Maimonides Reopening Plan 2020-21 by Maimonides School

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MAIMONIDES SCHOOL REOPENING PLAN 2020-21

SAVAL CAMPUS • 34 Philbrick Road, Brookline, MA 02445 • www.maimonides.org

DEAR MAIMONIDES COMMUNITY, We are pleased to share our reopening plan for the new school year – one unlike any we have ever seen! As our planning teams have been intensively anticipating the unique needs of the upcoming year, our foremost guiding principle has been to protect the health and safety of our faculty, staff, and students while offering the most robust, supportive, and community-connected program we can under the current circumstances, regardless of the learning modes we may be in during the course of this year. We care deeply about everyone in the building and are doing everything possible to keep our faculty, staff, and students safe, well, and engaged as a community. As a mission-driven school, every decision we make is informed by the way it enables us to better fulfill our school’s mission. The unstated part of our mission is to maximize the health and safety of our faculty, staff, and students at school, and everything that follows in the upcoming pages is being done with that goal in mind. We also recognize how vital in-person instruction is to our broader mission of molding the next generation of Modern Orthodox Jews; hence our tremendous effort to ensure we can have in-person instruction that maximizes health and safety. In person, we are able to worship together, build connections, and grow from face-to-face learning. We have benefited tremendously in our planning, procedures, and protocols from state educational advisory guidelines (from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the State Department of Public Health) and our own extraordinary panel of medical advisory experts whom the greater Boston Jewish day schools have consulted throughout this process, including: • Dr. Michael Agus, Critical Care, Boston Children’s Hospital • Dr. Jason Comander, Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear • Dr. Paul Copeland, Endocrinology, North Shore Medical Center • Dr. Michael Klompas, Infectious Disease, Brigham and Women’s Hospital • Dr. Camille Kotton, Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital • Dr. Benjamin Raby, Pulmonary, Boston Children’s Hospital • Dr. Kenneth Wener, Infectious Disease, Lahey Health The plans shared here have been vetted by this panel and offer the most pertinent information to keep you abreast of the daily measures we will take to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 spreading within the school. Planning and operating as a school during this pandemic requires us to move forward with vigilance, flexibility, and steady contact with our advisory panel so that we can adapt our approach at any moment when needed.

All the planning and implementation we are doing as a school to maintain the health and safety of everyone in the building can only mitigate risk in proportion to how well everyone in our community adheres to the same best practices outside of school. For this reason, we will be asking everyone in our school community to take this to heart and to take specific actions outside of school that will help us support the opportunity we have for in-person school experiences, and to safeguard the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff while in school. To this end, you will be hearing more from us and from our community leaders regarding a social contract to support our collective responsibility. Living through this pandemic generates understandable uncertainty and anxiety for all of us. We remain inspired by the knowledge that the professionalism, excellence, and spirit of our faculty and staff; the resilience and aspirations of our students; the support and integrity of our parents; and the expert scientific and medical advice guiding us will create the best possible experiences and outcomes for us as a school and as a community. We hope in this upcoming year to achieve three important prophecies, all from the 30th chapter of Yeshayahu: “Hashem will heal the injuries suffered” (u-machatz makato yirpa), “You shall be saved, experiencing quiet and tranquility” (be’shuva va’nachat tivasheiun, be’hashket u’bevitcha), and “Your teacher will no longer be concealed from you, and your eyes will see your teacher” (ve’lo yikaneif od morecha, ve’hayu einecha ro’ot et morecha). Thank you for your partnership and your vigilance for everyone’s health and safety as we re-engage as a school community! Scott Mattoon, CEO Rabbi Yaakov Jaffe, Ed.D., Dean of Judaic Studies

MITIGATION As our day school medical advisory team and state and national health guidelines affirm, there is no single measure that can protect us from COVID-19. Therefore, Maimonides is following our medical experts’ advice and approaching the pandemic on a holistic level, implementing a variety of recommended policies, procedures, and protocols to mitigate the risk within our community. While it is impossible to eliminate risk entirely in any setting, these measures are designed to provide the best possible level of safety while delivering the best possible Maimonides School program under the current circumstances.

Mitigation strategies include: •

Daily Health Checks and Symptom Screening - Parents, students, faculty, and staff should familiarize themselves with the symptoms of COVID-19 and monitor themselves and their families daily for these symptoms.

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Sick Policies - The single most important thing an individual can do if they have symptoms of COVID-19 – regardless of whether they develop a COVID-19 infection – is to STAY HOME! Our collective health relies, in part, on individual attention and responsibility.

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Travel and Testing - Maimonides is following the protocols for travel outside of Massachusetts and related testing set forth by the Governor’s office, the Massachusetts Department of Health, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

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Remote Learning - We are investing in a sophisticated audio-visual streaming technology system that interfaces seamlessly with Zoom to facilitate students needing to participate remotely in live in-person classes, in ways that value their participation as much as that of students attending in person.

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Masks - According to all available research and medical advisory guidance, masks are among the most important steps we can implement, in combination with other measures, to contain the spread of COVID-19

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Physical Distancing – In combination with masks, Maimonides, along with all area day schools, plans to implement physical distancing throughout the school day that meets or exceeds the standards set forth by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, namely with a minimum of 3 feet between students seated in class while wearing masks, achieving more and up to 6 feet wherever possible.

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Cohorts - Students will be organized within classrooms and other cohorts to help mitigate the transmission of the virus and support managing exposure to infections without closing down the entire school.

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Hand Hygiene - Students, faculty, and staff will follow mandated handwashing and/or hand sanitizing routines throughout the day to minimize the risk of transmission.

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Ventilation and Disinfection - Knowing how important disinfection and ventilation are for a healthy community, we will employ specific mitigating systems to ensure that we meet or exceed the accepted standards for healthy building spaces.

DAILY HEALTH CHECKS & SYMPTOM SCREENING Daily Health Checks Daily health checks are an important way to identify if someone is exhibiting symptoms, and therefore should not attend school that day in order to promote the healthiest possible school environment. Prior to the first day of school, parents will receive an e-mail detailing how to upload the MyMedBot app, which will contain the form to be filled out, to their phone, tablet, or computer. Here is the user’s guide for the app. The app will send a reminder by 7:00 p.m. each evening prior to a school day, and by 5:45 a.m. each morning, Monday through Friday (before bus students board the bus), parents and staff must complete and submit a health check to attest there have been no symptoms. Please note that parents are expected to take their child’s temperature daily with a thermometer. Students will not be able to enter the building without their form having been completed. If the results of the daily questionnaire indicate a student or staff member may be exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, or may have been exposed through close contact or travel to high-risk areas, the person will be directed to stay at home and contact the school nurse, Betty Gladstein, at (617) 232-4452 x419 for further instructions.

Symptom Screening People with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms, ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. The most common symptoms include:

• • • • • • •

Fever (greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) and/or chills Cough (not due to other known cause) or shortness of breath Fatigue and muscle or body aches Headache (in combination with other symptoms) New loss of taste or smell Sore throat, congestion, or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

If staff members or students have any of these symptoms they must contact the school nurse, who will provide further instructions which will include that they contact their physician, who will evaluate their condition. SARSCoV2 RNA testing results and/or physician attestation that the person is able to return to school is required prior to returning to school. Information on testing sites is available on page 7. 5

‫השמר‬ ‫לך‬ of yourself ‫ושמר‬ and guard ‫נפשך‬ your life Take care

(‘‫)דברים ד’ ט‬

(Deut. 4:9)

SICK POLICIES The following policies and procedures will guide the school’s response to students and staff members who have had suspected exposure, confirmed exposure, symptoms, or confirmed COVID-19.

Staying home when appropriate No student or staff member should come to school while displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or having had potential exposure to the disease. Their return to school will be determined by public health officials and the individual’s healthcare provider in coordination with the school nurse.

Feeling unwell while at school If a student demonstrates symptoms and/or feels ill during school hours, they should notify their teacher and will be directed to the medical waiting area by the nurse’s office. Parents will be notified and will be required to pick up their child(ren) immediately. Sick students will be comfortably segregated from others while waiting for their parents to pick them up. In anticipation of our needs to support students and staff through various scenarios onsite, we have doubled our staffing in the nurse’s office.

KNOW THE SYMPTOMS. HELP FLATTEN THE CURVE.

TRAVELING & TESTING Travel Policy Students, staff, and families who plan to travel out of Massachusetts to places deemed by the state to be at higher risk must alert the school prior to leaving Massachusetts. As of August 1, Governor Baker has enacted a travel order see here for details. Upon travelling from out of state, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires everyone entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, to:

• Complete the Massachusetts Travel Form prior to arrival, unless you are

visiting from a state designated by the Department of Public Health as lower risk.

• Quarantine for 14 days, or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72 hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts.

•

Please note: If your COVID-19 test result has not been received prior to arrival in Massachusetts, visitors and residents must quarantine until they receive a negative test result.

• Additionally, students will be required to quarantine for 5 days after returning to the state prior to being tested.

Testing Positive If a student or staff member tests positive, they must remain at home (except to get medical care), monitor their symptoms, notify the school nurse, notify personal close contacts, assist the school in contact tracing efforts, and answer calls from the local board of health or Massachusetts Community Tracing Collaborative. Most people who have relatively mild illness will need to stay in self-isolation for at least 10 days, and until at least 3 days have passed with no fever and improvement in other symptoms. Siblings of students who test positive for COVID-19 will be asked to quarantine for 14 days. Siblings who are symptomatic will be evaluated by their physician, which may include testing, and any decisions about further quarantining will be made in collaboration between the school nurse and the student’s physician.

Close contacts of a positive COVID-19 case should be tested. In school settings, close contacts with a person who is positive include students and staff who are 6 feet or closer to the individual for at least 10 minutes in a classroom, in other school spaces, on a bus, or at an extracurricular activity. In schools, where students are in self-contained classrooms, all students and staff within their â&#x20AC;&#x153;cohortâ&#x20AC;? are also considered potential close contacts. The school will reach out to the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s close contacts to discuss potential testing and to provide important information regarding how to stop the spread of the virus, including how to safely isolate/quarantine.

Self-isolation for positive cases is a minimum of 10 days. Where to get testing? A student or staff member requiring testing should refer to this map to identify an appropriate testing site near them.

REMOTE LEARNING K-12 Families will be able to elect a remote learning option to start the school year or even after the school year begins. We recognize that there are students who cannot attend school in person for health reasons. We also recognize there are students and families for whom attending school in person at this time, even with the precautions we are taking, is not a viable option. We are committed to providing as much opportunity as possible for these students to experience live classes through a sophisticated technology set-up whose interface partners seamlessly with Zoom. To that end, we are equipping each classroom with high-quality audio-visual streaming equipment that will enable students who are at home to fully engage in live classes and participate with their classmates, and for their teachers and classmates to see and hear them on monitors. Every decision, from placement of cameras and screens to how teachers prepare for classes, has been made with an eye to making sure that the remote students feel integrated with the in-person students as much as possible. While the nature and extent of this live class connection will naturally differ across classes and age groups (for example, our younger students will partake in a blend of live class interaction and individualized and small-group interactive learning), our aim in this arrangement is to ensure that all students â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whether learning from home or in the classroom â&#x20AC;&#x201C; have access to as many of the same teaching and learning moments as possible. We have shared an application for families to elect the remote option to start the school year. This will entail a minimum commitment to that option through mid-October. Families who begin the year in person but wish to switch to the remote option will have the opportunity to make that change. This will also entail a minimum time commitment to the remote option covering a few weeks, based on the start time of switching to remote. Should the school need to change from in-person mode to all-school hybrid mode, with half the students in person and the other half remote in alternating weeks, our technology set-up is designed to operate seamlessly in that mode as well. We are investing in a technology set-up that will work flexibly for any number of scenarios we may face.

MASKS Face masks are the single most effective means of limiting the spread of COVID-19! Maimonides School requires the use of face masks while at school, except during scheduled mask breaks. We have a zero-tolerance policy regarding non-compliance and will need to send home anyone who does not comply. We will monitor and enforce mask wearing at all times. • Note: For Early Childhood Center students, masks are recommended but not required. Cloth face coverings should not be worn by children under the age of 2, or by anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

• Kindergarten-2nd grade students are required to wear a mask, with frequent mask breaks. We will be flexible for their individual needs. If a K-2nd grade student needs more mask breaks than scheduled, we will accommodate their needs and ensure that all students on mask breaks – whether as a group or as individuals – maintain 6 feet of distance from others.

• Face masks can be washed in your laundry cycle. • Time is built in to ensure appropriately distanced outdoor mask breaks of up to 15 minutes throughout the day.

WEARING YOUR MASK CORRECTLY P Students should wash their hands before putting their mask on PMasks should be placed over the nose and mouth and secured under the chin PMasks should fit snugly against the sides of the face

• Students should bring two masks to school each day. • Acceptable mask types include:

3-layer cloth masks (without exhalation valve) Disposable surgical masks N95 and KN95 masks No other masks are acceptable; no one will be allowed in the building without one of these kinds of masks o Bandannas, gaiters, neoprene masks, and similar types are prohibited o o o o

PHYSICAL DISTANCING In the classroom Each Maimonides classroom will be configured to maximize the physical distance between students in order to adhere to the guidelines of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Each student will have a designated desk and chair in each area and activity throughout the day.

In the hallways Students will maintain maximized distance at all times while travelling through the hallways. Directional signage has been placed on walls and floors throughout the building so students will have spacing boundaries while walking in the hallways.

During davening • Students will daven shacharit and mincha (and maariv for Upper School

students in the winter) as they have in past years. However, students will daven in smaller groups, and outdoors or in larger spaces to facilitate social distancing and davening by cohort.

• We will not be reading from the Torah at our weekday school minyanim for

the month of September (and possibly longer), as many communities have, while students get used to davening in unusual locations. We will also be limiting singing for Hallel, and will not march around the room during the Hoshanot.

• Some students may daven mincha in their classrooms, depending on the time of day that certain classes meet and the size of their classes.

• Because the Sephardic minyan’s composition involves students in

multiple cohorts, they will begin the year davening outdoors, and with 6 feet of social distancing. This year the Sephardic minyan will only meet for shacharit, and will be limited to Eidot Mizrach students.

• Our school minyanim have in the past welcomed alumni and parents to

join us. This year, however, space limitations will make “drop-in” davening impossible. If you want to come to school for your son’s putting on tefillin and leining, or if you would like to attend tefillah at school regularly, please make advance arrangements with Rabbi Dov Huff, Middle/Upper School Principal.

PHYSICAL DISTANCING Eating snacks and meals Eating will be done in designated areas with appropriate 6 foot distancing and/or barriers between diners. Students will be required to:

• • • • •

Wash their hands prior to eating or preparing food Remove face mask and place it on a napkin, paper towel, or container with the inside of the mask facing up Place mask on their face before leaving the table Wash hands after eating Food should not be shared

Transportation to school For families whose children will take a school-arranged bus:

• We have increased the number of buses to accommodate the standard for physical distancing that is required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Capacity has been decreased by 70% and is limited to 26 students per bus.

• The bus company will sanitize their buses after every run throughout the day and in the evening. All drivers will be tested, wear masks, and be required to attest to their daily health and wellness. We will also have bus monitors who will oversee and enforce the health and safety protocols.

For families who self-elect carpooling arrangements: In light of the need to minimize interactions across students in different school cohorts, we recommend that families who choose carpooling options – whether parents or students with drivers’ licenses – if possible not drive students who are non-siblings and in different cohorts. (Elementary School and Middle School cohorts are by individual grade level. In the Upper School, grades 9-10 are a cohort, and grades 11-12 are a cohort). Please also note that, to safeguard the health and safety of our faculty, staff, and students, our faculty and staff are not able to drive students outside of their own families to or from school. Drop-off and Pick-up (Please note: These instructions and other details will be reiterated in the coming weeks) Drop-off and pick-up times and locations are noted in the section on the weekly schedule on pages 22-23. Note: As consistent with all health and safety measures we are taking on campus, all students must be picked up at dismissal time. There is no option for students in any division to remain in the building after dismissal time this year.

PHYSICAL DISTANCING Specific healthy protocols and procedures for drop-off and pickup are as follows: • Early Childhood Center: Parents may bring their children to the front entrance of Congregation Beth El-Atereth Israel, where they will be met by the ECC staff. Note: To safeguard the health and safety of our staff and children, ECC parents may not enter the building.

• Grades K-12: Parents must stay in their cars at all times.

All Elementary School students arriving in cars must enter through the driveway entrance to the Elementary School. (Middle/Upper School siblings should be dropped off at the front door of Saval first, with Elementary School students dropped off next at the Elementary School driveway entrance.)

Only Elementary School bus riders and walkers may enter through the alarmed side entrance at the front of the building.

Middle/Upper School students may exit their cars at the Saval main entrance and follow staff guidance to their appropriate entrance. Middle School students will enter the left door at the Saval main entrance, and Upper School students will enter the right door at the Saval main entrance. Please note that these are the only entrances Middle/Upper School students may use.

Important Note: Following the state guidelines and our medical advisory panel’s guidance to safeguard the health and safety of everyone in the building, we will not be able to welcome parents, visitors, or vendors into the building during the school day unless absolutely necessary, and always by advance appointment with Merv Alge, Director of Safety and Operations – malge@maimonides.org, (617) 232-4452 x427. We realize, of course, that there may be times when it is urgent for a parent to see a child, and in such cases we will make every effort to meet parents at the main entrances with their child(ren). For similar reasons, any meetings needing to take place between faculty/staff and parents will need to happen via Zoom or by phone, whether during or after the school day.

COHORTS Students will be divided into cohorts to help limit the spread of the virus, and to reduce the number of students and faculty who will need to be quarantined in case of infection. Our Early Childhood Center is cohorted by age. Our Elementary School and Middle School are cohorted by grade. To balance the complexity of course offerings with cohort groups, our Upper School is cohorted by 9th/10th grades and 11th/12th grades. In the Early Childhood Center and Elementary School, each cohort will remain in the same classroom throughout the day. In the Elementary School, core teachers will stay in their rooms and other teachers will rotate in and out as scheduled. In the Middle and Upper Schools, teachers will rotate in and out of classrooms as scheduled, and students will change classrooms on a minimized basis. Each division will limit their primary activity to their respective zones: the ECC at Beth El, the Elementary School in their wing, and the Middle and Upper Schools in their respective wings. As a necessary and important part of preserving the cohorts, Upper School students will not be able to have off-campus privileges during the school day.

HAND HYGIENE Frequent hand washing prevents the spread of COVID-19. To support younger students as they learn self-hygiene best practices, additional sinks have been added in every Early Childhood Center and Elementary School classroom. Hand sanitizer (minimum 60% alcohol) will be available inside school entries, outside classrooms, and outside restrooms for all students, faculty and staff. Moreover, students will be regulated and monitored in their use of bathroom spaces. Students will be asked to wash their hands:

• • • • • • •

Before and after eating or preparing food Before and after touching their face Before and after using the restroom After leaving a public place After blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing After handling their mask After touching animals

WASH HANDS REGULARLY. HELP FLATTEN THE CURVE.

VENTILATION AND DISINFECTION Ventilation This summer Maimonides undertook a comprehensive evaluation of the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HVAC system by a third-party environmental engineering team. The evaluation and follow-up confirmed that all classrooms well exceed the required standard for healthy ventilation. In addition, we are installing MERV 13 filtration systems throughout the building, and all workspaces will be furnished with HEPA and UV filtration to promote healthy air for viral filtration and rate of air exchange.

Disinfection We have engaged with an outside cleaning company that is certified and trained in disinfecting our building for COVID-19. The school has also purchased electrostatic disinfection units that will be utilized through the day and during the night. The school has been very diligent in procuring personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitizing chemicals, masks, etc. throughout the summer. There are sanitizing stations outside of every classroom, office, and bathroom. Each classroom will be supplied with a disinfectant box which will have extra masks, disinfectant spray, wipes, and gloves. All staff have been trained in how to disinfect for COVID-19. Our maintenance staff will focus on disinfecting all common and high traffic areas throughout the day. Bathrooms will get special attention and have cleanings twice a day and at night. All staff and vendors will be verified to attest that they have met all COVID-19 precautions and standards, and will be required to fill out a daily form attesting to their health and wellness.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL WELLNESS Academic Support Our robust academic support teams will continue to work with those students who qualify for support. Depending on the timing and grouping of students per the master schedule (which will be determined closer to the opening days of classes), and in light of needing to guard the health and safety of our faculty, staff, and students, these sessions may need to happen via Zoom. More details will be forthcoming once individual class and student schedules take shape in the coming weeks.

Social-Emotional Wellness Our new Deans of Students for grades 7-12, Benji Hain and Sarah Cheses; veteran 6th grade Dean Stephanie Samuels; Social Worker for grades K-6 and Counselor for grades 7-12; advisors for grades 7-12; and classroom teachers represent a range of experience and skill sets to address the host of challenges presented to our students and faculty/staff in recent months and in the year ahead. As our team so conscientiously did last spring, this year’s team will continue to engage our students and faculty/staff to ensure that they get the support they need in this transition to a “new normal,” whether at school or from home. Our professional staff continues to draw on the best consultants and resources outside of school to support any issues that may arise, including the Riverside Trauma Center and ongoing professional affiliates serving as extended partners in our work with students, faculty, and staff. Gateways: Access to Jewish Education has coordinated an active collaborative effort across the greater Boston Jewish day schools to address a new priority in their focus on mental health in preparation for the challenges of the year ahead. Between our strong in-house staff and their partnership with robust external staff and resources, we are prepared to give our student and faculty/ staff well-being the focus it deserves. Before opening day, school leadership will connect with our students over Zoom to get acquainted, talk about the “new normal” of the year ahead, and introduce mask-wearing and other protocols so that students feel a sense of gradual familiarity with what to expect before we begin.

OPENING WEEK SCHEDULE After thoughtful consideration, Maimonides will have a shortened schedule for the first week of school. This gradual build-up to the full school day will give students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to attain success in wearing masks for extended periods of time, to successfully practice their new health and safety routines, and to slowly adapt to the “new normal” school day.

The First Week of School is: Monday, August 31 - Thursday, September 3 Note: Friday, September 4 is a non-school day to allow staff to debrief for health and safety protocol management.

EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER • •

• • •

All ECC students will attend all 4 days of the first week. Monday: Parents will sign up for a time to bring their child to Beth El for orientation, which will last for 75 minutes. Children will be assigned to two groups. Teachers will meet parents outside, collect each child’s supplies, and bring the child indoors. At the end of their scheduled visit, teachers will take the children back outside to their parents. Tuesday: Parents drop off students between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m., and pick up by 1:00 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday: Full days for all ECC students. Parents drop off students between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m., and pick up between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. Please note: For health and safety reasons, we will not conduct lice checks at the school this year.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL • • • • •

On the first day of school Kindergarten students will attend from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m; and will attend Tuesday - Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Grades 1-5 will attend school Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The earliest students may be dropped off is 7:45 a.m. School ends each day at 2:00 p.m. during the first week of school. Please note: For health and safety reasons, we will not conduct lice checks at the school this year. 19

OPENING WEEK SCHEDULE Please note: The school day ends at 2:00 p.m. Monday – Thursday during opening week. MIDDLE SCHOOL Our gradual build-up to having all Middle School students in the building at the same time will ensure thorough and effective training in safety protocols across the larger number of different spaces and faculty with which Middle School students will be interacting.

•

Monday: 6th grade attends school in person (orientation will be included in the schedule), 7th and 8th grades do not have school.

•

Tuesday: 6th and 7th grades attend school in person from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 8th grade has no in-person school, but will have required Zoom sessions for Veracross training, a grade bonding activity, and individual meetings with advisors.

•

Wednesday: 6th and 8th grades attend school in person from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 7th grade has no in-person school, but will have required Zoom sessions for Veracross training, a grade bonding activity, and individual meetings with advisors.

•

Thursday: 6th, 7th, and 8th grades attend in person.

•

The earliest students may arrive each day is 7:45 a.m.

•

Families who have children in more than one division are asked to drop off their oldest children before dropping off their younger children.

OPENING WEEK SCHEDULE Please note: The school day ends at 2:00 p.m. Monday – Thursday during opening week. UPPER SCHOOL

Our gradual build-up to having all Upper School students in the building at the same time will ensure thorough and effective training in safety protocols across the larger number of different spaces and faculty with which Upper School students will be interacting.

• Monday: 9th and 10th grades attend school in person from 8:00

a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 11th and 12th grades have no in-person school, but will have required Zoom sessions for Veracross training, a grade bonding activity, and individual meetings with advisors.

• Tuesday: 11th and 12th grades attend school in person from 8:00

a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 9th and 10th grades have no in-person school, but will have required Zoom sessions for Veracross training, a grade bonding activity, and individual meetings with advisors.

• Wednesday and Thursday: All Upper School grades attend school in person.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE The regular weekly schedule will commence after Labor Day, on Tuesday, September 8. Please note important information for Middle/Upper School on Fridays.

SCHEDULE AS OF TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 • Drop-Off Monday - Friday

Early Childhood Center drop-off, Beth El between 7:30 - 8:30 a.m.

Elementary School drop-off, Saval lower driveway between 7:45 - 8:00 a.m.

o Middle/Upper

School Monday-Thursday drop-off, Saval main entrance between 7:45 - 8:00 a.m.

Middle/Upper School Fridays in SEPTEMBER: • 6th-12th grades will not have school on Fridays in September to allow the faculty/staff to adjust and refine its health and safety protocol management for the health and safety of everyone in the building. Middle/Upper School Fridays STARTING IN OCTOBER:

• 6th and 7th grade drop-off, Saval main entrance: 7:45 - 8:00 a.m.

• 8th - 12th grades will have school remotely.

• Pick-Up Monday - Thursday o

Early Childhood Center pick-up by parents, Beth El between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m.

Elementary School pick-up, Saval lower driveway: Grades K-2 at 3:00 p.m, grades 3-5 at 3:45 p.m.

Middle School pick-up, Saval main entrance: 3:50 p.m.

Upper School pick-up, Saval main entrance: 5:00 p.m.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE SCHEDULE AS OF TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 • Pick-Up Friday

Early Childhood pick-up by parents at Beth El is 2:00 p.m. on longer Fridays, and 12:30 p.m. on shorter Fridays, depending on the time of year.

Elementary School pick-up at Saval lower driveway is 2:30 p.m. on longer Fridays, and 1:10 p.m. on shorter Fridays, depending on the time of year.

Middle/Upper School Fridays in SEPTEMBER:

• 6th-12th grades will not have school on Fridays in September to allow the faculty/staff to adjust and refine its health and safety protocol management for the health and safety of everyone in the building.

Middle/Upper School Fridays STARTING IN OCTOBER:

• 6th and 7th grade pick-up at Saval main entrance: 2:30 p.m. on longer Fridays, and 1:10 p.m. on shorter Fridays, depending on the time of year.

• 8th - 12th grades will have school remotely.

Please note that in order to comply with health and safety protocols while in the building, the MateS after-school program for K-5 may be running a modified, reduced program, though this remains to be determined until we get accurate numbers from interested families and guidelines from the state. Elementary School parents should plan accordingly.

CLASS SCHEDULES More details will be shared in division-specific communications in the coming weeks. • Please note: As we prepare to start the year in person, Fridays in September

in Middle/Upper School will be non-school days so that faculty, staff, and administration may debrief on protocol management to optimize our ability to maximize the health and safety of everyone in the building.

• After September, Fridays in grades 8-12 will be remote school days, with dismissal at 2:30 p.m., including in winter months. (ECC-grade 7 will still dismiss at 1:10 p.m. in winter months.) This will allow us to maximize time in the master schedule for various health and safety functions, as well as other learning and community connection opportunities.

• In all divisions, we are following our Judaic and general course curricula by

cohort, with time built in to ensure appropriately distanced, outdoor mask breaks of up to 15 minutes throughout the day; activity-specific distancing (for example, Middle/Upper School lunch with 6 feet minimum distance and assigned, sanitized seating); and hygiene protocols (routine handwashing / sanitizing and classroom desk disinfecting throughout the day). In order to strike this balance, certain minor scheduling changes are being made and will be clarified in division-specific webinar updates in the coming weeks.

• The Early Childhood Center and Elementary School will have play

time by cohort following safe and healthy guidelines for play, monitored by faculty and staff, with play equipment disinfected after each use.

• In Middle/Upper School, we needed to reallocate time from X-block to

ensure safe and healthy passing times between classes. To balance the reallocation of X-block time elsewhere, Middle/Upper School lunch periods have been extended to one hour to allow students more time daily on Monday - Thursday to connect with teachers and each other in various ways.

• In Middle/Upper School, passing time between classes will be

doubled to allow our faculty and staff to pass through the hallways while empty, and so that students can help supplement the daily professional cleaning of our spaces with their own additional cleaning of their desk spaces. In addition, all students and staff will use hand sanitizer before entering and exiting each classroom space.

• In Upper School, free periods will need to be structured by cohort to maintain health and safety protocols. Each cohort will spend free periods in designated, monitored spaces to ensure distancing, mask-wearing, and hygiene protocols.

MAJOR CALENDAR EVENTS We have the full school-year calendar planned out and hope to hold as many of the planned events as possible. We also recognize that, just as with our need to plan for various school scenarios throughout the year – in person, hybrid, and remote – we also need to be ready to flex with our master calendar as well. As we move through the year, we will assume our master calendar as planned to be our default unless we need to pivot for any number of reasons relating to our regional health climate. Whatever mode we may be in, we will stay in steady communication about updates to the school’s master calendar events. Thank you for your understanding as we move forward with flexibility in our overall planning.

THANK YOU We acknowledge the extraordinary and sustained efforts of the senior leadership, faculty, and staff colleagues who led and executed intensive planning efforts since the spring: Merv Alge Dana Bar-Or Michal Bessler Dani Carrus Sarah Cheses Elka Tovah Davidoff Rita Dunn Refael Fadlon Jennifer Gonyea Alison Gutermann Betty Gladstein Benji Hain Rabbi Dov Huff Rabbi Dr. Yaakov Jaffe Chantal Lawrence Deborah Leschinsky Scott Mattoon Robin Meyerowitz Jacob Pinnolis Zippy Portman Ellie Riesel Ken Rosenstein Stephanie Samuels Daniel Schockett Debra Shein-Gerson Carol Smith Michele Snyder Donna Von Samek Shoshana Zazula We would also like to thank our medical advisory panel: Dr. Michael Agus, Critical Care, Boston Children’s Hospital Dr. Jason Comander, Ophthalmology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Dr. Paul Copeland, Endocrinology, North Shore Medical Center Dr. Michael Klompas, Infectious Disease, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Dr. Camille Kotton, Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital Dr. Benjamin Raby, Pulmonary, Boston Children’s Hospital Dr. Kenneth Wener, Infectious Disease, Lahey Health and the students, lay leaders, and parents who contributed to our thinking and planning throughout this process. 26

CONNECT WITH US We thank you for taking the time to review our reopening plan. More detailed information will be shared by division in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, below is a list of contacts should you have any questions. Scott Mattoon, CEO smattoon@maimonides.org Rabbi Dr. Yaakov Jaffe, Dean of Judaic Studies ysjaffe@maimonides.org Rabbi Dov Huff, Middle/Upper School Principal dhuff@maimonides.org Michal Bessler, Elementary School Principal mbessler@maimonides.org Robin Meyerowitz, Early Childhood Director rmeyerowitz@maimonides.org

“It means so much to me to send my children to the same Jacobthat Pinnolis, Educator-in-Residence school hasChiel been an integral part of my foundation of jpinnolis@maimonides.org my Modern Orthodox life. To see my children thrive under Maimonides’ continual guidance and strong values gives Merv Alge, Director of Security and Operations malge@maimonides.org me so much joy. It’s like coming home.” Betty Gladstein, Director of Health Services Israela (Levine) Kahan, ‘99, Parent and bgladstein@maimonides.org (617) 232-4452 x419 or in emergency (617) 651-0789

34 Philbrick Road Brookline, MA 02445 (617) 232-4452 admissions@maimonides.org www.maimonides.org Maimonides School admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.

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