October 26, 2020

Dear Columbus Academy Families,
 
I am writing, in part, about things you already know. The number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise in Ohio and in Franklin County, the number of hospitalizations related to COVID are up, and Columbus Academy may need to change from having 100% of middle and upper school students on campus back to a hybrid model to reduce the density of our daily population in the divisions where students travel from class to class.

We will most likely make this decision without much lead time, so I am writing you now to let you know it is a strong possibility as we consult with Franklin County Public Health, learn of testing results in our own population and monitor the new reports published every day in our county of positive cases as they rise and decrease.

In addition to increased cases around us, the CDC has changed its recommendations for contact tracing and quarantine, which influences the number of people considered “close contacts,” and may warrant a reduced number of students each day in our Middle and Upper Schools based on the new definition.

I again apologize for the changes our adjustments may cause in your families. We are committed to creating as much of a familiar experience as we can in the midst of a pandemic, and we know our students and faculty benefit most by being together at school.

Also, in order to clear up any confusion regarding out-of-state travel – especially with major holidays approaching – we want to be sure you understand our position on travel to areas that the Ohio Department of Health has identified as “states reporting positive testing rates of 15% or higher” in its COVID-19 Travel Advisory, which is updated every week.
 
If any Academy students travel to those areas, or have family members visit from those areas during the holidays, we want students to quarantine for 14 days before returning to campus. We expect cooperation from our families on this important matter because our interest in having in-person school days and keeping our community healthy are paramount to making this a successful school year.

You will, no doubt, be hearing again from me soon. 
 
Sincerely,

Head of School