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COVID-19 Protection Planning for Current and Prospective Families and Students

Last updated 09/13/23

With guidelines from the Vermont Department of Education, the CDC, and the Vermont Agency of Health, we have made a plan for the 2023-24 school year. The following protocols are based on the fact that our community is 100% vaccinated and boosted. 

We will continue to follow all the state and the CDC’s recommendations. As we all know, the guidelines for best practices change depending on current conditions, so we will update our plans if there are new reccommendations. 

Visitors to campus

Visitors are welcome on campus! If you are interested in a visit or interview, please contact Hillary Kramer, Director of Admissions.

Before students arrive

Students are strongly encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine and regular boosters, which they can do in Vermont if they cannot in their home state. Currently, all of our students and staff are fully vaccinated against COVID and have been boosted.

If you have any symptoms (flu-like symptoms, fever, scratchy throat, coughing, runny nose), we ask that you not join us immediately. Wait for symptoms to recede before returning or coming to school. If you have a positive COVID test, consult our nurse about how to proceed, and wait at least five days before returning to campus.

On-Campus

As of March 2022, masks are optional for all community members.  The exception to this rule is if someone is ill. Of course, anyone can wear a mask if they choose.

If students or staff experience symptoms, they must wear a mask. If symptoms are moderate, we will test for COVID. Even if the tests are negative, we ask that people continue to stay masked until symptoms dissipate (this can prevent other viruses from spreading as well).  We will only require testing for community members who present with moderate flu-like symptoms.

In response to a positive COVID test

If a day student or staff tests positive for COVID, they will be asked to isolate for five days starting either on the day they tested positive or the day symptoms began - whichever is earlier. After five days, as long as symptoms improve, they can leave their home (ie. return to work/school) as long as they wear a mask for an additional five days.  If the symptoms are not improving on day five, then they should continue to isolate until symptoms improve and then wear a mask for five days.

If a boarding student has a positive COVID test result, they must isolate in their room for five days starting either on the day they test positive or the day symptoms began - whichever is earlier.

  • If they have a roommate, the roommate will relocate for five days or until the symptoms recede
  • They will wear a KN95 mask when they need to use the restroom (we will provide them with the KN95). 
  • Meals will be provided to them in their room. 
  • After five days, as long as symptoms improve, they will be allowed to leave their room (i.e., come downstairs, and attend classes and activities).  At that point, they will be asked to wear a mask for an additional five days.  If their symptoms are not improving on day five, then they will be asked to continue to isolate until symptoms improve and then wear a mask for five days.

Other precautions to keep us healthy

  • Hand hygiene and cough etiquette education amongst staff and students is done annually and reinforced throughout the year as needed.
  • When weather permits and during illnesses, we encourage and sometimes require students to ventilate their private living quarters. As a general good hygiene for the school, we ventilate with open windows frequently. 
  • We have daily cleaning and seasonal deep cleaning of all high-touch surface areas - paying close attention to the kitchen, dining, and bathroom areas.
  • We encourage our staff and day students to stay home when sick, regardless of what illness they may have. 
  • Our school nurse tracks local community outbreaks and disease risk by keeping a pulse on local hospital admissions and the severity of current infectious disease community levels through our relationship with the UVMMC (local hospital).

Covid-19 Resources

The U.S. COVID-19 Community Vulnerability Index (CCVI) from Surgo Foundation
https://precisionforcovid.org/ccvi

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

World Health Organization