Below you can find copies of the email messages sent from Mrs. Caddow, Head of School, regarding remote learning and return to school projected dates. In addition, there were video messages sent that can all be viewed here.
Messages from Head of School re: Remote Learning
May 26, 2020
Dear Trinity Family,
The last two weeks with our virtual Gala, very mitigated live Senior Thesis presentations (posted on YouTube), and Senior Cap and Gown Drive-Through Pick Up event, left one with a mixed feeling of gratitude and sadness. All the more increasing our resolve for the essential need to be learning together and being in community on campus. This week we look forward to mitigated 8th Grade Orals on campus as students respond to the timely question, “Is the world ordered or chaotic?”
Trinity’s intent remains to begin a new school year on August 20th in a traditional, in-person format. We firmly believe it is essential for students to have daily instruction and community with teachers and classmates for all aspects of growth–academic, social, spiritual, and physical. All classes will be conducted in a very thoughtful and responsible fashion, following appropriate protocols and mitigation measures that are being mandated.
As mentioned, collectively we are monitoring local and state officials’ recommendations, as well as working with a team of independent Christian Schools from our area, Palmdale, and Lancaster, seeking counsel on ways to structure our operations independently as private schools.
Over the next few months, there will be an ebb and flow of where the recommended/mandated mitigation measures and guidelines will be on Trinity’s opening on August 20th. Please know we will make sure what we do day-to-day is tenable for students, faculty, staff, and parents. Try to rest in the Lord–as we work this out together.
On May 11 we communicated our preliminary mitigation measures (see attached letter). Our team is crafting possible alternative solutions and mitigations in the event we need to adjust at any given time. We are hopeful, with the way things are moving forward in our state and across the country, to engage in our traditional format. For your information, in addition to the criteria outlined in the attached letter we have added, but are not limited to the following measures to our current plan (again, if needed at the time school starts):
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Staggered entry and dismissal into and out of the building
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Staggered recess and lunch times
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Multiple entrances to the building for students in proximity to their classroom location
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Single desks and more space in various classrooms
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Creative outside class space
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Temporary hybrid learning options (only available for students who are unable to attend in-person class and authorized on a case-by-case basis)
Our administration will continue to add to and modify Trinity’s plan of action as needed for the next school year. We hold true to our conviction of the necessity and utmost importance of an in-person education. We place our faith and trust in Him. We thank you for the faith and trust you place in Trinity for your children.
Respectfully,
Liz Caddow
Founder and Head of School
Trinity Classical Academy
May 11, 2020
Dear Trinity family,
We are being challenged by the coronavirus pandemic. Undoubtedly, this goes well beyond our school and our community as we have seen and heard reports from our state, country, and around the world. There are obvious medical concerns. We are all thinking through our individual health and safety alongside our responsibility within our communities to aid our neighbors and our front-line healthcare providers. And, for us, all of this has been done amidst being asked to shelter in place, stay home from work, and provide remote learning to our students.
Trinity’s administration has been praying while also working alongside local government officials and healthcare professionals to make informed, thoughtful, and hopeful plans for our end of year activities and, for the purposes of this communication, for the 2020-21 academic year.
Trinity's intent is to begin August 20th in a traditional, in-person format. That means that our campus will be open, classes will be hosted in our building, and we will continue our mission to train the next generation of students pursuing virtue, seeking wisdom, finding purpose, and choosing courage. We will resume in many of the familiar ways that contribute to the intellectual and spiritual formation of our students.
Trinity recognizes that while we are shaping hearts and minds, we equally hold a commitment to the safety and well-being of our students and employees. As such, every precaution will be taken to implement additional safety protocols while students are on campus. We will be working to ensure proper infection control with measures to include:
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Professional “deep disinfectant” cleaning on a regular basis
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Increased cleaning/disinfecting of classrooms, common areas, bathrooms, outdoor eating areas, and play equipment
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Providing additional hand-sanitizing stations on campus
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Supervised, mandatory hand washing for students multiple times per day
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Expanded nurse's station with capability to provide sick and well areas with division. Additional nursing personnel on campus during peak seasons. Additional PPE (personal protective equipment) purchased.
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Protocols for a person who is suspected of possibly having COVID-19: monitoring, adjusting, and implementing the latest study-driven best practices
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Daily health screenings of students upon school entry which include temperature monitoring and assessments
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Educating faculty, staff, and students on physical distancing and putting safeguards in place to encourage appropriate physical distancing
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OSHA COVID Course certification for Trinity’s Health Office and Administration
Currently, this is only a partial list and we will be developing further specifics over the coming weeks and months. Our goal is to establish a comprehensive strategy for preventing the spread of COVID-19 on our campus, and part of that plan will be to make sure every family is fully aware of the plan and is in partnership with us.
In the coming weeks, as we look to next school year, Trinity will continue to utilize and lean upon the wisdom of our special task force who have helped inform our decisions thus far. They will continue to monitor real time, adjust, plan and utilize the best safety practices and equipment available to adhere to mitigation efforts while they are in place. Faculty members and administrators are also working to develop academic alternatives that can serve students no matter the circumstances they might face next year should they be needed. Transformative mind-and-heart education will be provided to Trinity’s students, no matter the circumstances.
Trinity will continue our mission, by God’s grace, training the next generation just as we have for the last 20 years. As a community, we can all live into and embrace Trinity’s enduring mission “to produce young men and women of virtue, wisdom, purpose, and courage,” even, and especially, as we care for the health and well-being of the Trinity family and provide life-changing education for our students.
May God grant us peace, health, endurance, and wisdom. Thank you for your many commitments to Trinity Classical Academy.
In Faith,
Liz Caddow
Founder and Head of School
Trinity Classical Academy
April 23, 2020
Dear Trinity Families,
We thank you for your continued grace and understanding as we all manage this season of Remote Learning. Our senior administration continues to meet daily throughout this time, prayerfully considering how best to serve our students and families while prioritizing the health and safety of our entire community. With this in mind, we have created and would like to share with you a calendar of events for the remainder of the school year, given the reality Remote Learning is being extended through the end of May. Our heart’s desire being that we honor and celebrate all of our students achievements and efforts over this school year. Please be assured that any in-person ceremony will have full mitigation measures in place. This is what we currently hope and plan for our community as circumstances allow:
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Thursday, May 7th, 9:15 AM - Virtual Kindergarten Poetry
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Friday, May 8th, 6:30 PM - Virtual Fine Arts Awards
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Monday, May 11th, 6:30 PM - Virtual Spring Recital
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Friday, May 15th, 7:00 PM - Virtual Gala
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Monday, May 18th, thru Friday, May 22 - Thesis Presentations (w/ appropriate mitigations)
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Friday, May 22nd, 6:00 PM - Virtual Varsity Athletic Awards
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Thursday, May 28th - Last Academic Day for Upper School
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Thursday, May 28th, 12:00 PM - Virtual Upper School End of Year Message & Announcements
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Friday, May 29th - Last Academic Day for Grammar School
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Tuesday, June 2nd, 9:00 AM - Virtual TK-5th Grade School Promotion & End of Year Message
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Wednesday, June 3rd, 8:30 AM - 6th Grade Promotion (Only Parents & 6th Grade Students) *
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Wednesday, June 3rd, 6:30 PM - 8th Grade Promotion (Only Parents & 8th Grade Students) *
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Friday, June 5th, 6:30 PM - 12th Grade Graduation (Only Parents & Graduates) *
*details forthcoming
These plans are based on the current situation as of today. Senior administration will continue to monitor ongoing developments and reopening phases recommended by our local, state, and federal governments. We will inform you of any hopeful adjustments to these plans as we prayerfully continue to move towards a safe reopening of our community and our school. We look forward to the day when we can gather again in person! Until then, we miss you dearly and we appreciate your continued prayers, love and support for our Trinity community.
In Hope and Prayer,
Liz Caddow
Founder and Head of School
Trinity Classical Academy
April 14, 2020
Dear Trinity Families-
As we return from Easter break, and are continuing with our extended time of Remote Learning, I want to express how proud I am of our students and parents for embracing this complex challenge during this unique season. The Trinity community has shown great strength in this extraordinary time, and your response has been remarkable. Our faculty and staff have been praying for you and remain committed to providing the best Christian, classical school experience possible in keeping with our mission to produce “young men and women of virtue, wisdom, purpose and courage”.
Please know your child(ren)’s teachers have worked diligently to convert their physical classrooms into digital ones. They have been putting in long hours adapting their curriculum and instruction to a new platform to continue to provide excellent academics while remaining committed to discipleship. We pray you are experiencing all of this hard work coming to fruition.
Tuition collected during this time will ensure your child's academic experience is uninterrupted. We are committed to supporting our faculty who are working beyond full-time hours to serve all of our students.
We understand the COVID-19 crisis will cause additional hardships for some in our community. We want to be there for our families through this. If this is the case with your family, please contact Elizabeth Hosmann to discuss your unique situation (EHosmann@TrinityClassicalAcademy.com).
We are also excited to announce a shift from our planned Gala celebration to an online giving event, which will be accessible to every Trinity family, as well as those in our extended community. We are hoping to raise funds through this event, which will become part of our tuition assistance fund, so there is no interruption in the education of our Trinity students due to financial need. More details will be coming next week regarding this online event.
We remain committed to finishing this school year strong, with no lag in instruction or progress towards next year. As always, please reach out to your child’s Principal for academic concerns; myself for schoolwide concerns; and Elizabeth Hosmann for tuition/financial concerns.
Finally, I invite you to join me via Zoom for our next Coffee with Caddow meeting this Friday, April 17 at 8:30 to 9:30 am. We love all of our Trinity families and continue to trust the Lord through this time.
Sincerely,
Liz Caddow
Head of School
april 1, 2020
Dear Trinity Families and Friends,
I hope you are enjoying your extended spring break. Per the recent extension of the social distancing order from the federal government, we know we will be doing Remote Learning through April 30th. Please know we will continue to monitor this fluid and ever-changing situation in order to ultimately make the most informed and thoughtful decision regarding when our students can safely return to school and our wonderful community can gather together again.
Understanding that public schools have given their recommendations, we are going to continue to wait and watch the situation closely, not making a decision beyond April 30th at this time.
Hoping and Praying,
Liz Caddow
Head of School
march 31, 2020
Dear Trinity Families and Friends,
Blessings to you! It was a joy and privilege to have so many parents join our first-ever "Zoom" Coffee with Caddow this past Friday. Thank you to those who could join. We look forward to hosting another one Friday, April 17th.
The last two-plus weeks have been very challenging and unexpected, creating quite a state of disequilibrium for our families, our SCV community and our nation. We will continue to prayerfully work together as a community, our hope and desire being to serve all of our families faithfully during this unprecedented time. Thank you students, parents, faculty and staff for making our transition to remote learning with great enthusiasm and excellence. Please know our faculty and staff team will pursue with diligence ways to continually enhance our Remote Learning. We are praying for the Lord's peace, true rest, mercy and grace over our families and community, along with healing over our nation.
I truly hope that all of our students, parents, faculty and staff can enjoy time with their families over Easter break. Trusting our resurrected Lord will make all things new, and nothing can separate us from His love.
Romans 8:38-39 (ESV) - For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In Hope,
Liz Caddow
Head of School
(Please see note below for a practical way we can serve and support our families during this challenging time.)
During these difficult times, let's lean not only into our Lord, but into the strength of our community. If you, as a Trinity family, have a business that is open during social distancing...perhaps a restaurant that is open for takeout, or other service we can patronize, please email Mrs. Oshiro at soshiro@trinityclassicalacademy.com. She is creating a webpage for us where our Trinity businesses are listed so that our families may support them during these challenging times. Together we will get through this!
March 13, 2020
Dear Trinity Families,
Please note that we make these changes and take these precautions not out of fear, but out of love for one another and our community. We’d rather err on the side of caution to help prevent the spread of this virus for those who could be affected and to lessen the impact on our community at large. So, we don’t live in fear (2 Timothy 1:7), but we act in love (John 15:12).
After our communication yesterday, senior administration continued to monitor the latest developments of this ever-evolving situation. Given new circumstances, and a case of the virus being confirmed in the Santa Clarita Valley, we are adjusting our Remote Learning schedule to the following:
- Mon-Tue: Faculty and staff at school to prepare for Remote Learning.
- School closed to all students, non-academic days.
- School closed to all students
- Remote Learning will be in place
- Your school administrator will send details on how Remote Learning looks for your particular student
- Senior thesis defense will be done remotely and the plan will be communicated separately.
- Additionally, all extra-curricular and co-curricular activities will be suspended until further notice.
- Extended Spring Break
- School closed to all students
- No new assignments/lessons given
- Regular Spring Break
We hope to resume classes after Spring Break on Tuesday, April 14. This is our plan for now. As senior administration continues to monitor the latest developments, we will keep you informed of any prudent adjustments.
Thank you in advance for your collaboration regarding this new temporary learning format for our students. We will continue to communicate the status and plans for our school throughout this continually evolving situation, focusing on the health and safety of our learning community. Please continue to pray for our school, community, and leaders as we navigate through this unprecedented and challenging time. We know the Lord is in control of all things and can be reminded of his promise in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Prayerfully,
Liz Caddow
Head of School
Trinity Classical Academy