The following are narrative descriptions of orange phase (moderate social distancing) by division:
Lower School: All students will attend Lower School with increased measures to mitigate or reduce transmission of infection. This includes placing student desks six feet apart, reducing student movement between classrooms (specials teachers travel to the students) and eliminating the use of shared materials (such as pencils and crayons) or equipment (such as HL items or playground) as much as possible. Arrival and dismissal procedures will be altered to maintain defined contact circles. Parents will have the option for their child to work in a remote environment, however, it will be an asynchronous and modified schedule, including a recorded daily lesson in math and language arts, and access to assignment materials via Google Classroom. Weekly, asynchronous lessons (not occurring at the same time as in-person lessons) for specials will be provided on a rotating basis (for example, music and drama one week, Spanish and art the next, etc.). Students whose families choose remote learning during orange phase may not have the opportunity to interact with their peers and teachers during the school day.
Middle School: All students will attend Middle School in person, but will be in self-contained cohorts. Students will report to their cohort classroom each day and teachers will rotate to that room for instruction. We will have a five-day rotating schedule that allows for 45-minute classes that meet all five days of the week, with one being a tutorial time. Electives will be assigned to cohorts on a half trimester basis giving all students exposure to 12 electives throughout the year. Students will maintain 6-feet of social distance while in the classroom and we will limit the sharing of materials as much as possible, including playground equipment and HL equipment. There will be no mixing in the hallway and no use of lockers, as students will keep their belongings in their own space in their cohort classrooms. Arrival and dismissal procedures will be altered to maintain defined contact circles.
For those parents who are uncomfortable sending their Middle School student to campus at all or for any student who has symptoms or has potentially been exposed to COVID-19, they will be able to attend all classes virtually every day without penalty.
Upper School: The Upper School will have a hybrid schedule, that includes both online and on-campus learning. Upper School students will be divided into two groups, attending on-campus classes two or three days a week and virtually attending class the other days. We will have a five-day rotating schedule that allows for 45-minute classes that meet all five days of the week. Therefore, a student will be on campus either Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday as well as every other Wednesday. When the student is at home, they will log on to Google Meet and attend each class virtually – simultaneous to the students having class on campus. Clubs, advisory and community-building activities will be incorporated into the schedule to facilitate connections between students and teachers. Our classrooms will accommodate between six to ten students at six feet apart – depending on the room. We will have fans in the rooms and doors open to increase air flow and tables will be marked in the Gathering Space in order to facilitate social distancing. Lunch and morning meetings will take place in smaller groupings and outdoor class meetings will be encouraged.
For those parents who are uncomfortable sending their Upper School student to campus at all, or for any student who has symptoms or has potentially been exposed to COVID-19, they will be able to attend all classes virtually every day without penalty.
