That’s good (I think…)! I guess they sent the email out to the students and not the family, because I haven’t seen it. My son was out celebrating NYE until about 3 a.m., so I guess it will be a while before I can ask him about it… 
Happy New Year to everyone, by the way!
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I think this is good news. I believe the announcement came out on December 30th. It was a long email with return to campus testing protocols, a reiteration of indoor masking, vaccination & booster requirements, etc.
Happy New Year!
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Yes–my son told me (when I asked him!) if he’d gotten that email and he said he had. I guess he just took it as a given (unlike me) that classes would be in person, so he didn’t bother to tell me. I’m glad that they’re requiring booster shots now (even though my son’s friend, who had gotten one, just tested positive yesterday, making it necessary to postpone their trip to Paris over this break–my son and I were both exposed before his friend learned that he was positive, but we’ve had boosters too so I’m not overly worried). I guess that one good thing to come out of this whole thing is that people–especially students–are learning to be flexible.
I guess…
I do think that Berklee has done a good job with all of this–at least as good as any school full of young adults can!
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I am really surprised that Berklee is going to start in person. There is a lot of COVID in Boston right now. I wonder if there will be restrictions for wind, brass and voice at least.
This round of COVID has meant that I hear about a lot more friends and relatives and friends of friends and friends of relatives testing positive than in other surges. Maybe reports of Omicron being milder is influencing decisions, along with the booster requirement.
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Yes–I’ve been watching the numbers there too, @compmom , and thinking the same thing. And yet the numbers are pretty awful everywhere at the moment.
Actually, my son’s friend (with whom he was supposed to leave for Paris today–we had to reschedule for spring break…things will HAVE to have improved by then, right?! 
) tested positive a few days ago, and he was actually the first person I’ve known personally who has gotten infected (he also spent the night at our place the night before he took the test, so we’ll get tested in a few more days…he’s feeling fine though, it seems…he’d gotten the booster). Maybe I just don’t know too many people!
But I’m slowly coming to the conclusion that, at this point, my personal approach will be to take all reasonable precautions (masking, distancing, staying away from anyone who might be more susceptible to serious illness), but to otherwise try to live as “normally” as possible. This thing isn’t going anywhere soon, and to have to make an entire generation of young adults sit life out and miss all the things that college and the world in general have to offer seems just cruel at this point. So I’m just going to trust Berklee and my son (who’s pretty responsible) with this for now. Obviously, if things change and they feel that it’s necessary to go back to remote, we’ll have to adjust. The tension in the air at this point has gotten to the point where I can practically taste it.
But for those who refuse to wear masks where it’s necessary, and to get the appropriate vaccinations…well, I have no words for people who persist in making other, immune-compromised or elderly, people live in fear (not to mention healthcare workers). Barring something miraculous, they’re pretty much the best defenses we’ve got.
I forget how Berklee actually worded it, but the general policy regarding masks seems to be greater enforcement (which is good after seeing most of the audience at the Caf Show my son performed in unmasked!), with permission to remove them on campus given only when absolutely necessary for certain performers. And everyone is now required to get the booster.
(EDIT): Actually, I just looked at the numbers for the increases in cases in various cities over the past 14 days, and NYC has Boston beaten by 424% ! Yikes…
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My son made back home a day later than his flight schedule with very last-minute flight cancellation. He got stuck at an airport overnight without being able to find a hotel room. He will go back to school town in mid-January if his flight doesn’t get canceled. Spring semester starts on 1/24. All students are required booster shot and twice-a-week tests. No mentions about shifting remote classes for now. My son already got his Pfizer booster shot on 12/20.
As soon as he arrived at home, he had an at-home antigen test which showed “positive” result. A little later, he received a PCR test result which he took at his school a day before he flew as “positive”. It was a breakthrough case but his symptoms were very minor. He experienced some cough and scratchy throat. No fever, no achy body, no headache or no loss of taste / smell. It wasn’t easy to isolate him in a small home but we all wore KN95 / KF94 masks full-time except in each bedroom, shifted meal times so not sharing meals or meal time and fully opened windows and fully operated air purifier with UV light. 4 days later, we all took at-home tests. Our results were all negative. So, it might be possible to stop transmission in a small space as long as they wear high quality face masks. Absolutely no cloth face masks! We (except my son) have PCR test appointments next week just making sure we aren’t infected. His school called and followed up on him about his health. He is cleared and done with his isolation.
His school’s Covid dashboard has been scary high right after Thanksgiving. But by witnessing my son’s case and how we handled our family life as safe as possible during his isolation time, I think that colleges and students can do in-person classes with some additional restrictions and tolerances after current surge gets peaked out. So, delaying 2-3 weeks at some colleges make sense.
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My kids’ schools are shutting down for 2-3 weeks (term starts in two days). My doctoral student kid has dissertation performance again postponed after waiting two years.
I disagree that now is the time to take 'reasonable precautions" and try to live “normally.” If COVID continues, I think there may be periods of surges where we have to return to more restrictions and behave differently as well.
Granted, my kid has a serious health condition and it at risk (as do I). If a school opens in person during a surge, I hope they have adequate accommodations for young people as well as staff who are vulnerable.
It does seem so far that Omicron passes through intensely but quickly. My kids’ schools seem to intend to return to in-person and also to concerts by Feb., and we’ll see if that current estimate is extended.
ps Plenty of breakthroughs among people we know who were boosted; remains to be seen whether any are severe.
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So there are major complaints at my older son’s school that they are delaying movement into a new dorm, but no discussion of any change of policy or delaying beginning of the year. The difference of small conservatory and being in the south I guess. We do know that there are students who are positive at home, wonder what will happen with their planned return next sunday. My younger one attends precollege in NYC and everything is shut down for an extra week with the likelihood of longer.
Temple is moving all instruction (where possible) online for two weeks, delaying campus move-in for two weeks as well. No large ensembles can meet during that time, but small ensembles and in-person lessons are all still happening. Kid flies back to Philly tomorrow armed with KN94 masks to wear. Just hoping we all can make it through January. After seeing two in-person concerts last semester it looks like maybe we’ll be able to see one large ensemble one in spring.
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How does your student like Temple? My non music '22 kid is very interested and had an excellent tour in the fall. Lots of personal interaction with professors and advisors in their projected major. We’re a bit nervous about the seriousness of the crime in the area. Thanks in advance!
My percussionist LOVES it there. The fact that he has a wide variety of professors who are active, professional musicians and so much personal attention was a big draw for him to travel across the country. He’s had great experiences playing in ensembles as well as one-on-one lessons.
I won’t sugar coat that the neighborhood is less-than safe… but the same can be said for many urban campuses. The school has stepped up patrols and there is a concerted effort to work on campus safety. I wouldn’t let that be a reason to not seriously consider the school.
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I appreciate your honest response. I realize this is off-topic on this thread. My '22 kid felt the personal one on one attention during the preview day. Many thanks & I wish your percussionist a great spring semester!
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Berklee continues to communicate stepped up Covid mitigation measures to incoming students. For example, cloth masks are NOT allowed anymore. All masks must be 3 ply medical grade or higher and special masks will now be required for singers and horn players. Dorm move in begins tomorrow, Sunday January 9th at noon.
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Boston positivity rate is 32% right now. Good luck to Berklee. Lots of students live off campus. No real way to control this thing . Hope accommodations are made for students, faculty and staff who are especially vulnerable. Is a booster required?
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Boosters are required at Berklee but I think the date is by mid Feb (didn’t pay attention because my kid was boosted over break).
I think Berklee admin got a lot of negative parent feedback when they went temporarily remote right before Thanksgiving. I think they are trying their best to stay in-person. When you think of the positivity rate of Florida, and Frost not going remote, ever, and not doing the testing that Berklee or other schools do, I guess there’s the argument that it can be done. We will see.
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I reiterate that I hope accommodations are offered for faculty, staff and students with medical conditions or who are older. A remote option, for instance, for both teaching and for students.
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Frost is remote for first two weeks this semester! Florida…. So can’t require vaccines. But when they return it’s going to be masks even outside, no indoor dining, tons of testing, etc.
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There are many Covid mitigation measures in place at Berklee, but they specifically referenced their 97% vaccination rate and mandatory boosters as part of the reason they will open with in person instruction. Of course this could change at a moment’s notice, but they have communicated that they are committed to providing safe and in-person instruction.
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Mandatory boosters by mid-Feb at Berklee?
Hi, @compmom . Just now I looked again at Berklee’s Covid protocols for Spring, and I THINK this is something new (just posting it because you asked about brass, woodwinds, and voice):
“Vocalists, wind, and brass instrumentalists** must use specialized masks. Wind and brass instrumentalists must also have and use bell covers. These specialized masks and bell covers are available for purchase at the Berklee Bookstore.”
Also, this: " Please note that at this time we are no longer able to allow exceptions to the masking policy for lessons, classes, ensembles, or rehearsals at faculty or administrator discretion. In consultation with their students and the appropriate chair and dean, faculty may opt to hold private lessons and lab classes that require unmasking remotely."
It sounds as if they’re continuing to tweak the policies as they go. Of course, there’s always the question of compliance!
I agree that it would be ideal if students, faculty, and other staff could choose between remote and in-person options. My son would be perfectly content staying home for the semester (his last) and working remotely, but in many ways he’s in a better position than many people, especially music students, on that. I honestly have no idea how feasible the optional remote idea is (I still haven’t quite figured out Zoom, so I’m not the person to ask!). Do you know of any schools where that has been done? That’s a serious question–not challenging you!
And then there’s the issue that I haven’t seen discussed so far… Everyone seems to think that Omicron here will peak in the middle of this month, but obviously no one has a crystal ball and it’s always possible that it will be followed by yet another variation (including the kind which, unlike Omicron and like Delta, attacks the lungs).
We’ve all been reduced to second-guessing everything (including epidemiologists and the medical community). That’s what I’m finding exhausting at this point–just even trying to THINK about how this will all play out day-by-day. People talk about kids learning “resiliency” from all of this, but I’m afraid they’re just as likely to enter adulthood feeling that the ground under their feet is always at risk of giving way–that can’t be healthy.