January 8, 2021

Dear Students, Parents, Faculty, and Staff,

I hope you are all well. I apologize that this is a somewhat longer letter than usual because I want to cover the events in Washington, D.C., this week as well as give you an update on the return to campus for Winter Term 2.

Let me start with a few reflections on the violent attack on the Capitol this past Wednesday. The images of the day will stay with us all for a very long time. It was shocking and upsetting to see a mob, instigated and encouraged by the president of the United States, attack a branch of government, invade the Capitol building, and vandalize congressional offices and chambers, all in an attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. It was an unprecedented action.

Sometimes, world events take precedence over the day-to-day curriculum, and it is important that as educators and students, we take the time to unpack and understand what has happened. Yesterday, faculty used class time while advisors also used their scheduled time with their students to discuss the situation and to answer questions. Student groups like the Shultz Fellows also sponsored discussions. This morning, I addressed the whole school, and you can access the address here. For now, let me simply quote from our first headmaster, Nathaniel Batchelder, who wrote,

Our boarding schools are not private enterprises but public responsibilities. Our task is not merely to furnish college preparation and social amenities for those who can afford to pay for them, but earnestly to seek potential leaders and train them in the arts and duties of citizenship.

Today, we enthusiastically embrace that public responsibility to teach the "arts and duties" of good citizenship by helping our students to understand the issues and by grounding them in the values of respect, inclusion, and community. We believe that truth exists and that it can be discerned through analysis and critical thinking—and that it provides a powerful antidote to misinformation and false allegations. Finally, our duties as citizens include an active engagement with the issues and a willingness to stand up for democracy.

The events of Wednesday are far from over. The ramifications of what happened will continue to reverberate, and we will continue as a nation to unpack, analyze, and discuss what happened and why. And the school will follow suit. I hope that our students and faculty will play a role in those discussions both on campus and beyond.

Ideally, most of those discussions will happen in person. In that vein I am happy to report that we are on track to return to in-person learning for Winter Term 2. Our current plan is to bring boarding students back to campus the weekend of January 30–31 (more information about move-in procedures will be available soon); hold online classes for everyone the first week of the term, February 1–5, while boarding students complete a modified five-day quarantine on campus; and then resume in-person classes for everyone on February 8.

Key to a successful and safe transition back to an in-person community experience will be testing and compliance with all safety protocols. A detailed outline of those protocols is available on our website and below.

Prior to arrival:

All families must complete a survey indicating if their child will be taking classes online or in person for Winter Term 2. That survey will be sent the week of January 11.
All students returning for in-person classes (and their parents) will need to sign an expectations agreement for Winter Term 2. That agreement will be emailed to students and families the week of January 11.
While we always encourage all of our community members to adhere to best mitigation strategies to combat the spread of COVID-19, all students must commit to best practices pertaining to COVID-19 prevention starting on January 25. This means remaining at home unless absolutely necessary (such as a visit to a medical professional); monitoring your health via the REACH app and letting the Health Center know if you have any symptoms consistent with COVID-19; wearing a mask around those outside the family unit if that interaction is unavoidable; not participating in group gatherings, including sport practices or games; washing hands regularly; and practicing social distancing.

Testing Requirements:

All students must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test before returning to campus for Winter Term 2. More details on this testing requirement will be sent to families in the coming days.
All boarding students will be tested when they arrive on campus on January 30 or 31.
All day students will be tested when they arrive on campus on February 8.
After these first rounds of testing, the school plans to test all students and student-facing faculty and staff once a week.

On-Campus Safety Protocols:

All students, faculty, and staff will follow the same safety protocols practiced during Fall Term 2. These include wearing masks, social distancing, and frequent hand washing. More details will be available in the agreement that students and parents will receive next week and on the website.
As in Fall Term 2, boarding students will not be allowed to leave campus or have visitors come to campus during Winter Term 2. As of this date, boarding students will not be able to leave campus during the brief breaks between the terms. The school will reassess these guidelines before each new term begins and make any modifications as conditions allow.

Students and parents are asked to check their email daily for more information about Winter Term 2. We very much appreciate your prompt response regarding deadlines for surveys and the return of other requested materials. Faculty and staff will receive more information regarding preparation for Winter Term 2 and testing requirements through email and Community eNews in the coming days.

We are optimistic that we can make this work. We want to have students back on campus and will do everything in our power to make that happen. Please stay well.

Warm regards,

Sheila