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August 12, 2021
Back-to-School: 5 things you need to know

We hope you are having a wonderful summer and are looking forward to the upcoming return to school for all students - fully in-person! With just a few weeks left before the “rentrée” on August 30th, we want to provide you with some back-to-school reminders and resources. This is the first of 3 weekly messages you will receive and you will be hearing from us again in each of the next two weeks.

As we continue to navigate the global pandemic, some of these back-to-school resources will be a bit different from a typical year. Throughout the past 18 months our school has developed policies that are guided by county, State and national health agencies and we will continue to do so in the year ahead. As health conditions change, we will continue to review and revisit our plans.

We thank you for your partnership and support as we aim to keep our school community together on campus and in good health.

1. Returning to School after Summer Travel
Individuals who are not fully vaccinated and return from international OR domestic travel must comply with a 10-day quarantine OR Negative COVID-19 test results from a PCR test administered 3 - 5 days after travel is complete AND a 7-day quarantine period (even if test results are negative).

This does not apply to persons whose travel has been limited to the state of Maryland and bordering states (Maryland, DC, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia) and who do not have symptoms of illness.

This policy follows the current CDC guidelines and is unchanged from our 2020-2021 policy except that it no longer applies to vaccinated persons.
2. COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements
As announced on May 14, 2021, to provide the safest environment for all members of our community, all eligible faculty and staff are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for this school year. Similarly, we will be requiring students age 12 and above to receive COVID-19 vaccinations once the FDA has issued full authorization of the COVID-19 vaccine. Consistent with our policy related to other vaccinations, students with unique medical conditions or religious convictions should speak with our nurse directly for exemption documentation. Students who become eligible (e.g., as they reach their 12th birthday) or who are new to the school should obtain their vaccination as soon as possible and will be contacted by our school nurse within 6 weeks (of birth date or arrival) to obtain vaccination verification.
3. On-campus Health & Safety Protocols
Many of the risk mitigation strategies put in place last school year will continue to be in place this fall in order to provide multiple layers of protection for our school community, including:

  1. Face masks will again be mandatory on campus for all persons, regardless of vaccination status, consistent with current CDC guidelines and in line with the policies adopted by Montgomery County Public Schools and other area schools. This applies to students, faculty and staff while indoors and is a recommended practice while outdoors.
  2. Space between student desks inside classrooms will be maximized, with a minimum of 3 feet distance and up to 6 feet where possible. 
  3. Air purifiers are installed in all classrooms and air flow will be increased with open doors and windows.
  4. Hygiene and sanitizing practices include frequent hand washing, hand sanitizer stations, and facilities cleaning with specialized sanitizing equipment.

You may observe other local businesses or organizations with other protocols (mask wearing, distance requirements, etc.). As a school, we fall in a different category of operations and therefore our approach may look different than what you see at other businesses.
4. School Buses and Shuttles
NEW INFO: As of the start of the school year, we will be returning to full bus operations and at full capacity on all routes. This includes 3 bus times (morning, afternoon, evening) and shuttle service between all 3 campuses. All bus passengers and staff members will be expected to wear a face covering over their nose and mouth at all times, use hand sanitizer before entering the bus, and sit in assigned seating. We will also keep windows open to promote airflow while on board, and will maintain enhanced bus cleaning practices.
While the deadline for bus service enrollment has passed for the first day of school, new requests will be honored based on remaining availability or will be added to the bus service starting September 13, 2021.
5. Back-to-School Resources Online
Please consult the school calendar for upcoming events and information.