Students, Families & Staff,

This year has been a very challenging time for everyone. School the way we have known it has changed and we have admirably adapted and pivoted at every point. As we go into the third trimester and the end of this school year is in sight, we wanted to reach out to you to provide an update on the plan for the remainder of the year so that you can plan accordingly.

Please see the below explanation, the attached ppt from yesterday’s family meeting, and our youtube video if you missed it. If you have any questions or concerns – please reach out to us.

Highlights

Continue VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION through the end of this school year (June 22nd)

We will host optional SISTERHOOD SOCIAL EVENTS in the Spring and Summer

We expect to be IN-PERSON FULL TIME IN AUGUST for the 21-22 School Year


Instruction will be virtual through the end of the school year
Every two months this year we have sought feedback from all stakeholders and from those surveys we have heard a wide variety of perspectives – some wanting to be back in person full time, and others not comfortable with the safety concerns that remain with the COVID-19 global pandemic. With your perspectives and our pillar of safety in mind – we have decided to continue virtual instruction through the rest of the school year through June.

While instruction will continue to be virtual, we are also going to continue to expand the Learning Hub Program for interested students and families. This program is on Tuesdays and Thursdays and allows for students to come into the building to receive additional support in person while instruction remains virtual. We believe this allows students and families interested in coming in person to have that option, but also keeps safety at the forefront of our minds.

Sisterhood Social Events Spring/Summer 2021
We have also heard from the surveys, conferences, and feedback that students are searching for ways to connect and build relationships in a safe way in person. Therefore, though instruction will continue to be virtual, we have heard an overwhelming interest in having social events in the spring to find space for personal connection and proactively responding to the needs for social and emotional support through what we are calling ‘sisterhood social events’. The tentative plan for these events falls into two categories – student cohort gatherings and community social events.

Student Cohort Gatherings
Starting in April – GGA’s 5 different student cohorts will gather together at GGA on select Wednesdays. Activities will include sisterhood circles to develop the in-person behavior matrix, art projects, and social and emotional support activities. We hope this provides an outlet for those students and families interested in pursuing in-person activities while we continue to instruct in a virtual capacity.

These gatherings will occur on campus, students will remain in cohorts and be expected to adhere to our safety protocols. Each cohort will be assigned 4 days in the spring where they will come to the building to participate in cohort activities. Attendance is mandatory as it is a school day, but if students are not comfortable attending in-person accommodations will be made for those students.


Designers
April 21, May 5, May 19, June 2

Innovators
April 21, May 5, May 19, June 2

Explorers
April 28, May 12, May 26, June 9

Pioneers
April 28, May 12, May 26, June 9

Creators
April 28, May 12, May 26, June 9


*** Students will be informed which cohort they are in and invited to those dates specifically.

Community Social Events
In addition to cohort activities, we will have all school activities throughout the spring and summer to create space to build sisterhood, both with our current students and families and our new incoming students and families. These events will be in public spaces in the open air, socially distanced and masked.

SAVE THE DATES:
Saturday, April 24th – Bike and Walk Meet-Up
Saturday, April 24th – ReEnrollment
Saturday – Virtual OR @GGA 733 8th St NW
Saturday, May 15th – Service Activity
Saturday, June 19th – Ice Cream Social/ Sisterhood Pillar Talk
Saturday, July 31st – Paint and Chat
August 28th – GGA Family Cookout

Return to In-Person School in August
All students will be expected to return to in-person school for SY21-22.

If you do not anticipate returning in person in the fall – you must notify GGA in writing before August 1st, 2021.

Best wishes,
Girls Global Academy Leadership Team