COVID-19 Communications Archive

Community Update: 3/5/21
March 5, 2021

Dear AIS Families,

I hope you are well, and looking forward, as I am, to warmer weather in the week ahead! It is hard to believe it is already March, with spring break just a few short weeks away. Below, please find several updates, including a change to our travel quarantine policy, a reminder about spring break, and an update on vaccinations for our faculty and staff.

Travel Quarantine Update
After careful consideration, effective March 8, we will modify our travel quarantine requirements to align our school's policy with the recently announced changes by the state of Pennsylvania. The full context of the announcement can be found here. This means that no quarantine period is required upon returning to Pennsylvania after travel. We ask that you continue to practice physical distancing and limit interactions beyond your immediate family. We also require that you continue to monitor for symptoms, report all concerns or illnesses to the appropriate division nurse, and complete the daily health screening before traveling to campus. Our consulting medical experts have been clear that our commitment to responsible behavior, regardless of location, is the biggest factor in mitigating the risk of COVID-19. We continue to expect our community members to abide by the expectations outlined in our Community Agreement, both in and outside of school, as we continue to work to keep our community safe.

Please note that the CDC continues to advise that travel increases your risk of getting and spreading COVID-19 and recommends that you do not travel at this time. When possible, delay travel and stay home to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.

Spring Break Planning
This change to our quarantine policy does not affect our plans announced Jan. 27 for all grades to operate in virtual learning mode for the week following spring break. We still plan to follow the same course of action we did after Thanksgiving and winter break, and operate in virtual learning mode for the week following this holiday.

• Friday, March 26 through Monday, April 5: Spring Break, no classes or meetings
• Tuesday, April 6 through Friday, April 9: All grades (PreK to Grade 12) in virtual learning mode; no in-person classes
• Monday, April 12: In-person classes resume for all grades

Vaccination Plan for AIS Staff
As part of our commitment to in-person instruction for our students, we are pleased to announce that the school is working with the State Department of Education to procure the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for all Agnes Irwin faculty and staff, through the Delaware County Intermediate Unit. The administering of vaccines may necessitate temporary changes to our learning schedule. Any vaccine-related scheduling adjustments will be communicated ahead of time to our families.

It is our belief that through our collective mitigation efforts, such as masks, physical distancing, hand washing, continued surveillance testing and the addition of the vaccine to our faculty and staff, that we will be able to provide the same level of health and safety as we have all year to the Agnes Irwin community. 

Please contact Tim Walsh, our Pandemic Coordinator, should you have questions or concerns. He can be reached at twalsh@agnesirwin.org or 610-801-1231. Thank you for your continued efforts to stay safe and work with the school to keep it safe.

Warmly,

Sally Keidel
Head of School 

"The Inter-Academic Athletic League Heads of School and Directors of Athletics are closely monitoring the decreasing number of COVID-19 cases in our surrounding counties, as well as guidelines provided by our local counties, CHOP PolicyLab, and the CDC.

Beginning March 1, 2021, League schools are permitted to commence athletic activities for spring sports in accordance with local and school guidelines. Additionally, the League plans to proceed with a spring schedule that includes Inter-Ac, as well as non-league competition.

Consistent with the fall and winter seasons, individual schools may choose in which sports they will participate without consequence from the league. Additional information about schedules and health and safety protocols will be forthcoming. At this time, opposing teams' spectators will not be permitted at contests. League schools will communicate their individual policies for home team spectators. Should current trends reverse, and numbers of infections increase, this plan will be revisited."

AIS will begin Upper School spring sports practices today, and Middle School spring practices will begin on Monday, March 8. Student-athletes and coaches will wear masks at all times. Middle school practices will remain intramural, physically distanced and cohorted. Practice schedules for US are posted on the athletics webpage, and competition schedules for Upper School will be posted as they become available. Middle School practice schedules will be posted this week. We will continue to very closely monitor local, regional and national guidance on sport participation during the pandemic.

"The Inter-Academic Athletic League Heads of School and Directors of Athletics are meeting regularly to review the latest guidelines provided by our local counties, CHOP PolicyLab and the CDC. We remain optimistic that with strong protocols in place and vigilant adherence to state and local guidelines that we can move forward with an abbreviated winter sports season.

Beginning immediately, League schools are permitted to conduct athletic activities in accordance with local and school guidelines. Schools will begin League-only play the week of February 1, and the winter sports season will conclude by February 28, 2021.

Individual schools may choose in which sports they will participate without consequence from the league. Additional information about schedules, health and safety protocols will be forthcoming, including the high probability of extremely limited numbers of spectators at venues."

AIS will resume Middle and Upper School winter sports activities on Monday, January 11. All indoor activities, except swimming and diving during active participation, will be masked at all times. Middle school practices will remain intramural, socially distanced and cohorted. Practice schedules will be posted to the athletics website today, and competition schedules for Upper School will be posted as soon as they are available. We will continue to very closely monitor local, regional and national guidance on sport participation during the pandemic.

• PreK-Grade 6: Lorraine Lampe, llampe@agnesirwin.org
• Grades 7-12: Kristine Birkmire, kbirkmire@agnesirwin.org

Schedule Change & Community Update
November 19, 2020

Dear AIS Community,

I am writing today to let you know of a change to our learning mode for the coming week as well as to inform you of a situation involving our 10th grade.

Virtual Learning for 11/23 and 11/24
As we head into the upcoming Thanksgiving break, we are seeing a significant increase in the number of families requesting remote instruction for their daughters on Monday and Tuesday. Given the high percentage of families requesting this option, we believe operating in a single mode of instruction is in the best interest of maintaining a strong academic delivery for our students. Therefore, classes for all students will be held virtually on Monday, 11/23 and Tuesday 11/24.

10th Grade Update
Out of an abundance of caution, our COVID Response Team and senior leadership made the decision to send the 10th grade home today after learning that over the weekend, there were multiple gatherings of 10th grade students that were in violation of our Community Agreement. While there are no known positive COVID cases in the 10th grade at this time, this type of behavior increases risk for our entire community, and we take it extremely seriously. We made the decision to send the 10th grade home today to allow time for our team to evaluate the extent of the situation and contact trace as needed.

Our team has already been in touch with anyone who needs to quarantine, and if you have not been contacted directly, you do not need to quarantine. Teachers and siblings of 10th grade students who were not contacted do not need to quarantine. Should the situation change, our contact tracers will reach out immediately. Regardless, as we ask you daily, you should still watch for symptoms consistent with COVID-19. Anyone who develops any of these symptoms should stay home and contact your physician as well as the appropriate school contact:

• PreK-Grade 6: Lorraine Lampe, llampe@agnesirwin.org
• Grades 7-12: Kristine Birkmire, kbirkmire@agnesirwin.org
• Employees: Michele Blickley, mblickley@agnesirwin.org

Being a member of The Agnes Irwin School community means that we each must take necessary steps to stay well and protect each other, on campus and beyond. It is critical that we are accountable to each other, knowing that our individual choices affect our community as a whole. We expect all those who are a part of our school to agree to take responsibility for their own health, for the protection of others, and for the collective wellbeing of the AIS community, working in partnership to help keep us safe from the spread of COVID-19.

As a parent of two adolescents, I am living alongside you the challenge of supporting our children's natural inclination to connect socially on the weekend while also trying to determine what is safe. My children are both new at their schools this year and they are eager to make connections. With rising rates in our area and the recent guidance from the PA Department of Health, I am keeping my children home with us when they are not at school. We are saying no to social gatherings. We want to do our part to help stop the spread. I am asking all parents, along with our faculty and staff, to make the same decisions. We all must do our part to protect in-person instruction and our community health.

While the Thanksgiving holiday will look different for many of us this year, I hope your family is able to find opportunities for gratitude, rest, and joy.  We will miss seeing your daughters in person over the next few weeks, but look forward to a reunion on December 7.

Warmly,

Sally Keidel
Head of School 

Dear Agnes Irwin Community,

The incidence rates of COVID-19 are on the rise in Pennsylvania and in Delaware County, and the related guidance for schools is rapidly evolving. These rising rates are very concerning, and I know many of you are wondering about our plans for the winter months. I am writing to you today to provide some clarity on this topic.

As it has been throughout the year, our goal continues to be to offer in-person instruction for students as long as we are able to do so safely, based on the guidance of local health officials and medical experts. This guidance, at times, can be contradictory and change quickly. Please know that we are closely monitoring the data, gathering new information as it becomes available, and consulting with our local health department and medical experts as we work to make decisions for our school that are in the best interest of the health and safety of our community.

Today, neighboring Montgomery County announced a mandate requiring all schools to move to virtual instruction for a two-week period from Nov. 23 to Dec. 6 to counter rising rates. Our own county health authority, Chester County Health Department (which oversees Delaware County), stated on Wednesday that the Department is "in support of Delaware County schools continuing in their current instructional model plans while continuing to monitor data against the thresholds."

The thresholds referenced are part of CCHD's revised recommendations for schools in considering a move between instructional modes. The Health Department has indicated that these thresholds are intended as guidelines only, and should be considered along with other data, including evidence of linked transmission within a school and a school community's adherence to established safety measures. We are fortunate that at this time, there is no evidence of linked transmission (person-to-person) within our school. To date, we have had a total of two PCR-confirmed COVID cases at AIS since in-person learning began in September, an incident rate of well less than 1 percent. This indicates that our safety protocols are working, and at this point in time, we believe on-campus learning can continue.

While we plan to continue in-person instruction, we are closely monitoring community transmission rates and recommendations from consulting health authorities and medical experts. We could transition to a hybrid or virtual model quickly, should conditions change in such a way that it is in the best interest of our community to do so. All of our teachers engaged in professional development this summer around best practices for remote learning, and should we need to move to hybrid or virtual instruction, I am confident that our girls will benefit from a thoughtful, dynamic educational experience.

What factors will be considered when deciding whether to move to hybrid or virtual instruction? 

• Recommendations from our local health department, PA Department of Health, and the CDC
• Evidence of linked transmission within our school — COVID-19 spread in classrooms or school buildings
• Lack of staffing due to illness, contact tracing quarantine requirements, or childcare complications as other schools and childcare facilities shut down. Absence rates among teachers, proctors, nurses, maintenance or custodial staff could inhibit our ability to cover in-person classrooms, keep school operations running smoothly, staff our health centers, or disinfect our buildings nightly and throughout the day. 

The biggest takeaway from conversations with our consulting health authorities is that responsible behavior is integral to ensuring our community stays safe and our school can remain open as long as possible. We must all be extremely cautious in our daily interactions, both in and out of school:

• Wear face masks and practice social distancing in public and whenever you are around others besides your immediate family, including close friends. Remember that your "COVID bubble" may be larger than you think.
• Do not attend or hold large gatherings or parties.
• Do not hold sleepovers, birthday parties, etc., even if small.
• Wear masks while carpooling.
• Do not travel to a state on Pennsylvania's high-risk list; if travel is necessary, you must quarantine for 14 days upon returning.
• Monitor your health and your daughter's health daily, and complete the daily symptom tracker honestly.
• When in doubt, keep your daughter home. 

The past nine months have been difficult for all of us, with milestones missed, anxieties high, and many of the typical rhythms of life interrupted by the pandemic. While we all long for a sense of normalcy, we must continue to cultivate a school culture where we take these sacrifices in stride, consciously choosing to care for the health and wellbeing of our families, school, and greater community. I'm grateful for your continued partnership. 

Sincerely,

Sally Keidel
Head of School

Dear Agnes Irwin Families,

As we approach Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, we continue to evaluate our safety protocols and the academic calendar, as well as monitor current virus rates and predicted trends. We are writing to request your continued support of our school's safety protocols and to share several changes to the academic calendar as we work to ensure the health and safety of the Agnes Irwin community.

Reinforcement of Protocols
We have had a successful re-opening of school and are happy to have completed two months of in-person instruction. We are learning that there is minimal linked transmission in schools when the entire community adheres to the safety protocols in place. As we learn to live with the realities of the pandemic, we must continue to be vigilant, both inside and outside of school. We ask that families support our efforts by limiting social interactions on the weekends, refraining from hosting social gatherings of students and families, and by requiring students to wear masks when carpooling. Attached here is an image you may find helpful in reminding your daughter of the importance of maintaining a small "COVID bubble" to limit exposure and keep her, your family, and our community safe. Your partnership is key to our ability to continue in-person learning for our students in the coming months.

Upcoming Calendar Changes
As we look toward the upcoming holidays and anticipated travel schedules, we have decided that out of an abundance of caution, all grades (PreK to Grade 12) will operate in virtual learning mode for the week following the Thanksgiving holiday, as well as the week following winter break.

Post-Thanksgiving
Monday, November 30: Inservice Day; no school for students 
Tuesday, December 1 to Friday, December 4: All grades (PreK to Grade 12) in virtual learning mode; no in-person classes
Monday, December 7: In-person classes resume for all grades

Post-Winter Break
Monday, January 4 to Friday, January 8: All grades (PreK to Grade 12) in virtual learning mode; no in-person classes
Monday, January 11: In-person classes resume for all grades 

While COVID-19 illness has continued to increase throughout the country, our efforts to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in our school community have so far been successful. Agnes Irwin's contact tracing and access to timely test results help mitigate transmission of the disease, as do our protocols for masks, social distancing and handwashing. Looking ahead, however, local and national health experts warn that gatherings of family and friends over the Thanksgiving and winter holidays, and the return home of college students, will increase the transmission of the virus and the incidence of COVID-19 illness. 

Families and individuals have sacrificed so much in the last eight months. We sincerely hope that everyone can design a Thanksgiving celebration and winter holiday that will bring you happiness and peace. Knowing that this will (based on our parent survey results) involve travel and socializing with extended family, the prudent response on our part is to switch to all-virtual instruction for the weeks of November 30-December 4 and January 4-8. We ask that families who travel out of the local area return home by November 30 and January 4 so we can ensure a safe return to campus the following week.

Furthermore, as noted in our Agnes Irwin Agreement, all families who travel to a "hot state" during the school break will need to complete a 14-day quarantine upon their return to Pennsylvania as recommended by the PA Department of Health. 

Given the evolving nature of the pandemic, it may become necessary to make additional calendar changes in the coming months. We recognize that the changes we are announcing today could pose a hardship for some families. We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we all work to keep our community well. 

Sincerely,

Sally Keidel
Head of School

Health Protocols, Compliance Policies, and Additional Requirements for the 2020-21 School Year
September 23, 2020

Dear Parents,

As we get into the swing of fall classes, we felt it important to share with you additional details about Agnes Irwin's health protocols, discipline policies, and requirements for students and families for the 2020-21 school year. Please carefully review the information below. Should you have additional questions, please reach out to your division director or Bethel Mackiewicz, COVID Response Team Captain.

Download Information Below as a PDF

What to Expect in Response to a Failed Health Screening, Symptoms, Illness, COVID Cases, or Exposure

The flow chart above (view larger size in our policies PDF) details what to expect in the event that an Agnes Irwin student fails a morning health screening, has symptoms of an illness, has been exposed to a positive COVID-19 case, or tests positive for COVID-19.

These protocols, which have been created with guidance from the CDC and the Chester County Health Department, will be used by our nursing staff to determine the timing of and requirements for your daughter's return to campus. Employees must abide by the same reentry guidelines.

These guidelines may change as medical guidance evolves; all decisions regarding reentry are at the discretion of our nursing staff and COVID-19 Response Team. Please refer to the policies PDF for a more detailed explanation of this chart.

Sick Policies & Absences

To ensure the health and safety of our community, our school is operating out of an abundance of caution and has a very low threshold for illness this year. Should your daughter arrive at school with flu-like or COVID-19 symptoms or begin experiencing these symptoms on campus, she will be escorted to the nurse's office, evaluated, and quarantined in a designated section of our Health Center until she is picked up by a parent or guardian. When in doubt, please keep your daughter at home. Please report all absences to your appropriate division:

• LSAttendance@agnesirwin.org
• MSAttendance@agnesirwin.org
• USAttendance@agnesirwin.org

Where to Send Test Results & Documentation

All COVID-19 test results or other paperwork required for reentry should be sent to the appropriate staff member: 

• Lower School: Lorraine Lampe: Llampe@agnesirwin.org
• Middle & Upper School: Kristine Birkmire: KBirkmire@agnesirwin.org

Compliance

We greatly appreciate your partnership this school year. As we work to keep our community safe, we have added several safety parameters around student life. Failure to comply will prohibit your daughter from coming on campus.

Required Forms
All families are required to complete several important forms prior to the start of the school year that are currently past due: a 2020-21 waiver, the Agnes Irwin Agreement, and contact tracing form. You can view a checklist and links here.

AUXS Screening App
All families have been asked to download the Agnes Irwin Safety App and complete a daily COVID-19 screening with their daughter prior to 7:30 a.m. each school day. Any student who has not completed the screening will be screened on-site and only allowed into the building after passing our screening protocols. If your daughter does not pass the morning screening, you will receive a phone call by 8 a.m. for clarification.

If your daughter will be absent from school, you must provide this information to the appropriate division. Selecting "no" when asked if she will be on campus is not an automatic report of absence.

COVID-19 Discipline Policy
All students have signed our community agreement to follow the highest standard of risk-mitigation on campus and at home. This includes, but is not limited to: washing your hands frequently with warm soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds, wearing a face mask, and maintaining a distance of 6 feet or more from others. If students are repeatedly found to be in noncompliance with any of these requirements, they will be required to enroll in the AIS@Home program. Please read the full policy here.

Thank you again for your partnership in keeping our community safe. 

Dear Parents,

This week, your daughters will be returning to campus for orientations that will help prepare them for a successful start to the 2020-2021 school year. We couldn't be more excited for the learning and growth that is ahead for your girls. The school buildings have been abuzz with opening meetings for new and returning faculty and staff over the last two weeks and we cannot wait to see your daughters every school day whether in-person or on the screen —we have missed them! As we shared with you in our reopening plan, we have spent the summer months preparing for the upcoming school year and the unique opportunities and challenges inherent in the school year. I am confident that we are Ready for Anything and that our work and planning will offer an exceptional education to the girls in our care.

Theme for the Year
As we have thought about the upcoming year, we have developed a theme of COMMUNITY to guide our work together. What has become apparent to me over the last six months is that we are stronger together and we can and should rely on each other. As educators, we know that when students are connected to each other and their teachers, they feel that bond and they develop a sense of belonging which leads to successful academic engagement and positive self-esteem. When students feel a connection to their community, they show more motivation, engagement, and self-efficacy. There is much intention built into the daily life of the girls in our care that helps to reinforce their belonging: morning meeting in Lower School, Parliament in Middle School, advisory in Upper School, school assemblies to share common messages, and much more. We know that you, as families, have chosen Agnes Irwin because you seek that for your daughters and because you want to be part of a community which shares the same values.

Re-opening Safely
We are living through unprecedented times. None of us know exactly what to expect during the next few weeks and months, but the Agnes Irwin team is working hard to make school safe for our children, faculty, staff and community. While the 2020-21 school year will look different, we are fortunate that our school has the space and resources to enable all of our students to be on campus at one time as detailed in our phased repopulation plans. All community members will need to do their part outside of school in order to keep the AIS community safe. Our mission and core values are the foundation for the work we do. Fostering connection with and supporting students are our goals, and the policies and procedures we have in place are designed to help nurture the feeling of community and belonging. Our goal is to always make the learning environment a safe and supportive place for girls to learn, grow, and challenge themselves to stretch beyond their limits.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Critical to this connection to our community is ensuring that every girl feels valued, respected and engaged in her AIS experience. Diversity of experience, thought, and ideas is not only a pillar of the School but also an integral part of the learning process, and we will continue to equip our students and our faculty, staff, and administration with the opportunities and tools to build an inclusive and equitable community. In June closing staff meetings and August opening meetings, we led educators through workshops on Culturally Competent and Anti-Racist Teaching Practice, and this summer, all members of the Board of Trustees and all members of the faculty and staff have engaged in their personal DEI journey through reading, reflection and discussions led by our DEI coordinators, which will continue throughout the fall. Department chairs have begun the important work of curricular audits, a process they began preparing for last year by studying Gloria Ladson-Billings' work about culturally responsive teaching practice. Our Virtual Summer Program for students also featured courses on current events, social justice, democracy and civic engagement across disciplines. Over 400 members of our community engaged in the Summit for Racial Justice we hosted in mid-July (you can watch several recordings from the conference on our school's Vimeo page). Soon you will be hearing from John Gomes with an invitation to join year four of our Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) program for parents. This will be one of many offerings for parents to engage in this work in support of our daughters.

Summer Preparations
We have spent the summer completing numerous projects essential to our safe return to campus. Last week, large tents arrived that we will use for student orientations as well as classes when they are in session on campus. We have also installed signage and directional markings to remind students of healthy hygiene habits, and to help ensure proper social distancing. We launched our daily screening mobile app to all employees and families, and have continued hiring additional faculty and nurses to ensure appropriate staffing across our classrooms and campus. We have completed a thorough assessment of our heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems to ensure proper filtration and maximization of outdoor airflow across our system.

We will continue sharing additional updates with all families as we walk through the opening weeks of school, and we appreciate your partnership as we continue to provide your daughters a joyful educational experience that is centered around learning, growth, and safety. We are honored you have shared your daughters with us and we look forward to a wonderful academic year ahead. We hope your family enjoys the waning days of summer.

Regards,

Sally Keidel
Head of School

An Update on Our Return to Campus Plans
August 18, 2020

Dear AIS Community,

I write today to follow up on the AIS Reopening Plan we shared with you on August 7. As you know, our intended plan was to return to on-campus learning for the start of the school year, and we have been looking forward to our students' return to campus. Due to the dynamic nature of the pandemic, however, we acknowledged this plan was fluid, and a key input would be guidance from local and state health officials.

Together with other heads of schools in the area, I have been in regular contact with the Chester County Health Department regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, which has responsibility for and authority over both Chester and Delaware counties during this emergency. Last Friday, the Health Department recommended that all public and private K-12 schools in Chester and Delaware counties begin their academic year virtually and assess their ability to transition to a more in-person instructional model after October 9, 2020. The Health Department believes this will "mitigate any impact anticipated by increased cases due to the end of the summer holiday" and ensure school districts have the necessary time to implement the Department's guidance.

We have also been reviewing policy recommendations from the medical experts at CHOP PolicyLab, which has provided guidance for schools to reopen for in-person instruction. These recommendations have been particularly insightful for a school of our size, which has the ability to cohort students with small class sizes and maintain social distancing practices, as part of a robust health and safety plan in line with recommendations from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. I have also been in regular, direct consultation regarding our reopening plans with Dr. David Rubin, Director of CHOP PolicyLab, and Dr. Adrianna Bravo, a consultant working with the National Association of Independent Schools to provide day schools and boarding schools with guidance on their reopening plans.

Based on this guidance, we have made the decision to begin the school year in a phased reopening model. We will begin the week of September 9 with in-person instruction for PreK-Grade 4 and virtually for Middle and Upper School girls using the AIS Online platform. Middle and Upper School students will return to campus in phases over the course of the month, and we intend to hold in-person student orientation sessions for all grades the week of September 8 as planned; details are forthcoming from your division directors this week. Parents who wish to keep their children at home will still have the option to self-select online learning, and should email the appropriate division for more information or to select this option (LSathome@agnesirwin.org, MSathome@agnesirwin.org, or USathome@agnesirwin.org).

As we methodically repopulate campus in September, grades that have not yet returned to campus will begin learning virtually using the improved AIS Online program. This phased schedule for a return to campus will enable AIS to carefully monitor the health and safety of all students, faculty, and staff while ensuring all students are able to start the school year. We are starting with Lower School students in light of recommendations from consulting medical experts, and in consideration of our youngest students' developmental need for focused instruction. We are confident that with small class sizes, we can maintain a safe environment for these girls to learn and develop. We will share additional details on our plan for the start of the school year in the coming days. Over the summer, teachers have been participating in training and preparing for more robust virtual learning experiences for our girls that includes more synchronous instructional time, more community time, and an additional focus on individual attention. Our teachers are eager to put their professional development into practice, engaging students in meaningful teaching and learning in an online environment and in person, as circumstances require.

While we all want to return to a more "normal" school life, please know that this decision is driven by our need to strike the important balance between our very real and understandable desire to have our students back on campus, and the also very real and understandable public health concerns. Some of you may believe the decision to implement a phased reopening is the right one and others may disagree; I am thankful for all of the feedback and perspectives that have been and will be shared and look forward to continuing honest and consistent communication with you. We will continue to track data in our region and consult with health experts to inform our transition back to in-person instruction in the fall. We appreciate your flexibility in allowing us to be nimble as the school year gets underway. 

As both a parent of a new student as well as an educator, I understand the concerns and the challenges this presents, particularly the uncertainty we are all trying to navigate. One of the things I have loved about AIS in even just my brief time as Head of School is how we envelope and support each other in challenging times. I am grateful to be a part of this community as we face these challenges together. I look forward to seeing your daughters on campus soon.

Sincerely,

Sally B. Keidel
Head of School

An Update from the Head of School
August 16, 2020

Dear AIS Community,

I wanted to share a brief update with you about Agnes Irwin's plans for the start of the school year.

Together with other heads of schools in the area, I have been in regular contact regarding the COVID-19 pandemic with the Chester County Health Department, which has responsibility for and authority over both Chester and Delaware counties during this emergency. Late Friday afternoon, the Health Department recommended that all public and private K-12 schools in Chester and Delaware counties begin their academic year virtually and assess their ability to transition to a more in-person instructional model after October 9, 2020. The Health Department believes this will "mitigate any impact anticipated by increased cases due to the end of the summer holiday" and ensure schools have the necessary time to implement the Department's guidance. Please click here to view the Health Department's full document, including detailed metrics for when schools should move between phases.

Agnes Irwin's administration and Board of Trustees are currently reviewing the County's guidance, and we plan to share an update with you on our reopening plans by end of day Tuesday.

I appreciate your partnership as we collectively navigate these uncertain and challenging times.

Sincerely,

Sally B. Keidel
Head of School

Agnes Irwin's Reopening Plan for Fall 2020
August 7, 2020

Dear Agnes Irwin Community,

Since campus closed last March, we have been looking forward to our students' eventual return to campus. This summer, our school's COVID-19 taskforce, in consultation with the Board of Trustees, has been diligently working to scenario plan using the latest guidance of medical experts and our regional and national networks, as well as valuable feedback from current parents and faculty and staff. With that in mind, I am pleased to present to you Ready for Anything: Agnes Irwin's Reopening Plan for Fall 2020.

View the Reopening Plan

In developing this plan, our team has valued thorough and thoughtful planning, balanced with pragmatism and the need to be nimble while navigating a dynamic situation like the COVID-19 pandemic. I offer this plan to clarify our goals for the 2020-2021 academic year and give you information you need to successfully navigate this year with your daughter. Here are a few highlights of what you can expect to find in the plan:

• We plan to return to on-campus learning this fall. All on-campus learners must attend orientation on September 8, and classes for all students will begin on September 9.
• All students, PreK-Grade 12, have the opportunity to engage in on-campus learning, five days a week. Families can also self-select remote learning for six weeks at a time.
• New health and safety policies and protocols — including physical distancing measures, increased sanitation efforts, and daily symptom monitoring procedures — are being implemented to keep all members of our community safe.
• All students and parents will be required to sign our "Agnes Irwin Agreement" prior to the start of school, promising to abide by guidelines intended to protect all members of our community. More information about this agreement (and collection procedures) will be shared in the coming weeks.  
• Should remote learning be required at some point this school year, students will benefit from several changes to our program, including more synchronous instruction and additional opportunities for community time, among other adaptations.

These protocols have been created based on guidance from health officials and best practices in educating girls. Due to the dynamic nature of the pandemic, we expect that aspects of this plan will change throughout the coming weeks as new information becomes available. I will provide regular updates to you as our plans evolve, as well as opportunities for you to provide feedback. In the coming week, you will also hear from your daughter's division director about opportunities to learn more about information specific to your daughter's division. 

Through clear communication and partnership between the School and each of our families, we are entering this "new normal" with a sense of optimism and hope.

Sincerely,

Sally Keidel
Head of School

Inter-Academic Athletic League Statement
August 3, 2020

Over the past several weeks, the Inter-Academic Athletic League member schools have thoughtfully discussed the importance of opening our schools safely for the fall semester, and the vital role that sports play within our school communities. In order to accomplish our goal of safely opening schools, the Inter-Academic Athletic League will delay the start of fall sports until September 14. Member schools may continue to hold strength and conditioning activities for student-athletes from August 1 through August 21. Beginning on August 22, member schools will suspend activities for a minimum of two weeks (determined at each school's discretion). Member schools may begin fall practices in preparation for League-only competition on September 14. Updated schedules for the 2020 fall season are being finalized and will be available shortly. The situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve and remains very fluid. The League schools will continue to evaluate additional information as it becomes available and utilize this information to alter these plans in the best interest of the safety and welfare of our community. 

Additionally, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Middle School interscholastic competition for the fall season. Each member school is developing a plan for middle school students that meets the goals of keeping our middle school students engaged, healthy and happy. The League schools will continue to monitor and evaluate additional information as it becomes available. At this time, our plan is to maintain our winter Middle School interscholastic season. However, as the situation continues to evolve we may alter these plans in the best interest of the safety and welfare of our community.

Dear Agnes Irwin Families,

It has been two weeks since I began my tenure at The Agnes Irwin School. Since then, I have spent time working with the administration to plan for the 2020-2021 academic year.

The Agnes Irwin School was founded in the spirit of innovation and boldness, and this past year, we have truly embraced that energy in our school as we responded to the challenges of COVID-19. I am proud of the thoughtful work that went into navigating the spring as each member of our community participated in reimagining our program, reinventing the art of teaching, pioneering new methods of learning, building connections in creative ways, bringing forth some of our most sacred traditions, and creating new ones, in that remote landscape.

As we look forward to the fall, there remains a tremendous amount of uncertainty. Our COVID-19 taskforce is intensely monitoring the evolving situation regarding the pandemic. We have enlisted the support of our regional and national networks, including the National Coalition of Girls Schools, and are using guidance from medical experts at the local, regional, and national levels, including CHOP PolicyLab and the CDC, to find ways to best mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and use what we know to reimagine school at Agnes Irwin for the 2020-2021 year.

Because of the dynamic nature of the pandemic, I write to you today to give you some high level information related to the start of school that will help you begin thinking about the fall for your family. It is my intention to be in regular contact with you for the remainder of the summer leading up to September to keep you informed as our plans are finalized. Toward the end of this letter, there is also a link to a survey requesting your feedback before July 30 to help inform our plans for the start of school.

Will our campus reopen for in-person instruction?
It is our primary goal that students will safely return to school this fall for in-person instruction, and we are planning new schedules, updating safety and cleaning protocols, rearranging classrooms to adhere to CDC physical distancing guidelines, maximizing our outdoor spaces, and utilizing other innovative strategies that will allow us to welcome students to school. Of course, while in-person instruction is our preferred scenario, our plans are based on state and federal regulations and may change as the pandemic progresses. We are preparing for all scenarios and are committed to offering the outstanding educational program expected of Agnes Irwin, whether live on campus, in a hybrid-learning scenario, or in a virtual classroom. As the local, state, and federal regulations currently stand, we believe that Lower School will be able to resume at full capacity in the fall when we are on campus. We are working to ensure the same for Middle School and Upper School through a thorough review of the capacity of all of our facilities, including classrooms, as well as shared community and outdoor spaces.

What will it be like on campus?
The health and safety of our community is our top priority and we are focusing our planning on reimagining our program to intentionally cultivate a rich experience for each of our students. Some key parts of what we are planning include the following, in accordance with recommendations released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health:

• Masks will be required for every person while on campus and other personal protective equipment will be present across campus.
• Appropriate physical distancing will be required, with classrooms set up to allow for six feet in between student desks; all desks will face the same direction.
• Class dismissal times will be staggered to minimize the number of students in hallways during transitions.
• All community members will be asked to wash their hands several times per day among other required hygiene practices.
• All community members will be asked to monitor their symptoms at home, and should not come to school if experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 on campus will be escorted to a designated area where they will be monitored by health staff while they await pick-up.
• We will place restrictions on access to campus by visitors.
• We are considering virtual events where possible, and other options that will position us to offer the quality of program that is synonymous with the Agnes Irwin experience.

We recognize that, to decrease the potential for another wave of coronavirus, there will likely be health guidelines in place which may impact the logistics of how we engage with one another. We will, of course, follow these directives and communicate with you well in advance of our plans for the safety and welfare of our community, but also know that these directives will not dampen the enthusiasm for a new academic year.

What will the daily schedule be like?
As has always been our practice, we are carefully designing the 2020-2021 daily schedule based on what is best for girls. Some of the options we have explored include all students on campus together, staggered schedules with smaller groups of students coming to campus on alternate weeks, staying in cohorts by age, and adjusted start and ending times. Our final decisions about scheduling will be reflective of the nature of the pandemic at the time, with the safety of our students, faculty and staff as our utmost priority.

Will campus close during the 2020-2021 school year?
It is unclear how the pandemic will evolve over the next weeks and months. We are committed, no matter the circumstance, to providing an outstanding academic program, connection to the community, and the balance of care and challenge that AIS offers each day. One of the most important lessons we've learned this year is that planning too far in advance is not useful in an evolving situation, as there is new information to digest and use to inform plans every day. We are preparing for multiple scenarios, but recognize the need to be flexible, respond to new data, and pivot those plans.

What will school be like if campus closes?
In early June, we sent a survey to families asking for your feedback on AIS Online. We heard from families representing every grade level in our school and we have been using this data to prepare for the next iteration of AIS Online, should it become necessary to implement online instruction at some point this coming year.

A few key themes that we heard from you are the importance of:

• Outstanding academics consistent with the Agnes Irwin on-campus experience
• Balance of social-emotional support and rigorous academics
• Meaningful connections between student and teacher
• Balance of flexibility and consistency
• Clear, consistent communication
• Agile use of technology and necessary tech support

In the event we must implement AIS Online this school year, we will evolve the program to include those aspects that are most important to our community and those which will guarantee the strongest academic experience for students, including increased opportunities for synchronous, meaningful connection with faculty, staff and administrators, balanced with rich asynchronous learning, and a deliberate focus on social-emotional wellbeing. We are committed to providing an experience that honors who we are, allows us to execute our mission, live into our core values, and provide an outstanding educational experience rooted in best practice for girls. We know that uncertainty requires us to be nimble and pragmatic and will necessitate flexibility, grace, collaboration, and innovation.

How can I provide feedback?
We know that the nature of COVID-19 will require us to continue to reflect on and evolve our plans. Since the last time we asked for your feedback, much has changed, and many of your perspectives may be different now based on new information we've received about the pandemic and recommendations for school in the fall. To support us in planning for school, we want to make sure we hear from you as often as possible. Here you will find another short survey that will help us gauge where our community is today and inform our planning in coming weeks. Please complete this survey by Thursday, July 30.

While we cannot at this time provide our specific plans for September, we will remain in touch with you. You can expect to hear from us again by August 10. In addition, prior to the start of school, you will receive detailed policies, procedures, and guidelines designed to keep our community safe. In the meantime, if you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me; Camille Seals, Assistant Head of School for Academics & Inclusive Excellence; or your child's division director with questions.

I am so proud to have joined a community of educators who leaned in and built an outstanding program for Agnes Irwin students last spring. I am confident that we are well positioned as a school to move into this next school year thoughtfully and with what is best for our girls at the center. I admire the accomplishments of the team so far and look forward to leading us through this challenging time. 

Please be well and be safe.

Sincerely,

Athletics Preseason Announcements and Reminders
June 18, 2020

Dear Agnes Irwin Families,

I hope this email finds you well and enjoying summer vacation! After a long spring, with many adjustments for AIS student-athletes and the cancellation of spring seasons due to COVID-19, the Athletics Department has been excitedly preparing for the upcoming fall season. We can't wait to welcome the girls back to campus this fall, and are busy planning for a number of different athletics scenarios that could be in play pending the developing COVID-19 situation and guidance. Please read below for several important updates and reminders about the fall season.

COVID-19 UPDATE

AIS is closely monitoring the CDC, PA.gov, the National Federation of High School Sports and several other governing bodies for recommendations and guidance on the return of interscholastic sports. At this moment in time, the Athletics Department is planning for a normal return to Upper School fall sports beginning with preseason on August 24 and a normal return for Middle School fall sports beginning on September 10. 

We are well aware that developing information, guidance and local government requirements may impact our return to normal sports, and we will send updates as they become available should normal operations be impacted. In the meantime, I felt it was important to provide as much information as possible right now, to aid in your family's planning over the summer, so you are aware of the participation requirements should we return to normal operations for the fall season.

PA YELLOW PHASE RETURN TO SPORT GUIDANCE

The Athletic Department is working closely with school administration to develop a plan to return to sports at Agnes Irwin during the yellow phase. The Governor's guidelines permit outdoor sports activity only for non-PIAA schools, and we are in active development of an Athletics Health and Safety Plan in accordance with the guidelines. This plan will allow Upper School Field Hockey, Soccer and Tennis to resume skill-based training on campus under the supervision of AIS coaches. Families with an Upper School daughter who has signed up for Field Hockey, Soccer and Tennis should expect an email with further details regarding scheduling, safety precautions, rules and regulations for yellow phase workouts in the coming week. Additionally, the Athletics Health and Safety Plan for yellow phase workouts will be posted on the Athletics section of the AIS website when complete.

IMPORTANT FALL SPORTS INFORMATION

UPPER SCHOOL
Fall preseason for Upper School cross country, field hockey, soccer, tennis, and volleyball will begin on Monday, August 24, and all student-athletes are required to attend preseason in full in order to play on a fall sports team. Preseason practice and competition schedules can be found on the team pages in the Athletics section of the school website.  The fall rowing program for Upper School students is tentatively scheduled to begin on Friday, September 11. Additional information about this club program will be emailed to program registrants in the coming weeks.

MIDDLE SCHOOL
Team sports for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Middle School students, including cross country, field hockey, soccer, tennis, and volleyball, will begin with students meeting coaches on Thursday, September 10. Middle school practices will begin Friday, September 11. Please see the Middle School fall sports information letter on the Athletics resource board in AIS-On.

ATHLETIC PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS
The following requirements must be met prior to any and all aspects of participation in athletics for grades 6-12: 

• A current physical examination, one year from the date of the last completed physical (on a rolling basis), must be on file with Jeannine Kelly, MS/US Nurse. As a reminder, physical forms are due July 15. Please email your updated physical to physicals@agnesirwin.org by July 15. We recognize many doctors' offices have not offered routine physical exams in recent months; if you anticipate an issue with your daughter having a valid physical on-file prior to the start of her fall sports season, please email physicals@agnesirwin.org.
• Each student-athlete and a parent or guardian must complete Concussion and Sudden Cardiac Arrest education (SCA) each year.
• Upper School Student-Athletes and Parents are required to read the Upper School Parent and Student-Athlete Handbook. Once you have reviewed the handbook and viewed the Concussion and SCA presentation, please fill out the acknowledgment and driving permission form, which can also be found on AIS-On.
• Middle School Student-Athletes and Parents are required to read the Middle School Parent and Student-Athlete Handbook. Once you have reviewed the handbook and viewed the Concussion and SCA presentation, please fill out the acknowledgment form, which can also be found on AIS-On. 
• All athletes in grades 6-12 are required to take a baseline ImPACT test. Baseline tests are valid for two years. Athletes will be required to update their baseline test on an as-needed basis, and this test is administered at school. Upper School fall athletes needing to update their baseline test will complete the testing during preseason practice times. 

The athletics website will continue to be updated with scheduling information for fall sports. To stay up-to-date on scheduling additions and changes, I encourage you to check the website often and sign up for the scheduling alerts.

BEING PREPARED TO RETURN TO SPORT
To ensure the safe return to sport for all student athletes this fall, we highly recommend your daughter stay physically active over the summer. Not only does physical activity help prepare her for the fall sports season, but also provides mental health benefits. We are in a unique situation this year, as we did not have organized spring or summer competitions, which help prepare the body for the stress of a fall sport. Lack of physical activity leading into preseason can increase risk of injury. Physical preparation also includes proper hydration and nutrition. As the temperatures start to rise, girls should remember to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. AIS Strength & Conditioning (information below) is a great way for your daughter to be physically active and get ready for the fall season!

SUMMER STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

AIS is pleased to offer free summer strength and conditioning sessions for any girl in grades 6-12 who plans to play a sport at AIS next year. Sessions are led by our Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, Emily Janis, and Interested athletes should contact Coach Janis at ejanis@agnesirwin.org to sign up! Click here for more information.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer, and I look forward to seeing you on campus this fall!

All the best,

Courtney Lubbe
Athletic Director

Good evening,

Good Evening, It is after great consideration that Summer at AIS has decided to cancel all scheduled on-campus programming due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In order for currently registered families to make alternative plans,we believe it is necessary to promptly announce this decision. Please be aware that refunds for all current camp registrations will be issued this week.

While we cannot gather in-person on campus, we are pleased to be able to offer free, academic enrichment opportunities for Agnes Irwin students online this summer. These online offerings are being designed to provide a review of current grade level content and to introduce new academic concepts to students throughout the summer, in a primarily asynchronous setting for families interested in extra support. In the coming weeks, we will be updating our list of offerings on our sign-up portal; please visit the Summer at AIS website at that point for more information.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. We know that families may be considering many options for their daughters this summer and we are prepared to support you as you make plans that work best for your family.

Please feel free to contact summer@agnesirwin.org with any questions, or click here to schedule a meeting with Bethel Mackiewicz, Director of Auxiliary Programming. Be safe, and have a nice day.

Dear AIS Families,

It is fair to say that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented concerns to our region, and yet we have seen the strength and resilience of our community shine throughout the past weeks. Students, parents, faculty, staff and the community as a whole have come together in remarkable ways to fulfill our mission of empowering girls to learn, to lead, and to live a legacy, and AIS Online has ensured that our students are learning and growing! It is clear that the inquisitiveness and diligence of our students and the ingenuity and dedication of our faculty are boundless and cannot be contained by a stay at home order.

As we look toward May, we want to share with you some important updates, including plans for the 2020-21 school year, changes to this year's summer programming, and an expanded opportunity for tuition assistance this coming year. Please read on for more details.

Staying Connected
We are committed to maintaining our sense of community, a hallmark of our school, even as we are "together but apart." Over the past week, a team of AIS staff members began the process of making individual phone calls to each of our AIS families to check in about how everyone is doing. We have been delighted to hear examples of optimism and the character of our community, including many stories of how families are finding imaginative ways to delight in this newfound time together and relish the simplicity of activities. Thank you, also, for the many words of gratitude for the creativity and expertise of our teachers and staff—we are pleased to hear your positive assessments of the educational experiences we are providing for your daughters!

Besides the many interactions among teachers and students, it has also been wonderful to come together as adults in our community, gaining support from one another during grade-level and divisional coffees and virtual "carline" experiences.

Opening of the 2020-2021 School Year
We look forward to welcoming everyone back to campus this fall for in-person education, and plan to do so with the distinctive joy and excitement emblematic of a new academic year at AIS! We eagerly anticipate the squeals of delight from students upon seeing classmates and teachers, the promise and wonder of new classes and programs, and all the other things that signal the start to a new academic year.

We recognize that, to decrease the potential for another wave of coronavirus, there will likely be health guidelines in place which may impact the logistics of how we engage with one another. We will, of course, follow these directives and communicate with you well in advance of our plans for the safety and welfare of our community, but also know that these directives will not dampen the enthusiasm for a new academic year.

Changes to Summer 2020
In the past month, our administrative team has been hard at work developing protocols to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our community and best ensure that we can launch the new school year with confidence and efficiency. As we look toward the summer months and consider current guidance from the CDC, the PA Department of Health, and other authorities, we believe it is important that our campus remains lightly populated this summer in order to limit the possibility of exposure and increase the probability that athletic pre-season in August, opening sessions for faculty and staff in late August, and the opening day of school in September can all occur without disruption. For this reason, we have decided we will not hold on-campus summer programs, and instead, will offer families the option to engage in a suite of virtual classes and experiences for students across all three divisions, free of charge. You will hear more details soon about the specific programs that will be offered and the flexible approach being provided.

Community Support
All of us have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, from the stay-at-home orders to serious family health concerns and employment and business hardships. We understand that some members of our community have been especially affected by the financial ramifications of the health crisis, and it is our goal to support families as best we can through these uncertain times. In particular, we are implementing the following:

• Special tuition assistance program: With Board support, we have created a special one-year tuition assistance program for the 2020-2021 academic year to provide support for families experiencing significant financial hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis. Similar to the process used for awarding tuition assistance, families will need to submit a confidential application in addition to demonstrating the direct result of COVID-19 on their financial circumstances. A link to instructions and the application form can be found here. This application is due no later than May 13, 2020.
• Payment plan adjustments: We also recognize that the current pandemic has created a challenge to managing household finances. To help with this and with Board support, we have adjusted the timing of the 10-month tuition payment plan so that the first payment is due in July, not May as originally scheduled. A note was sent previously to those families who had indicated they were utilizing the 10-month payment plan. If you have any questions, please contact Noah Chai, Controller, in the Business Office at nchai@agnesirwin.org or 610-525-8400 ext. 1666.

The Agnes Irwin community is resilient, and we will overcome this challenging time together, supporting one another and looking out for each other. Our core value of community is palpable at this time and we are forever grateful to all of you.

Please be well and be safe.

Sincerely,

Dear Agnes Irwin Families,

t has been so wonderful, in this moment of global challenge and uncertainty, to see the smiling faces of our students appear on our screens during our remote learning this week. Their thoughtful words and expressions are the reason I chose to follow my heart into education. Yet today, truly I felt my heart sink when what I feared became a reality. This morning, Governor Wolf announced that all Pennsylvania schools, including private schools, will remain closed through the end of the academic year in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. Although many of us anticipated this, all of us were hoping to return to in-person learning this year, even if for just a few weeks. Although we appreciate the decisions being made in the best interest of public health and safety, I am saddened to confirm that The Agnes Irwin School will remain in remote learning mode for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year.

I know this is a sad and disappointing occasion for our students, who had hoped to return to campus this spring. Parents and guardians, I know this is difficult for you, too: both as you reflect on how this news will affect your girls, and what it means for the rhythms of your households.

I want to also speak directly to our beloved seniors and their parents. Your senior spring has not turned out the way any of you had planned or imagined. Like you, we are heartbroken that you are missing being together during your final months at The Agnes Irwin School. You are an amazing class and have done so much to make this year a positive one for the entire Upper School, and we very much appreciate your leadership. We want you to know that we are committed to honoring and celebrating you — the Class of 2020 — in the most robust way possible.

Please know that we, the teachers, staff, and administrators of AIS, look forward to our treasured spring traditions, including end of year ceremonies, as much as our students do. As I have shared with you previously, we have already begun the work of considering new ways to celebrate our community milestones with you this year, as it is prudent and possible to do so. We will share more details with you in the coming weeks.

While we can't be together in person, we are together virtually, and in spirit. We continue to be focused on educating your girls in the coming weeks, and know that now, more than ever, it is vital to rely on and gain strength from our supportive and caring community. We look forward to sharing more opportunities for our parent and school community to come together virtually in the near future. The Agnes Irwin community is strong and resilient, and we will get through this together, supporting one another, and looking out for each other.

I am sure you may have questions about this new information and its impact on your family. We will do our best to answer them as we move forward, and continue communicating with you regularly. Thank you for your continued patience, flexibility, and support as we navigate a truly unprecedented situation.

Be well and stay safe.

Wendy Hill
Head of School

Dear Agnes Irwin Families,

I hope this message finds you and your family doing well and that you are finding ways to adjust to this "new normal." Please know I am thinking about you and your children often. I miss seeing your daughters in person while experiencing the joy and vibrancy they bring to learning in our classrooms, art studios, science labs, and athletic fields.

Although our campus is closed, our school remains open virtually and teaching and learning continues. As we embark on our first full week of AIS Online, I want to share my sincere gratitude for the valuable feedback you provided after our two-day pilot prior to spring break. I am happy to report that the comments we received were largely positive, and also contained helpful suggestions that have guided some minor adjustments to our program.

I know that for many of our teachers, launching AIS Online felt like opening up an entirely new school; everyone began with excitement and a bit of trepidation about what to expect on the first morning. The transition from a classroom setting to a distance learning environment is quite an undertaking, and we are so proud of our girls for showing flexibility in adapting to this new teaching format. I thank our faculty and staff for all their hard work, and you, also, for your adaptability and flexibility as we navigate this uncharted territory together.

Timeline for Return to Campus 
We continue to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and assess the situation daily and are following the latest information to guide our decisions for this semester. Recently, Governor Wolf expanded the "Stay at Home" order to the entire state of Pennsylvania, extended the date through April 30, and stated that all Pennsylvania schools will remain closed until further notice, with an expected update from the Department of Education in the coming days. Based on this guidance, The Agnes Irwin School will remain in remote learning mode at least until April 30. We do not wish to make the decision today about the remainder of the school year, but acknowledge the challenges that are in front of our community which will impact our decision.

Spring Weekend
Our calendar for the 2019-2020 school year designated April 10-13 as Spring Weekend, with no classes or meetings scheduled. We know that many of our families are seeking to maintain as much structure as possible for their daughters at this time, but also recognize that other families (as well as our teachers) have made other plans for these four days.

In hearing both of these perspectives, we have decided that on Friday, April 10 and Monday, April 13, we will provide a series of optional enrichment activities for students and families, allowing everyone an opportunity to spend this holiday season in a way that best reflects their family circumstances. While faculty will not hold office hours and synchronous meetings on these days, students may also use this time to catch up on assignments, work independently on projects, and find opportunities to practice self-care. We will share additional information with you next week.

Event Cancellations
In recent days, the Federal COVID-19 Task Force extended social distancing guidelines through April 30, and the CDC issued domestic travel restrictions for our neighboring states, including New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. In an effort to continue to flatten the curve and in expectation of a lack of planning time, in addition to previous cancellations and postponements we have already announced, we are canceling all in-person events in April and the first week in May, including 6th Grade Medieval Night on April 23, the 5th Grade Musical Tale on May 7, and the 8th Grade Semi-Formal on May 8.

As I have communicated in previous emails, it is our hope to create space to carry on the customs and special traditions of our school to the extent we are able, while also following the guidelines our state and federal leaders have put in place. Our arts and technology teams are working hard to find creative solutions to provide our girls with meaningful opportunities for creative expression. We also are in discussion about ways to hold those end-of-year events most dear to us — including (but not limited to) Moving Up Day, the 8th Grade Closing Ceremony, Class Night, and Commencement — in alternative ways, and perhaps later in the summer, should that be necessary.

The Agnes Irwin community is compassionate, strong, and resilient. For 150 years, we have empowered girls to learn, to lead, and to live a legacy. This is an unprecedented time, and it will forever change us, our children, and the way we view the world.

Over spring break, I emailed our students and asked them to reflect on what they would say to Miss Agnes Irwin if they could speak to her now, 150 years after she first opened the doors to our school. I have received an overwhelming number of responses — each one heartfelt and moving.

I will leave you with what one of our eighth graders had to say. Like many of the other responses I have received this week, it speaks powerfully to the strength and resilience of our unique community of learners, even when we cannot be physically present together.

If I could speak with Miss Agnes Irwin, I would have a lot to thank her for. Mainly, I would spend most of my time thanking her for the community she made sure would flourish in The Agnes Irwin School. I would tell her how grateful I am to wake up every school day, and walk inside the building to see all of my peers and teachers.

Every single teacher at Agnes Irwin has taught me to succeed and mature in different ways. Each student surrounding me has allowed me to be myself while at the same time helping me build a better version of myself.

I would tell her how the energy in the classrooms I am lucky enough to be in, is really what pulls me to absolutely love The Agnes Irwin School. ... I would say … thank you so much for creating a school I can say I miss when I cannot be there, and for building an amazing community that only wants all of us to succeed.

I would tell her how the energy in the classrooms I am lucky enough to be in, is really what pulls me to absolutely love The Agnes Irwin School. ... I would say … thank you so much for creating a school I can say I miss when I cannot be there, and for building an amazing community that only wants all of us to succeed.

Yours in community,

Wendy Hill
Head of School

An Update on 150th Anniversary Events
March 18, 2020

Dear AIS Community,

What a wonderful year we have had, celebrating the 150th anniversary of our school! We have had the opportunity to connect with alumnae, near and far, to share memories and stories of what our beloved school has meant to each of us. We have had the opportunity to experience creative masterpieces, such as Murray Savar's Agnes Irwin: The Musical! and a gallery of anniversary-inspired repeat patterns created by Upper School students in Sophie Miller's art classes. We have had the opportunity to learn more about each other's worlds through photos of Gus's travels across the globe. And we are grateful for the incredible community of individuals who have given of their time and their talent this year, as we celebrate 150 years of The Agnes Irwin School empowering girls and inspiring women.

As Miss Agnes Irwin so often stated, we have an obligation to make a difference in our world. Ensuring your health and safety, as well as that of our global community, is one of the biggest ways for us to make a difference at this moment. For this reason, we are joining with schools around the world to do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19, and we have made the difficult decision to postpone our Sesquicentennial events for the spring.

This postponement applies to the following events, including a few that were postponed last week in response to earlier CDC advisories:

• March 14: Act of Kindness: Philadelphia 
• March 14: Act of Kindness: Atlanta 
• March 22: Act of Kindness: San Francisco
• March 28: Act of Kindness: London
• April 2: Act of Kindness: New York City
• April 4: Owls Unite: Boston
• April 17: Forevermore: A Tribute to Faculty & Staff
• May 1-2: 150th Weekend and Reunion Activities
• May 1: Making "Her-story": A Conversation with Billie Jean King, Moderated by Tory
• Robinson Burch '84
• May 2: Celebrate the Decades: The Party of the Sesquicentenary

This year has already been one for the memory books and we look forward to resuming the in-person fun when the time is right. In the meantime, we want to express our deepest gratitude to the hundreds of dedicated volunteers who have made our times together possible, by showing up as event chairs, committee members, organizers, sponsors, design contributors, errand-runners, and...the list goes on! We will continue to stay in touch via email with additional updates on these events.

If you are a Making "Her-story" ticket holder:
We are working to reschedule Making "Her-story": A Conversation with Billie Jean King, Moderated by Tory Robinson Burch '84, and we share your excitement about this event. As we work through reconfirming many details, we have made the decision to reimagine the ticket reservation process to honor the overwhelming interest in the event. We appreciate the time you may have taken to reserve your seats; please know that existing ticket holders will have a chance to re-register when updated information becomes available and that we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

If you are a Celebrate the Decades ticket holder:
We are working to reschedule Celebrate the Decades: The Party of the Sesquicentenary, and we share your excitement about this event. If you would like the school to hold onto your purchased ticket or donation, no action is required on your part; we will roll you over to be our honored first guests and sponsors at the time of the event. If you would prefer that we refund you and you make a decision about attending Celebrate the Decades when the time comes, please email rguinan@agnesirwin.org.

Thank you for your many contributions to the Agnes Irwin community. We look forward to resuming the festivities with you soon!

Sincerely,

The Agnes Irwin School's Sesquicentennial Co-Chairs
on behalf of the Sesquicentennial Steering Committee

Laura Thomas Buck '49, Honorary Co-Chair
Anne Fritchman Hamilton '74, Honorary Co-Chair 
Neveen Mahmoud '07, Co-Chair and Production Manager 
Pat McPherson '53, Co-Chair 
Andi Lucas Schmerin '07, Co-Chair 
Ginny Sharp Williams '88, Co-Chair and Chair, Board of Trustees

Dear AIS Families,

Thank you for your resilience, positivity, and "can do" spirit as we confront the challenges posed by COVID-19 together. It is a time of transition for all of us, and as we launched into our pilot of AIS Online today, I'm heartened by what I am already hearing from teachers, division directors, parents, and students. We are a community of passionate educators and learners — and as we are seeing, physical distance won't change that!

Timeline for Return to Campus 
While we hope to return to campus as soon as is responsibly possible, the safety and wellbeing of our students, parents, teachers, and staff — as well as their loved ones — remains our top priority. Our senior leadership team continues to assess the COVID-19 situation daily and plan accordingly, following the latest updates from the CDC and other health and governmental authorities. Based on guidance from these sources and out of a continued abundance of caution, we have decided that after spring break, The Agnes Irwin School will remain in remote learning mode until at least Tuesday, April 14. We will continue to assess daily what is in the best interest of community health, and will be in contact in the near future should it be prudent to remain off campus for a longer period of time.

Event Cancellations and Postponements
The CDC and World Health Organization both indicate that social distancing is imperative to "flattening the curve" of COVID-19, and have provided specific recommendations around larger gatherings to limit community spread. Spring is a busy and joyful time at Agnes Irwin, and it is with a heavy heart that I announce that in the interest of community health, we are canceling or postponing all on-campus social events through April 17, as well as our 150th Weekend events (May 1-2) and Grandfriends Day/Spring Sing (May 7). Please know that we recognize how disappointing this is, and like you, want our students to be able to experience the special moments and spring traditions we hold so dear. Our division directors and senior leadership are exploring creative alternatives for some of these activities and possible new dates for those events we hope to hold at a later time, and we will share details as they become available..

A Community Update, and When to Notify the School
To date, we have received no information that any AIS student, parent, or employee has tested positive for COVID-19. We ask that you continue to keep us informed of both your travel plans and your family's health, even while our campus is closed.

• Travel: The government has recommended that discretionary travel be avoided. If you plan to travel over spring break, please fill out this form to share your plans with us. Please be aware of the CDC's advisories, including the self-quarantine directives.
• COVID-19 Exposure: If you believe that you, your daughter, or another family member may have come in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, whether presumptive or confirmed, please contact Lower School nurse Lorraine Lampe or Middle/Upper School nurse Jeannine Kelly promptly. Please also follow the instructions of the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Looking Toward Spring Break
With the CDC recommending that we limit travel and practice social distancing, spring break this year looks much different than most of us had hoped for. I encourage you to, as you are able, find ways to appreciate this slower pace the best you can. The Parent Resources section of AIS Online includes some potential inspiration, including instructions for accessing our school's library from home, craft ideas, games, links to virtual museum tours, and more. You can also check out ideas from The Inquirer and Forbes to start. I know that my family and I are looking forward to taking some walks to explore the nature in our area, reading some of the books that have been piled next to our beds, catching up on some of the acclaimed movies we missed during the busyness of the year, and expanding our cooking skills by trying some new dinner recipes — perhaps with some friends invited for an online "dinner party." Spring break officially begins at end of day tomorrow. We look forward to resuming AIS Online with your daughters on Monday, March 30, and wish you a relaxing, healthy, rejuvenating spring break!

Kind regards,

Wendy Hill
Head of School

Dear AIS Community,

I wanted to follow up on my update yesterday about an AIS employee who attended an event this weekend at which another individual, who was later diagnosed with COVID-19, was present. We have subsequently learned that another member of our community was also at this public event. Both individuals have been in touch with medical professionals and have chosen, with the guidance of their doctors, to self-isolate out of an abundance of caution.

We can confirm, through our conversations with them, that they did not come in direct, physical contact with the diagnosed individual. Additionally, neither employee is currently exhibiting any symptoms. To date, we have received no information that any AIS student, parent, or employee has tested positive for COVID-19.

Since yesterday evening, we have been working closely with the local health authorities to assess the situation. We have shared our approach with staff at the PA Department of Public Health; the PA Department of Public Health has advised us that we are following the proper protocols and taking the appropriate course of action at this time.

As we've shared with you several times in past weeks, this health matter is particularly fluid and has impacted communities around the world. Since we first learned of the virus's impact in the US at the end of February, the senior leadership at our school has been convening daily to evaluate our risk, review and implement recommendations from the CDC, WHO, and national and local sources. Last night upon learning the above news, we closed access to our campus, and today, we began the process of additional work disinfecting our buildings. By moving our academic program online, we are joining the global effort to flatten the curve of the spread of COVID-19 via social distancing, while continuing to provide the outstanding program for our girls to which you have become accustomed.

While we have followed, and continue to follow, CDC recommendations to mitigate the spread of this virus, the World Health Organization has declared COVID-19 a pandemic, indicating that the risk of community spread, for all of us, is high. Many individuals and families may be exposed to COVID-19 over time in our workplaces, homes, schools, and community establishments. It is essential for all of us to take every precaution recommended by local health officials and the CDC, including hand washing, monitoring symptoms, and limiting exposure to large groups of individuals. Please partner with us by following these guidelines, which we have shared previously, contacting your health care provider if you are ill or have questions about your health or that of a loved one, and keeping us informed if you or anyone in your family is impacted so that we can continue the good work of minimizing the impact on our community.

I recognize there is concern and anxiety felt across our community. As a parent, I empathize with your concern, and have found comfort in knowing the strength of our community to overcome difficulties such as these. One of the things I have loved about AIS is the way we balance care in the face of challenge, how we envelope and support each other. I am grateful to be a part of this community as we face these challenges together.

Sincerely,

Wendy Hill
Head of School

Dear AIS Community,

The Agnes Irwin School was notified this evening, after dismissal, that an employee may have been exposed to COVID-19 during a large family gathering in a public community space this past Saturday. Another attendee of that event began experiencing mild symptoms on Monday, and has since been diagnosed with COVID-19. The AIS employee was informed of this late today, and promptly shared it with their supervisor, then immediately left campus. Please know that the staff member is not currently experiencing symptoms. We will continue to monitor this situation carefully and have reached out to local health authorities.

We are undertaking a thorough, deep cleaning and sanitizing of all campus buildings and our campus is now closed to everyone except for essential personnel. We are proceeding, as announced earlier today, with our move to AIS Online! beginning next week. Additional information about how to access the program and support your daughter's learning will be shared next week.

We thank all of our families, students, faculty, and staff for the incredible partnership you all have shown over the past few weeks. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the rapid closure of our campus to ensure the wellbeing of our students, staff, and parents. Please know that the health and safety of our community remains the top priority of The Agnes Irwin School. We very much appreciate your ongoing understanding and patience as we navigate the uncertainty caused by this ever-changing public health concern.

Sincerely,

Wendy Hill
Head of School

Dear AIS Community,

During the last few weeks, Agnes Irwin's senior leadership team has been closely monitoring the quickly evolving news and information about the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in our region, including the recent decision by Governor Wolf to close schools, community centers, gyms, and entertainment venues in Montgomery County. We've consulted and worked with medical and public health experts, talked to members of our community, and been in regular contact with administrators at other local schools, many of whose students have siblings and friends at Agnes Irwin.

While we have not received a report of an active exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) at The Agnes Irwin School, our senior leadership team, in consultation with the Board, has decided to proactively initiate our remote learning plan, AIS Online!, which we will begin piloting next week. Beginning tomorrow, Friday, March 13, all on-campus classes and activities, as well as all athletics practices and competitions, are canceled, and campus will be closed to students.

This decision was not made lightly and may elicit mixed responses from our community. It was informed not only by our priority to protect the health and safety of our students and employees, but also by our communal responsibility to slow the spread of COVID-19 and "flatten the curve" so as to not overwhelm the healthcare system capacity. We believe this is a critical moment in the outbreak when such measures can potentially impact the spread of the disease. A similar approach has been taken by a number of universities, independent and public schools, and businesses in the area.

On Monday, you will receive an email from your daughter's division director containing more information about student responsibilities for the coming week.

Schedule for the Upcoming Week

Friday, March 13: Remains an inservice day for faculty to prepare for the transition as previously stated in my communication from this morning. Students should treat this day like a "snow day."

Monday, March 16: Prep Day: Faculty will spend the day organizing materials, testing out software, and preparing communications. Parents and students should expect to receive a communication from division directors with division-specific information. Students should treat this day like a "snow day."

Tuesday, March 17: AIS Online! Launch Day: Faculty will reach out to students and families to share expectations, schedules, materials, and test software. Students and families should check their email often.

Wednesday, March 18 & Thursday March 19: Pilot and Testing of Remote Instruction: Instruction begins for students in all grade levels. Students are expected to be "in school," off campus. A forthcoming letter from division directors will contain more information on expectations, timing, and responsibilities for students on these two days.

Friday, March 20: Spring Break begins. We hope that you have a safe and enjoyable break!

We will be in contact in the coming weeks with more logistics and instructions regarding post-spring break instruction.

How You Can Help

• Practice social distancing measures as outlined by CDC and WHO.
• Help your daughter set up her own "Agnes Irwin space" at home.
• Involve your daughter in creating a daily plan that includes school work, down time, movement of some kind, as well as contributing to making things work in your household for all members of your family.

We are eager to begin utilizing the new distance learning and ask for your patience and feedback next week as we pilot this approach. Our goal is for your daughters to not only become comfortable with, but to gain confidence in, their ability to adapt to a new learning environment before taking a well-earned break and relaxing.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to keep the wellbeing of our community at the forefront of all we do.

Kind regards,

Wendy Hill
Head of School

Dear Parents,

As I shared earlier this week, our faculty have spent time over the past two weeks, in addition to their regular responsibilities, participating in professional development focused on best practices for virtual instruction, should it become necessary to offer off-campus remote learning via AIS Online!. In our efforts to prepare for the possibility that remote learning is in the best interest of community health, we have decided to designate this Friday, March 13, a professional development day for our faculty so that teachers can finalize preparations for the online delivery of classes and ensure continuity of instruction for students.

I recognize that this change to Friday's schedule is given with short notice, and I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. I appreciate your understanding, flexibility, and support as we work to ensure that AIS Online! provides the robust educational experience for your daughters emblematic of our school, should we need to move to our remote education plan. Below are the details for tomorrow.

No Classes on Friday
Please note that no classes for students will be held on Friday, similar to a regularly-scheduled Inservice Day.

Lower School Parent/Teacher Conferences
While Thursday's Lower School Parent/Teacher conferences will continue as planned, Friday's conferences are canceled, and will be rescheduled at a later date. This communication of your daughter's progress remains a focus for us no matter the setting, and we will be in contact soon to offer time to reschedule. Lower School homeroom teachers will be contacting parents if open Thursday conference time slots remain. Please note that with this change, the childcare we typically offer for Lower School families on conference days will no longer be provided.

Athletic Practices
Having considered the competition schedule for Middle and Upper School athletic teams over the next few days, and in recognition of the transportation challenges presented for some families with the timing of this announcement, Middle School athletics practices on Friday are canceled, and Upper School practices on Friday for teams that do not have competitions on Saturday are canceled.

• The JV Lacrosse scrimmage scheduled for Friday will continue as scheduled.
• Varsity Lacrosse will practice on Friday as planned, and compete on Saturday as planned.
• Varsity Softball and Varsity Track practices are canceled on Friday, and will resume practices as planned on Monday.
• Varsity Crew practice on Friday is canceled, and practice will take place as scheduled on Saturday.

Contact Information Updates
As we rely on technology for our announcements, we ask that you please take the time to update your telephone and email contacts on AIS-On so that we are certain we can reach you through the channels you have provided.

Thank you, again, for your understanding as we work to ensure we deliver the premier all-girls' education in the Philadelphia area, while keeping the wellbeing of our community our top priority.

Sincerely,

Wendy Hill
Head of School

An Update on COVID-19
March 11, 2020

Dear AIS Community,

Thank you for your support as we all work to digest the rapidly expanding volume of information about COVID-19 and react with the speed and diligence required to provide a safe learning environment for our community. I have been impressed with the strength, determination, and flexibility of our administration, faculty, and staff, who are in frequent communication while delivering the high quality of learning you have come to expect at Agnes Irwin.

As of the writing of this email, there are 14 presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania, including one in Delaware County and eight in Montgomery County; several of these cases have led to the temporary closure of area schools for deep cleanings due to potential exposure. In addition to our local health officials, we have also been in touch with leaders of our local area schools to learn from them, offer our support, and stay aware of how COVID-19 is impacting their schools. The PA Department of Health is currently not recommending prolonged school closures, nor are they recommending the cancellation of public events, such as musicals or athletic competitions. At this time, we are closely monitoring the situation, and The Agnes Irwin School will continue to operate on its normal daily schedule.

I have shared in previous letters the various procedures we have implemented, including a daily robust cleaning procedure along with other CDC guidelines for good hygiene, to help reduce the risk of COVID-19. We continue to monitor the occurrence of COVID-19 in our region and evaluate our processes to maintain a healthy school environment. With that in mind, I want to share some additional information in light of the precautions we are taking.

School-sponsored Travel
In an effort to minimize the potential for community spread and out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to cancel all non-essential day field trips through the end of April. We are working on virtual solutions to substitute the material covered where appropriate. This is in addition to the cancellation of all overnight field trips in March, as noted in my March 7 letter.

Athletics & Physical Education
At this time, all regular physical education classes, athletic practices, and games will continue as scheduled. We have also instituted the following athletic policies:

• All students must bring their own water bottle to practices and games.
• For sports teams, there will be no shared facemasks, helmets, goggles, gloves, or jerseys. Students borrowing equipment such as helmets and gloves will be individually assigned that equipment for the remainder of the season. 
• Shared equipment including bats, batons, oars, and physical education pinnies will be cleaned and disinfected after each practice, game, and class.
• In lieu of the traditional post-game handshakes between teams, Agnes Irwin teams will instead demonstrate sportsmanship by saying 'good game' to each opponent.

Pew Family Fitness Center
For all of our students and Fitness Center users, please note that the Fitness Center is deep cleaned once per day with disinfectant. We remind students and faculty to wipe down any and all equipment before and after usage using disinfecting wipes. Hand sanitizer is required for everyone entering the facility and when exiting.

Food Preparation
Our cafeteria meal service remains open and our provider, CulinArt, is working to offer as many nutritious food items as possible with the following modifications:

• We have eliminated self-serve options, such as an open salad bar, and replaced them with items that are individually packaged.
• Hot items remain behind the counter, which is equipped with protective screens. These items are being served by CulinArt staff following strict hygiene procedures.
• We have replaced silverware with single-use plastic utensils, which can be disposed of at the completion of meal times. 

Equity and Inclusion
We are proud of our diverse and inclusive school community, and endeavor to support and care for each other well as we navigate this unprecedented time. We are a school with a set of core values that guide us each day and we ask that you continue to embrace these ideals of Community, Character, Respect, and Excellence as we engage with each other in person and online. We know that viruses don't discriminate, and that we are all impacted by the spread of this virus in our world. Some members of our community have family and friends in parts of the world most impacted by COVID-19, while others may have local connections to those directly affected by the spread of the virus. Times like these offer opportunities for communities to come together; as a school with students from places across the globe, we have seen our students and families offer the support, care and concern for each other that is emblematic of our community.

We know that public health emergencies are stressful times for people and communities. The CDC has offered several tips on how we can all work together to reduce stigma around this virus, including:

• Relying on and sharing only trusted, vetted sources of information.
• Speaking up if you hear or see information that is inaccurate or purposefully spreads stereotypes, biases, and rumors. 
• Showing support for impacted individuals and communities.

AIS Online: Remote Education Plan
In the event of an extended school closure, we are prepared to launch remote instruction via AIS Online! Faculty have spent time in the past two weeks participating in professional development to ensure continuity of instruction for students. Should it become necessary, remote learning at AIS will consist of virtual instruction as well as assignments that can be completed without technology. We ask families to help our school prepare for this possibility by ensuring that you have consistent access to a device (i.e. laptop or desktop computer, tablet or other mobile device) and internet service. If you anticipate any challenges for your family in accessing this equipment, please reach out to Camille Seals, Assistant Head of School for Academics & Inclusive Excellence.   

Open Communication
If you believe that you, your daughter, or another family member may have come in contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, whether presumptive or confirmed, it is imperative that you contact one of our school nurses so that we can follow up, and that your daughter stay at home until the school instructs otherwise. Please also follow the instructions of the Pennsylvania Department of Health. 

• Lorraine Lampe, Lower School Nurse: 610-672-1269; lelampe@agnesirwin.org
• Jeannine Kelly, Middle/Upper School Nurse: 610-672-1270; jkelly@agnesirwin.org

Spring Break Travel and Other Upcoming Travel
With spring break quickly approaching, we know that many of our families plan to travel, and we encourage families to take the usual health precautions and exercise additional caution, in line with CDC guidelines. Be mindful that travel restrictions can change with little or no advanced notice and so you should check before you travel and again upon your return. If you plan to travel abroad to an area highlighted by the CDC as a Level Two or Level Three risk, we ask you to fill out this form to let us know of your plans. Please be aware of the advisories, including the self-quarantine directives. As an interconnected community, we trust that families recognize that the choices we make can have unintended, yet potentially serious, implications for others and will act in a way that keeps the Agnes Irwin community safe overall.

We ask for your help in staying positive during these uncertain times. We are encouraged by our community's response to this situation thus far, and remain committed to fulfilling our mission, living our Core Values, recognizing our 150th Anniversary, and delivering the premiere all-girls' education in the Philadelphia area, while keeping the wellbeing of our community our top priority. Please reach out to me with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Wendy Hill, Ph.D.
Head of School

A COVID-19 Update
March 7, 2020

Dear AIS Community,

I want to thank you for your support during this time as we confront the challenges of a dynamic health situation resulting from novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Nothing is more important to each of us than protecting the health and safety of all our students, faculty, and staff, and I am grateful for your partnership.

Please know that the School's senior leadership team has gathered daily to review and discuss the latest information and update, if needed, our existing plan of action described in my email sent Monday, March 2. With the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Delaware County, we wanted to update you on the steps we are taking as a school. 

School-sponsored Travel
To safeguard the health of students and their faculty chaperones, all school-sponsored overnight trips in March have been canceled, including the middle school field trip to Washington D.C., all SSP trips, and the upper school lacrosse team trip. The coordinators of these programs will be reaching out to families whose students are affected by this change to discuss the financial and logistical implications. We recognize that students are likely to be disappointed by this decision, but we feel it is prudent, given the current circumstances.

Spring Break Travel and Other Upcoming Travel
With spring break quickly approaching, we know that many of our families plan to travel, and we encourage families to take the usual health precautions. Be mindful that travel restrictions can change with little or no advanced notice. If you plan to travel abroad to an area highlighted by the CDC as a level two or level three risk, we ask you to fill out this form to let us know of your plans. Please be aware of the advisories, including the self-quarantine directives. As an interconnected community, we trust that families recognize that the choices we make can have unintended, yet potentially serious, implications for others and will act in a way that keeps the Agnes Irwin community safe overall. 

COVID-19 Information Website
To help keep our community updated about the School's preparations and responses, we have created a COVID-19 webpage. This webpage will serve as a central repository for updates about the coronavirus situation that we have shared with families, and also contains links to information from health agencies and resources for families. This webpage will be updated regularly, and we will continue to share important updates via email and text.  

Remote Learning
In the event of a school closure, we are prepared to continue offering instruction to students at all levels via a Remote Learning Program that has been designed through the partnership of the iTeam and the academic leaders of the school. Remote learning would take many forms depending on grade level and subject area, and would involve online instruction as well as lessons and activities that can be done without a computer. Further information about how to access course information will be provided if the school needs to be closed for any extended period of time. If you have any concerns about your family's technology resources (e.g. computing devices or internet access) at home, please reach out now to Camille Seals, Assistant Head of School for Academics & Inclusive Excellence, for assistance.

We continue in our efforts to minimize the spread of illness on campus by practicing the preventative measures recommended by the CDC and other health agencies, as were shared with you in my letter of Monday, March 2.  

Thank you for your partnership and support. Our senior team intends to continue to meet daily to review the evolving circumstances of this illness and to make appropriate and necessary choices for the health and wellbeing of our community as a whole.  We will continue to provide timely, transparent communications as this situation evolves.  

Sincerely,

Wendy Hill,
Head of School

A Message From the Head of School: A Coronavirus Preparedness Update
March 2, 2020

Dear AIS Parents,

Over the past few weeks, The Agnes Irwin School has been closely following developments regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19). We are writing to update you about ongoing efforts and additional steps we are taking to prevent the spread of illness on our campus, and prepare for the possible spread of the coronavirus in the greater Philadelphia region. We want to assure you that while we believe this is a time to remain calm, we are making all decisions using guidance from health experts to ensure the wellbeing of our community, which is of the utmost importance to us.

As you are aware, this situation continues to evolve. We are monitoring daily the information posted by the CDC, WHO, and other agencies. We are also in contact with the local health department and our national and regional independent school associations, which have provided additional expertise on coronavirus and school preparedness. At the National Association of Independent Schools gathering held last week in Philadelphia, independent school educators provided our industry with best practices regarding this situation. During circumstances like these, there is substantial value in our strong relationships with our local officials and independent schools.

Below you will find details of our efforts to minimize the spread of illness on campus as well as information on what we will do to mitigate the impact of any interruptions to the regular school routine.

AIS Community Health Practices

Each member of our community plays a role in maintaining a healthy, safe, and supportive campus. As we shared last month, the CDC is recommending that the best way to thwart the spread of COVID-19 is to follow best practices to prevent respiratory viruses (see also AIS school's health policy). It is imperative that our school and families partner together in following the steps outlined below:

• Stay home when you are sick. This is not a time to try to "push through" feeling ill by coming to school.
• Any community member with a fever of 100 degrees or higher will be sent home and should stay home during the course of the fever, regardless of the cause of illness. Our school policy states that students are not permitted to return to school for at least 24 hours after the fever has subsided (without giving fever-reducing medicine such as Tylenol or Motrin).
• If any community member has a persistent fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, please seek medical care immediately.
• Outside of classes, community members should regularly sanitize or wash hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds using the CDC's 5-step handwashing method: Wet, Lather, Scrub, Rinse, Dry. Make certain that you scrub all areas of your hands. Always wash your hands thoroughly after using the restroom for any reason. Handwashing is always preferred.
• When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue, NOT your hands; immediately dispose of the tissue and wash (preferably) or sanitize your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, or face with unwashed hands.
• Do not share food, beverages, eating utensils, or bottles and glasses with others.
• During this time of heightened concern, in lieu of hand-holding, handshakes, high fives, and other physical contact, we are encouraging our community to practice "air high fives" and "air hugs."

We are being especially vigilant in following these guidelines and asking that our students, faculty, and staff do so as well.

On campus, our facilities team has increased cleaning and disinfecting efforts as part of the response to COVID-19 and seasonal influenza. As part of these efforts, hand sanitizer will continue to be provided in classrooms, office spaces, and gyms. Additional containers of hand sanitizer will augment the supplies typically found in the dining facilities and in the gathering spaces throughout the buildings. We ask for your partnership in working together to help prevent the spread of any virus by adhering to school policies and the CDC preventive care recommendations, as noted above.

School-sponsored Travel

The school is closely monitoring travel advisories issued by the CDC and the State Department to inform our decisions regarding the status of planned travel for field trips, as well as programs during spring break and over the summer. Parents of students who are scheduled to participate in these programs will be contacted by the program organizers should any change in plans be required.

Spring Break Travel and Other Upcoming Travel

With the wellbeing of our entire community foremost in our minds, we ask that if your family or loved ones have plans to travel over spring break or in the near future, to follow the CDC's latest guidance for travelers.

Academics and Continued Instruction

In the unlikely event that the school should need to close for an extended period of time, we are prepared to respond by offering educational programs via online learning and other age-appropriate methods.

In order to adequately prepare for this possibility, it is important that we ensure that every AIS family has home internet access and an internet-enabled device with camera and microphone. If your family does not currently have access to both of these necessities, please inform your daughter's homeroom teacher (Lower School), Parliamentor (Middle School), or advisor (Upper School). Should school-wide online learning become necessary, we will provide logistical details in the future.

Reducing Anxiety, Helping Young People Understand

Given the uncertainty and fluidity of the health situation, along with the heavy media coverage, it is understandable that members of our community may feel more anxious than usual. Some tools to help reduce these effects include limiting media exposure, relying only on highly trusted sources of information, and continuing to engage in proactive hygiene measures. We also recommend this article for parents on how to speak to children about coronavirus. As a school with core values that include community, character, and respect, please remember that it is important to be sensitive and compassionate towards one another and all people impacted by this ongoing health situation.

Thank you for your support and cooperation. We will continue to monitor the situation and communicate with the community as needed. While the risk to our community remains low, staying well informed about this evolving situation and following the guidance of public health officials will help ensure that our community stays healthy and safe.

Sincerely,

Wendy Hill
Head of School

A Message From The Head of School Regarding the Coronavirus
January 28, 2020

Dear Agnes Irwin Community,

I am writing to you today regarding the Novel Coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, that has been widely reported in the news. This is an evolving situation that The Agnes Irwin School is monitoring closely through updates and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, community partners, and local agencies. A list of frequently asked questions developed by the CDC can be found here. There are currently no reported cases of 2019-nCov involving an Agnes Irwin student.

We are a learning community dedicated to global citizenship, and our hearts go out to the people and regions affected by this virus. As we navigate this developing situation, we are guided by our core values of excellence, character, community, and respect, recognizing that members of our AIS community may have relatives, business colleagues, or friends who have been impacted in some way by this situation.

The school is closely monitoring travel advisories issued by the CDC to inform our decisions regarding the status of the planned travel for special studies programs during spring break and over the summer. Parents of students who are scheduled to participate in these programs will be contacted by the program organizers should any change in plans be required.

It is important to follow best practices in preventing the spread of any illness. Please refer to our school's health policy and follow guidance from the CDC to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

• stay home from school when you are not feeling well
• wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
• cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw in the trash
• avoid close contact with people who are sick

As always, we ask for your partnership in working together to help prevent the spread of any virus by following CDC preventive care recommendations.

We will provide updates to the larger AIS community as appropriate. Please know that we are monitoring this situation closely and continue to make the wellbeing of our community our highest priority.

Sincerely,

Wendy L. Hill, Ph.D.
Head of School