September 10, 2020


Greetings day students and families,
 
As we prepare for the third weekend of school, we would like to take a moment to clarify what being a day student at Cushing looks like on the weekends.
 
To continue to build community and create an inclusive school environment, day students will be invited to participate in scheduled on-campus weekend events or practices. If students would like to participate in weekend life, we ask that the student contact the Dean On Duty (978-790-0535) and report to Health Services for a temperature check to complete the AUXS App. When the on-campus event concludes, day students should depart campus. Until further notice, and as previously communicated, day students will not be able to access dorms or spend the night on campus as they have in years past. While we wish we could continue this practice, we cannot do so until the current health situation is behind us.
 
If a day student is on campus for a scheduled event or practice, they may access the dining hall, though students should choose grab-and-go options when possible.

As we progress through the next ten weeks, it is imperative that day students and their families continue to comply with the Academy’s request that day students limit contact to their immediate families and activities to essential tasks only. This request stems from a goal of keeping our entire community as safe as possible, preserving our sense of community, and continuing our efforts to treat all students as equally as possible during this challenging time.

With this in mind, please know that attendance at club sports, tournaments, showcases, and other large gatherings outside of school is not permitted at this time. These events present too much risk to Cushing remaining open, and more importantly, they unnecessarily put members of our community with health conditions at high risk. We cannot place any members of our community in harm’s way, and we ask that you comply with this request and join us in this effort. 

If a student must participate in outside events, we suggest that you choose our remote learning option. In the unfortunate event that a student does not adhere to these requests, and is therefore in violation of our expectations mentioned above and agreed to by all families and students in the Penguin Promise, enrollment at Cushing Academy may be in jeopardy. 

Please keep in mind that dozens of people have worked countless hours to Bring the Penguins Home, and all of our families have complied with our requests to be safe and take precautions, resulting in the favorable position that we are in now. It is imperative that we maintain this level of discipline to keep our community safe for the duration of the semester.

Two additional notes:

  • Starting tomorrow, Friday, September 11, and going forward, day student health screenings will take place in Admissions. Screenings will begin at 8:00 am. Day students should report to Admissions before going to any other building on campus.

  • Also on Friday, Pleasant Street will be inaccessible due to paving. This means the two parking lots on Pleasant Street will be unusable for the day. Please park at the rink on if you use one of these lots. This will also restrict vehicle access to Watkins Field House.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the day student Advisor, Associate Head of School Catherine Pollock, at cpollock@cushing.org or 978-827-7300. We thank you for your continued partnership as we support all our students during these challenging times.

Sincerely,
Randy R. Bertin, Ed.D.
Head of School
978-827-7102