|
Dear St. Andrew's Families,
Greetings from Noxontown Road! I know you are preparing in earnest for your child’s return to school. For our part, we are excitedly counting down the days! With this letter I am delivering a new set of COVID-19 mitigation practices for our campus this year. Earlier drafts have been superseded by the materials included with this message.
This virus has caused institutions everywhere to evolve to become more nimble, as the situation and our response remain fluid. To that end, we have developed a set of COVID status levels for the school. We will move from one status level to another as needed, in order to adapt to conditions on our campus and keep students and adults healthy. We will change status based on a combination of indicators related to positive COVID cases on campus and the COVID environment in Delaware. The status levels are red, orange, yellow, and green, and each comes with its own set of progressive mitigation practices.
Our strongest and primary mitigation strategies are:
- A fully vaccinated campus;
- Regular testing of community members; and
- Masking indoors as needed.
Each level also includes mitigation strategies related to meals, gatherings, visitors, travel, and other elements of our lives at St. Andrew's. You can review the levels chart here, and it will be posted in dorms and public areas around campus as a convenient reference.
Our COVID monitoring and response group meets early each morning to assess the COVID situation on our campus and in the area, and will decide whether we will continue at the same status level or make a change. Students usually will be informed of any changes on dorm, at breakfast sign-in, and via email.
During the arrival period and for a period of time thereafter, we will remain in orange status. At this level, we will all be wearing masks indoors, in keeping with the state of Delaware's school mask mandate. We are working with the state on updated guidance for masking at St. Andrew's specifically, as we are the only residential school in the state. We will be testing all students, faculty, and staff weekly, and the prevalence of COVID cases on the campus will be an important factor in changing our COVID status level.
I am so glad that we will all be able to be together on campus soon. Although we will continue to take reasonable precautions against COVID this year, we will also be able to participate together in a St. Andrew's education based on proximity and community. Thank you for your continuing patience and flexibility as we work to create the circumstances in which your child can grow and thrive at St. Andrew's.
With warmest wishes,
Joy McGrath ’92
Daniel T. Roach, Jr. Head of School |
