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Dear Hotchkiss Families,
We write today to share several important School updates.
School Calendar
In setting the calendar for the second semester, we have carefully considered the physical and emotional health of all members of the Hotchkiss community as well as the rising rates of infection in the local area and across the United States. As we near the beginning of November, we are facing what may be a difficult winter, during which there will be less flexibility to spend time outside. We also know that the greatest risk of bringing the virus to campus comes with the arrival of large numbers of students from across the country and the globe. The more we can limit comings and goings, the safer we will be.
Following guidance from the CDC and other health experts, working in consultation with peer schools, and recognizing that no schedule can make everyone happy, we have decided on the calendar below for the remainder of the academic year. Please note that students will be off-campus for an extended period from the Thanksgiving holiday until the middle of February. Once they return, they will remain on campus until the end of the academic year.
2020
November 20 - 22, Fri-Sun
| Thanksgiving Break departures (Students can select a departure date and time beginning Nov. 1.)
| November 30, Monday
| Classes resume online
| December 18, Friday
| Winter Break begins
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2021
January 6, Wednesday
| Classes resume online
| January 18, Monday
| MLK Jr. Day; No classes/special virtual program
| January 22, Friday
| End of First Semester; Semester Break begins
| February 21 - 23, Sun-Tues
| Students return to campus (More details about our arrival process will be shared in mid-December.)
| February 24, Wednesday
| Second Semester begins
| June 2, Wednesday
| End of Second Semester
| June 3, Thursday
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All lower class students depart (Departure times to be shared in May.)
| June 4, Friday
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Graduation for the Class of 2021 (A decision as to whether this will be in-person or virtual will be made in the spring.)
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This calendar allows us to balance the length of the fall and spring semesters better than in the past. While there will be no Spring Break this year, we will identify several days during the semester to give students, faculty, and staff a break from routine.
We hope to be able to reinstate important early summer celebrations, including a Graduation celebration for the Class of 2020 and reunions, but we will not have a definitive answer until early spring 2021.
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Winter Athletic Season
Decisions about the academic calendar were also made in consideration of winter sports. After many discussions prioritizing community health, safety, and well-being, the Founders League*, which is our athletic conference, decided last week -- unanimously and with great regret -- to cancel all Founders League interscholastic competition for the 2020-2021 winter season.
While this comes as a disappointment to us all, our winter afternoon program will continue to offer athletic opportunities, out-of-season training for varsity athletes, and a wide selection of co-curriculars. If you have specific questions about your student's sport, please contact the appropriate coach. Please note that no decision has been made yet regarding the spring athletic season. We expect that a decision about the spring season will be made prior to the beginning of the second semester at Hotchkiss. |
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Change to On-Campus Learning / Remote Status -- Action required
Looking ahead to our return, we are aware that some students who have been learning remotely this fall intend to return as boarders for the second semester, while other students who have been on campus may choose to be remote learners next semester. It is important that we have a clear count of all students who would like to be on campus in February.
All families who would like to change their current status (remote learning to on-campus or on-campus learning to remote): Please complete the brief survey below to indicate your intention, even if you have previously informed someone at School. If you have multiple children at Hotchkiss, please complete a separate survey for each student.
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Thanksgiving Break Departures
In an effort to adhere to safety protocols and limit the number of families arriving on campus at any single time, we will stagger student departures for Thanksgiving Break as follows:
For those traveling to airports or New York City: Hotchkiss will provide buses to Bradley, LaGuardia, JFK, and midtown New York City at 9 a.m. each day Nov. 20, 21, and 22. For the complete schedule, please click here. Reservations are on sale through the online OneCard portal until November 6.
For those traveling by car (i.e., family pick-up or taxi/livery service): Students can select their preferred pick-up time as of November 1, within the windows below. Please make sure to communicate with your student. Your student will have to be signed in via a Hotchkiss-email account to sign-up for a slot. -
Friday, November 20, Friday: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. ET
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Saturday, November 21, Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET
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Sunday, November 22: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET
For those with special travel circumstances: Please contact your class dean. |
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Updates from the College Office
Last week, Rick Hazelton, director of college advising, hosted an informative discussion with journalist and New York Times best-selling higher-education author Jeff Selingo, who spoke about the shifting landscape of the college admissions process. If you missed the session, a replay will be available to parents and students on the Family Program webpage for the next 30 days.
For upper mids and families -- Change to ACT test date on campus Earlier in the fall, upper mids and parents were notified that we would offer the ACT on-campus on February 6. As a result of the revised second semester calendar, this date will be moved, probably to April. As soon as the new date is finalized, we will communicate with students and families. We assure you there will be an opportunity to take the ACT on campus in the spring.
In addition, look for information to come on the virtual College Forum to be held on January 22-23. Deans from Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, Morehouse, Notre Dame, and Williams will be present to engage with upper mids and parents about the college admissions process. More details will follow. |
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The pandemic requires sacrifice, flexibility, and patience of us all. The revised academic calendar, the cancellation of the winter athletic season, the safety protocols with which we are all living, and the uncertainty of the months ahead are challenging. Yet as we consider all that we wish could be different, we hope you will join us in feeling gratitude for all that we have: a safe learning community and the opportunity to be on-campus together in the second semester.
We continue to wish you safety and good health, and we hope you are enjoying the ongoing Virtual Family programming, including tonight's conversation on COVID-19. A link to this event was distributed to all families earlier today.
Sincerely, The Hotchkiss School COVID-19 Steering Committee
Craig Bradley, Head of School John Bryant, Director of Facilities Richard Davis, Associate Dean of Faculty and COVID Coordinator Jared Hall, Dean of Academic Life Sandy Lynch, Chief Financial Officer Merrilee Mardon, Associate Head of School and Dean of Faculty Steve McKibben P'22, Dean of Community Life Danielle Shippey, RN, BNS, Director of Health Services Jared Zelman MD, FACEP, P'04, Medical Director
*Founders League schools are Avon, Choate, Ethel Walker, Kent, Kingswood-Oxford, Loomis-Chaffee, Miss Porter's, Taft, Trinity Pawling, and Westminster. |
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