Good Afternoon Hoban Students and Families,
As many of you are certainly aware, we have been tracking COVID-19 data very closely since the mid-summer months. Continued analysis and thoughtful study of data points have only heightened since school began just a few weeks ago. While COVID counts here on the Hoban campus remain low in comparison to other local schools, we are writing today to inform you of a change to our face mask policies. This is a proactive decision that reinforces our commitment to the health and safety of our students and Holy Cross educators. It is also a decision that we do not take lightly.
Effective tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 9, we will now require all students, Holy Cross educators and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a face mask during all indoor activities on Hoban's campus. This is inclusive of indoor athletic and cocurricular activities that occur after the school day. We will continue to evaluate this policy regularly.
Currently, preventative mitigation strategies are our strongest ally against the spread of COVID- 19. The decision to require masks on campus provides our students and educators with the best possible chance of avoiding virus exposure as well as avoiding scenarios of quarantine. From its inception, the goal of our Back to the Castle plan has been to keep students here at Hoban, experiencing in-person learning from world-class educators. We strongly believe that this decision validates our original goal.
We know and understand that there are varying opinions on masking protocols. We also understand that these discussions can be quite polarizing for any community. It is our hope that the Hoban family can be united in the common interest of our students and their well-being. Let me be clear – now is a time for grace and compassion, for support and understanding.
The Hoban community is stronger together. Thank you for your support during this time.
True to You,
Chris DiMauro ’99
President
