Dear FVS Community, 

 

I’m writing with an update about the School’s ongoing response to the recent cases of COVID-19. 

 

It is now two days since I first communicated with the entire community about the presence of a confirmed case of COVID-19 on campus. These past 48 hours may seem like a much longer period of time, I want to thank you for the patience you have shown while we have pivoted nearly every aspect of our operation, and for positive messages of support that have come forth from students, faculty, and parents alike. We have accomplished a lot in a short period of time. 

 

In the time since we identified the first confirmed case, we have conducted exhaustive contact tracing, as well as our weekly PCR testing of all students and employees, and rapid testing of those who have reported symptoms. All of our work is being done in close, ongoing consultation with the El Paso County Department of Health and the School’s medical director. 

 

As of this afternoon, we have identified: 

 

All of those noted above are in isolation or strict quarantine on campus and are being cared for by our Health Center team, or are quarantining/isolating with family off campus. These individuals are not in the residence halls with the other members of the community who are quarantining by cohort. 

 

At this point, our contact tracing has identified that 85% of our students meet the criteria for being a primary contact of a confirmed positive case of COVID-19. This number will grow if additional positive cases are identified. Therefore, we are recommending that all students, excluding those who have been distance learners, consider themselves primary contacts and take the appropriate quarantine precautions, whether on campus or off. 

 

The current quarantine protocol has been set up to compartmentalize and thus limit any further spread beyond a given cohort; however, our understanding of the infection paths and links between cases continues to evolve and thus our quarantine plans and duration may need to change as well. We are scheduled to complete quarantine on the morning of May 3, but it is important to understand that further developments may require extending quarantine. 

 

All students and employees were tested as a part of our weekly PCR saliva testing on Monday, April 19. All results have been returned and any students who tested positive have been notified and are included in the numbers above. Please note that students and families will only receive notification of results if they test positive for COVID, so the old adage of “No news is good news” holds true here. Our next scheduled testing day is this coming Monday, April 26. Students who are or become symptomatic will be tested via ongoing daily rapid testing. 

 

We have settled back into the routine for quarantine that we established in January. We have incorporated feedback from the community and will continue to do so with the goal of making this quarantine period as manageable as possible. Students on campus are moving through the Dining Hall three times a day for meals and enjoying daily time outdoors, as well as exclusive access to the Athletic center during the evenings on a set rotation by cohort. 

 

Our academic program has also shifted, and today we celebrated Earth Day by pivoting plans and adapting to the virtual platform. Among the activities, advisory groups spent time discussing steps that we can take as a community and individuals to support the environment, and residence hall cohorts and day students (separately) will participate in a challenge over the next nine days that will help beautify the campus while providing opportunities to get outside and enjoy the wonderful weather that is predicted. 

 

Suffice to say, it has been a whirlwind 48 hours since our initial communication, and I want to thank you each for your patience, understanding, and perseverance during this time. As I noted previously, the suddenness and uncertainty of this situation makes it even more difficult to process and understand. This being the case, I want to encourage students to continue to support each other and communicate with adults here on campus who are important resources. 

 

As we move forward, together, what is of greatest importance is that we each learn from this situation, apply the lessons learned, work through this point in time together, and finish the year strong. Please know that while we are actively working on our response to the current situation, we are simultaneously discussing that which lies beyond quarantine and how we might be able to recapture what we have lost. And, we remain focused on the end-of-year traditions such as Senior Seminar, Baccalaureate, and Commencement that define our celebration of the graduating class. Please know that we are actively working to ensure that our seniors’ remaining time together will be special and memorable. 

 

Our plan is to communicate on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and more frequently if needed. In the meantime, take good care, stay safe, and be well. 

 

Sincerely, 

Head of School

Fountain Valley School

6155 Fountain Valley School Road 

Colorado Springs, CO 80911