The Steward School Parent Portal

Upcoming Events

List of 4 events.

Sep

18

Day 4
9/18/2020 to 9/18/2020 11:30 PM
Sep

18

Early Dismissal
9/18/2020
Sep

18

Whirled Peace Day
9/18/2020
Sep

21

Day 5
9/21/2020 to 9/21/2020 11:30 PM

View All Events

Calendar Quick Links

Enrollment and Reenrollment

List of 4 items.

Am I ready to reenroll my student?

In order to be able to complete reenrollment, student account balances must be current. If you have any questions about your account, email studentbilling@stewardschool.org or call us at 804-740-3394.
Current Students Enrollment

If you haven't already done so, please follow this link to complete your ONLINE REENROLLMENT.
New Students Enrollment

If you haven't already done so, please follow this link to complete your NEW STUDENT ONLINE ENROLLMENT.

If your child is a new student entering The Steward School in grades 1-12, please sign and give the NEW STUDENT RECORD RELEASE FORM to your child's current school when final grades have been issued at the end of the year.

For students entering Steward’s Upper School in grades 10-12, it is imperative that these students have an OFFICIAL final transcript with the school seal and original signature from his or her current school, to be used for the college process.
Questions?

If you have any questions regarding your child’s division, please feel free to contact one of our wonderful Division Assistants.

Lower School: Jay Parrish | (804) 565-2310
Middle School: Karen Ashworth | (804) 565-2312
Upper School: Lee Healey | (804) 565-2308

Lunch Program

List of 1 items.

Lunch Program

Yay Lunch is our lunch vendor for the 2020-21 school year. Orders must be submitted by Saturday at 6 p.m. for the week ahead.

For more information, please see this Yay Lunch flyer with directions on how to register and order meals.

The menus for Lower School and Middle/Upper School for the year are linked here.

Please note that while the vendors used for the Lower and Middle/Upper School lunches are the same, they are delivered to Steward on different days.

Please contact Yay Lunch directly with any questions at info@yaylunch.com or The Steward School at lunch@stewardschool.org.

Head of School Greetings

July 21, 2020

Dear Steward community,

The start of the school year is just around the corner, and we are excited to share more details with you about our plans to reopen campus, full-time and in-person. Because Steward’s class sizes are always some of the smallest in the city, we are able to make plans to engage our students in-person. We will also offer remote learning for students who need or choose that option, in keeping with our state's guidelines.

While our small class sizes make these plans logistically possible, there are still substantive changes required to our day-to-day routines in order to make this work. Please read this document, our July Reopening Update, carefully to understand how we are prepared to return to campus next month.

As always, your division directors and I welcome your questions.

With kind regards,

Lower School Resources

Dear Lower School families,

The 2020-21 school year will soon be upon us, and after a spring and summer unlike any we’ve ever experienced, we are ready to be back on campus with the children again! The start of this school year will be accompanied by new ways of moving around campus, new expectations for maintaining social distance, and all kinds of other new things. Nevertheless, the start of a school year is always a thrill; the promise of new and renewed friendships, and learning adventures to come, it is hard not to be excited.

In addition to the excitement, the new year is accompanied by some nerves — especially this year. We are here to keep you informed of all that will be going on in the classrooms and around campus. The Lower School Orientation for all students will be an important event for your Lower Schooler! We will provide a virtual orientation program for parents.

I’ve tried to include some helpful information for all families (new and returning) in this letter, but if you have any questions or concerns at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me at ingrid.moore@stewardschool.org.

Important Information

Our Lower School class lists are now available. Scroll down the document to view class placements for each class.

We are still looking for some select Room Parents for the 2020-21 school year. If you are interested, please contact Lower School Division Assistant Jay Parrish at jay.parrish@stewardschool.org.

Please log in to MySchoolApp to view and complete important forms for the upcoming school year.

Lower School Orientation for all students (not just new students) will be Thursday, August 27. View the Orientation schedule.

The first day of school is Monday, August 31. We ask that all Lower School students arrive between 7:30-7:55 a.m. The first day of school will be a half-day for all of Lower School with dismissal at 11:30 a.m. (Regular dismissal at 3:10 p.m. will begin on September 1.)

Staying fueled up is an important element for success, so please remember to send a healthy snack with your child each morning.

The carpool direction and process will feel a bit different this year. Please study the new map and download the SchoolPass app to help make it a success! You will receive specific instructions during Parent Orientations to help.

Lunch service will be available for purchase for grades K-5 starting in mid-September. Keep an eye out for details!

Mark your calendars for Lower School Back-to-School Night on Wednesday, September 9. This will be a virtual event that will begin at 5:30 p.m.

If you have any questions, please email me at ingrid.moore@stewardschool.org.

Warmly,

Middle School Resources

Dear Middle School families,

I hope you and your family have been enjoying a relaxing and healthy summer, despite the unusual circumstances. I am very excited about the upcoming school year, and I look forward to working with you and your child. In the Steward Preparation for Reopening: July Update that was shared with you earlier this week, you can see that we have been very busy preparing for the 2020-21 academic year, and that planning will continue to evolve as we follow the Commonwealth of Virginia guidelines. Obviously, this school year will look and feel different than previous ones. Our plan is to provide heightened levels of safety and hygiene for all students and adults on campus while focusing on engaging teaching and learning. A new school year is always exciting, but it also raises multiple questions, many of which I hope to answer for you in this letter and in the orientation and reorientation sessions that we have scheduled. If you have other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at susan.atkinson@stewardschool.org.

Daily Middle School Schedule and Safety Precautions

The daily schedule in the Middle School for the 2020-21 school year has been adjusted to include four 75-minute class periods. This reduction in transitions will allow us to stagger the dismissal times between classes in order to limit the number of students in the hallway and will provide an opportunity to sanitize classrooms between uses. Our schedule is coordinated with the Upper School schedule for those students enrolled in Honors Geometry.

Students will remain six feet apart to the greatest extent possible, including during class. All students and faculty will be required to wear a face mask, even when in class and socially distant.

A number of large spaces on campus have been repurposed as classrooms for Middle School use, including new portable learning cottages, and we plan to take advantage of outdoor spaces, weather permitting.

The hallways in the Middle School will become one-way to minimize the points at which students will need to cross paths.

As locker rooms will not be used during PE classes, the JK-12 dress code will be relaxed for 2020-21. Specifics about the dress code will be shared at orientation/reorientation sessions and in the Student/Parent Handbook.

To limit interactions during arrival/dismissal, we will be using a new carpool route. Middle School students should now be dropped off and picked up by Waddell Terrace.

Class Schedules and Textbook Ordering

You are now able to view your child’s 2020-21 class schedule through MySchoolApp. As this is a new system for all Steward families, we have created a handy reference guide on how to view your child’s schedule. H block is currently designated as “Flex Time” on all schedules and will include additional math and English classes, community service opportunities, and special grade-level activities. I also would suggest that seventh-grade families look at the full eight-day view in order to see both fine arts classes for their children. If you have difficulty accessing your account, please email our technology department at help@stewardschool.org.

You can order your child’s textbooks at your convenience beginning today. Please visit MBS Direct online, click on “Let’s Get Started,” and follow the ordering instructions by using the course titles on your child’s schedule. Please note that many Middle School classes do not require textbooks from MBS, and MBS will offer free shipping on orders over $99 from Monday, July 27 through Sunday, August 2. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on publishers and transportation services, MBS has alerted us that book orders may be slightly delayed this fall, so we ask that you place your order as soon as possible. Some books may temporarily show an "Out of Stock" status; however, backorders will be filled as a priority. Teachers are aware of these temporary delays and will make the necessary adjustments in classes to support students. Thank you for your understanding during these unusual times.

All families of sixth-grade students will be billed for school supplies for the core academic classes, the online Spanish program Auténtico, and art supplies; families will be responsible for providing the general supplies (see Grade 6 Supply List for specifics). Students will receive their supplies the first day of class.

All families of seventh-grade students will be billed for math notebooks and the online Spanish program Auténtico. All families of eighth-grade students, except for those enrolled in Honors Geometry, will be billed for math notebooks, as well as the online Spanish program Auténtico.

Art students in seventh and eighth grades will be billed for art supplies. Students will receive their supplies on the first day of class.

Orientation for All Rising Sixth-Grade and New Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Students and Parents

Orientation for all rising sixth-grade students and new seventh- and eighth-grade students and their parents will be held on Thursday, August 20.

In order to maintain social distancing, we will conduct our new student orientation in three smaller groups. For each session, students will need to submit a health screening (details to come) and wear a face mask.

Sixth-grade students with the last names A-J will meet on campus from 8:30-10 a.m.

Sixth-grade students with the last names K-Z will meet on campus from 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Orientation for new seventh- and eighth-grade students will take place on campus from 1-2:30 p.m.

If your child is unable to attend, please contact Division Assistant Karen Ashworth by Friday, August 14, at (804) 565-2312 or karen.ashworth@stewardschool.org.

These sessions are for students only. Families will be asked to drop off and pick up Middle School students at Waddell Terrace without leaving their cars. This will give us the opportunity to practice carpool procedures.

The parent orientation session will take place virtually beginning at 5 p.m. on August 20. More information will be shared in the upcoming weeks.

Reorientation for Returning Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Students and Parents

As the campus has not been fully open since March and since we have made a number of changes to how the Middle School will operate in the fall, we are offering reorientation sessions for all returning seventh- and eighth-grade students, as well as a virtual meeting for parents returning to the Middle School, on Friday, August 21.

Students are strongly encouraged to attend so they can see and feel how the Middle School will operate prior to our first day on August 31.

For each session, students will need to submit a health screening (details to come) and wear a face mask.

To limit the number of students on campus, we ask students to sign up for one of four available one-hour time slots through our Reorientation SignUp form.

9-10 a.m.

10:30-11:30 a.m.

12:30-1:30 p.m.

2-3 p.m.

These sessions are for students only. Families will be asked to drop off and pick up Middle School students at Waddell Terrace without leaving their cars. This will give us the opportunity to practice carpool procedures.

The parent reorientation session for returning seventh- and eighth-grade parents will take place virtually on Friday, August 21 at 12 p.m. More information will be shared in the upcoming weeks.

Summer Work

Students must complete their two summer reading books and corresponding writing assignments, math work (written packets for sixth, seventh, and eighth grades and IXL topics for Honors Geometry), and Spanish review work for seventh and eighth grades, as well as Heritage Speakers Spanish.

Please note that all students in sixth grade complete the same math packet, regardless of their math section.

Students can download their assignments from 2020-21 School Year Information page.

Medical Information

An up-to-date physical and completion of the Commonwealth of Virginia school entrance health form are required for all sixth graders and new students; any student wishing to participate in a sport in Middle School needs to complete the Athletic Physical Form. These must be on file prior to the start of fall practices on Monday, September 14 (please note the adjusted start date for practices). Click the link for more information about Middle School athletics.

Completing Important Forms in MySchoolApp

Please log in to MySchoolApp to view and complete important forms for the upcoming school year.

Middle School Community Week

During the week of September 21-25, all Middle School students will participate in various team-building experiences.

Due to COVID-19, we will not be taking overnight trips in the fall and our team-building experiences will take place on campus while maintaining social distancing.

Specifics about this exciting week will be shared with Middle School students and parents in early September.

2020-21 Family and Student Handbook

The 2020-21 Family and Student Handbook will be available on our website shortly. Please take the time to review the handbook and to discuss as a family. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions. We will be requiring families to sign an acknowledgement of receipt before school starts.

Summer Connections Series

If your child has not already participated in our Summer Connections series, there are still several weeks of fun ahead. These are free Zoom sessions every Tuesday at 11 a.m. Coming up next Tuesday is part 1 of a service initiative with Wallace Inge and Rashad Lowery, and the following week is Cardboard Construction with Megan Young. If interested, please register in advance.

I look forward to seeing you soon and to a successful school year. Until then, enjoy the remaining days of summer!

Sincerely,

Upper School Resources

Dear Upper School families,

The last time I wrote to you all was at the end of a quite unique spring semester. Today I am reaching out in preparation for what I suspect will be an equally unique fall semester. You will have seen from our communication earlier this week that we have spent a great deal of time preparing for the 2020-21 academic year. That planning will continue and evolve in the coming weeks. Under existing Commonwealth of Virginia guidelines, it is our intention to welcome all our students back on campus on August 31. We can’t wait to see them; it’s been too long. Clearly, normal school life is going to look and feel different for a while, as we seek to create a campus that provides heightened levels of safety and hygiene for all our children and adults, yet still allows for rich and varied teaching and learning to take place. In pursuit of that, I would like to highlight some changes that are specific to the Upper School.

The daily schedule will change to four 90 minute periods a day, resulting in 40% fewer transition points as well as an opportunity to sanitize classrooms between uses.

The Upper School academic day will finish at 3:30 p.m., to allow more time for MS carpool to pass through.

Students will remain six feet apart to the greatest extent possible, including in class. Students will be required to wear a face mask, even when in class and physically distant.

Classrooms will not be designated to a specific teacher. Instead, a class will be allocated to a classroom space based on the size and need of that specific class.

Only 60% of classes will be hosted in the Upper School building, as a number of large spaces on campus have been repurposed as classrooms, including new portable learning cottages.

The average Upper School class size will be 12 students, and the average Upper School classroom space will be 660 square feet. This far exceeds the CDC recommended minimum.

Over the summer, the HVAC system in the Upper School building was entirely replaced, resulting in vastly improved air filtration and air exchange rates (replacing recirculated air with fresh air).

The central quad of hallways in the Upper School building will become one-way, to minimize the points at which students need to cross-paths.

Common socializing spaces, such as grade level lounges, will be re-utilized as student work spaces.

The Upper School building will have designated entry-only and exit-only points.

Students will not be able to use their lockers. Students will have fewer classes each day and there is a continued push towards digital learning resources.

Juniors and seniors will have the option to arrive at school by 9:30 a.m. or leave school after 2 p.m., if they do not have class. More information can be found below.

The above are some examples of the measures we are putting in place to mitigate the risks associated with the current pandemic. As ever, we closely follow guidance released by local, state, and federal government agencies, as well as the growing body of research and evidence that is being produced across the globe, and our plans could change accordingly. Needless to say, we are also working on further developing our plans for remote continuous learning as well as various hybrid learning models, should those become necessary.

The below details some back-to-school information that should be useful to you as you prepare for the upcoming year.

Schedules

MySchoolApp is now open for you to access your child’s 2020-21 class schedule for the first marking period. The system is new, so we have created a handy reference guide to assist you. If you are having issues logging on to MySchoolApp, please reach out to help@stewardschool.org.

You will note that most classrooms are not listed on the schedules yet. This will be completed in late August when we have a clearer idea of how many students are in each section. It is highly likely that in the coming weeks students will need to be moved between sections in multi-sectioned classes for balancing purposes. However, the course numbers for textbook ordering will remain the same.

If you have any questions about your child’s schedule, those with a last name starting A-K should email Upper School Curriculum Dean Melissa Freed and those with last name starting L-Z should email Upper School Academic Dean Elizabeth Simpson. Please note that both Ms. Freed and Ms. Simpson will be returning to work on Monday, August 10, so schedule-related queries will not be answered until then. Please note that if a class is full then changing schedules would be reliant on another student withdrawing from that class. On the schedules for juniors and seniors, the blank blocks denote open periods when students are expected to study on their own. Freshman and sophomores with blank periods will be allocated to a study hall.

Textbook Ordering

Information for ordering textbooks can be found under the 2020-21 School Year Information page on our website, or by visiting MBS Direct online. We will continue to use MBS Direct Bookstore for textbook ordering; MBS will be offering free shipping on orders of $99 or above from July 27 through August 2. We will also continue to use both NetClassroom and Google Classroom to house course syllabi. For reference when ordering, please use this list of Upper School course codes.

New Faculty

I am thrilled to welcome two new faculty members to the Upper School this coming year: Lisa Hand (Spanish) and Scottie O’Neill (math). Information about Sra. Hand and Ms. O’Neill was included in our communication earlier this week.

Student Orientation and Reorientation Sessions

Given that the campus has not been fully open since early March, as well as the number of changes to how the Upper School will operate starting in August, we are putting on a reorientation session for returning Upper School students. This is in addition to the normal orientation sessions for students who are new to the Upper School. Students are strongly encouraged to attend, as it will provide them with an opportunity to see and feel how the Upper School will run before they return to school on August 31. These sessions are for students only. Families will be asked to drop-off and pick up without leaving their car, providing us all with an opportunity to practice carpool procedures. Each session will start in the Robins Theatre, and all students will be required to submit a health screen (details to come) and wear a face mask.

Freshman and new-to-Steward students: Wednesday August 19, 9-11 a.m.

Returning sophomores: Thursday August 27, 9-11 a.m.

Returning juniors: Thursday August 27, 12-2 p.m.

Returning seniors: Friday August 28, 9-11 a.m.

Family Orientation and Reorientation Sessions

I am conscious that families will be entering this academic year with anxiety and concern. The Upper School leadership team will be hosting two orientation/reorientation sessions for Upper School families on Zoom.

Families of freshmen and new-to-steward: Wednesday August 19 at 1 p.m.

Returning Upper School families: During the week of August 24th - more details to come.

Student Parking, Earlier Dismissal, and Late Arrival

Parking on campus remains the same for 2020-21; Juniors and seniors should park in the Upper School parking lot, and sophomores should park in the Lower School parking lot. Students who plan to park on campus will need a parking permit; Mr. Mundy, Upper School Dean of Students, will be reaching out to students in late August with more details.

Until further notice, juniors and seniors will have the option to arrive at school by 9:30 a.m. or leave school after 2 p.m. if they do not have class at those times. Mr. Mundy will be reaching out to parents in mid-August with a consent form for the families who will allow their students to take up that option.

Student and Family Handbook

The 2020-21 Family and Student Handbook will be available on our new website shortly. Please take the time to review the handbook and to discuss as a family. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions. We will be requiring families to sign an acknowledgement of receipt before school starts.

Summer Work

Details of summer work can be found on the 2020-21 School Year Information page. All English and math classes, and some AP classes, have work assigned. Most summer work is due for completion by the first day of school, but please review individual assignments for specifics.

Math Power Hour

As your child makes his or her way through math summer work, don't forget that we're offering Math Power Hours every Wednesday at 10 a.m. These are open sessions when one of our math teachers is available to help with questions on summer work. Your student will need to register each week to receive the proper Zoom link - the sessions are open to students entering all levels of Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, and Statistics, except for AP. Register here.

I am looking forward to a great year for all of the Upper School students. Enjoy the rest of your summer! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

Best wishes,

Steward in the News