At the International School of the Peninsula, we introduced virtual Office Hours to keep lines of communication open with parents during the inevitable challenges of transitioning to distance learning.

We began with weekly office hours with both our Assistant Head and Head of School, held via Zoom meeting and open to all parents. Parents responded positively – they were able to ask questions, air concerns, and connect with fellow parents for a welcome reminder that they are all in this together.

After two weeks of hour-long meetings, we decided to shorten the meeting time to an Office Half Hour, to make the experience more manageable for our admins. Because of parent interest, we also expanded Office Half Hour to include our division principals – who now each host a weekly Zoom call for parents as well.

Virtual Office Hours have proven to be an effective way to handle parent questions and concerns, and it is always a morale boost to see community members, even if only virtually.