YOUR CHILD’S EXPERIENCE: SCHOOL LIFE
Da Vinci Waldorf School prioritizes in-person programming for all our programs during the 21-22 school year.
EARLY CHILDHOOD
PARENT-CHILD
The program embodies the sanctuary of home in a school setting where innocence and wonder are honored and imagination is nurtured. Parents have the opportunity to meet other parents, share parenting experiences, challenges, and wonders, ask questions and learn more about the Waldorf approach.
COVID EXPECTATIONS FOR PARENT-CHILD CLASS
While outdoors and with consideration of social distancing, masks need not be worn. Adults and children over 2 will be required to wear a mask upon entering the school building. Daily symptom screening will be on an honor system. Please do not attend Parent-Child class if your child exhibits any of the symptoms on the symptom checklist.
PRESCHOOL-KINDERGARTEN
Outdoor play is essential for the young child and spending time outside will be a primary component of our programming during the 21-22 school year to complement artistic and real work activities. Outdoor space, off-site hikes, and cooking outdoors will provide rich and health-giving experiences for our youngest students. Certain activities such as painting will occur indoors with the majority of programming to occur outdoors.
COVID EXPECTATIONS FOR MORNING DROP-OFF
What do Early Childhood students do?
- Daily symptom screening will be on an honor system. Please use the symptom checklist at home prior to coming to school.
- All students and parents will arrive with a mask attached to a lanyard around their neck.
- Early Childhood parents will walk their child(ren) around the building to be greeted by their teacher.
- Mighty Oak children will be dropped off in the circle drive and escorted to their class outside.
COVID EXPECTATIONS FOR PRESCHOOL - KINDERGARTEN
- Lead teachers and assistants will gently guide their students in maintaining physical distance and proper hand-hygiene processes when needed.
- While outdoors and while maintaining physical distancing, masks need not be worn.
- While indoors, masks will be worn. Parents are asked to keep three clean masks at school for their child to ensure the mask remains sanitary.
- Students enrolled in Extended Day will nap indoors on cots placed head to toe and physically distanced with classroom windows open. While napping, children are not expected to wear a mask.
COVID EXPECTATIONS FOR AFTERNOON PICK-UP
Children are released at 12:30 p.m. Children will be waiting on the East end of the school by the chicken coop with their teacher. Parents should hold their children's hand from the building to their car. Parents should stay with and supervise the children closely.
Children that stay for Extended Day will be released at 3:30 p.m. on the East end of the school by the chicken coop. If they have older siblings, they will be given to the older siblings to wait in the pick up line.
GRADE SCHOOL
TEACHING THROUGH THE ARTS
Children in grades one through eight are especially open to learning through rhythmic movement, painting, music, imagery, and modeling. Artistic experiences provide a healing or balancing gesture as we navigate the increased stress that may be caused by the current situation.
The arts in a variety of modalities will feature heavily during this year and will work to renew children and adults.
For a more complete description of the curriculum please look on our website or the primary Parent Handbook.
COVID EXPECTATIONS FOR MORNING DROP OFF
What do Grade School students do?
- Daily symptom screening will be on an honor system. Please use the symptom checklist at home prior to coming to school.
- Grade students will be dropped off per usual in the circle drive.
- Upon entering the building, students will wear a mask and proceed to their cubbies.
- Each student will put their personal items away prior to going to their classroom.
- Students will wash their hands at the hand washing station in their classroom to start the day.
COVID EXPECTATIONS FOR GRADE SCHOOL STUDENTS
- The traditional handshake to greet each child from their class teacher will be returning and when needed, an alternate greeting may be determined by students.
- Daily and weekly schedules are designed to balance the amount of time students are in school wearing masks and outdoors mask-free with a continuation to socially distance.
- Class periods are increased from 40 minutes to 1 hour to support the additional transition time needed to accommodate the safety protocols such as hand hygiene, desk sanitization processes and monitored bathroom breaks.
COVID EXPECTATIONS FOR AFTERNOON PICK UP
GRADE SCHOOL
Children are released at 3:25 p.m. and will line up, socially distanced, on the sidewalk and the lawn in front of the building. Siblings will stand together. They will be supervised by a teacher until their parents arrive.
BEFORE SCHOOL CARE/EXTENDED DAY/AFTER CARE
Children must be pre-registered for either the 7:30 am or 8:00 am drop-off time prior to the beginning of the school day.
Pre-registration is required for Before School Care, Extended Day and After Care. Call the office at least 24 hours in advance if you need to drop-off your students to ensure there is space available if you are not registered. DROP INS FOR THE 21-22 SCHOOL YEAR ARE AVAILABLE BASED ON AVAILABILITY.
COVID EXPECTATIONS FOR BEFORE SCHOOL CARE
- Students and parents will arrive and come inside to meet the Before School Care staff member.
- Before School Care may be outside without masks, weather permitting. While inside the school building, both children and staff will wear a face mask.
COVID EXPECTATIONS FOR EXTENDED DAY & AFTER CARE
Extended Day for Early Childhood students runs from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Aftercare is offered for both Early Childhood and Grades students from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Health and Safety protocols developed for the school day will be continued during Extended Day and After Care.
- Masks will be worn while indoors.
- Physical distancing guidelines will be upheld where possible.
- Hand hygiene protocols will continue.
- No food sharing: please pack enough food for your children in aftercare!
- At pick up time, parents will come to the front office wearing a mask. Office personnel will retrieve the child and bring him/her to the parent.