5.29.2020 A Note from Mr. Moore: Providing Regular Updates to the Woodland Community and Tuition/Enrollment Contract Information
May 29, 2020
Good Morning Woodland Parents,
I hope this email finds you well and enjoying a little summertime! Woodland is ramping up our planning for our summer programs and the beginning of the new school year. Throughout the summer, Woodland is committed to providing updates regularly. We are always available via a phone call or email, so please reach out with any questions you have. Headline News will continue to be sent out every Friday and is an essential tool for staying up-to-date with all things regarding Woodland School.
Beginning June 1st, the school offices will be open for our regular summer hours, 9-2. As shared in previous communications, our summer programming during the first two weeks of June will be virtual-only. I hope you will support these offerings, click here. We are making plans for on-campus summer programming in June. Details and an official start date will be shared as soon as possible. Once we have a firm start date for on-campus summer programs, policies and procedures for the programs will be shared before the sign-ups are released.
Throughout the school year and during the summer months, Woodland maintains regular contact with and participates in training offered by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), Tennessee Association of Independent Schools (TAIS), and the Memphis Association of Independent Schools (MAIS). These three organizations have provided excellent sources of information and guidance to Woodland and independent schools across the region as we plan for and respond to COVID-19 related issues. We will continue to use these valuable resources in our planning for the upcoming summer programs and 2020-21 school year.
In addition to these school organizations, Woodland's leadership team and nursing staff have been monitoring and communicating with the Shelby County Health Department and reviewing guidance and directives from the state and local levels. In addition to our local agencies, Woodland uses the most recent CDC recommendations for schools as we plan for the summer and upcoming school year. The CDC link can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/index.html. Please be aware that this interim guidance is continuously changing; therefore, the recommendations you see here today may not be the same guidance you see next week. Due to the evolving nature of the recommendations provided, Woodland is unable to share specific policies and procedures until later in the summer. Be assured; we are working through various scenarios with our programming, scheduling, classes, and health and safety protocols that will best serve our Woodland community.
Woodland has received several questions around tuition and enrollment contracts for the coming school year. The terms of the enrollment contract and tuition amounts have not changed, and while tuition and contracts have been discussed at the Board of Directors level, Woodland does not foresee an adjustment or change to these policies for the coming school year. As most non-profit, independent schools, tuition payments, and enrollment contracts help ensure the school's financial viability and allow the school to meet the financial obligations of our faculty, staff, and countless other necessary expenses for a strong school community.
To help our families, Woodland has increased our need-based financial assistance budget for the 2020-2021 school year. This support is to assist families who have faced hardship related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click to read Woodland's Financial Assistance Policy and the Core Principals of Financial Assistance. Mr. Tatum is available to answer any questions regarding Woodland's Financial Assistance program. This program is need-based, and applying does not guarantee a financial assistance award.
Woodland is planning for a 2020-2021 school year to begin as scheduled. Although the coming school year will no doubt look different than years past, our commitment to our students remains unwavering. Woodland remains committed to seeing each child succeed to the greatest of his or her abilities no matter the circumstances.
Thank you for choosing Woodland!
Adam Moore
Head of School
