Dear Clairbourn Families,
We have been monitoring events, information from the CDC, and staying in contact with the health department. We have also stayed in close contact with the other independent schools in the Pasadena area.
The Clairbourn teachers spent free periods on Friday getting trained on tools we can use in a remote learning setting. On Monday we met as a faculty and then in departments to strategize, try to predict challenges, and support each other with ideas to make the very best out of a difficult situation.
We all decided that our mutual goals are to support student well-being, move the students forward academically, maintain a strong sense of community, and to stay true to our mission of Creating Scholars and Leaders with Heart.
We are committed to each of these goals, but school is going to look a little different for an undetermined amount of time. We are going to transition to a remote learning model right after Spring Break. On March 31 we will be offering instruction online rather than on campus.
Your classroom teachers will be giving you the specific details of the schedule and method for your child. Depending on your grade level, we will be using a combination of live video conferencing, recorded messages, recorded instruction videos, and assignments that can be done without being online. We are keenly aware that many parents are trying to work from home and won’t always be able to drop off a conference call to help get their child online, so we are trying to keep the lesson delivery flexible.
At the same time, we also want the children to see us everyday to maintain a sense of community. We need them to know that this is still school and they still have learning to do, but we also know that things are a little different right now and flexibility is the key to our success.
We have prepared a FAQ sheet for parents to help address some of your questions. It can be found on the
Parenting Partner Playlist on CougarNet. Along with this list of questions, we have also added many resources that are available to you for free during this time.
This is a fantastic community! I am grateful for everything that people are doing to help and support each other. This situation will require all of us to be flexible and responsive to the needs of the students. Being flexible and responsive is what we do on a regular basis, so we have practice. We are now doing it in a different way.
Dr. Amy Patzlalff
Head of School
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long will the school be doing remote learning?
Since the situation is changing moment by moment, we do not have a set date for resuming on-campus learning. We are taking our advice from the CDC, Department of Public Health, and other local officials as well as consulting with the Pasadena Area Independent Schools.
What if we have a question? Who should we talk to?
The primary point of contact for you is your child’s teacher. If the question is something they can’t answer, they can pass your question on to the correct person.
What if I have technical problems? Who will help me?
The primary point of contact for you is your child’s teacher. They can pass your email on to Mr. Barker if it is technical. He will do his best to help you. If it is something beyond his expertise, we also have a remote tech support team for the school.
My child left a book at school that they need. Can I come get it?
This may be possible. Please email your child’s teacher or call before coming to campus, so we can be sure someone will be on campus to help you collect your things. The availability will depend on current conditions.
How does remote learning work? How much will I be required to do as a parent?
Remote learning will look different at each grade level in order to be age-appropriate. For the older students, there is likely to be very little required of the parents. For the youngest students, they may need parents to be involved quite a bit. Each teacher will be sending out specific instructions for each week of learning. The key will be flexibility. The teachers may change the schedule from week to week to fine tune the plan to try and best meet the needs of the class.
What do I do if our home doesn’t have a device for my child to use? The teachers in grades K-5 asked the students how many of them would need a school-owned device. We tried to send a device home with each child who self-identified as needing one. If you have a need for a device, please contact your child’s teacher and we will arrange for a device to be available for you to pick up at the office.
How will we know when the school is going to switch back to on-campus learning? We will stay in regular communication using the weekly eCourier, email, and phone blasts when appropriate. We also plan on having a daily Morning Assembly on GoogleMeet that will also be recorded to help students feel connected to the community. Information will be sent out for this as we get started.
How long will students be online each day?
The younger students may be online for relatively short times but the older students may be online for 2.5-4 hours.
Where should the students be for video conferences?
The students should be in a public space in their homes for all video conferencing. Students should not be in their bedrooms or bathrooms on video.
Can I contact my child’s teacher and ask them to do private tutoring?
No. Our teachers are working hard to meet the needs of each child in their class. Private tutoring is not allowed.
How do we know the schedule?
Every teacher in Grades JPK-5 will post a schedule for the week or day on their class page and/or email it to the parents for reference.
Will we have the Morning Assembly?
Yes, it will be recorded and available each day. It will have a different format, but we think it is important to stay connected as a community.
