by: Eric Petersiel
Dear Leo Baeck parents,
I hope you have had a restful and safe summer and are as excited about getting back to school as we are! June was filled with opportunities to welcome so many guests back into our building and we are so excited for the return of full extra-curricular activities and all of the extra elements which make a Leo Baeck education so special.
This past year we celebrated ten years on Arlington, ten years which have changed the nature of the Jewish community in Toronto and raised the level of Jewish independent school education.The conclusion of our ambitious five-year Strategic Plan has made us stronger, in the level of academics we provide, the range of student supports we offer and fiscal sustainability which has kept our tuition increases low due to high demand in our school. We are grateful to all of you for supporting us, and are excited to announce the new Strategic Plan in the fall. We are one year away from the 50th anniversary of our school. This past year saw us serve over 100 students who had parents who attended Leo Baeck, and for the first time in many years, our long-term sustainability is secure. Our constant vision to support each child to find personal success and meaning has been a formula for multi-generational growth and involvement with the Jewish community, of which we are very proud. I hope that you as well are proud to be a part of our community.
The past two years have been marked by our response to COVID, and how we have worked together as a community to support each other. The safety of all is a collective responsibility, and the following measures are key to our collective protection:
– All staff and students are required to review the daily screener before deciding to attend school each day
– Enhanced cleaning measures and hand hygiene practices continue in the building
– Enhanced ventilation in the building plus HEPA filtration in all classrooms has been a key measure to mitigate the spread of illness
– Continued diligence regarding illness and keeping those who show signs of possible COVID home from school is an important barrier to spreading infection. Although there will not be an option for distance learning while students are ill, classroom assignments will be updated through Google Classroom and Toddle as appropriate.
– The school is responsible for reporting COVID absences in the aggregate to Toronto Public Health.
Wishing you all a healthy year ahead.
