COVID-19 and the 2020-21 School Year

This page is no longer being updated.  Current parents should visit the COVID-19 Resource Board on the parent portal for information about the 2021-22 school year.
Dear St. Bernard’s Families, Faculty, and Staff,

After months of being pelted with negative news, we’re all searching for something to boost our spirits.  Well here it is:  St. Bernard’s reopening plan.  This school year will be unlike any other, but we recognize the importance of our boys being back in the building with daily face-to-face interaction with their teachers.  

As I mentioned in my previous note, we will be able to accommodate all students in kindergarten through Grade IV in school every day.  Grades V-IX will be alternating weeks in a hybrid-learning model that is explained in this plan.  The social distancing guidelines do not allow for a “full” return to school, but we have made the commitment to bring our younger boys back 100% of the time, knowing that remote learning is more challenging for this age group.  

We also recognize that many families have unique situations that preclude them from sending their boys in for live instruction.  We are prepared to provide our remote-learning program for those families who request it.  Please inform us immediately if you have decided to go 100% remote for the fall.  

St. Bernard’s is ready to welcome our boys back.  Faculty and staff have worked tirelessly to plan and provide all the resources necessary for a smooth opening.  We are all excited to bring our community back together again.   

Best, 
Evan
 

Reopening Mission

  • Protect the physical safety and emotional wellbeing of our boys, faculty, and staff.
  • Continue to provide the rigorous St. Bernard’s academic program whether in school or online.
  • Meet the requirements and recommendations of the State of New York, the CDC, and the American Association of Pediatrics.
  • Strive for an equitable and supportive school experience for all in our community.

PLANNING FOR THREE SCENARIOS

List of 4 items.

  • Scenario A: “All in”

    In this scenario, government and health officials allow schools to reopen and operate as normal, albeit with modifications to the schedule, and with new health and hygiene protocols including six feet spacing between individuals and/or a physical barrier.  ( See the “Building Modification” section for more on distancing and the “Academic” section on cohorts.)  All students attend school for in-person learning.  Families will also have the option to choose 100% remote, online classes if they wish.
     
  • Scenario B: “Hybrid”

    In this scenario, school is allowed to reopen but with stricter density guidelines to reduce the risk of exposure to our community.  As in scenario A, there will be six feet between individuals and/or a physical barrier.  Some students will attend in-person classes, and some will attend remote, online classes.  Families will also have the option to choose 100% remote, online classes if they wish.  More details on the hybrid plan are listed below.
     
  • Scenario C: “St. B’s Online 2.0”

    In this scenario, the New York State will have deemed it unsafe to reopen schools for in-person attendance, and all students will remain at home for online, remote lessons.  The school has reworked the schedules for this “all remote” scenario based on our experience in the spring term and parent feedback to allow for more live Zoom classes, and to streamline the experience for students and teachers.
     
  • 100% Remote Option:

    We are offering a 100% remote option for families whose sons cannot come back to school for various reasons.  These boys will be participating via Zoom in the live lessons that are taking place in the classroom.  As such, it will be mostly synchronous instruction.  Our technology department has added new, HD cameras to every classroom.  

    Read More >

Reopening Plans as of August 17, 2020

Please read each of the sections below carefully.  We will let you know of any changes to these plans and they will be updated on this site.

Click to expand each heading below to read our plans.

List of 8 items.

  • Health and Safety

    The partnership between home and school is essential in helping to ensure a safe and healthy school for students, faculty, and staff.  Our community has a shared responsibility to prevent the spread of illness, especially communicable diseases like COVID-19.   We would like to stress the importance of a family discussion of these policies in an age-appropriate way.  For younger boys, it may be beneficial to practice mask wearing, social distancing, and thorough hand washing at home before the first day of school.

    Please understand that practices and procedures are subject to change as guidance from health officials evolves.  Below are the current protocols that will be implemented to assist in keeping everyone safe.
     

    Face Masks
    • Face masks must be worn on arrival to school every day and students and faculty must wear a mask at all times.  We will allow students to remove their face masks during meals and for short designated breaks so long as they maintain an appropriate social distance of six feet and/or are behind a physical barrier, as per the most recent New York guidelines.  
    • It is up to parents to determine the type of mask they believe will prevent the spread of droplets and to ensure their son has the mask on every day when he arrives at school.  We will also have masks available for use by students who forget theirs.  We have purchased 70,000 disposable face masks for use by students and employees.  
    • Acceptable face masks for COVID-19 include, but are not limited to cloth-based face coverings and surgical masks that cover both the mouth and nose.  Face shields worn without other face coverings are not considered adequate protection against COVID-19 and should not be used alone.  Neck gaiters, bandanas, and masks with valves are not permitted.

    Mandatory Daily Temperature and Symptom Screening
    • The latest government guidance encourages students to be checked for symptoms at home rather than upon entering the building.  This will ensure that a sick child does not leave his home and expose others.  Parents must complete a symptom and temperature check questionnaire each morning via a smartphone by 7:30 a.m. (this questionnaire will be available by the start of school).  Students will not be allowed in the building without a completed symptom check.  A boy with a temperature above 100°F must stay home from school. 
    • The questions are as follows:
    1. Have you/has your child experienced any of the following symptoms in the last 14 days: fever (100°F or more without having taken any fever reducing medications), cough, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, muscle or body aches, sore throat, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, headache, or new loss of taste or smell?
    2. Has your child or someone in your child's household been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days?
    3. Has your child knowingly been in close contact with or cared for someone diagnosed or tested positive with COVID-19 within the last 14 days?
    4. Have you/has your child traveled to or been in close contact with anyone who has traveled to any of the areas designated by the NYDOH as COVID-19 "hotspots" in the US or internationally within the last 14 days? 
    • Faculty must also complete a temperature and symptom checks before leaving home.   

    Hand Washing
    • Hand sanitizing or hand washing several times per day will be required (at least upon entering school, meal times, and bathroom breaks).
    • The school will provide training in effective hand-washing.
    • Hand sanitizer stations will be placed throughout the school.

    Travel Restrictions
    • Any student or employee returning from a destination under a CDC Level 3 Travel Health Notice or under travel restrictions by New York State or city will be required to stay home for 14 days prior to returning to school.  Further, the School Nurse should be notified.  
    • Parents are reminded to monitor the New York state travel advisory website if any member of the family decides to travel.  If a family member has traveled to one of these destinations, he or she must quarantine away from the student or employee.
    • Parents are reminded to be mindful of the latest quarantine procedures when making end of summer plans. (*10/17/20 update: please visit this list of travel FAQ for more detailed information.)

    Updated Policy for Students Who Become Ill During School
    • If  a student has COVID symptoms during the school day, he will immediately be isolated in a special area in the Nurse’s Office.  Students must be picked up from school within one hour.  
    • In order to facilitate this process, it is critical that families confirm that all contact information is up-to-date in the parent portal and in Magnus and that a minimum of two emergency contacts are provided. 

    Stay Home if Sick or Exposed
    • If your son is sick with any of the following symptoms - fever, cough, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, extreme fatigue, body aches, shortness of breath, or lack of sense of taste or smell, rash - keep him home from school and consult your physician.  
    • If your son or anyone in your home has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or has been notified by the NY Department of Health that they were in contact with an individual infected with COVID-19, you must notify the School Nurse immediately. 
    • Please see St. Bernard’s policy on returning to school after exposure below.
    • St. Bernard’s plans to support local health departments in contact tracing efforts.  We will conduct our own contact/tracing within the school community.

    Policy on Returning to School After Exposure
    • Any person testing positive for COVID-19 may return to school as follows:
      • With symptoms:  may return 10 days after symptoms first appeared AND 24 hours with no fever (without the use of fever reducing medicine) AND all other symptoms have been resolved. 
      • Without symptoms:  quarantine for 10 days after test date and as long as no symptoms have been present, OR two negative COVID-19 tests (the first test as soon as possible, followed by a second test conducted at least 24 hours after the first).  
      • For both options, students need a health care provider note clearing them for return to school.
    • The guidance we are receiving is constantly evolving week to week.  St. Bernards will follow the most current guidance of recognition, referral and return from the NYSDOH for COVID-19. This protocol will be revised as NYSDOH guidelines evolve.


    Cohort Quarantine Policy 

    In the case of employees and students testing positive for COVID-19, the school will determine individuals who have come into close, prolonged contact* with the identified employee or student, and alert the families of all identified students by e-mail.  Such children and employees will be immediately expected to quarantine for 14 consecutive days (post last exposure) and commence distance learning.  The headmaster and the nurse will make this determination.  In some instances, we may have to close the school while the investigation is underway, but we will attempt to conclude the investigation within 24 hours.  The investigation is to determine where the boy contracted the virus and who has been in contact with since. (9/25/20 update) Most likely, the student’s entire homeroom, including his homeroom teacher, will be considered a close contact. In the case of Upper School students who have differentiated math and language classes, an entire grade may need to switch to remote learning depending on the circumstances.

    *Close contact means individuals were less than six feet from each other in an enclosed space for more than 10 minutes without a mask. (9/25/20 update) If you do not receive a "close contact" notification, you or your child have not been exposed.

    Please click here to see our latest quarantine guidance. 

    School Closure
    • During the coming year, there may be times when St. Bernard’s is ordered to close the school by the Governor.  New York State has established metrics that it will use to order a regional or state-wide lockdown, and the school will comply with these mandates.
    • However, there may be situations within our own borough, neighborhood, or school when community spread of COVID-19 needs to be addressed.  We will use guidance from local government and public health authorities to make science-based, data-driven decisions for such situations.
    • When the school must be closed, Scenario C (100% remote learning) will come in effect.  The school is prepared for a smooth transition between all three scenarios. 

    A Note on Testing:
    Testing of everyone before opening school is not a requirement and the CDC does not recommend it (link) It is not known if testing in school settings provides any additional reduction in person-to-person transmission of the virus beyond what would be expected with implementation of other infection preventive measures (e.g., social distancing, face masks, etc).  (9/25/20 update) A PCR (not rapid) test is recommended when one has COVID symptoms or has been in close contact with a someone with COVID-19.
     
  • Building Changes

    Four East 98th Street will look and feel quite different from when we left the school in March.  Here are highlights of the many changes:


    Physical Distancing:
    • We have measured each classroom to accommodate distancing of six feet as per the most recent New York guidelines.  In any scenario in which six feet of physical distancing cannot be maintained, we will have physical barriers in place. 
    • The school has purchased over 300 social distance screens made of clear Lexan polycarbonate.  These partitions are approximately five feet high and will be placed between student desks to support social distancing while maintaining some amount of togetherness in the classrooms.
      • When desks cannot be spaced six feet apart, these clear partitions will be placed in between students. 
      • Table dividers will also be placed in the faculty room and in the library for the faculty. 
      • For additional protection of our teachers, they will conduct classes from behind clear plastic partitions.
    • Homerooms may be shifted to accommodate physical distancing.  Other previously non-academic spaces, such as the Medium gym, will be utilized for classwork. 
    • St. Bernard’s is in the process of renting additional space on the Upper East Side to give us extra room in case we need it.  The space will be supervised by St. Bernard’s faculty or staff.  
    • Locker rooms will remain inaccessible for the most part.
    • There will be limited and controlled movement throughout the school (see Academic section for more details).
    • Shared faculty and staff offices will be reconfigured to allow for physical distancing of six feet.  Other areas in the school (such as the library) will be reserved for faculty use and will be closed to students.  (Library books will be available to be checked out remotely.)    Even though they will be wearing a face mask, faculty and staff will not be present together in small spaces (elevator or small offices) for longer than 15 minutes.  All faculty meetings will take place virtually.  

    Hygiene:
    • Sensor faucets, automatic soap dispensers, and automatic flushometers have been installed in bathrooms throughout the building eliminating the need to touch, twist, or press surfaces.
    • New handwashing signs have been placed in all bathrooms.  Individual pump bottles of hand sanitizer will be placed in all classrooms, offices, and entrances to the school.
    Ventilation and Air Quality:
    • In order to reduce particulates in the air throughout the building, our HVAC ductwork will now incorporate air filters with a higher MERV rating, moving from MERV-8 to MERV-13.  MERV stands for “Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value” and is an acronym created to provide a scale showing the effectiveness of filters at removing particles of different sizes.  In general, filters with higher MERV ratings catch higher percentages of particles as well as smaller particles.
    • In addition to the ventilation system, we will keep windows open as much as possible. 
    • Each classroom has a stand alone medical-grade HEPA air purifier.
    • Classrooms will be disinfected throughout the school day.  Using technology developed by the CASPR group, ventilation ductwork will be equipped with devices that run continuously creating oxidizing molecules that neutralize molds, viruses and bacteria, at the cellular level then revert to hydrogen and oxygen molecules.  Some classrooms will have individual, standalone CASPR units.  These devices are expected to provide a 99.96% kill rate on surfaces.
    Cleaning and Sanitation:
    • We purchased six electrostatic sprayers (three handheld and three backpack units) that will be used by our maintenance and cleaning staff throughout the day and while performing evening cleaning.  Electrostatic spray uses a specialized solution that is combined with air and atomized by an electrode inside the sprayer.  Subsequently, the spray contains positively charged particles that are able to aggressively adhere to surfaces and objects which they stick to and even wrap around to coat all sides.
    • Additional staff has been hired to continuously clean and sanitize surfaces during the school day.
    • In the event an individual is confirmed to have COVID-19 while at school, St. Bernard’s will close off the areas used by that person.  After waiting as long as possible, maintenance will clean and disinfect the areas. 

    Other Building Changes:
    • Floor signs will be placed six feet apart in common areas and additional social distancing signage will be placed throughout the building. 
    • An intercom system will be installed in the front office to minimize direct contact between visitors and staff.
    • The nurse’s office is now in Ms. Mackay’s old classroom on the 1st floor to allow for CDC recommendations for the health office.  There is a separate isolation area where students or faculty can be isolated if necessary.
    • Every classroom will be equipped with a first aid kit.
    • Student supplies will be for individual use, including books, markers, crayons, etc., to limit the need for shared objects.
    • Please minimize the amount of items brought to and from school each day.  We have limited space in the classrooms for large items such as sports equipment.

    Visitor Policy:
    • No visitors, including parents, unless by appointment. Visitors must wear masks and receive a symptom and temperature screening.
    • All parent/teacher conferences will be held on Zoom.
    • Outside tutors will not be allowed in the building. 

    Safety Drills
    St. Bernard’s will review and update its fire and lockdown drills before the start of the 2020-21 school year to take into account mask-wearing and social distancing requirements by, for instance, indicating that students and faculty are to wear a face mask and/or maintain a distance of six feet when they gather on the sidewalk outside (or the park across the street) for our head-count, and by reviewing where each class should gather in order to preserve maximum distance.  

    Lunch:
    • Lunches and snacks will be delivered in individual boxes to the homerooms.  Boys with food allergies and dietary restrictions will be accommodated. 
    • Our catering staff, in partnership with a company called Nutri-Slice, will offer a platform where students and faculty will be able to order individually packaged meals ahead of time.  Parents can log in and place lunch orders on Wednesday noon for the week ahead. 
      • Those with allergies have the ability to filter out meals that contain the items to which they are allergic.  For example, if a student has a dairy allergy, they are able to eliminate all the menu choices with dairy. 
      • If parents forget to place an order for the upcoming week, a push notification will be sent through the system to a smartphone.
      • More information about the lunch ordering system will be sent before school opens.
    • At this time, boys may not bring their own food into school.  Boys may bring a water bottle to school.
  • Technology

    In the Classroom:
    • All classrooms have been fitted with a smartboard, HD video camera, microphones, and Wi-Fi.  This will enable students who need to be at home to participate in live classes. 
    • If a teacher needs to work from home, he or she will have the capability to teach classes remotely to the boys sitting in their homeroom. 
    New 1:1 Device Program:
    • The school has purchased either an iPad (Junior School) or a touch-screen Chromebook (Middle and Upper schools) for every boy to use in the classroom.  Boys may continue to use their own device at home if they wish, or bring the school device home. 
      • The Chromebook shipment has been delayed and will arrive the first week of October.  Students may borrow a Chromebook from the school’s existing supply.  Please e-mail helpdesk@stbernards.org to reserve a Chromebook until the new shipment arrives.  Junior School iPads will be waiting for the boys on their first day of school. (9/25/20 update) Ipad training for Junior School students began the week of September 21. 
    • If a remote student needs to pick up his device, his parents should e-mail helpdesk@stbernards.org to arrange a pick up from 98th Street.  Devices cannot be shipped. 
    • We are asking boys to take their devices home each night and charge the battery.  We will have extra devices and chargers at school in case a boy forgets this new routine. 
    • When boys are using devices at school (either in the classroom, in the remote-week study hall, or during a virtual LAP class) we recommend that boys wear headphones with a built in microphone.
  • Academics

    St. Bernard’s remains committed to delivering the rigorous and enriching academic curriculum for which we are known.  It also remains committed to offering academic, social, and emotional support to students, faculty, and staff.    Communicating with your son about his feelings is essential during this unprecedented time, as this pandemic has created additional stress and anxiety.  We encourage you to keep the lines of communication open between home and school.  

    The changes outlined in this plan are designed to ensure the safety and health of all members of the community  so that St. B’s can focus on what it does best - educating boys.  The cohort/pod model recommended by our health officials presents many challenges to our former schedule which allowed for differentiated groups in reading, math, and languages.  We feel that differentiated groups are a vital part of a St. Bernard’s education and we have come up with responses that will allow for differentiated instruction  to continue. 

    (9/25/20 update) For now, we will only have differentiated groups in the Upper School. These groups are for language and math. When these small groups meet, distancing and mask wearing minimize the potential for close contact of students from different homerooms.

    Cohorts:
    • Class sizes will be limited to a small “cohort” or “pod” of boys and their teachers, with the exception of kindergarten which will be broken into two larger pods of 20 due to the size of their rooms.  
    • Cohorts, particularly for younger students, are self-contained, preassigned groups of students with limited intermingling between cohorts.  
    • Cohort sizes are based on classroom size.  Because our charming Grade I classes are quite small, we will have four Grade I homerooms, two of which will be on upper floors.  Other homerooms will move to larger rooms to allow for social distancing.
    • Cohorts will spend the majority of the day in one classroom, and special teachers will rotate in.  Faculty may instruct more than one cohort so long as appropriate social distancing is maintained.
    • We are making an effort to limit student circulation during the day, with the exception of P.E. and outdoor activities.  Outdoor activities either on the Recess Desk or in Central Park will be utilized to their full potential, weather permitting.
    • In cases where students need to move between classes, strict guidelines will be in place and monitored to support an orderly and appropriately distanced movement.

    Additional Faculty and Staff:
    • To accommodate the many changes listed in this plan, St. Bernard’s has hired new teachers.  Some of whom are associate teachers who can fill in when a faculty member is sick, or moderate a class when a teacher must teach via Zoom from a remote space.  In the Junior School, a designated teacher in each grade will assist the remote learning experience. (9/25/20 update) Junior School associates are now restricted to assisting one grade only, rather than floating between grades. Some special subject teachers will teach their classes remotely to minimize exposure to multiple grades. 
    • We will also welcome two new security personnel and a nursing assistant (when needed). 


    Hybrid Curriculum:  
    • All teachers have received and will continue to receive training in the use of Google Classroom and Google Suite to manage classwork.  This training focuses on using online tools to simplify and improve instruction for remote learning and hybrid instruction.  The boys will also receive more training in using online tools in September.  
    • The program will be adjusted so that the boys can more easily move between in-person, remote, and hybrid teaching scenarios.
    • If the school needs to move to a 100% remote scenario, the faculty will be prepared to make  appropriate adjustments to provide an effective educational experience for the students.  The weekly class schedules have been revised to address some of the challenges of online learning identified by faculty, parents, and students in the spring.  

    Google Classroom:
    • All grades will utilize Google Classroom.  The kindergarten will also use Seesaw. 
    • The boys will receive training in Google Classroom, Google Drive, and Google Calendar.  In addition, boys in Grade III and above will learn executive function skills such as e-mail and file management.
    • Homework will be posted only in Google Classroom, not on the portal. 

    Online Etiquette:
    We will have more consistent expectations of student conduct online, including Zoom lessons and Google Classroom.  These expectations will be clearly communicated to the boys during the first week of school and throughout the year.

    Upper School Grading:
    • Boys in the Upper School will receive letter grades.  This grade will be based on the boys’ work and participation both in school and out.

    Student Support Services:
    • The Learning Support Team (Ms. Ruth Lee and Mr. Elliott Smith) and the Psychological Support Team (Mr. Ramon Rodriguez and Dr. Zachary Kahn) will work collaboratively to support the social, emotional, and intellectual well-being of our boys.  We recognize the overlap between emotional and academic growth, as well as the overlapping challenges, and often coordinate to ensure that each student gets what he needs.
    • The Learning Support Team offers:
      • Grade level small group reading support
      • One-on-one instruction on an as-needed basis
      • Parent consultation
      • Collaboration with homeroom teachers to advise on accommodations and modifications
      • Executive functioning and study skills support
      • Coordination of outside services (e.g. academic support, psychoeducational testing)
    • The Psychological Support Team offers:
      • Individual counseling
      • Group counseling
      • Parent consultation
      • Collaborative interventions with faculty and administration
      • Collaboration with outside support services (e.g. neuropsychologists, psychologists, and tutors)
    • Dr. Kahn will co-lead (with faculty and parents) grade-by-grade parent support groups to discuss parenting challenges during this unusual time.

    After School Programming: 
    • This fall, LAP will be all virtual programs.  Danny Silver has sent out a survey to parents to gauge interest in these activities and understand childcare needs.  Please read his letter here to learn more and complete the survey.  Registration information will be sent later in the summer.
    • The Friday “Sports-R-Fun” program will run in some capacity, either in a gym, outside, or virtually.
  • Athletics

    Athletics will be led by teacher-coaches as usual, and activities will be conducted in small groups by grade level.  At this time:
     

    • We are still waiting on Central Park regarding the use of fields.
    • Our current assumption is that there will be no interscholastic sports. 
    • Locker rooms will remain inaccessible for the most part, and we are still discussing whether or not the boys will change to and from P.E. clothes.  
    • We will aim to provide the boys with two physical activity periods each day - one recess and one P.E. class.  
    • The boys will not need to wear masks during P.E. classes that are held either outdoors or in a manner that keeps the boys physically distant.  Masks will be worn at other times, consistent with health guidelines and dependent on the class activity.
    • We have the Small Gym and the 7th floor gym for classes.  In addition, we are hoping to have Central Park at our disposal.
    • For the most part, boys will not share sports equipment.  Any shared equipment that is used will be sanitized between groups.
    • Boys learning remotely will have two live classes a week along with online training exercises and workouts provided for them.  
    • Should we be forced to operate totally remotely, more live classes will be offered to all students in comparison to our spring term.
  • Additional Considerations

    We are still refining our plans as it realated to learn more about important events, arrival and dismissal times, and transportation.


    School Calendar and Special Events:
    • Our school calendar is subject to change.  This draft calendar will give you an idea of major holidays and events, but please be flexible should we need to change our plans.
    • Field trips will not be possible this year.
    • Large group events this fall, and perhaps the entire year, will be modified to fit current guidelines. 
    • When possible, PA events will be held virtually.

    Shakespeare Play
    This year’s Shakespeare play has been moved to the spring.  Additional details will be communicated to Grade VIII families.

    Friday Assemblies:
    We have reserved time in the schedules for our usual all-school Friday morning assembly that takes place in the small gym.  The boys will watch the assembly on the smart board in their classroom.  We are still discussing the possibility of class plays and guest speakers. 

    Transportation:
    If you have any questions about the NYC Office of Pupil Transportation  for city-run school buses, please contact Johanna Burgos at JBurgos@stbernards.org.  

    Exmissions/SSATs:
    This topic will be addressed by Ms. Bell and Mr. Keene during the Upper School Zoom meeting on Thursday, August 20.
     
  • Our Community

    St. Bernard's is committed to helping our families through this challenging time and we seek an open dialogue with all in our community.

    Community Guidelines:
    All members of the St. Bernard’s community have a shared responsibility to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  Our ability to offer in-person education depends upon adherence to an evolving set of protocols and procedures designed to keep students, teachers, and staff as safe as possible.
    We offer these guidelines  so that all of us - parents, students, and faculty - feel as safe and comfortable as possible and mitigate the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in our community.
    • Follow federal, state, and local orders:  All families are expected to adhere to the directives of applicable federal, state, and local government health departments and the CDC regarding travel, social distancing, and any other measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
    • Abide by the St. Bernard’s health policies as outlined in this plan. 
      • Stay Home if Sick:  If your child is sick or exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, you are expected to keep them out of school as per the St. Bernard’s Health Policy outlined in this plan.  Distance learning will be available immediately to students unable to be at school.
      • Stay Home if Exposed:  If you believe your child has been exposed to someone infected with COVID-19, please adhere to our policies on returning to school.
      • Symptom Reporting:  Families must follow procedures for reporting symptoms and temperature online before coming to school each day.  Students may be sent home upon arrival at School’s discretion if temperature or symptoms warrant.
      • Medical Forms & Emergency Contacts:  Student medical forms must be submitted prior to the first day of school.  Parents must provide at least two contacts able to pick up your child from school within one hour of being notified that the child has become ill.
    • Travel:  Avoid unnecessary travel.  If a student has been exposed to who anyone has traveled to a COVID-19 “hot spot” designated by the CDC and NYDOH, families are required to notify the school and keep the child home for 14 days.
    • Face Masks:  In addition to sending your sons to school with a clean face mask each day, all household members should use face coverings in public or when six feet distancing cannot be maintained.
    • Hygiene:  Practice and reinforce proper hand-washing, coughing/sneezing, and other good habits at home.
    • Personal Items:  Minimize the items your son brings to school and reinforce policies around sharing food, supplies, and other items with others.
    • Caretakers and Family Members:  Please share these plans with anyone who looks after your child, especially those who drop off and pick up your sons.

    Supporting our Families:
    • We recognize that many of our families are continuing to face financial hardship.  Please know that we are committed to keeping your sons at St. Bernard’s.  Please reach out to Admissions for information about financial assistance.  
    • Our trustees have created an emergency fund that would relieve immediate financial needs of St. Bernard's families and employees of the school.  Please see our webpage at www.stbernards.org/stbcares to learn more.  And if you need assistance, please write to stbcares@stbernards.org.

    Feedback:
    • Parent feedback was critical to the formulation of this plan.  The school appreciated the responses sent in through the various parent surveys.  
    • Our most recent survey may be found here.  Please e-mail admissions or your division heads if your plans have changed for next year or if you would like the 100% remote option.  We would appreciate your decision as soon as possible.
    • We realize that you may have additional questions or concerns. Please feel free to reach out to your son’s division head for additional information, or e-mail info@stbernards.org, and your question will be forwarded to the appropriate person to provide a timely response. 
  • Communication

    This week the school will host Zoom calls for parents by division to explain these plans and answer your questions.  Members of various departments will be on the call.  You should have received invitations for each of these meetings.  The calls are as follows: 

    Junior School: Tuesday, August 18, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
    Middle School: Wednesday, August 19, 5:00-6:00 p.m.
    Upper School: Thursday, August 20, 5:00-6:00 p.m.

    All information related to school reopening, Covid-19, and distance learning will be posted on the COVID Resource Board on the parent portal.  Please check back often, as the site will be updated frequently.
     
Zoom recordings are posted on the password protected portal on the General Information Resource Board.

Reopening Questions?

Please feel free to reach out to your son’s division head for additional information, or e-mail cmacdonald@stbernards.org, and your question will be forwarded to the appropriate person to provide a timely response. 
St. Bernard's is opening because we believe we have created as safe an environment as possible in these extraordinarily difficult times. Our plan meets or exceeds all state guidelines for the reopening of schools. We are creating this new environment because we believe in starting the school year with each boy face to face with his teachers and classmates, whom he also needs to see. There are profound advantages to his development and mental health if he can have this experience. Of course we do not want to have to go completely virtual, but given the uncertainty of the crisis, the Governor or health officials might require us to close. Starting together safely, in our opinion, will make any unfortunate move to virtual more successful because of the original person to person contact.

We will continue to provide updates, but feel free to contact your division head with any questions.  Thank you for the trust you put in us to teach your boys and keep them safe.  Their well being is of utmost importance to us.