Aug. 7, 2020
Dear Chatham Hall Families,
We hope this letter finds you and your loved ones well during this time. This has been a difficult time for everyone and we are thankful for your partnership in navigating this new normal. As opening days are rapidly approaching, we wanted to share more specific information to paint a picture of what to expect and how to prepare before arrival. Please read this message carefully as I hope it addresses most of the questions we have been receiving regarding the opening of school.
Dorms, Roommates, & Advisors
A group of faculty have been working hard to thoughtfully complete roommate assignments, dorm placement, and advisor assignments. There may continue to be shifting pieces, and we thank you in advance for your patience. All of this information will be found in TurtleNet by the end of the day on Monday, Aug. 10.
Dining
Chatham Hall has continued a wonderful partnership with Meriweather Godsey, a contract dining services company serving a number of independent and boarding schools in the Virginia region. Their planning began in March, and their creativity continues to amaze us all! Dietary options will continue and we have a number of surprises in store for each of your daughters. In accordance with health regulations, we will be using disposable dining ware for the first month of school. After that time, we will continue to use disposable utensils, but in an effort to continue to be sustainable during this time will use washable china. Have no fear, Chef Brian knows each of us well and while things like Cookie Break will be reimagined -- there will be plenty of cookies and delicious food for all!
Weekends
We have received questions regarding weekend activities as well as our request to limit weekends off-campus. As a boarding school graduates ourselves, we know the importance of fun weekend activities! Weekends are a time to recharge and connect. We want to assure you that our activities coordinators are working hard to plan thoughtful activities to keep your daughters busy, active, and having fun. Traditionally, the first month of school at Chatham Hall contains closed weekends as this is a time of bonding and camaraderie building among our community. As always, we want your input and suggestions. Please feel free to contact me at mmiller@chathamhall.org, Michelle Cressida-Bliss at mcressidabliss@chathamhall.org, or Cassandra Patterson at cpatterson@chathamhall.org.
Self-Isolation Prior to Move In
Self-isolation prior to arrival on campus is the best course of action to ensure that all students return to Chatham Hall as healthy as possible. To the extent that it is feasible, we do ask all parents and students to isolate a week prior to their arrival to Chatham Hall. If leaving your home is necessary, please use masks, practice physical distancing, avoid crowds, and wash your hands often. This is the best way to ensure a successful and healthy year for your daughters. Trust is given automatically at Chatham Hall, and we value the trust that you have placed in each of us to come together as a community once more. We are placing that same trust in each and your daughters to protect Chatham Hall.
Arrival via Public Transportation
A reminder from Rector Connell’s communication on July 24, if your family has no other recourse but to travel to Chatham Hall via public transportation then you must notify me at mmiller@chathamhall.org as soon as possible so we can determine how to safely bring your daughter to campus. Most families are arriving in the Chatham area to isolate a week before their daughters’ arrival dates. We understand that not all families are able to do this. If your daughter must arrive via public transportation on or after her specified arrival date, she will be placed in one of our care facilities on campus to isolate for one week before being tested for COVID-19. Upon receiving a negative test result, your daughter will be welcome to join the campus bubble. To reiterate:
- If at all possible, we ask and strongly urge families to drive to campus this year. In consultation with health experts there is clear agreement that driving mitigates the risk of exposure more than that of public transportation.
- Our hope is that students with no other choice but to use public transportation may isolate within driving distance to Chatham Hall with a family member at least one week prior to moving onto campus.
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If your daughter is not able to isolate after using public transportation, please be in touch with me directly at mmiller@chathamhall.org as soon as possible so that we can determine if on-campus isolation is an option for your daughter.
Opening Days
Arrival & Testing
All returning students will join us on campus on Sunday, Aug. 23. This includes returning 5-day boarders and returning day students who are joining the full time boarding community for the fall semester. Returning students will be tested in their dorm rooms on Monday morning, Aug. 24 with results expected in 24-48 hours. During this time, they will be temporarily housed in single rooms.
All new students will join us on campus on Sunday, Aug. 30. This includes new 5-day boarders and new day students who will be joining the full time boarding community for the fall semester. New students will be tested in their dorm rooms on Monday morning, Aug. 31 with results expected in 24-28 hours. During this time, they will be temporarily housed in single rooms.
What to Expect
While this is not the opening of school we imagined, we have a number of activities planned for both Old and New Girls! Each student will be assigned to a temporary room that is not necessarily her permanent dorm room. Girls will find out their temporary dorm assignments upon arrival to Chatham Hall. During this time, we will engage via Zoom, play games as Old Girls and New Girls, connect with roommates and dorm halls, and enjoy a few fun surprises! Meals will be delivered directly to rooms - as well as plenty of snacks. Parents, your time on campus on Move In Day will be condensed as we stagger arrivals and create the safest atmosphere possible for our return. While we will be hosting Zoom sessions ahead of Move In to put faces with names, if you wish to schedule one-on-one time with any faculty, coaches, or administrators please be in touch with the enrollment office ahead of time at admissions@chathamhall.org or Dean of Enrollment Schaeffer Barnhardt at sbarnhardt@chathamhall.org. You may also directly contact those you wish to meet, and a Zoom meeting will be arranged. Please note, all Chatham Hall community members; students, parents, and employees will be masked for the duration of this time. Temperature checks will be conducted and prior to your arrival a pre-health screening sent by Director of Health Care Services Lynne Shelton must be completed.
Old Girls Residing in Dabney
Returning students residing in Dabney, please know that New Girls will be housed in the Dabney dorm for their 24-48 hour quarantine beginning on Aug. 30 and concluding Sept. 1. Dorms will be cleaned and sanitized in between and after their stay. Dabney students will be assigned to a “buddy room” in Pruden or Walker-Buck during this time until our New Girls are cleared from quarantine and professional sanitization is complete. Thank you for your help and understanding during this time and know we will have an Unpack and Fun Day in Dabney as well!
Packing & Unpacking
We ask that all students pack an overnight bag for the 48 hour quarantine period. While in temporary singles, student items will be stored in the gymnasium and sanitized via HALO machine before the unpack and fun day. Please refer to this quarantine packing list. The list can also be found with the matriculation documents on TurtleNet.
Packing for the Year
We ask that all students limit what they bring to campus this year to essentials. In the event that students need to return home or move somewhere else on campus, they will be more agile in doing so if they have packed light. Please refer to our updated packing list on TurtleNet. Stored items and items shipped to Chatham Hall throughout the summer will be sanitized via HALO machine and are waiting for students in their permanent dorm rooms. Please note, there is no guarantee students will be able to access stored items until their Unpack and Fun Day so please plan accordingly.
Unpacking
Again, student items will be temporarily stored in Chatham Hall’s gymnasium upon arrival. This is why it is paramount that all students bring overnight bags to keep with them prior to the Unpack and Fun Day that will commence after quarantine. There will be a designated spot for student items in the gymnasium. Those items will be sanitized via HALO machine while students remain in quarantine.
Communications & Looking Ahead
Stay connected! It is of the utmost importance your contact information is up to date in TurtleNet. The Chatham Hall newsletter, The P&G, is sent weekly. Please check your email regularly and make sure Chatham Hall emails are arriving to your inbox. Check your spam folder and move Chatham Hall emails to your main inbox to ensure our communications are not being sorted elsewhere. The website is also a fantastic resource and is updated regularly. If you are having any trouble viewing the website or receiving emails, please contact communications@chathamhall.org.
We are so excited to welcome your daughters in just a few weeks! In the meantime, please do continue to stay up to date in reading the latest communications and review our Turtles Return page on the Chatham Hall website as we are updating it with information very frequently, and feel free to reach out to me if you have any lingering questions. We also hope you join the Q&A Zoom on Sunday, Aug. 9 at 8:00 p.m. EST for parents of day students and 5-day boarders or on Monday, Aug. 10 at 8:00 p.m. EST for parents of boarders. Please be in touch if you have any trouble accessing the Zoom.
Every student in the world is facing a “new normal” and we all remain proud of our community and that your daughter is a Chatham Hall student.
Go turtles!
