Dear Academy Students and Families,
The Intellectual Virtues Academy (the Academy) has made the difficult, but necessary decision to continue with online learning when school begins on September 1st due to the recent spike in Covid-19 cases. At this time, the Academy does not have a set date for when we implement our hybrid plan for in-person learning. This decision was made for the safety of our families following the decisions and guidelines earlier this week by Governor Newsom, LA County and Long Beach health officials, LAUSD, and LBUSD.
As part of our planning, we have carefully analyzed and deliberated the results of the Academy’s distance learning during the Spring Semester, 2020. We consulted parent & student surveys, met in multiple planning sessions with faculty and staff, and continued our research on best practices to accurately assess our online model and ensure we continue to be aligned with our mission to provide a thoughtful, challenging, and supportive learning environment. Even though we are starting school virtually, we will immediately provide the following:
- Tech. Use 1:1 Chromebook and Google Classroom learning in place since 2016
- Live Supports. Provide daily live instruction and academic tutoring and support
- E-Clubs. Continue to maintain and create many club opportunities
- Electives. Offer electives in art, STEM, and humanities
The Academy is developing a Health and Safety Plan for a quick transition back into the classroom when local health officials deem it safe to do so. We will offer small classrooms (9-15 students), online only options, and in-person daily instruction. The Plan also incorporates county, state, and federal guidelines to support our students and families during this difficult time. You can read further here for an outline of our Plan.
We are confident that together, we will get through this with deftness and compassion, and with the safety of our students, teachers, staff and all families as the utmost priority.
Sincerely,
Summer Sanders, Director, Head of School
James McGrath, Founding Director