Sanford School 2020–2021 Reopening Plan Sanford School is committed to providing a high-quality, college-preparatory program while protecting the health, safety, and well-being of our community. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, school leaders have been monitoring and analyzing information provided by health organizations, scientists, medical providers, and state and federal officials. We have also conducted extensive research to develop and provide programs, facilities, and protocols that reduce the spread of COVID-19. Understanding that public health mandates and guidelines may require the school to close or processes to be adjusted, this plan is flexible. More importantly, our faculty and staff members are prepared to respond to changing conditions. Our ultimate goal is to deliver the Sanford experience in the safest possible environment for our students, families, and employees.
Our Campus Will be Open for Teaching and Learning We are planning to open with on-campus, in-person classes for preschool through twelfth-grade students. Families will have the option to choose remote learning for their children, who can participate in live-streamed classes from home using ZOOM and Swivl technology. Students in first grade will receive iPads, and second through twelfth-grade students will receive Chromebooks for their use during the 2020–2021 school year. If conditions surrounding the pandemic necessitate closing school, we will initiate our SanfordConnected distance learning program.
Protecting Our Community Sanford School will abide by or exceed guidelines set forth in the Delaware Department of Education’s Guidelines for School Openings. Our general strategies for protecting our community are outlined below. We will share additional detailed information in future communications.
Minimizing Personal Contact
Making Our Facilities Safer
To help reduce the risk of disease transmission, we will be:
Facility updates, modifications, and maintenance include:
› Requiring faculty, staff, students, vendors, and visitors to:
› Installing hand sanitizer stations at all building entrances
• Maintain at least five feet and, in most cases, six feet of physical distancing
and in classrooms
• Wear face masks at all times when inside
of high-touch surfaces and afternoon/evening deep cleaning in all spaces
• Wear face masks outside when six feet of physical distancing cannot be maintained › Providing individually designated workspaces that meet
Department of Education guidelines in our classrooms
› Hiring additional janitorial staff for daytime cleaning
› Disabling water fountains and installing water-bottle
filling stations › Assessing and improving indoor ventilation by installing
› Limiting visitors in buildings
purifying systems in classrooms that need additional support or spaces that do not have windows that open
› Eliminating or minimizing cross-divisional interactions
› Stocking classrooms with CDC-recommended
› Requiring parents to make appointments if they need
cleaning supplies
to access buildings.
› Ensuring that supplies and equipment aren’t shared
Exceed
state-required guidelines
maintain
SIX FEET of physical distancing
whenever possible › Disinfecting shared supplies and equipment after they’re used › Cleaning desks and surfaces between classes.
Implementing New Medical Protocols additional janitorial staff for cleaning
high-touch surfaces
Our health and safety protocols include: › Requiring COVID-19 testing for all faculty and staff
prior to school opening › Imploring families to have students tested prior to
coming to school › Encouraging families to refrain from non-essential travel,
wear face masks
non-essential use of mass transportation, and participation in other activities where physical distancing is not possible
at all times when inside
assessing and improving indoor ventilation
› Requiring faculty, staff, students, vendors, and visitors
to complete daily at-home symptom screenings with temperature checks before coming to campus › Isolating students, faculty, and staff members who have
COVID-like symptoms. installing
hand sanitizer stations at all building entrances and in classrooms
Maximizing Our Campus Sanford’s bucolic campus affords students and teachers opportunities to take advantage of teaching and learning outdoors. To that end, we will be: › Exploring options for adding outdoor WiFi services › Increasing the use of outdoor classrooms and spaces › Installing tents in designated areas.
Redesigning Our Events, Activities, and Programs The need to provide and preserve a heightened level of safety for our community requires us to make adjustments. Listed below are some of the changes that will be effective at the beginning of the 2020–2021 school year.
Modifying Our Before And Aftercare Programs
Making Smart Choices About Events
To support physical distancing and follow best practices, we are:
The community’s flexibility regarding events will be essential as we navigate new paths. Our plans include:
› Eliminating morning room in Lower School and Middle School
› Placing a moratorium on field trips until further notice
› Opening classrooms and buildings throughout campus
› Presenting events virtually
at 7:30 AM
› Revamping activities to maintain safe conditions
› Eliminating the drop-in Extended Day option to maintain
› Reserving the right to cancel or postpone events.
a safe staff to student ratio › Implementing health and safety precautions in our after-school
program that mirror those in place during the school day.
Changing Our Game In Athletics
Tuning Up Our Transportation Program New health and safety measures combined with logistical and scheduling changes will provide a safer traveling experience for our students. Our updated program includes:
The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) has delayed the start of sports seasons until December, at which time condensed seasons will begin. To learn more about this plan, visit Return to Play. For the 2020–2021 school year, we are:
› Reducing van capacity
› Replacing the mandatory sports credit requirement with a
› Disinfecting vans, according to CDC standards, after the
voluntary participation program for Upper School students
morning and afternoon trips
› Planning to conduct activities and offer in-house intramural
› Opening van windows whenever possible
competition for Middle School students.
Reducing Risks At Lunchtime CulinArt food service will not be provided. When the dining hall is occupied, physical distancing guidelines will be followed. Other changes include: › Requiring students and employees to bring food and
a water bottle to school › Eliminating students’ use of microwaves and refrigerators › Requiring preschool through eighth-grade students to
eat in their homerooms, classrooms, or outside › Requiring Upper School students to eat outside when weather
permits or in designated spaces where distancing is attainable.
› Eliminating the Possum Park Newark stop › Assigning a maximum of six students to each van
› Issuing assigned seats to students › Requiring van drivers and passengers to:
• Complete the school-required symptom screening and temperature check prior to boarding the van • Wear masks at all times • Clean their hands with hand sanitizer when boarding vans.
Adjusting Schedules in Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools Both divisions will operate on a five-day weekly schedule. Students will receive the same amount of instructional time in each class as when following a seven-day schedule. Features and benefits of the five-day schedule include: › Reducing transitions that occur during the day because
classes meet for longer blocks of time › Decreasing the number of classes that meet each day › Providing an asynchronous learning day on Wednesdays,
during which time seventh through twelfth-grade students will learn from home or, if needed, from Sanford’s campus › Setting up a smooth transition to SanfordConnected should
full remote learning become necessary.
How will Sanford Respond to COVID-19 Cases? If someone in our community tests positive for COVID-19, we will follow the Delaware Division of Public Health guidelines that are listed below. › School Nurse Jennifer Conway, serving as the school lead, will contact the Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology
within the Division of Public Health (DPH) and report the case. If DPH learns of a Sanford-related positive case first, DPH will contact Nurse Conway. › DPH will assign an epidemiologist to work with Nurse Conway to support case investigation and contact tracing. › Nurse Conway will work closely with the school’s leadership team to ensure consistency of communication and messaging. › Sanford will follow DPH procedures and protocols.
For detailed information, visit Sanford School’s COVID-19 Response Plan.
Stay Tuned & Stay in Touch We will update this plan as new information becomes available or if public health conditions require us to change our strategies. To learn more about our specific plans in each of our divisions, check out:
• Lower School 2020–2021 Divisional Reopening Plans
• Middle School 2020–2021 Divisional Reopening Plans
• Upper School 2020–2021 Divisional Reopening Plans If you have questions or concerns about any aspect of our reopening plan, contact Lower School Head Libbie Zimmer, Middle School Head Emily Amendum, or Upper School Head Abbi Smith.
Thank You for Your Support Our community is the heart and soul of Sanford School. We value and respect the family of every student, parent, alumnus, teacher, staff member, and coach who is a Warrior. When we open our doors for the 2020–2021 school year, we will do so carefully, thoughtfully, and safely.
6900 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, DE 19707
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302.235.6500
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www.sanfordschool.org