Happy New Year!
We hope that you had a restorative winter break and enjoyed down time with loved ones. We are looking ahead to February and are excited to welcome students back to Lakeville. In an effort to help you finalize travel plans and make necessary arrangements, below please find a brief update on our return process and what to expect in late February. More information and some important survey and arrival registration links will be provided in the coming weeks. Please also note information about optional counseling sessions for families at the bottom of the email.
Your Preparation for February Arrival Days
Similar to the start of the school year, arrivals on campus will be carefully staged to adhere to important safety measures and protocols. Please be mindful of the following as you make your arrangements.
- On Friday, January 15, we will send students a mandatory survey where they must confirm whether or not they will return to campus for the second semester. If they are planning to return, they will also be able to complete a separate registration for an arrival time slot.
- The following arrival time slots will be offered. All returning students should arrive during their designated time slot at the Mars Athletic Center, the same location where registration took place in the fall.
- Sunday, February 21 - 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Monday, February 22 - 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, February 23 - 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- In order to limit potential community exposure, we are requiring a "Safe Transition Period" starting on February 11 in advance of your student(s) arrival to campus. We ask that you return home from any travel and keep interactions outside the household reduced to essential needs from February 11 to February 21. All employees as well as returning boarding and day students will engage in this process before we come back together in Lakeville in order to reduce the chances of COVID on campus.
- As in the fall, all students must bring documentation of a negative PCR test for COVID-19 that was administered within 72 hours of their arrival on campus. If testing turn around times exceed 72 hours, PCR tests administered within 5 days of arrival may be accepted. Please confirm with your testing facility that they are performing a molecular or PCR test and not a rapid antigen test. Please contact Danielle Shippey, director of health services, if you encounter difficulties obtaining an appropriate test, or if a student has had a COVID diagnosis within 90 days of arriving on campus.
- All returning boarding and day families will be asked to submit updated adult proxy contact information. In case of infection, it may be necessary for students who are close contacts, or who have tested positive for COVID, to leave campus for a period of quarantine in order to keep the community safe. We must partner together and will need a commitment that you will either be able to pick your student up from campus on short notice or provide the name of a proxy adult who will do so on your behalf. A questionnaire will be sent to parents to gather this information in the coming week. We will continue to work with families, particularly those who live a long distance away or outside the U.S., who are challenged by this requirement.
Travel Plans and School-Provided Transportation
Those needing to book air travel should make arrangements as soon as possible; we realize that flight options are limited. Given how hard it is to predict travel conditions, we also recommend refundable tickets and travel insurance, to be safe.
See below for School-provided transportation options. Please contact Laurie Grusauski, transportation coordinator, with any questions. -
Click here for the transportation schedule and information.
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Bus reservations are available for purchase January 6 - February 3 through the OneCard Portal.
Overall, students should make every effort to arrive on campus by the dates outlined above. If anticipated arrival is outside the designated times, please email Amber Jordan in the Deans' Office or call (860) 435-3739 as soon as travel plans have been made. We will provide instructions for where students late-arriving should check-in when they get to campus.
Registration at the MAC
Upon arrival at the MAC, students will meet with a member of our health services team to submit their documentation of a negative PCR test for COVID-19 and complete a saliva test. Similar to Opening Days, there will be a limit of one (1) family member plus the student during the check-in process. This family member will also be given a brief symptoms screening.
Students with Visas
For those students with F-1 Visas, updated I-20s reflecting our new term dates and a travel letter will be created and emailed to you in the coming weeks. When students check in at the Athletic Center, we will provide them with the original, updated I-20 and can store their passport and other travel documents. Please contact David Thompson or Kerry Mosher with questions.
Dorm Move-In and Beyond
After students complete registration, they can move into their dorm rooms. As in the fall, family members will unfortunately not be permitted in the dorms or other campus buildings and should depart campus after unloading your student(s). Snacks and restrooms will be available in the MAC in addition to the area adjacent to the Library on Main Campus.
Students will then enter into a 10-14 day arrival quarantine. All classes will be conducted remotely, beginning on Wednesday, February 24.
While we are still finalizing the details of how the quarantine period will be conducted, rest assured that we learned a lot from our experience this fall. We will do our best to ensure that students are safe, seen, and supported during this time. Meals will take place via our standard grab 'n go practice during pre-assigned pick-up times in the Dining Hall and Ford Tennis Courts. Weather permitting, we will also organize outside activities and fitness opportunities within each dorm pod. More details to follow in the coming weeks!
Remote Students Arriving on Campus for the First Time
We are looking forward to welcoming some of our remote students to campus for the first time this year. We recognize that some of these students are new Bearcats, and we will make sure they are properly welcomed and oriented to campus upon their arrival and throughout the quarantine period. Please be on the lookout for more information from Nora Yasumura, prep class dean, regarding orientation programming.
At this time, we fully intend to welcome students back to campus on February 21. Conditions in the pandemic are constantly changing, and we will continue to monitor public health recommendations and adapt our safety protocols and plans as necessary. Please check the website frequently for updated information.
We look forward to seeing you in a few short weeks -- thank you for entrusting your student(s) to us.
Best,
Steve McKibben P'22
Dean of Community Life
Important to Note
Registration Extended for Counselor Chat Series
The Counseling Department is pleased to offer parents and guardians a series of grade-specific discussions during the month of January. Topics include:
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Adolescence/parenting/perfectionism/shame
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COVID stress and time management
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What is a good night's sleep?
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What's typical for adolescents and what is cause for concern?
Click below for further information and to register:
