As much as I really do not want to wear a mask, I’ll do it if it means everything else is completely back to normal. Speaking of which, I just got my second dose a couple minutes ago! 
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I think that the % vaccinated will be very high - my son’s CT school is only allowing medical exemptions and religious exemptions on file with the state prior to April. I see that number as minuscule. And it seems all the schools they compete with athletically have similar requirements. Plus CT has high vaccination rate. I’m optimistic that it’s a very low risk environment on campus, especially if some additional testing protocols are put in place. And hopefully 2-11yo’s will be Vax eligible in the early fall.
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I think wearing masks in the classroom is a given if the numbers continue to move in the direction they have been going in the last few weeks. Hopefully not outside for sports etc, they did not last year before vaccinations. I worry about other things like being able to leave campus (are they going to ban club sports again?), parents attending games, kids going to town for ice cream etc. At this rate they could end up being as locked down as they were in the spring.
What happened last year during thanksgiving week? Did schools just let kids go home and then remote from home till January?
This is my concern too…we were looking forward to kiddo experiencing normal BS life this year, and I fear she may lose that opportunity again. Still hoping the fact that almost all of the school community is vaccinated will allow for a lot of leeway.
Most schools sent their students home for Thanksgiving break and didn’t take them back until early January, doing two weeks of remote learning. Some schools remained remote for part/all of winter, and a few schools stayed in session through Thanksgiving and students went home for winter break.
Remember that every school has in its community faculty and staff who have young children, spouses, parents, etc who are not vaccinated for any number of reasons. Children under 12 are probably the biggest group. I suspect that there will be different rules for different places (i.e. dorms, dining halls, classrooms, athletic fields). But to have the normal experience we all crave, we need all of the community to be safe and healthy. I have no clue what this will look like in the fall, but it’s important to consider all the people who make the student experience complete.
The huge improvement over last year is that so many people are vaccinated and the fear of having dozens of very sick students and faculty is greatly diminished. A downside event will be less severe for most folks. So my hunch is that even if masks are required in some places, the overall experience will be much closer to normal this year than it was last year. Normal can’t come fast enough!
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The new normal……
It will be a real shame if indoor masking is required in boarding communities that have required vaccination to be in person. There is no science to support such an approach. The CDC reports 340 deaths in children under 17 in 2020/21. That is far less than other infectious causes of death in children, such as RSV. But we haven’t been masking to prevent passing RSV in boarding communities. Legitimately unvaccinated spouses of faculty or staff are vanishingly rare and do not warrant masking the entire community. Similarly, faculty or staff concerned about unvaccinated parents should not visit with their parents.
COVID may very well spread through boarding communities. Stopping the spread is NOT the goal. Preventing morbidity and mortality is the goal. That required masking when no vaccines were available…it was the right thing to do. Morbidity and mortality in the vaccinated population is extremely low now. Masking has become a political tool now.
I’m not saying that masks will not be required indoors in boarding communities. But let’s not pretend that it will be supported by science or a moral obligation.
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I just spoke with a friend whose son goes to this prep school in California - Athenian - they are expecting to wear masks indoors at all times, but not outdoors as of now.
Are students at Athenian required to have the vaccine?? I think that is the biggest factor here…with mandated vaccines at BSs, one hopes they can be more lenient.
It’s official, masks returns to SF area… required indoors
I understand that Trinity-Pawling is requiring vaccines for all boys - 12 & older must have their vaccine.
Eagle Brook is requiring vaccines for all “eligible” students. So, that might mean that if your son is under 12, he is exempt. There is a protocol in place for the younger boys who are not vaccinated - PCR testing, masking for first 10-14 days of schools and rapid testing multiple times per week.
Does anyone have news on how the other JBS programs are going to welcome students who have not yet received the vaccine?
My kid’s school allowed boarders to stay over Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. Those who went home for either break had to go fully remote/weren’t allowed back on campus until the end of January.
I’m sure they weren’t unique; there were a lot of creative solutions that various lesser known schools came up with.
This year the plan is to return to the pre-COVID academic schedule, and dorms closed for breaks.
I’m guessing that accessibility to vaccines and testing will eliminate this need for some students.
But there are definitely places that have serious quarantine rules in effect still for folks coming into the country (regardless of Vax status). I can’t imagine that it would be feasible for students to go home to those places for anything other than summer break.
This won’t be a school decision but the schools may need to support these kids.
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I am not sure how it will work out, I imagine a chunk of the foreign kids will not be able to get vaccinated before coming, as very few countries will vaccinate the under 16 age group, so it will have to be done once they arrive. Schools must already be aware and be making plan for it but it is another complication. Plus the growing data that vaccinated people can both get infected and spread the virus (Delta variant in particular) will likely force continuation of some level of surveillance testing.
PA has already told anyone arriving on campus who is unable to get vaccinated prior to arrival to let the school know in advance so that PA can make arrangements to have them vaccinated upon arrival.
Not stated (yet): what will be expected of those kids otherwise. Masks for sure. Quarantine? That will be tough unless they re-introduce the remote/zoom option which they’ve previously said would not be offered this year. Not that they can’t change their minds of course.
Kiddo’s school has also said they will help international students get vaccinated, and those that cannot do so before arriving to school will have different restrictions until they are fully vaccinated.
I’m also curious about quarantining as we’ve also been told no remote/zoom options.
Just came across this on the Taft website. Not entirely sure how up to date it is, but it seems reasonable:
My child’s school (Thacher) has NOT required COVID vaccines for students. Concerned that this is a minority position. Any other schools that have NOT required COVID vaccine? Or else, have required them only recently?
On kiddo’s school webinar now…so relieved that they’re keeping the focus on bringing back the most “normal” school experience possible.
Vaccines required, negative PCR test required upon arrival, two weeks on boarding process which includes masks indoors and surveillance testing. All unvaccinated students and employees to continue mask wearing and surveillance testing.
Positive cases will be isolated. Vaccinated close contacts will be “quarantined” in that they will be monitored, tested, and need to wear a mask, but won’t be isolated.
Parents will be allowed to move students in, but must wear masks.
And of course, everything could change based on community spread. Keeping my fingers crossed for a good Fall term.
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