May 17, 2021

Dear Good Shepherd Families,

“Our Future Is Strong” is a series of brief, informative emails/posts which began April 30, 2020 to keep the community informed about our preparations for our return to campus and the ways we will live together as a community during the pandemic. 

In this edition, you will find a Protocol Survey button below for you to share your comfort level with potential health and safety protocols for the 2021-2022 school year.

2020-2021 School Year
Throughout the 2020-2021 school year, our protocols had to support the health of our on-campus faculty, staff, and student community, as well as those parents and other family members who were off campus. Juggling the various needs of all of these constituent groups, and staying flexible to adaptation, was challenging. Thank you for your patience as we navigated this uncharted territory. 

2021-2022 School Year
For next school year, we have a very different situation materializing. Regarding the pandemic, we see continued improvement in the U.S., Texas, and in Dallas county. We also have ample supply of vaccines for any adult in our community who would like to be vaccinated. Last week, we learned the FDA gave Emergency Use Authorization to Pfizer to offer their vaccine for adolescents aged 12 -15. While the vaccine is not required in order to participate in school life at Good Shepherd, its availability makes a big difference, and it is having a positive impact on hospital capacities. 

This Summer
Our plan is to solidify our protocols in late July. We are waiting until then because we believe the situation will continue to improve throughout the summer months, and we want to make our decisions based on the best and most current situation. Please look for a communication from me later this summer with more details. 

We Want to Hear From You!
For now, we would like to ask you about your comfort level with a variety of potential protocols for your children for 2021-2022. This survey is not meant to address every possible scenario but rather to give us an idea of how comfortable you are feeling as you look forward into this next school year. 

Please click here to share your comfort levels, and we look forward to your feedback. We will keep the survey open until the last day of school, Friday, May 28th.

“Our Future Is Strong” will continue periodically on an as-needed basis. We have also posted this series on our Coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage for your reference.  

Together we are #gsesStrong, 

Julie McLeod, Ph.D.
Head of School