A MES S AG E FROM OU R HEAD MASTER
OUR COMMUNITY RECONNECTED THE FENN SCHOOL RE-OPENING PLAN FOR 2020-2021
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TAB L E O F CON T E N T S
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A Message from Our Headmaster
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A Thoughtful Approach to the School Year
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An Investment in Blended Learning
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Starting the School Year
School Day Schedules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
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A Focus on Social and Emotional Wellness
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Maintaining Community Health and Safety
Community Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Facility Health and Wellness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Community Compact and Compliance. . . . . . . . 16
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Family Requirements
Before the School Year Begins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
School Day Health Attestations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
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Managing Community Illnesses During the School Day
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Transitions to Distance Learning
Off-Campus Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Off-Campus Faculty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
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Academics, Arts, and Athletics
The Academic Program and Divisional Schedules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 The Arts Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 The Athletic Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
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Dining Services and On-Campus Food
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Rules of the Road for Drop-off and Pick-up
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Transportation Offerings
44 45 46
Communications Platforms
Community Compact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Revised Dress Code Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Revised Visitor Policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Extended Day Program
Questions and Resources Addendum: Fenn Policies
A MES S AG E FROM OU R HEAD MASTER
A Message from Our Headmaster Dear Fenn Community, We are pleased to share Fenn’s comprehensive plan for the 20202021 school year. I first would like to recognize the dedication and resilience of our students, faculty, staff, and families, who made the best of the distance learning environment last spring and finished up the year strong. We also were able to enjoy wonderful yet largely remote graduation festivities in June that culminated in a vehicle parade around campus to celebrate our graduates in a physically-distanced way. Curiosity about the coming school year has undoubtedly remained piqued among Fenn families since then, and this plan describes in detail how we will approach it. It is a dense document, but I urge you to read it in its entirety as it contains important details about our operations and our expectations of the Fenn community when we re-open the campus. DEREK BOONISAR
Families and students should expect the Fenn experience to look and feel different than years past. In addition to required health and safety measures and modifications to our campus and classrooms, changes also have been necessary to many facets of our program, from Arts and Athletics to dining services and beyond. As with seemingly everything during the pandemic, circumstances are changing rapidly, and Massachusetts’ school reopening plans for the fall may need to be updated. Closer to Labor Day, we will confirm or share any update to how our program will operate and the safety policies and practices we will require. At this time, we continue to plan for an in-person opening of school. As you know, COVID-19 is a novel and extremely contagious communicable illness that is spread through person-to-person interactions. It can cause symptoms in any infected individual, although data strongly indicates that older individuals and those with existing medical conditions are at a significantly higher risk of developing severe symptoms and complications. Not all individuals infected with COVID-19 display symptoms, but these individuals may nonetheless be contagious and spread the
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A M ES SAG E F RO M O U R H E A DM A ST E R
infection. State and local authorities continue to closely monitor the spread of COVID-19 in Massachusetts and call for appropriate quarantines, physical distancing, and other safety measures to prevent its spread.
a symptomatic and/or asymptomatic carrier of COVID-19; and l
Fenn School leadership has reviewed guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and numerous other leading health and education experts to inform the development of our school-year policies and practices and modifications to campus buildings. The safety of our students and employees is Fenn’s primary concern, and thus our policies and protocols will meet – and in some cases exceed – the requirements outlined in their guidance.
You knowingly and voluntarily assume that risk on behalf of yourself and your child, as well as the risk that such infection could spread to other members of your child’s household or family, as well as to others with whom your child may have contact.
Families will receive instructions for how to sign such an acknowledgment, and students will be given an opportunity to do so during the first day of school orientation or via electronic signature if a student begins the school year off-campus. These are uncertain times, but we remain committed to our mission of providing our students with an exceptional educational
The safety of our students and employees is Fenn’s primary concern, and thus our policies and protocols will meet – and in some cases exceed – the requirements outlined in their guidance. Although Fenn will meet all applicable safety requirements, as long as COVID-19 continues to spread by community transmission and until there is an effective vaccine, there will be a risk that students could become infected with COVID-19 at Fenn despite the School’s efforts. That risk extends to the families of students, as well as to others with whom students may have contact. We therefore will require that families sign an acknowledgment accepting the contents of this re-opening plan and agreeing that: l
experience and environment. Complying with critical health and safety guidance will require significant additional effort on the part of everyone involved, but we are nonetheless eager to re-open even if that means wearing masks and physically distancing. And please be assured that we will only open school for in-person instruction if it remains safe and advisable to do so. If you have questions about this letter or the plan it introduces, please do not hesitate to contact me or your son’s division head.
Despite Fenn’s compliance with applicable re-opening requirements, there is nonetheless a risk that your child could contract COVID-19 at Fenn and/or become
Sincerely, Derek R. Boonisar Headmaster
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A MES S AG E FROM OU R HEAD MASTER
OUR PLAN TO REOPEN THE FENN CAMPUS
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OUR PLAN TO REOPEN THE FENN CAMPUS
A Thoughtful Approach to the School Year On the first day of summer break in June, a 20+ person team of faculty researchers began an indepth analysis of the distance learning program that Fenn delivered to students in the spring, as well as best practice research into three potential teaching models that Fenn could need to deliver during the upcoming school year. These models included:
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On-campus teaching with safety restrictions;
A blend of on-campus and online learning; and
Distance or online learning only
Based on the extensive research and guidance collected to date, Fenn remains focused on re-opening campus to offer an in-person program. We sincerely appreciate, however, that this option may not be prudent or comfortable for every student and family with their unique personal circumstances. That is why we are proceeding this year with the blended teaching and learning model described in this plan to accommodate the education and support of students no matter where they are learning.
Daily analysis and planning work with an expanded group of administrators, faculty, and staff continued for the past few months, informed by perspectives and guidance from Trustees, students, and parent leaders from Fenn’s Parents Association; the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and other government officials; the Concord Board of Health and national health experts such as the CDC; Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc. consultants engaged by Fenn; medical professionals, including our consulting pediatrician and Fenn Health Office practitioners; associations for independent schools and many peer independent schools; and numerous others.
Any families who wish to discuss a remote learning option for their student should contact John Sharon, Director of the Academic Program, as soon as possible. Taking this step in no way impacts the status of a student, his financial aid award or his ability to return to on-campus instruction if/ when that is appropriate.
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OUR PLAN TO REOPEN THE FENN CAMPUS
During the remaining days of summer, our Fenn team will continue to monitor the status of COVID-19 and the impact it may or should have on school re-opening plans. We pledge to base our operating decisions on data and public health expertise; to communicate any decisions in a clear,
transparent, and timely manner; and to prepare everyone in the community for the possibility that circumstances could change and require us to transition to distance learning only at a moment’s notice. We will remain poised to pivot accordingly.
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OUR PLAN TO REOPEN THE FENN CAMPUS
An Investment in Blended Learning Schools are about teaching, learning, and relationships, and the deep relationships that form between Fenn students and faculty and staff and among colleagues are a hallmark of the Fenn School experience. We believe these relationships are best formed, maintained, and grown when we are together in-person, and we are hopeful that our campus will remain open and thriving during the 20202021 school year. We are eager to be back on-campus with the students who inspire and challenge us each and every day, as long as it is safe to do so.
A significant benefit of the blended teaching and learning model is how it allows Fenn’s program to be even more student-centered. Online resources and tools are used to cater lessons to individual student needs and interests and to enhance overall engagement. Fenn faculty continue to engage in weekly professional development activities that enrich their understanding and application of this model, and online learning generally, to assist them in crafting innovative and engaging curricula that will be responsive to evolving circumstances. Diversity, equity, and inclusion, and social and emotional wellness have also been key areas of focus for summertime professional development.
Regardless of the circumstances we face this year, we are committed to delivering a signature Fenn experience to all of our students, and we will not waiver from that aspiration.
Delivering on a blended approach even as we return to campus should maximize our efficiency and efficacy if we need to move to a distance learning model at any point, if students or faculty need to be at home temporarily as required by COVID-19 protocols or if families opt to keep their students at home to engage remotely.
Fenn faculty have been dedicating their summer preparations to: n
A return to on-campus instruction that engages students while following strict health and safety protocols including the use of student cohorts; and
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The creation of units and lessons for a blended teaching and learning model, in which teachers engage with students in-person, class materials are accessed in-person and online, and student interactions occur in both settings.
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OUR PLAN TO REOPEN THE FENN CAMPUS
Starting the School Year We sincerely value the input we have received from Fenn families, students, faculty, and staff regarding our approach to this unique school year. Our best judgment and this collective input have prompted us to adjust how we will begin the year. We will still open school officially on Thursday, September 10 (following new student activities on September 8 and 9), but we will follow a staggered start that brings students back to campus by division for one school day before the full Fenn community is on-campus together. The Lower School will be the only division on-campus on September 10, the Middle School on September 11, and the Upper School on September 14. Remote orientation and training activities will take place on the other days by division, leading up to Tuesday, September 15, when the full community is expected on-campus.
protocols, to experience these protocols inaction, and to practice navigating the campus following the new pathways and guidelines among a smaller group of students. The staggered model may also help minimize any first-day anxiety associated with a return to school after significant time away and under COVID-19 protocols. Fun, team-building activities will also be on the docket to balance out the day. The staggered schedule follows on the next page, and division heads will share more specific information about the schedule and approach to each orientation day, whether on-campus or remote.
With a staggered start, boys from each division will have the opportunity to receive in-person, developmentally-appropriate training on Fenn’s health and safety
We will still open school officially on Thursday, September 10 following new student activities on September 8 and 9, but we will follow a staggered start that brings students back to campus by division for one school day before the full Fenn community is on-campus together.
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OUR PLAN TO REOPEN THE FENN CAMPUS
ALL NEW STUDENTS Tuesday, Sept. 8
Zoom Welcome Session from 4:00-5:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 9
On-Campus Advisor and Cohort Meet-Ups: 10:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for Middle and Upper School students 12:45 to 2:00 p.m. for Lower School students
LOWER SCHOOL Wednesday, Sept. 9
Divisional Zoom meeting at 6:00 p.m. (call-in details forthcoming)
Thursday, Sept. 10 On-campus for full school day of orientation and training activities Friday, Sept. 11
Remote orientation and training activities (via Zoom, etc.)
Monday, Sept. 14
Remote orientation and training activities (via Zoom, etc.)
Tuesday, Sept. 15
All school is in session on-campus
MIDDLE SCHOOL Thursday, Sept. 10
Remote orientation and training activities (via Zoom, etc.)
Friday, Sept. 11 On-campus for full school day of orientation and training activities Monday, Sept. 14
Remote orientation and training activities (via Zoom, etc.)
Tuesday, Sept. 15
All school is in session on-campus
UPPER SCHOOL Thursday, Sept. 10 Friday, Sept. 11
Remote orientation and training activities (via Zoom, etc.) Remote orientation and training activities (via Zoom, etc.)
Monday, Sept. 14 On-campus for full school day of orientation and training activities Tuesday, Sept. 15
All school is in session on-campus
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OUR PLAN TO REOPEN THE FENN CAMPUS
School Day Schedules When school is fully in-session, campus buildings will open for students at 8:00 a.m., and morning advisory will begin at 8:15 a.m. Between 8:00 and 8:15, boys may play outside in areas designated for their student cohort groups or go directly to their cohort classrooms. The library, gyms, and iLab will be unavailable.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, Lower School pick-up at the end of the school day will begin at 3:40 p.m., Middle School at 3:50 p.m., and Upper School at 4:50 p.m. On Tuesdays, Lower School pickup will begin at 12:40 p.m., Middle School at 12:50 p.m., and Upper School at 1:00 p.m. The staggered pick-up time frames will help to prevent large student gatherings at any one time and facilitate an efficient pick-up process.
The school day will continue following divisional schedules shared on pages 26-28.
See page 37 for detailed drop-off and pick-up procedures.
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OUR PLAN TO REOPEN THE FENN CAMPUS
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WELLNESS AND THE FENN COMMUNITY
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WELLNESS AND THE FENN COMMUNITY
A Focus on Social and Emotional Wellness As we prepare for and navigate an unorthodox return to school this fall, the social and emotional wellness of our Fenn boys, faculty, and staff will remain a priority. n
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It is a focus of professional development programs that our faculty are experiencing this summer to help support students and one another when we return to school. It is also an area of expertise for many faculty and staff who have invested in extensive training in this critical area.
u Ensuring that diversity, equity, and
inclusion are key factors in program decisions; u Offering ample opportunities for boys
to be active, move their bodies, and enjoy nature and the outdoors; u Maintaining Fenn traditions (e.g. All
School Meeting) in new and unique ways to provide familiarity;
It is guiding our development of a thoughtful orientation program for the early days of school – one that invites boys into a warm and welcoming Fenn community and introduces them to the many steps we will take as a community to help keep everyone healthy and safe.
u Relying on the comfort of cohorts
and health and safety measures to help reduce anxiety and reinforce our commitment to the community’s welfare; and u Introducing new sports and activities
It will be integrated into the overall fabric of the school day beyond the early days of orientation. As we are developing our school program for the unique year ahead, we are paying particular attention to:
(e.g. archery) that our boys will embrace. n
u Increasing the amount of time boys
spend with their advisory to provide comfort and space for trusted relationships to form and deepen;
And it will continue to be an area of support that our Consulting Clinical Psychologist Dr. Geoff Cohane will provide as a service to Fenn boys and families. Families needing support now are invited to contact their division head(s) or Geoff directly at gcohane@fenn.org.
Families can expect to receive tips and resources from Fenn’s Counseling Office and other personnel on how to support boys as they re-engage with school. As a start, families may benefit from these recommendations from the CDC: “Talking with Children about Coronavirus Disease 2019.”
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WELLNESS AND THE FENN COMMUNITY
Maintaining Community Health and Safety Together, we all must do our part to help keep the Fenn community healthy and safe and the campus open for in-person instruction, learning, and community-building. Here are the actions Fenn will require to help maintain the personal health and wellness of all community members: Student Cohorts.
boys in these grades will meet with their math teacher in-person.
The use of cohorts to limit the interaction between students and faculty will be the most significant adjustment to the Fenn experience. All Fenn boys are being assigned to cohorts with which they will remain for the entire school day. They will vary in size based on division, grade, and number of students to disperse and in most cases will include approximately 16 students. Each cohort will be assigned to a specific classroom (and each student to an assigned seat), and the majority of the cohort’s classes will take place there, with faculty coming to them.
Physical Distancing. Six feet of distance will be required between all students, faculty, and staff. Every Fenn classroom and meeting space was analyzed to determine the number of people each could hold after ensuring this distance between individuals, and extensive renovations were made to classrooms. Walls came down between smaller classrooms to create larger ones, and shelves, counter spaces, and larger teacher desks were removed. Seminar and conference tables were also replaced by individual student tables or desks, where necessary.
One exception is morning advisory for larger cohorts, which will divide into two groups and meet with two separate advisors (one in the cohort classroom; the other in another classroom designated for the advisor group). The cohort will then come back together after advisory. Boys will also move as a cohort to some Arts classes – e.g. Wood Shop – that cannot be accommodated well within a cohort classroom.
6 ft.
*Upper and Middle School Math: In order to maintain the purity of cohorts and differing levels of math instruction, seventh and eighth grade math classes will largely be offered online from cohort classrooms. At least once a week, however,
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WELLNESS AND THE FENN COMMUNITY
Masks.
Personal Hygiene.
Students must come to school each day with at least two masks – one to wear, plus extras in a plastic bag in their backpack. We also suggest including an additional plastic bag for soiled masks. (See page 18 for a list of required school supplies.) Masks must be worn at all times when indoors, and they must cover the mouth and nose, fit snugly, and have two layers of fabric, if handmade. Neck gaiters and bandanas are not allowed.
Boys will be required to wash their hands for 20 seconds, with frequency, throughout the day – after arriving at school; before and after eating lunch or snacks or touching shared objects (which we have worked to minimize); after using the bathroom, coughing, sneezing or blowing one’s nose; and before leaving school for the day. Hand sanitizer will also be readily available around campus.
Masks must also be consistent with Fenn’s dress code and not bear inappropriate messages or images (See Addendum for Revised Dress Code). They must be washed daily or exchanged for a clean mask, and emergency disposable masks will be provided by Fenn in case of damage to student masks. Clear masks will also be available, if needed.
Pathways and Traffic Flow. Boys will be expected to apply the training they will receive on the pathways they should follow and the building entrances and exits they should use when traveling to and from classrooms, outside for recess and sports, to Extended Day and pick-up, to restrooms, etc. Restrooms will be assigned to specific cohorts and to students OR faculty/staff, and capacity restrictions will be imposed to ensure physical distancing. Campus signage will provide important guidance.
Exceptions to Fenn’s mask policy may be made due to medical necessity or disability, and families who wish to discuss exceptions should contact their division head(s).
In any emergency response, all exits, entrances, and pathways will be available, and boys will be trained to understand that.
Outdoor Classrooms. We have erected approximately eight large tents and multiple canopies to create open air classrooms and meeting spaces. Six feet of distance will be required between individuals within these outdoor spaces, but boys will be able to enjoy periodic, supervised mask breaks. Classes will also be welcome to use other outdoor campus locations (on North Campus, etc.), as many do outside of a pandemic.
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WELLNESS AND THE FENN COMMUNITY
Maintaining the health and wellness of Fenn facilities is also a priority: Optimal Air Circulation. Fenn engaged Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc. of Newton, Mass. for expert guidance on how to evaluate and ensure optimal air exchange and circulation in all campus buildings, classrooms, and meeting spaces. Service providers have been on campus throughout the summer to help install new air conditioning units and fans in classrooms and meeting spaces that did not already have optimal air flow. New equipment will vent out and exchange air in classrooms and meeting spaces a minimum of five times each hour, and these systems will operate 24 hours a day even as the weather gets cooler. Ceiling fans in some classrooms will also contribute to the movement of air.
Additionally: n All classrooms will have cleaning materials
available to the adults using the space. Their periodic cleaning of the spaces will be supplemented by the efforts of a full-time cleaning crew that will sanitize classrooms when they are available during the school day.
Frequent Cleaning and Sanitation of Campus Buildings. Fenn has engaged three day porters who will focus solely on sanitizing school spaces on a regular rotation during the school day. Their daily activities will include:
n Electrostatic spray surface cleaning will
also be employed at least nightly. An electrostatically-charged mist is sprayed onto surfaces and objects, and the nature of the mist allows it to coat surfaces evenly and envelope objects. After the spray is applied, the sanitizing agent works to disinfect the covered surfaces.
n Wiping down all door handles of building
entrances and exits and classroom and stairwell doors, as well as all hand railings; n Sanitizing all restrooms, which will be
designated for specific cohorts and for students OR faculty/staff; and
n All floors will be mopped with sanitizing
floor solutions on a nightly basis.
n Sanitizing all water fountains that are
designated for the filling of water bottles. Water fountains that do not provide this service will be blocked off from use.
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WELLNESS AND THE FENN COMMUNITY
Ensuring Compliance with Protocols Fenn School Parent and Student Handbook.
their students before school begins. (Fenn will provide boys who are remote with an opportunity to accept required documents via electronic signature.)
All families will receive a link to the updated Parent and Student Handbook, and it is important to carefully review its contents (and all other summer forms Fenn provides) since many require—for the first time— acknowledgement with a signature from parents/guardians AND the student.
Consequences for Non-Compliance: Because Fenn cares deeply about maintaining the health and safety of the community, there will be consequences for breaches of health and safety protocols. Removal of masks without permission, lack of respect for physical distancing requirements, refusal to maintain personal hygiene including but not limited to hand washing, and failure to respond to redirection in any of these areas are considered student breaches of Fenn’s Parent and Student Handbook and Community Compact under COVID-19 protocols.
Fenn School Community Compact. Fenn students, families, and faculty and staff must review and sign a “Community Compact” that pledges their commitment to follow the health and safety protocols required by Fenn during the school day. The Compact also calls for responsible behavior and compliance with health official guidance and government orders in Massachusetts leading up to the start of school and outside school hours. (See the Addendum section for the full Compact.)
A first violation will prompt a conversation between the student and his division head, an official warning, and a call home by the division head. A second violation will prompt a similar conversation, warning, and call home, but will also result in the student being sent home for the remainder of the school day. After a third violation, the student will be sent home for a protracted leave determined by the division head and headmaster.
Signing the Compact: Parents and guardians can access and sign the Compact by logging into Fenn.myschoolapp.com, where all required school forms are located.
The division head will work with each impacted student and family throughout the process to discuss appropriate resolution(s) that will ultimately be at the discretion of the headmaster or his designee. Violations will not carry over from term to term, but behavior patterns will be tracked.
Students will sign a hard copy of the Compact at orientation during their first day oncampus, and division heads will review the document with them. They will also be asked to confirm their acceptance of the Parent and Student Handbook. We urge parents and guardians to review this re-opening plan, the Community Compact, and the Handbook with
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WELLNESS AND THE FENN COMMUNITY
FAMILY REQUIREMENTS:
Before the School Year Begins Back-to-school preparations may bear little resemblance to years past. These are the important actions we request that Fenn families take in the days leading up to the start of school: Return to Massachusetts. Please abide by the COVID-19 Travel Order for all visitors and returning residents entering Massachusetts. This requires anyone returning to the state to complete a Massachusetts Travel Form (unless they have visited a lower-risk state designated by the Department of Public Health) and to quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result.
Follow expert health and safety guidance.
Prepare your son for extended mask wearing.
Please be vigilant wearing masks when outside your home or when non family members come to your home, maintaining physical distance of at least six feet with non family members, maintaining a tight social circle, committing to frequent hand washing, and consulting your physician immediately if anyone in your family or social circle falls ill.
Help your son practice wearing a mask for an extended amount of time to mirror the requirements of the school day. Begin with shorter periods of time and gradually add on time. Start the process now to find masks that are comfortable for him and to have him fully acclimated by the time school starts.
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WELLNESS AND THE FENN COMMUNITY
Gather school supplies. To avoid the use of shared items, Fenn students must have these items with them in a backpack or stored in their designated personal space each school day: 4 Pens/Pencils
4 Sanitation wipes
4 Pencil box or zipped pencil pouch
4 Earphones/earbuds (only grades 8-9; grades 4-7 receive earphones with school iPads)
4 Masks (extras in a plastic bag in their backpack, plus an additional bag for soiled masks requiring laundering)
4 Stylus (optional) 4 Water bottle
4 Rain gear for outdoors (in light rain)
4 Nut-free snacks that do not require refrigeration (See page 35 on Dining Services)
4 Extra pair of shoes and socks to be kept at school
We welcome hearing from families who will face difficulties purchasing these items so we can assist in providing them. Families can contact their division head, Tory Hayes/Director of Admission and Financial Aid (thayes@fenn.org), Liz Wei/Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (lwei@fenn.org) or any faculty member they feel comfortable contacting for this support.
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WELLNESS AND THE FENN COMMUNITY
FAMILY REQUIREMENTS:
School Day Health Attestations Monitoring and maintaining open lines of communication about the health of all Fenn community members will be critical as we navigate the school year. Doing so will help to ensure that ill community members remain at home and that Fenn is responsive to any illness that could impact the community. n
Daily health attestations are required.
COVID-19 Symptoms
Before a student arrives at school or boards a bus or van en route to school, his parent or guardian must answer questions about his current health status using the secure health screening app MyMedBot. (By Labor Day, families will receive an invitation to download and set up the app so they can become familiar with it before the start of school.)
A parent or guardian will be asked to monitor their student for the following COVID-19 symptoms: 4 Fever over 100 degrees during the past 72 hours 4 Cough 4 Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fenn division heads and other personnel will be present at the drop-off circles each morning to confirm that Fenn has received a daily health attestation for every arriving student. Students who arrive to school WITHOUT an attestation will be unable to proceed to their advisory until it is received. They will be supervised in a tent nearby the drop-off circle or in a designated indoor location in inclement weather until an attestation is received. Fenn personnel will contact families (or stop them in the drop-off circle, if possible) to request an attestation as soon as possible.
4 Fatigue 4 Muscle or body aches 4 Headache 4 New loss of taste or smell 4 Sore throat 4 Nasal congestion or runny nose 4 Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours n
Boys who arrive late to school must also be checked in before proceeding to class.
They should remain in their vehicle and call 978-369-5800. Fenn personnel will confirm receipt of their health attestation and direct them accordingly.
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WELLNESS AND THE FENN COMMUNITY
If a student is experiencing any of the designated COVID-19 symptoms, his parent or guardian must: n
Log the symptoms in MyMedBot and KEEP THEIR STUDENT AT HOME;
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Immediately notify Fenn’s Administrator of Health Services, Julie Genova RN BSN, at jgenova@fenn.org, and report their student’s absence via attendance@fenn.org or 978-318-3680 by 9:00 a.m.
Students must also stay home if they have been in close contact with someone who has received a positive test result for COVID-19. The Fenn Health Office should be notified of these circumstances immediately.
n
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Contact their student’s primary care physician to get a test/ evaluation for active COVID-19 infection as directed by the physician.
In all cases, the Fenn Health Office must communicate with the office of any impacted student’s primary care physician to review the student’s evaluation and care plan prior to any return to school. If COVID-19 is suspected, the student will be required to stay home for 14 days, per guidelines from the Departments of Elementary and Secondary Education and Public Health.
WELLNESS AND THE FENN COMMUNITY
Managing Community Illnesses During the School Day Students who feel ill or who have suffered an injury during the school day will be sent to the Health Office in the W.W. Fenn Building immediately for evaluation. Faculty, staff or peers may also urge a student to go to the Health Office if they have noticed someone who may be ill.
Fenn’s Health Office is equipping all classrooms with basic medical kits to address minor issues such as paper cuts that do not require a nurse’s care. This should limit the number of students who need to visit the Health Office and their exposure to anyone who is ill.
n
Ill or injured students will be escorted to the Health Office by adults, and a school nurse will be alerted and ready to meet them. Nursing staff will have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at their disposal to use when interacting with ill students.
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The Lovejoy Portrait Room on the first floor of the W.W. Fenn building will serve as a dedicated examination and isolation room for ill students. Students with injuries will be sent to the standard Health Office examination room.
Each student illness will be assessed based on its own presentation, and if COVID-19 is a possibility, the student must be sent home. Parents must be ready to pick up their student at any point in the school day, as necessary, or to have a contingency plan in place for another person to do so. Fenn’s Administrator of Health Services, working in concert with the local Public Health Nurse and Board of Health, will assist with follow-up instructions for parents related to the need for student testing and quarantine.
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If Fenn learns of a positive case of COVID-19 in our community, the Concord Board of Public Health will be notified immediately. The local Public Health Nurse will take the lead on contact tracing, decisions related to quarantining of the impacted Fenn cohort(s) or community members, and notification to the larger community. Fenn Health Office personnel and Administrators will collaborate with the local health authorities during any necessary response.
The external W.W. Fenn Building door nearby to the Portrait Room will be used solely as an entrance to the Health Office (and signage will communicate that). Anyone who needs to enter the W.W. Fenn building for other purposes must use the entrance nearest to the Headmaster’s Office (or at the back of the building).
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WELLNESS AND THE FENN COMMUNITY
Transitions to Distance Learning We recognize that the shifting COVID-19 climate will impact our ability to be together as a full community at all times this school year. Students who will be remote learners at any point can expect to:
Our Fenn “magic� lies in the relationships, community building, and joy that comes from striving to live out our core values on a daily basis. Families who have children home for any reason should therefore rest assured that their son’s academic experience will be supported by his cohort teaching team; his emotional wellbeing will be attended to by his advisor and division head; and his active participation, pending his health, will be solicited and expected as often as is reasonable.
l Link up with their morning advisory via
Zoom to form and deepen relationships, stay up-to-date on current community events, participate in advisory challenges, and benefit from divisional social and emotional programming offered there; l View and contribute personal
content to All School Meeting video compilations that will replace our in-person Ward Hall experience yet celebrate the achievements and talents of the community (on-campus students will access content similarly);
Through it all, we promise to maintain our signature care for each student so he feels known, understood, and valued in the Fenn community, wherever he may be. We welcome parent partnership on this journey and the learning and growth we will experience together. n
l Participate in divisional All School
Meetings that are expected weekly via Zoom for all students;
If a student cannot participate in oncampus instruction due to illness, quarantine or a family decision to keep the student at-home, he can access the Fenn curriculum remotely, and our blended learning approach will provide meaningful opportunities for him to engage with his classes and course material. Faculty learned through research this summer that our relational and affective approach at Fenn is delivered far more personally with a blended teaching and learning model.
l Participate in select class sessions via
Zoom where synchronous learning is critical (e.g. project-based activities, Socratic seminars, virtual visits by authors and other content specialists, etc.), as well as in small group breakout sessions that will enable a deeper exploration of subject matter and relationship-building with peers;
22
WELLNESS AND THE FENN COMMUNITY
l Benefit from one-on-one Zoom check-in
The same applies if the Fenn Board of Trustees and Administration determine that it is prudent or necessary to close the campus OR if Fenn is required to close due to COVID-19 developments in the state or local area. The all-school community would shift to distance learning, and students and families would receive timely instructions for how to re-engage remotely.
conversations with advisors, teachers, and/or Dr. Geoff Cohane, Fenn’s Consulting Clinical Psychologist, as appropriate; l More deeply engage classwork and
associated subject matter using interactive teaching and learning tools such as PearDeck, EdPuzzle, and Quizziz, as well as familiar online platforms such as Google, Notability, and online blogs (these will also be used by on-campus students);
Off-Campus Faculty If a faculty member must teach from home at any point due to a personal absence or to a required quarantine or mild illness, he or she can instruct classes via Zoom. Another faculty or staff member would be present to supervise in the classroom.
l Benefit from Fenn’s continued
commitment to differentiated instruction that prioritizes student voice and choice in their learning; and l Gain access to opportunities and
materials that will enable meaningful engagement with Arts and Athletic curriculum and programming.
If a teacher is unavailable due to illness, Fenn will follow its existing protocols for faculty absences and assign another faculty or staff member to cover the class. Whenever possible, a stand-in faculty or staff member will be chosen from among the cohort’s team of teachers to limit exposure.
n If an entire Fenn cohort, class or larger
group is impacted by a quarantine, Fenn would promptly transition the group(s) to an immersive distance learning experience of synchronous and asynchronous elements with their same teacher(s) and classmates. Again, use of the blended teaching and learning approach will keep us nimble, enabling what we expect will be an efficient and effective transition to distance learning, if needed.
In either case, it may be appropriate for students to work independently using online guidance and resources for some portion or the duration of classes impacted in these ways. Fenn’s blended teaching and learning model enables all classes to advance their work and curricula regardless of changing circumstances.
Families with questions about our plans and preparedness in this regard may contact John Sharon, Director of the Academic Program, at jsharon@fenn.org.
23
ACADEMICS, ARTS, AND ATHLETICS
24
ACA DEMI CS, A RT S, A N D ATHLETICS
The Academic Program Fenn will operate a five-day school schedule for each division, which will include our hallmark All School Meeting four days each week in an online format, flop, and other unique elements of the Fenn School experience. See pages 26-28 for sample schedules for each division. Recess in Cohorts:
A Note About Tutoring
Fenn boys have always relished recess, and it will be particularly important as we navigate a more restrictive Fenn experience at the start of the year. Each cohort will be assigned to one of 21 designated locations on-campus where boys will enjoy outside recess as a cohort as long as weather cooperates. Every attempt will be made to get boys outside, even in light rain and cooler temperatures. Sending boys to school in appropriate weather gear is encouraged.
Tutoring services will be available through Fenn’s Learning Support Services Department and offered in 20-, 40- and 60-minute increments and at rates significantly reduced from previous years. The timing and mode of sessions are also more flexible to better accommodate various learning styles: Zoom and/or inperson sessions either before school, during school, after school or evenings.
Each cohort will receive a bag of a variety of balls to use during recess and other free time. This will be theirs alone to keep track of and sanitize after use with adult support and guidance.
Families with questions or who wish to share an interest in tutoring should contact Dr. Eden Dunckel, Director of Learning Support Services, at edunckel@fenn.org. Families already connected with tutoring are receiving Tutoring Agreements.
During inclement weather, cohorts will remain in their designated classrooms for recess and engage in indoor activities that include reading, puzzles, trivia, and board games. The gyms, multi-purpose room (MPR), library, and iLab will be unavailable for inside recess while Fenn is operating under COVID-19 protocols.
Before school begins, families can expect communications from Director of Technology, Jeff LaPlante, about iPad distribution for grades 4-7 and a new academic portal for students and parents.
25
AC A DE MI CS, ART S, A ND AT H L E T I CS
LOWER SCHOOL TIME 8:15 a.m. 8:45 a.m. 9:40 a.m. 10:10 a.m. 10:25 a.m.
MON | WED | THU | FRI
TIME TUESDAY
Advisory Period L1
All School Meeting Recess Period L2
Advisory
8:15 a.m. 8:45 a.m.
Period L1
9:30 a.m.
Recess
9:45 a.m.
Period L2
10:30 a.m.
Flop
10:45 a.m.
Period L3
11:30 a.m.
Recess
11:20 a.m. 12:05 p.m.
Period L3
11:45 a.m.
Period L4
1:00 p.m.
Sports
12:30 p.m.
Advisory
12:40 p.m.
Pick-up
Lunch
2:00 p.m.
Flop
2:30 p.m.
Period L4
3:25 p.m.
Advisory
3:40 p.m.
Pick-up
26
ACA DEMI CS, A RT S, A N D ATHLETICS
MIDDLE SCHOOL TIME 8:15 a.m. 8:45 a.m. 9:40 a.m. 10:10 a.m. 10:25 a.m. 11:20 a.m.
MON | WED | THU | FRI
TIME TUESDAY
Advisory Period M1
All School Meeting Recess Period M2
Advisory
8:15 a.m. 8:30 a.m.
Period M1
9:30 a.m.
Period M2
10:30 a.m.
Recess
10:45 a.m.
Period M3
11:45 a.m.
Period M4
12:50 p.m.
Pick-up
Period M3
12:15 p.m.
Lunch
1:05 p.m.
Period M4
2:00 p.m.
Sports
3:00 p.m.
Help & Work/Student Life
3:50 p.m.
Pick-up
27
AC A DE MI CS, ART S, A ND AT H L E T I CS
UPPER SCHOOL TIME 8:15 a.m. 8:45 a.m. 9:40 a.m. 10:10 a.m. 11:05 a.m. 11:20 a.m.
MON | WED | THU | FRI
TIME TUESDAY
Advisory Period U1
All School Meeting Period U2
Recess
Advisory
8:15 a.m. 8:30 a.m.
Period U1
9:30 a.m.
Period U2
10:30 a.m.
Recess
10:45 a.m.
Period U3
11:45 a.m.
Period U4
1:00 p.m.
Pick-up
Period U3
12:15 p.m.
Period U4
1:10 p.m.
Lunch
2:00 p.m.
Arts/Study Hall
3:15 p.m.
Sports
4:50 p.m.
Pick-Up
28
ACA DEMI CS, A RT S, A N D ATHLETICS
The Arts Program Fenn’s Arts Department is dedicated to offering a broad curricular experience in the performing and visual arts, and students will be assigned to Arts classes by cohort group. Curricular Program. Lower School and Middle School offerings will be as usual, with course content and projects adapted for health and safety, classroom configuration, etc. n
Lower School students will experience coursework in art, music, drama, and woodshop, and Middle Schoolers will be assigned six different Arts offerings.
n
Eighth graders will be assigned by cohort group to at least one performing and one visual arts class during the school year, and ninth graders will enjoy woodshop and video production.
n
Across all arts offerings, there will be limited sharing of costumes, props, musical instruments, computer stations, art supplies, etc., and proper cleaning will occur between any shared uses.
More detailed information about the arts program will be forthcoming. Families with questions about the band program or instrumental lessons in particular can contact Fenn’s Director of Instrumental Music, Virginia Morales, at vmorales@fenn.org.
29
AC A DE MI CS, ART S, A ND AT H L E T I CS
Performing Arts. the fall, there may be an opportunity to reschedule it. All other performances will be virtual until further notice.
Fenn’s Performing Arts faculty are committed to continuing our strong Performing Arts tradition while complying with mandates regarding COVID-19. We are hopeful that changing circumstances will allow for a loosening of the restrictions shared here: n
Treble Chorus and vocal rehearsals are on hold until deemed safe to resume by Fenn and health and safety experts.
n
Collaborative musicals between Fenn and Nashoba Brooks School have been suspended for the school year. The Arts Department plans to stage a collaborative ninth grade Drama project in the winter trimester to replace them. While we also cannot offer a Middle School play in
30
n
The band program will transition to a chamber music program this year, and all boys will be placed into ensembles of 8-10, likely separated by grade. Rehearsals will take place outside for as long as weather allows, and musicians will be spaced at least 10 feet apart.
n
Fenn will not offer beginning band this year. Fourth graders can instead sign up for private lessons to learn a new instrument.
n
Instrumental lessons will be offered virtually.
ACA DEMI CS, A RT S, A N D ATHLETICS
The Athletic Program Fenn Athletics will take on a different look under COVID-19 protocols. Instead of the traditional fall program of Soccer, Cross Country, and Football, which is normally offered intramurally and interscholastically, the Athletic Department has created a more appropriate program of offerings that honors physical distancing. Safety for boys and coaches will be the top priority, followed by getting the boys outside and exercising and providing them an opportunity to relax, socialize, and have fun.
31
AC A DE MI CS, ART S, A ND AT H L E T I CS
Sports Offerings: All sports will take place in cohort groups, and offerings will include: 4 Baseball 4 Archery 4 Track and Field 4 Fishing 4 Disc Golf 4 Volleyball/Newcomb 4 Yoga/Workout 4 Kickball In the Upper School (and Middle School, if possible), boys will also participate in Canoeing. Eighth and ninth graders with a strong interest in an outside sport will also have the opportunity to apply for a sports alternative. Those boys who opt for a sports alternative will be expected to depart campus at the start of afternoon sports (at approximately 3:15 p.m.). Families can contact Athletic Director Bob Starensier (bstarensier@ fenn.org) with questions. Boys are also welcome to bring their own bats from home, but these cannot be shared. Bats that Fenn provides for other boys will be shared, but they will be sanitized after every single at-bat.
Equipment and Clothing: Fall baseball is the only athletic offering for which equipment will be needed from Fenn families. All boys must have baseball gloves, and Fenn is committed to helping supply them for boys without them so there is no need to share. The Athletic Department does have some extra gloves to offer; however, Fenn families are also invited to donate gloves they are no longer using. Fenn will provide details on how and where donations can be given, and we thank families in advance for contributions that will help ensure equity across the program.
Since locker rooms will be unavailable under COVID-19 protocols, boys should plan to participate in sports in the clothing they wear to school.
See the Addendum for Fenn’s revised dress code policy, which accommodates a more casual style of dress.
32
CAMPUS SERVICES AND OPERATIONS
33
34
CA MP U S S ERV ICES
Dining Services and On-Campus Food Lunchtime is a favorite part of Fenn boys’ school days, based on the chatter and laughter normally bouncing off the walls of the Connolly Dining Hall. While Fenn follows COVID-19 protocols, the Connolly Dining Hall will be unable to host divisional lunchtime gatherings of boys, faculty, and staff. Instead, lunch will be delivered to cohort classrooms or served picnic style (i.e., picked up and eaten outside within cohorts). 4 Families will need to pre-order their son’s weekly lunch order online by 3:00 p.m. each Wednesday for the following week. Gathering this information in advance will enable the Dining Services team to purchase, prepare, and package all lunches accordingly in single-serve containers. (For the first few days of school, we do not plan to serve lunches chosen through online ordering. Instead, we will offer everyone similar lunch offerings, including options for vegetarians and students with food sensitivities. The first lunch by menu app is expected to be on September 16, requiring a first official order by September 9.)
4 Menus will be adjusted and expanded as the food ordering, packaging, and delivery process is streamlined. The Dining Services team will request feedback from students and families after the initial weeks of school to ensure a good diversity of offerings and appropriate quantities and portion sizes.
4 The first priority for the Dining Services team headed by Chef Manager David Ayotte is to feed the community safely with quality foods in quantities that keep boys, faculty, and staff well-fed and happy.
The Fenn School store will not be open while Fenn operates under COVID-19 protocols, and School Senators are unable to hold popular pizza and donut sales. All Fenn families should therefore pack a nut-free, non-perishable snack for their son for each school day. The safest snacks are unopened, pre-packaged products that conform to the nut-free list included in this helpful Safe Snack Guide. If any boy forgets a snack, he should notify his advisor or division head, and an appropriate snack will be provided.
4 Boys with food allergies/sensitivities and other special dining needs will continue to be accommodated, and these needs should be communicated to the Health Office.
Snack from Home:
All Fenn families should pack a nut-free, non-perishable snack for their son for each school day. 35
C AMP U S S E RV I C E S
A Note about Food Packaging and Sustainability Packaging. Fenn’s commitment to sustainability will help to guide Chef Manager Ayotte’s food packaging decisions as Fenn embarks on a single-serve food delivery system. The Dining Services team will cycle through paper and plastic containers for food items based on availability and provide disposable plastic-wrapped cutlery sets and individual portion dressings and condiments. Capri Sun and/or boxed water will also be offered with lunch.
Composting. The Dining Services team will continue to compost and welcome weekly pick-ups by Black Earth Compost, one of New England’s leading full-service compost companies. After Fenn has experienced the new approach to lunches during the early weeks of school, Director of Sustainability, Cameren Cousins, plans to explore how to engage students as “Composting Captains” to lead composting efforts in cohort classrooms (sorting chip bags, ketchup packets, etc.).
36
CA MP U S S ERV ICES
Rules of the Road for Drop Off and Pick Up Fenn drop-off and pick-up procedures have been revamped to prevent large gatherings of boys in one place at one time. Here are the “rules of the road” while the School operates under COVID-19 protocols: Morning Drop-Off:
office staff will confirm receipt of a health attestation before directing the boy to his classroom or to another appropriate location.
Fenn campus buildings will open for students beginning at 8:00 a.m. Families can drop off their students in the circle adjacent to the Campus Center, always following directions from faculty/staff directing vehicles. However, it is important to remember that:
Afternoon Pick-up: 4 Families will be unable to walk onto campus to pick up their sons. As Fenn’s COVID-19 visitor policy states (see Addendum for full policy), all visits to campus must be pre-approved by the School, and all visitors must submit health attestations before arriving. We cannot accommodate this for family members at pick-up time. We also cannot allow bathroom use by anyone who may be coming onto campus for a pick-up, etc.
4 Boys must be in good health if they are coming to school. If they are experiencing any symptoms of illness or if anyone in the family or anyone with whom they have come into contact is dealing with symptoms, they must remain home. 4 A health attestation must be submitted for every student, every school day. If it is, each arriving boy can proceed to the outdoor, designated freeplay area for his cohort or to his cohort classroom in inclement weather. Fenn supervision will be provided at either location.
4 On Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, Lower School pick-up will begin at 3:40 p.m., Middle School at 3:50 p.m., and Upper School at 4:50 p.m. On Tuesdays, Lower School pick-up begins at 12:40 p.m., Middle School at 12:50 p.m., and Upper School at 1:00 p.m. Due to a higher volume of vehicle traffic during COVID-19 protocols, vehicles may only queue five minutes before dismissal time. Families arriving before then may be asked to exit the campus and return at the designated time.
Late Arrivals: Any adult dropping off a boy after school begins at 8:15 a.m. must call into the main office of the W.W. Fenn Building at 978-369-5800 from their parked vehicle. The student should not come into the office. Front
37
C AMP U S S E RV I C E S
Drop-off and Pick-up Traffic Patterns
38
CA MP U S S ERV ICES
4 All families will receive dashboard cards color-coded by division and bearing student names, and they should be prominently displayed before families enter campus on Jeff Adams Way. Fenn personnel will use these cards to help direct cars into appropriate pick-up lanes and to radio ahead the names of students who should be ready for pick-up. Faculty/staff will have students ready and waiting to get into vehicles to facilitate a safe and efficient pick-up process. 4 Lower School boys will cross Carr Road at dismissal and assemble in cohorts for pick-up on the Athletic Practice Field in front of the Alumni & Development Office. Families picking up Lower School boys will be directed to proceed through the upper parking lot and join the pick-up queue in the right hand lane heading down to the intersection with Carr Road. Boys will meet family vehicles in this queue, then will be guided down Carr Road and onto Monument Street. (This resembles Summer Fenn pick-up for those Fenn families who have enjoyed camp in past summers.)
4 Upper School dismissal will occur at the pick-up circle on the main campus green. Upper School families should follow the same pick-up route and guidelines as Middle School families. 4 Families with two or more sons in different divisions must follow the pick-up protocols for each division. Siblings cannot meet and wait together, as boys must remain within their cohorts until pick-up. We recommend families arrive for the later pick-up time, if possible, when both divisions will be available.
Early Pick-ups: If a student must be picked up early before standard dismissal, a family member should call 978-369-5800 when they arrive oncampus and remain in their vehicle. The student will be dismissed directly to the family vehicle.
Please see page 38 for a map illustrating pick-up and drop-off routes on campus.
4 Middle School boys will await pick-up on the main campus green adjacent to the pick-up circle, assembled within their cohorts in designated areas. Families picking up Middle School boys will be directed to follow the loop road above the upper parking lot and down the left hand lane to the intersection with Carr Road. Fenn personnel will advise when they can turn right down Carr Road and into the pick-up circle.
39
C AMP U S S E RV I C E S
Transportation Offerings The Fenn-Nashoba Brooks Transportation Program for non-Concord residents is available for the 2020-21 school year but with considerable modifications at least at the start of the school year. Like any other year, the program is first come, first served. Registration opened on August 6 at 7:00 p.m., and families began learning of their son’s registration status on August 17. Registration closes on Friday, August 28 at end-of-day, but we will do our best to accommodate late registrations. By registering for the transportation program, students and families agree to abide by the following COVID-19 safety rules and regulations. Any student in violation of these rules may be subject to dismissal from the program without refund. n
n
n
n
Parents or guardians must complete a daily health attestation for their student before he boards a bus or van. Students must wear masks at all times, including at bus/van stops and while riding in vehicles. Back-up masks should be available. Students will be assigned seats based on their route location, boarding the back of the bus forward. Siblings will be seated together. Students must remain in assigned seats at all times. Students will be seated every other row on the bus, and they should remain near open windows to benefit from optimal airflow. Students riding Debonair vans will also be assigned seats to maintain physical distancing regulations.
40
n
Students may only ride on the vehicle and route they are assigned. They may not switch between Early PM and Late PM routes.
n
All Bedford Charter buses and Debonair vans will be cleaned and disinfected between all routes, and all drivers will be trained on how to do this properly.
n
All Bedford Charter and Debonair drivers will be required to self-attest to their good health each day, and they will wear masks at all times.
n
Families will be responsible for their own transportation if their child wants to have a friend over after school or if they want to travel to a friend’s house after school.
n
If a student misses his assigned bus or van, he must report this to the adult on duty, and he or she will help the student contact his family to secure a safe ride home. Buses and vans cannot return to campus.
n
No food is allowed on the buses or vans.
CA MP U S S ERV ICES
Concord Bus Transportation Fenn for their next bus at the end of the day as in years past.
We are awaiting a final plan from the Concord Transportation Department and will share it once we receive it. We do know that the Department hopes to have bus routes established before Labor Day, and these will be posted on its website.
Masks will be required at all times, and hand sanitizer mounted at the front entrance of buses must be used before boarding. Riders will load the back of the bus first and unload from front to back. Family members will sit together, and otherwise there will be one child to a seat. Windows and roof vents will remain open as long as weather cooperates.
Morning drop-off will get Fenn boys to campus between 7:50 and 8:10 a.m., and afternoon pick-up will occur at 3:55 p.m. on all days except Tuesday when pick-up will take place at 12:55 p.m. Fenn and Nashoba Brooks School (NBS) students will be dropped off and picked up at their respective schools. NBS students will not have to wait at
Cleaning of the buses will occur after each route, and each bus will also be electrostatically cleaned every night.
41
C AMP U S S E RV I C E S
Extended Day Program Fenn will continue to offer this important service to families but with considerable modifications at least at the start of the school year. n Morning Extended Day will NOT be
days of Afternoon Extended Day each week, offered in 10-13 week “trimester� sessions with the first spanning September 15 to November 24.
available while Fenn is operating under COVID-19 protocols. Students will be allowed on-campus beginning at 8:00 a.m. The only exceptions are students with scheduled before-school commitments and those arriving on early buses.
Boys will only be allowed to attend on days for which they have registered, and families will be charged $18 for each hour that their son spends in the program. Upper Schoolers are exempt from Extended Day, and boys awaiting a late bus after sports until 5:15 p.m. will be supervised by an adult on duty.
n Afternoon Extended Day will be offered
every day from dismissal until 6:00 p.m. Extended Day will not begin for the current school year until Tuesday, September 15.
n There will be NO drop-in Extended Day
n Extended Day spaces and activities
service. Advanced registration is required for all students. Registration will open on Wednesday, September 2 at 6:00 p.m. Families may register for one or more
will be organized by cohorts and fully outdoors whenever possible. Study hall will also be offered from 4-5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
42
CA MP U S S ERV ICES
as part of the program, allowing students to complete their homework in a quiet, supervised setting. Boys in the Extended Day program will be released to their designated Extended Day locations before school dismissal to limit the number of students traveling the hallways and campus at any one time.
team when they are “on their way,� as students cannot be dismissed until their arrival has been confirmed. n The last Extended Day student pick-up
is promptly at 6:00 p.m. A $40 fee per 5-minute increment after 6:00 p.m. will be billed directly to families. At 6:00 p.m., Extended Day staff will immediately begin calling primary parents or guardians or alternate, authorized adults.
n If a student is not picked up at dismissal
AND not registered for Extended Day, Fenn personnel will bring the student to the main office and begin calling family members or other authorized adults for pick-up.
n Students will be expected to follow the
same health and safety protocols at Extended Day as are required of them during the school day, and a trained Health Care Supervisor will be onsite during all Extended Day hours.
n Extended Day pick-up will occur in
the pick-up circle, and families must remain in their vehicle and call 978-3183516 when they arrive. Once Extended Day staff confirm their arrival visually, students will be sent out to their cars. Families should not call the Extended Day
43
C AMP U S S E RV I C E S
Communications Platforms Fenn will use various school platforms to keep families apprised of community expectations as we hold school under COVID-19 protocols, of community events, and of updates to the school operations we adopt at the start of the school year. These platforms include but are not limited to: n Campus Signage. To ensure that our
on Wednesday for that Friday’s newsletter. All submissions should be sent to FridayFenn@fenn.org for consideration, and the Marketing and Communications team may edit them accordingly while not impacting their primary content and purpose.
community follows all COVID-19 protocols, signage will be visible around campus to designate appropriate entrances and exits to buildings, required traffic flow in hallways and stairwells, reminders to keep six feet of physical distance, wear masks, wash hands frequently, and more.
n Website Hub. Families will soon receive
instructions for website locations where they can access all up-to-date information about campus policies, protocols, and developments related to COVID-19 and related subjects.
n Weekly Friday Fenn Communication.
Each Friday, the Fenn community can expect to receive the Friday Fenn newsletter via email. This will include a COVID-19 Health and Wellness section that will feature important updates regarding the virus and the School’s status and health and safety policies. Like previous Friday Fenn communications, it will also share school events and announcements, as well as local community information that may be of interest to the population.
n Emergency Telephone and Text
System. Fenn utilizes an emergency communication system that can reach Fenn community members simultaneously with time-sensitive messages. This system may be employed to deliver any urgent communications about COVID-19 developments, likely in conjunction with email messages and potentially website notifications.
Submissions to Friday Fenn will continue to be welcomed until 4:00 p.m.
Any all-school communications that report a positive case of COVID-19 in the Fenn community or similar developments will maintain strict confidentiality and preserve the privacy of any involved community members.
44
CA MP U S S ERV ICES
Questions and Resources The information in this plan will be updated as often as is necessary, and families will be alerted promptly to all important changes. In the meantime, division heads are a key resource for questions, as is David Platt, Assistant Headmaster for Finance and Operations, for all manner of questions related to school operations. Nat Carr
Head of the Lower School
ncarr@fenn.org
Tricia McCarthy
Head of the Middle School
pmccarthy@fenn.org
Dave Irwin
Head of the Upper School
dirwin@fenn.org
David Platt
Assistant Headmaster for Finance and Operations
dplatt@fenn.org
Families may also choose to use the following Fenn contacts for these specific subject areas: Academics
John Sharon Director of the Academic Program
jsharon@fenn.org
Health
Julie Genova RN BSN, Administrator of Health Services
jgenova@fenn.org
Counseling
Dr. Geoff Cohane Consulting Clinical Psychologist
gcohane@fenn.org
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Liz Wei, Assistant Director
lwei@fenn.org
Extended Day
Friddo Gianfriddo, Extended Day Program Coordinator
Technology
Jeff LaPlante, Director of Technology
jlaplante@fenn.org
Transportation
Haili Elwood, Transportation Coordinator
helwood@fenn.org
Tutoring
Dr. Eden Dunckel, Director of Learning Support Services
edunckel@fenn.org
fgianfriddo@fenn.org
Additionally, Headmaster Derek Boonisar is always available to families at dboonisar@fenn.org.
45 45
ADDENDUM
46
A DDEN DU M
FENN SCHOOL COMMUNITY COMPACT Under COVID-19 Protocols As members of the Fenn School community, we all must do our part to understand and follow the health and safety protocols that the School is requiring as we open for the 2020-2021 school year. These protocols ask us to be equally mindful of the on-campus requirements and of the actions we take and decisions we make outside of school. Both can directly impact our ability to remain healthy and in-person at school. Circumstances may change during the school year that require adjustments to our protocols, and the community will be alerted immediately to such updates. Fenn asks that all students, parents, faculty, and staff remain nimble and responsive to the requests that are made of all of us as we work together to keep everyone in our community safe and the campus open for inperson teaching and learning. By signing this Compact, I commit to the following: • I will follow expert health and safety guidance and orders from government officials in Massachusetts leading up to the start of school and when I am off-campus during the school year. This includes being vigilant about mask wearing and physical distancing when outside my home or with non family members; maintaining a close social circle and refraining from attending events larger than approved by Massachusetts mandates; committing to frequent hand washing and proper hygiene; and consulting a physician immediately if I or anyone in my family or circle of contacts becomes ill. • I agree to be screened for COVID-19 symptoms each school day if I am a student or faculty or staff member or if I am a parent who must visit campus for an approved meeting. My health attestation will be submitted to Fenn using the MyMedBot app before I arrive at school or board a bus or van en route to school. • I will stay home if I am unwell and seek direction from my primary care physician regarding potential COVID-19 testing, etc. I will let the Fenn Health Office know immediately of any illness that I, my family members and/or other people with whom I have come into contact are experiencing. If I test positive for COVID-19 or learn that I have come into contact with someone with a positive test, I will abide by instructions from my primary care physician, Concord’s local Public Health Nurse, and Fenn Health Office personnel regarding quarantining, timing and requirements of my return to school, etc. • I will remain with my cohort and within approved cohort spaces indoors and outdoors on campus if I am a student. CONTINUED ON PAGE 48
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• I will adhere to guidelines for physical distancing that require me to maintain a distance of at least six feet between me and any other person on the Fenn campus. • I will wear a proper mask in shared community spaces indoors AND outdoors at Fenn unless I am eating or drinking (but meanwhile maintaining six feet of distance from others). If I am a student, I understand that I will only be able to take mask breaks outdoors when an adult gives me permission to do so. • I will practice good personal hygiene and adhere to public health protocols such as frequent hand washing and the liberal use of hand sanitizers. • I will follow Fenn School guidance and signage that instructs me how to move about campus, enter and exit school buildings, and use shared spaces such as restrooms with restrictions on capacity. • I will be patient, kind, and respectful towards classmates, faculty and staff, etc. as we adjust to a new normal on-campus while following COVID-19 protocols. If I see someone who is not following protocols, I will remind them to do so in a spirit of cooperation and for the sake of our community’s safety. I will receive reminders that are given to me with the same spirit, thankful for their support. • I will be respectful of everyone’s personal space and comfort as we abide by COVID-19 protocols. I will refrain from touching or getting too close to others or from joking and teasing that I will do so. • I acknowledge that there will be consequences if I do not comply with Fenn’s health and safety protocols. Student consequences will be managed by the respective division head (and the headmaster or his designee, as necessary). Fenn will work with each individual child and family, but must put the health and wellbeing of the community at the forefront of all considerations. • I agree that all of the above will apply equally to how I will carry myself when using bus or van transportation to and from school. I have read closely and understand clearly all that is being asked of me and pledge my cooperation with my signature below: __________________________________________ ______________________________________ PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURE
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Revised Fenn Policies under COVID-19 Protocols
Revised Dress Code Policy For as long as Fenn is operating under the health and safety protocols required in the wake of COVID-19, the School’s dress code will be relaxed. This is largely due to the inaccessibility of locker rooms within which boys would change into clothing for sports, etc. during the school day. Fenn boys should expect to remain in the same outfit for the entire school day, and these outfits should enable them to move freely during sports and other physical activity. Casual and comfortable active wear such as t-shirts and sports or cotton shorts are welcome; however, inappropriate messages and/or slogans on t-shirts (and masks) are unacceptable. Fenn will rely on boys and families to make their best judgments as to the appropriateness of certain t-shirt designs. Fenn personnel will certainly address any issues if a boy comes to school in an outfit that is problematic and shouldn’t be worn again. Sleepwear of any type is also not allowed, which includes pajama pants popular with the age group of Fenn boys. Flip-flops, slides, and slippers are also unacceptable. Shoe wear should include sneakers or other casual styles that accommodate physical activity, and visible socks must be worn. The aim for all boys should be to come to school neat and clean, while embracing their own unique styles within the parameters described in this adjusted policy. And since active wear is allowed, boys will not be required to tuck in their shirts as Fenn policy normally dictates. Fenn personnel will alert boys and families to the School’s return to the formal dress code policy; until then, boys are permitted to wear a more casual style of dress. Please consult the Fenn Parent and Student Handbook for Fenn’s Formal Dress Policy to which the School will return once COVID-19 protocols are lifted.
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Visitor Policy To limit the number of people who are on-campus at any one time, Fenn is adopting a strict visitor policy for at least the start of the school year. This will impact our ability to hold many of our fall events oncampus (e.g. Back-to-School BBQ, Back-to-School nights, etc.), and we are exploring alternate ways to proceed with at least some of these important gatherings. The Parents Association is also re-envisioning the wealth of parent events they offer across seasons. Anyone who wishes to visit the school must be pre-approved in advance. All visitors of any type, including parents, will be required to complete a health attestation before their arrival and will receive instructions for how to accomplish that. This is not required for parents dropping off or picking up students in their vehicles. This policy presents a departure from our open and welcoming campus, and we are hopeful that circumstances related to COVID-19 will enable us to relax the policy in short order. Strict compliance with it in the meantime is required and appreciated.
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