Dear CRMS Families,

As we near spring break, we are reaching out to you to share updates about the school’s measures in response to COVID-19 and request that families communicate with the school any international travel plans.

At this time, there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Colorado, and the CDC believes the current risk to the general American public remains low. However, the situation continues to evolve daily, and we encourage you to contact the school at any time. 
 
BOARDING FAMILIES:
SPRING BREAK FOR BOARDING STUDENTS WHO WOULD PREFER NOT TO TRAVEL
We recognize that families may feel uncomfortable having students traveling outside the Roaring Fork Valley during the spring break. Please contact Jen Ogilby if you would prefer to adjust your boarding student’s spring break plans and have them remain on campus. The cost and programming will be based on student numbers.
 
BOARDING AND DAY FAMILIES:
SPRING BREAK TRAVEL
We know that many of our families travel over school breaks. With the wellbeing of our entire community foremost in our mind, CRMS asks that you do the following if you are traveling as a family internationally, or even domestically, during the final two weeks of March:
 

  • Consult the CDC again for updated information upon your return, as the situation is rapidly evolving.

  • Inform CRMS [Lolli White 970-963-2562] if travel plans include one of the countries classified by the CDC as Level 2 or Level 3, and please strongly consider canceling any travel to Level 4 designated areas.
 
We respectfully request that families carefully consider travel plans, the possibility of travel interruptions and quarantine, and the potential impacts of these on you, your family, and others in your community. Please know that should your student require quarantine post-travel, we will work with you to make sure that they can remain engaged in their academic work (we prefer they don’t return to campus); any such accommodation will in all likelihood require that the student has access to high-speed internet and that they are proactive in contacting and communicating with teachers.

CRMS-PROGRAM OFF-CAMPUS TRAVEL
Weekly School Program:
There currently does not appear to be any cause for us to suspend or alter any school programming located in the Roaring Fork Valley.  We continue to gather regularly as a community for All School Meetings, meals, and class meetings. We will monitor the local ski areas and currently plan on completing the season without disruption.
 
Spring Trip (April 26 – May 2):
As the situation evolves, we will decide whether our backcountry trips will be affected. In all likelihood, a suspension of a trip or all trips would be due to the presence of COVID-19 within our community, because we recognize the challenges around hygiene in a backcountry setting.
 
Senior Project (May 9-31):
If your senior is planning to travel internationally or in an area of the United States that has already been impacted by the virus, please reference our spring break guidelines above. While it currently seems very unlikely that senior projects will be impacted by the virus, Betsy Bingham-Johns and AO Forbes are available to support you in considering alternative plans.

Additional Local/Domestic Travel (weekend trips):
If in evaluating the latest information, we determine any changes or cancellations to programs are necessary, we will keep the community updated.

CRMS ON-CAMPUS PREPARATIONS
Health Precautions
We have bolstered our standard cleaning protocols, and we are regularly communicating with students about proper hygiene practices. We are ensuring that surfaces are cleaned with greater frequency by our housekeeping staff. Earlier this year, we increased student access hand-sanitizing stations throughout our buildings in advance of the flu season, and these remain available to all our community members. These precautions are only effective if adults and students are diligent about washing their hands frequently, avoid touching their face, keep the surface of their phones and computers clean, and stay home (or contact the CRMS health center) when they are feeling ill (see “Health and Hygiene” below).

Academics and Continued Instruction
We have in place a contingency plan if distance learning becomes necessary for individuals, groups, or the broader school community.

WHAT FAMILIES CAN DO
Health & Hygiene
Each member of our community plays a role in maintaining a healthy, safe, supportive campus. There are basic precautions that we can all take to prevent or slow the spread of illness, including washing hands frequently, covering one’s mouth when coughing or sneezing, and staying home (if a day student) or seeing Wendy Wampler (if a boarding student) when sick.

Keep COVID-19 in Perspective
Given the heavy media coverage and frequent discussions about this topic and all that remains unknown, it is understandable that some may feel more anxious than usual. Some of our students come from areas that have already been impacted by the virus and already have concerns about the health and wellbeing of their family members. It may be helpful to keep in mind that by all reports, the likelihood of contracting it remains small and a majority of those who do contract the virus (over 80%) have what would be considered a “mild” response (for symptoms, see the link provided below). 

Finally, we’d like to ask you to please help us prevent stigmatization by becoming familiar with the facts about COVID-19 and supporting community members with compassion and kindness.

My best,

Head of School

P.S. As a member of The Association of Boarding Schools, Association of Colorado Independent Schools, and the National Association of Independent Schools we have access to an enormous amount of resources that is updated frequently. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact me .
 
Additional resources you might find helpful: