October 1, 2020A Message from Head of School - Confidentiality, Trust and Compassion

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Dear Aberdeen Hall Community Members,

During a Board of Directors meeting last week, we were reviewing our communication protocols in the event of a Covid situation here at Aberdeen Hall. Although we are confident that we have all of the safety protocols safely in place, there is a chance that we will have to deal with Covid in some form in our school community. A number of Board members had excellent insights and I would like to share some of those thoughts with our greater community.

A special thank you to Dr. Monica Penner, our Board’s Vice Chair, as much of the following was contributed by her. 

The importance of confidentiality

As most of you know, Interior Health will be overseeing all case communications (if required). "It is important that our community members feel safe and supported. We wish for those who must seek testing to feel comfortable initiating the process without hesitation or any added fear about societal repercussions, whether real or perceived. It is imperative that we respect everyone’s right to confidentiality so this potential barrier to accessing care is removed. 

The importance of trust

We all assume and hope that we will remain Covid negative and from this perspective we must trust that public health will notify and share all relevant information with those who may be affected. Conversely, should the unfortunate happen, we must also trust that public health will act responsibly and respectfully and not share unnecessary information that could lead to further harm during what would invariably be a challenging time.  

It is clear that with all the proper precautions in place, knowing details does not increase safety for those who are not directly affected. Although this is still a time of learning, uncertainty and (at times) inconvenience, BC public health has thus far repeatedly demonstrated that the basic systems are in place to properly manage this new and evolving disease.  

The importance of compassion

Whenever there is a perceived threat to ourselves or our loved ones, it is instinctive to do whatever we can to protect them. Sometimes these instincts are positive and fruitful, such as jumping to remove a wandering child from the path of a bicycle. Unfortunately, sometimes these instincts can be counter-productive.

During emotional situations that involve our loved ones, it is important to pause, and assess what actions are the most constructive, while we also think empathically about how we would want to be treated if the roles were reversed.  We all inhabit a slightly different place in the world.

Throughout this time, let's strive to be a community that continues to act with compassion for our fellow friends and families. Be mindful to follow the safety guidelines to help protect those families who have vulnerable loved ones. Be respectful of each other because we are all just doing our very best. Be kind and considerate no matter what situation you currently find yourself in.  

Let our actions not be borne out of fear in response to the threat of Covid, but instead let them arise from the hope that together we might successfully bear this burden with integrity and resilience and somehow all come out the other side as better human beings.”

ABERDEEN HALL’S NEW WELLNESS COMMITTEE
Designed to support our students, staff and parents. 

A month ago, I assembled a committee made up of medical doctors, university professors and Aberdeen Hall faculty to support the various members of our community. 

Understanding that this could be a challenging year psychologically, we wanted to discuss preventive, proactive and reactive measures that will support all of us emotionally. We reviewed the numerous programs already in place for the students, and discussed initiatives that may serve useful in the near future. 

There are 2 resources that I would like to bring to your attention. 

A Free Mental Health Walk-in clinic at UBC - 13 Years of age and older.  
(for students and parents) 

“We would be happy to provide services to parents, staff, and students during this uniquely stressful and uncertain back to school transition. Appointments can be pre-booked by emailing our admin assistant Amanda at [email protected]. “  

Dr. Kimberly Kreklewetz - Clinic Director

This useful website developed by the BC Children's Hospital:

https://youthtoolkit.stigmafreesociety.com/

As always, we are here for you and welcome the opportunity to help you in any way that we can.

With warmest regards,
Chris Grieve
Head of School