March 19, 2020
Dear SAA Families,
Good afternoon everyone. As communicated yesterday, this message is a follow up to cover online learning, updates on the cancellation of upcoming school events, and Head of School update on school closure.
Online Learning begins Monday, March 23
Earlier this week, faculty and staff began technology training and lesson planning, and now are in the final stages of recording curriculum in time for Monday's first day of online learning for our students. Please read an important message from Dr. Patrick Atkerson, Director of Curriculum & Student Services, which outlines what you can expect for our online learning and curriculum during this time when students are not able to come on campus. CLICK HERE to read.
Update on the cancellation of upcoming school events
It is with a heavy heart that we have had to make many difficult decisions in the last several days. One of the toughest decisions has been to cancel events which bring us together as a community and demonstrate the true heart of SAA's culture and traditions. However, as we do our part within our community to keep everyone as safe as possible, those hard decisions must be made. I want everyone to know that we all feel the loss and disappointment in missing these important events this school year. - The Military Ball will be cancelled. We attempted to postpone, but with so much uncertainty we are unable to obtain an alternate date.
- Blue and White Unite will be suspended.
- All school activities, including athletics and enrichment, are cancelled until further notice.
We will monitor the situation and update you on the status of Summer At The Academy in the coming days. - We will wait until more information becomes available before making other decisions regarding our end of year events.
Head of School update on school closure
At this time, SAA is closed through April 3. I have been in communication with several local independent school leaders on a regular basis. We are conducting a weekly phone conference throughout the duration of this event. In today's conversation, we discussed the topic of the possibility of extending our schools' closure date. We believe there are too many unknowns to make a decisive decision at this time. We will continue to talk on a weekly basis to assess new developments and data as it becomes available. We will also monitor the actions of local and state public schools, as well as information provided by local, state, and national health officials. However, it would be prudent to say that all schools have to consider that an extension of school closures is something we must prepare for in the coming days. I will keep you updated as soon as a decision has been made.
SAA Community Communication
Also, in an effort to streamline communications as so many emails are flooding everyone's in-boxes with an overload of information, we have created an SAA COVID-19 webpage that provides updates and information in real-time. Bookmark this webpage for easy access: www.sa-academy.org/saacovid-19.
We are also sending out our regularly scheduled weekly announcements, Week at a Glance (WAG), beginning this Friday, March 20, which will compile all pertinent information sent during the week. It will also provide a one-stop source to view our blogs and social media posts from the week to help us all stay connected as a community through this challenging time.
We will continue to communicate regularly to keep you informed. As stated above, you will receive another email on Friday with more details about our online learning program. We will do our best to maintain a feeling of "connectedness" through various forms of communication. The COVID-19 virus may keep us apart, but it will not break our spirit of community and compassion for one another.
God bless you, Sincerely, Clint DuBose San Antonio Academy Mission: Established in 1886, San Antonio Academy of Texas is a non-profit, non-denominational, tax-exempt school for boys in prekindergarten through grade eight. The Academy offers an exceptional academic program that features small classes, a family-like atmosphere, the development of a positive self-image and a foundation for life based upon love of God and country, integrity and respect for each other. Motto: Be honest. Be kind. Be the best you can be.® San Antonio Academy admits qualified students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin. ©2020 | San Antonio Academy of Texas 117 East French Place 210.733.7331 www.sa-academy.org |