GETTING BACK TO CAMPUS

Chris Cleveland, head of school, greets students arriving for the first day of school. The 2020-2021 school year has been like none other in recent memory. After ending the school year in total virtual instruction, the administration spent the summer evaluating options for how students and faculty might return to campus in August.

The goal? To have students and faculty on campus as much as possible, as safely as possible, and for as long as possible. To accomplish this, the leadership team employed multiple learning models during the fall (see pg. 18) and various protocols to ensure the community’s safety and well-being.

“Our biggest priority has been to keep everyone as healthy as possible during this pandemic,” said Chris Cleveland, head of school. “We also have another objective which is to have students and employees on campus and try to minimize the inevitable impact of quarantine on our community when someone tests positive.”

“It was also very important to our leadership team to do our absolute best to maintain and preserve as much of the familiarity of the Wesleyan experience as possible for students, faculty, and parents,” Cleveland went on to say. “The people in our community are what makes Wesleyan so special. We wanted to keep the experience of each community member in mind as we sought to make wise and healthy decisions for how to start the year.”

In July, Wesleyan announced the Campus Re-Opening Plan outlining the approach for returning to school in August. The plan addressed many areas of campus life impacted by safety measures in place during the pandemic to ensure everyone’s safety on campus.

LEARNING MODELS

K – 5 | 100% ON CAMPUS

Wesleyan provided all students, kindergarten through fifth grade, with the option to return to campus daily beginning in August. Lower school teachers (kindergarten through fourth grade) knew that their students needed in-person instruction as much as possible – especially for subjects like reading, phonics, and math. Fifth grade is in middle school at Wesleyan, and it is an important transitional year for students. New tablet computers and a different teacher for each subject are just two of the significant adjustments students navigate when they come to middle school.

6 – 12 | 50/50 HYBRID MODEL

To start the school year, Wesleyan gave all students in sixth through 12th grade the option to return to campus in-person every other day, split alphabetically. On their off-campus days, students participated in class online. Live instruction for each period helped classes operate cohesively, even when half the class was off-campus for virtual instruction. Sixth through eighth grade had the option to return to campus 100% beginning October 5 through the end of the semester. High school students returned 100% each day beginning October 5 through November 16. Following Thanksgiving Break, high school finished the last seven class days in the hybrid model before final exams began on December 9.

K – 12 | 100% VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION

Wesleyan opened the year giving all families the option to have students attend school online every day. The 100% virtual model remains an option given the various needs of families during this time, and the reality that at any point there could be students unable to attend school in person due to the Department of Health mandated isolation or quarantine. Middle and high school students wear face coverings at all times.

FACE COVERINGS

All middle and high school students and adults on campus are required to wear face coverings throughout the day. Students are given breaks outside where they can remove their masks temporarily for some relief.

In lower school, students are required to wear face coverings when social distancing is not possible. Once they are seated at their desks, students may remove the face covering. Students are not required to wear face coverings on the playground during recess.

PHYSICAL DISTANCING

Health agencies and medical experts continue to recommend physical distancing as a mitigation measure in slowing the spread of the virus. From the beginning of the semester, faculty have worked to optimize all classrooms and spaces on campus, identifying and removing non-essential furniture to create as much spacing for students as possible. While it has not been possible to maintain six feet of distance at all times, every effort has been made to create as much space between individuals on campus whenever possible.

Middle school chorus students maintain six feet of distance while recording the fall chorus concert in Austin Chapel.

LARGE GATHERINGS

Due to the need for social distancing, large gatherings have not operated as normal during the fall semester. At the start of the year, no large groups gathered, and instead, chapel, grade-level meetings, and more were conducted over Zoom or Microsoft Teams, while events were livestreamed over YouTube. As the semester unfolded, each division worked out various strategies to allow for gatherings with social distancing. For example, by mid-semester, all three divisions held chapel services with limited live audiences.

In lower school, grade levels rotated into Bowen Cafetorium, allowing every student to attend chapel in person each week. Middle and high school alternated weeks allowing different grade levels to attend chapel in person.

BEFORE AND AFTER CARE

Before and after care have been available to families this semester. Lower school parents check their children in on the porch of Warren Hall instead of walking them into the building. Middle school students gather socially distanced in DuBose Dining Hall, Powell Theater, or with a teacher during office hours. High school students can meet with teachers during office hours or can gather outdoors prior to the start of school each morning.

After care is available to lower school students, and each grade level divides into their own space in Warren Hall. Middle school students can participate in extended day after school utilizing both Chapman Library and the Morris-Fletcher Quadrangle.

It was very important to our leadership team to do our absolute best to maintain and preserve as much of the familiarity of the Wesleyan experience as possible for students, faculty, and parents.”

High school mentor groups take advantage of beautiful weather and socially distance outdoors during meetings.

INDIVIDUAL SCREENING

Minimizing the likelihood of a sick person coming to campus is an essential part of Wesleyan’s return to campus strategy. Every family and employee are asked to check each student’s or employee’s temperature prior to coming to campus and to assess if anyone is experiencing COVID-like symptoms.

Once on campus, students and employees pass thermal cameras installed at the entrances of each building. These devices monitor an individual’s temperature on campus. They alert Wesleyan’s health services team if anyone registers a temperature above the threshold set by the school.

Thermal cameras are installed at the main entrances of each building.

Plexiglass dividers have been added to science and art classrooms, as well as front reception desks, lunch service areas, and the Spirit Shop.

WESLEYAN

COMMUNITY PLEDGE

The best way for us to maintain a safe and healthy on-campus environment is to work together as a community. The more we all embrace the safety measures and guidelines including face coverings and social distancing, not only at school, but while we are away from campus, the greater the likelihood we will be able to maintain an on-campus learning environment and do our part to limit the spread of COVID-19. Maintaining these practices is a great way to live out the JOY (Jesus, Others, Yourself) motto as these steps not only protect you but also protect the people around you.

We are asking all Wesleyan community members, including students, parents, and employees, to pledge to do your best to abide by the guidelines from public health officials regarding face coverings, social distancing, and personal hygiene.

CLEANING

The facilities team has continued with the detailed, daily cleaning regimen initiated in January 2020 to mitigate what began as a widespread flu season. This cleaning protocol includes the use of handheld static foggers that apply disinfectant to surfaces. The daily cleaning schedule includes doorknobs, desks, chairs, light switch covers, handrails, toilets, sinks, water fountains, tables, shelves, locker rooms, and buses.

“To say our team has had to completely rethink how we ‘do’ school, thanks to the pandemic, is an understatement,” said Cleveland. “Our community has overwhelmingly supported our administration, and for that, we are grateful. Life, school, and work in a pandemic are not easy. Working together is critical as we continue to navigate the pandemic as it continues to be a reality in our lives.”

As the semester has continued, protocols have changed as needed based on recommendations from the CDC and DPH. To view updated campus protocols, visit

WESLEYANSCHOOL.ORG/COVID.

Lower school teacher assistant Candy Stirling prays before the start of class on the first day of school.