Oct. 15, 2020
Dear Chatham Hall Community,
In recent weeks the School has implemented a number of easements to our original “Turtles Return” plan of COVID-19 precautions. These easements have been wonderful for community building, and each new step allows us to bring together more people in more ways - something for which we are all thankful. Since faculty and students returned to campus we have had zero cases of coronavirus within our student body and only one case confirmed within our campus community. These are outstanding results when viewed as part of the larger independent and boarding school landscapes.
As we continue to look for ways to ease our internal regulations, we believe it makes sense to implement on campus COVID-19 testing for faculty, staff, and students. Beginning Monday, Oct. 19, our Health Care Center staff will contact individuals to let them know that they will be tested. Much like the tests at the start of the year, these tests will be billed to individual insurance and we expect to have results within 48 hours. Should an individual test positive, he or she will be immediately quarantined and contact tracing will be instituted. Testing will occur on a four-week rotation, and everyone on campus will be tested within the four weeks.
Please know that the decision to begin consistent testing is not the result of any immediate concern but rather a way to balance the new easements we are all enjoying. Monitoring health on campus while continuing to strengthen our community is our ultimate goal, and I know it is one you all join me in working to attain.
Esto Perpetua,
