While June 1 is a date that is set across all schools that are members of The Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington, we are aware that certain independent schools in the Greater Washington area have moved this date.

We understand the pressures that our families feel in needing to meet this deadline. After carefully considering the viability of shifting this date and what it would do to our ability to be fully operational and maximize all potential in-person learning opportunities come September, we have decided to shift the contract binding deadline to June 15th for all families for the 2020/2021 school year.

​​​​​​​James Carroll as Head of School, the NCRC faculty and staff, the Board of Trustees and Preparedness Task Force are doing everything within our power to welcome students, families, faculty and staff back to the schoolhouse as soon as it is deemed safe to do so. However, just like every school in the DMV, NCRC will not be in a position to act unilaterally on this front. 

At this link you will find a document that walks through three likely scenarios for the coming school year. It is important to stress that everything in our scenario planning is based upon the latest guidance which has continued to evolve rapidly. But based on what we know today, and current conditions related to the spread of virus, we are very hopeful that we will be able to welcome our families back to the porch in person come September.

​​​​​​Any physical reopening of the school is contingent upon our ability to meet the guidelines issued first and foremost by our local authorities. James Carroll as Head of School, the NCRC faculty and staff, the Board of Trustees and Preparedness Task Force are doing everything within our power to welcome students, families, faculty and staff back to the schoolhouse as soon as it is deemed safe to do so, just like every school in the DMV.

Our intention is to make a decision about which of our scenarios we will be moving forward with for opening by August 10th, with the caveat that a shift in local guidance or the spread of the virus locally may force us to amend our decision.

​​​​​​​Since this public health crisis began, we have continued to follow rapidly evolving guidance from the CDC, WHO and local authorities in the DMV. Any physical reopening of the school is contingent upon our ability to meet the guidelines issued first and foremost by our local authorities. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser recently released stringent guidelines for school reopening, which we are reviewing carefully.

The CDC has also now released its guidance on school reopening. The official release includes ensuring any opening is consistent with state and local orders, but also recommends taking into consideration children and employees who may be at higher risk for severe illness and the ability to screen for symptoms upon arrival at school, among other things.

• It is our intent to maximize in-person learning opportunities and each of the plans have variables that are affected by staffing, guidelines & regulations, and additional costs. Each plan calls for additional space at various costs: 

  • renting additional spaces off-campus, which will not only add monthly costs, but will require us to apply for additional licenses and approval from DCRA.  

  • structurally altering our existing space, which will affect our Certificate of Occupancy and OSSE Licenses; or

A final decision will be made based on numerous factors including:

• final enrollment numbers;

• the health and safety of the community;

• the latest guidance and regulations from OSSE, CDC and local government;

• final numbers of faculty and staff available to be in person; and

• the financial viability of the school.

James Carroll as Head of School, the NCRC faculty and staff, the Board of Trustees and Preparedness Task Force are doing everything within our power to welcome students, families, faculty and staff back to the schoolhouse as soon as it is deemed safe to do so. However, just like every school in the DMV, NCRC will not be in a position to act unilaterally on this front.

In scenario planning, the Task Force looked for every possible way to maximize in-person learning opportunities for all children. To that end, we continue to:

• • • consider how existing spaces within the schoolhouse and on its grounds could be used for in-person learning;

    • pursue the potential acquisition of additional classroom space to meet criteria related to reduction in class sizes while maintaining current enrollment;

    • create enhanced cleaning protocols and procedures to ensure a clean classroom environment for all children;

    • look at adjustments to daily schedules to maximize in-person learning and limit the “comingling” of classes at times like pick up and drop off;

    • review our school health policies to ensure consistency with the latest guidance as it relates to temperature and/or respiratory symptoms in children.

Additionally, the Task Force is working with the NCRC teaching staff to enhance distance learning curriculum for all classes if that is once again where we find ourselves at any point in the next school year. To date, our teachers have made admirable strides accounting for every possible need that an inclusive school with a diverse community may have. They’ve been mindful of unique parent needs, student needs and caregiver needs and will continue to find the best ways to bring NCRC into your homes, both through synchronous learning and asynchronous content development. With three months over the summer to plan for this potential outcome, we will be reviewing closely all that has worked to date and will continue to evolve our offering to ensure the most engaging and enjoyable experience possible for our students and their families through NCRC@Home, if necessary.

At this link you will find a document that walks through three likely scenarios for the coming school year. It is important to stress that everything in our scenario planning is based upon the latest guidance which has continued to evolve rapidly. But based on what we know today, and current conditions related to the spread of virus, we are very hopeful that we will be able to welcome our families back to the porch in person come September.

James Carroll as Head of School, the NCRC faculty and staff, the Board of Trustees and Preparedness Task Force are working to do everything possible to ensure that any family who wants to be a part of this community can be welcomed onto the porch in September – be it in person or virtually. In scenario planning, the Task Force looked for every possible way to maximize in-person learning opportunities for all children currently enrolled in the school. To that end, we continue to:

• pursue the potential acquisition of additional classroom space to meet criteria related to reduction in class sizes while maintaining current enrollment;
• identify opportunities to deploy rotating schedules for classes.
• consider how existing spaces within the schoolhouse and on its grounds could be used for in-person learning; and

At this link you will find a document that walks through three likely scenarios for the coming school year. It is important to stress that everything in our scenario planning is based upon the latest guidance which has continued to evolve rapidly. But based on what we know today, and current conditions related to the spread of virus, we are very hopeful that we will be able to welcome our families back to the porch in person come September.

We are exploring a number of options using OSSE regulations as guidance, but the largest spaces in the schoolhouse are the most likely ones to split to create additional classrooms. We are also looking at spaces that could be repurposed for the isolation of faculty or students who may become ill, as mandated in the latest guidance from OSSE.

Outdoor learning is more important than ever during this pandemic. Time on the playground would be scheduled to allow each class access without groups mixing.

​​​​​​​For health and safety reasons, snacks will likely need to be sent in from home.

​​​​​​​We have been discussing plans for next year regularly with our faculty and staff and have shared the local guidance which states that anyone at high-risk for contracting or experiencing severe illness due to COVID-19 must be cleared by their medical provider before being in a classroom with children. 

Additionally, while very few of our faculty and staff have school-aged children who could become impacted by the schedules of other schools, in the event that any staff are unable to physically be at the school, we will work to make reasonable accommodations for them on a case by case basis. 

We will not know the use of our classroom space until we determine which scenario we will be moving forward with in the Fall. If we need to ‘turn over’ any spaces during the course of the day, strict and thorough cleaning protocols will be implemented.

Our top priority for next year will be ensuring the health and safety of all students and their families, as well as staff and faculty. When COVID-19 was first identified as a global pandemic in March of this year, the school began to plan for what would be required for a physical reopening of the schoolhouse. At that time, NCRC operations staff began the process of procuring all of the equipment and materials necessary to ensure a safe and clean environment for all children, faculty and staff. While the CDC is currently recommending that facilities have three months of these supplies on hand at any one time, NCRC is in the process of procuring six months’ worth of materials including masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and disinfectant, among other things.

​​​​​​​Our top priority for next year will be ensuring the health and safety of all students and their families, as well as staff and faculty. We are currently reviewing all available guidance on health and safety protocols and procedures that we will need to put in place for the coming school year. We anticipate enhanced procedures on numerous fronts, including:

• Limiting in-classroom presence to only students and their teachers.

• Monitoring for respiratory symptoms in students and faculty and staff; and

• Ensuring access to classrooms through assigned entrances to lessen hallway traffic;

• Establishing requirements for temperature taking for students, faculty and staff;

• Cleaning of all classrooms, with special attention placed on frequently touched surfaces;

• While NCRC is still developing our own updated health policies and guidelines, current OSSE guidance is as follows:

  • Any child or staff member meeting “Yes” for any of the above criteria in the program’s daily health screen shall not be admitted. Such families or staff shall be instructed to call their health care provider to determine next steps.

  • Child-care staff should visually inspect each child and staff member for signs of illness which could include flushed cheeks, rapid breathing or difficulty breathing (without recent physical activity), fatigue, or extreme fussiness. 

  • Parents/guardians and staff should be asked if they or their child have been in close contact with a person who has COVID-19 or a person who is awaiting COVID-19 test results. 

  • Parents/guardians and staff should be asked about whether the child or staff member has experienced one or more of the following symptoms that has not been previously evaluated by a healthcare provider: 

    • Fever (100.4 degrees or above)

    • Cough 

    • Nasal congestion 

    • Sore throat

    • Shortness of breath

    • Diarrhea

    • Nausea or vomiting 

    • Fatigue

    • Headache 

    • Muscle Pain 

    • Poor feeding or poor appetite 

    • Loss of taste or smell 

    • Or any other symptom of not feeling well. 

All adults must wear non-medical face coverings or face masks at all times while in the school building. Students are highly encouraged to wear face coverings or cloth masks when feasible and if deemed developmentally appropriate by the parent, guardian or child-care provider. Any child wearing a mask must be able to safely use, avoid touching, and remove the covering without assistance. ​​​​​​​

Children and staff will wash their hands frequently throughout the day. Handwashing strategies include washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Hand cleaning supplies will be readily available in classrooms, bathrooms, and offices. Students will wash or sanitize their hands when both entering and exiting a classroom and between activities.

NCRC will follow the guidance of local authorities regarding whether masks are appropriate for children to wear in an educational setting. In preparation for this potential requirement, our Child Development Team is working with teachers on content that will help to make such a requirement explainable and less threatening for children.

The Task Force is working with the NCRC teaching staff to enhance distance learning curriculum for all classes if that is once again where we find ourselves at any point in the next school year. To date, our teachers have made admirable strides accounting for every possible need that an inclusive school with a diverse community may have. They’ve been mindful of unique parent needs, student needs and caregiver needs and will continue to find the best ways to bring NCRC into your homes, both through synchronous learning and asynchronous content development. 

As one might imagine, there is limited research available on distance learning for preschool-aged children. With three months over the summer to plan for this potential need, we will be reviewing closely all that has worked to date for every age range within the school and will continue to evolve our offering to ensure the most engaging and enjoyable experience possible for all students and their families through NCRC@Home, if necessary.

At this link you will find a document that walks through our current thinking on distance learning for all classes, which we will continue to refine throughout the summer.

​​​​​​​We recognize the stress and anxiety that parents are under as a result of this ongoing pandemic. Whether juggling working from home with your children’s needs, navigating different distance learning schedules for multiple children or just feeling the weight of the uncertainty brought on by this unprecedented public health crisis, we want to be a support to our parents in any way possible.

In addition to the content developed by our teacher teams for asynchronous learning opportunities at home, we have made virtual learning platforms including Seesaw and Epic available to all families at no cost. We are here to provide any parent who needs it with support securing the technology necessary to access both our synchronous and asynchronous distance learning content. We will also be providing every family with Learning Kits complete with a variety of materials to ensure that every student has what they need to complete the projects the class might work on through the year.

Finally, NCRC’s School Counselor, Judith Wides, a member of the Childhood Development Team, is available to all parents for any needs they may have, whether related to their child’s learning experience, a loss they may have suffered, increased anxiety or simply someone to talk to.

At this link you will find a document that walks through our current thinking on distance learning for all classes, which we will continue to refine throughout the summer.

​​​​​​​Seesaw, one of the core digital platforms in our Distance Learning Program, is a multi-lingual platform. Additionally, if family members or caregivers are Spanish speaking, we have several current faculty members who would be available to support the accessing of remote learning.

The NCRC Daily Message will be a daily video greeting for everyone in the school community. It could come from James Carroll, Molli Anderson any member of the faculty or staff to start each day. It may be live or recorded.

Our current plan is for teachers to remain with their dedicated classes, whether in-person or in Distance Learning.

• We consider student placement very carefully every year. This year will be no different, however, a number of new factors will come into play this year:

  • This summer we will ask parents to identify where siblings are at school, if not at NCRC, and to share any schedule they may already have received, in order to attempt to align with sibling schedules as much as we possibly can.

  • In an alternating A/B schedule scenario, we will take into consideration siblings to ensure that families are on the same in-person versus virtual schedule; and

  • Providing continuity for students is an especially important consideration this year, and will play a role in both class placement and staffing decisions; 

​​​​​​​Small groups will occur daily. The group may be divided into one, two, three or four small groups which will vary in size, depending on the focus and activity of the day. Students may begin in a whole group discussion, and then navigate to “break out” rooms (controlled by a teacher) for a short time/activity, before rejoining as a whole group, consistent with the function and size of small group activities students would experience when physically in the classroom.

​​​​​​​Distance Learning will include Music, provided by a Levine School of Music instructor, Motor, Library, and Mi Casa (Spanish).  Additionally, Ms. Julie, our OT, and Ms. Lauren, our Speech Language Therapist, will provide weekly lessons/activities. These will be presented in a combination of synchronous (live) and asynchronous (available anytime). This will be determined as we get closer to the beginning of the school year and are able to clearly identify the scheduled needs as determined by which scenario the school will be moving forward with.

At this time, the Board of Trustees has determined that this is not something that we can offer. As a non-profit independent school that operates without the safety net of an endowment, we do not expect to be immune to the impact of a contracting economy. Our decision to cancel Rainbow Camp this summer meant the very real loss of revenue for the school. To date we have received an increase in requests for financial support for the next school year, and we anticipate more.

In any given year, tuition revenue accounts for approximately 80% of NCRC’s operating budget. Like most non-profit independent schools, with the exception of those with an endowment, the remaining 20% comes from charitable contributions to NCRC’s Annual Fund and the annual Tuition Assistance Auction. As we look to the economic realities of the coming year, we must account for a level of financial uncertainty in these supplementary budget vehicles.

Additionally, increased health and safety protocols, procurement of exponential amounts of materials such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and disinfectant, potential acquisition of additional classroom space, and potential hiring of additional faculty to allow for decreased class size will all have significant impact on the school’s operating budget. 

Financially, we have two core priorities as a school: support families in our community with increased financial assistance to the greatest extent possible; and maintain employment and full benefits for all of our committed teachers and staff, regardless of the uncertainty of the upcoming year.

The NCRC Board of Trustees has the primary responsibility to ensure that the school is fiscally sound. While we recognize the very difficult financial decisions families are making when it comes to investment in an NCRC education for their children, similarly, the school is facing difficult choices as well.

As the school continues to assess the impact of COVID-19 on revenue for the coming year, the Board must consider how a reduction in tuition would impact our ability to:

• Deliver on our aforementioned financial priorities (increased financial assistance and maintenance of employment and full compensation and benefits for all NCRC teachers and staff);

  • Hire additional teachers and staff to ensure we can meet guidelines related to decreased class size.

  • Maintain the fiscal health necessary for the school to sustain and maintain through the duration of this crisis; and

  • Procure additional classroom space to maximize in-person learning opportunities for all students; 

  • Maintain the increased health and safety protocols required to ensure a safe environment for our children in the classroom;

To be clear, at no point will any decision be made regarding the coming school year that jeopardizes our children’s health or jeopardizes the long-term sustainability of NCRC.

Given current guidelines and protocols which preclude the mixing of groups, we are exploring the opportunity to run an Early Bird program whereby students go directly to their own classroom, rather than to a separate space. We are still considering and developing plans around whether we would be able to plan and offer lunch programming and/or afterschool programming. Families enrolled in these programs will only be responsible for payment for the duration they are made available in person.

​​​​​​​The physical closure of the schoolhouse has limited costs related to certain items like snacks and classroom materials. However, even while the school is physically closed to students and teachers, bills for heating, electricity and water must be paid. We have maintained employment and full benefits for all of our committed teachers and staff throughout this time. And we have shouldered added cost in the adoption of new technology and software to make distance learning possible for all of our students.

Additionally, we are being responsive to an increase in requests for financial support for the coming school year, and we anticipate more.

As a non-profit independent school that operates without the safety net of an endowment, we do not expect to be immune to the impact of a contracting economy. Our decision to cancel Rainbow Camp this summer meant the very real loss of revenue for the school. To date we have received an increase in requests for financial support for the next school year, and we anticipate more.

In any given year, tuition revenue accounts for approximately 80% of NCRC’s operating budget. Like most non-profit independent schools, with the exception of those with an endowment, the remaining 20% comes from charitable contributions to NCRC’s Annual Fund and the annual Tuition Assistance Auction. As we look to the economic realities of the coming year, we must account for a level of financial uncertainty in these supplementary budget vehicles.

Financially, we have two core priorities as a school: support families in our community with increased financial assistance to the greatest extent possible; and maintain employment and full benefits for all of our committed teachers and staff, regardless of the uncertainty of the upcoming year.

After careful consideration and review, and with the approval of the Board of Trustees, NCRC applied for and was awarded a $621,900 Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program loan, which is funded through the federal CARES Act. This funding is intended to offset a portion of anticipated revenue loss, anticipated increased need for Tuition Assistance, anticipated additional costs in health and safety protocols and the resources needed for additional procurement of PPE. This funding will be essential to allow us to continue to meet our payroll and benefit obligations to all staff and faculty throughout the coming year.​​​​​​​

Additionally, while we are hopeful that we will be able to meet the requirements for this loan to be forgiven, loan forgiveness is not guaranteed at this time.

NCRC’s Early Beginnings and Play Pals programs have been the foundation of NCRC’s commitment to inclusion for generations.

Our talented and dedicated Child Development Team of Judith Wides, Julie Mishkin, and Lauren Dewey-Rosenfeld have continued to offer frequent, robust programming to both children and their parents throughout the closure of our physical schoolhouse.  To offer further support, the Early Beginnings programming for children and families will be continuing into the summer, throughout the month of June.

Should we be forced to close our schoolhouse at any time in the coming year, our full program of both Early Beginnings and Play Pals will continue to be offered to families as planned, even in a virtual setting if necessary. This will also include virtual home visits for individual children and their family.​​​​​​​

Substantial planning and preparations for the breadth and logistics of this fall’s program will be formulated and finalized with the CDT during the summer, and families participating in these programs will hear from the team directly.

NCRC is committed to ensuring that all of our students are protected and provided for in this uncertain environment. If you have any unique concerns about your child’s health and safety, we ask you to share those with an NCRC faculty or staff member so that we may ensure that the needs of your child are accounted for in our planning.

The health and safety of our students is our number one priority. In the event that a family is uncomfortable having their child physically on campus in a given scenario, we would discuss this on a case by case basis with that family.

Prior to the start of the school year, NCRC will share revised health policies and best practices based on the latest guidance, as well as recommendations and protocols for reporting travel, illness and so forth.

DC Health will direct NCRC on the necessary steps in the event of a positive case within our community. This could range from only the affected class being ‘closed’ for two days for a deep cleaning or 14 days of quarantine for the class to the whole school being closed for two to 14 days.​​​​​​​

Current OSSE guidance regarding the individual is the following:

Students and staff must stay home, or not be admitted, if: 

• They or any member of their household is confirmed to have COVID-19. 

• Any member of their household is awaiting COVID-19 test results. 

If a student or staff member is confirmed to have COVID-19, the student or staff member must not return to school until: 

• 72 hours after the fever has resolved without the use of fever-reducing medication (e.g., Motrin, Tylenol) and respiratory symptoms have improved; AND 

• At least ten days after symptoms first appeared, whichever is later; OR 

• Per their health care provider or DC Health instructions. If any student or staff member has been in close contact with a person who is positive for COVID-19, then the student or staff member must not enter the facility until cleared by their healthcare provider or have completed their quarantine period without becoming symptomatic or diagnosed with COVID-19. If any student or staff member has been in close contact with a person who is awaiting a COVID-19 test result, then the student or staff member must not enter the facility until the close contact tests negative. If the close contact tests positive, then they should seek guidance from their healthcare provider or DC Health. Recommendations regarding these timelines are evolving, and guidelines will be updated if further information becomes available from DC Health and CDC.