Dear GMS Community,
Happy February! Spring is in the air as we focus on the final steps of preparing for our reopening later this month. This week’s message outlines the steps every family needs to take by next Wednesday, February 10.
Community Conversations on Reopening
We encourage you to attend tonight’s Community Conversation on Reopening, where we will update you on our decision-making process, review the health and safety protocols, share information about a student testing program, and provide an overview of the Grade Level Rotation Learning Model.
The conversations in both English and Spanish will be recorded and posted on our Reopening page.
Steps for Every Family to Take
Once you’ve had an opportunity to attend or watch one of the Community Conversations, review the information on our Reopening Page, and are ready to make your decision, please do the following:
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Go to Magnus Health and answer the new conditional question asking if your child will be coming to campus for in-person learning for the remainder of the school year. Even if you are tentative, it is better to say “yes” so that all of your forms are filled out and ready to go. The deadline for taking this step is Wednesday, February 10, 2021.
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If you answer “no,” and your child will continue with remote learning for the remainder of the year, there are no further actions you need to take.
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If you answered “yes,” you will be prompted to complete additional requirements in Magnus Health.
COVID Testing for Students
GMS has partnered with TargetDX Laboratory to conduct COVID surveillance testing for GMS students, faculty, and staff. We are excited to add this additional layer of protection to our existing safety protocols and facilities upgrades. While testing cannot guarantee that a student or staff member with COVID will not come onto campus, it greatly reduces that risk. Universal mask-wearing, handwashing, physical distancing, and cohorting of students are still critical preventative measures. There are extensive details about this testing program on the Reopening Page of our website. We have also created a summary sheet, “COVID Testing at GMS,” explaining how to register for and schedule testing.
Revised Reopening Community Pledge
From the school’s earliest days, GMS has been guided by a community pledge which states that GMS “strives to be a place where all members of the community act honestly and kindly toward themselves and others to foster a positive school climate of mutual support and respect.” In the spirit of continuing to keep our GMS community safe and in response to updated public health guidance and surveillance testing to our layers of protection, we have made some revisions to the GMS Reopening Community Pledge. You can read the pledge in English or Spanish, and you will be asked to sign in again if you choose for your child to participate in in-person instruction.
Mask Recommendations
Last week we received multiple inquiries for guidance about the best masks. While GMS is not in a position to recommend specific brands, we have provided updated information about choosing a mask for your child on the Reopening FAQ. The best mask is one that forms a good seal against the child’s face, is comfortable to wear, stays on when the person is talking, utilizes a nose-bridge, and is constructed of at least three layers of fabric/material or utilizes a filter. Probably your best source of advice is other parents -- please reach out to one another and share what has worked well for your student. You can also read guidance from the CDC here.
We are very much looking forward to in-person time with our students, and we so appreciate how the entire GMS Community has pulled together to make this possible! Please reach out if you have questions by emailing reopening@girlsms.org.
In partnership,
The GMS COVID Response Team
Laura Reeve, Assistant Head of School
Elise DeYoung, Chief Business Officer
Simone Hedinger, Director of Athletics and Facilities
Marjorie Lucks, Director of Special Projects
Tiffany Chao, Director of Student Services
Tammy Patton, Human Resources Manager
