Dear Gould Families,
As the number of coronavirus cases rises in the Bethel area, we believe this is a good time to remind families of our COVID policies. Specifically, you should know:
- Students who willfully disregard or intentionally break Gould’s COVID rules will be asked to finish the term remotely. This includes behavior posted online as well as day student behavior off-campus.
- Access to the Gould campus is currently restricted, allowing only essential visitors.
- Boarding students are not allowed to leave campus apart from Gould-sanctioned activities. Trips into town or to local businesses are still off limits.
- Students are not allowed to participate in any club sport activity outside of Gould-sanctioned athletics. Any student wishing to participate in a club-based activity will be asked to learn remotely for the remainder of the term.
- We will only support two official intake periods this academic year—in August and January. Except for extenuating circumstances, ie. delayed or disrupted travel plans, family emergencies, or health emergencies, any student who leaves campus will be asked to study remotely until the next intake period.
Now for the good news.
Many of you have no doubt heard that Maine Governor Janet Mills has now exempted Massachusetts from the travel quarantine. Although we are unlikely at Gould to move to a Campus Response Level of Yellow while the number of COVID cases in our region of Maine is rising, our hope is to find a way for families to spend time together soon. We are working on a plan for families to visit in a manner that would keep our community safe. Once allowed, however, you should know that visits would likely be distanced, outdoors, masked and no-contact.
For now, please mail items to your child if possible, or if they must be dropped off, please make arrangements with Dean of Community Life Rob Manning. (Items might be fogged or quarantined.)
Please know that any essential visitors to campus are currently being screened. As we plan for competition in non-contact sports (golf, mountain biking, and cross country running), visiting teams will have no contact with students and will not use any indoor facilities. Admissions visitors similarly have no contact with students and have only limited access to buildings at times when students are not present.
For students, the other good news is that the Snack Bar will open in Ordway this weekend. There will be a charge for these items, and we encourage you to have a conversation with your child about acceptable charges to their Gould account. We are also working on a meal delivery system from local restaurants and will have more information on that for you soon.
Sincerely,
