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Distance Learning

Pedagogy

Now more than ever, families are our educational partners. We no longer have access to our inspiring school building and a physical presence that can be so important to an educational environment; instead, we must find a way to transmit the curiosity and community of a SEM classroom into your homes, through wires and LCD screens. That effort is more likely to succeed if we are unified.  

Much of our decision making has involved prioritizing that which is indispensable to a SEM education. In this, we have relied on our mission statement, the first two elements in particular: character development and intellectual independence. For example, to ensure that these core values receive the emphasis they deserve, we are putting less emphasis on formal grades this trimester. Seniors who take an AP class but choose not to take the AP exam will still get an AP designation on their transcripts. In our view, formal measurement is less important than nurturing our students’ curiosity, independence, and integrity.

For all the pain this historically epic pandemic is causing, it also presents a historically epic training ground for the kind of resilience, flexibility, and self-reliance we build our educational program to fostering in our students. In our lessons, spring break activities, and extracurriculars, we are taking time to emphasize these traits as we help our girls process this unprecedented experience.

We hope that you can reinforce these messages in whatever way suits your household and please know that--pandemic or not--we are always ready to help you support your child’s growth. Your daughters are all in different places, and all of them are doing just fine. Some are even excelling beyond their usual productivity and results! The goal is for them to take the next step, and then the next one, with guidance and support from you and from us. 

We look forward to doing this work together over the coming months.

Kanika Durland
Assistant Head of School for Academics and Equity

March 2020


I just wanted to take this moment to tell you how impressed I am with SEM's response to this crisis. My daughter still has a sense of normalcy in her day. She still feels connected to her teachers and classmates. I have overheard her class lectures and now truly understand how fortunate she is to be a SEM girl! 

- Lori Roman P'23

 


Town Hall Zoom Calls for Families

Because commitment to community is a hallmark of the SEM learning environment, Head of School Helen Marlette regularly hosts grade level town hall Zoom calls with SEM families, including the families of the incoming freshman Class of 2024. The director of communications is available on those calls and often the assistant head of school and/or dean of students and/or director of technology. 

Summer 2020 

FOR PARENTS

Thursday, August 20
Attend either 6 or 6:45 PM. 


SCHEDULE FALL 2020
 

Classes are now scheduled for a 5-day week in person, on campus.

Afternoon and morning classes rotate so all SEM students, many of whom are now in different time zones, can experience real-time coursework; and the class meeting times allow for a flexible blend of asynchronous and synchronous teaching and learning.

One afternoon each week is devoted to community events, academic support, and SEM traditions: Wednesdays will feature advisory, Morning Meeting, Help, and extracurriculars like SGA elections, club meetings, and senior presentations.


Contacts:

Head of School: Helen L. Marlette P '13

Assistant Head of School for Community Life: Natalie Stothart 

Director of Communications: Erin Kelly P'13 & P'17

Director of Enrollment & Residential Admission: Laura F. Munson '79, P'19 & P'21
Director of Day Admission: Alexandra Tramposch

Academics:
Dean of Students: Eva Cunningham

Acting Director of College Counseling & Director of Equity: Kanika Durland
Associate College Counselor: Ann Leslie P'19 & P'23

School Community Counselor: Karen Knab

Director of Technology: Beth Adamczyk