November 4, 2021

Dear Caedmon Community,

I was thrilled with the news that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been recommended by the CDC and the FDA for the vaccination of 5- to 11-year-olds beginning today. As a school that honors the individual, I recognize that many parents will want to have their children vaccinated right away, and we completely support that desire, as it will help us to move closer to pre-pandemic school operations. I also, however, recognize that not all parents have the same reaction, and I respect that.

For now, our initial approach is to encourage those of you with children for whom the vaccine is available, and who are comfortable, to get your child vaccinated as soon as you are able to do so. We will continue to require all adults in the schoolhouse to be vaccinated.

With an efficient rollout of the vaccine, we are hoping to have all eligible children at the school, whose families chose to do so, fully vaccinated when we return from winter break. That being said, we still have a large population of children too young to receive a vaccination, and we expect that certain families may need a bit more time, so our health protocols of masking, early morning RUVNA check-in, and weekly testing (for now) will remain in place.

Benefits of vaccination for our community and our Elementary students can include:

• Students who are fully vaccinated will no longer be quarantined from school upon exposure to COVID-19, but, per CDC guidelines, should get tested 5-7 days after their exposure, even if they don’t have symptoms.
• With fully-vaccinated students, we will be able to increase activities inside and outside of school, such as use of the Dining Hall, field trips, sports, and performing arts, for which vaccines will be required.
• As more students are vaccinated, we will be able to reevaluate the need for our current COVID-19 mitigation strategies, such as weekly testing or restricting parents from coming into our facilities.
• Greater protection against contracting or spreading the virus will provide added comfort as children travel or visit with older relatives during the upcoming holiday season.
• Parent activities at Caedmon may begin to expand.
• Experts are concerned about the potential for rising COVID case rates in the Northeast as the weather turns colder and people head indoors. A widely-vaccinated population provides the best community defense against coronavirus surges, and puts us on the clearest path toward a return to life without masks, distance, and fear of infection or the possibility of infecting others.

The nurses and I encourage you to speak with your child's physician, to ask any questions about the vaccine and find out when and where your child might receive it. We also understand that there is availability through pharmacies (CVS/Walgreens), through some pediatricians’ offices, and through sites run by the city.

There are a number of articles, programs, and webinars to provide information about the vaccine as well:

• Caedmon will be joining with a number of independent schools, in presenting a panel of health experts answering questions about the vaccine (date and time TBA).
• An article by Dr. Beers, Director of the American Academy of Pediatrics (NY Times). 
• The American Museum of Natural History will be hosting a free webinar for families about the vaccine on November 16, which features medical experts from Weill Cornell Medicine. 
• An article on how to talk to younger kids about the COVID-19 vaccine (CNN).
• An article on how to discuss this situation at home, which touches on the importance of the choices of the individual and avoiding judgment (NY Times).
• The CDC offers resources about what to expect after getting the vaccine here. 

We are still working out the details on collecting information from families when your child is vaccinated, and we will forward that information when we have determined a plan.

Finally, it is important to guide our children in respectful and nonjudgmental conversations that may come up around whether or not to get vaccinated. We want all children to know that their personal path is their private information, and want all children to feel comfortable and accepted, regardless of the family choice that may be made. Our faculty are sensitive to these conversations and will guide our students thoughtfully.

Thank you for your patience, trust, and understanding as we continue to do all that we can to keep Caedmon safe.

Matthew