Beaver Country Day School |
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Dear Beaver Students and Families,
We are excited to announce we are moving to five days on campus for all students.
To better implement our plan and make sure we keep everyone safe, we are staggering our return:
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WEEK OF APRIL 12
Monday, April 12: Upper School starts on campus full time.
Wednesday, April 14: Middle School will have reorientation day with all MS grades on campus. (US students have no classes on this day as it is Parent-Guardian/Teacher Conferences.) This day will allow our middle school to get familiar with the slight shift in how we use the building and to identify anything else we need to put in place before coming back to campus every day the following week. Classes will meet as scheduled on this day.
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WEEK OF APRIL 19
Monday, April 19: Patriot’s Day, No School
Tuesday, April 20: Middle School starts on campus full time.
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- Based on the latest CDC guidelines, we have made accommodations to ensure all students can be on campus at a 3-foot distance from each other; adults will remain at a 6-foot distance from students and one another. When possible, we will use a 6-foot distance rather than a 3-foot distance.
- The class schedule will remain the same through the end of the school year. (Middle School schedule | Upper School schedule)
- We will continue to adhere to the Big 3—social distancing, washing hands, and wearing masks (and double masks, if possible).
- In regards to masks, the experts agree that the number one thing is a good-fitting, 2 or 3 layer mask that covers your mouth, nose, chin, and cheeks. Double masking (wearing two masks), does offer an extra layer of protection; surgical masks are also better than cloth masks. Students should have additional masks in a sealed plastic bag handy in case the first one becomes soiled during the school day. We will have available face masks for students who need them.
- Students who need to stay home because they are not well or have symptoms will have the option to join remotely.
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Is fully online learning still a possibility?
Yes. We recognize every family's comfort level is different. If your student feels more comfortable being fully online until the end of the year, they can do so (even if they've been on campus all year up to this point). For MS, we strongly encourage all students to come to campus on Wednesday, April 14 for our reorientation. This day will give middle school students the opportunity to see what it feels like to be on campus all together.
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Please note: If your student needs to stay home due to symptoms, they are unwell, or they need to quarantine, they will be able to join class online. We ask you to contact the Health Office, their advisors, teachers, and attendance—as early as possible—so that teachers can be ready to welcome your student by logging into class Meet/Zoom. |
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Can my student alternate between on-campus and online?
In a word, no. Our teachers need to be able to plan their classes accordingly.
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Could we go back to fewer days on campus?
If the state or the town of Brookline mandates more restrictions again—like a 6-foot distance—it is possible. We are hopeful and optimistic that the pendulum will not swing back in that direction.
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We ask families to commit to either fully online or fully on-campus and to let us know their decision by completing this form for US by April 9 and MS by April 16.
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As we excitedly shift to a full return to campus, I want to take this moment to reiterate some of the things we’ve been talking about all year. They are as important as ever and we are thankful for your partnership and support in reducing risk for all of us:
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Complete the daily attestation in Magnus. Students should continue to screen their health and stay home if they are feeling unwell or have come in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19. This should be completed BEFORE students arrive to campus as it provides critical attendance information to our faculty and staff. Keep an open dialogue of communication and let us know if your child will be home that day. As we said, we want to accommodate students who are home sick or quarantining but to do so successfully, we need families to let us know as soon as they can if their child will be home for the day. Please call or email the attendance line at 617-738-2321 or attendance@bcdschool.org before 7:45 a.m. (for MS) and 8:45 a.m. (for US) to report an absence, lateness, or early dismissal.
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We are excited to be bringing our students back to campus five days a week! With no known evidence of on-campus transmission since the start of school and the warmer weather allowing for more outdoor learning, we feel confident in taking this important step forward.
Kim Samson
Head of School
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