2021 Back to School Nights Update

Dear St. Michael’s Families, 

As we close our second full week of school, our Dragons are thriving -- enjoying the in-person learning and camaraderie that is imperative to child and adolescent development. The year is off to a great start!

With our number one priority being the health and safety of our students and faculty, we are writing to you today with an update on our plans for Back to School Night. This annual program is a great opportunity to learn about a day in the life of your student. Teachers will be sharing specifics about each of your child’s classes — both content and skills — as well as their enthusiasm for teaching young people.

Lower School Back to School Nights will be held IN-PERSON and adjusted to safely manage the number of people on campus, with the presentations held outside as much as possible.

Middle School Back to School Night (grades 6-8) will be held VIRTUALLY. Typically, parents gather for a larger meeting and then dismiss to attend short presentations in each of their child’s core classes. Having 200+ parents together entering into the Middle School halls to switch classes presents a safety concern during COVID. Our virtual Middle School Back to School night was very well-received last year and parents shared that they enjoyed the efficiency of being able to tune in from home. 

Grade level dates and detailed information are below.

Lower School Back to School Nights 

The general order of events is as follows:

Classroom Visit (approx 20 min)-- Parents/caregivers begin their BTSN by visiting their child’s classroom. Room parents will be on hand to greet and direct family members. Adults are requested to make a brief tour of the classroom and then head to the designated outdoor meeting/social area (see chart below). 
Welcome and Announcements (approx 15-25 min)-- Parents/caregivers for the entire grade will gather in the meeting space and there will be a welcome from Mr. Gregg and brief remarks from Mary King Coleman, Merrill Geier, and then the LS teachers. 
The Calendar Meeting (varies)-- The calendar meeting outlining volunteer opportunities begins. If parents wish to stay in homeroom groups, they are welcome to go into the classroom and spread out as much as possible. If both homerooms are to be together, the group should remain in the social area to complete the calendars.* (Note: if the parents prefer to complete the calendar virtually, they may do so. The in-person calendar meeting is but one option)
*If room parents can get as many volunteers for the calendar in advance as possible, the rest of the calendar may be completed quickly!

Middle School Virtual Back to School Night 

As shared, the Middle School Back to School Night will be a virtual event this year. The evening takes place on Thursday, September 23, from 6:30- 8:30 p.m. 

A copy of the agenda will be shared in Sunday messages on September 19 and will include Zoom hyperlinks to log in virtually. Jessica Stargell, Middle School Director, will also resend it again to all sixth-eighth grade families on Wednesday, September 22. 

There were many variables to consider when St M’s administrative team was discussing whether or not to make this Middle School evening a virtual event. In prior years, we have had 200+ attendees join us in Singleton Hall.  As much as we love having parents and family members back on campus and in the building, we feel it is in the best interest of all to minimize the large numbers of people gathering in our Great Hall and in our classrooms. Standing room only has been the norm over the years, and this year we feel we can provide you with an enjoyable, informative, and safe evening from the comfort of your own homes. Feel free to cancel those babysitters! We look forward to seeing you online on September 23.  

Questions?

-- For the Lower School, please contact Merrill Geier, Lower School Director.
-- For the Middle School, please contact Jessica Stargell, Middle School Director.

Sincerely, 

Bob Gregg, Head of School 
Merrill Geier, Lower School Director
Jessica Stargell, Middle School Director