GEORGE SCH0OL 2020-2021 OPENING PLAN
TABLE OF CONTENTS A Message from Sam Houser
1
Opening Plan at a Glance
2
Learning Online and On Campus
4
Planning the Academic Year
8
Opening Days
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Academics 14 Student Life
24
Health & Wellness
28
Campus Facilities & Management
30
Employees
32
OPENING PLAN
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A MESSAGE FROM SAM HOUSER
Dear Friends, In these pages, you will find evidence of our school at its adaptive, creative, and resilient best, and that the safety and flourishing of our students remains top of mind. While our plans are of course subject to change, we can be sure that George School will operate differently in the fall. I can also assure you that, no matter what, we will maintain our world-class academic experience and the important connections made between people across our diverse community. The priorities determining the model for George School’s upcoming year are health and wellness, excellent teaching and learning, community, and equity. To deliver the best possible program in the safest and most equitable way, and to ensure that our students continue to learn from one another’s diverse experiences, we have devised a flexible and inclusive plan. Key points of the plan include: • S tudents will be welcomed back to campus (boarding and day). • Classes in the academic block are taught online in the morning. Students on campus have opportunities for in-person academic instruction in the afternoon. • Any family may opt for the George School distance learning option. • Masks and physical distancing will be part of our school culture. We have built in flexibility, knowing it is time to befriend the unknown and to adopt an attitude of resilience. This is easier said than done, I know, but I have seen plenty of evidence already that we have and will continue to rise to the challenge. I thank you in advance for reading through this plan. While many details about academics, athletics, campus life, and residential life are provided within, please know that many more will follow in the coming days and weeks. I look forward to continuing this journey together, and to seeing the many ways our community will continue to demonstrate that George School is where you are. In Friendship,
Sam Houser, Head of School
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GEORGE SCHOOL
OPENING PLAN AT A GLANCE
As we reopen George School, our main goals will be to maintain the bonds of our community and our commitment to academics in the safest way possible, while remaining flexible in the face of unpredictable circumstances. It is important to the development of adolescents that they spend time with their peers and bringing students back to campus is therefore a priority.
It will also require our students, faculty, and staff to be adaptive and resilient in our work this coming year. We need a plan to reopen school that allows us to pivot when unforeseeable changes arise in order to ensure that we can move forward as a community in a safe and responsible fashion. T H E H I G H LI G H T S O F T H E P L A N TO R E O P E N A R E A S F O LLOW S :
George School needs to continue to offer the best academic experience we can for students who are studying with us from around the country and around the world. We also will continue to build our Friends community through regular meetings for worship, assemblies, and service, while taking the necessary precautions. Despite this commitment to continuing to learn and grow together on campus, we will need to acknowledge that the school’s social and academic life will differ in significant ways from what it has been in the past. While there are no absolute guarantees of safety from COVID-19, we will take the steps we can to limit its spread, and this will entail significant changes in how we interact.
• W e will adopt a red-orange-yellow-green colorcoded system for running the school. The phase we are in will be determined by factors including: the infection rate in the region around George School; infections on campus or among community members; the capacity of the Student Health and Wellness Center to isolate and monitor students who have tested positive for COVID-19 or who have been exposed to it; guidance from the CDC, and state and local health officials. • A s of August 5, and under present conditions, George School plans to open in the yellow phase. Like all schools we will continue to evaluate conditions around the school and on campus to ensure
OPENING PLAN
we open in a phase that responds to our environment and the need to protect the health of our community to the greatest possible extent. • D ay and boarding students will be welcome on campus in the fall.
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and the Fitness and Athletics Center will be open for early drop off and late pickup. • B oarders may not leave campus, except in special previously arranged circumstances.
• E veryone on campus will be required to wear face coverings, practice physical distancing, observe high standards for hygiene, and monitor and report their health daily.
• B oarders who are unable to return home or who are unable to continue school remotely from home will be allowed to stay on campus when campus is closed. George School encourages families of boarding students to secure a local guardian.
• T he academic blocks in the morning will be online for all students. Afternoon offerings will be held in person and on campus. Activities planned for midday are hybrid and include meeting for worship, collection, gatherings, and lunch.
• M eeting for worship and assemblies are essential to the health and identity of the school community and will be hybrid, in person and online for students who are studying around the world or who are taking the all-online option.
• On campus, students can work on labs or arts assignments, or participate in service, physical education, or sports. They can work with teachers and other students on their lessons—as a supplement to the online instructional program. There will be in-person opportunities to clarify and expand on what has been delivered online, and to meet IB and other requirements.
• A thletics preseason is canceled. Mindful of the guidance provided by Pennsylvania, we are working with the Friends Schools League to develop a sports plan that is right for George School. We do know that the fall season will not be a normal season, and updates will be shared with you as soon as the FSL has made its decision.
• F amilies have a distance learning option where students do all activities remotely, for those who are studying abroad or are not able to come to campus physically. • Boarders and day students will be assigned to separate cohorts and will have very limited interaction. That includes during time with their teachers in person. The goal is to limit the spread of infection. ay students are welcome on campus from 7:00 a.m. • D to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays. Each day student who chooses the on-campus option will be assigned a home base on campus with others in their grade. Day students should bring headphones that work with their computer to use while joining online classes. ay students will remain off campus outside of the • D academic day. The George School Meetinghouse
• S tudents who have tested positive for COVID-19, or who have been directly exposed to someone with COVID-19, will go home and remain with family or guardians until the end of an isolation period. Those boarders who cannot do so will be observed and cared for in designated isolation spaces on campus by staff at the Student Health and Wellness Center. eorge School has ordered COVID-19 test kits, • G and we have been informed that they were diverted to nursing homes and healthcare facilities. We have been told that we can expect to receive test kits sometime between November and February. We will develop protocols for use of these tests when they become available. In the meantime, COVID-19 tests are available in Bucks County with a doctor’s prescription, and in some adjacent counties without a prescription. Students will have access to those when needed. U P D AT E D 0 8 . 2 2 . 2 0 2 0
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GEORGE SCHOOL
LEARNING ONLINE AND ON CAMPUS
OPENING PLAN
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George School offers three plans for the upcoming school year to give families the flexibility to choose the academic program that best fits their child’s needs. The quality of George School’s academic program, regardless of delivery method, will be world-class.
ENROLLMENT OPTIONS George School offers three plans for the upcoming school year to give families the flexibility to choose the academic program that best fits their child’s needs, provided we are permitted to do so by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We will open with options for in-person instruction in the fall, which includes bringing both boarding and day students to campus. Students also may choose a full distance learning option if they are unable to come to campus. Students will reside on campus for the first semester, and will participate in synchronous classes online and other academic and enrichment experiences, including but not limited to science labs, arts, physical education, collection, etc., in person. Students who were issued a day student contract are not guaranteed a boarding spot. Students interested in changing from day to boarding status should request a change by emailing enrollment@georgeschool.org.
BOAR DI NG STU DE NT OPTION:
Students will reside at home for the first semester, and will participate in synchronous classes online and other academic and enrichment experiences, including but not limited to science labs, arts, physical education, collection, etc., in person on campus. D AY S T U D E N T O P T I O N :
D I S TA N C E L E A R N I N G O P T I O N : Students will participate in distance learning for the first semester and will not come to campus at all.
LEARNING ONLINE The decision to teach online was reached because it is the best possible way to advance student progress given the current health and safety concerns and uncertainty. In a typical George School classroom,
students can look one another in the eye, hear what everyone has to say, and work in small groups, while teachers are able to see individual student work from where they are teaching. Little if any of this is possible with the limitations of a physically distanced classroom, in which everyone would be facing forward, and some students are on screen. We have discovered, however, that it is possible to have rich discussions and strong peer-to-peer interactions online. We have learned that our faculty, through practice in the spring term last year, and through excellent professional development this summer, is quite good at teaching in an online environment.
LEARNING ON CAMPUS Over the course of the academic day, boarding and day students are welcome on campus. They may participate in consultations, hands-on experiences in arts and sciences, and physical exercise. Meetings for worship, assemblies, and collection will occur in a hybrid form and be attended by all George School students. Additionally, we will have places on campus where day students can be to attend online synchronous class sessions. We will use a scheduling model that keeps boarders and day students physically separate, while we use all the ingenuity and technology we can to continue to build strong relationships between these groups. We feel strongly that interaction between people of diverse backgrounds is one of the most important aspects of a George School education, and it is our commitment to ensure this priority is meaningfully realized. The quality of George School’s academic program, regardless of delivery method, will be world-class.
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OPENING PLAN
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COMMUNITY HEALTH AFFIRMATION At George School we are grounded by a sense of responsibility to each other and to the earth we inhabit. This leads us to practice good stewardship in all our daily actions and decisions. Stewardship recognizes that physical, financial, natural, cultural, intellectual, and spiritual resources are to be grown and sustained for the good of all and for generations to come. — George School Core Values This Community Health Affirmation is based on state and CDC guidance for schools, and it reflects the unique needs of our combined boarding and day school environment. Now more than ever, it is imperative that we all share in a sense of responsibility to each other and practice good stewardship in all our daily actions and decisions. At George School, we value community and right now that means making decisions that will keep other students, families, faculty, and staff safe. While you are an individual, the actions you take will directly affect others. We must exercise caution and commit to key preventative behaviors as we continue limiting the spread of infection. Specifically, students must commit to following federal, state, and local public health guidelines, as well as our expectations for conduct both on and off campus, as outlined here and in the plan for the 2020-2021 school year. Students and families should also follow information shared by the school throughout the year, as plans and expectations are subject to change. B E FOR E AN D W H E N AR R IVI NG ON- CAM P US I W I LL:
• M onitor and report my health for COVID-19related symptoms for 14 days prior to my arrival. • Register on my assigned date at the assigned time.
• D elay my arrival if I have or someone in my household has signs of illness and be fully recovered before traveling to campus. • O bserve isolation protocols if required. TH ROUG HOUT TH E YEAR I W I LL:
• Stay home, or, if on campus, report to the Student Health and Wellness Isolation Center, if I feel ill or after exposure to someone who is ill or has tested positive for COVID-19. • Wash my hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and use hand sanitizer after I have been in a public place, or after blowing my nose, coughing, or sneezing. • M aintain appropriate physical distancing. • C over my mouth and nose with a face covering when around others. This includes while on and off campus. • M inimize contact with others, especially when I leave campus so I can mitigate risk. • O bserve all guidelines for dining. • O bserve all guidelines for residential living. • A gree to the closed campus and visitation policies the school has established. articipate in screening, testing, and contact • P tracing when needed. • K eep my belongings, personal spaces, and shared common spaces clean. • O bserve instructional signs and follow directions. • A gree to other safety precautions as set forth in the George School Plan, as they may change from time to time.
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GEORGE SCHOOL
PLANNING THE ACADEMIC YEAR
OPENING PLAN
Taking into account the academic calendar and the current status of COVID-19 in the region, George School has designed a plan to begin 2020-2021 academic instruction online, welcome boarding and day students back to campus, and offer a distance learning option to any family. This is the yellow phase option in a red-orange-yellow-green operating plan.
RED-ORANGE-YELLOW-GREEN OPERATING PLAN The red-orange-yellow-green operating plan gives George School four separate models that allow us to respond quickly to the constantly changing nature of the pandemic, corresponding governmental responses and orders, and our own real-time experiences on campus. We can switch easily among these scenarios as circumstances dictate. In each of these models, we will follow the same schedule for classes, gatherings, collections, meetings for worship, and assemblies, with the exceptions indicated in the red model. The Head of School will decide which of these models we will use at any given time and will share any changes with parents and students in a timely fashion. The Green Model offers hybrid classes and nearly normal on-campus activity. In this model, day students and boarders interact in the same physical spaces daily. This requires that physical distancing recommendations and requirements are relaxed. The Yellow Model offers an open campus to all students. In this model, day students and boarders would be kept separate for on-campus activities, but in online classes everyone—day or boarding, local or remote—can be together online and interact on an equal basis. Day students may come to campus to do their online learning and to be with one another to the extent that physical distancing allows. Students coming to campus would participate in hands-on in-person arrangements during the afternoon.
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The Orange Model allows for flexibility given changing health concerns. In this model, we reduce the number of students on campus each day, by creating a schedule that groups students into cohorts that alternate being on campus and off. The Red Model moves everything online, and students move off campus. Arrangements 1 and 2 would meet in the 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. time slot only. Anything scheduled after 12:45 p.m. would be canceled, though the Theater Performance group might opt to schedule an online afternoon meeting time. Boarders who are unable to return home or who are unable to work remotely from home will be allowed to stay on campus.
GEORGE SCHOOL DISTANCE LEARNING Families may opt to have their child study online by choosing to take part in George School’s distance learning program. Students who cannot travel to George School due to visa or other travel restrictions will automatically be considered distance learners until such time that the student can travel to the United States. Students who plan to select the distance learning option should let George School know by emailing enrollment@georgeschool.org and completing the enrollment options form on the parent portal. As outlined in this year’s contract addendum, the George School board has approved a monthly online tuition rate.
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GEORGE SCHOOL
OPENING DAYS
O P E N I N G P L A N 11
KEY SUMMER DATES FOR PLANNING M O N D AY, A U G U S T 1 0
S AT U R D AY, A U G U S T 2 9
Boarding students traveling by air, train, or other public transportation arrive on campus. Students from COVID-19 hotspots (as defined by Pennsylvania) arrive and begin isolation on this date if they plan to complete online learning on campus for Semester 1.
Peer Group Leader registration and training begin. S U N D AY, A U G U S T 3 0
Returning boarding students traveling by personal transportation arrive for registration and move in.
M O N D AY, A U G U S T 2 4
Prefects and mentors traveling by personal transportation arrive for registration and training.
M O N D AY, A U G U S T 3 1
Returning day students arriving by personal transportation arrive for registration; classes begin.
W E D N E S D AY, A U G U S T 2 6
New student registration is followed by orientation for boarding and day students.
M O N D AY, S E P T E M B E R 7
Classes are held on Labor Day.
George School will open in August 2020, provided we are permitted to do so by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This includes bringing both boarding and day students to campus.
using public or private transportation to come to campus, and whether they are a day or boarding student. We need arrival information to help us learn when we can expect your child to be on campus.
Be sure all required registration tasks are completed, including: medical records updated, textbooks ordered, and summer assignments completed. Also, please note all important school dates.
REQUIRED HEALTH MONITORING
Additional information about back-to-school will be added to the website as it becomes available.
TRAVEL REPORTING AND ARRIVAL INFORMATION The Arrival Information form is on your Registration Dashboard checklist and is due Saturday, August 1, 2020. George School will welcome students to campus in phases, depending on whether they will be
All students, faculty, and staff will be required to monitor and report their health daily for 14 days prior to their on-campus start date. Temperature and other important health information must be posted daily in the health monitoring system. All community members must have a 14-day record of normal temperatures and no COVID-19 symptoms before they come to campus. All students, faculty, and staff will monitor and record health information throughout the year until no longer necessary. The health monitoring information will be accessible to the Student Health and Wellness U P D AT E D 0 8 . 2 2 . 2 0 2 0
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Center staff, and maintaining it daily is required for access to campus. Once granted access to campus, day students, faculty, and staff must: • A void travel to COVID-19 hot sports, or areas with high infection rates, whether in the United States or abroad. • Limit circulation in public to essential tasks. • Avoid personal contact with those showing symptoms of COVID-19 or under isolation protocols after exposure.
BOARDING STUDENTS All boarding students traveling by air, train, or other public transportation should be on campus Monday, August 10 to observe a two-week isolation protocol. Students from COVID-19 hot spots (as defined by Pennsylvania) are welcome to arrive and begin isolation on this date if they plan to participate in distance learning on campus for the first semester. Please note that we cannot accommodate earlier returns to campus because of our faculty and staff ’s work to prepare for the return of the entire student body. Health monitoring for these students begins Monday, August 3. New boarding students arriving by personal transportation should arrive on campus on Wednesday, August 26 for registration, move-in, and the 2:00 p.m. start of the New Student Orientation. New boarding students are required to have monitored and recorded their health through the health log starting on Wednesday, August 12. Returning boarding students arriving by personal transportation should arrive on campus on Sunday, August 30 for registration and move-in. Returning students are required to have monitored and recorded their health through the health log starting on Sunday, August 17.
DAY STUDENTS New day students should arrive on campus on Wednesday, August 26 for registration and for the start of the New Student Orientation. New day students are required to have monitored and recorded their health through the health log starting on Wednesday, August 12. Returning day students should arrive on campus for registration and the start of classes on Monday, August 31. Returning day students are required to have monitored and recorded their health through the health log starting on Monday, August 17.
STUDENT LEADERS All student leaders who are boarding students traveling by air, train, or other public transportation should arrive on campus Monday, August 10 to observe a two-week isolation protocol. Students from COVID-19 hot spots (as defined by Pennsylvania) are welcome to arrive and begin isolation on this date if they plan to participate in distance learning on campus for the first semester. Please note that we cannot accommodate earlier returns to campus because of our faculty and staff ’s work to prepare for the return of the entire student body. Health monitoring for these students begins Monday, August 3. Prefects, International Student Mentors, and Peer Group Leaders who are boarding students and traveling by personal transportation should arrive on campus for the start of their individual training sessions. (See dates below.) Student leaders are required to have monitored and recorded their health through the health log daily for 14 days before arriving on campus. Prefects, International Student Mentors, and Peer Group Leaders who are day students should arrive on campus for the start of their individual training sessions. (See dates below.) Student leaders are required to have monitored and recorded their health through the health log daily for 14 days before arriving on campus.
O P E N I N G P L A N 13
Key start dates for student leadership training and health monitoring include: • Monday, August 24. Prefect and International Student Mentor registration and training begins. Day student health monitoring begins Monday, August 10. • Saturday, August 29. Peer Group Leader registration and training begin. Day student health monitoring for Peer Group Leaders begins Saturday, August 15.
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION The New Student Orientation at George School is designed to prepare students for life as a student at George School. The program begins after registration on Wednesday, August 26 from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. The orientation program continues through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Distance learners are permitted to attend the New Student Orientation on campus. Highlights of the program include: • Students in small groups that reflect the diversity of George School facilitated by our student leaders • A focus on mind, body, and spirit • The first meeting for worship of the 2020-2021 year
Classes led by George School faculty will include the following subjects: • L earning & the Brain • I ntro to the Library & Research • S cience Lab Skills • H ow to Navigate Hybrid Learning • Team Building Skills • I nclusion at George School • I ntro to the Fitness & Athletics Center • Yoga and Guided Relaxation
ATHLETICS George School is engaged in ongoing conversations and planning about interscholastic sports for the fall. More information will be shared when plans are settled. Preseason is canceled, and at this time, boarding students will not be permitted to leave campus for any club activities.
QUESTIONS? If you have any questions as you make your plans, please contact the Registration Help Line at registration@georgeschool.org or by telephone at 215.579.6625.
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ACADEMICS
O P E N I N G P L A N 15
H E R E AR E A F EW K EY P OI NTS ABOUT TH E U P C OM I NG ACADE M IC P RO G RAM
• Every teacher is completing an intensive online-learning professional development course to help them design hybrid classes and use technology as appropriately as possible in their subject areas and at various grade levels. • T eachers will publish a pacing guide every week. These guides will show how the week’s work can be broken down into manageable portions to support student planning, time management, and organization. • M ost classes will be held in the morning, allowing students who are in time zones many hours ahead of us to join those on campus in a video conference format. • L ate morning and early afternoon sessions will include meeting for worship and assembly in modified formats, some PE classes, lunch in shifts that allow for physical distancing, time for one-on-one and small group meetings of students and teachers, other physical and artistic endeavors, and time for students to complete asynchronous coursework.
George School recognizes the value of person-toperson contact, both in instruction and in creating a sense of community, empowerment, and personal growth among our students. Recognizing that some students may need to participate in distance learning for at least part of next year, we will do our best to ensure that there is that personal dimension to our education, whether students are in the same room as the teacher, or on a different continent. SOM E OF TH E K EY P OI NTS I NCLU DE:
1. All behavioral expectations are in effect for all students, whether present in person or online. 2. All students are expected to attend all online classes and hybrid meetings. 3. If students are unable to attend class or another obligation parents should alert the Attendance Office. We hope that since students can attend obligations remotely, absences will be uncommon. 4. Students will be expected to be on camera with faces visible during synchronous sessions. 5. In addition to the three hours of synchronous class time each week, students will have asynchronous learning activities and assignments.
6. E vening study halls will take place in dormitories, with some access to the library later in the fall. 7. The academic schedule is modified to allow more lunch periods for physical distancing and time to clean dining spaces. Teachers will design their courses in Canvas using modules, giving students a sense of the overall structure of the course and supporting a similar navigation in courses. One element of each Canvas module will be a weekly pacing guide to help students structure their time and stay on track with asynchronous learning activities. While we recognize that students work at very different paces and that different courses require different amounts of content, teachers will design these activities and assignments during an arrangement’s active stage with the following guidelines in mind: • 9 th graders who work at a typical pace should be able to complete the asynchronous work by spending about 45 minutes per subject each weekday
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• 1 0th graders who work at a typical pace should be able to complete the asynchronous work by spending about 60 minutes per subject each weekday • 11th and 12th graders who work at a typical pace should be able to complete the asynchronous work by spending about 75 minutes per subject each weekday
assign lab write-ups for work done during the afternoon hands-on periods for science courses, and IB teachers may expect students to make progress on their projects.
Teachers will ensure that the pacing guide for the upcoming week is posted by noon Eastern time on Saturday, so that students can get a head start over the weekend if they would like.
rades will be reported at the end of each semester G using our A+ through F scale and will be accompanied by narrative comments. Teachers will write progress reports on all students in October and will write progress reports on struggling students as needed throughout the year. Teachers will report interim senior grades before Thanksgiving to be used for those students with early action or early decision applications.
When their classes are held once per week, teachers of IB and AP courses may assign up to 1.5 hours of work per week, if all required work is available by the first day of the odd/even phase. Science teachers may
Students will continue to have access to the Learning Center and other means of academic support, such as Math Help, the Writing Center, and peer tutoring, both in person and online.
KEY D ATE S SEMESTER 1 AU G U S T 3 1 – J A N UA RY 1 5
D E C E M B E R 1 – 17 D I S TA N C E L E A R N I N G O N LY
N OV E M B E R 2 1 – J A N UA RY 4 CA M P U S C LO S E D
SEMESTER 2 J A N UA RY 1 8 – J U N E 4
AU G U S T 2 0 2 0
N OVE M B E R 2020
F E B R UA RY 2 0 2 1
10 Students Begin Phased Arrivals
21 Thanksgiving Break
15 No Classes
26 New Student Orientation 31 First Day of School SEPTEMBER 2020
27 Spring Break DECEMBER 2020 01 Classes Resume (Remote Learning)
MARCH 2021
18 Holiday Break
16 Classes Resume
07 Labor Day: Classes Held J A N UA RY 2 0 2 1
M AY 2 0 2 1
OCTOB E R 2020
04 Boarders Return
29 Commencement
17 Parent Conferences Begin
05 Classes Resume
31 No Classes
19 No Classes
18 Semester 2 Begins
20 Parent Conferences End
JUNE 2021 04 School Ends
CA L E N DA R N OT E S
• The dates when school is in session and not in session are the same as when the calendar was originally published last spring. • George School will be fully remote from Thanksgiving through the end of Holiday Break. • Boarders who are unable to return home or who are unable to continue school remotely from home will be allowed to stay on campus.
O P E N I N G P L A N 17
THE ACADEMIC DAY As announced in the spring, students will take six or seven classes in arrangements, but they will take only three to four classes at a time, alternating every four weeks between classes that meet in odd arrangements and classes that meet in even arrangements. These synchronous class sessions will occur online for all students. While the morning (and early afternoon for Arrangements 1 and 2) classes will be online, students who are on campus will participate in many other aspects of George School’s program during the academic day. Over the course of the academic day, these sorts of things will include consultations, physical education, and hands-on experiences in arts and sciences. Meeting for worship, assembly, and collection will occur in a hybrid form and will be attended by all George School students. Additionally, we will have places on campus where day students can go to attend online synchronous class sessions.
DAILY SCHEDULE
All students will attend meeting for worship once a week, their gathering once a week, their collection twice a week, and assembly once a week. Students who are on campus for the in-person class meetings from 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. may participate in a hands-on activity in their arts or science classes, engage in asynchronous course work, or work on their IB Internal Assessments.
MEETING WITH TEACHERS There are many time slots during the late morning and afternoon during which students may meet with teachers for consultation. The General Information section of courses on Canvas will provide information on when teachers are generally available and how students should schedule consultations. All teachers will have online consultation options. Some teachers will have in-person options as well. If teachers are having inperson consultations, they will maintain the physical distancing required.
Faculty have designed courses that will provide high-quality learning experiences for students, synthesizing what they learned last spring and what they learned this summer in an extensive professional development program. Students and teachers meet synchronously three times a week in each class. Most synchronous meetings will be scheduled in the morning, a time that works best for all students. The benefits of this schedule include: • Students can focus on a few subjects at a time and more easily keep track of the work for each class. • Teachers can focus on a smaller number of students at a time. • The number of people with whom students and teacher are in contact is reduced.
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GEORGE SCHOOL DAILY SCHEDULE SAM P LE F I R ST FOU R W E E K S, ODD -N U M B E R E D AR RANG E M E NTS
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
ARR 1
ARR 5
ARR 3
ARR 7
ARR 5
ARR 3
ARR 7
ARR 5
ARR 3
ARR 7
8:30
9:30 9:45
10:45 11:00
Lunch A
11:30
12:00
12:30
Lunch A
Lunch A MFW
Lunch A
MFW
Consultation
Lunch B
Consultation
11:45
Lunch B
Lunch A MFW
MFW
Consultation
Lunch B
Consultation
Assembly
Lunch B
Lunch B
ARR Gathering 12:35
Collection 12:35
Collection 12:35
1X
12:45 1:00
Lunch C
Faculty Meeting or Dept Heads Meeting
1:30
Lunch C
Lunch C
Lunch C
Lunch C 11:45
Orchestra Consultation
Consultation
Consultation
ARR 1X
2:00 2:15 ARR 2
ARR 4
ARR 6
ARR 8
In-Person Time
In-Person Time
In-Person Time
In-Person Time
Consultation Arts Groups
IB Group 4 Projects & Science IAs
3:30 4:00 Sports
Sports
Sports
Sports
Sports
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Education &
Education &
Education &
Education &
Education &
Theater
Theater
Theater
Theater
Theater
5:30
Odd arrangements (ARR) will meet in the first four weeks of school, followed by even arrangements in the next four weeks, and so on. This schedule shows what the first four weeks will look like. These classes are live online sessions for all students. All students will attend a hybrid version of meeting for worship (MFW) once a week and all students will attend the hybrid meetings of assembly, gathering, and collection. The 2:15-3:30 p.m. block on Monday through Thursday is a structured time when those physically on campus will spend time with teachers and classmates in classrooms, labs, and studios. Day and boarding students will be in different spaces during this time.
O P E N I N G P L A N 19
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A DAY STUDENT I am a 9th grade day student, and it is Tuesday of the third week of school. I’m taking seven classes like all other freshmen. For the first four weeks, the odd arrangements (that just means “period”) are meeting online three times a week. Once I get to know all my teachers and classmates in these classes, I’ll then spend the next four weeks in my even arrangement classes. I have to get to school early so my mom can get my brother set up in his online learning before she starts work, so I arrive at 7:15 a.m. and go into the meetinghouse, where I am greeted by my chemistry teacher, who happens to be on early morning meetinghouse duty! I thought I might use this time to work ahead in some of my classes, but I end up talking with my teacher and a couple of other students who are also here early—all masked and from an appropriate distance of course! From 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. I have Arrangement 5 online: My Spanish 1 class. There have been a couple of days over the past few weeks when I decided to stay home to participate in my classes (with my camera on), but today I chose to put on a mask, come to campus, put
on my headphones, and join the Zoom class from my designated 9th grade day student working area in the FAC. I sit with, but not too near, some other day students. Same for my Arrangement 7 class, Chemistry, from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. I ended up in Zoom breakout room with someone sitting a few desks away from me and someone else in Vietnam—a cool example of what we can do with the internet! My meeting for worship is scheduled for Tuesday, so during Lunch A (11:00-11:30 a.m.) I go to the meetinghouse. There is a large screen in the room with us, where people join MFW from their dorms, day student areas, advisor’s meeting spot, or homes around the world. I’m not scheduled to eat lunch until Lunch C, so now I make my way back to the 9th grade day student area to remotely join my Arrangement 1 class, Global Spiritualities, from 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Today, we are just learning with our teacher, but sometimes during this class we do group activities with our Peer Group Leaders. U P D AT E D 0 8 . 2 2 . 2 0 2 0
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Now it’s lunchtime, so while doing my best to stay at least six feet away from people, I get my lunch, and take off my mask to eat. I picked a sandwich today, but there are hot entrées, different salads, fruit, and desserts. After lunch, there is a consultation period. Today, I have a consultation scheduled with my Spanish teacher, and we chose to have a physically distant meeting in her classroom, although we could have met online if I had preferred. If I didn’t have a consultation, I could have spent these 30 minutes making progress on my asynchronous work or talking with friends. At 2:15 p.m. I arrive at my In-Person Time for Arrangement 4, Painting and Drawing. During this time, the day students and boarders are split between two rooms, and the teacher decides what to do. In my art and science classes, we tend to be more focused as we make progress with our projects or labs, but for another class, like AP Human Geography, this time isn’t always about the subject and can be used for study hall. During my Painting and Drawing class, we work on drawing a still life that is in the center of the room. There is enough room for the teacher to move around and give pointers to me and the other students as we draw. This classroom time ends at 3:30 p.m., and I chat with some friends at a distance as we walk down to the FAC, where I change for cross country practice, which starts at 4:00 p.m. As I look at the schedule for tomorrow, I see that I have online classes in English (my one odd arrangement class that didn’t meet today) and Spanish, as well as In-Person Time for Arrangement 4, which is Math. Tonight, I’ll make sure to do whatever work is necessary to be ready for those classes!
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A BOARDING STUDENT It’s 7:30 a.m. and my alarm went off in my dorm room in East Main residence hall. My roommate is already up because she likes to do prep for her classes in the morning. We say hello, and I quickly gather my gear for a quick shower. I am in the a.m. shower group so we don’t have too many people in the bathroom at once. I head to my assigned sink to brush my teeth, stop in my assigned stall, then step into the shower assigned to my small group. I put on my mask and I return to my room to get dressed, then head over to the temperature check kiosk in the dorm. I get my temperature taken and fill out my daily health log before grabbing breakfast. This extra step takes a bit more time but now it has just become routine. It’s also nice to see Zahra, the dorm parent on duty, and we exchange hellos. I chat with my friend from the 4th floor because she is there for her temp check, too! We decide to walk to breakfast together, and while we are in masks it’s nice to be able to talk about the latest episode of “The Office” we both watched yesterday! We make sure to use the designated down staircase. We grab breakfast in the dining hall, and both the faculty breakfast monitor and dining staff greet us by name. I opted for eggs and a waffle, and I can’t wait to dig in. My friend and I decide that we will eat outdoors today because it is so nice. After breakfast I head back up to my room for my Arrangement 5 class. It is from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. It is IB Global Politics and we end up having a really robust discussion with Meredith, our teacher, about how different governments have approached the COVID epidemic. It was amazing to be able to talk about my experience in the US but to also hear from my friends in Europe, Vietnam, and Hong Kong.
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I stretch for a bit after class then sit back down for Arrangement 7–Spanish 3. Cheri, our teacher, greeted us and we reviewed the results of our last quiz, then did a Kahoot to reinforce the latest set of vocabulary. Cheri then split us into breakout rooms on Zoom so our small groups can continue to make progress on our group assignment—writing a mini play that each small group will perform at the end of the academic cycle. I’m nervous, but I think it will be fun! Yesterday I had meeting for worship at 11:00 a.m., but I don’t have that today, so I was able to schedule some time with Chris in the Writing Center. I need help on the latest paper for English. We decided to meet in person, so I walked down to the library. It was so nice to see my friend, Sam. He is a day student and even though we had to be distant, we caught up for a bit. Once I made it to the library and up to the Learning Center, Chris greeted me and we worked through the conclusion of my paper. I feel so much better now! I’m in Lunch B so I make my way to the Dining Hall to pick up lunch. I am so excited that it’s chili day. I pick the vegetarian option, a salad, cornbread, and of course a piece of Texas Sheet Cake and grab a seat at one of the tables. I take my mask off to eat. I sit with one of my friends (safely distant, of course) who is chatting with a new 10th grader. We talked about how we can’t wait to hear our friend play guitar during Open Mic night tomorrow. While we are doing in-person events tonight, the Student Activities Board made tomorrow’s Open Mic online because our friends who don’t live on campus wanted to participate, too. After lunch I have some free time, so my roommate and I decide to connect with another boarding friend and we decide to sit on South Lawn and talk (with masks, of course). After that, it’s consultation period. Yesterday I had a consult with Robert to go over material for next week’s test, so today I am using consult time to quickly say hi to my advisor (and grab candy from her candy bowl) and then meet with my college advisor. I want to see if there is any new feedback on my Common App essay.
At 2:10 p.m. I realize I am going to be late for Ceramics if I don’t hustle, so I book it to Hallowell just in time to greet Amedeo, grab a smock, and head to my designated pottery wheel. It is so nice to be hands on and to just be creative! Class ends at 3:30 p.m., and I catch up with my friend from East on the way to the FAC. I have a conditioning session in the Fitness Center with Nancy, my lacrosse coach, and a group from my team. At 5:00 p.m., I finish and head back up Meetinghouse Hill. It’s Friday and I am so excited! I can relax a bit, sleep in, and have fun. After dinner, I decide to go to Marshall—my friend and I have an ongoing pingpong battle and I want to get one game up on him. (Spoiler alert: I won). Later, Shari set up a s’mores pit and outdoor karaoke. At 10:50 p.m., I head back to East Main and to the second floor where I am checking in with Gracie, my dorm head. She made an amazing fruit salad and had it in individual bowls for us. A few of us sat in the Common Room and talked about the best karaoke acts that night. We also talked about the food we ordered for the weekly Giant and H-Mart runs. I made sure to order clementines and Lucky Charms and I can’t wait to head to the Deans’ Office to pick up my groceries tomorrow. We also decided that after a long week, it was time for a Chipotle, so we decided that tomorrow night we would schedule Uber Eats delivery of Chipotle and debated whether a burrito or bowl was the choice. Then, of course, Open Mic later! At 11:30 p.m., it was my turn for the bathroom and I brushed my teeth, then went back to my room and chatted with my roommate for a bit before catching just one more episode of “The Office” before heading to bed.
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INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM International Baccalaureate (IB) courses are open for both remote and in-person instruction. While we anticipate that students will be able to sit for their IB exams, we do not know what changes the IB Organization may implement for the May 2021 exam session. We also are waiting to hear about testing for students who are attending George School remotely. We do not know what the options may be for testing if students are not on campus for in-person instruction.
Students may register for these exams if they wish, but they must inform the Registrar, Val Fusco. We will touch base with students in IB exam courses to confirm registrations as usual. Regardless of whether a student is registered for the exam or not, they will be expected to fulfill the course expectations and complete the IB assignments associated with an IB course; the class will be listed as an IB course on the transcript. If there are questions about registering for an exam due to the potential for college credit, please contact College Counseling.
IB students will receive continuous asynchronous instruction during the odd or even weeks when their class is not in session. Additionally, students attending George School in person can meet their IB teachers for additional support with Internal Assessments (IAs) and lab work during the weeks when their arrangement does not meet for class. All IB students, whether remote or in person, may schedule regular consultations with their teachers. IB students should expect to maintain strong time management, keeping up with their asynchronous assignments and engaging in autonomous learning. It will be important for IB students to adhere to course deadlines and to ensure careful attention to the development of their IA coursework if IB exams are canceled as occurred this past May. Because of the unusual circumstances this year, especially in terms of the relationship between remote instruction and in-person exams as well as awareness of physical distancing protocols for large groups of people, we are not requiring any non-diploma candidates to register for IB exams in either SL or HL courses. Please note that the default will be that these students are not registered; this is an opt-in policy.
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STUDENT LIFE
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STUDENT LIFE While the health and safety of the George School community remain at the forefront of the upcoming school year, we continue to encourage our students to have fun both on campus and virtually. Over the spring and summer students remaining on campus engaged in a variety of activities. They created films and enjoyed a range of art projects. They learned to make their own flatbread pizzas and had weekly movie watching parties with their classmates. The pool offered an opportunity for students to learn new skills, like swimming and kayaking. Community adults also hosted splash parties and fiestas. Students who were learning remotely joined in for video games, Pictionary nights held over Zoom, and a Chopped-style cooking competition that had George School participants from all over the globe. There are sure to be more opportunities like these to come for both students on and off campus in the upcoming school year.
each day. Students must also maintain physical distance, keeping at least six feet apart whenever possible. All clubs and organizations will meet online.
MEAL INFORMATION Lunch will be served “grab and go” style. All items will be prepared by CulinArt and individually wrapped. Choices will include hot and cold sandwiches, entrée and side salads, fruit, and dessert. Lunch will be served in several locations to reduce the number of people in one location. During the academic day and in the evening students must follow the schedule for their assigned meal times. Boarding students may have nighttime and weekend off-campus food deliveries, but the student will be required to pick their delivery up at the Main Drive Security entrance. Students must adhere to the time restrictions that will be dictated by the dorms.
GUIDELINES
MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS
George School will be a closed campus at the start of the 2020-2021 academic year. This means that boarding students will be expected to stay on campus. Travel into Newtown and the surrounding area will be restricted. Day students are not allowed back on campus in the evening or on weekends. Day students or any guests will not be allowed to visit or stay overnight in dorms. We will continue to revise this policy over time as public health guidance evolves.
While off campus medical appointments are discouraged, we understand that emergency care may be needed. Any student, day or boarder, who must leave campus for an off-campus medical appointment must go to the Deans’ Office and then the Student Health and Wellness Center (SHWC). They must check out at both places. When they return to campus they must check in through the SHWC. The SHWC will then let the Deans’ Office know that the student has returned.
During the academic year students on campus must have their temperature checked daily at their designated scanner location.
DAY STUDENTS GUIDELINES
Students are expected to provide their own reusable masks and must be masked at all times except when eating. Masks should be hand washed at the end of
Day students who choose the on-campus option are welcome on campus from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays. They may arrive at any time before their 2:15 p.m. in-person obligation, and should check in upon arrival with our attendance supervisor in the U P D AT E D 0 8 . 2 2 . 2 0 2 0
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lobby of the Fitness and Athletic Center (FAC). Students arriving before 7:15 a.m. will pass the time in the meetinghouse until check-in begins at 7:15 a.m. Students will be assigned a place of study with others in the same grade. They will join their online classes and connect with friends in person from that location. They will move from this home base for things like consultations, collection (advising group), meeting for worship, lunch, midafternoon in-person time with teachers and classmates, and physical education/sports. Once students arrive, they are expected to remain on campus until the end of their in-person obligations. Student pick-up by 6:00 p.m. will also be at the FAC. Day students will not be required to stay late for meetings. Parents will notify the Deans’ Office of any situations warranting special consideration of these time constraints. Day students are expected to attend their in-person activities on days they come to campus, so please notify the attendance supervisor when not coming to campus. Locks will be required for all lockers (with any empty locker zip-tied shut).
BOARDING STUDENT GUIDELINES
Due to physical distancing, students will be limited to the necessary items for school. Students should bring bedding, toiletries, academic belongings, and needed attire. Belongings cannot exceed four large boxes or suitcases or storage totes.
DORM ROOM OCCUPANCY, FACILITIES, AND LAYOUT Based on guidelines and availability, we will not be changing our housing structure and students should expect to be in doubles based on the housing preferences they have identified. Bathroom times will be scheduled. Residents will be given a number that corresponds to the facilities they are assigned to use. If a student needs to use the toilet facilities outside of the assigned time, they are allowed to do so. Dorm kitchens will be closed until further notice but may be opened on a reservation basis later in the year. Students will receive training on kitchen use and cleaning protocols. The laundry facilities will also operate on a schedule. Residents will not be permitted to do laundry in the dorm when it is not their assigned time. School laundry service will remain available for students who sign up.
Dorm residents are the only ones allowed inside dorms. There will be no inter-dorm visitation or overnights until further notice. Day students and any guests will not be allowed entrance to any dorm at any time. This includes dorm common areas. All deans and dorm heads will continue to have access to all dorms.
Dorm rooms were assessed and reconfigured to allow roommates to physically distance where applicable. The rooms cannot be reconfigured and if students move furniture upon arrival without approval, they will be required to change the room back to the state they found it.
Boarding students must remain on their halls only. We will require that the student prox cards reflect this intention so that floor to floor visitations can be halted until further notice.
CLEANING OF THE DORM
Students must move in on the designated day and time. To limit exposure, students can have the assistance of one other adult during their move-in time. Students and their support person must wear a mask at all times during the move-in process.
Common areas will be cleaned daily by Environmental Services throughout the academic week. Room inspections will continue to occur for students. It is important that we try to maintain a clean residential environment. Each dorm floor has access to sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer.
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MASKS In the dorm, residents and dorm staff will be required to wear masks in public spaces. This includes hallways, stairwells, and bathrooms when students are not doing something that would require a mask be removed (i.e. brushing teeth, washing faces, and showering). Residents can take off their masks when they are in their own room with their roommate. If a dorm staff member enters a room, residents should put on a mask. Masks should be hand washed at the end of each day.
STUDY HALL AND CHECK-IN Study Hall will be from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the dorm for all students. Students are expected to be in their rooms for the duration of this time and will not be permitted to use the common areas. Check-in will begin at 7:30 p.m. when Study Hall starts, and students will not be allowed to leave the dorm after the start of Study Hall.
LEAVING CAMPUS Boarding students will not be allowed to go off campus for overnight visits with day students or nonGeorge School friends. Boarders will not be allowed to go home unless it is an imperative or emergency situation. Should a boarder need to go home, they will need to quarantine for 14 days upon their return. Boarders who must go home for an emergency situation but whose parents cannot pick them up must be driven home, and they will be charged for the transportation costs. Ride shares (Uber, Lyft) will not be allowed.
At the beginning of the school year, however, dorms will operate with a cohort structure. This means that you will be operating as a group based on your hall and are limited to accessing the other halls in the dorm. Due to physical distancing and the size of dorm rooms, cohort members are not allowed into another student’s dorm room. Since George School will be a closed campus to maintain a healthy campus, no outside visitors will be allowed into the dorms at the start of the school year. Visitors include family members, non-George School students, day students, and members of different dorms. This will be revisited later in the year. After September 26, provided current trends in cases do not increase, parents of boarding students may schedule periodic three-hour appointments to visit their children on non-consecutive Saturdays or Sundays in the designated campus locations. Parents must wear masks for the duration of their visits to campus, may not enter any indoor facilities, and should maintain physical distance from other members of the George School community. Parents must schedule campus visits through the Deans’ Office. Please note that students will not be able to leave campus with their parent.
STUDENT HEALTH CENTER Boarders may enter the Student Health and Wellness Center (SHWC) for their daily medication or to seek treatment. Students will also have access to counseling services. If a student has COVID-19 related symptoms they will enter via the basement of the SHWC to visit the designated isolation area in the SHWC for further screening.
VISITATION Students on campus will have many opportunities to spend time with other students in their hall, in their residence, in the student center, and across the campus.
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HEALTH AND WELLNESS
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We are developing and updating health and safety practices in accordance with the CDC guidelines, state and local recommendations, and independent expert guidance. There will likely be changes over the school year based on the health of the community and evolving standards. As our practices shift, we will communicate any updates to students and families. All community members will wear face coverings in classrooms and in common indoor spaces, as well as outside whenever physical distancing cannot be maintained. Frequent hand washing will be required. Hand-sanitizing stations will be installed across campus. Facilities will be cleaned with increased frequency by school staff. Additional appropriate, effective cleaning supplies will be made available for individual use. Classrooms and common areas will allow for physical distancing with a minimum of six feet of separation.
MONITORING OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS All community members will monitor their health daily, logging their data into our online health monitoring software. Temperature-check kiosks will be installed in dormitories and in the Student Health and Wellness Center (SHWC). If a community member registers a high temperature, they will immediately visit the SHWC.
COVID-19 TESTING COVID-19 tests are available on an individual basis with a doctor’s prescription at local labs and retail drug stores. George School is working with a vendor to obtain a supply of COVID-19 testing kits. Due to the nationwide shortage, we may not receive them until the spring. Should we receive testing kits, we will have the ability to implement a randomized testing program and testing for symptomatic individuals to further ensure community safety.
CONTACT TRACING Members of the SHWC staff and other community members have been certified in contact tracing. In coordination with local officials they will act to identify those who may have been exposed to the virus and work to contain the spread of infection. In the interests of limiting any potential spread of infection, all community members should understand they may be contacted by representatives of the school’s tracing program should this be necessary.
QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION Quarantine refers to separating students who have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, or who have traveled from a hot spot, or who have traveled via public transportation, or who have symptoms but have tested negative. These students will be required to quarantine themselves for 14 days in their home if they are a day student or if they are a boarding student who lives within a fivehour drive of campus. Quarantine on campus will take place in single rooms in the dorms. Quarantined students will participate in classes remotely. Isolation refers to complete separation of a student who tests positive for COVID-19 or has COVID-19 symptoms. These students will be encouraged to return home if it is within a five-hour drive of campus. Students who cannot return home will be moved to an isolation room. If they are significantly ill, students will be transferred to the hospital. If their health permits, they will participate in classes remotely.
MENTAL HEALTH The service provided by our team of counselors will be more critically important than ever to the emotional and mental health and well-being of our students. We are developing strategies for outreach and delivery of support in ways that are both proactive and responsive to student needs.
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FACILITIES AND MANAGEMENT
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The health and safety of our community will be a high priority as always, but especially this year. To assist and advise us with this, George School hired Environmental Health & Engineering (EH&E), a firm that provides consulting services to operators of buildings and campuses in the fields of education, healthcare, and commercial enterprises. Their work focuses on safety in labs, schools, and workspaces. We are working with EH&E in a joint engagement with approximately 30 other boarding schools to develop a set of standards that provide a framework for the safe operation of a boarding school. We are also working directly with EH&E to review our specific campus and program, including residential life (dorm rooms, bathrooms/schedules, common areas), dining (schedules, spaces, serving options), academic planning (classroom density, spacing, etc.), athletics (including Fitness and Athletic Center usage and traffic flow), health center (screening, isolation space), and general traffic flows (ingress, egress, stairwells, etc.). As EH&E progresses in their work, we will provide important updates about the use of masks, physical distancing, student schedules, rules for large gatherings, and other protocols that will be implemented to limit the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Touch-free hand sanitizing stations will be present at the entrances to all buildings and classrooms. Disinfecting wipes will be provided on every dorm floor and outside dorm bathrooms. Ventilation recommendations include protocols for opening building windows regularly, assessing proper air distribution in HVAC systems, and assessing the operational capabilities of all mechanical refrigeration equipment, water heaters, steam boilers, pumps, etc.
DISTANCING AND THE PHYSICAL CAMPUS George School will establish a culture of physical distancing until it is no longer necessary. This will include maintaining a minimum of six feet of distance between people and limiting the number of people allowed to gather in indoor spaces at a given time. The facilities staff will: • U se tape to mark acceptable physical distancing. • P ost signs reminding the community about masks, hygiene, direction of hallway pedestrian flow, and physical distancing. • M aximize available campus space by using alternative spaces for gathering, dining, and teaching. • P ost maximum room occupancy notices on classrooms, offices, and other areas.
CLEANING, SANITIZING, DISINFECTING, AND VENTILATION All high touch surface areas throughout campus have been identified and will be cleaned and disinfected multiple times throughout the day and as needed with EPA-approved disinfectants. EPA-approved electrostatic sprayers will also be utilized throughout campus to disinfect areas after cleaning. Facilities staff will be on campus seven days a week to clean and disinfect. They will wear proper PPE while cleaning and disinfecting. U P D AT E D 0 8 . 0 5 . 2 0 2 0
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EMPLOYEES
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HEALTH & SAFETY
DINING SERVICE
All employees are required to follow the CDC guidelines to protect themselves and others. This includes but is not limited to wearing face coverings inside buildings and when near others, practicing physical distancing, washing hands often, and staying home if sick. All community members will be asked to answer daily health monitoring questions and record them within a confidential system. If an employee learns that they have been exposed to COVID-19 or someone in their household is diagnosed with it, they are required to share this information with Director of Human Resources Danette Crockett.
Dining services will significantly change out of necessity, to promote health and safety. All employees will be provided lunch during the school day. Dinner will be provided for staff working an evening shift. Individuals who are on duty in the dorm or performing social duty will also be provided a meal during those times. Breakfast and dinner will not otherwise be provided for staff, faculty, or on-campus resident families.
FLEXIBLE WORK OPTIONS Per guidelines from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, employees who can complete their work from home, when they can, are encouraged to do so.
HIGH-RISK EMPLOYEES High-risk employees who are concerned about returning to work are encouraged to reach out to Human Resources. A conversation about health concerns, medical provider recommendations, and possible school accommodations for support will follow.
EMPLOYEES AFFECTED BY CHILDCARE/SCHOOL CLOSURES Intermittent or full leave options are available through the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act for employees who have had their childcare closed or modified. For more info visit https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/ files/WHD/posters/FFCRA_Poster_WH1422_ Non-Federal.pdf. Supporting documentation will be required.
PERSONAL TRAVEL George School will follow current recommendations to require any employee who travels domestically from a hot spot to quarantine for 14 days. Anyone traveling internationally will also be expected to quarantine. The list of current domestic hot spots as defined by the state of PA can be found at https://www.health. pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/Travelers. aspx. If any travel described above has taken place, please contact Human Resources to form a quarantine plan. Faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to refrain from non-essential travel and use of public transportation.
GROUPS OF 25 OR MORE We will follow Pennsylvania’s latest mitigation efforts: • I ndoor events and gatherings of more than 25 persons are prohibited. • O utdoor events and gatherings of more than 250 persons are prohibited. • D ining areas are limited to 25 percent of the fire code occupancy. • The maximum occupancy limit includes staff.
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PANDEMIC RESPONSE TEAM George School formed a Pandemic Response Team to plan the reopening of school as carefully and deliberately as possible. This team consists of various stakeholders representing areas of expertise from across the organization. The team continues to meet regularly while keeping aware of virus trends, CDC and other external medical guidance, visa issues for international students, and the varied response actions of peer institutions. Rachel Agosto
Sam Houser
Indira Rodrigo
Director of Diversity, Equity,
Head of School
Student Health and Wellness Center
and Inclusion
Cheryl Hufnagle
Rohan Arjun ’05
Executive Assistant Head
Co-Director of Admission
of School Office
Nathan Brockman
Michael Jowder
Director of Marketing and
Director of Environmental Services
Strategic Communications Danette Crockett Director of Human Resources Ben Croucher Head of History Department Steven Fletcher Opening Days Coordinator Val Fusco Registrar Mike Gersie Director of Operations Joellen Gillon Director of Student Health and Wellness Michael Hodgin Director of Technology
Laura Kinnel Director of Studies Gayle Kowalewski Director of Events and Rental Programs Kim Major Co-Director of Admission Pamela McCullough Director of Children’s Center Mike Perry Interim Director of Development Susan Quinn Director of Digital Communications Pippa Rex Dean of Students
Administrator; Pandemic Response Team Clerk Kurt Ruch Director of Athletics and Recreation Joelle Sanphy ’08 English Department, Head of Central Main Elizabeth Schwartz Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement Scott Spence Associate Head of School Michael Toohey Chief Financial Officer Carol Wozniak Special Projects Coordinator
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GEORGE SCHOOL MISSION With Quaker tradition as its touchstone and academic excellence at its core, George School seeks to develop citizen scholars cheerfully committed to openness in the pursuit of truth, to service and peace, and to the faithful stewardship of the earth. We want our students to treasure learning for its own sake and to use it to benefit a diverse world. Above all, we want them to “let their lives speak.�
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G E O RG E S C HO O L 1690 Newtown Langhorne Road Newtown, PA 18940-2414 USA
