Dear Hilton Head Prep Community,
I would like to provide an update on our plans for the 20-21 school year. It is important to remember that we have to abide by DHEC guidelines, local regulations, and our governing body as we make decisions designed to minimize exposure and infection rates. At this stage of the pandemic, most families know of a friend or relative who has contracted COVID 19. Most have also experienced an "exposure scare" that is eye-opening when the reality of contact tracing and life ramifications become personal.
As you may know, South Carolina is currently considered a hot spot for COVID 19. Recently the SC Public School Superintendent and the SC Governor have expressed concerns about public schools opening in August simply because infection rates are increasing by 900% among school-age children and more specifically high school-age children. There is a very real frustration and concern about students being permitted to socialize in groups where they not only contract COVID 19 but also spread it to the community at large.
As a school community, we are asking that all of our families do their best to self-isolate two weeks prior to school opening. It is everyone's responsibility to minimize the risk of exposure which will ultimately allow us to have uninterrupted classes in a way that everyone would like.
Our current intentions are to open for school in August as planned. We have been working very hard to re-invent what school at Hilton Head Prep will look like under our new circumstances. We recognize that it will be different, in some situations things might not be ideal, and we will all be expected to do a little more as we adapt. As I mentioned before, we intend to offer a hybrid solution of education primarily designed to protect our school community in a way that will allow us to have students on campus as much as possible by minimizing class sizes and "close contact".
Option One: Families may elect to keep their children at home and receive daily live-feed online instruction.
•Live feed online instruction is also available for students who are unable to attend "in-person" classes for any reason.
Option Two : Families may elect to send their children to school with the following guidelines.
oJK-6th grade will come to school every day.
o7-12th grade will operate on an A/B schedule and come to school on alternating days. When at home, students will receive simultaneous live feed online instruction (with attendance)
• In developing the roster of students for the A/B schedule we have accounted for siblings, teammates, and academy students to follow the same schedule when possible.
Attached you will find our Return to School Plan for parents that is much more detailed.
Each division will be communicating more detailed information for parents and students with regard to orientation and what "a day in the life" of a Hilton Head Prep student will look like next year. Please know that we would like all of our students back on campus as soon a possible and operating as we did before COVID 19 made such an impact on our world. I am confident that we will adapt and things will be better.
Stay safe and thank you for your support.
Jon Hopman
COVID-19 PLAN - HILTON HEAD PREPARATORY SCHOOL