Distance Learning Plan Overview Sanford School is committed to delivering a dynamic educational experience for all students. There are rare occasions, though, when external circumstances or world events will impinge upon our ability to operate the campus or our faculty’s ability to teach on-site. For this reason, we have developed SanfordConnected—a plan to ensure continuity of learning, intellectual engagement, and purposeful connection for and with our students and to preserve their love of learning. The following distance learning plan outlines an approach to maintaining instruction and learning using alternate methods and digital and online resources in the event of an extended period of remote learning or campus closure. It focuses on the distance learning platforms; flexible, age-appropriate approaches teachers will use; and our school community’s social-connectedness efforts to ensure continuity of our students’ education and Sanford School experience should an event cause a disruption in campus operations. In the event of such an emergency, the Head of School and the division heads will share information regarding the implementation of SanfordConnected—Sanford’s distance learning program.
The Role of the Leadership Team In the event of a major disruption of campus operations or urgent campus closure, Sanford School’s Executive Leadership Team will convene to assess the situation and make recommendations for the school’s response. The Head of School will maintain close communication with the President of the Board of Trustees, who will provide input to the Leadership Team in the planning and response to any situation that leads to a protracted school closure. The Head of School will then make the decision to close Sanford’s campus and initiate the distance learning plan. Depending on the cause for campus closure, the school may be required to delay the initiation of the distance learning plan but will communicate about its timing as soon as possible. For instance, in the event of a natural disaster such as a hurricane or tornado, we may need to stabilize the campus infrastructure (i.e., information technology network, digital platforms, physical campus, buildings and systems, etc.) before we are able to initiate online instruction. We will communicate with students, parents/ guardians, and employees using the Sanford School website and email, including the exact date for the beginning of distance learning for students and the designated workdays for faculty and staff to initiate remote work.
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SanfordConnected: Sanford School’s Distance Learning Approach We all recognize that distance learning cannot replicate the kind of learning experience that takes place in a dynamic and inspiring school environment where talented teachers and bright students engage through personal daily contact and nuanced discussion. When such an experience cannot be possible, there are many alternative and effective approaches available to our teachers in order to continue instruction and engage students in meaningful learning and a sense of connection. The use of the most effective technological tools for teaching and learning in the classroom is not new to Sanford School. At all grade levels, our teachers are accustomed to using technology to advance learning goals for students. In a distance learning mode, teachers make use of a range of technological tools and online platforms that are already available to them and their students, ensuring greater familiarity. By using these familiar tools, our students can adapt easily and smoothly to a distance learning approach. Students continue to engage in learning by reading a range of texts and materials designed to develop critical reading skills as well as provide content knowledge in specific subject areas. Students also continue to develop math skills by solving problems on paper as well as using online platforms to submit work and receive feedback. While not an exact substitute for classroom learning, teachers can maintain productive and developmentally appropriate lessons using a broad range of resources, approaches, and methodologies. All of that is supplemented by an emphasis on maintaining a sense of community—a hallmark of the Sanford experience.
