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Everyone Learning, Every Day

We aspire to return to all school activities on our three campuses this year. Specific decisions and plans regarding our return to school have been made, and details are included on this page and the Roadmap Back to School brochure. This page is a dynamic communication, reflecting our plan for everyone learning, every day.

Informed Decision-Making for Re-Entry to School

Our work on models for different stages of school re-opening and operations is informed by all applicable federal, state, and local agencies and guidelines including but not limited to: the CDC, State of New Jersey, Essex County, Montclair Board of Education and Board of Health, and NJSIAA (for athletics). It is understood that flexibility and responsiveness to changing scenarios may require multiple stages and that as state and local guidance evolves our planning may need to adapt and change to comply.
 
MKA’s return to school on campus is predicated on many factors that must be in place. The reality is that the situation is and will remain fluid for some time to come. Students, faculty, and families should understand that movement from stage to stage may, and likely, will not be linear. We will be prepared to deliver our signature, MKA education in stages.

Remote Learning (Stage 1)

 
Community Transmission
 
Social Distancing Guidelines in place - restrictions imposed by local or federal authorities due to increased cases and/or rising deaths

No students, faculty, or staff in the building

Building on and refining structures established in the Spring, teaching and learning will be delivered remotely through a combination of daily synchronous (live) instruction and asynchronous (accessible anytime) activities.

Hybrid Learning (Stages 2-3)

Minimal Community Transmission

Social Distancing Guidelines in place - no known cases in building AND/OR Social Distancing Guidelines eased - cases and deaths in area on two week decrease


A portion of students in the building each day

Students would rotate days in the classroom at school with days of connecting to the live classroom from home.

Some students and employees in a medically vulnerable population may require the continued option to remain remote.

In School Learning (Stage 4)

No Transmission 

Social Distancing Guidelines expire - vaccine, effective treatment, immunity in the community or extremely low  and managed infection rates


All students, faculty, and staff in buildings and classrooms

Latest Updates on Planning Forward

     

 

Planning, Preparing, Responding

OUR HEALTH & SAFETY

Our priority is the health and safety of our community - students, faculty, staff, and families. We have designed comprehensive health and safety protocols informed by national, state, and local guidelines, medical advice, and best practices in an effort to minimize the risk of COVID-19. These protocols and measures will continue to be refined throughout the school year. 
 
MKA requires that anyone who has traveled to and returned from a state on the official New Jersey Travel Advisory List, must quarantine for 14 days before entering or returning to school. The NJ Travel Advisory list will be shared with families as it is updated by the state.
 
We strongly recommend that all employees and students receive the flu vaccine this year.

For more information regarding MKA's ongoing response to COVID-19, including weekly pooled testing, please visit mka.org/covid19.

Intensifying cleaning, disinfection, and ventilation

 

Ensuring social distancing

Requiring masks of all employees, and students as age appropriate

Reconfigure all spaces for greater safety

Limiting sharing

Monitoring and Preparing: Check for signs and symptoms

Planning for a sick member of community

Educating and training all staff, students, and families

More Details About Health & Safety

OUR PROGRAM

MKA is committed to providing all students in grades Pre-K-12 with opportunities to develop to their infinite potential, in terms of both their intellect and their character. Maintaining a sense of connection is essential for all members of our community. We embrace a commitment to everyone learning, every day no matter what modality we may be in: in-school learning, hybrid learning, or remote learning.
 
MKA plans to start the school year in a hybrid mode of in-person and at-home learning every-other-day for students in grades 1-12 and in everyday, in-person learning for students in grades Pre-K and K. We hope to increase the frequency of in-person schooling over time, while maintaining the health and safety of our community, and to do this MKA will assess transmission rates and our community’s adherence to our protocols within the first few weeks of school. If trends remain positive, we will begin to bring more students back into our buildings. It is important to note that until there is a viable treatment option, MKA will not be an environment completely free of risk.
 

MKA’s Commitments to Teaching and Learning:

  • Building relationships and sustaining wellness are paramount.
  • Care and compassion for one another will continue to guide all of our interactions.
  • Students are encouraged to bring a sense of wonder, inquiry, and discovery to their learning.
  • A focus on engagement and feedback for growth will drive learning—the joy is in the process.
  • To maximize our impact, we will emphasize what is most essential for excellence, harness creativity, and stay nimble.

MKA helps students to build an essential foundation for academic and personal success by developing the self-awareness, empathy, and good character needed to make responsible decisions and create positive relationships with others. 

We uphold that an inclusive school environment fosters a culture of mutual respect and moral responsibility; we strive for equity and social justice as the foundation for our engagement with an increasingly complex world; and we believe that the diversity of experiences presented through a rigorous multicultural curriculum develops our global cultural competency.

More Details About Our Program

Remote Learning Program Enhancements

 

The Planning Task Force

The Planning Forward Task Force was formed with a total membership of 26 people who were then split into four groups. The four process groups collaborate, within and across their membership, informing and clarifying next steps for the Task Force.

Health & Safety

Utilizes current data to inform how program and operations should commence in the fall and coordinates supplies and all aspects of precaution and prevention.

Program

Identifies questions and provides feedback related to teaching and learning as we move forward. Focuses on engagement and feedback for growth that will drive learning. 

Finance

Works closely with members of the Board of Trustees Finance  Committee to create several different models for budgeting and operations. Aligns resources with organizational goals.

Communications

Coordinates the flow of information regarding the processes and  policies for return to  the 2020-201 school year. Is responsible to all constituents in order to facilitate transparency.

Our school is ideally positioned to respond to the changing landscape of education at this time in history. We are a community with an established spirit of innovation, openness to redesign, and willingness to collaborate - essential to MKA's culture. What remains consistent is our focus on meaningful outcomes for our students, faculty, and families. We are so grateful for your partnership on this journey.

- Kate Logan P '13, '14, President, Board of Trustees

For questions or concerns regarding MKA's return to school contact: responseteam@mka.org.