Coronavirus Updates
Plan Details about August Reopening and Modified Daily Schedule
We are excited to announce our plan to return our students to campus in-person and on time in August. Over the last few weeks, our reopening task force has been hard at work developing a plan to maintain academic standards, maximize equitable time on campus, and build a shared sense of community through synchronous learning and activities. All this is underpinned by our ultimate goal of ensuring the health and safety of all parties.
The state of Virginia has provided guidance for schools to reopen under Phase Three. Our commitment is to meet or exceed these state guidelines, and for this reason we will begin the school year with an abundance of caution. We believe that a conservative start which reduces risk to all community members will give us the best chance of maximizing our time on campus throughout the year. This strategy will help us mitigate the spread of illnesses that could affect our ability to deliver our mission or force a return to fully-online instruction.
We have developed a modified daily class schedule (PDF) that is flexible enough to allow us to adapt to multiple contingencies, should public health conditions change. We intend to start the school year with a Parallel Model of both in-person and remote instruction, with half of our students on campus at a time. Should conditions worsen, and the state mandates a reversal to Phase Two, the schedule can accommodate a return to Distance Learning. As conditions improve, the schedule will allow us the potential to adjust — if it is deemed safe enough at the time — to a fully On-campus Parallel Model, where physical distancing is still observed, and classroom time for students can be split into shifts. Families who prefer to minimize potential exposure to COVID-19 may elect to attend entirely through remote instruction, school supplied Apple laptop, videoconferencing, and other software.
Notes about the daily schedule:
- Students will be assigned one of two cohorts. Each cohort will come to campus for two consecutive days, then attend school remotely for two consecutive days, then back to campus for two days, and so on. While one cohort is on campus, the other will be learning synchronously (at the same time) remotely at home. This means regardless of which group is on campus, their schedules will look very similar. Expectations on classroom deportment are shared below, with more detail to follow closer to the start of school.
- School will begin at 8 a.m.
- 2:30 p.m. pick up time
- Monday, August 17 start date
- The first week will include an extended orientation for all students to reinforce requirements for both safety and remote instruction and to build excitement for the school year. We want to celebrate being together again while simultaneously establishing guidelines to promote safety and success.
- Our schedule is designed to be used whether the school is under Phase 1, 2, or 3. This will ensure that we maintain consistency with our daily schedule.
Some important notes about parallel instruction:
- Teachers will deliver instruction to students both inside and outside of the classroom at the same time (synchronously).
- All students, whether on campus or at home, will have the same expectations for completion of work and demonstration of mastery of material (academic standards will not be lowered).
- While at home, students will follow the same daily schedule as students on campus.
- Using iPads and/or hovercams, teachers will provide simultaneous instruction in real time for students both in the classroom and participating remotely.
- Every student will be expected to demonstrate and document their engagement in class each day (e.g. submitting a photo of a page of notes taken).
- Trinity’s 1:1 MacBook program provides a common, consistent platform and collaborative software for all teachers and students. A full-time team of in-house technology support staff is on hand to mitigate problems and keep students on course.
What about co-curricular activities and athletics?
- As more guidelines are produced from the Department of Education and the Virginia Department of Health as well as our leagues, we will communicate specific plans with students and parents. Look for additional information in early August.
- When local, state and league officials deem it safe to do so, our modified daily schedule will allow for athletic practices and events to begin at 3 p.m..
On-campus health and safety measures:
- Daily temperature and symptom checks
- Maintaining 6-ft distance and mandatory face coverings in all buildings
- All students and faculty will be required to bring a clean cloth face covering to school each day
- Limiting the number of students in common areas, and minimizing the sharing of personal items, materials and physical space
- Outdoor space will be utilized as much as possible
- Routing foot traffic in buildings to one direction only, where possible
- Students will eat lunch within consistent student cohorts
- Sanitizer stations in each classroom
- Daily cleaning of all surfaces by professional staff
- Students and teachers will clean each classroom after each use in preparation for the next class
- Restrooms in the Academic Building refitted with touchless facilities and increased ventilation
Student and parent safety expectations:
- Cooperate with all of the school’s safety measures
- Keep a child home if they are exhibiting any symptoms of being sick
- Notify our school nurse, Suzanne Winefordner (804-672-4956 or suzannewinefordner@trinityes.org), if you or a member of your family becomes ill, and the student will quarantine for 14 days.
- Please recognize that health and safety precautions around travel are rapidly developing. Any out-of-state travel in the two weeks prior to school may necessitate a delayed return to campus for your student.
- At least in the initial period of re-entry to campus, we will not be able to host visitors or parent volunteers on campus.
While this message summarizes many of the key points of our plan, we know you will have additional questions. For more details, please visit the FAQ posted on our website.
Trinity Episcopal School
3850 PITTAWAY DR | RICHMOND VA 23235-1099 | Phone: 804.272.5864 | Fax: 804.272.5865 Email: mail@trinityes.org
