NYA Return to Campus Plan for Fall 2020

NORTH YARMOUTH ACADEMY

Return to Campus Plan for the 2020-2021 Academic Year July 24, 2020

Contents

Introduction pg 3 Guiding Principles pg 4 Preparing for September: Health & Safety pg 5

On-Campus Instruction & Continuity of Learning pg 8 Community pg 10 Important Dates pg 14 Additional Communications and Questions pg 15 Mission Statement pg 16

Welcome Back

Introduction The world has changed in many ways since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we shared back in May, this experience has tested each of us, but it has also brought out the best in our community. The spirit of NYA’s constituencies continues to inspire us.

The hallmark of NYA is a highly individualized and challenging program in a supportive environment. We believe that it is most important for the academic growth and overall well-being of our students to deliver this education on campus. Because of our model and commitment to small class sizes, we are in a strong position to safely resume oncampus learning in September.

Teams comprised of administrators, faculty, and staff have been actively developing and implementing plans to address key areas associated with reopening for the school year ahead. In addition to guidance of experts both locally and globally, input from parents, students, faculty, and staff have been invaluable in developing these plans. Our objective and expectation is to open with students on campus in September, and we continue to refine plans for contingencies and changes in circumstance should the need arise. In the event of increased community transmission and heightened restrictions by the CDC and state and federal guidelines, we are prepared to transition to remote instruction with the goal of returning to on-campus instruction as soon as possible. We will follow State of Maine guidelines for childcare centers in making decisions regarding the Toddler and Primary classrooms. In all situations, we remain committed to providing an exceptional experience that maintains academic expectations and provides opportunities for community connections.

Our aim is to provide an overview of our return to campus plan here and to continue with regular updates to the community as we approach the first day of school. We are eager to be together again at school and recognize that a safe and successful return to oncampus learning will necessitate the support of our full community.

3.

Guiding Principles

Our return to campus plan focuses on the student experience and these three guiding principles:

• Health and Safety: The health and safety of the NYA community continues to be our top priority and at the forefront in planning for our return to campus.

• On-Campus Instruction and Continuity of Learning: We believe that

in-classroom learning is the best educational environment for students. We plan to reopen campus with a full academic schedule in September, instituting necessary and prudent adjustments to mitigate health risks.

• Community and Wellness: Community is a cornerstone of NYA’s mission.

This has been an unprecedented time with many challenges, but we are stronger together. We will continue to prioritize not only the physical, but also the social and emotional well-being of our students and staff.

Welcome Back

Preparing for September

We are eager to welcome students to campus in September and plan to reopen our campus under conditions that are as safe as possible for our students, faculty, staff, and families. Outlined here is an overview of the various facets of this plan.

Health & Safety

To guide decisions regarding health and safety, we continue to utilize the resources and advice of experts including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and federal government guidelines, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Maine Department of Education, National Association of Independent Schools, and other private and public school peers. The following is a list of safety measures and protocols for the health and safety of our community.

Health Forms and Emergency Contacts All Health Forms were due on May 15 or upon enrollment. No student will be allowed on campus without a completed Annual Health Information and Authorization for Health Care form. It is essential to include emergency contacts who are able to pick up students promptly from campus if a parent/guardian is unavailable. Contact Health Services Coordinator, Ashley Moody, with any questions regarding health forms.

Home Health Check Families will be asked to monitor their household members for symptoms, including fever, and keep home children who have experienced a fever within the past 48 hours, exhibited COVID-related symptoms, or been exposed to a family member exhibiting COVID-related symptoms. The attendance office will ask necessary screening questions when parents call in to report student absences. If anyone in your household has been in contact with an individual infected with COVID-19, you must notify Health Services Coordinator, Ashley Moody, or the attendance office as soon as possible.

Campus Health Screening All students, staff, and essential visitors will undergo a short health and temperature screening before entering any building on campus. All other visitors to campus, including parents, will remain outside (except under exceptional circumstances).

5.

Isolation Room We are establishing an isolation room next to the Health Services Office where students presenting with fever or COVID-related symptoms may wait for pick-up in isolation from the rest of campus.

Presentation of Symptoms Anyone with a fever or COVID-related symptoms or has been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 should stay home. A student or staff member who presents with a fever or COVID-related symptoms at a campus health screening or who develops symptoms during the school day will promptly be sent home or asked to seek medical attention. They will await pick-up outside or in the isolation room. NYA will follow CDC guidelines to determine when someone may return to campus.

Positive COVID-19 Test If your child or someone in your household is suspected or tests positive for COVID-19, you must notify Ashley Moody, Health Services Coordinator, or the attendance office as soon as possible. If a student or staff member is suspected or tests positive for COVID-19, NYA will follow the procedures of the CDC and state and federal guidelines.

The CDC or their designee will perform contact tracing and implement quarantining of those infected and their contacts as needed.

Out of State Travel Families must notify the attendance office regarding any out of state travel and will, at minimum, be required to follow the most current State of Maine guidelines for quarantining.

Physical Distancing All students, staff, and visitors will maintain physical distancing on campus whenever possible. Student traffic flow within buildings has been evaluated and will be reconfigured to limit congestion and encourage physical distancing. Wherever possible, buildings will have designated entrance-only and exit-only doors, and staircases will be designated as up-only or down-only. Elevators will be limited to a single rider or rider with an immediate family member. Hallways will be marked for one-way traffic only, or traffic will proceed single file and stay to the far-right side. Classrooms will be arranged for students to be seated with appropriate physical distancing to minimize transmission risk.

Face Coverings Face coverings are required on campus and must be worn unless directed by a teacher, coach, or staff member that it is temporarily permissible to remove them. Children in the Primary and early Elementary programs will have age-appropriate protocols for face coverings. Toddlers will not be required to wear face coverings (which are prohibited for children under the age of two).

Welcome Back

Hand Hygiene Hand washing and sanitizing are effective measures in helping to reduce transmission.

Students and staff will be expected to wash their hands thoroughly for 20 seconds or longer at various times throughout the day. Hand sanitizer dispensers will be available in every classroom and at building entrances to ensure regular access.

Enhanced Cleaning and Disinfection We will implement enhanced daily cleaning practices and schedules, with special attention to high touch surfaces. Middle and Upper School students will disinfect their desks after each use with materials provided.

7.

On-Campus Instruction & Continuity of Learning We are eager to be back teaching and learning together in the classroom and are implementing steps to do so safely and effectively.

Schedules Academic schedules for each division will follow the usual format with some minor modifications. Some specials in the Lower School will be adjusted to meet in the classroom or outside when possible. We are examining the feasibility of staggering schedules for drop-off and pick-up in some divisions. There may also be modifications to the schedule during the first week of school to ease transition for students.

Classroom Practices Every classroom space on campus has been evaluated for appropriate physical distancing and maximum capacity. Large scale soft furnishings have been removed from classroom spaces. Classroom layouts have been redesigned and seating at tables

Welcome Back

will be adjusted to maintain distancing. In several classrooms, tables will be replaced with individual desks. Shared equipment or learning materials between students will be minimized where appropriate.

Modifications to classroom practices in Toddler, Primary, and early Elementary classrooms will be age-appropriate and in accordance with guidelines of the Department of Health and Human Services and American Association of Pediatrics.

Music Classes All music classes will continue to be offered, but the format of some classes will be modified to maximize safety in light of recommendations regarding singing and wind instruments. Some music classes will also be divided into smaller sections to accommodate appropriate physical distancing.

Student Technology NYA’s BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program begins in the seventh grade. Students in grades 7 and above need to bring a laptop or other device meeting the minimum requirements outlined here. However, we strongly encourage students in grades 5 and 6 to bring laptops if they have access to one, as seating in the computer lab will be limited to accommodate distancing. Additionally, access to a printer (ideally with scanning capability) at home will be very advantageous in the event of short- or longerterm remote learning.

Accommodations We recognize that some students, teachers, or staff members may have medical conditions that put them at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. We will do our best to accommodate the needs of these individuals. If your child is immunocompromised or you have particular concerns about their presence on our campus, we ask that you notify Ashley Moody, Marissa Markonish, or Eric Austin as soon as possible.

Field Trips Off-campus field trips for large groups during the fall semester have been suspended.

We will reevaluate protocols for the spring semester based on guidelines at that time.

Calendar We will operate under a modified event calendar for the fall semester and potentially for the entire school year. Due to the restrictions on large gatherings, many events are postponed and others may be canceled, changed to a virtual format, or otherwise modified. Many events are already posted on the Family Web calendar, and more will be added in the coming weeks. We encourage families to check calendars in Family Web and the For Your Planning section of division newsletters regularly for any updates or changes.

9.

Community

NYA is about more than the classroom, and much of what we miss about being on campus is our school community. Our plans to reopen campus therefore go beyond just academics and cover all aspects of NYA campus life. While our return to campus this fall might look quite different than it has in years past, we are extremely grateful that we will be able to come together on campus, our home away from home.

Health and Safety Action Agreement All members of the NYA community will be asked to sign a Health and Safety Action Agreement in which they agree to undertake designated health and safety measures for the purpose of protecting both the NYA and greater community. Such measures will include willing participation in health and temperature screenings, adherence to physical distancing and face covering expectations, observing public health guidance, and sharing all necessary health-related information with the school. Parents also will be asked to sign an acknowledgement of risk form prior to the first day of school or participation in on-campus activities. More information on these will be shared by midAugust. We are stronger as a community when we all do our part to keep our campus safe.

Role of Families A safe and successful return to on-campus learning requires the support of our full community, and families will play an important role in achieving that success. It is essential that we all remain committed to the protocols outlined here and in future communications. There will be changes and some inconveniences for all of us with these new procedures, and we appreciate your flexibility and willingness to adhere to these protocols. Families are expected to observe all public health guidance from local, state, and federal officials as well as the actions outlined in the NYA Health and Safety Action Agreement. Families will be asked to remain outside of school buildings, to wear masks, and to follow physical distancing guidelines when on campus. Most importantly, students who are sick need to be kept at home. We will share additional information to help students and families understand safety expectations and protocols prior to the start of school. We look forward to partnering with you to do all that we can to keep our community vibrant, safe, and healthy.

Social and Emotional Well-Being The social and emotional well-being of our students and community will be a priority in the months ahead. School Counselor, Cindy Hould, Health Services Coordinator, Ashley Moody, and the entire Wellness Team will work to provide opportunities for building resiliency, reducing anxiety, and incorporating balance and mindfulness.

Welcome Back

Advisory and Classroom Communities More than ever, our students are eager to connect and build bonds with their peers.

Advisory and classroom communities will be one important avenue for students to make connections, share and discuss, and find support. Classroom and advisory meetings will provide opportunities both for meaningful conversation and just plain fun.

Large Gatherings and Community Events Current circumstances limit the size of gatherings which will impact many campus events. Some events will be postponed, canceled, or modified. Larger gatherings, such as Upper School Class Meetings and Friday Forum, will likely move to a modified virtual format. Senior Speeches will likely be a combination of live and virtual presentations. We remain committed to providing opportunities for our students to stay connected and to build a shared sense of community throughout the school.

Bicentennial Learning Commons We are thrilled to have our beautiful new Bicentennial Learning Commons open for use this fall. We will be limiting seating and maximum capacity to maintain appropriate distancing. As a communal space, face coverings must be worn at all times in the learning commons.

11.

Dining We are revamping campus dining procedures to ensure student safety and limit large gatherings. All dining purchases must be paid for by using the MySchool prepaid dining account. Cash purchases will not be permitted. Information about how to set up a MySchool dining account is located on NYA’s website.

Students in Toddler, Primary, and Kindergarten classrooms will bring all snacks and meals from home. There will be no class, communal, or shared snack. Students will eat in classrooms or outside. All classrooms in the Lower School and Toddler House must be completely nut free.

Students in elementary classrooms will bring all snacks from home and may bring lunch from home or pre-order lunch from Dining Services. Lunches will be served in disposable containers and delivered to the Lower School. Students will eat in classrooms or outside.

All classrooms in the Lower School must be completely nut free.

For Middle and Upper School students, all campus meals will be pre-order or in graband-go format in disposable containers. We have designated a streamlined route for students to pick-up and go. All Middle School students will eat in classrooms or outside.

Seating in Safford cafeteria will be reserved for Upper School students at designated times. Times will be staggered and limited with social distancing measures in place. All students and staff will be required to wear a face covering in Safford when not seated and eating.

Lunch Bunch Lunch Bunch will not be an option in the Primary program this fall. We will reassess for the spring semester.

Welcome Back

Athletics The importance of physical activity, and its added social and mental wellness benefits, has been highlighted throughout these past few months. We remain committed to continuing our tradition of after-school activities and are looking at how to best provide these opportunities safely for our students. Guidance from the Cumberland County Conference (CCC), Maine Principals Association (MPA), and New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) will shape our decisions about competition schedules, transportation, and offerings. We will continue to provide updates regarding announcements and their impact on our NYA community.

Clubs and Activities Activities with outside organizations (e.g. Mad Science of Maine) will be suspended for the fall semester. Lower School Drama has been postponed to the spring semester.

Upper School clubs will continue, but meetings may be adjusted to smaller groups or moved to a virtual format.

Before and After Care We are offering a modified Before and After Care program this fall. Space is limited, and drop-in care will not be available. If you plan to utilize Before or After Care and have not yet registered, please do so immediately. Space is on a first come basis.

Transportation We are currently evaluating transportation procedures and limitations and will notify families of transportation plans on or before August 7.

13.

Important Dates Friday, July 24

Draft of the NYA Return to Campus Plan shared

Tuesday, July 28

NYA Community Zoom Meeting to review Reopening Plan

4:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 9

Panther Cubs, In the Middle, and Panther Roar online newsletters

Sent via email

Tuesday, August 11

Lower School Parent Zoom 4:00 p.m.

Meeting

Wednesday, August 12

Middle School Parent Zoom Meeting

Thursday, August 13

Upper School Parent Zoom 4:00 p.m.

Meeting

Friday, August 28

Lower School Classroom Meetings via Zoom

Wednesday, September 2

New Middle and Upper More information in the School Student Orientation August online newsletters and Freshman Orientation

Tuesday September 8

First day of school First day of US Athletic Preseason

Welcome Back

4:00 p.m.

Times vary by classroom

Opening week schedule may be modified to ease transition for students

Additional Communications & Questions

There is no question that the ways in which we live, learn, and interact on campus will be different over the coming months. While we hope that this plan has provided you with an understanding of the overall framework of how we will return safely to campus, we understand that you may still have unanswered questions. We will continue to provide additional information as we approach the first day of classes.

If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the school.

Health & Health Forms --> Ashley Moody, Health Services Coordinator --> 847-5402/847-5432 Social & Emotional Health --> Cindy Hould, NYA School Counselor --> 847-5499 NYA Lower School Program --> Marissa Markonish, Head of Lower & Middle Schools --> 847-5431 NYA Middle School Program --> Marissa Markonish, Head of Lower & Middle Schools --> 847-5431 NYA Upper School Program --> Eric Austin, Head of Upper School --> 847-5441 Athletics --> Kelsy Ross, Director of Athletics --> 847-5456 Head of School --> Ben Jackson --> 847-5444

In the face of an uncertain road ahead, we are confident that we can travel this road together with courage, innovation, collaboration, and a deep caring for the health and safety of our entire NYA community. Thank you for taking on this shared responsibility.

The work that continues as we move forward will require all of us to come together with compassion, adaptability, and generosity of spirit.

We look forward to seeing you on campus soon!

15.

Mission

North Yarmouth Academy is an independent, college preparatory, coeducational school. The Academy offers a structured program that establishes clear standards and high expectations in an environment that emphasizes values of mutual respect, trust, and community. North Yarmouth Academy is dedicated to fostering integrity, character, and intellect in its students.

The North Yarmouth Academy program encourages students to develop: • Problem-solving skills based on sound analytical and creative thought; • Sophistication in writing, speaking, and artistic expression; • Appreciation for the importance of athletic activity, teamwork, and cooperation; • Self-confidence and self-respect through a breadth of experiences that extend beyond the classroom; • Concern for the larger community and an appreciation for the natural environment; • Desire to continue the process of lifelong learning.

Welcome Back!