Head of School's Message: March 16

I have a calendar on my desk with a quote for each day from Buddhist teaching. 
I have a calendar on my desk with a quote for each day from Buddhist teaching. Today’s quote is from the Japanese Zen Master Taizan Maezumi: “Where you stand, where you are, that’s what your life is right there, regardless of how painful it is or how enjoyable it is. That’s what it is.” 
 
As Governor Newsom said yesterday, “We recognize that social isolation for millions of Californians is anxiety-inducing, but we recognize what all the science bears out. We need to meet this moment head-on.” Chandler is ready to play its part.
 
This morning, Chandler’s 440 students joined the thirty million school children throughout the country who are dealing with a new reality. We are entering uncharted territory as we maintain standards of school-based normality, and you become homeschooling parents. Let’s hope it doesn’t last too long. Becoming socially distant does not mean becoming disconnected from each other.
 
Everyone at Chandler is accessible and will be responsive throughout the closure period. Know that we recognize how challenging the next few weeks will be for our families. 
 
School is where we protect children from the world, and the threat of coronavirus has overcome our ability to keep them safe while they are together. The impact of school closing is emotional. Everyone is experiencing some sadness, but eventually, we will return to school. We are not sure when. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and we will only return to school when we know it is safe to do so. Meanwhile, we have an opportunity to learn new skills.
 
Home-based student learning initiated by Chandler will begin on Wednesday. Jill Bergeron and Emily Brown have created Chandler's Remote Learning Plan for grades K-8. Early tomorrow morning, Jill and Emily will send informational emails to parents of Lower School and Middle School separately. As we deal with the consequences of the closure in ways that are thoughtful and practical, please bear in mind that as comprehensive as our plan is at the moment, it cannot be all things to all people. It will continue to evolve and expand in the days to come.
 
Three reminders:
  • All Chandler events scheduled through the end of April, including Chandler’s Family Fair, have been canceled.
  • Chandler’s campus will be closed with only essential personnel remaining on site. Phones will be answered from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day. No one should come on to the campus during the closure period. 
  • We are looking into providing childcare resources for those members of our community who will need additional help. For the time being, everyone needs to remain distant from one another.
 
I am available to you anytime. Don’t hesitate to call me at school (626) 795-9314 or on my cell phone at (626) 524-6691. 
 
This morning at our faculty and staff meetings, we came together with resolve and purpose. We are facing unparalleled global, national and local challenges, but the unity of the Chandler community will propel us forward. We will overcome these challenging times together with integrity, compassion, exploration, adaptation, inclusion and determination. This is where we are, and all will be well.
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