Dear Stevenson Community,

Since Governor Gavin Newsom’s announcement in early April that students would not return to California public schools this semester, we have consulted extensively with national and local public health experts. Following careful deliberation with our administrative team and board of trustees, I write to inform you that the measures we announced on March 12—moving all PK-12 students to remote instruction for an indefinite period—will apply through June 2, the date on which we will now end the spring semester. We intend to resume our traditional operation on both campuses in late August, and will continue to develop a range of contingency plans to address every conceivable eventuality.

Our School’s namesake, the 19th century Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson, once observed: "Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well." As our world faces one of its poorest hands in generations, we can all take a small, sober measure of consolation in our successful pivot to the “new normal.” In that light, I want to once again express my gratitude to our teachers for their exemplary delivery of remote instruction, to our students for their patience, and to all the families that comprise our community for their trust. Hard work and constructive feedback are helping us not only sustain Stevenson’s quality in these hard times, but to get even better as a school. Thank you, all.

Our eighth graders and seniors, who will receive separate communication about this decision, are very much on our minds. This season is meant to feature a sustained celebration of their achievements, and they’ve long been looking forward to these festivities. The news that we must remain away from campus answers what has until now been an open question that allowed for optimism that we might reconvene before June. We share their disappointment, and will work with them to honor them as best we can now, and to schedule gatherings once COVID-19 is behind us.

No decisions have been made yet about our array of summer programs. We will turn our attention to that question within the coming weeks, as the scale and duration of the pandemic becomes clearer, and we’ll inform you of our plans as soon as possible.

Expect regular communication from me and others in the coming days and weeks. I remind you that this page remains our primary hub for news and guidance related to the pandemic. Please consult this link frequently, as it is being regularly updated.

Be kind, be brave, and hold fast,

Dr. Kevin M. Hicks ‘85 P ‘29
President