Definitely doesn’t work.
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That is very draconian, I get sending positive kids home but close contacts? There is no CDC or other guidance suggesting this, and assuming the close contacts are vaccinated/boosted it borders on sheer insanity. I am surprised parents put up with that, and would love to know how Groton defines close contact.
That being said, I see the opposite both here in the city and at my kids’ schools, both BS and college, basically head in the sand approach. Both are experiencing significant spikes since spring break/end of mask wearing yet continue the move along/nothing to see approach, though we did just get an email asking us to encourage our students to wear masks indoors even though it is optional. It has been two year and I am all for living with covid, everyone is vaccinated/boosted plus lots of people have had covid, some more than once. Even so, there seem to be fair amount of super spreader activity which is not necessary. Between spring break, revisit days (both people coming to BS and kids leaving to revisit colleges), general free movement for everyone (maskless guests visiting, kids going to town, sporting events, plays etc). and upcoming standardized testing, spring long weekends, Easter/passover there have been and are coming so many more super spreader activities that the numbers are bound to continue rising. And we see Omicron reinfections already, with symptoms (not severe but noticeable for sure). In order to finish the year without full blown outbreaks it seems like some mitigation efforts could be wise.
I think Close contact is 15 minutes+ (I think without a mask but honestly not sure)
And correct. There is no cdc precedent for what the school rules are. They are just off on their own. And since masks never went away how does admin explain the spike:face_with_raised_eyebrow:
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And yes everyone is vaccinated. There were zero exemptions allowed. Kids who asked for an exemption (Even medical) were told they were welcome to take a leave of absence until Covid was over.
Heh. Pictuing a 75 year old returning to Groton for junior year.
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Choate is having a pretty massive uptick in cases right now, but it seems like we are continuing on without the mask mandate. Students are given at-home COVID tests if they feel as though it’d be necessary. If you’re identified as a close contact, you’re required to mask and monitor for symptoms. Definitely a bit wild right now, but hopefully things calm down soon!
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Up in Ontario, some prep schools were traveling south of the border for tournaments in January. My son’s school by contrast was in full lockdown and no sports for 7 weeks. This was not following any guidance just an ultra-conservative approach.
I’ve heard stories of school’s being ultra slack to total nonsense.
My son too was force to leave his school at night because of a positive test on his floor, eventhough he tested negative as did his roommate. We live 4 hours away so by good fortune a parent offered to take my son in for the night. Sanity returned the next day as school allowed kids tested negative to return. THis was in March when things were getting under control.
At some point, we hoped adults running the schools have some common sense. If someone is sick in boarding house, isolate them in their room and have them Uber eats for heavens sake.
BTW up here in Canada, it is as if people have collectively resigned themselves that the bugger will find them.
No one has covered Loomis yet but we’ve reinstated our mask mandate.
Are any schools yet requiring QR Code proof of COVID vaccination/boosters?
Can someone share what the Covid policies are for Williston and Mercersburg? If student tests + or if they are a close contact? Are they required to leave campus? What happens to international students or students from CA or HI where families live 3000+ miles away? I havent seen any details as a soon to be new parent
The mask mandates (on/off etc) will be a part of the next year for sure across many campuses
What is QR code proof? Never heard of it.
It’s a QR Code that you have on your phone or on a single document that has your vaccine and booster information on it - instead of vaccination cards. Kiddo is doing a summer program overseas and the program wants this digitalized info on a QR code app. It’s becoming more common for international travel - some of the international students have this.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/tips/vaccine-passports-travel-faq/
@nat1969 Welcome to Mercersburg. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions. We’ve been at the school for nearly 8 years now and I am active on the parent association board.
Re: covid, right now - today - (and it has and can change daily depending on what is happening in our county and state), close contacts only have to test; positive tests must go home for 7 days. If you are far away or international, you must either go to the place your family has designated as your “emergency location” (that’s not what they called it but it is a family/person you’ve said will take in your child if they need to leave school because of illness) or use the company the school contracted with to house students who need to quarantine.
Masks are currently encouraged but not required indoors. Meals just this morning went back to buffet/grab and go, from the seated family style that we’ve been doing for a couple of weeks now. With 2 weeks to go and covid on the rise in our county, there is not-small concern that seniors will get sick and not be able to participate in Senior Week activities and that international students will not be able to go home at the end of the year.
This is interesting, every school I am familiar with (including dc’s boarding school and older dc’s college) seem to just steamrolling through the rise in cases, much like the rest of the NY/NJ/CT area. We had a massive influx of people on campus this weekend between alumni weekend, grandparents’ day, various senior day celebrations after games and performances heavily attended by parents and families. Visitors were supposed to wear masks indoors but few did, including the grandparents. Kind of hard to do anyway when eating/drinking is often involved. I think everyone is just keeping fingers crossed we can finish off the year without a large outbreak.
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Thank you for the update on masks/policy. I couldnt find anything on the public website page so was curious. Yes cases are on the rise in many places - i wasnt sure if Mburg had a designated Q facility etc. IS the school particularly conservative in covid management or are these state mandated regulations?
Strange that masking isnt mandated but instead meals have been curtailed to only be grab/go. (and i say this as coming from a country where masks are mandated indoors at all times unless eating/drinking)
Hopefully the fall will have normalized activities but glad to know there is a company contracted to provide Q (is this also for for any illness like the flu etc or just for covid +?)
While i need to figure out if i can designate someone nearby as emergency contact - i think there is a difference bw “in case of emergency call” and “my child has the plague - can you take her in?” :).
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I think masks are “highly recommended” indoors at Mercersburg, along with grab and go? Needless to say, they must be doing something right since neither my Mburg kid, nor his roommates over the course of Covid, ever had it (knock on wood).