Dear SFC Families,

It is in these challenging times that we, as a body of believers, are especially called to serve those around us. Many parents, alumni, students, and friends continue to ask how they can serve. We’d like to share with you a few ways where you can help our broader community. 

On Thursday, June 4 we have several opportunities to give back:

• We’re hosting a second Red Cross Blood Drive in our gym from 9am-3pm. All safety precautions will be in place for the prevention of Covid-19 (masks, social distancing, a limited number of people, etc). Sign up here.
• We have partnered with St. Leo Mission in Solana Beach to collect fresh food items for the benefit of our local Eden Gardens community. We will be collecting the food in front of the gym. They are specifically in need of milk, eggs, cheese (Mozzarella or queso fresco), fresh vegetables and fruits, corn and flour tortillas as well as non-perishable items.

If you would like to support our SFC community, consider donating to the SFC Families Helping Families Fund. This fund was created specifically for our current SFC families who are in need of tuition assistance due to COVID-19. 

Supporting our SFC families is our greatest priority – if you are family in need of help, please let us know.

Announcing – Families Helping Families

My heart is filled with hope as I hear the stories of people at SFC sacrificially helping one another, demonstrating resilience and hope in the midst of a struggle. I’ve heard stories of our families delivering groceries, others writing notes to first responders, donating food, giving blood, and showering our teachers with appreciation. That’s the beautiful thing about SFC – we’re a community.

With the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, our alumni, parents, and friends have asked how they can help. It may not surprise you to learn that due to the pandemic, some of our SFC families find themselves in uncharted waters as they deal with job loss. As a result, they are now in need of tuition assistance. And supporting current SFC families is our greatest priority.

Today, I am officially announcing the SFC Families Helping Families fund to help those in need of tuition assistance due to COVID-19.

You can help by donating to the Families Helping Families fund – providing a way for all students to return to SFC next year. Would you prayerfully consider a one-time or recurring gift? Truly a gift of any size makes a difference – click the link below.

Proud to be a part of your community,

Rod Gilbert
Head of Schools

SFC Families,

I am extremely appreciative and impressed at how everyone within the SFC community has adapted during these last few months. Thank you for your patience, flexibility, creativity, and especially, your resilience – I am proud to be a part of the SFC community.

As this year comes to an end, we are thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of so many of our students! Once the school year comes to a complete close, we turn our sights to a return to campus.

Today I want to inform you that we intend to resume in-person teaching and learning for the 2020-2021 school year on Thursday, August 20. This assumes the local San Diego County Health and government officials allow us to do so.

Looking toward the start in August, our Covid-19 Task Force is researching and considering every detail of the school in preparation for our return. Our team meets often to study and share comprehensive information regarding all aspects and potential scenarios that come with a return to on-campus learning for the 2020-2021 academic year. This robust Covid-19 Task Force is composed of parents in the medical profession, administration, faculty, staff, and board members. This Covid-19 Task Force will inform our back-to-campus plan – a plan that will be strategic, aligned with governmental and public health guidance, and one that focuses on the health and well-being of our entire SFC community.

We intend to mitigate health concerns in every reasonable way we can. We are preparing to adapt our on-campus learning environment and activities, as needed, to protect our community while continuing to offer the Christian education experience for which SFC is known.

We will keep you informed as our planning progresses. If there’s an increase in COVID-19 cases in San Diego, and the San Diego health officials and local government direct us to so, we will move to a temporary Remote Learning 2.0. This Remote Learning environment will take the lessons learned from this spring and make it even better.

I remain confident and hopeful in SFC’s future! Many of you have shared your questions, thoughts, and ideas and I know you have many more – our task force would love to hear them. Click on the link

at the very bottom of the email and give us your feedback as we plan for the future. Also, there will be a quantitative parent survey that will go out the last week of May. Thank you for your grace and support as we navigate the future together.

Sincerely,

Rod Gilbert
Head of Schools

Dear SFC Families,

As we enter the next chapter of the year, we are all feeling a wide range of emotions. I know my announcement to continue Remote Learning was disappointing. Just typing and sending that email was painful. And, if the local San Diego health officials make a way for us to return to campus in May, as I mentioned before, I will be the first to open the gate!

Recently, in a webinar, I heard someone say that this national crisis bears the characteristics of the grief or loss process. I agree. We are grieving for that which has happened, that which is happening, as well as the unknowns of the future. So, at any given point, we all are experiencing different levels of five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. I recently asked a friend where she was in that cycle, and she said, “it depends on the time of day – usually I feel some of all five at the same time.” I, too, have had that same experience. Believe me, I am not being naive and I am certainly not denying that this is affecting us. And yet, for reasons beyond my understanding, I have a deep sense of hope for the future.

1. Finishing the school year well. We have less than 20 school days remaining – each principal in their individual letters highlights the adjustments made to the Remote Learning plans to finish well.

2. Celebrate the Senior class. The Class of 2020 certainly missed out on milestones due to the San Diego Health Department restrictions – my heart grieves with them. And yet, watch the message Mr. Hannan sent them today – we will be celebrating!

3. Set the normal things in motion for next year. For instance, as we do every year, in March we began class registration, and in April we reviewed teachers and confirmed their plans to return next year. Then, when summer comes, we review enrollment variations and other factors, and then we make changes accordingly.

These are our three priorities, and our strong task force is working on these items as well. As for 2020-2021, I think about it all the time – day and night. As we plan for a hopeful future together – your feedback is necessary and it will help our team. In a few weeks, there will be additional opportunities for you to express your ideas and thoughts.

Thank you for your patience and courage as we plan for the future of SFC.

Sincerely,

Rod Gilbert
Head of Schools

Dear SFC Families,

The reality in which we find ourselves flows between two polar opposites – chaos and predictability. Things are so different – in our homes, our jobs, and our economy. While at the same time, we have found joy in the new normalities of more shared meals and activities with family.

2019-2020 Academic Year

The central question on everyone’s mind is – When will we return to campus? I wish I could say tomorrow, but alas, we can only return to campus when local San Diego Health Department officials and government agencies lift restrictions. Being a private school, we are far more nimble than a public school, still, we have to follow the direction of our local health authorities. Every day I listen to the voices of these authorities, review details with our task force, and then, I prayerfully make a decision about what will happen over the next few weeks. As of right now, as difficult as it is, we plan to end the school year in Remote Learning on May 22. With all my heart, I would love to be back on campus – I’d be the first to open the gates!

On Monday, the principals will send out an email communication with specific information on how each school will be concluding the 2019-20 academic year. End of year grades, exams, and other activities will all be addressed.

2020-2021 Academic Year

I am looking ahead with such hope for the 2020-2021 academic year. Some things will remain the same and some things may change. For starters, safety is key. We have a team of people who are actively working through health-related protocols to ensure a safe experience for our students next year. We have also looked at a variety of educational considerations and I will share more of those items in due time.

As always, the best part of SFC is our teachers who continue to intentionally walk alongside each student, modeling what it looks like to trust God at all times. This coming week, I am excited to issue these incredible teachers next year’s contracts, as is typical in April. We are also setting up PreK through 12th grade class schedules and our Middle and Upper School students have already begun class registration.

As we navigate these times, I firmly believe our families will be stronger, our faith will be more resilient, and our school will definitely continue to be dynamic and true to our mission. With chaos and predictability, strength will be the yield.

Sincerely,

Rod Gilbert
Head of Schools

Dear SFC Families,

Hope. I continue to have hope, my friends. Much like working out a muscle in the gym, hope needs to be exercised in order to be strengthened. So, in the face of this strange time, I am reminded to exercise my hope muscle. So in looking ahead with hope, there are several updates to share with you.

Extension of Remote Learning

We will continue with our Remote Learning program through April 30th, based on the White House’s most recent recommendation to “shelter-in-place.” As a reminder, our Easter break begins on April 10th and continues through Sunday, April 19th.

Returning to Campus

You may have seen Governor Newsom’s press conference suggesting public schools close for the remainder of the year. You are probably wondering, “When will we return to campus?”  Given the greater flexibility of being a private school, we are actively monitoring the situation and will make the best decision for our students and families.

In addition to staying up-to-date on the latest information, I am in daily discussions with San Diego area private schools which, like us, are adjusting as new information comes to light. Ultimately, we will return to campus when the local health authorities tell us it is safe to gather in groups of more than 10 people and when our COVID-19 task force believes that we can safely return.

Remote Learning Update

We’ve continued to stay flexible and have adapted our Remote Learning program in response to student and parent feedback to better serve our families.

Looking Ahead

Many new families are reaching out to our admissions team and want to become Eagles next year. We are interviewing new families and students over video, and they are enrolling. Please, continue to spread the word to your friends and encourage them to join us as Eagles next year.

Middle and Upper School students are already registering for their 2020-21 classes. We are working on teacher contracts for next year, and we are working with our normal timelines to prepare the schedule for this fall.

Thank you for your support, prayerful encouragement, feedback, and patience. Please continue to pray for the health of all our students, all our teachers, and families. If you are in need, please let us know.

God bless you all,

Rod Gilbert
Head of Schools

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 15:13 

Dear SFC Families,

Friends, I have hope – it is a choice. While there’ve been moments where I have grown a little weary of this current predicament, in meditating on Psalm 46 this morning, something stood out to me – while the nations totter, God will help us. As a new morning dawns, this hopeful promise rings true. 

As you consider the eternal truths of Psalm 46, I have two updates:

1. In the coming days and weeks, we will hear of friends and family members who test positive for COVID-19. As this happens, we will all the more be compelled to pray for the health of everyone. Over the weekend, we were notified that three SFC parents have tested positive for COVID-19. Our prayers go out to these families as they recover. Please note, the San Diego County Health Department and Santa Fe Christian will not reveal information about these individuals for the sake of patient confidentiality. As a community, this is what we can do – pray and adhere to social distancing.
2. In order to support our greater San Diego community, we have partnered with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive in our gym April 8, from 9am-3pm. We have a generous community and expect our slots to fill up quickly. If that is the case, please consider donating blood at another location.

Moms and dads, now is the time to invest in your families. Do not lose hope. Choose to find a new understanding of the God we worship and learn from Psalm 46 (see below). Let’s continue to unite as a community through prayer!

Blessings, 

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,

    a very present help in trouble. 

Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

    though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam,

    though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

    the holy habitation of the Most High. 

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

    God will help her when morning dawns.

The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

    he utters his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord of hosts is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress. 

Come, behold the works of the Lord,

    how he has brought desolations on the earth.

He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

    he burns the chariots with fire.

“Be still, and know that I am God.

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth!”

The Lord of hosts is with us;

   the God of Jacob is our fortress. 

Dear SFC Families,

If absence makes the heart grow fonder, then, my fondness for you is growing exponentially! I know the same goes for the teachers as well. As amazing as the teachers are doing with Remote Learning, their hearts are aching to be with their students. Not only do they miss the face-to-face interaction while teaching – they miss the little things as well – seeing the kids playing on the playground, on our fields, and laughing with their friends in the Quad. When we do return, oh, what a day it will be!

Our temporal closure and Remote Learning has been extended to Thursday, April 9. From Friday, April 10, through Sunday, April 19, we will take our normally scheduled Easter break. Though we hope to return after the break, we will give an official update prior to April 8. We will continue to monitor the latest information and work with local medical officials to determine the best course of action for us all.

Below you will find more detailed information from our principals regarding each of the schools.  Let’s all continue to be patient with each other, extend grace, and agree that together, our fondness for one another is growing.

A virtual “high five” to you all,

Coronavirus Update March 16

Dear SFC Parents,

After thoughtful consideration and much prayer, we have decided to close both the Encinitas and Solana Beach campuses of Santa Fe Christian Schools beginning Saturday, March 14 through Friday, April 3. All extracurricular activities including sports practices and contests are canceled.

REMOTE EDUCATION PLAN

Principals will communicate to families our Remote Education Plan which will go into effect on Wednesday, March 18. You can expect communication from principals by Monday, March 16. All K-12 instruction will continue remotely during this temporary closure, and teachers will be communicating with students regularly.

EXTRACURRICULARS AND ATHLETICS

All school-sponsored events, trips, activities, and clubs are canceled. All athletics practices, competitions, and games are cancelled effective on Saturday, March 14.

COMMUNICATIONS

During this temporary closure, the principals will send periodic updates to each of their divisions. I will continue to communicate school-wide updates regularly.

Rod Gilbert

Head of Schools

Dear Upper School Families,

Just over one week to go… the finish line is near! At this time of the year, every year, I cannot help but think of Paul’s encouragement to us to run the race with endurance and discipline, with our eyes fixed on Jesus and never lose heart (Hebrews 12). As we finish this semester – one that is for the history books! – I’m encouraging all teachers and students to set their eyes on Jesus and finish the race for His glory.

Yearbook Distribution (Grades 9-11): Tuesday, May 26

Upper School families will enter through Gate 3 and veer to the left in the gym parking lot. Click Here for a traffic flow map.

• • If you are a combo family- with Middle and Upper School students, you will go to the right.
  • Names will be checked off the list at the Gate 3 entrance.
  • We will ask the car how many yearbooks and hand them out.
  • Workers will be wearing gloves and masks and we ask that no one gets out of their cars for pick up.

• Assigned Pick Up Times by Last Name:
  • 9:00-9:30 A-B
  • 9:30-10:00 C-E
  • 10:00-10:30 F-J
  • 10:30-11:00 K-Mi
  • 11:00-11:30 Mo-R
  • 11:30-12:00 S-Z

*Note: Seniors will pick up their yearbook/cap & gown on Friday, May 29.

Locker Cleanout:

You are welcome to come to campus to clean out your school locker June 1-5 according to the last name schedule below. Campus will be open from 9am-4pm each day. If you have gently used uniforms you would like to donate, please bring them. There will be bins outside the library.  

Please don’t plan to meet friends on campus or come as a group, so that we can respect the social distancing guidelines that are in place.

Last Name:

A-F Monday, June 1  

G-L Tuesday, June 2  

M-S Wednesday, June 3

T-Z Friday, June 5  

*PE Lockers:  All PE lockers will be cleaned out by the coaching staff and items will be placed in a bag marked with the student’s last name. Bags will be located in the gym for easy pick up.  

Book Buyback:

If you purchased books from MBS and are interested in the BuyBack program, click here. All textbook buybacks will be handled online directly with MBS.

One final note: a huge thank you to all the parents who participated in the Teacher Appreciation Week gifts last week. Thanks for being a blessing to our amazing teachers!

–Matt

Matt Hannan

Upper School Principal

Dear Middle School Families,

With only one week left until the end of the semester, I would like to say thank you for walking through this unusual time with us. While a shift to remote learning was not on anyone’s radar, your SFC faculty and staff shifted gears within days and delivered the curriculum admirably. 

We have been busy finalizing some end of year activities for you. On Tuesday, May 26, sixth and seventh-grade families should plan to come to campus to get their yearbooks according to the last name schedule below. The Middle School will be stationed by the mosaic in the parking lot, in front of the gym. Please come to the last entrance gate (Gate Three) to enter the lot. If you have an Upper School student, we will have copies of their yearbook as well for you to pick up. Lower School yearbooks will be distributed in the parking lot near the playground, entering through Gate One. Please do not exit your car at any time during the yearbook pick up.

Tuesday, May 26 – Yearbook Pick Up by Last Name

9:00-9:30 A-B

9:30-10:00 C-E

10:00-10:30 F-J

10:30-11:00 K-Mi

11:00-11:30 Mo-R

11:30-12:00 S-Z

*Note: Eighth graders will pick up their yearbook on Thursday, May 28.

You are also welcome to come to campus to clean out your school locker and get the contents out of your PE locker according to the last name schedule below. Campus will be open from 9:00am-4:00pm each day. There will be boxes marked for returning books and for donations. If you have gently used uniforms you would like to donate, please bring them. There will be bins outside the library. All PE lockers will be cleaned out by the coaching staff and items will be placed in a bag marked with students’ last name. Bags will be located in the gym for easy pick-up.  

Please do not plan to meet friends on campus or come as a group, so that we can respect the social distancing guidelines that I imagine will still be in place.

June 1-5 – Locker Cleanout by Last Name

Monday, June 1  A-F

Tuesday, June 2  G-L

Wednesday, June 3 M-S

Thursday, June 4  Blood Drive in Gym

Friday, June 5  T-Z

If you purchased books from MBS and are interested in the BuyBack program, click here. All textbook buybacks will be handled online directly with MBS.

I look forward to seeing you on May 26 and ask that you encourage your kids to finish this last week strong. Please reach out if there is anything I can do for you or your family. God bless you.

Sincerely,

Todd Deveau

Middle School Principal

Dear Lower School Families,

Next week will be our final week of instructions. To celebrate all the work the children (and YOU!) have done, and to see each other one last time before the summer break begins, we invite you (K-4th) to come on campus on Tuesday, May 26th, for a drive-through yearbook pickup. For the 5th graders, we will have a special event the following day Wednesday, May 27th (more information in a separate email.)

Please go through Gate One, our regular carpool line and bring the kids; we want to see their sweet faces. Instead of picking up your children, you’ll be picking up the yearbook and other goodies – we’ve gathered their supplies left behind as well as your children’s artwork and other projects. Though everyone must remain inside their vehicles, just seeing you will do us good. 

To help with traffic flow, please come during the assigned times (those of you with MS/US siblings, please follow the LS schedule.):

• • 9:00-9:30 A-E
  • 9:30-10:00 F-K
  • 10:00-10:30 L-Q
  • 10:30-11:00 R-Z

If you have uniforms to donate, we’ll take them during this time. Also, please return your Chromebooks, if you’ve checked one out. 

Thank you again and I look forward to seeing you all, very soon.

Hannah Park

Lower School Principal

US Families,

Although we had hoped to get back on campus and return to in-person classes at the end of April, unless the health officials lift the restrictions, we will end the year in Remote Learning. I remain positive and confident we can finish this semester well. We will continue to take this one week at a time and will be ready and willing to get back together when the local health authorities lift restrictions. 

Our dedicated teachers are making adjustments to assist our students through their course materials, and we will continue to make adjustments to Remote Learning as we get your feedback. We are prepared for this and we will meet our learning goals and have each student ready to move forward in their studies. The information below will help students and teachers navigate the next several weeks together and end the semester well.

Synchronous Learning:

Based on feedback from parents and students, there will be an increase in “live” sessions in Remote Learning each course. During these last four weeks of the spring semester, students and teachers will engage in live, synchronous learning at least twice a week in each class, per the M,W,F schedule. Face to face interaction is very important for our students and teachers alike – students will find their required Zoom meetings listed on the class Remote Learning Tiles. It is recommended students continue to map out their week of meetings and assignments at the start of the week to ensure they are in attendance during the synchronous or live sessions.

Schedule Adjustment:

A large majority of students provided positive feedback in our recent survey. They confirmed to have found a good workflow with the MWF schedule. However, there was a repeated suggestion to modify the timing of the class periods to allow for a “passing period” instead of two 30-minute extended breaks. We have modified the schedule below effective immediately. 

Revised, 4/27

Grades/Grading:

From the beginning of Remote Learning, the US Administration has clearly and consistently encouraged teachers and students to walk this road with an abundance of grace when it comes to grades and grading. We will continue this posture through the end of the semester. Students are expected to complete work assigned to the best of their ability and turn it in on time. Teachers are expected to assess student knowledge and understanding of learning outcomes with either “complete/not-complete” grades or scoring which takes into account the challenges and differences of Remote Learning.

Final Assessments:

There will not be traditional Final Exams. In keeping with the same pre-established Remote Learning guidelines (i.e. “open note,” etc.), teachers will assign a last assessment or a final project to be completed. The last assessment or project will not be worth 20% of the semester grade as a typical Final Exam would. The assessment window will run from Wednesday, May 20 through Friday, May 22 and all tests or projects will be due within the assigned window.

AP Exams:

AP Exams will be taken during the College Board prescribed times at home. Students will use personal devices to complete the 45-minute exams according to the published schedule May 11-22. All information and details for the AP exam can be found here. It is essential all AP students thoroughly read the instructions and follow the steps to practice logging on to the AP/College Board site well in advance of their exam. Please reach out to your individual AP teacher if you have questions about your specific exam. Also, note, some AP courses will have additional live sessions dedicated for review or practice tests – Tuesdays or Thursdays may be utilized for some of these sessions.

Yearbooks:

Through the amazing dedication of our yearbook staff and editors, the 2019-2020 yearbook was successfully completed and submitted on time for publication. Stay-tuned for more specific instructions and times for distribution.

Graduation/Senior End of Year:

A separate message is going out to senior parents and students. Working with our ASB Leadership, we have heard the student voice of wanting an in-person event even if that means it is delayed. We are committed to bringing good closure to our Class of 2020 and will be sending out specific plans and soon. 

Summer School:

We are hoping summer school courses will be able to run as scheduled. However, in an effort to be prepared for all scenarios, we are making plans to adjust in the case of needing to move to online live sessions as well as an online independent study with a teacher check-in format.

May the Lord continue to bless and keep you.

–Matt 

Matt Hannan

Upper School Principal 

Dear Middle School Families,

It is hard to believe that we are in this position, but our Lord is great and He is in control. In light of the need to complete the year remotely, I would like to reassure you all that we will continue to focus on the students’ learning and complete our curriculum for 2019-2020. Your children will be prepared to move forward in all of their studies. Over the next four weeks, please continue to reiterate to your children the importance of being responsible, attending class, and completing assignments. School is still in session. Of course, it is still my prayer that we can be back together on campus.

Going forward, we remain nimble as we create the best possible program for our students. Please continue to provide feedback either directly to me or through our amazing Middle School Service Team representatives. The Service Team and I are meeting regularly and I look forward to our next Zoom this Thursday. Your informed perspective is what allows me to make any course corrections needed and we will continue to adjust as necessary. The information below will assist you and your child as we complete the rest of the semester.

On Friday, I informed the students that we are making a slight adjustment to the timing of the Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule to make it better for them and the teachers. The change is that we are implementing “passing periods” instead of having two 30-minute breaks.

Remote Learning Course Schedule (revised)

Teachers have posted this schedule on their Remote Learning tiles for your reference too. 

Electives:

Also beginning this week, many of the elective teachers will begin posting content and optional assignments for the students to do. Our electives are a huge part of who SFC Middle School is, so because remote learning is enduring longer than anyone would have hoped, we want the students to have access to that content if they wish to further explore those elective topics. This is entirely optional and available for the students to take advantage of if they wish. Thank you parents for your feedback that helped us come to this conclusion.

Grades/Grading:

From the beginning of Remote Learning, the MS Administration has clearly and consistently encouraged teachers and students to walk this road with an abundance of grace when it comes to grades and grading. We will continue this posture through the end of the semester. Students are expected to complete work assigned to the best of their ability and turn it in on time.  

Final Assessments:

There will not be traditional Final Exams. Teachers may assign a final assessment or a final project to be completed prior to the end of the semester. Grade level teams and MS administration will collaborate well to ensure an appropriate workload balance in the month of May for the students.

Yearbooks:

Through the amazing dedication of our yearbook staff and editors, the 2019-2020 yearbook was successfully completed and submitted on time for publication. Yearbook distribution will occur at school with a drive-through pick-up process the week of May 26. Specific instructions and times will be communicated at a later date.

Awards:

Given the circumstances, we will not be able to celebrate publicly the great academic work, character, and leadership of our Middle School students. I pray you can identify those areas in which your children have excelled this year and affirm them well.

8th Grade Promotion:

Rest assured that our eighth grade students will be celebrated! I do not yet know exactly what it will look like or possible dates, but the completion of their Middle School coursework and promotion to high school deserves celebration. 

God bless you all and don’t hesitate to reach out to me or Mrs. Ellis if we can be of help or support to you. We miss you!

Todd Deveau

Middle School Principal

Dear LS Families

While we were all hoping for a different outcome, unless the health officials lift the restrictions, the school year will be completed through Remote Learning. We will continue to actively evaluate our current Remote Learning program week by week, and make adjustments based on student progress. Our goal is for the final month of the 2019-2020 school year to remain productive and ensure our students have the necessary essential skills to be successful for next school year. 

Academic Course

Given the wide range of maturity and learning styles of LS students, we’ve added many more one to one and small group sessions for the students. This provides your child with targeted instruction to meet their learning needs. 

Specials Zoom

In addition to the current instructions (whole class, small groups, individuals) and asynchronous assignments, we have scheduled optional specials zoom sessions in the afternoons. K-3rd grade students have three optional specials classes a week, and 4th and 5th graders will have two. 

Grade Level Game Nights

Our fantastic LS Student Council hosted their first Grade Level Game Night last week and it was a hit! They will continue to offer this special time of connection for the kids on Thursdays at 4pm. 

Grades/Report Cards

For our third trimester grades, teachers will provide you with a narrative report of your child’s progress rather than the numerical grades your child typically receives, given the unique nature of this trimester. Every student will receive credit for this trimester’s work. 

Yearbooks

Our 2019-2020 yearbook, created under the direction of our parent volunteer extraordinaire, Mrs. Dawn Kramer, and many classroom historians, will be ready for distribution in a few weeks. Specific instructions and times will be communicated at a later date.

5th Grade Promotion

We are so proud of our 5th graders and will be celebrating their accomplishments in a special way. I don’t have all the details yet but we’re working on ways to acknowledge their hard work and celebrate their promotion to the Middle School. 

As I look at my calendar and count all the special events and celebrations we’re not able to have this year, it saddens me tremendously. However, I’m also flooded with feelings of gratitude and peace as we are able to connect with the use of technology and supported by this wonderful community. Again, I welcome your comments and feedback so please do not hesitate to call me with any questions or concerns.

Many Blessings,

Hannah Park

Lower School Principal

Upper School Families,

I continue to be thankful for our students, teachers, families, and community. I’ve learned of so many different ways we can remain “connected” and helpful to one another during this shelter-in-place, and it truly makes me proud to be part of this special place.  

This week, the Upper School administration team continued to monitor and adjust our Remote Learning process. We held a Zoom meeting with several of our wonderfully dedicated Upper School Service Team parents to get grade-level feedback and we sent out a Google Form survey to all of the students asking them for their input. Overall, we are hearing really good things and a consistent message that face-to-face or live interactions with teachers is most appreciated and desired. We couldn’t agree more with this– our teachers truly are at the heart of our mission– to mentor students. As Remote Learning continues, we will keep seeking feedback and look for additional ways to ensure students and teachers remain well connected.

One important point to stress to all of our students is the completion of all assignments and discipline of turning in work. We are approaching grading with a generous spirit and acknowledge the limitations of assessments in Remote Learning; however, it is critical that students do their work–assignments and due dates are not optional. Please encourage your student to complete and turn in all assignments on time.

With the continued spread of COVID-19 and the likelihood that more of us will be impacted in some way, I can’t stress enough the importance of talking about what’s happening with your kids. Point them to Truth in this time of uncertainty. Be real with them–It’s ok our kids know we are worried. It’s also ok to share with them where you are building your faith in this as well. 

Yesterday, I received a great suggestion: one family let me know they were planning to watch the chapel video together as a family and use it as a starting point for a discussion at the dinner table. What a great idea! Our Chapel Development team will continue to create new videos and content each week which may be a perfect gathering point and conversation starter in your homes.

May the Lord bless you and keep you; may His face shine upon you and give you peace.

In Him,

–Matt

Matt Hannan

Upper School Principal

Dear Middle School Families,

I pray you are well and navigating these challenging times with the hope and peace that come only from God. While the rhythm and energy of an on-campus school day cannot be replicated, it has been our desire and goal to continue teaching and mentoring students through the virtual world.

Thank you for your many messages of encouragement and gratitude – let me redirect those messages straight to our amazing faculty, who in three days completely transformed the way they teach! During the week, I follow our students’ schedules, observing our teachers and students in their continued academic pursuits. I cannot overstate the level of excellence and commitment our teachers have demonstrated as they plan the students’ assignments all day Tuesday and Thursday, and then execute their remote sessions Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If ever we could quantify and demonstrate the value of a Santa Fe Christian education, it is now, during this unprecedented time. Our ability to adapt, switch to new platforms of learning, and still provide a strong educational experience for the children is a testament to our incredible teachers. The curriculum is being delivered, the children are learning, and continue to be mentored by teachers who love them dearly. Thank you SFC Middle School faculty!

The biggest shift this week was through the creation of weekly planners for each of the grade levels. With so many different apps, platforms, and steps needed to provide a remote education, we felt putting it all in one place would pay great dividends for both students and parents. Your feedback tells me it has. Once again, I credit the teachers who took extra steps to deliver this to you, and specifically Mr. Eddie Aguayo who spent his weekend compiling it all.

I would like to take a moment to stress that all of this hard work is ultimately for the students’ benefit. School continues and the students are still being held accountable for doing their work. While we are approaching grades with high levels of grace, the students are expected to turn in their assignments and respect due dates – please encourage your child to keep up with the assigned work. 

I welcome (and need) your feedback as we extend Remote Learning as long as we need to ensure the safety of the community. Please continue to pray for those infected by COVID-19 and their families. Together we will get through this.

God bless you.

Sincerely,

Todd

Dear Lower School Parents,

I pray that your family continues to remain healthy during this time. 

I can’t say this enough– a big THANK YOU to our teachers! They’ve been working around the clock to produce digital content that’s engaging and meaningful. At the same time, they’ve also been communicating closely with their students and parents and providing personalized support for many students. 

This week, we’ve begun small group instructions in the primary grades and produced more flipped lessons for our older students. We will continue to monitor and adjust our program in weeks to come. Please be sure to check out the specials teachers’ class pages. They have many interactive enrichment activities for your students. Specials teachers will “visit” classroom Zoom sessions to connect with the students and to highlight certain activities. I visited a fourth- and fifth-grade class this week–it was wonderful to see the kids! We will also include specials activities in the afternoon as an option for those wanting to connect live with the teachers. We’ll add this to your daily schedule on your class pages– look for these times. 

With the continued spread of COVID-19 and the likelihood that more of us will be impacted in some way, I encourage you to continue talking to your kids about God’s faithfulness in trials, and to let them share their feelings and ask questions. One of my favorite parenting resources is raisingboysandgirls.com. 

I’m praying for all of us as I know you are too. Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Blessings,
Hannah

March 26, 2020

Upper School Families,

We have now been in Remote Learning for a full seven days. Overall, I am very pleased with what’s been happening in classes and with learning moving forward in the new environment.  This week teachers have scheduled Zoom class meetings across all subjects and they have gone well. I’ve heard from students and teachers that seeing one another live has been a definite highlight and provided an opportunity to clarify assignments, give instruction, and pray with one another. Without question, we are all longing to be back on campus in the “normal” routine, yet I’m thankful for the technology and efforts of our teachers to provide this temporary alternative.

I’m very thankful to our ASB student leadership, Chapel Development group, and our US Community Team for providing opportunities for students to engage as a virtual community. You received an email on Tuesday about the QuaranTime podcast and today everyone will receive a short devotional from Mr. Garcia. ASB students are reaching out to their classmates individually and are posting some great questions and memories on Instagram (@sfcasb). All of these efforts reflect the heart of our campus as a connected community!

I want to let you know we have made two decisions as a school which will impact a large number of students regarding AP Testing and Community Service Hours:  

AP Exams

For the 2020 AP Exams, we are lifting the requirement for students in AP courses to take the exam in May. Given the changes the College Board has implemented and the disruption the pandemic has caused, if students elect to cancel their AP Exam and not sit for it, there will not be a penalty imposed by the school. We are working through the cancellation/refund process with our vendor, AP Testing Services.  If you would like to cancel your exam, please email the APTS cancellation desk at [email protected] and include: Student name; Name of their school (including city/state); Title of the exam to cancel.

I would like to encourage all of our AP students, however, to still take their exams. Two reasons for this encouragement. First, the reduced material on the revised exams has already been covered in nearly all of our classes. There’s now plenty of time for review and refinement and teachers are adjusting their schedules accordingly. Second, the emphasis on the new exams is on free-response writing prompts. Our SFC students are strong writers across all disciplines and, I believe, will do very well on the exams. This is an opportunity to play to our strengths and do well so I hope all students will choose to take their AP exams.

Community Service Hours

For the 2019-2020 academic year, we will suspend the community service hours requirement for all students. Given the social distance restrictions and the uncertain date of when they will be fully lifted, students will not be required to submit community service hours to the school. Those who have already completed some or all of their hours this year can turn in the form digitally to Mrs. Lyons ([email protected]) and you will receive credit for these hours towards 2020-2021. The hours are not lost, just rolled forward into the next academic year. Please send the hours to Mrs. Lyons by May 1 to receive credit.

And speaking of Social Distancing, I want to remind and encourage all students to observe the orders and restrictions currently in place. I know it’s difficult and we are tempted to get together at one another’s houses; however, this should not be happening.  My deepest desire is to get back to school as soon as possible and that requires us all to sacrifice in the short-term. Let’s all do our part and keep our eyes focused on the long-term goal of being together again as soon as we can.

The Admin Team continues to reach out to students, teachers, and parents to try and keep our finger on the pulse of Remote Learning. As always, if you have ideas, insights, comments, concerns, or suggestions, we welcome the feedback.

With the increase of Zoom usage, inappropriate hacking has also increased, called Zoom-bombing. We’ve consulted with the Information Security Director of Point Loma Nazarene University (an SFC parent) to set up necessary precautions, but please remind the students not to open unknown invitations, especially when they’re meeting their friends online without adult supervision. 

One final item: Easter Break. We will observe Easter Break as scheduled. There will not be classes nor work assigned to students April 10-17 in observance of Good Friday, Easter, and Spring Break. Enjoy the break!

May the Lord bless and keep you all–may His peace govern your homes, may His word speak to your hearts, and may we all remain healthy!

In Him,

–Matt

Matt Hannan

Upper School Principal

PS:  If you need a little encouragement today, take a listen to “Nothin’ Gonna Stumble” recorded remotely by our Concert Choir (well done, Mr. Bgatov and Choir students!).

Dear Middle School Families,

As we continue down this path of uncharted waters, I would like to thank you for your messages of appreciation, ideas for improvement, areas of concern, and reports from home. I am especially grateful for our Middle School Service Team who has been representing the parent perspective since before we launched remote learning. I asked the team to give me honest and constructive feedback and share what they are hearing from the rest of the parent body. That feedback has helped guide me, our leadership team, and our teachers to evaluate what we are doing and course-correct as needed. Thank you! I am also so thankful for my faculty who are creating, transferring, learning and adjusting to student needs as quickly as they are able while also managing their households. We are all in this together, and I trust a good rhythm will be established as we learn together!

The feedback I have received has been varied, to say the least. The reality that each of our students is a unique learner, every household is experiencing unique challenges, and our teachers are engaging remotely for the first time while tending to their own unique family circumstances, all create an interesting challenge for us as a school. Rest assured, it is not insurmountable and we remain committed to the academic, social/emotional, interpersonal, and spiritual needs of your children. 

One of the suggestions the teachers embraced this morning is the desire to institute a remote advisory session. Advisers have set up Zoom meetings with their advisees to check-in and ensure the students have the opportunity to touch base weekly at a minimum to continue that non-academic small group experience. I enjoyed watching Mr. Robinson’s advisory meet yesterday morning and discuss what the boys have been doing, the latest Netflix options, and get to know their pets. The social/emotional connection during this time of seclusion is so important for the children. So, thank you for the suggestion and we are glad to incorporate it into the schedule.

Across the board, the most significant frustration relayed to me has been the confusion of the weekly schedule and the amount of work assigned. Interestingly, I have received an equal number of comments that there has been too little work assigned as too much assigned. My desire is to find that middle balance. I was able to provide clarification to the teachers so that we are delivering consistent expectations for you and your child. The Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule is designed to provide the students with an opportunity for interaction with their teachers. Some teachers may hold Zoom meetings with direct instruction, some may have a question and answer time, and some may walk through expectations with the students. 

The Remote Learning Tiles contain the workload for the entire week. It is not expected that the students complete their assignments on Monday, Wednesday and Friday or over the weekend. The students are engaged in most of their classes from 9:00-1:30 and, frankly, it is exhausting. If at all possible, I recommend using Tuesday and Thursday to complete assignments. Based on the expectations that have been set with the teachers, I believe this should be manageable. 

We are currently working on setting up a digital weekly planner for each grade level that we hope will limit your need to become a homeschool parent by helping the students organize their daily assignments as well as see the whole week at a glance. Our teachers will link this digital planner weekly into each week’s Remote Learning Tile right at the top. Feel free to print it out and use it to see due dates and to check off assignments as they are completed. We’ve all seen the memes and videos out there; we will try to leave the teaching to the experts.

Zoom-bombing

With the increase of Zoom usage, inappropriate hacking has also increased, called Zoom-bombing. We’ve consulted with the Information Security Director of Point Loma Nazarene University (an SFC parent) to set up necessary precautions, but please remind the students not to open unknown invitations, especially when they’re meeting their friends online without adult supervision. 

Spring Break

We will observe Spring Break as scheduled. There will not be classes nor work assigned to students April 10-17 in observance of Good Friday, Easter, and Spring Break. Enjoy the break!

Community Service Hours

For the 2019-2020 academic year, we will suspend the community service hours requirement for all students. Given the social distance restrictions and the uncertain date of when they will be fully lifted, students will not be required to submit community service hours to the school. Those who have already completed some or all of their hours this year can turn in the form digitally to Mrs. King ([email protected]) and you will receive credit for these hours towards 2020-2021. The hours are not lost, just rolled forward into the next academic year. Please send the hours to Mrs. King by May 1 to receive credit.

I want to remind and encourage all students to observe the orders and restrictions currently in place. I know it’s difficult and we are tempted to get together at one another’s houses; however, this should not be happening. If it makes it easier for you, tell them Dr. Deveau said they can’t. I don’t mind being the bad guy.

If you need a little encouragement today, take a listen to “Nothin’ Gonna Stumble” recorded remotely by our Concert Choir (well done, Mr. Bgatov and Choir students!).

God bless your families during this time. I hope to visit you by video next week.

–Todd

Todd Deveau

Middle School Principal

March 25, 2020

Dear Parents,

On behalf of the LS teachers, I want to thank you for the outpouring of support and encouragement. It’s officially been one week since we launched our Remote Learning platform and to say that the learning curve was steep is an understatement. Families had to figure out how to manage to homeschool while working and taking care of their children; the students had to adjust to a completely different way of doing school, while simultaneously having all activities canceled; and the teachers had to learn how to launch and build a new way of delivering their lessons while caring for their own families. Given all the variables, I think we did exceptionally well for our first week. 

Class Schedule

In my last video message, I asked you to give me some feedback and I appreciate many of your thoughtful comments and suggestions. The most common thread I heard was that kids LOVED meeting with their class and seeing their teachers. Also, increasing directed teacher instruction time (live or flipped classes) would be appreciated. We came up with a schedule that I feel will meet the varied needs of the students (specific schedule will be communicated by your teacher):

• K & 1st
  • Whole class Zoom, M-Th 
  • Small group Zoom instruction 3x/week
  • Optional small group/ individual practice 1x/week
• 2nd & 3rd
  • Whole class Zoom, M-Th
  • Small group Zoom instructions 4x/week
  • Individual reteach sessions as needed 
• 4th & 5th
  • Homeroom Zoom, 3x/week
  • Whole class Zoom or flipped video lessons 5x/week
  • Zoom office hours 2x/week to connect with teachers and ask questions (optional)

Zoom-bombing

With the increase of Zoom usage, inappropriate hacking has also increased, called Zoom-bombing. We’ve consulted with the Information Security Director of Point Loma Nazarene University (an SFC parent) to set up necessary precautions, but please remind the students not to open unknown invitations, especially when they’re meeting their friends online without adult supervision. 

Specials and Additional Support

In addition to these sessions, we will have specials teachers (along with myself and Mrs. Walker) connect with students via Zoom. Our specials teachers have provided many activities for your children to try so be sure to check out their class pages. Also, our incredible TAs and Preschool teachers will be providing additional support to those who want/need it. 

Chromebook

For those of you with multiple children in the LS, the new schedule will often overlap grade levels. If you need to check out a Chromebook, please fill out this form. 

Easter Break

We will observe Easter Break as scheduled. There will not be classes nor work assigned to students April 10-17 in observance of Good Friday, Easter, and Spring Break. Enjoy the break!

We’re adjusting and tweaking as kids become more familiar with this new way of doing school. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work out the kinks. I’m sure we’ll face other obstacles that we’re not able to see just yet but I know we can overcome them. 

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the joke submissions by the kids. I miss them so much; it filled me up to see them laughing. Keep ‘em coming!

I’m praying for you and your family. Our trust, love, and hope grow stronger and deeper when we’re stretched so I’m praising God for this opportunity to draw closer to Him. 

Blessings,

Hannah Park

Lower School Principal

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11

Dear LS Parents,

Greetings from my house to yours. I wanted to send a quick message to the kids. Could you show this video to your children?

Greetings from Mrs. Park

To keep our students engaged in the community and to lighten things up a bit, I’ve created a Flipgrid topic for the kids to submit their best jokes. If your child has a great joke to share (I will preview before allowing it to post) then email Mrs Park for the code.

Thank you for the many encouraging words to our teachers. I know it has not been easy to transition so quickly but I want to thank you all for your patience and grace during this time. The LS teachers are working together to ensure that we’re providing the right balance of work for the students. Please do not hesitate to let me know how things are going. We are adjusting hour by hour, so we truly appreciate the feedback.

Praying for you all,

Hannah Park
Lower School Principal

SFC Students,

Congrats on a successful first day of remote learning! For the most part, we are hearing that things went well as we are all figuring out how to navigate this unexpected new experience. While we miss being together in person, getting to connect in various ways yesterday brought some needed joy to our community. Thank you for your positive attitudes and willingness to learn on the fly!

We asked a number of you for feedback since we know this is new, and we want to make sure we can help you adjust. Remote learning is different in terms of when you complete work and how you manage your schedule. In light of some of your feedback, we want to share the below tips to help to clarify a few things:

• You are NOT expected to complete all your assigned work during your 30 minute “class times.” The work your teachers assign for the week can be done at any time you wish, provided it gets turned in by the due date.
• Lecture videos, reading assignments, and other projects are intended to be done outside of “class time.” Tuesdays and Thursdays are an ideal time to do this work – that’s why we intentionally scheduled nothing on those days. In many cases, teachers will be assigning you work on Monday that needs to be completed by Friday.
• “Class times” on M/W/F are touchpoints with your teachers. Sometimes your teachers may do a mandatory lesson through Zoom; other times, they may simply use those days as an optional time for you to connect with them as needed. Each week, teachers will clearly note on their remote learning tile if there are mandatory class times for you to attend.
• Remote learning requires you to manage your schedule more proactively and independently than on-campus learning. It also gives you much greater flexibility as to when you choose to work on school. Each week, you should identify: A) Which classes have mandatory attendance events, and B) What/when assignments are due that week. Then, you get to plan how you use your time for the week! You can map out which times and days you want to work on school, which subjects to work on, etc. It requires more independent management, but it also gives you more freedom.

One way of thinking about our remote learning structure is:

• M/W/F are days to connect with your teachers during specific times
• T/TH are days to complete work
• You can always reach out to your teachers for clarification, as needed

We understand this is an adjustment – for you and for us – and every day we will all get better at remote learning. We are confident you’ll quickly get used to this schedule and many of you will love the flexibility it provides. Please do not hesitate to reach out to any of us if you have further questions!

–Mr. Hannan, Mrs. Oden, and Mr. Siciliano