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An interview with Henry Winkler

An interview with Henry Winkler

Oct 6, 2021

An interview with Henry Winkler

Now and again, we are given the gift of a memorable story that finds us without our ever searching for it, a story that leaves behind a smile, an enduring imprint and lessons learned. In this instance, it is a conversation between two courageous, independent voices, from different times and contrasting generations whose language, warmth and authenticity resonate with humor and possibility.

We can all choose to remember Thanksgiving Day 2020, not as an imposition, or threat, or the suffocating fatigue of COVID-19, but in terms of a true story that redeems the value of remembering to say Thank You, and to say this often.

In her first email to Henry Winkler, Elayna Frost talked about building our wonderful rolling library and recruiting everybody she knew to donate terrific books. She made it clear they were not just for scholastic learning but they were needed to generate a culture of reading for fun at The Lewis School. She talked about herself, learning differences, her school, and about Mr. Winkler’s own life in an interview he granted her. The following are excerpts from their digital conversations – To Cheer You On This Special Day.

 

THE LETTER

 

Dear Mr. Winkler,

My name is Elayna Frost, I am 16, and I am dyslexic.

The school I attend is The Lewis School in Princeton, New Jersey. It is a school for students like me who are dyslexic and have other learning differences. I have a hard time reading, writing and sometimes speaking. I have been attending The Lewis School for 2 years and it has helped me learn in a way that makes sense for my challenges.

As a fellow dyslexic, I would love to hear your story as a successful author and actor. Would you consider speaking with me about your experiences? I think your story would speak to the students about the great things you can still do even if you have a learning difference.

If you cannot, it would be wonderful if you would consider donating a few of your Hank Zipzer books to my school library. If they were signed copies with inspirational notes in them, I know the students would be motivated and thrilled!

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I hope you will consider talking to me.

Respectfully,
Elayna Frost

 

THE INTERVIEW

 

EF: Will you share with me your journey with dyslexia? What was your favorite subject?

HW: Recess, Gym and Lunch!

EF: Who was your favorite teacher and why? What would you say to him or her now?

HW: Mr. Rock in High School. He was the head of the music department and directed school musicals. He saw the talent in me and said, “You’re going to be OK, just graduate!” Dr. Charlotte Lingrend, my professor in college. Simply because she believed in me and how she made me feel in her class. She is 94. I keep in touch with her by email and always send her a copy of my new books!

EF: Did other kids bully you because of your learning difference? If yes, how did you handle it?

HW: I attended a private school and some kids always thought they were better than others. I hid my difficulties with my actions, usually by humor. Bullies are like a single grain of sand running through your hands on the beach, or a single grain of salt. Usually, they are just one in many.

EF: How did you gain entry to Emerson and YALE? How did you keep up with the demands of college?

HW: I certainly did not get in because of my grades. I had personality! Back then college was not as competitive to get into. It was a different time. College was NOT EASY! Where there is a will, there is a way! (Mr. Winkler went on to say he had to write a paper on sociology and he took the textbook written by Emile Durkheim, which he never read, and wrote the paper on what he thought the book was about, based on the table of contents! Do not do this! He somehow got a B on the paper.)

EF: Did you know you always wanted to be an actor?

HW: No, I thought I would work with kids. I love kids and relate to them. In high school I worked as an after school counselor with underprivileged kids.

EF: What was the first play you were in?

HW: I was a tube of toothpaste in nursery school. I was minty fresh!

EF: What was the first book you ever read?

HW: I was 31. I read The Clan of The Cave Bear and I loved it. I kept it and all the books I have read, they are reminders of my achievement and what I have overcome.

EF: What was it like playing FONZIE on Happy Days?

HW: CRAZY! As Fonzie, to start with, I only had 6 lines. The part grew. At the height of the show, I received 50,000 fan letters a week, and it was overwhelming. The cast was patient with me, I would forget my lines and/or miss a cue, or be off my timing.

‘In the “Jump The Shark” episode, I finished a water skiing stunt, and when I skied to the beach, I was smiling.’ Fonzie’s character does not smile. I did smile because #1, I was like OMG, and #2 AYYYE!

EF: HANK ZIPZER … is he Henry Winkler?

HW: YES!

EF: What advice would you give me OR kids who are struggling with learning?

HW: 1. Eventually you will know what you want to do in life. When you think you know, don’t let it out of your head. You have greatness inside of you.

2. Say, “I WILL TRY!” You may fail but you must try again and again.

3. People might bully you, but you will likely never see them again after school.

4. I still read very slowly one word at a time. When I had children, I read bedtime stories to the kids too slowly so my wife took over the reading, and I acted the story out.

EF: What would you say to your younger self?
(This question made Mr. Winkler think and sigh, and for the first time he really thought for a minute before he answered.)

HW: If you keep your eye on the prize and keep walking forward to your dream, whatever the problem, failure or rejection is, it is only a moment. Be like a “WEEBLE”, tip over and pop back to the center again and again.

EF: Would you consider donating a few Hank books to my library project? And sign them for the students of my school?

HW: Yes! Books will be arriving for the project and please tell the students at The Lewis School I said hello!!

Mr. Winkler said we are now old friends and I should call him Henry! I told him he was always welcome to my school if he was ever in the area. He also told me that I was smart and articulate!

This Thanksgiving, there are blessings in abundance to remember. Everyone at The Lewis School sends you our warmest regards and appreciation. Let’s all take a deep breath and give thanks in our own way – and maybe with a resounding AYYYE!

Sincerely,
Marsha Gaynor Lewis, for The Lewis School

53 Bayard Lane
Princeton, NJ 08540

Voice: (609) 924-8120
Fax: (609) 924-5512

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A School’s Memory of September 11, 2001

Sep 11, 2021

A School’s Memory of September 11, 2001

Dear Parents, Staff and Students,

On a sunlit Tuesday morning twenty years ago, I walked into a gathering of parents exchanging heart felt memories of their children’s years of struggling at school. Although Summer Study was over and fall classes had only been in session for several days, fathers and mothers spoke about “hope and positive change” for their children. They seemed to sense that the disappointment and frustration of the past would be replaced in time with bright possibilities for the future.

New Parent Coffee 2001 was well underway that morning on the big veranda next to the schoolyard. Teachers, alumni, first year parents, student ambassadors and friends mingled warmly as if they were family. The excitement and pleasure that optimism and new beginnings bring to life were unmistakable. First time families felt they could walk away from the old stories as other parents had, to write fresh new chapters in their children’s lives and in their own.

Several minutes before 9:00 am, I quietly asked for the crowd’s attention and as the conversation slowly tumbled away, I let everyone know that we were needed at home because the World Trade Center in New York City was under threat of attack. The message was processed in disbelief as people realized there was something more to hear and understand.

That tragic day, two thousand, nine hundred and seventy seven innocent souls from seventy-eight countries, aged two to eighty-five became the collateral sacrifice of madness – a senseless, militant extremism perpetrated by nineteen radicalized young men who lost their own once promising lives in the pursuit of purgatory, in the service and honor of nothing.

And among the four-hundred and three First Responders in New York City whose heroism will never be adequately known or written, there was a highly decorated, forty-four year old Port Authority police officer named John “Jay” Lennon who lost his life. On that same day, a shy, little ten-year old boy and outstanding student of The Lewis School, Chris Lennon lost his beloved father to the destructive power of ignorance, hatred and revenge.

His peers described Officer Lennon as “very caring, very conscientious, a guy who never had a complaint against him and never went sick”. In an interview for The New York Times, Lennon’s father fondly recalled that his son had been “leery of heights” all of his life, and often called for his father’s help when home roofing repair was needed. “One day”, he said, “I opened The Daily News and there he was rappelling off The Brooklyn Bridge to grab and save a person who was desperate and needed his help, he was like that”.

“As a member of the Port Authority’s Emergency Service and Rescue Unit for twenty-one years, Officer Lennon had often been cited for bravery in the line of duty during his career. He had kept faith with the need to find and identify the victims of the terrorist bombing at World Trade in 1993. He worked for months to help retrieve loved ones from the rubble, restoring them to their families so that ‘they might have the dignity of closure, time and place for grief and remembrance’.

Officer Lennon and the Port Authority policemen who lost their lives that morning were reputed to know “every inch of the 117 miles of corridors at WTC”. On September 11, 2001, John could have remained at home out of harm’s way, it was his day off, but when he heard the news, he immediately left for New York City to help. On the day of the attacks, his twelve-year old daughter Katie was watching an interview with a survivor on television news. The man reported that he and many others owed their lives to an “Officer John Lennon” who had led them out of the fire and ash to the safety of the street. When the gentleman turned to thank him, Officer Lennon had disappeared back into the smoke and the chaos. Minutes later the tower collapsed.

Chris Lennon graduated with distinction from The Lewis School and earned a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice. At age 27, Chris followed in the footsteps of a hero, his father, and was installed as a police officer in his father’s original unit. According to a reporter for The Jersey Journal, “emotions ran high” when representatives of the New York Port Authority Police Department and Patricia Lennon, his remarkable mother were asked to come forward. Without Chris and those in attendance knowing, and in honor of Officer Lennon’s memory, it was arranged that his son’s badge would read the same as his father’s – number 1170.

On Thursday evening, July 19, 2018, when Patricia Lennon, mother of Christopher, and teenage sweetheart and wife of John, pinned her son’s badge to his lapel and embraced him, the ignorance, hatred and revenge of a few on September 11, 2001 “came face to face” and paled in the presence and the continuum of the greatest powers on earth, goodness, integrity, courage and love.

In Memory of the Heroic Sacrifices Made for Each of Us, Then and Now,

Marsha Gaynor Lewis
For The Lewis School, Saturday, September 11, 2021

53 Bayard Lane
Princeton, NJ 08540

Voice: (609) 924-8120
Fax: (609) 924-5512

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January 18, 2021

Jan 18, 2021

LEWIS SCHOOL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Spring Semester 2021 Return to Campus

Strategic Re-entry Plan (SRP)

Head of School's Letter, Monday, January 18, 2021

Phase III : Third Marking Period

January 18, 2021 – March 12, 2021

Dear Lewis School Community,

Here’s to a New Year that squarely places the encounter between character, circumstances and outcome, on the right side of history and in future time that avails and exercises the best in each of us, for our own sake and for the sake of each other.

First, thank you all for doing your part to comply faithfully and responsibly with the school’s mitigation requirements and health safety contingencies. You have been truly consistent and timely in your reporting and transparency concerning any issue that might negatively impact the well being of the school community.

To date, our teachers and students have not been placed in harm’s way at Lewis as the result of a cavalier or dismissive perspective, or an individual’s inadequate attention to the school’s protocols for safety and good health. We stand by our choices and will continue to enforce them to protect, to the extent possible, against a common threat we are all working to overcome globally.

This letter will be uncharacteristically direct and, I hope, succinct. It is time, as projected in prior emails, to take the next reasonable, step forward toward reestablishing a modicum of old fashioned normalcy for the students, and relief for our parents. With your firm commitment, and the continuing exceptional work of our teachers and staff, the “next step” may prove to be a “win-win” for us all.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES:
The Lewis School provides students five academic sessions annually including Extended Year Education in the month of July. (The school year is September – July.)

* PHASES I through V of the SRP will correspond with the dates of each session/marking period going forward.
* The Lewis School will remain remote until Monday, January 25, 2021.

  • Phase III – Third Marking Period, January 18 – March 12, 2021
  • Remote Instruction – Monday, January 4 – Friday, January 22, 2021
  • Extended Hybrid On-campus Classes begin Monday, January 25, 2021. School-wide COVID-19 testing per the nurse’s letter is required. Please email or call with any issues: Nurse O’Brien at info@lewisschool.org, Annie Adams at annie.adams@lewisschool.org, or leave a voice mail at (609)-924-8120
  • Phase IV – Fourth Marking Period, March 15 – May 21, 2021
    Spring Break: Monday, March 22 – Easter Monday, April 4, 2021
    Students Return: Tuesday, April 6 – Friday, May 21, 2021
  • Phase V – Extended Year Academic Session, July 6 – July 23, 2021

The Strategic Re-entry Plan

The following SRP to increase on-campus, in-person instruction will be monitored daily and remain in place as long as official data and the local spread of the virus warrant students’ return to campus to continue safely. The plan is flexible and parents will be notified promptly if the school needs to reinstate fully remote instruction. Lewis School classes will remain remote until Monday, January 25, 2021.

The Plan

  • School will be in session five days a week on an extended schedule of blended in-person and remote learning. Each level will be at school on specific days every week as detailed below.
  • Level I – Upper School, College Preparatory, Transitional Upper School students, and High School Post-graduates – LEGENDS;
  • Level II – Middle, Lower and Kindergarten students – LIONS;
  • Students will be provided in-person classes consistently on separate days each week so that the aggregate number of students and faculty present at any one time in the building does not increase;
  • All students will be on-campus according to a repeating two-week cycle based on three days the first week followed by two days the second week, or two days followed by three days depending on the student’s level and start date detailed below. Arrival and pick-up times remain the same for all levels.
  • All daily academic schedules, and homeroom and content teachers remain the same for all curriculum courses and time slots. Classes remain small and movement between classes, and in the building will be strictly limited or eliminated wherever possible;
  • Empty safe rooms; separate floors; no loading of classrooms or common areas; off-limits indoor/outdoor spaces; social distancing, masks, PPE; desk work area trifold protection; extensive, constant and thorough deep cleaning before, during and after school daily; groups differentiated and limited by number, level, class size, and the restricted movement of staff and students within and outside the school will continue, as will all other mitigations and precautionary interventions.
  • The Spring Semester SRP is configured for safety and takes into account the need for continuity, and as little additional disruption as possible. The essential positive change is that students will be on campus more often and can begin to reconnect with their peers, teachers and the advantages of a school environment once again.
  • The proven strength and efficacy of The Lewis School’s educational plan during COVID-19 will not be sacrificed but bolstered when students can spend more time with their teachers, friends and peers face-to-face in a dynamic interactive classroom!
  • Students who are new to Lewis, or have had difficulty accommodating remote learning, or who have thrived to the point of advancing mid-year to new challenges within the school’s academic structure will be provided curriculum and classroom re-orientation and support.

The Schedule

Beginning on Monday, January 25, 2021, The Lewis School will offer the following expanded schedule for on-campus classes:

Level I – Upper School, Transitional Upper School, College Preparatory Students and High School Post-Graduates return to campus on:

M, W, F
January 25, 27 and 29, 2021
W, F
February 3 and 5, 2021
M, W, F
February 8, 10 and 12, 2021
W, F
February 17 and 19, 2021
M, W, F
February 22, 24 and 26, 2021
W, F
March 2 and 5, 2021
M, W, F
March 8, 10 and 12, 2021

 

Level II – Middle, Lower and Kindergarten Students return to campus on:

T, Th.
January 26 and 28, 2021
M, T, Th.
February 1, 2 and 4, 2021
T, Th.
February 9 and 11, 2021
M, T, Th.
February 15, 16 and 18, 2021
T, Th.
February 23 and 25, 2021
M, T, Th.
March 1, 2 and 4, 2021
T, Th.
March 9 and 11, 2021

 

Requirements for returning to campus

The following is respectfully offered to parents as a helpful reminder of the existing requirements and several new protocols that govern each student’s return to expanded on-campus education. Many parents are still opting for their children to remain remote until Spring Break and this request will be honored, and must be registered with Annie Adams (not only your child’s homeroom teacher), at annie.adams@lewisschool.org or Nurse O’Brien at info@lewisschool.org.

Students who return to campus may participate when they are in compliance with the following:

1. Verification of completed household testing for COVID-19 on file with the nursing office on or before Monday morning, the 25th of January, no later than 7:15 am.

IMPORTANT NOTES – COVID-19 testing completed recently, or during the week of January 18, 2021, or before must be reported to Nurse O’Brien. We are aware that some families have invested in early testing because of the expected return to campus on Wednesday, January 20, 2021. Since the date has changed, parents and teachers can report their cost(s) with invoice(s) to CFO, Ann Zwartkay to request school credit for their expense(s).

The school requires parents and teachers to complete household testing no later than Tuesday, January 19, 2021 so that email proof of NEGATIVE COVID-19 test results may be filed as soon as possible but no later than Monday morning, January 25, 2021, on or before 7:15 am.

2. The student’s temperature must taken at home before leaving for school, and the student’s “Daily Home Screening” (symptoms report) must be on file, no later than 7:30 am every morning before the student is permissioned to enter school.

3. Students, faculty and staff must follow all prior safety guidelines and PPE use directives that are already in place for masks, face shields, social distancing, wrapped snacks only, no lunches, gloves, UVC disinfection boxes, folders but NO backpacks, and safe on-site demeanor.

4. Students, parents, district drivers, staff and faculty must comply with all rules for cars and occupants during drop-off, pick-up, and faculty parking.

5. Only students, faculty and support personnel are permitted in the building. We ask parents not to exit vehicles but call ahead so that we can safely help resolve an issue that may occur. No packages, lunches or other items may be dropped at school after a student has entered the building. Please call ahead so that we can help.

6. Our families have been exceptionally cooperative and responsible for reporting any possible exposure of their children or family members to the COVID-19 virus before students come to the school! We owe you a debt of gratitude for helping to keep all of us safe, and the school accessible! THANK YOU!! PLEASE look for an important email from Nurse O’Brien later today, January 18, or early tomorrow, January 19, 2021.

In Good Faith and Hope for Much Better Days to Come, and in the Spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr., Whom We Celebrate,

Be Safe, Calm and Strong,
Marsha Gaynor Lewis, For The Lewis School

This document and its contents are the exclusive and sole intellectual property of, and trade secrets of, Marsha Gaynor Lewis, and are developed and authored by Marsha Gaynor Lewis, and may not be duplicated in part or whole or in any way otherwise utilized without the express written permission of Marsha Gaynor Lewis.

© 2021 Marsha Gaynor Lewis. All Rights Reserved.

Coronavirus Updates

As we continue to closely monitor and assess information from federal, state and local agencies, medical experts, research sources, private and public schools, and local colleges and universities, we will provide timely information that relates to parents, students, and faculty at our school.

Important Information

Please open the topics below by clicking on the "+" button.

ACT and SAT Administration

Please review the following updated information and plan accordingly where applicable.

• Students scheduled for the SAT and the SAT Subject Tests have completed them and are in receipt of Official Reports or soon will be. Please notify us at info@lewissschool.org if you do not have official SAT results as of April 15, 2020.

• ACT college entrance exams have been postponed and rescheduled. Lewis School proctors, students and their families who are impacted by the changes have been contacted and apprised of the new schedules.

• Dates for the administration of the ACT have been confirmed and approved by the ACT testing service. The ACT begins on Wednesday, June 17 or Wednesday, June 24, 2020 respectively. Students must arrive at The Lewis School at 8:00 am promptly.

Current College-Bound Student Applications - Status and Inquiries

• Students who need guidance regarding the current status of their college applications, teacher recommendations or letters of a academic accommodation, or who have other specific questions, concerns or remaining issues to be resolved, can contact Roslind Hansen, Andrew Black or Mrs. Lewis for help and clarification at info@lewisschool.org.

Students and parents may also leave voice messages regarding college application status at (609)-924-8120. They will be retrieved daily by Annie Adams, Main Office Coordinator, and forwarded appropriately.

• As of Tuesday, March 31, 2020 students and parents may contact college advisors through their new e-mail addresses at The Lewis School.

• Delayed ACT and standardized, *End-of Year Test results (EOYT) will not negatively impact students' applications to college. Most colleges are implementing modifications or interim waivers to accommodate these pending issues.

• As reported on March 18, 2020, delayed ACT and standardized, *End of Year Testing, (EOYT) results will not negatively impact Lewis School approved college applicants who have been accepted to, or are applying to "for-credit" summer programs and internships at other private schools, colleges and universities.

• Many programs are implementing modifications because of the COVID-19 disruption. *EOYT will be discussed in detail in upcoming e-mails.

Students Applying to College for Academic Year 2020-2021 - Application Process and Preparation

• In-depth preparation for the College Application Process typically begins in earnest, the week after Spring Break in early April each year and continues until applications reflect the best character and ability in each student and all deadlines are met.

• A succession of separate e-mails detailing the step-by-step application process including how to rough-draft preliminary College Resumes and Essays will be forwarded on or before Thursday, April 2, 2020 to begin.

• Advisors Roslind Hansen and David Lewis will be available on a regular schedule to be announced and will arrange individual instruction and feedback sessions with students via e-mail, telephone and remotely where appropriate. Administrative support staff, Mr. Black and Mrs. Lewis will also be available during scheduled hours to be announced.

• Students applying to college for 2020-2021 who have fulfilled the New Jersey State graduation requirements and have completed the required preparatory Lewis education for graduation, will be contacted personally by Roslind Hansen or David Lewis, and as appropriate, by administrative support staff, Mr. Black and Mrs. Lewis.

• Homeroom teachers, Mrs. Dark, Ms. Herman and Mrs. Leiggi will also be available at regular hours for guidance and feedback with college essays where appropriate.

• The application process will remain essentially student-driven as always with reliable and increased, robust support from all of us at Lewis.

• Colleges across the country are working with schools and applicants to help accommodate and resolve any issues arising from the COVID-19 disruption.

• It is important that students and parents are aware that The Lewis School expects to administer End od Year Standardized Testing during full-day, Summer Study sessions which begin on Monday, June 22, 2020. These evaluations and test results will be forwarded to colleges if independent, out-of-school evaluations are unavailable.

All administrative questions that students or their parents may have regarding ACT/SAT reports, transcripts, deadlines or the status of a student's application must be forwarded only to the attention of Mr. Black and Mrs. Lewis at info@lewisschool.org, not to advisors or teachers.

College Advisors and participating teachers have their hands full under normal circumstances when guiding our students through the critical academic aspects of their applications - essays, resumes, other narrative responses or inclusions, and where appropriate, various portfolios. Also important is to make sure that we help our students manage the floating anxiety typically associated with going to college. This is likely to be especially challenging now as the result of distance and remote instruction and feedback.

We are absolutely up to the challenge but will count on our parents' mindful and respectful discretion to help ensure that all of our teachers and advisors can focus all of their attention on the students' preparation and needs!

Communicating During the COVID-19 Disruption after Monday, March 30, 2020

• Lewis School parents and our community stakeholders can expect an increase in e-mail communications ongoing regarding a broad range of information and support.

• Temporary e-mail addresses have been set up for all teachers and instructors at The Lewis School. Parents can e-mail their children's teachers on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm beginning on Monday, March 30, 2020 through Friday, May 22, 2020, if the school is still on hiatus.

• Mr. Black, Associate Registrar and Senior Master Mathematics Instructor will forward the teachers' interim e-mail addresses to parents on Thursday, March 26, 2020.

• Faculty and instructors' e-mails are available only and exclusively for questions regarding guidance, clarification and support related to students' daily home study and work assignments.

• Teachers are ready and eager to help parents and students with schoolwork planning and management. They especially encourage students to e-mail questions of their own.

• On Tuesday, March 31, 2020, all teachers of The Lewis School will begin calling their homeroom students. We are looking forward to reconnecting with students personally to lift their spirits and to see how they are feeling generally and coping with the apprehension of unexpected change and distancing.

• There is no more powerful connection to be made between human beings than through the physical sound, emotional intelligence and reassurance of human speech and voice.

• We will all see each other again at school in the not too distant future. In the mean time, we want our students to know we are thinking about them, we love them and we are here for them. They can count on that.

• Parents of Afternoon Enrichment and Tutorial students and Extended Day students placed by districts may leave messages for Director of Extended Day Education, Cindy Stewart at info@lewisschool,org.

• Messages regarding all Main Office records and administrative requests may be left at info@lewisschool.org. We will respond as promptly as possible.

• Families calling with regard to general enrollment, reenrollment or a student's projected class placement (where determined) for academic year 2020-2021 must contact the school at info@lewisschool.org.

• Messages related district placement, financial matters, tuition payment schedules and accounts, contracts and other financial issues may be left for CFO, Ann Zawartkay at ann.zawartkay@lewisschool.org.

Admissions and New Parent Communication During COVID-19 Disruption

• New families applying to the Lewis School and those who are currently in the admissions process must direct inquiries regarding the status of applications or placement for Summer Study and Fall Semester to our voice mail at 609-924-8120.

• Parents or students wishing to speak to David Stier or Chantra Reinman in Admissions must leave messages on The Lewis School's voice mail at 609-924-8120 beginning Monday, March 30, 2020.

• All 609-924-8120 Voice Mail will be retrieved daily by Annie Adams, Main Office Managing Coordinator, and forwarded to the appropriate administrators.

Postponed, Rescheduled and Cancelled Events through Friday May 22, 2020

• End of Year and Standardized Testing, Thursday, April 2, 2020 - rescheduled for summer administration

• Open House and Coffee, Saturday, April 18, 2020 - cancelled, will be rescheduled

• Topics and Trends in Education and Earth Day, Wednesday, April 18, 2020 - cancelled, Topics and Trends will be rescheduled

• Upper School Theater Ensemble, April 24, 2020 - cancelled, may be rescheduled

• Parent-Teacher Conferences beginning on Monday, April 30, 2020 to be reorganized

• Field Day, Wednesday May 6, 2020 - cancelled, may be scheduled for summer

• Lower School Play, Thursday, May 7, 2020 - cancelled

• Upper School Prom, Friday, May 8, 2020 - cancelled

• Athletic Banquet, Thursday, May 14, 2020 - cancelled, may be rescheduled

• Open House and Coffee, Saturday, May 16, 2020 - cancelled, will be rescheduled

Graduation and Awards Ceremonies

Currently, Upper School Graduation and Awards, and the Middle and Lower School Awards ceremonies remain as scheduled for Thursday, May 21, 2020 and Friday, May 22, 2020, respectively. Both of these very special events in the lives of our students may have to be reorganized if that is necessary or possible. The final decision will be made based on the unfolding impact of New Jersey's COVID-19 disruption.

What to Expect in Future E-mails

Look for COVID-19 Emergency Planning Information regarding the following:

1. Post-Extended Break Educational and Administrative Contingencies
2. Possible Modifications to School Calendar/School Year, SAIL and Summer Study
3. Academic Credit for 2019-2020
4. Graduation and Awards Ceremonies
5. Extending Summer Study to full days
6. Summer Administration of End of Year and Standardized Testing
7. End of Year and Standardized Testing and Exams

First Day Back? How to Begin on Monday Morning?
EXPECT A CALL FROM YOUR CHILD'S HOME ROOM TEACHER BEGINNING AT 7:30 AM, MONDAY MORNING

CONTENT TEACHERS AND INSTRUCTORS WILL BE CALLING AFTER 1:30 PM, MONDAY AFTERNOON
 

  • See the proposed "class schedule" attached. Working on packet assignments begins (should begin) promptly at 8:30 am for all students of the school.
  • "Patience over Time" is a mantra that will help set schedules and put routines in place. Don't expect too much too soon. Always expect the best and appreciate that to start.

53 Bayard Lane
Princeton, NJ 08540

Voice: (609) 924-8120
Fax: (609) 924-5512

© The Lewis School of Princeton

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Multi-Sensory Education

Multi-Sensory Education

Aug 25, 2020

Robotics class at The Lewis School of Princeton

Multi-Sensory Education

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Music at The Lewis School of Princeton
Lower School Children The Lewis School
Lower School Children The Lewis School

53 Bayard Lane
Princeton, NJ 08540

Voice: (609) 924-8120
Fax: (609) 924-5512

© The Lewis School of Princeton

DISCOVER

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FOLLOW US

MEMBER

April 1, 2020

Apr 1, 2020

LEWIS SCHOOL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Spring Semester 2021 Return to Campus

Strategic Re-entry Plan (SRP)

Head of School's Letter, Monday, January 18, 2021

Extended Spring Break

MORNING AND AFTERNOON EDUCATION SCHEDULES

MASTER SCHEDULE AND TEACHERS’ “OFFICE HOURS”

Teachers and instructors will be available to students and parents during their assigned “Office Hours” for the next three weeks. Schedules may be subject to change going forward and parents will be alerted well in advance if modifications are necessary.

Guidelines for appropriate distance learning, (Phase I); remote learning norms (Phase II); and student-school security regulations will be discussed in future e-mails. We hope the following is helpful.

Our Master Schedule Covers 3 Areas of Education

A. Core Curriculum Courses and Physical Education Schedule
Monday through Friday, 7:30 am – 1: pm

B. Afternoon Extended Day, Special Programs and Home Study Schedules
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

C. Wednesday Afternoon Education and Special Programs
Independent Reading, Research and Home Study
Wednesday, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

 

A. Core Curriculum Courses and Physical Education Schedule
Monday through Friday, 7:30 am – 1: pm
Teachers’ daily “Office Hours” are scheduled at the same time as their courses and between 2:00 pm and 3:30 pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. They can be reached at their new Lewis School e-mail addresses.

B. Afternoon Extended Day, Special Programs and Home Study Schedules
Students should work on their education packets according to the schedules below.

AFTERNOON EDUCATION

1. Speech Articulation Therapy – Mrs. Hagstrom, Ms. Bruno, Mr. Nicotera
• Monday through Friday at 2:00 – 2:30 pm and 2:30 – 3:00 pm
• Speech Department “Office Hours” are 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, daily
• Mrs. Hagstrom and Ms. Bruno will contact parents of Speech Articulation students to confirm individual schedules. Teachers will advise students as to regular speech-language education packets and assignments.

2. Literature, Creative and Expository Writing and Poetry – Mrs. Ahmed
• Mrs. Ahmed will dovetail her schedule with homeroom teachers. Mrs. Ahmed’s “Office Hours” are 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

3. Art Education – Mrs. Owen and teachers
• LOWER SCHOOL: Monday, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• MIDDLE SCHOOL: Wednesday, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• UPPER SCHOOL: Friday, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Art Department “Office Hours” and student sessions are 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm on Wednesdays. Additional “Office Hours” are 9:00 am – 11:00 am M, W, F.

4. Music Education – Ms. Trudeau and teachers
• UPPER SCHOOL: Monday, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• MIDDLE SCHOOL: Wednesday, 2;00 pm – 4:00 pm
• LOWER SCHOOL: Friday, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Music Department “Office Hours” and student sessions are 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm on Wednesdays. Additional “Office Hours” are 9:00 am – 11:00 am M, W, F.

5. Upper School ACT/SAT Preparation – Mrs. Hansen
• Group 1. Tuesday, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Group 2. Thursday, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Mrs. Hansen will contact students to confirm ACT groupings and SAT Subject Test preparation. Her “Office Hours” are M., T., Th. from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

6. Lewis College Application Process, 2020 – 2021 – Mrs. Hansen, Mrs. Lewis; where appropriate, David Lewis, Mrs. Dark and Ms. Hermann.
• The college application process has already begun for many students with ACT/SAT preparation and parent-student interviews.
• Instruction for the next steps in the process will be provided shortly in upcoming e-mails.
• Students and their families will be contacted individually. Please be patient until you are contacted and you will be contacted.

Suggested flexible Home Study hours and guidelines will follow shortly.

C. Wednesday Afternoon Education and Special Programs
Independent Reading, Research and Home Study
*Wednesdays, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

1. Sociology for College Credit – Dr. Goldstein
• Students’ sessions and professor’s “Office Hours” – *Wednesdays are 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm; college preparatory students use their prepared packets for this for-credit course.
(Lunch is a half-hour on Wednesday as the result of this college credit course.)

2. American Sign Language (ASL), Foreign Language Credit – Ms. Weiland
• Student sessions and instructor’s “Office Hours” are *Wednesdays, 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm; students use their prepared packets.
• Dr. Goldstein and Ms. Weiland are preparing remote learning platforms to begin on April 22, 2020.

(Lunch is a half-hour on Wednesday as the result of this credit course.)

3. Physical Education, Sports and Athletics – Coaches Fonder and Pierson
• Coaches “Office Hours” – 7:30 am – 8:00 am; 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
• Student packets should supplement the daily physical education and athletic schedules unless otherwise directed by Mr. Fonder and Mr. Pierson.

Appropriate Distance Learning – Norms and Guidelines
Teachers have many students for whom they are responsible and their access to the children is essentially one-on-one, not as a class. This will require a great deal of time and targeted, careful management.

To facilitate the best use of teachers’ time with your children, please direct all administrative questions to info@lewisschool.org. To avoid unnecessary questions that may already be answered in prior e-mails, we ask parents to observe the following preliminary guidelines.

1. Please comply with our request to direct questions to teachers that relate only and specifically to the current daily education packets and assignments that students received on March 12, 2020.

2. Direct all other questions to info@lewisschool.org. Our staff will respond as promptly as possible.

3. Please keep our e-mails. Print hard copies as reference documents if possible, especially for use by your children.

4. Organize e-mails into folders by date, physical and/or digital.

5. Read e-mails on the largest screen you have, and please review the document on visual formatting for the computer.

Make “Absolute Social Distancing” a Way of Life!
Become the Difference of One Who Protects Many.

This afternoon, I am mindful of a young neighbor whose life is in the throes of COVID-19.

Please think of him and say his name with love and care. He is “Palm”.

Sincerely,
Marsha Gaynor Lewis
Head of School

This document and its contents are the exclusive and sole intellectual property of, and trade secrets of, Marsha Gaynor Lewis, and are developed and authored by Marsha Gaynor Lewis, and may not be duplicated in part or whole or in any way otherwise utilized without the express written permission of Marsha Gaynor Lewis.

© 2021 Marsha Gaynor Lewis. All Rights Reserved.

Coronavirus Updates

As we continue to closely monitor and assess information from federal, state and local agencies, medical experts, research sources, private and public schools, and local colleges and universities, we will provide timely information that relates to parents, students, and faculty at our school.

Important Information

Please open the topics below by clicking on the "+" button.

ACT and SAT Administration

Please review the following updated information and plan accordingly where applicable.

• Students scheduled for the SAT and the SAT Subject Tests have completed them and are in receipt of Official Reports or soon will be. Please notify us at info@lewissschool.org if you do not have official SAT results as of April 15, 2020.

• ACT college entrance exams have been postponed and rescheduled. Lewis School proctors, students and their families who are impacted by the changes have been contacted and apprised of the new schedules.

• Dates for the administration of the ACT have been confirmed and approved by the ACT testing service. The ACT begins on Wednesday, June 17 or Wednesday, June 24, 2020 respectively. Students must arrive at The Lewis School at 8:00 am promptly.

Current College-Bound Student Applications - Status and Inquiries

• Students who need guidance regarding the current status of their college applications, teacher recommendations or letters of a academic accommodation, or who have other specific questions, concerns or remaining issues to be resolved, can contact Roslind Hansen, Andrew Black or Mrs. Lewis for help and clarification at info@lewisschool.org.

Students and parents may also leave voice messages regarding college application status at (609)-924-8120. They will be retrieved daily by Annie Adams, Main Office Coordinator, and forwarded appropriately.

• As of Tuesday, March 31, 2020 students and parents may contact college advisors through their new e-mail addresses at The Lewis School.

• Delayed ACT and standardized, *End-of Year Test results (EOYT) will not negatively impact students' applications to college. Most colleges are implementing modifications or interim waivers to accommodate these pending issues.

• As reported on March 18, 2020, delayed ACT and standardized, *End of Year Testing, (EOYT) results will not negatively impact Lewis School approved college applicants who have been accepted to, or are applying to "for-credit" summer programs and internships at other private schools, colleges and universities.

• Many programs are implementing modifications because of the COVID-19 disruption. *EOYT will be discussed in detail in upcoming e-mails.

Students Applying to College for Academic Year 2020-2021 - Application Process and Preparation

• In-depth preparation for the College Application Process typically begins in earnest, the week after Spring Break in early April each year and continues until applications reflect the best character and ability in each student and all deadlines are met.

• A succession of separate e-mails detailing the step-by-step application process including how to rough-draft preliminary College Resumes and Essays will be forwarded on or before Thursday, April 2, 2020 to begin.

• Advisors Roslind Hansen and David Lewis will be available on a regular schedule to be announced and will arrange individual instruction and feedback sessions with students via e-mail, telephone and remotely where appropriate. Administrative support staff, Mr. Black and Mrs. Lewis will also be available during scheduled hours to be announced.

• Students applying to college for 2020-2021 who have fulfilled the New Jersey State graduation requirements and have completed the required preparatory Lewis education for graduation, will be contacted personally by Roslind Hansen or David Lewis, and as appropriate, by administrative support staff, Mr. Black and Mrs. Lewis.

• Homeroom teachers, Mrs. Dark, Ms. Herman and Mrs. Leiggi will also be available at regular hours for guidance and feedback with college essays where appropriate.

• The application process will remain essentially student-driven as always with reliable and increased, robust support from all of us at Lewis.

• Colleges across the country are working with schools and applicants to help accommodate and resolve any issues arising from the COVID-19 disruption.

• It is important that students and parents are aware that The Lewis School expects to administer End od Year Standardized Testing during full-day, Summer Study sessions which begin on Monday, June 22, 2020. These evaluations and test results will be forwarded to colleges if independent, out-of-school evaluations are unavailable.

All administrative questions that students or their parents may have regarding ACT/SAT reports, transcripts, deadlines or the status of a student's application must be forwarded only to the attention of Mr. Black and Mrs. Lewis at info@lewisschool.org, not to advisors or teachers.

College Advisors and participating teachers have their hands full under normal circumstances when guiding our students through the critical academic aspects of their applications - essays, resumes, other narrative responses or inclusions, and where appropriate, various portfolios. Also important is to make sure that we help our students manage the floating anxiety typically associated with going to college. This is likely to be especially challenging now as the result of distance and remote instruction and feedback.

We are absolutely up to the challenge but will count on our parents' mindful and respectful discretion to help ensure that all of our teachers and advisors can focus all of their attention on the students' preparation and needs!

Communicating During the COVID-19 Disruption after Monday, March 30, 2020

• Lewis School parents and our community stakeholders can expect an increase in e-mail communications ongoing regarding a broad range of information and support.

• Temporary e-mail addresses have been set up for all teachers and instructors at The Lewis School. Parents can e-mail their children's teachers on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm beginning on Monday, March 30, 2020 through Friday, May 22, 2020, if the school is still on hiatus.

• Mr. Black, Associate Registrar and Senior Master Mathematics Instructor will forward the teachers' interim e-mail addresses to parents on Thursday, March 26, 2020.

• Faculty and instructors' e-mails are available only and exclusively for questions regarding guidance, clarification and support related to students' daily home study and work assignments.

• Teachers are ready and eager to help parents and students with schoolwork planning and management. They especially encourage students to e-mail questions of their own.

• On Tuesday, March 31, 2020, all teachers of The Lewis School will begin calling their homeroom students. We are looking forward to reconnecting with students personally to lift their spirits and to see how they are feeling generally and coping with the apprehension of unexpected change and distancing.

• There is no more powerful connection to be made between human beings than through the physical sound, emotional intelligence and reassurance of human speech and voice.

• We will all see each other again at school in the not too distant future. In the mean time, we want our students to know we are thinking about them, we love them and we are here for them. They can count on that.

• Parents of Afternoon Enrichment and Tutorial students and Extended Day students placed by districts may leave messages for Director of Extended Day Education, Cindy Stewart at info@lewisschool,org.

• Messages regarding all Main Office records and administrative requests may be left at info@lewisschool.org. We will respond as promptly as possible.

• Families calling with regard to general enrollment, reenrollment or a student's projected class placement (where determined) for academic year 2020-2021 must contact the school at info@lewisschool.org.

• Messages related district placement, financial matters, tuition payment schedules and accounts, contracts and other financial issues may be left for CFO, Ann Zawartkay at ann.zawartkay@lewisschool.org.

Admissions and New Parent Communication During COVID-19 Disruption

• New families applying to the Lewis School and those who are currently in the admissions process must direct inquiries regarding the status of applications or placement for Summer Study and Fall Semester to our voice mail at 609-924-8120.

• Parents or students wishing to speak to David Stier or Chantra Reinman in Admissions must leave messages on The Lewis School's voice mail at 609-924-8120 beginning Monday, March 30, 2020.

• All 609-924-8120 Voice Mail will be retrieved daily by Annie Adams, Main Office Managing Coordinator, and forwarded to the appropriate administrators.

Postponed, Rescheduled and Cancelled Events through Friday May 22, 2020

• End of Year and Standardized Testing, Thursday, April 2, 2020 - rescheduled for summer administration

• Open House and Coffee, Saturday, April 18, 2020 - cancelled, will be rescheduled

• Topics and Trends in Education and Earth Day, Wednesday, April 18, 2020 - cancelled, Topics and Trends will be rescheduled

• Upper School Theater Ensemble, April 24, 2020 - cancelled, may be rescheduled

• Parent-Teacher Conferences beginning on Monday, April 30, 2020 to be reorganized

• Field Day, Wednesday May 6, 2020 - cancelled, may be scheduled for summer

• Lower School Play, Thursday, May 7, 2020 - cancelled

• Upper School Prom, Friday, May 8, 2020 - cancelled

• Athletic Banquet, Thursday, May 14, 2020 - cancelled, may be rescheduled

• Open House and Coffee, Saturday, May 16, 2020 - cancelled, will be rescheduled

Graduation and Awards Ceremonies

Currently, Upper School Graduation and Awards, and the Middle and Lower School Awards ceremonies remain as scheduled for Thursday, May 21, 2020 and Friday, May 22, 2020, respectively. Both of these very special events in the lives of our students may have to be reorganized if that is necessary or possible. The final decision will be made based on the unfolding impact of New Jersey's COVID-19 disruption.

What to Expect in Future E-mails

Look for COVID-19 Emergency Planning Information regarding the following:

1. Post-Extended Break Educational and Administrative Contingencies
2. Possible Modifications to School Calendar/School Year, SAIL and Summer Study
3. Academic Credit for 2019-2020
4. Graduation and Awards Ceremonies
5. Extending Summer Study to full days
6. Summer Administration of End of Year and Standardized Testing
7. End of Year and Standardized Testing and Exams

First Day Back? How to Begin on Monday Morning?
EXPECT A CALL FROM YOUR CHILD'S HOME ROOM TEACHER BEGINNING AT 7:30 AM, MONDAY MORNING

CONTENT TEACHERS AND INSTRUCTORS WILL BE CALLING AFTER 1:30 PM, MONDAY AFTERNOON
 

  • See the proposed "class schedule" attached. Working on packet assignments begins (should begin) promptly at 8:30 am for all students of the school.
  • "Patience over Time" is a mantra that will help set schedules and put routines in place. Don't expect too much too soon. Always expect the best and appreciate that to start.

53 Bayard Lane
Princeton, NJ 08540

Voice: (609) 924-8120
Fax: (609) 924-5512

© The Lewis School of Princeton

DISCOVER

Admissions
Clinic
Academics
Arts
Athletics
Calendar
Alumni
Support
Contact


FOLLOW US

MEMBER

March 29, 2020

Mar 30, 2020

LEWIS SCHOOL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Spring Semester 2021 Return to Campus

Strategic Re-entry Plan (SRP)

Head of School's Letter, Monday, January 18, 2021

Extended and Post-Extended Spring Break

The goodness, sacrifice, and ingenuity of the American people are breathtaking. We all have reason to be thankful and to gather hope for irradiant days to come. Meanwhile the impact of COVID-19 is increasingly unpredictable and threatening. Information from state and federal authorities continues to raise concern over coherent containment policies and the possible risk of seasonal COVID-19.

The Lewis School remains steadfast and calm. However, it is imperative that we implement a reasonable, measured strategic plan and procedures that can readily be put into action in response to any potential situation that may arise from the unfolding story of COVID-19.

Our Strategic Action Plan is flexible. Lewis School faculty, facilities staff and administrators began preparing for COVID-19 two months ago and we are ready for the challenges and the opportunities ahead of us.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

           In alliance with many New Jersey private schools, colleges and universities, and out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of our students, teachers, school and the Princeton Community, and in the likely event the COVID-19 virus is smarter, more persistent and resilient than we may know, The Lewis School will remain closed through Friday, May 22, 2020, the end of fourth quarter classes or until further notice. In the unlikely event that this may change, you will be notified well in advance.

COVID-19 Strategic Action Plan Overview

  • Phase I – covers students’ multisensory education for a period of three weeks during the current Extended Spring Break, Monday, March 30, 2020 – Friday, April 17, 2020. Parents and students were provided hard-copy education packets for this period on Thursday, February 27, 2020.  (See 1st day back guidelines attached.)
  • Phase II – covers students’ multisensory education via distance and selective remote learning, e-mail, regular mail, telephone and hard copy study packets for the period of five weeks during Post Extended Spring Break, from Monday, April 20, 2020 – Friday, May 22, 2020, the end of fourth quarter. This phase is flexible as needed.
  • Phase III – covers the anticipated return to The Lewis School campus, for a period of four weeks during Expanded, Full-Day Summer Study, currently scheduled to begin on Monday, June 22, 2020 through at least Friday, July 17, 2020.  Phase III also provides a full-day Summer Study schedule and has built-in, flexible start dates if they are needed because of COVID-19 – Mondays on June 22, July 6 or July 13, 2020. All starts cover at least a four-week period of full day schooling.
  • Phase IV – covers Afterschool Extended Day Education: Academic Tutorials, Enrichment, Speech programs and more for the following periods: Phase I – Monday, March 20, 2020 – Friday, April 17, 2020 and Phase II – Monday, April 20, 2020 – Friday, May 22, 2020 and Phase III – Monday, June 22, 2020 – Friday, July 17, 2020. Phase IV also projects plans for the month of August, 2020.

Recognizing that the Internet and telephone networks are already experiencing stress and intermittent interruption in some states, The Lewis School will be interacting with its students and parents using a variety of technologies: e-mail; regular mail; teacher reinforced learning by telephone for students with significant auditory or speech processing issues; targeted remote instruction via Zoom, Google Meets and Skype; and drive-through, pick-up of hard copy education packets when needed or indicated as a best practice.

PHASE I
Extended Spring Break: Protocols and Guidelines for Parents and Students

Monday, March 30 – Friday, April 17, 2020

Our regularly scheduled Spring Break has come to an end bringing unforgettable challenge and change into our lives. No matter how unsettling disruption may be, however, it provides new opportunities for us to learn, create, discover, and better understand who and where we really are in the stunning process called life.

The faculty and I are happy and relieved to be back in touch with our families and students and we are ready to go to work. Students already have the individualized multisensory learning packets they need for the next three weeks of study.

The appropriate completion of work will earn students the academic credit required for this period of Extended Spring Break, Monday, March 30, 2020 – Friday, April 17, 2020.  Grades and course credits for academic year, 2019-2020, and placement for 2020-2021, are discussed in detail in future e-mails.

Course work, instructions and guidance for the projected Post Extended Spring Break education period between Monday, April 20, 2020, and Friday, May 22, 2020, will be forwarded to you and detailed in upcoming e-mails.

Click here for preliminary, daily schedules that parallel each student’s regular class rotations already in place at The Lewis School. The schedules have been standardized to permit maxim opportunity for teachers to work with students’ distance and remote learning. Specific guidance for academic management and support will follow shortly including school-teacher recommended reading and discovery learning sites.  Teachers will also provide individual feedback on a regular basis in this regard.

This proposed schedule reflects students’ typical daily class rotations. The schedule has been standardized for at-home, distance learning. Parents may make multiple copies of the proposed schedule.

Specific Home Study guidelines will be forwarded on-going. They will address issues such organization, appropriate age and academic level expectations regarding the time spent on each assignment, and the sequence of work, for example.

Speech and Language, Music, Art, Mad Science and Enrichment
Parents and students were provided hard-copy packets for Speech and Language, Art and Music on Friday, February 27, 2020. The schedule for these courses will be sent to you on Wednesday, April 1, 2020. We look forward to including Mad Science and more STEM-STREAM programs as we move forward and adapt them for Lewis Multisensory Learning Approaches.

*Breaks
Breaks can be positive downtime for the brain but not time on a screen when you are trying to learn actively and permanently. Be active. Be interested. Be inventive. Get up off the chair. Feed the dog. Walk outside. Breathe in. Relax. Don’t rush but get back to task. Be intentional. Be brief and aware of the time needed for a specific break activity and stick to it.

“Avoidance” and “Screen Time” do not constitute breaks. They are unproductive distractions and anxiety producing environments when attempting to learn actively and permanently.

Make screen time count for something. Use it for research and really positive, new discovery learning. “It’s incredible out there” in ways many of us are oblivious to or have only imagined.

Distance and Remote Learning
A Little Preliminary Guidance and Strategy for Students and Parents

  • Single parents or mom and dad together should set and mutually agree on academic schedules and structure; routines and expectations; and free time, with your children’s input. Feedback and support from grandparents where possible can be a terrific help. Parents together must be the “Alpha” source.
  • All members of the family community should respect and follow through with the mutual agreements.
  • Family contracts can be drawn up if you think they might help. We are not convinced they do. No contract is worth much however, without a complete rack of seriously committed signatures even if you are a Philadelphia lawyer.
  • NO WORK or STUDY, NONE, in your bedrooms; noisy, distractive environments; within ear shot of the TV; or near a bank of devices!
  • Keep work-study places, spaces, packets and assignments organized and uncluttered.
  • Post a schedule, put up notes and Post-Its for yourselves and each other like reminders, thank you or just something that’s positive.
  • Reference your packets for content and instructions before moving on to your next work session/class.

Take time for joy, delight, surprise and pondering.
Find time for laughter, love and kindness.
Imagine fear and anxiety as a smile.
Then, make time to smile often!

All the Best,
Marsha Gaynor Lewis

This document and its contents are the exclusive and sole intellectual property of, and trade secrets of, Marsha Gaynor Lewis, and are developed and authored by Marsha Gaynor Lewis, and may not be duplicated in part or whole or in any way otherwise utilized without the express written permission of Marsha Gaynor Lewis.

© 2021 Marsha Gaynor Lewis. All Rights Reserved.

Coronavirus Updates

As we continue to closely monitor and assess information from federal, state and local agencies, medical experts, research sources, private and public schools, and local colleges and universities, we will provide timely information that relates to parents, students, and faculty at our school.

Important Information

Please open the topics below by clicking on the "+" button.

ACT and SAT Administration

Please review the following updated information and plan accordingly where applicable.

• Students scheduled for the SAT and the SAT Subject Tests have completed them and are in receipt of Official Reports or soon will be. Please notify us at info@lewissschool.org if you do not have official SAT results as of April 15, 2020.

• ACT college entrance exams have been postponed and rescheduled. Lewis School proctors, students and their families who are impacted by the changes have been contacted and apprised of the new schedules.

• Dates for the administration of the ACT have been confirmed and approved by the ACT testing service. The ACT begins on Wednesday, June 17 or Wednesday, June 24, 2020 respectively. Students must arrive at The Lewis School at 8:00 am promptly.

Current College-Bound Student Applications - Status and Inquiries

• Students who need guidance regarding the current status of their college applications, teacher recommendations or letters of a academic accommodation, or who have other specific questions, concerns or remaining issues to be resolved, can contact Roslind Hansen, Andrew Black or Mrs. Lewis for help and clarification at info@lewisschool.org.

Students and parents may also leave voice messages regarding college application status at (609)-924-8120. They will be retrieved daily by Annie Adams, Main Office Coordinator, and forwarded appropriately.

• As of Tuesday, March 31, 2020 students and parents may contact college advisors through their new e-mail addresses at The Lewis School.

• Delayed ACT and standardized, *End-of Year Test results (EOYT) will not negatively impact students' applications to college. Most colleges are implementing modifications or interim waivers to accommodate these pending issues.

• As reported on March 18, 2020, delayed ACT and standardized, *End of Year Testing, (EOYT) results will not negatively impact Lewis School approved college applicants who have been accepted to, or are applying to "for-credit" summer programs and internships at other private schools, colleges and universities.

• Many programs are implementing modifications because of the COVID-19 disruption. *EOYT will be discussed in detail in upcoming e-mails.

Students Applying to College for Academic Year 2020-2021 - Application Process and Preparation

• In-depth preparation for the College Application Process typically begins in earnest, the week after Spring Break in early April each year and continues until applications reflect the best character and ability in each student and all deadlines are met.

• A succession of separate e-mails detailing the step-by-step application process including how to rough-draft preliminary College Resumes and Essays will be forwarded on or before Thursday, April 2, 2020 to begin.

• Advisors Roslind Hansen and David Lewis will be available on a regular schedule to be announced and will arrange individual instruction and feedback sessions with students via e-mail, telephone and remotely where appropriate. Administrative support staff, Mr. Black and Mrs. Lewis will also be available during scheduled hours to be announced.

• Students applying to college for 2020-2021 who have fulfilled the New Jersey State graduation requirements and have completed the required preparatory Lewis education for graduation, will be contacted personally by Roslind Hansen or David Lewis, and as appropriate, by administrative support staff, Mr. Black and Mrs. Lewis.

• Homeroom teachers, Mrs. Dark, Ms. Herman and Mrs. Leiggi will also be available at regular hours for guidance and feedback with college essays where appropriate.

• The application process will remain essentially student-driven as always with reliable and increased, robust support from all of us at Lewis.

• Colleges across the country are working with schools and applicants to help accommodate and resolve any issues arising from the COVID-19 disruption.

• It is important that students and parents are aware that The Lewis School expects to administer End od Year Standardized Testing during full-day, Summer Study sessions which begin on Monday, June 22, 2020. These evaluations and test results will be forwarded to colleges if independent, out-of-school evaluations are unavailable.

All administrative questions that students or their parents may have regarding ACT/SAT reports, transcripts, deadlines or the status of a student's application must be forwarded only to the attention of Mr. Black and Mrs. Lewis at info@lewisschool.org, not to advisors or teachers.

College Advisors and participating teachers have their hands full under normal circumstances when guiding our students through the critical academic aspects of their applications - essays, resumes, other narrative responses or inclusions, and where appropriate, various portfolios. Also important is to make sure that we help our students manage the floating anxiety typically associated with going to college. This is likely to be especially challenging now as the result of distance and remote instruction and feedback.

We are absolutely up to the challenge but will count on our parents' mindful and respectful discretion to help ensure that all of our teachers and advisors can focus all of their attention on the students' preparation and needs!

Communicating During the COVID-19 Disruption after Monday, March 30, 2020

• Lewis School parents and our community stakeholders can expect an increase in e-mail communications ongoing regarding a broad range of information and support.

• Temporary e-mail addresses have been set up for all teachers and instructors at The Lewis School. Parents can e-mail their children's teachers on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm beginning on Monday, March 30, 2020 through Friday, May 22, 2020, if the school is still on hiatus.

• Mr. Black, Associate Registrar and Senior Master Mathematics Instructor will forward the teachers' interim e-mail addresses to parents on Thursday, March 26, 2020.

• Faculty and instructors' e-mails are available only and exclusively for questions regarding guidance, clarification and support related to students' daily home study and work assignments.

• Teachers are ready and eager to help parents and students with schoolwork planning and management. They especially encourage students to e-mail questions of their own.

• On Tuesday, March 31, 2020, all teachers of The Lewis School will begin calling their homeroom students. We are looking forward to reconnecting with students personally to lift their spirits and to see how they are feeling generally and coping with the apprehension of unexpected change and distancing.

• There is no more powerful connection to be made between human beings than through the physical sound, emotional intelligence and reassurance of human speech and voice.

• We will all see each other again at school in the not too distant future. In the mean time, we want our students to know we are thinking about them, we love them and we are here for them. They can count on that.

• Parents of Afternoon Enrichment and Tutorial students and Extended Day students placed by districts may leave messages for Director of Extended Day Education, Cindy Stewart at info@lewisschool,org.

• Messages regarding all Main Office records and administrative requests may be left at info@lewisschool.org. We will respond as promptly as possible.

• Families calling with regard to general enrollment, reenrollment or a student's projected class placement (where determined) for academic year 2020-2021 must contact the school at info@lewisschool.org.

• Messages related district placement, financial matters, tuition payment schedules and accounts, contracts and other financial issues may be left for CFO, Ann Zawartkay at ann.zawartkay@lewisschool.org.

Admissions and New Parent Communication During COVID-19 Disruption

• New families applying to the Lewis School and those who are currently in the admissions process must direct inquiries regarding the status of applications or placement for Summer Study and Fall Semester to our voice mail at 609-924-8120.

• Parents or students wishing to speak to David Stier or Chantra Reinman in Admissions must leave messages on The Lewis School's voice mail at 609-924-8120 beginning Monday, March 30, 2020.

• All 609-924-8120 Voice Mail will be retrieved daily by Annie Adams, Main Office Managing Coordinator, and forwarded to the appropriate administrators.

Postponed, Rescheduled and Cancelled Events through Friday May 22, 2020

• End of Year and Standardized Testing, Thursday, April 2, 2020 - rescheduled for summer administration

• Open House and Coffee, Saturday, April 18, 2020 - cancelled, will be rescheduled

• Topics and Trends in Education and Earth Day, Wednesday, April 18, 2020 - cancelled, Topics and Trends will be rescheduled

• Upper School Theater Ensemble, April 24, 2020 - cancelled, may be rescheduled

• Parent-Teacher Conferences beginning on Monday, April 30, 2020 to be reorganized

• Field Day, Wednesday May 6, 2020 - cancelled, may be scheduled for summer

• Lower School Play, Thursday, May 7, 2020 - cancelled

• Upper School Prom, Friday, May 8, 2020 - cancelled

• Athletic Banquet, Thursday, May 14, 2020 - cancelled, may be rescheduled

• Open House and Coffee, Saturday, May 16, 2020 - cancelled, will be rescheduled

Graduation and Awards Ceremonies

Currently, Upper School Graduation and Awards, and the Middle and Lower School Awards ceremonies remain as scheduled for Thursday, May 21, 2020 and Friday, May 22, 2020, respectively. Both of these very special events in the lives of our students may have to be reorganized if that is necessary or possible. The final decision will be made based on the unfolding impact of New Jersey's COVID-19 disruption.

What to Expect in Future E-mails

Look for COVID-19 Emergency Planning Information regarding the following:

1. Post-Extended Break Educational and Administrative Contingencies
2. Possible Modifications to School Calendar/School Year, SAIL and Summer Study
3. Academic Credit for 2019-2020
4. Graduation and Awards Ceremonies
5. Extending Summer Study to full days
6. Summer Administration of End of Year and Standardized Testing
7. End of Year and Standardized Testing and Exams

First Day Back? How to Begin on Monday Morning?
EXPECT A CALL FROM YOUR CHILD'S HOME ROOM TEACHER BEGINNING AT 7:30 AM, MONDAY MORNING

CONTENT TEACHERS AND INSTRUCTORS WILL BE CALLING AFTER 1:30 PM, MONDAY AFTERNOON
 

  • See the proposed "class schedule" attached. Working on packet assignments begins (should begin) promptly at 8:30 am for all students of the school.
  • "Patience over Time" is a mantra that will help set schedules and put routines in place. Don't expect too much too soon. Always expect the best and appreciate that to start.

53 Bayard Lane
Princeton, NJ 08540

Voice: (609) 924-8120
Fax: (609) 924-5512

© The Lewis School of Princeton

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