Schedule Highlights

Highlights Cont.

a full academic week, and it will provide opportunities to gather in person when we are able to move to a low-density learning model.

The School Life Committee (SLC) will launch a new year of the Bay Olympics, hosting an ongoing series of athletic, artistic, and academic endeavors for students to take part in; these will take place remotely at first and on campus after conditions improve. The Student Life Office and SLC will also host online social spaces, like the “virtual hallway,” and online gatherings like movie and game nights.

Tutorial

Another core component of Bay’s culture, this segment is still offered 3 times per week. Tutorial is the time we provide for students to meet 1:1 with their teachers (and we have modified our 1:1 video policies to enrich these sessions). This is in addition to the time for teacherstudent engagement created by the longer class blocks.

Second advisory block

We’ve added a second advisory meeting in each week, with the goal of advisors meeting not only with their group, but also individually with each advisee at least once a month. Our goal is to maintain the supportive relationships central to The Bay School’s approach to learning.

Ability to pivot

Our experience in the spring showed that consistency in the schedule is essential for students and teachers. For students, consistency provides needed stability during the challenges of the pandemic. For faculty, consistency enhances the ability to plan for classes and deliver the best instruction. The distance learning schedule can be maintained for low-density attendance when we are able to return to campus. In that case, the 2.5-hour blocks will facilitate time for small student cohorts and create minimal transition times (lowering exposure in hallways and reducing the number of times classrooms need to be cleaned).

LAUNCH PLAN FALL 2020

Highlights Cont.

Grading and assessment

We will return to school with our usual letter grade system in place, though teachers are developing their courses to focus more on formative assessment (nongraded feedback), with fewer traditional assessments (like tests). The shift to formative assessment is supported by the longer blocks and tutorial time that allow for 1:1 and small group feedback sessions.

Welcoming our 9th graders and new students

We understand how daunting it may feel to begin at a new school, let alone during such an atypical time. Please be assured that we are committed to getting to know all of our new students and helping them establish meaningful connections and find their place at Bay.

In addition to grade-level orientations in August, weekly group advisory meetings and the biweekly 1:1 advisor meetings block will help our new community members find their footing and get to know their advisors. All 9th graders also take a seminar, taught once a week during flex block, in which they’ll develop relationships with their classmates and members of the Student Life Office, learn about supports and resources available to them at Bay, and discover their essential role in contributing to our community and upholding Bay’s culture.

With the help of student feedback, we will plan social gatherings specifically for new students to engage with peers who have similar interests and shared affinities. And we’ll help new students find their place in our clubs and activities or even start their own. There will also be a series of opportunities for parents to meet their class dean and other families new to Bay.

New families, stay tuned for events hosted by the Bay Family Association (BFA) and the Advancement office.

Flex

Flex is integral to the Bay schedule. The flex period occurs twice a week, and students can use this time to complete homework during the school day, take their co-curricular classes, engage the college counseling team, and meet with advisors, class deans, learning services, and counselors.

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Counseling services

In addition to the class deans, our school counselors will be available during school hours to meet 1:1 with students, consult with parents and guardians, and provide resources for all Bay families. They may be reached at counseling@bayschoolsf.org. Visit our website for more information.

A SPECIAL ROLE FOR THE CLASS OF 2021

We recognize that our seniors are about to begin their final year at Bay in a way that is far from what they had envisioned. We are committed to celebrating them throughout the year, online and in person. We also recognize the fundamental role they will play in helping us keep Bay’s spirit and culture alive during distance learning. Beginning with orientation, we will actively engage them in taking leadership roles in our community—sponsoring activities, delivering Morning Meeting talks, and working to uphold Bay’s mission and traditions. These acts of giving back will also contribute to their personal well-being and happiness as they navigate a challenging time.

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Our Mutual Commitment

A Bay education is an exercise in mutual respect between staffulty, students, and families. While these may be unusual times, we are approaching the school year with an eye toward maintaining important structures—conducting synchronous classes carefully redesigned to accommodate distance learning. Here we outline our efforts and our expectations.

Professional development and faculty preparation

Our faculty have spent the summer completing intense professional development in order to learn new technologies and methods for teaching largely online. All faculty members engaged in courses specific to online teaching in one of three areas: project-based learning; social-emotional learning; or diversity, equity, and inclusion. We then asked them to apply what they learned—building on their experience creating Immersives— to redesigning their courses for the new schedule. In August, we will come together as staffulty for in-house professional development to continue to build internal capacity. This work will put a range of tools and techniques in our pocket, allowing us to remain flexible and effective regardless of teaching format.

Bay’s expectations of students

One of the lessons of high school is taking responsibility for one’s education. As mentioned, we will be conducting synchronous classes. This means that we expect students will “show up,” just as they would for any class, or be marked absent. And, as discussed in the Highlights section, we will start this school year with our normal A-F grading system in place.

While we always hope that students will feel comfortable approaching teachers, advisors, and counselors to discuss areas where they are struggling, we are also aware that doing so isn’t easy for everyone. The infrastructure created by our Academic and Student Life teams will help our faculty to be attuned to student needs; they will be prepared with resources to offer to classes, individuals, and families. Whether a student is experiencing Zoom fatigue or feelings of isolation, we are committed to our role of caring for their well-being.

A hallmark of a Bay education is the opportunities that are fostered and curated for students to learn with and from their peers. Whether in person or in distance learning, in small groups or a full class, we are confident that Bay’s students will continue to show up and bring their best as both scholars and community members.