SACRED HEART GREENWICH Return to School 2020-2021
Sacred Heart Greenwich community, Since April, incredible work has been led by the Board’s COVID Special Committee to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission and maintain a safe campus for us all. We have collaborated with experts at Yale and the University of Alabama-Birmingham to ensure our approach exceeds the Connecticut state guidelines. We have developed a comprehensive plan to bring the community back together, to reinforce our mission, and to deliver a vibrant, forwardthinking program for every Sacred Heart student while prioritizing the health and well-being of students and faculty. My goal for this year is to have every girl on campus every day we can. I believe we are all craving community and a restoring of routine, even if it is modified. We will have several orientation events and a gentle start to the year to help all students adjust to the new "normal" of our campus with important safety measures in place. Our faculty worked tirelessly over the summer to prepare for a new academic year. We are prepared should there be a need to pivot from Campus Learning to Distance Learning, while maintaining the relationships that are the heart of our work with your children. What follows are highlights from our reopening plan to streamline our many communications from the summer -- the website and FAQ will provide more details on any policy outlined here. Warmly,
RETURN TO SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS Signing of the COVID-19 Back to School form. Up-to-date health forms and physicals in Magnus Health. Download of Magnus Health mobile app for daily health screenings. Signing up for and attending a COVID Orientation; anyone who misses the required COVID-19 Orientation will begin the year in Home Learning until s/he has attended the makeup orientation on September 19th. Sign-ups are open until August 21st. Completion of the Return to School Survey for each enrolled child before August 21st. Signing of a forthcoming community contract.
*Please use this document as well as the COVID-19 Website and FAQs to help with decision making for the Return to School Survey
RETURN TO SCHOOL SCENARIOS
SCENARIO 1: ON CAMPUS
SCENARIO 2: MODIFIED
SCENARIO 3: HYBRID
SCENARIO 4: DISTANCE
Typical Campus Learning environment where physical distancing is not required. Made possible by a vaccine or no COVID-19 present in our community.
Campus Learning environment with a modified schedule. Physical distancing and other health requirements in place.Â
To meet density reduction requirements, health guidelines, and to practice physical distancing, students will alternate between Campus and Distance Learning.
Distance Learning for all students, faculty and staff based on the learnings from the virtual environment in Spring 2020.
As of August 12, Sacred Heart Greenwich will reopen in Scenario 2.
HEALTH & SAFETY As stated by the American Academy of Pediatrics: “COVID-19 policies are intended to mitigate, not eliminate, risk. No single action or set of actions will completely eliminate the risk of SARSCoV-2 transmission, but implementation of several coordinated interventions can greatly reduce that risk.” Sacred Heart is following all the best practices, guidance, and requirements possible to create the safest environment we can. A number of staff members are being trained and certified in contract tracing through Johns Hopkins University. We will require all faculty, staff, and coaches to take a COVID PCR Test prior to the start of scheduled orientation events and backto-school meetings. We are not requiring students to be tested at this time.
DAILY HEALTH SCREENINGS We will leverage our new Magnus Health system to do daily health screenings. These health screenings will be conducted by parents and students before leaving their homes and will include a checklist for things like temperature checks and symptom surveys. This will be done easily via the Magnus Health mobile app available; please download the app to your device now. Once the survey is submitted, students will get a green light to attend school, or a red light indicating they must stay home and contact their healthcare provider. Upper School students may complete the screening themselves using their parents' logins to Magnus Health. Our faculty and staff will complete a similar daily health screening.
MASK POLICY Masks will be required for students, faculty, staff, and any other visitors while on campus. Approved cloth masks include: Sacred Heart spirit wear masks (an initial supply will be provided at no cost to all students, faculty, and staff); cloth masks with patterns and designs that are school appropriate; and anything for sale in the School Bookstore or through our uniform providers. If a student forgets his/her mask, it is not usable for any reason, and/or does not appropriately fit, as determined by the school nurse, the School will have disposable masks on hand to provide the students. If a student wishes or needs to routinely wear a disposable mask, medical grade mask or no face covering at all, this will require consultation with the student, parent, student’s physician and the Sacred Heart Greenwich school nurse.
HEALTH IMPACT In line with guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, we have established cohorts throughout the School based on age, programming, and space for each division: Lower School: by class Middle School: 5/6th grades and 7/8th grades Upper School: grades 9-12 together We established an active partnership with the Greenwich Public Health Department and, as required, will report confirmed positive cases to them for contract tracing. Their advice will guide any mandated quarantining by cohort or division. It is possible that contract tracing could take 48-72 hours, and it may be a necessary precaution for that class or cohort to transition to Home or Distance Learning until the Health Department provides advice about campus return or continued quarantine. The School will work to support and guide any student, faculty, or staff member who has a confirmed positive case and also communicate to those exposed to follow a 14 day quarantine as outlined by the current Department of Education guidelines.
COMMUNITY HEALTH Sacred Heart draws from 60 zip codes, and while our relationship with the Greenwich Public Health Department is important, we will closely follow health data from a number of other NY and CT towns as well. As an independent school, Sacred Heart will move among our four Learning Scenarios in consultation with our medical experts, public health authorities and with mission and safety at the forefront of the decision-making. The State and other policy/medical authorities have provided metrics to assist our school in decision-making: We will be monitoring the seven day average of new COVID-19 cases per 100k population, the percentage of positive testing in state and/or local area, absentee rates, and more to decide which Learning Scenario is best at a given time. The School could choose to pivot an entire division or the entire school to Distance Learning based on infection rates in our school community/locally and on the recommendations of our medical advisors. Next week, we will distribute our Informed Consent and Social Contract for families to sign. This will also include examples of the decision-making involved if/when students or faculty members test positive or are exposed to someone who tested positive.
CAMPUS VS. HOME LEARNING Campus Learning occurs under Scenarios 1, 2, and 3 when students, faculty, and staff report to King Street. Home Learning is an alternative to Campus Learning under Scenarios 2 and 3. Home Learning involves students watching livestreams of classes. There will also be check-ins from advisors and lead teachers. Distance Learning occurs when the campus shuts down entirely under Scenario 4 and on virtual days in the hybrid Scenario 3. In Distance Learning, teachers leverage various online learning tools to create robust synchronous and asynchronous lessons and assignments. Families can opt out of Campus Learning to instead choose Home Learning through the Return to School Survey. Families can also opt out of Campus Learning at any point during the semester after discussion with their Division Head. Students will only be able to return to Campus Learning by giving the School two weeks notice and after a discussion with the appropriate Division Head and the school nurse.
UPPER SCHOOL A team of faculty and administrators crafted a new Monday-Friday schedule of eight academic blocks, which will rotate through a two week cycle of Green/White weeks. This framework allows us to pivot quickly to respond to evolving circumstances. Class periods will be 75 minutes long, with extended passing times, and flexible time has been built into the schedule. Every Wednesday will be a "flex" day, when students will have two academic classes and then will participate in Chapel, liturgies, clubs, leadership, wellness, extra help, enrichment, faith, and community building activities. Supply lists will be distributed with each class syllabus; headphones with a microphone are recommended. More on the Upper School academic schedule.
MIDDLE SCHOOL The new block schedule features three 70-minute periods for academics, and two 45-minute flex periods for wellness, faith, community-building, and physical education. Longer classes support student-centered learning and skill development with extended periods of immersion in each class. Academic classes meet every other day. Theology and art classes meet once every four days, wellness meets once per week, and PE meets two times per week. The day ends with a flex period for athletics/PE, extra help, wellness, faith, and community-building activities. Middle School students are cohorted by 5th/6th grade and 7th/8th grade. Please consult the supply list as there are changes this year that support our health and safety initiatives. More on the Middle School academic schedule.
LOWER SCHOOL The Lower School moved from a six-day to a five-day schedule to simplify the weekly offerings and streamline the schedule. Each student will receive a kit of learning materials to eliminate resource sharing; these kits will go home with students if we move to distance learning. Barat Center through First Grade will receive iPads; Second through Fourth Grade will receive Chromebooks. Students will train on these during technology class to be prepared for hybrid or distance learning. Students in the Lower School will be cohorted by class/grade. Students will eat lunch in their classrooms and be encouraged to also eat outside in our tented areas. More on the Lower School academic year. More on the Barat Center academic year.
ATHLETICS & PE Upper School competitive FAA play & NEPSAC Championship season have been cancelled for Fall 2020. Practice times remain the same. Sacred Heart will host sport specific practices, physical training, intramural competition, interscholastic opportunities/playdays, and programming on sports psychology, leadership, nutrition, and more. Upper School preseason will start on August 31st, with optional programming to begin the week of August 24th. Middle School interscholastic games have been cancelled for Fall 2020. Sacred Heart will host an intramural MS athletic program on campus this fall, which will include sport specific practices, physical training, and intramural competition. MS Practices: Wednesday for grades 5 & 6 from 2:10-3:25 (done in time for regular dismissal), and grades 7 & 8 from 2:45-4:00pm. Lower, Middle, and Upper School PE classes will continue to be held. The PE faculty adjusted the curriculum to fit the best practices for health and safety, avoiding shared equipment and ensuring physical distancing. Lower and Middle School students will be assigned their own “PE bag/equipment” for use during PE class.
ART, MUSIC, DRAMA We are committed to providing robust offerings in the areas of art, music, and drama in the context of the most current health guidelines and requirements. Each department is working to address the best practices and is adjusting offerings, curriculum, and practice locations. This includes theater productions and concerts but likely with a new look and feel! Examples of some anticipated changes include: Lower School music focusing on (non-wind) instrument playing and opportunities for singing in larger spaces like the de Csepel Theater with students spaced 12 ft apart. Middle School music focusing on music appreciation, theory, history, and instruments. Singing groups like the Madrigals and Madeleines meeting in smaller sections by vocal range, spaced 12 ft apart. Groups like the Bell Choir and Orchestra considering plexiglass music stands and physical distancing to achieve group rehearsals. More details will be shared when finalized.
CAMPUS MINISTRY & SERVICE Faith development and spirituality are central to our mission as a Sacred Heart school. All three divisions will continue to carry out theology courses no matter what Scenario the school is in. Major all-school liturgies will continue using streaming services. There will be opportunities for small groups of students to attend liturgies in person following physical distancing rules and capacity protocols. Our Upper and Middle School Directors of Social Justice and Service are reimagining the ways the Sacred Heart community can contribute locally and globally while staying safe. At this time, the Upper School community service hours requirement has been suspended. More details will be shared when finalized, including how families can get involved in liturgies and service projects.
WELLNESS Our school psychologists, physical education faculty, deans of students, health faculty, coaches, and athletic department staff will be collaborating to implement a wide variety of wellness options and community programming for students in-person and virtually. Our Wellness department will be collaborating to support students and the entire community with the return to school and the gentle start we will need to succeed in this new environment Individual and group appointments will still be available both inperson and virtually with school psychologists. The new Middle School schedule offers two 45-minute “flex” periods for wellness, faith, community building and PE. The new Upper School schedule has a flex day every Wednesday, when students will have two academic classes and then will participate in Chapel, liturgies, clubs, leadership, wellness, extra help, enrichment, faith, and community-building activities.
EVENTS & VISITORS We will be restricting large community gatherings and visitors, including parents, to our campus. For Lower School families, this means that parents will not be able to bring students into their classrooms at the beginning of the year to help with the transition to school. As such, this important transition will be a focus of the orientation events for our youngest community members. Each Division is working on plans to ensure our campus life continues in a meaningful manner, including grade-level gatherings, retreats, chapels, and more, while also following best practices for health and safety. The Parents’ Association has also planned a number of virtual Back-to-School events like the signature coffees to kick off the year; please see your PA Mailing for more information. These plans may vary throughout the fall depending on the latest guidance and epidemiological factors of the area.
PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF Drop-off times will be staggered by Division (though siblings will all be able to arrive together). Early drop-off starts at 7:30am LS: 7:45-8:00am MS: 8:00-8:20am (8th graders through Bloom Garden) US: 8:20-8:40am Pick-up will work similarly to that of past years, but more spread out by Division depending on your child’s individual schedule (athletics, after-school care, etc.). COVID Orientations will review drop-off/pick-up specifics. We will still have early rooms, however the areas and numbers will be in accordance with physical distancing guidelines. After-school activities will vary by division; please reference back to school emails and handbooks in the Parent Portal for more. Middle and Upper School extra help and library opportunities will still be available with appropriate supervision and capacity restrictions. Individual meetings and help from teachers can also be done virtually.
BUSING In accordance with the guidance from the State, Sacred Heart encourages families to transport their students to school themselves, if possible.  Buses will run as normal with a mandatory mask wearing policy. Physical distancing protocols may be implemented per State guidance depending on the current transmission risk. Late buses will run as normal as long as after-school activities, including athletics, continue to occur on campus. We will be asking families to confirm their busing and transportation plans in Return to School Survey.
LUNCH Our dining provider, Flik, will create grab and go boxed lunches. Families will order lunches via an online application each Thursday for the following week. We will share more details on the ordering process later in August. Please note on your Return to School Survey if you would like to proceed with using the lunch program. Students may also continue to bring their own lunch to school. We have adjusted our dining format and schedule in all Divisions to accommodate for decongestion, eliminating lines, and extra sanitization and health precautions. Dining hall tables have been outfitted with plexiglass dividers for additional safety and clear, designated seating for students. Middle and Upper School students will have the grab and go meals in designated areas utilizing the dining hall, gym spaces, and outdoor tents and areas. Lower School students will have boxed lunches and snacks delivered to them in their classrooms.
ORIENTATIONS COVID-19 REQUIRED ORIENTATIONS: Sign up here. Lower School: required for students and ONE parent Monday, August 31st: 9:00-10:30am, 3:30-5:00pm Middle School: required for students only Tuesday, September 1st: 9:00-10:30am, 1-2:30pm, 3:30-5:00pm Upper School: students only Wednesday, September 2nd: 1-2:30pm and 3:30-5:00pm Thursday, September 3rd: 3:30-5:00pm NEW STUDENT ORIENTATIONS Lower School - students and parents Friday, September 4th at 9:00 a.m.: ALL Barat Center & K Friday, September 4th at 9:15 a.m.: NEW Grades 1-4 Middle School - just students Friday, September 4th at 9:30 a.m. : NEW Grades 6-8 Friday, September 4th at 9:45 a.m.: ALL Grade 5 Upper School - just students Thursday, September 3rd at 12:45 p.m. : NEW Grades 10-12 Thursday, September 3rd at 1:00 p.m.: ALL Grade 9
As a reminder, please complete the Return to School Survey and sign up for your child's COVID Orientation today. Questions? Email COVID@cshct.org.