Additional Reopening Updates
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Additional Reopening Updates
If you didn't get the chance to watch the Mitigating Risk & Reopening Q&A I did on Tuesday, I wanted to share with you two very important pieces of news, and also to introduce some new community members.
First, I am pleased to announce that we have partnered with Remark Thermal Imaging to install thermal imaging cameras in all 4 divisions. This will provide us with instantaneous temperature checks of children coming into our buildings while letting kids enter school as usual. Second, I am just as excited to announce a partnership with UMC Hospital to perform surveillance testing on our community. Each week, 10% of our community will be tested for COVID-19, including half of the faculty and staff. This means that every two weeks, every adult on campus will have been tested, and 20% of our total community will have been tested, allowing the School to make good decisions regarding possible closures and quarantines. This is the only testing protocol of its kind that I have heard of a school employing anywhere in the country.
In addition, I want to briefly introduce a few additions to our community whom we have added over the summer as a result of the pandemic. Our goal is to be prepared to address any issues right away, and we know that staffing up will help us to achieve that goal. Therefore, please join me in welcoming the following new members of the Meadows Family.
In Beginning School, we have made the teaching aid position a full-time role and hired Ms. Kaylyn Fong. Kaylyn comes to us with experience at another local private school
In Lower School, as Ms. Kennedy indicated to parents, Cindy Driehorst will be taking a (non-COVID related) medical leave of absence and we are fortunate to have hired Ms. Lisette Garcia-Kohler as a replacement. Ms. Garcia-Kohler has 25 years of teaching experience and is moving from a highly regarded school in the Bay Area. In addition, we are pleased to have hired Dr. Kristen Withey '07 as an Academic Learning Specialist to support all learners both virtual and in-person. Dr. Withey, a Meadows alumna, comes to us after working most recently for the Nevada Department of Education. Finally, we are pleased to have hired Ms. Trinity Xu to be a co-teacher and full-time substitute. Ms. Xu recently received a master's degree from UNLV and has years of experience teaching elementary and middle school students, along with experience teaching English as a second language in China and the U.S.
In Middle School, we have hired Mr. Brian Neely to be the in-class sub for Dr. Schoenblum, who is out on maternity leave. Brian is finishing his PhD in History at UNLV and has served as a coach at TMS. We have also added Mr. Brett Price and Mr. Jerrell Norman as middle school aides, coaches, and on-staff substitutes. Mr. Price has a wealth of private school teaching and coaching experience. Mr. Norman has coached at TMS for a number of years and brings a wealth of fitness and life science knowledge.
In Upper School, we have hired Mr. Ron Maurizi as a long-term sub for Ms. Alyce Brownridge, who will be teaching remotely. As of this writing, we are looking to hire one more long-term sub for Upper School.
First, I am pleased to announce that we have partnered with Remark Thermal Imaging to install thermal imaging cameras in all 4 divisions. This will provide us with instantaneous temperature checks of children coming into our buildings while letting kids enter school as usual. Second, I am just as excited to announce a partnership with UMC Hospital to perform surveillance testing on our community. Each week, 10% of our community will be tested for COVID-19, including half of the faculty and staff. This means that every two weeks, every adult on campus will have been tested, and 20% of our total community will have been tested, allowing the School to make good decisions regarding possible closures and quarantines. This is the only testing protocol of its kind that I have heard of a school employing anywhere in the country.
In addition, I want to briefly introduce a few additions to our community whom we have added over the summer as a result of the pandemic. Our goal is to be prepared to address any issues right away, and we know that staffing up will help us to achieve that goal. Therefore, please join me in welcoming the following new members of the Meadows Family.
In Beginning School, we have made the teaching aid position a full-time role and hired Ms. Kaylyn Fong. Kaylyn comes to us with experience at another local private school
In Lower School, as Ms. Kennedy indicated to parents, Cindy Driehorst will be taking a (non-COVID related) medical leave of absence and we are fortunate to have hired Ms. Lisette Garcia-Kohler as a replacement. Ms. Garcia-Kohler has 25 years of teaching experience and is moving from a highly regarded school in the Bay Area. In addition, we are pleased to have hired Dr. Kristen Withey '07 as an Academic Learning Specialist to support all learners both virtual and in-person. Dr. Withey, a Meadows alumna, comes to us after working most recently for the Nevada Department of Education. Finally, we are pleased to have hired Ms. Trinity Xu to be a co-teacher and full-time substitute. Ms. Xu recently received a master's degree from UNLV and has years of experience teaching elementary and middle school students, along with experience teaching English as a second language in China and the U.S.
In Middle School, we have hired Mr. Brian Neely to be the in-class sub for Dr. Schoenblum, who is out on maternity leave. Brian is finishing his PhD in History at UNLV and has served as a coach at TMS. We have also added Mr. Brett Price and Mr. Jerrell Norman as middle school aides, coaches, and on-staff substitutes. Mr. Price has a wealth of private school teaching and coaching experience. Mr. Norman has coached at TMS for a number of years and brings a wealth of fitness and life science knowledge.
In Upper School, we have hired Mr. Ron Maurizi as a long-term sub for Ms. Alyce Brownridge, who will be teaching remotely. As of this writing, we are looking to hire one more long-term sub for Upper School.
Jeremy Gregersen
Head of School