messages from teachers during COVID-19 pandemic Going forward, we will continue to update the community on a weekly basis, to add clarity as frequently as we may. "The Lord gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers". We love them. Please call or text someone (a friend, your grandparent, or a cousin) to say hi. It is recommended to Post them in the hallways or on the wall of the classroom. We are aiming for Labor Day weekend. You and your families have been resourceful, understanding and patient partners with our faculty, staff and administrators. As we navigate this new territory together, that spirit of partnership will be essential. School is important but so is your health. Because our initial testing round began several weeks ago and based on patterns we are seeing at other campuses, during the first week after arrival we have decided to conduct a second required round of testing. In addition to the Healthy Together Community Commitment, every student at William & Mary is accountable to theStudent Code of Conduct. We welcome the insights that early start may yield for the rest of us. at home with family, at an apartment, at a hotel, etc. 10 Awe-Inspiring Quotes for Teachers and Parents For students living in off-campus housing: given the lack of services on campus and out of an abundance of caution, we ask that you return to your family residence. Recognizing that the health landscape continues to evolve, a robust testing effort allows us to monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 on campus among students and employees, and to track campus trends relative to those locally, within Virginia and nationally. Proctoring protects the integrity of the testing process, thereby maintaining a level playing field for all students. The spring course schedule will include in-person, blended and fully-remote sections, as the fall semester did. W&M leadership will continually evaluate our path forward in light of those changes. Otherwise, we will assume that you do not wish to donate at this time, and you will receive the rebate credit. Start and end dates for the Mason School of Business, the School of Education and the Law School vary by program and can be found on the, Students enrolled in remote courses who live within 30 miles of campus (with limited exceptions for students enrolled in certain graduate programs), Students who may be coming to the campus, yet arent in any of the groups listed above, may choose to opt-in for the testing. Symptomatic students may be tested and treated through the Student Health Center. They gathered in a group exceeding our size guidelines, without the space to physically distance, were not wearing masks and possessed alcohol while underage. By establishing a care network, we hope to lessen the complications of navigating the university system as you work to remain well or recover. In this newly technological world, people are beginning to emphasize the importance of students' mental health and wellb eing, as well as that of educators alike. He will communicate separately with employees next week. It is imperative that you do your part to safeguard everyones health at William & Mary. Yet at a time of loss and sacrifice, we have also made gains. Tests will be sent based on your anticipated return date, according to a predetermined schedule arranged with W&Ms health care partners. "Thank you very much for doing that video. A return to campus, like all aspects of life, carries with it potential risk. They become our families each year and we love them fiercely, even when they cant follow through or act out or dont do the work. These students should closely track EMT messages regarding Hurricane Isaias. I wish you a safe and happy holiday season. Social class juniors, seniors, and graduate students may request housing contract release without penalty. Some teachers left because of the challenges of teaching during a pandemic, while others were fearful they would contract Covid-19 and some were offered higher-paying jobs. Remember that we are in this together -- all W&M offices are "open" and we are here for you., Virginia M. Ambler, PhDVice President for Student AffairsWilliam & Mary. Despite the intense worry and uncertainty that all of us are feeling, the sense of shared purpose at William & Mary is strong. Happy Teacher Appreciation Day from the Career and Technical Education Team. Thank you. Your questions are helping us immensely as we strive to be clear and responsive during this global crisis. We will also use this as an opportunity to weave into the conversations many of the questions we have been hearing. We are continuing to make decisions in a measured, phased way, taking the steps required to flatten the curve of financial impact due to COVID-19.This spring has clarified much about why we value face-to-face learning at William & Mary and why we seek to return to it with such a strong sense of purpose. These decisions will have consequences for each of us professionally and personally. It made my day," one third grade student wrote to him in an email. All university-sponsored travel domestic and international is suspended regardless of fund source. The deadline for residential undergraduate students to select a meal plan was July 8. I am proud of each and every one of you. Tressa S. We know being home (in sometimes tight quarters) is tough on everyone, so now is the time to dig deep and be kind. Your support for our students, faculty and staff is more important now than ever, as we navigate uncharted territory. I am deeply grateful to them for their tireless and resourceful partnership. We remain committed to the four goals shared last week and will continue to support those students who are unable to leave campus. Student Affairs will provide details about the winter break transition and spring semester arrival by the week of November 2. With great strength of purpose, William & Mary students and their families, faculty and staff embraced the work of safeguarding our community while ensuring that our learning and research mission remains strong. Heres to you, William & Marys remarkable Class of 2020! In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government closed all New York City public schools last week. Above all, be assured that your alma mater is committed to your well-being, and to offering an educational experience that enables you to do your best work while sustaining momentum to your degree. From teaching inspiration to ideas for staying healthy and avoiding burnout, here you'll find a place to laugh, vent, and get reinvigorated to teach. While many employees will return to work on campus on Wednesday, Aug. 5 (pending further EMT guidance on Hurricane Isaias), the university will remain closed to the general public as we phase in operations. High School Musical Tickets On Sale Now. A university-wide policy on travel reimbursements is posted online. Much like running a race, at the end of every year, she hands out a medal to each of her students as a congratulatory gift after they take their AP exams. There can be no large parties this fall. Read the descriptions of high-level categories for course delivery: By looking up course attributes in Banner, students will be able to craft a fully remote schedule for the fall semester if that is their preference. Instruction is moving to remote and online platforms. Please reach out to the graduating students around you and support them. PDF. With added pandemic pressure, grades are bound to slip. Year 12 Parent/Teacher Interviews. But amidst the pain Student tuition and fees make up our biggest source of revenue. Help our educators and teachers come alongside our students in this moment of loss, fear, and crisis. Please share any quotes that inspire you in the comments below. Celebrating the work of W&M faculty, staff and students. Our Wonderful Students: I hope this message finds you and all you love doing well. In some cases, due to student and/or course requirements, exams are proctored. From a learning perspective, we know that the best-case scenario is to have students on campus in person. Were hoping students will be supportive and kind to each other remotely as well. For now, we can share these details: Already, our graduating students are experiencing a deep sense of loss, as a spring semester they joyfully anticipated has changed in profound ways outside of our control. We have always enforced violations of our codes affecting the university community, from the nations oldest student-led honor system to the universitys conduct system. Please feel . Please read through all information, which includes: We recognize that this fall semester will feel very different for us all. As we plan for our spring semester, our overarching goals remain steadfast: to prioritize the health and well-being of the community; to keep teaching, learning and pursuing research; and to continue adapting our living, learning and working environments so as to mitigate the spread of the virus. To support that effort, yesterday, Provost Agouris shared temporary adjustments to grading policy for this semester that provide options to undergraduate students in different situations. These prudent measures ultimately increase our ability to be together as a community by decreasing the density on campus at a critical time. W&Ms leadership will bring our best thinking to when and how we can come together in this important ceremony of passage perhaps in summer, or fall. Employees are expected to continue working during this period, observing proper health protocols and with modifications as needed and approved by supervisors. William & Mary is assisting members of our community during this difficult time, working with individuals on a case-by-case basis through the Dean of Students Office. Graduates and their families will enjoy all the pomp and circumstance this ancient university has to offer. Students should call ahead to schedule an appointment. More will be needed in the weeks ahead. As previously noted, we strongly advise all students to physically leave campus if they can. For students, case managers will serve as a point of contact throughout the isolation period, helping with the transition to isolation or quarantine housing as needed, and arranging for cleaning and disinfecting of campus spaces, among other assistance. It's a hive of human activity and constant, emotional interaction - buzzing with movement, noise, rapid changes, ups, downs and, in many cases, actual bells to tell everyone when to stand up and go. Many of these institutions took different approaches to testing, campus density and/or required conduct. As the semester winds down, I write to share my gratitude for your steadfast and creative efforts over the past nine months of pandemic. Remember, if you do test positive for COVID-19, through William & Marys testing regimen or an outside provider, you must respondimmediatelyto any outreach from the university and visitReportCOVID.wm.eduto be assigned a case manager to assist in transitioning work and study while isolating. Itonly takes a handful of studentsbehavingrecklessly, to jeopardizetheabilityfor all of usto be on campus this fall. Your case manager will help make the arrangements. Wellness Resources for You. She returned to her classroom to pack up the belongings her students left behind. I just really miss them. Cory L. I hope you are all safe and healthy. Our understanding of this pandemic is rapidly evolving. Please let me know if you have additional questions. to date, no student on campus has tested positive, state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic, Read the descriptions of high-level categories for course delivery, detailed plans for Check-In and New Student Orientation, All generative questions and ideas are welcome, Flourishing during Unexpected, Uncertain, and Unwanted Change, https://www.wm.edu/offices/wellness/ohp/general-wellness/silvercloud/, https://www.wm.edu/offices/it/remoteresources/index.php, monitoring the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, support for the online instructional, remote learning, Undergraduate Residence Halls close on November 25 at 10 a.m. Be sure to carefully review the, Remaining on campus after November 25 at 10 a.m. is not an option, Students living in the Graduate Complex or Tribe Square are permitted to remain in their current apartment, but must verify they are staying via the, Spring semester course delivery attributes will be in Banner by Friday, November 13. Now, students have breaks between periods and teachers can use that time for extra help sessions or just one-on- one check-ins. The Exit: Teachers Leave. Students who need to use the elevator to access the concourse level of Kaplan Arena may arrange. For students, staff and faculty who are traveling and for their families taking prudent action now increases their ability to plan. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 within the 90 days prior to your return, please fill out the form at, As COVID-19 vaccine testing and deployment accelerates, the Virginia Department of Health is developing a protocol to administer inoculation across the Commonwealth. We will continue to meet daily to evaluate the circumstances and decide no later than April 1 whether to continue these changes further. I am confident that will be the case in the coming days and weeks. Children will look at you and learn from the skills you use daily to deal with stressful situations. As we end the year, its not traditional, and its hard that way too, she added. Professor Jal Mehta isn't surprised that some students and teachers are finding positives during remote learning. You will have a limited amount of time to collect your belongings and leave campus. When we experience emotions like sadness and anxiety, research suggests that expressing them through visual and performing arts is one of the most effective ways to address them. Undergraduate, graduate Arts & Sciences, and Marine Science classes will begin January 27 and end May 7. We are here with you. Our mission calls us to convene together, and we have all explicitly committed to supporting that mission in this time. This accomplishment is hard-earned. 20 Inspirational Quotes For Kids/Parents To Overcome Covid-19 All domestic students are expected to self-quarantine for eight days before arriving on-campus; students coming from international destinations must self-quarantine per CDC Guidelines (currently 14 days). Multilingual at Heart. Social distancing protocols will be in place and we will require compliance with these actions. You will make the best memories at SHU; your friends, your professors and classes, everything. It is clear that we must defer the planned ceremony on May 16. For instance, this may be a great time to learn about our online training modules on mental health via SilverCloud (https://www.wm.edu/offices/wellness/ohp/general-wellness/silvercloud/). To plan your vaccine, head to NBC's Plan Your Vaccine site at PlanYourVaccine.com. We recognize the uncertainty so many are feeling. Virginias Phase 3 of reopening began July 1. Duty Offices in Residence Halls will remain closed at this time. You can read additional information for students and employees below and on our Path Forward website. While we are apart, learn with your familylearn some family history with a photo album, go on a nature hike and appreciate the world outside together, read with a family member. Kristen W. Being home means school time is a lot shorter. First, I want to thank you for your continued patience as the university finalizes the details that will allow us to issue student rebates. We will chart a thoughtful path forward stronger in the future because of the dedication and creativity of our students, faculty and staff and because of the relationships that we forge in the coming weeks. Harmony Science Academy teacher Dehna Richards stood heartbroken in her empty classroom and tearfully looked around. Because of health concerns and regulations, Richards couldnt return to teaching her students in person. Housing Rebates Students will receive a rebate based on their housing type as follows: Main Campus All Room Types $1,200New Campus Doubles & Triples $1,200New Campus Singles $1,350Single Buyouts $1,350All Graduate Housing $1,350Tribe Square $1,350. I just really miss them. Cory L. WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. Many of W&Ms protocols in the spring will mirror what proved successful in the fall, though W&M continues to refine processes and evaluate response to the ever-changing public health landscape. Ideas, Inspiration, and Giveaways for Teachers. As always in these uncertain times, we will adhere to Virginias public health advisories to ensure the safety of all participating in and supporting events in the coming year. Our new COVID-19 Dashboard is updated daily. So its important to be clear that W&M will be holding student groups and individual students accountable, as appropriate, when they do not comply. The May planning process described below aligns with similar planning at Virginias public higher education institutions and with the Dept. Quotes that Hold the True Meaning of Education. William & Marys response to the pandemic and reopening follows Commonwealth guidelines. Thank you for the dedication you have shown throughout this semester. All testing and distancing protocols will remain in effect. Room and board costs will be adjusted accordingly. Well be adding specific information about W&M positive rates if/when they rise to the reporting threshold required. "Just keep swimming." Dory, Finding Nemo. Below my signature, you will find a high-level view of our current operations under the pandemic and an introduction to our planning process for next year. Immediately isolate yourself in your residence hall, or if off-campus, in your residence. We have heard the concerns expressed by many students and faculty about this falls compressed semester. Reflecting on Teacher Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Pandemic Walk slowly through your neighborhood or in your backyard and discover what Spring looks like. Cindy K. Its easy to feel helpless in situations like this, but we can make small differences. Such behavior, though undertaken individually, puts at risk the communitys ability to learn together in person, and also the individuals status at William & Mary. Weve learned in the past six weeks that together, weve got this. Preventing COVID-19 during travel and gatherings.