Planning the Academic Year

Taking into account the academic calendar and the current status of COVID-19 in the region, George School has designed a plan to begin 2020-2021 academic instruction online, welcome boarding and day students back to campus, and offer a distance learning option to any family. This is the yellow phase option in a red-orange-yellow-green operating plan.

RED-ORANGE-YELLOW-GREEN OPERATING PLAN

The red-orange-yellow-green operating plan gives George School four separate models that allow us to respond quickly to the constantly changing nature of the pandemic, corresponding governmental responses and orders, and our own real-time experiences on campus.

We can switch easily among these scenarios as circumstances dictate. In each of these models, we will follow the same schedule for classes, gatherings, collections, meetings for worship, and assemblies, with the exceptions indicated in the red model. The Head of School will decide which of these models we will use at any given time and will share any changes with parents and students in a timely fashion.

The Green Model offers hybrid classes and

nearly normal on-campus activity. In this model, day students and boarders interact in the same physical spaces daily. This requires that physical distancing recommendations and requirements are relaxed.

The Yellow Model offers an open campus to all

students. In this model, day students and boarders would be kept separate for on-campus activities, but in online classes everyone—day or boarding, local or remote—can be together online and interact on an equal basis. Day students may come to campus to do their online learning and to be with one another to the extent that physical distancing allows. Students coming to campus would participate in hands-on in-person arrangements during the afternoon.

The Orange Model allows for flexibility given

changing health concerns. In this model, we reduce the number of students on campus each day, by creating a schedule that groups students into cohorts that alternate being on campus and off.

The Red Model moves everything online, and

students move off campus. Arrangements 1 and 2 would meet in the 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. time slot only. Anything scheduled after 12:45 p.m. would be canceled, though the Theater Performance group might opt to schedule an online afternoon meeting time. Boarders who are unable to return home or who are unable to work remotely from home will be allowed to stay on campus.

GEORGE SCHOOL DISTANCE LEARNING

Families may opt to have their child study online by choosing to take part in George School’s distance learning program. Students who cannot travel to George School due to visa or other travel restrictions will automatically be considered distance learners until such time that the student can travel to the United States. Students who plan to select the distance learning option should let George School know by emailing enrollment@georgeschool.org and completing the enrollment options form on the parent portal.

As outlined in this year’s contract addendum, the George School board has approved a monthly online tuition rate.