Dear Parents and Guardians,

Please see the important communication below. It was sent to the School community this afternoon.

We thank you for your continued support as we navigate the final weeks of the academic year.

Richard H. Davis Jr.
Associate Dean of Faculty
COVID Coordinator

Dear Students, Colleagues, and Neighbors,
 
I have an important update on our COVID testing to share with you. We received results from our Wednesday-Thursday saliva testing today, and two adult members of our community have tested positive. All other pools tested negative. One person who tested positive works in the Deans' Wing; the other is a member of a faculty family who lives in a dormitory on campus. Contact tracing of these two positive cases has revealed one close contact requiring quarantine, an employee. One of the adults who tested positive has been fully vaccinated, so we are reporting the test to the Department of Public Health as a breakthrough case. 
 
At this time we do not believe that either of these positive cases necessitates any return to quarantine conditions or changes in the student program. These community members have followed our COVID protocols carefully, which by their nature reduce exposure to others. However, this is a reminder of how delicate our campus "bubble" is. We all need to be diligent in following protocols through the end of the year:
  • masking indoors is essential; masks must cover both nose and mouth to be effective
  • community members should wash their hands or use hand sanitizer frequently
  • keep distance from others and avoid close or crowded spaces.
This also serves to show that being vaccinated, while providing excellent protection from serious illness, does not provide perfect protection from contracting the virus. 
 
Please take care in these final two weeks, and let's finish the year safely and together.
 
Be strong, be kind, be well,

Richard H. Davis Jr.
Associate Dean of Faculty
COVID Coordinator

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The Hotchkiss School, 11 Interlaken Road, Lakeville, CT 06039-2141, (860) 435-2591