A Letter From the Headmaster and Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Dear Houston Academy Family: 

We have all been shocked and dismayed by the recent events surrounding George Floyd's tragic and shocking death. Regardless of one’s political party, race, religion, or creed, this event has brought the ideal of equality and equal justice for all to the forefront of the national consciousness. From our perspective, this event has confirmed our resolve to have a school community which values equity, equality, and which condemns racism and bigotry in no uncertain terms. 

We do not want you to believe, however, that these values were not already important to us. Six years ago we incorporated the idea of inclusivity into our strategic plan. In fact, our very first goal was: 

To raise global awareness by increasing respect and appreciation for personal and cultural differences.

It is important to note that we are deliberate in talking about being "inclusive," not merely "tolerant." Tolerance is passive; inclusivity is active. That is, it is not enough to merely “tolerate” differences in race, religion, or belief systems. We must “include” each other and, in fact, celebrate and understand our differences. We have worked on this through our advisory program and through our curriculum. Moreover, the Board of Trustees has made a firm commitment to diversifying the student body and a number of our families have made a strong pecuniary commitment to supporting students with financial need. Additionally, eight years ago, the Board of Trustees also expanded the school's mission statement to say that our mission is to "prepare all our students for responsible participation in a global society." This is an explicit acknowledgment that our country and world is increasingly interconnected and diverse, and the only way our children will be able to successfully navigate this world is to understand and respect differences. 

Obviously, this is not enough, and there is a lot of "heavy lifting" to be done. The leadership team at HA is dedicated to giving our students from diverse backgrounds a voice, and those conversations have already begun. Specifically, we believe that one of the keys to moving forward as a community is to have honest, frank conversations, but also to listen to each other. You will be hearing more from us about specifics as the year moves forward. 

As always, your input is appreciated, both by the Board of Trustees and Dr. Phillipps.

Dr. Scott D. Phillipps,

Headmaster            

Kevin Savoy, 

Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Coronavirus

Dear HA Family:

Our school is currently monitoring closely the spread of the coronavirus and if it may, in time, affect our campus. Our main priority is to keep our students, faculty, and staff healthy and safe. We want to assure you that we will take necessary precautions so that our students are protected.

On-Campus Response

On campus, we have created a plan in response to the potential threat of this epidemic. The plan also applies to influenza, or any other pandemic virus that may cause serious widespread illnesses. It includes preventative and environmental sanitation practices on campus. Our plan includes:

·      Our maintenance staff taking care to wipe down door knobs other frequently touched surfaces on a daily basis;   

·      Starting a campaign to ensure our students wash their hands frequently and use the hand sanitizer that is placed in each classroom;

·      Encouraging students to cough or sneeze into their arm, not their hands;

·      Strongly urging all families NOT TO SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL SHOULD SIGNS OF ILLNESS APPEAR (as always, we ask that a child be fever-free for 24 hours before he or she returns to school);

·      Asking our teachers and students to wipe down desks throughout the day to ensure those surfaces are sanitary.

Travel

With the approach of spring break and families traveling domestically and internationally, we strongly encourage you to adhere to the CDC's guidelines on travel, and use U.S. State Department website to review your destination(s) before your departure, during your trip and upon your return. We understand this information changes and as such, encourage you to check this website regularly.

Additionally, we ask that any community members who find it necessary to travel to areas of CDC Level 2 or Level 3 concern inform the School of their travel so that we may provide appropriate guidance. We will be asking travelers from those countries to refrain from coming to campus for a minimum of 14 days after their return home.

I was able to speak directly to the Head of the Alabama Department of Public Health. After a detailed conversation, I have determined that Houston Academy will postpone all school-sponsored travel scheduled for Short Term.  As a result, all Short Term classes/experiences are cancelled, except for senior internships. Because it would be impossible to incorporate all of the students that were scheduled to travel, regular classes will continue next week.

Planning for Possible School Disruption

We are planning to explore the option remote learning should we find it necessary to cancel school for a prolonged period of time. We suggest you ensure that your student has access to high-speed internet should virtual learning need to occur for any period of time. If access is a problem for your family, please contact your child’s division head.

Please remember that students take their emotional cues from the adult community. We encourage you to monitor your child's engagement in the topic and help them understand what they are seeing and hearing to avoid anxiety. Being prepared is not a cause for panic or alarm. Here is a helpful article on how to talk to your child about the Coronavirus outbreak. Our Counseling staff are here to help you, as well.


If you have any questions relating to our policies and procedures, please feel free to contact your respective division head or me.