experts in this area have underscored the need for us to have strong air ventilation when inside.  Our HVAC system, most of which was updated last year with new units, is completely equipped with MERV-13 air filters and bipolar ionization filtration devices.  The units are pulling in outside air at a high rate to frequently turn over the air as it moves through the HVAC system.

 

Sanitization

 

Research supports that COVID is very unlikely to be transmitted from touching surfaces.  Cleaning and/or disinfecting will occur one time per day, likely after the children have left for the day.

 

Symptom Tracking and Use of Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Test

 

We will be asking parents to carefully monitor their children for symptoms of COVID.   COVID symptoms include fever at or above 100 degrees, chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, head ache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea.

 

This year we will be partnering with the Ohio Department of Health to provide families with Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Tests at no charge.  These tests are approved for people aged four and above.  Using the kit, you will connect with a proctor via an internet connection.  He/she will walk you through how to administer the test.  Using an app called Navica, you will be able to quickly share the results with HMS.  This will allow us to quickly determine your child’s situation.

 

Please note that, at this time, the Abbott BinaxNOW option is not available for children under four per authorization from the FDA. They will need, in many cases, to see a pediatrician for guidance.  Our guide will provide specific guidance on how to manage these symptoms.

 

HMS will not be taking temperatures upon arrival at school this year but we will always be observing children and take a temperature to rule out a fever throughout the day.

 

How were these major mitigation steps determined?

 

HMS is provided data from Summit County Public Health (SCPH) every week.  To the extent possible, we obtain and review more precise data about the virus in Hudson and our surrounding communities from SCPH. HMS is part of the Cleveland Council of Independent Schools (CCIS).  As a member, we receive weekly briefings from medical professionals including infectious disease and pediatric critical care doctors from University Hospital.  We take part in bi-weekly calls with a group called Independent School Management (ISM).  ISM schedules these sessions with representatives from highly respected research hospitals such as Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.  Lastly, we review information from state and national public health agencies.

 

There is strong consensus among these networks on the mitigation strategies that we will be implementing.  It may be worth noting that there is not as much consensus about the path that COVID-19 will take among children once our and other schools return from summer vacation.  This is largely due to the prevalence of the Delta variant which was not present in the United States last year.  We are encouraged by the fact that it appears that most children who contract COVID-19 are not very ill and do not require significant medical intervention.  We are concerned about the fact, however, that that those with COVID-19 have a heavy viral load and may spread quite extensively.

 

How are you going to make decisions to change these approaches?

 

We will be constantly monitoring these mitigation strategies.  We will rely on our networks noted above to understand the latest medical research and experience in schools.  For example, while not a significant lead time, many schools in Northeast Ohio and elsewhere will open ahead of HMS.  The medical experts we rely upon will be able to form preliminary assessments of the impact of the Delta variant in school settings.   Additionally, we will also make observations on the health of our students at HMS and the impact of the mitigation strategies on our classroom learning environments.   For example, today our summer camp concludes.  We have had robust camps all summer with similar mitigation strategies  as the Delta variant has grown.  We have had a safe and fun summer.  Taken together, our approach may result in times when mitigation approaches are flexibly relaxed or enhanced.

 

What is worth sharing about the COVID-19 Vaccine?

 

We will start the school year with more than 95% of our employees fully vaccinated in its present Emergency Authorization Use (EAU) status.  This statistic underscores that the adults at HMS understand the importance that the vaccine plays in minimizing the impact of COVID on the children in their care. 

 

The vaccine is available on an EAU basis for individuals aged 12 and above.  Our medical expert networks suggest that the vaccine will be available for children above the age of 5 on an EAU basis perhaps shortly before or after the New Year.  There is not much consensus when it will be available to younger children.

 

The evidence strongly supports the important role that the vaccine plays in keeping oneself and others safe. 

 

Why is the Guide not complete?

 

An important aspect of our major mitigation efforts that remains undetermined is our quarantine approach if a positive COVID case occurs in our school.  Public health directives are not in effect at this time.  While there is guidance, the guidance is not unanimous.  We are working to create an approach that tries to manage COVID-19 if it is present in our school, is reflective of the realities that the Delta variant will present, and seeks to minimize time that children are not in school.  Once determined, this will Include information about how we will adjust if a classroom(s) is required to close.  Once this approach is determined, the Guide will be shared with the community. 

 

How will morning and afternoon carline work?

 

Great question and one of my favorites!  Last year, we overhauled our morning and afternoon carline process.  We are still pinpointing what will be kept from that approach and what elements of our pre-COVID-19 approach are reinstated.  Look for a video that provides a description of morning and afternoon carline during the week of August 23.

 

In closing, please know that we will be continuing diligent and thorough planning for COVID-19 as well in addition to the work we do to prepare for the school year.

 

Please know that I am available to discuss this or other topics of your child's upcoming year at HMS.

 

Sincerely,

Matt Virgil

Dear HMS Parents,

I would like to provide updates on our protocol for illness and measures we are taking to filter the air in our building including information about general work that will be done on our HVAC systems this October.

Before that, I’d like to thank everyone for their support of our efforts to provide daily in-person education.  Our efforts here at school continue to prioritize a safe approach for all that are on campus each day.  I am also grateful for our community’s collective efforts to make choices away from school that will ultimately impact our ability to continue on our positive path.

Update on Potential COVID 19 Symptoms that Require Medical Clearance:

Please take note following modifications of our approach to students who have a potential COVID-19 symptom that requires medical clearance. 

1.     Medical Clearance:  If your child has ANY of these symptoms, he/she should NOT come to school:  fever (temperature of 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or higher), chills, new onset or worsening nasal congestion NOT associated with allergy symptoms including a runny nose, diarrhea, loss of smell or taste, sore throat, new onset cough, or chest pain/difficulty breathing.  If he/she presents those symptoms at school, we will need to send him/ her home and ask you to seek medical clearance. 

Please note that a runny nose qualifies as new onset or worsening nasal congestion not associated with allergy symptoms.

We have updated the form that your doctor will need to complete if these symptoms present. It is attached to this email. If your child is out ill with a Medical Clearance symptom, our Front Office staff will be in communication with you to guide you through the process of using the form.

The form will need to be turned into the Main Office. It provides the doctor discretion to determine when your child may return to school.  In particular, the doctor will make one of the following give determinations:

·        The symptoms are related to a non-COVID 19 illness and your child can return to school once the symptoms have resolved for 24 hours without the influence of any medication.

·        The symptoms are part of a chronic non-COVID 19 medical condition (e.g.: allergies).  Your child can return to school even if the symptoms are present.  Please note that we will be asking parents to carefully monitor your child and err on the side of keeping them away from school and consulting with your child’s doctor if you would have any indication that the symptoms could be related to something other than the identified chronic non-COVID 19 medical condition.

·        COVID-19 cannot be ruled out by your doctor and the doctor is not prescribing a COVID 19 test.  Your child will need to remain at home for 10 days from the onset of symptoms and can return to school if the symptoms have resolved without the use of medication, no other symptoms have emerged, and the is fever-free for at least 24 hours with the use of medication.

·        The doctor may decide to prescribe a COVID-19 test.  Your child will not return to school until those results are determined.  If the test results are negative, the symptoms have been resolved for 24 hours without the influence of medication, and your child is fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of medication, your child may return to school.

·        Your child is or is presumed to have COVID-19.  In this instance, you would need to contact us as soon as possible so we may take the necessary steps associated with a presumed or confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.

Please note that this approach may be further modified and I will communicate modifications to you.

We have updated our Back to School Opening Guide to include the new medical clearance form.  It is attached.

2.     Filtration and General Work on our HVAC Systems:   Our Back to School Opening Guide mentions the approach we are taking with regards to filtering the air in our classrooms.  Along with the efforts of our facilities staff, our Board of Trustees has been working to make sure this process is as robust as possible  Our efforts include using MERV 13 air-filters and bi-polar ionization.  Replaced on a quarterly basis, MERV 13 filters are recommended for schools during this time.  In addition, we invested in a technology called bi-polar ionization.  This technology uses ionized oxygen molecules to act as magnets to collect microscopic particles, including viruses, bacteria, mold, pollen, and dust into larger (agglomerated) masses that can then be filtered out. As air moves through our air handling systems, it will be cleaned and sterilized of viral load.  Studies have shown that the units remove viruses such as SARS, influenzas and measles.  Documented evidence on its impact on COVID-19 is emerging.  We also have decided to replace several of our rooftop HVAC units in our Main Building to ensure that they are in top working order given the importance of filtering the air in our building.    We anticipate this project occurring in the middle of October. Taken together, these are significant investments that HMS is making to keep our air filtered.

Again, I thank you for your efforts to ensure that your children are free of symptoms that might be related to COVID and supporting our process to verify their clearance to return to school.  I also thank the Board of Trustees for their commitment to equipping our building with the necessary technology to further ensure the safety of those of us at school each day.  Our work on both these and other fronts will continue.

I am available for any questions or thoughts on the contents of this communication or other information related to keeping our children and employees safe and healthy. 

Thank you,
Matt Virgil

Dear Hudson Montessori School community,

Today our teachers, staff and administrators are finishing up a busy and productive week of preparing to welcome your child to the 2020-2021 school year next week.  To say that we are excited would be an understatement.  Our halls and classroom environment have been quiet for far too long.  It will be awesome to see our your children reconnect with friends and teachers in a safe and joyful way in just a few days. 

Earlier this week, I shared with you a copy of the HMS Back to School Opening Guide 2020-2021.  I have attached it to this email once again for your review.  Additionally, last night we concluded four question and answer sessions about our plan.  I wanted to share a few take-aways from those meetings.

Revised Parent/Guardian Acknowledgement:  Based on some thoughtful questions and observations from parents, I am asking you to sign an amended Parent/Guardian Acknowledgement.  The amended version more properly connects the Acknowledgment with the Opening Guide’s guidelines.  It also underscores that we must commit ourselves to safe and prudent behaviors at home and school.  Making this commitment will increase the likelihood of a successful in-person education this year.

Unfortunately, those of you who have signed will need resign this agreement.  I apologize for the inconvenience.  If you have not signed it, please disregard the email you received on Monday. For your review, the attached file has a copy of the amended Acknowledgement.  It’s on the last two pages. 

Be on the lookout for an email later today from echosign@echosign.com for a version to electronically sign.  Please recall that in a two-parent household that moms will first receive the email followed by dads. We’ll need these by September 1, 2020.  Thanks for your understanding. 

Face Coverings for 3 and 4 Year Old Children:  Our plan does not require our 3 and 4 year-old children to wear masks; however, we are very supportive of families and children who wish to have their children at these ages wear face coverings.  Based on our observations this summer, children at this age were successful at wearing face coverings.   

Carline:  There were several questions on how carline will work in the morning and afternoon.  In this Sunday’s Week at a Glance, we will include a short video explanation of how carline will operate.

Arrival to Classrooms:  We will also include in this Sunday’s Week at a Glance a video for each classroom that will how where students will walk on their first day and how the greeting/arrival process will work.  We hope that you will watch this with your children as we think it will potentially put them at ease if they can “see” what their first few minutes on campus will be like.

Please contact me at 330-342-7236 or email me at mvirgil@hudsonmontessori.org if I can be of any service to you.

See you soon!

Matt Virgil

Good afternoon Hudson Montessori School community,

I hope that each of you is well.

Back to School Opening Guide Update:  Distributed on Monday

Last week I communicated about our Back to School Opening Guide. The Guide will be provided to you on Monday. You will be asked to review the Guide and sign a statement acknowledging you have read and are aware of its contents. 

Additionally, Abbie Wexler and I will provide an opportunity for you to hear a short presentation from us on the Guide as well take questions.  We have separated the meetings by level (but know that if you can’t make the appointment level meeting that the information in all meetings will be more or less consistent).  The times are as follows:

Parents of Elementary and Middle School Students

Wednesday, 8/26, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

                Use this Zoom link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89741144355?pwd=QjZyVmFMZ1NFcm1SQlJTUHVOazdBdz09

Meeting ID: 897 4114 4355

Passcode: 693664

Wednesday, 8/26, 7:00pm – 8:00pm

                Use this Zoom link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88971974976?pwd=SEJMOUJqZ0VFZjA2ellVOFVsL3VRUT09

Meeting ID: 889 7197 4976

Passcode: 537650

Parents of Young Children’s Community: Toddler/Children’s House Students

Thursday 8/27, 12:00 pm-1:00 pm. 

Use this Zoom link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85922602239?pwd=Wkd2WE43SGt6ZWVsR3NTNmtBZHBWUT09

Meeting ID: 859 2260 2239

Passcode: 951873

Thursday 8/27, 7:00pm-8:00 pm

                Use this Zoom link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89292015933?pwd=bEpXeko0ZnZCeUdGUkpUTDRlMmRpdz09

Meeting ID: 892 9201 5933

Passcode: 936677

Personnel Update

Our full employee group returns on Monday to begin preparation for the start of school on September 2, 2020.  A normally busy time, this year’s work will be especially focused to discuss and fine tune our approach to the start of the year.  As we being these plans, please make note of the following personnel updates.

Recently, Pat Barker made a decision to step away from HMS and her role as art teacher, a role she has occupied for more than 30 years.  It is difficult to put into the words the impact that Pat has had on countless HMS students through her skillful and clever projects that stoked those children’s creativity, problem solving skills and appreciation for art.  Pat’s legacy will be long lasting as many of her student works are fixtures in our school.  On behalf of the HMS community, both present and past, I would like to thank Pat for her service to our school and for being such a gracious colleague.  We wish Pat nothing but the best and look forward to staying in touch with her. 

In turn, we are excited to welcome Martha Bayliss to our school.  Martha has experience teaching art to elementary through high school students at many schools, most of which are international.  Martha has substituted at HMS, primarily in 2018/19.  Most recently, she was working at the Laurel School and in the Cleveland Heights schools as a long-term substitute. She has also been a coach at Western Reserve Academy.  Martha and her family live in Hudson.

We also welcome Shannon Ruhe to our community.  Shannon will join Laura White as our lead teachers in the Lower Elementary program.  Shannon is a trained Montessori elementary educator who most recently worked at a public Montessori school in Georgia.  Shannon will be assuming the lead teaching position held last year by Leora Spero, who is not returning to HMS. 

In the Middle School, Rachael Mundie will join Amy Fagan and Beth Mast as a lead teacher.  Rachael most recently worked in the Office of Student Travel at Kent State University where she was the interim director.  Prior to that, Rachael was a long time instructor of Art History at Kent State and the University of Akron.  Additionally, Pat Ludick will work with the Middle School on a part time basis.  Pat is well known at HMS as she help found and lead our Middle School for several years.  A widely respected expert on Montessori adolescent education, Pat will bring her knowledge and wisdom to her role in ensuring that our Middle School remains consistent with the Montessori philosophy for 7th and 8th levels.

These times have also required us to make the adjustments to our staffing organization.  Since we have had to reduce our class sizes in Children’s House to safely operate these environments, I have temporarily eliminated the roles of Children's House assistants including Margie Arnold, Chris Frantz, Lisa McGinnis, Kori Peetz and Mindy Sattele.  Once we return to a normal configuration in our Children’s House program, we will resume the role of assistant.  In the meantime, the smaller class sizes along with the support of our Director of Teaching and Learning, Abbie Wexler, will ensure that the learning environment in this program remains unmatched in the area and solely focused on the development of the whole young child.

Kori Peetz will assume an assistant’s role in Jillian Guest’s Young Children’s Community: Toddler classroom.

At the administrative level, Michelle Lazor has moved into the role Director of Advancement for our school with oversight of admissions, alumni affairs and development.  We have partnered with Ed Ops, a nationally known third-party provider of financial and accounting services, to provide these services to our school.  Jackie Burdett, Director of Operations will assume oversight for many of the administrative and operational tasks that the above adjustments have created.  And, Lisa McGinnis has transitioned to the role of Receptionist as Kim Gray has decided to stay at home while her children are doing on-line school.

I have been soundly impressed with the ability of our organization and people to absorb these adjustments and still thoroughly prepare for the upcoming year.  Again, I have the utmost confidence in our team to serve you and your children.

Have a good weekend.

Thank you,

Matt Virgil

Dear Hudson Montessori School Community,

I am following up on the statement issued by the Summit County Public Health Department (SCPH) earlier this week.  Thank you to the many families who have communicated their perspective on the statement and the plan that we communicated on July 15, 2020.

Hudson Montessori School will continue with our plan to provide in person education, five days a week starting on September 2, 2020.  

I am confident that we can follow this plan and do so with the health and safety of our entire community addressed.  Here are reasons why I have this confidence.

Our Favorable School Size and Campus Set Up

We are a small school compared to many of the schools in Summit County.  Our size by itself ensures that the adults and children at HMS will learn and work with physical distancing followed.  We have analyzed our building and classroom layout to make certain that our classes can operate well within physical distancing guidelines.  Our campus is unique in that our classrooms have exterior doors.  We will be using these for arrival and dismissal this year.  Also, nearly every one of our classes has a bathroom in the classroom.  These last two points will ensure that our hallways will remain largely empty during a school day.  We are well positioned to limit schoolwide interactions that might be present at larger schools.

A Rigorous Approach to Maximizing Ventilation/Air Filtration and Ensuring Sanitation of Classrooms 

Current research on the spread of COVID-19 emphasizes the need to maximize ventilation/ air filtration in our building.  Each of our HVAC units are being fitted with MERV 13 filters.  They will be replaced every quarter.  We are working with our HVAC company to configure our systems to maximize the amount of fresh air circulation.  Our systems will run 24 hours/7 days a week rather than being idle at times when the school is not being used.  Finally, to the extent possible, teachers will open windows to produce natural airflow.

While research has suggested that spread via surfaces is not as high a concern as once thought, high touch surfaces will be sanitized during the day in addition to a deep clean each night.  Teachers will ensure that materials are sanitized to the extent possible. 

Implementation of Necessary Safety Measures for Children and Adults

We will be ensuring that our community maintains physical distancing, consistently wear face coverings where required, and are practicing frequent and thorough handwashing.  These will become common behaviors for our students in short order.

Maximized Outdoor Learning

We are fortunate to have wonderful grounds that we will use as school starts this year.  Our teachers have been creatively thinking of ways to take our learning outside.   To further facilitate outdoor learning, we have signed a contract for several tents to be set up on campus in late August.  These tents will most likely be on campus through the end of October when the weather begins to change.  We will be maximizing the benefits of outdoor spaces for meaningful learning.

Positive Communication with SCPH

HMS has forged a positive working relationship with the SCPH over the summer.  We have had frequent meetings with them to discuss our plans to provide safe learning.  These conversations have continued since their statement was issued on Monday.  They understand the unique qualities of our school in this context.  They will continue to be a partner to us as we prepare and move through the school year.

I want to also make you aware that we are going to adjust our calendar.  We will not have school on September 11, 2020.  Based on conversations with other local independent schools that have started this year, they have found great value in giving teachers the opportunity to reflect on and make necessary adjustments to our approach with children once the plans are put into practice.  A decision on offering Off Day programming has not been made at this point.  We apologize in advance for the challenge that this will present.  Please note we are making October 30, 2020 a full day of school as opposed to a half-day since we will not be able to hold Grandparents Day.

Beyond this, I want you to know that we are actively preparing to welcome your children to school. For example, we are working on finalizing a detailed document, our Back to School Opening Guide.   We will be sharing that with you as soon as possible and will ask you to review and sign it to acknowledge that you are aware and will support our efforts to have in-person learning.

In the meantime, I want to present several questions that we have received from parents and share our answers.  These answers will be in our Back to School Opening Guide but, given the frequency that these questions are being asked, it makes sense to share them now.

Recently, the state of Ohio adjusted their guidance for school opening plans and required face coverings for students in K-12 schools.  How does this affect HMS?

In our plan that was shared on July 15, we allowed students in grades K and below the option to wear a face covering.  With the guidance issued, K students will be required to wear a face covering.  Our Children’s House staff will be discussing how to do this given that there will be other students who have the option to wear face coverings in the same room.  Additionally, we know that wearing a face covering may pose a challenge to children so we are determining a sensible approach during the day where children can remove their face covering. 

While students younger than K are not required to wear a face covering, it is an option.  We have observed younger children in our summer school program do quite well with face coverings.   It is feasible for them to wear face coverings and we will support them doing so.

Beyond this, we do not anticipate that this decision alters our approach for face coverings but please know we will remain aware of the directives and guidance on this topic.

Are there specific criteria at which point the entire school will move to distance learning?

At this point, we are not setting specific criteria whereby the school will close the entire campus. You can rest assured that we will be communicating frequently to the community about the status of COVID-19 in our community and how it impacts HMS.

How will positive cases of COVID-19 be communicated?

Historically, our approach with the presence of a communicable disease or medical condition has been to notify only the impacted classroom or cohort.  With COVID-19, we will continue that approach.   This will include information about quarantining that will have to occur within that classroom or cohort. Additionally, we will be notifying the entire school of a COVID-19 positive case notification as well.  We will not use names in sharing this information.

If there is a positive case of COVID 19, will a classroom or cohort need to “shut down’?

Yes, if there is a positive case of COVID 19, that classroom or cohort will suspend in-person learning for a designated quarantine period of at least 14 days.  If this occurs, we will shift to an online version of schooling.

What happens if my child presents symptoms that might be COVID-19?

A final version of our Quarantine Due to Symptoms policy is still in process and will be included in our Back to School Opening Guide.  We are consulting with the Summit County Public Health Department as well as other medical officials.  The prevailing guidance on this topic currently suggests that individuals who exhibit symptoms associated with COVID-19 will require an extended absence from school (between 10 and 14 days), potentially even in the case of a negative test result.

If I have more than one child at HMS and one of their classes must quarantine because of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, will my other children in other classes be able to come to school?

Siblings of children in quarantine due to a positive CODID 19 diagnosis in their classroom will be permitted to come to school if they are not exhibiting symptoms associated with COVID-19. Any child exhibiting symptoms will need to follow our Quarantine Due to Symptoms policy.

If my child is out of school because he/she is isolating or quarantining, but the rest of their classroom/cohort is meeting in-person, will he/she continue to be provided learning opportunities?

Our teachers will provide learning activities that will continue learning and limited opportunities for interaction with the child’s teacher and/or class.  Due to the complicated nature of staffing this year, we will not be able to move a student who is isolating or quarantining into the cohort of students that are doing all online learning.  Complete details of this will be found in the Back to School Opening Guide.

If we choose in-person learning and want to change to distance-learning after the school year begins, is this possible?

This is a difficult question to answer with a simple yes or no as we pride ourselves on personalizing our education at HMS.  There are staffing considerations that come with such decisions and might be significant to manage.  We would suggest that you contact Abbie Wexler at awexler@hudsonmontessori.org if you are considering such a move.  She will be able to provide you with perspective as well as a timetable if such a shift can be accommodated.

What is the status of before hours and afterhours care?

We are working to provide this service to those families who need it on a consistent basis. If you know that your child is going to need to use before or afterhours care on a consistent basis, please contact Tim McQuait at tmcquait@hudsonmontessori.org  by Wednesday, August 19.  Otherwise, we will not be able to guarantee these services when school starts.  Please note that we will not be able to accommodate “drop in” options for this program this year.

How will drop-off and pick-up occur? 

Suffice it to say that this is a logistical challenge!  We are finalizing an approach to drop-off and pick-up and will be communicating it before school starts.  A few points to note:

1. Each student will have their temperature taken when they arrive at school.  This is in addition to daily symptom checks that parents will be required to administer prior to coming to school. 
2. Middle School and Elementary students will walk to their classroom’s external door from their car in the morning.  Unfortunately, parents will not be able to walk them to this door.
3. Children’s House and Toddler students will need to be walked to their classroom’s external door by the parents in the morning.
4. It is likely that we will use both the north and south fire lanes for student dismissal in the afternoon. 
5. Please be prepared for a slow carline this year.  We know in advance this will be an inconvenience and appreciate your cooperation and understanding.
6. It will be absolutely critical that we do not use our phones during arrival and dismissal.  We will have even more moving parts than before.  Be prepared, Mr. Virgil will be watching for this and will ask you to get off your phone!

Will the start and end time of school be adjusted? 

We do not anticipate altering the start and end time for Middle School and Elementary.  We are currently finalizing plans for arrival and dismissal for Children’s House and Toddler.  It is possible that we have a set of classes that operate from 8:30 to 11:30/3:15 pm and 8:45 to 11:30/3:45 pm.

What is the status of extracurricular clubs and the Conservatory of Music?

We will offer a very limited number of outdoor extracurricular clubs starting in mid-September.  They will go until the end of October.  A decision has not been made about clubs beyond this session.

Conservatory of Music classes will begin in a virtual format this year. 

Will parents be able to come into the building?

Unfortunately, we are going to need to curtail the amount of traffic in our building.  So, unless there are extenuating circumstances that would be approved by an administrator, parents will not be able to come into the building as they have in normal times.  This also means that traditional events like Parent-Teacher Conferences and Parent Education will be conducted virtually.

Are there going to be social events like the Back to School Ice Cream Social, Pumpkin Patch and/or Auction?

For the time being, we are not going to be holding social events.  This would include the upcoming Back to School Ice Cream Social and Pumpkin Patch.  Let’s hold out hope for events like Family Dance, Multicultural Festival and Auction and cross our fingers!

Will you offer hot lunch this year?

At this point, we will not be offering hot lunch options.  The primary reason is because the administrative and office staff will need to be focused on mid-day dismissal and providing teachers with a chance for lunch/planning time.  Logistically, it is not feasible.

Will you offer van transportation service this year?

We will provide van service this year.  If you have not already indicated the need for van service, please contact Lisa McGinnis at receptionist@hudsonmontessori.org no later than August 17, 2020 to see if space is still available.

In closing, I want to share an anecdote that a parent shared with a colleague recently.  New to HMS last year, this parent initially chose a local public-school district for their child's school year in 2020-2021 even after a successful year with our teachers, both in-person and once our campus closed.  This parent enrolled her child in one of our summer camps recently.  Her daughter came away from each day at camp with a smile and happy stories of fun days with friends.  She also observed the care and concern that we were taking with COVID-19 safety during the camp. Ultimately, the parent decided this was the school where her child needed to be enrolled this fall.  She felt our priorities were spot-on:  we were doing all we could for the development and furthering of children and doing so with as much safety as possible.  And she was happy!

I want to emphasize that our school has been successfully educating the whole child using the Montessori philosophy for more than 50 years.  Our graduates and their sense of academic inquisitiveness, commitment to bettering their world, and ethic of responsibility are indicators of our success.  We are surely entering into a year that will be unlike any before it - even last year.  On behalf of my colleagues who have spent this summer working to prepare to support, educate, and love your children, we will help your child grow and prosper this year, whatever it brings.  It is this opportunity to serve your children and prepare them for a future of impact that gives us energy and motivation.  I have the utmost confidence in our teachers, staff and administration and this school's mission.

Sincerely,

Matt

Earlier today, the Summit County Public Health Department (SCPH) released a statement (attached as a pdf) about their perspective on the opening of K-12 schools in our county.  I was made aware of the upcoming statement last Friday and was provided a preview of this statement late yesterday afternoon.  We had planned a communication for the end of last week with more details about out plans to start school, but delayed that communication when I learned of this statement from SCPH.

Our school is working to determine how the statement applies to Hudson Montessori School.  At the same time, we are continuing work on our plan that we have been developing this summer to begin school with an in-person or online option.  I will be providing you with updates as they become available and commit to a communication to the full school community no later than the end of this week.  I welcome your feedback/perspective on the statement.

I appreciate your continued flexibility and support of Hudson Montessori School during these times.  

Thanks,

Matt

Dear Hudson Montessori School Community,

I hope that you and your family are doing well and continuing to enjoy summer vacation.   It is typically this time of year when we at HMS start to get revved up for the upcoming school year. Seeing your children return to school in the fall is a much-anticipated burst of energy, to say the least.  We marvel at how much each child has grown, who lost teeth or who has a new haircut.  We anticipate meeting new members of our school community and introducing them to the power of a HMS learning environment.  That anticipation this year is even more palpable given the extended time we’ve been away from each other.  In short, we miss you all!

This communication provides further details on our plans for the 2020-2021 school year and builds on my communication of July 3, 2020.  

This communication is separated into two main sections:  a description of our approach to in-person learning in the 2020-2021 school year and a description of enhancements to our distance-learning if part or all our campus is required to close.

In-Person Learning Overview

Hudson Montessori School continues to plan to start the coming school year in-person and five-days a week.  Our approach will meet or exceed the guidelines outlined by the State of Ohio.  

Please know that we are carefully assessing the situation involving COVID given recent increases in COVID-19 cases and Summit County being moved to Level 3 on the state’s Coronavirus risk level matrix on July 9, 2020.  Our approach to this situation since last March has required us to be flexible given the changing nature of the situation.  This will continue to be the case throughout the remainder of the summer and during the coming school year.  Therefore, while these are our plans at this moment, those plans can change given the evolving reality of COVID-19 in our community.

First, I’ll begin by discussing the steps that every person coming to HMS will take prior to arriving on campus.  Based on conversations with the Summit County Department of Public Health, every member of the community will do a self-assessment of potential symptoms of COVID-19.   Those symptoms are:

1. New onset of cough or shortness of breath
2. Otherwise unexplained loss of smell or taste
3. Fever of 100.0 or higher
4. Chills
5. Muscle Pain
6. Sore Throat
7. GI Symptoms (nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea)

We are still determining if we will check temperatures upon arrival on campus.

If any of the symptoms are present, that member of the school community will need to stay at home for 72 hours.  A more detailed protocol of when they can return is being finalized with the Summit County Department of Public Health.  Once it is finalized, it will be shared with the school community.  Additionally, we are also working on finalizing details of a plan should an entire group or class of students/teachers need to be quarantined. 

Moving to our approach during the school day, to create a safe environment for this learning to occur, we plan to use our campus space differently this coming year.  Room layouts may be different to make certain that we can safely accommodate our students and employees.   We will also be instituting practices that will ensure that our community remains safe while in their classrooms.   Here are descriptions by level:

Young Children’s Community:  Toddler Class

Following guidelines for Early Childhood programs from the Ohio Department of Education, we will accommodate no more than six children in our Toddler classroom at one time.   A lead teacher and an assistant will staff this classroom. 

Arrival/Departure:  Weather permitting, children, accompanied by their parents, will need to walk around the building and enter the classroom.  At departure, we will use physical distancing to ensure a safe process to help children to the front of the building and into their cars.

Physical Distancing and Face Covering Approach:  To the extent possible given the ages of these children, we will attempt to ensure physical distancing in this program.  Face coverings will not be required for children at this age-level.  Adults will wear face coverings but may remove them if they feel it is necessary for the child to see an adult’s full face or for a lesson for which seeing one’s mouth is important (e.g.:  instruction in language).  In these instances, we will be providing face shields that cover one’s mouth.

Snack:  We are currently finalizing a plan for snack.  This might include asking a child to bring a snack or providing individually wrapped snacks.

High Touch Sanitation Approach: Sanitizing of materials and high touch surfaces will be managed by the adults in this classroom and supported by the facilities staff of the school. 

Use of Outdoor Space:  Allowing children to be outside will continue to be a priority this year. 

Young Children’s Community:  Parent-Infant and Parent-Toddler Classes

At the time of this communication, we have not made a final decision of if and how these classes will be offered in the 2020-2021 school year.  If you have expressed interest in these classes, Michelle Lazor will be contacting you to discuss this further.

Children’s House: Half-Day and All-Day Program

Guidelines for Early Childhood programs from the Ohio Department of Education are moving us to restructure these program offerings this coming year.  The guidelines stipulate that there can be no more than nine children and one adult in a classroom with 3- and 4-year-old children.  This guideline does not apply to Kindergarten level students. 

We will be offering three or more Children's House classrooms that will serve no more than nine 3- and 4-year-old children and will be staffed by one lead teacher.  The teachers of these classrooms will be Kate Albing, Jennifer Case, and Rachel Loomis.  They will use their current classrooms.  Additional classrooms may be added based on demand as well as the availability of Montessori-trained teachers.

All Kindergarten students will be taught by Mary Blatnik.  We are currently planning for this class to meet in the room that is currently the Activity Room.  This class will be capped at 15 students to ensure we meet both safe and appropriate student-teacher ratios as well as maintain safe physical distancing guidelines.

Unfortunately, this approach will necessitate movement of some children to different classrooms this year.  If this impacts your child, either Michelle Lazor or Abbie Wexler will be contacting you on July 16 to discuss this with you.

Arrival/Departure:  Children will be dropped off at carline.  Fixed times for drop-off are being established.  Once out of their cars, children will be accompanied by an adult either individually or in small groups to their classroom using the outside door entrance, weather permitting.  At departure, we will use physical distancing to ensure a safe process to help children to the front of the building and into their cars.

Physical Distancing and Face Covering Approach:  To the extent possible given the ages of these children, we will attempt to ensure physical distancing in this program.  Face coverings will not be required for children at this age-level.  Adults will wear face coverings but may remove them if they feel it is necessary for the child to see an adult’s full face or for a lesson for which seeing one’s mouth is important (e.g.:  instruction in language).  In these instances, we will be providing face shields that cover one’s mouth.

Co-Curricular Classes:  These classes will occur in the main classroom and be taught by the classroom teacher.

Snack:  We are currently finalizing a plan for snack.  This might include asking a child to bring a snack or providing individually wrapped snacks.

Lunch: As in the past, lunch will be eaten in the classroom but additional safety and sanitation precautions may be instituted including numbers of students at a table to ensure physical distancing.  Weather permitting, lunch will be eaten outside.

Nap:  For those 3- and 4- year-old children attending all-day and needing a nap, it will occur in their classroom.

 

High Touch Sanitation Approach:  Sanitizing of materials and high touch surfaces will be managed by the adults in this classroom and supported by the facilities staff of the school.

Use of Outdoor Space:  Allowing children to be outside will continue to be a priority this year.  To the extent that learning can occur outside, we will do so.

Lower Elementary

To ensure proper physical distancing, we will utilize two classrooms for each of our two Lower Elementary classes.  Each of our current Lower Elementary classes will be split into two groups. Students will alternate days supervised by the lead teacher and assistant. Additionally, co-curricular classes (music, art, and Spanish) will occur in these rooms rather than in stand-alone co-curricular classrooms. Physical education will occur either outside or in the gym. This will help ensure that safe physical distancing occurs throughout the day. 

Arrival/Departure:  Children will be dropped off at carline.  Fixed times for drop-off are being established.  Once out of their cars, children will be accompanied by an adult either individually or in small groups to their classroom using the outside door entrance, weather permitting.  At departure, we will use physical distancing to ensure a safe process to help children to the front of the building and into their cars.

Physical Distancing and Face Covering Approach:   Our goal will be to ensure safe physical distancing while ensuring that the integrity of our Montessori approach remains intact as much as possible.  Face coverings will be required for children at this age-level.  We know that wearing a face covering may pose a challenge to children so we are determining sensible approaches during the day where children can remove their face covering.  An example might be that children could remove their masks when they are safely physically distanced and doing individual work.  Adults will wear face coverings but may remove them if they feel it is necessary for the child to see an adult’s full face or for a lesson for which seeing one’s mouth is important (e.g.:  instruction in language).  In these instances, we will be providing face shields that cover one’s mouth.

Snack:  Consistent with previous years, children will be asked to bring a snack. 

Lunch: As in the past, lunch will be eaten in the classroom but additional safety and sanitation precautions may be instituted including numbers of students at a table to ensure physical distancing.  Weather permitting, lunch will be eaten outside.

High Touch Sanitation Approach:  Sanitizing of materials and high touch surfaces will be managed by the adults in this classroom and supported by the facilities staff of the school.

Use of Outdoor Space:  Allowing children to be outside will continue to be a priority this year.  This may include lessons occurring outside under tents, weather permitting.  This could be another opportunity when children might not need to wear face coverings.

Upper Elementary

The Upper Elementary program will utilize three connected classrooms in order to create optimal physical distancing. Students will spend time in their assigned classroom as well as a neutral space designed for physically distanced lessons and group activity. When possible, lessons will be given outside. As with all aspects of our plans for the coming year, there are trade-offs of this plan.  A trade-off in this approach is that all of Upper Elementary will be quarantined if an active case of COVID-19 is identified.  Additionally, co-curricular classes (music, art, and Spanish) will occur in these rooms rather than in stand-alone co-curricular classrooms. Physical education will occur either outside or in the gym. This will help ensure that safe physical distancing occurs throughout the day. 

Arrival/Departure:  Children will be dropped off at carline.  Fixed times for drop-off are being established.  Once out of their cars, children will be accompanied by an adult either individually or in small groups to their classroom using the outside door entrance, weather permitting.  At departure, we will use physical distancing to ensure a safe process to help children to the front of the building and into their cars.

Physical Distancing and Face Covering Approach:   Our goal will be to ensure safe physical distancing while ensuring that the integrity of our Montessori approach remains intact as much as possible.  Face coverings will be required for children at this age-level.  We know that wearing a face covering may pose a challenge to children so we are determining sensible approaches during the day where children can remove their face covering.  An example might be that children could remove their masks when they are safely physically distanced and doing individual work.  Adults will wear face coverings but may remove them if they feel it is necessary for the child to see an adult’s full face or for a lesson for which seeing one’s mouth is important (e.g.:  instruction in language).  In these instances, we will be providing face shields that cover one’s mouth.

Snack:  Consistent with previous years, children will be asked to bring a snack. 

Lunch:  As in the past, lunch will be eaten in the classroom but additional safety and sanitation precautions may be instituted including numbers of students at a table to ensure physical distancing. Weather permitting, lunch will be eaten outside.

High Touch Sanitation Approach:  Sanitizing of materials and high touch surfaces will be managed by the adults in this classroom and supported by the facilities staff of the school.

Use of Outdoor Space:  Allowing children to be outside will continue to be a priority this year.  This may include lessons occurring outside under tents, weather permitting.  This could be another opportunity when children might not need to wear face coverings.

Middle School

To ensure proper physical distancing, the Middle School will use the North House and Garden Lane exclusively this year.  This will include co-curricular and Expressions opportunities.  As with all aspects of our plans for the coming year, there are trade-offs of this plan.  A trade-off in this approach is that all Middle School will be quarantined if an active case of COVID-19 is identified. 

Arrival/Departure:  Middle School adolescents will be dropped off at carline.  Fixed times for drop-off are being established.  Once out of their cars, the adolescents will walk to the North House or Garden Lane.  At departure, we will use physical distancing to ensure a safe process to help the adolescents leave for the day.

Physical Distancing and Face Covering Approach:   Our goal will be to ensure safe physical distancing while ensuring that the integrity of our Montessori approach remains intact as much as possible.  Face coverings will be required for adolescents at this age-level.  We know that wearing a face covering may pose a challenge to children so we are determining sensible approaches during the day where children can remove their face covering.  An example might be that children could remove their masks when they are safely physically distanced and doing individual work.  Adults will wear face coverings but may remove them if they feel it is necessary for the adolescent to see an adult’s full face or for a lesson for which seeing one’s mouth is important (e.g.:  instruction in language).  While rare in occurrence, during these instances, we will be providing face shields that cover one’s mouth.

Snack:  Consistent with previous years, adolescents will be asked to bring a snack. 

Lunch:  As in the past, lunch will be eaten in the Middle School, but additional safety and sanitation precautions may be instituted including numbers of students at a table to ensure physical distancing. Weather permitting, lunch will be eaten outside.

High Touch Sanitation Approach:  Sanitizing of materials and high touch surfaces will be managed by the adults in the Middle School and supported by the facilities staff of the school.

Use of Outdoor Space:  Allowing children to be outside will continue to be a priority this year.  This may include lessons occurring outside under tents, weather permitting.  This could be another opportunity when adolescents might not need to wear face coverings.

Aspects of In-Person Learning Still to be Finalized:

At this point in planning for the school year, there are important aspects of our program that we are still finalizing.  They include:

1. Distance Education for Children Unable to Attend In-Person:   We acknowledge that there will be some families who cannot send their children to HMS at this time because of health considerations surrounding COVID-19.  We will have a plan in place to provide distance learning to these children in a way that furthers their academic growth and, as much as possible, ensures their social growth as well.  If your family has made this decision, please set up a conversation with Abbie Wexler, Director of Teaching and Learning, by clicking this link.  We would prefer this to occur by July 22, 2020.
2. HMS Van Transportation:  We will be working with families to provide van transportation this coming school year in a way that is safe for the children and our drivers and maintains a convenient schedule.  If you have not indicated that you need van transportation this year, please contact Kim Gray, Receptionist, at reception@hudsonmontessori.org
3. Before and Afterhours Care:  In the past, we used one central location for before and afterhours care for children throughout the school.  In our current approach, this is not feasible.  We are exploring ways to accommodate families who need this service in a way that is in-line with our approach to minimize potential spread of COVID-19, minimizes disruption to class placement, and is also financially feasible for both families and the school.  Tim McQuait, Auxiliary Programs Director, will be contacting families to ascertain needs for before and afterhours care.
4. Field Trips:  At this point, we are not planning for field trips.  To the extent possible, we will schedule virtual field trips or, if possible, in-school field trips.  However, we are in consultation with the Summit County Department of Public Health to determine if physically distanced, remote overnight field trips in the Upper Elementary and Middle School might occur as we know the value they have for the children's development.  If overnight field trips do not occur, we will refund the activity fees associated with these trips.
5. Afterschool Clubs:  Similar to Before and Afterhours Care, we are investigating potential opportunities to provide safe, in-person afterschool clubs or virtual opportunities. 
6. Off-Day Care:  In the past we have used one central location for Off-Day Care (days when students are not in school).  We are exploring ways to accommodate families who need this service in a way that is both in-line with our approach to minimize potential spread of COVID-19 and also financially feasible for both families and the school.
7. Parent-Teacher Conferences and Parent-Education:   Both Parent-Teacher Conferences and Parent-Education opportunities will continue this year; however, it is likely that they will occur virtually. 

Distance Learning Overview

What Happens if There is an Active Case of COVID-19 in a Classroom?

If a child or adult has a documented case of COVID-19 in a classroom, the children and adults in that classroom will need to shift to distance-learning for a period of at least 10 days.  We are in consultation with the Summit County Department of Public Health to finalize the steps necessary to return to in-person learning if this occurs and it will be communicated once it is finalized.  Our plans will also address siblings of children in that impacted classroom.

What Happens If Our Entire Campus is Required to Close?

At this point, we anticipate that a decision to close our entire campus would be directed by the Summit County Department of Public Health and reflective of a situation that impacts the entire county or region.

How Will Distance Learning Occur by Level?

Reflecting on our positive experience from last year with distance-learning, along with further collaboration with educators in our area and across the county and your feedback from a survey we conducted in June, we will take the following approach if distance learning is required.

Young Children’s Community: Toddler

If we move to distance-learning, we will not provide distance learning to children in the Toddler program.  Our Business Office will generate a per-day rate for this classroom and issue a refund for each day of a campus or classroom closure.  This decision was made based on feedback from parents in this program last year as well from the teachers.  Ultimately, both groups felt that virtual learning for children this age was not fully effective.

Children’s House: Half-Day and All-Day Program

3-Year-Old Children

If we move to distance-learning, we will not provide distance learning to 3-year-old children in Children’s House.  Our Business Office will generate a per-day rate for this classroom and issue a refund for each day of a campus or classroom closure.  This decision was made based on feedback from parents in this program last year as well from the teachers.

4-Year-Old Children

If we move to distance learning, our teachers will work with each family to decide if distance learning will continue.   Based on feedback from parents who had 4-year-old children last year during our campus closure and from our teachers, it was on a case-by-case basis if distance learning was effective. 

If a decision is made not to provide distance learning, our Business Office will generate a per-day rate for this classroom and issue a refund for each day of a campus or classroom closure.

If a decision is made to continue with distance learning, our goal at this age is to provide as much teacher-student interaction as possible so as to keep forward momentum in learning and minimize the amount of “teaching” parents need to do. There will be a Daily Large Group Morning Meeting, Small Group Instruction that will occur two times per week and Individual Instruction three times per week.  This will continue academic and social growth for the children.  Additionally, we will be posting our materials to a common platform where parents can centrally access them rather than sending multiple emails that parents must manage to keep track of learning information.

Kindergarten Children

Our goal at this age is to provide as much teacher-student interaction as possible to keep forward momentum in learning and minimize the amount of “teaching” parents need to do.  Children at this age will have a Large Group Morning Meeting two times per week, Small Group Instruction two times per week, Individual Instruction three times per week, Lunch Bunch one time per week and Read Aloud opportunities three times per week.  Additionally, we will be posting our materials to a common platform where parents can centrally access them rather than sending multiple emails that parents must manage to keep track of learning information.

Lower Elementary

We will continue to utilize the platform SeeSaw for teachers and students to assign, complete and submit work.  As we begin the year, we will provide parent education opportunities for parents to become familiar with how we utilize SeeSaw.  This will ensure a smooth transition should we move to distance learning.  Students will have Daily Large Group Morning Meetings, Daily Video Lessons with associated follow-up work, Virtual Small Group Supervised Work Time at least four days a week, Individual Instruction/Check-In time at least one time per week or as needed, and Afternoon Read Aloud four times per week.  We are still determining if Co-Curriculars will occur on one day or throughout the week.  Regardless, they will be done by grade level.

Upper Elementary

We will continue to utilize the platform Google Classroom for teachers and students to assign, complete and submit work.  As we begin the year, we will provide parent education opportunities for parents and opportunities for students at school to become familiar with how we utilize Google Classroom.  This will ensure a smooth transition should we move to distance learning.  Students will have Daily Large Group Morning Meetings, Synchronous and Asynchronous Lessons with associated follow-up work, Virtual Small Group Supervised Work Time at least four days a week, Individual Instruction/Check-In time at least two times per week or as needed, and Open Study Hall three times per week.  We are still determining if Co-Curriculars will occur on one day or throughout the week.  Regardless, they will be done by grade level.

Middle School

We will continue to utilize the platform Google Classroom for teachers and students to assign, complete and submit work.  As we begin the year, we will provide parent education opportunities for parents and opportunities for students at school to become familiar with how we utilize Google Classroom.  This will ensure a smooth transition should we move to distance learning.  Students continue regular Large Group Morning Meetings, Synchronous and Asynchronous Lessons with associated follow-up work, Individual Instruction/Check-In time as needed, regular opportunities for Advisory, weekly opportunities for Expressions classes, and frequent opportunities for Quiet Study.

Conclusion

In closing, we have put much thought into the plan outlined above.  It is done with the interests of your children, our teachers, our staff and administration and our parent community in mind.  It seeks to make possible the magical learning that occurs in our school while also doing all we can to be thoughtful and careful in this time of COVID-19.  This will continue to guide us until we come out on the other side of this situation.

We plan to continue frequent communications about further details regarding the start of the school year.  Our next is planned for July 30, 2020. 

Additionally, we anticipate that many of you will have questions resulting from this communication.  Michelle Lazor, Director of Admissions and Alumni Affairs, Abbie Wexler, Director of Teaching and Learning, and I are available to you to discuss questions.  Please use the following links to access our calendars and set up a conversation.

1)      To set up a conversation with Matt Virgil, please click here.

2)      To set up a conversation with Michelle Lazor, please click here.

3)      To set up a conversation with Abbie Wexler, please click here.

Thank you for taking the time to read this communication.  I hope you and your family are well.

Sincerely,

Matt Virgil