COVID-19 UPDATES

Our plan is to maintain educational continuity for the spring trimester through a distance learning model. Classes will begin on April 1. On March 3, the faculty met to begin planning for the possibility of distance learning. On March 30 and 31, faculty will meet again and receive additional training to prepare for the beginning of the trimester.

The first day of classes will be Wednesday, April 1, and this first week and a half of instruction will be conducted remotely. Faculty will be on campus, while students remain off campus.

Remote instruction will include online teaching and video tools. Teachers will continue to use class pages in Finalsite to post assignments and the school’s email system to stay connected with students. Specific details on the class schedule and accessing course content will be provided in the coming days. We understand that many boys do not have all their necessary academic materials at home. Teachers will do what they can to make accommodations in situations like this.

With with flexibility and creativity, we will provide students with meaningful opportunities to continue their learning that are modeled after the on-campus experience of a Salisbury School education. We will take into account differences in time zones, individual students' access to resources, and the unforeseeable circumstances that may arise over the coming weeks. Our teachers and administrators understand this reality and will be, first and foremost, supportive and flexible when working with students and families throughout the implementation of this plan. 

The Distance Learning Plan that we have created outlines an approach to maintaining community and learning through instruction, assessment, and feedback using digital and online resources. Please take some time in the next few days to read it carefully. Your teachers, tutors, and advisors have familiarized themselves with it and are ready to field any questions you might have.  
A few key points to highlight: 

• We know many of you did not bring your course texts home for the break. Don’t worry. Your teachers will adjust to meet your needs wherever you are.   
• Having a reliable, Internet-ready device with a camera and microphone will be key to helping you stay connected. In some cases, your smart phone and earbuds will do the job, but there will be situations where a computer works best.
• Some of you may have left your school laptop in your dorm room. Mr. Will is going to be sending you an email with a form to fill out to help us get essential items to you. Please look for that email early on Wednesday.
• We know that you are spread out all over the world. The Distance Learning Plan accounts for that. We did our best to provide opportunities for connection whether you are several hours behind or ahead. We are committed to being as flexible and understanding as we can throughout this process. 
• Communication will be key! Make sure you are able to log into your school email, your Class Pages on the Student Portal, and Veracross. If you are unsure of your login info, contact the IT department via email at itdepartment@salisburyschool.org or by calling Mr. Raifstanger at (860) 435-5710. 
• Early next week, we’ll send you a very brief survey to find out more about your location and your Internet access. Please keep an eye out for that and be sure to fill it out quickly. 
• Your advisor will be reaching out in the coming days to set up a meeting to talk with you. They will talk through the weekly schedule and make sure you have read and understand key information from the Distance Learning Plan. If there are any questions you have that your advisor is unable to answer, please know that they will follow up with you as soon as possible.  

Though we will miss being on the Hilltop with you all in the coming weeks, your teachers, coaches, advisors, tutors, and mentors are committed to keeping our culture strong. We can do this, because we’ll be doing it together, even from a distance. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE DISTANCE LEARNING PLAN

Your son’s tutor will remain the same and tutoring sessions will continue via Skype or FaceTime. Your son’s tutor will be reaching out to schedule their regular meetings. Learning Center tutors will work closely with teachers to ensure they are aware of what is happening in each class and will have access to all platforms necessary to help students meet expectations. Billing from the Business Office will continue as usual.

Advisors will play a critical role in shaping the online experience for students and building community while we are not able to be together on The Hilltop. Advisory groups will meet three times per week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to check-in, share important updates, and provide information about various virtual events. Students can also expect to have individual check-ins with their advisor each week.

Students with learning differences who are currently receiving approved academic accommodations will continue to receive the same accommodations in the online setting. Please keep in mind that accommodations may not translate perfectly from the classroom to the virtual platform and some flexibility may be required. Specific questions or concerns about accommodations can be directed to Kati Brandon, Director of the Rudd Center for Learning and Academic Growth at kbrandon@salisburyschool.org.

Counseling:
Mental health support services will be available to students during this time. Unfortunately, due to licensing regulations, Salisbury School counselors are unable to provide formal therapy across state lines. They can provide solution-focused conversations geared toward helping students access support and resources in their local communities. Counselors will also be offering self-care activities, coping skills, and wellness resources. For more information contact Director of Health Services Beth Hammond at bhammond@salisburyschool.org.

Health Services:
The health services team will continue to serve as a resource for information and support for students and families during our distance learning period. For more information contact Director of Health Services Beth Hammond at bhammond@salisburyschool.org.

Student Support Team:
The Student Support Team will continue to meet on a regular basis to discuss specific student needs and community-wide needs.

Please check the College Board website for the most updated information about test center closings. We advise all students taking the March 14 SAT to confirm that their test site is open by checking the College Board website on Friday evening/Saturday morning. Unfortunately, Salisbury will not be notified if a test center has closed or if a test site has moved.

Students who are registered to take the ACT should know that ACT is consulting with local government and school officials to make the appropriate decisions about cancellations or rescheduling of testing.

If any test centers for the April test date are closed, ACT will notify impacted students and test center coordinators directly, as well as post and update information regarding the closures on this website Students may contact ACT directly to reschedule for the June administration.

College admission officers know that there has been/will be disruption this spring, and we anticipate that they will be understanding regarding individual students’ circumstances. Fifth formers should talk to their college counselors if they have concerns about how actual or potential cancellations will impact their testing plans.

If you have specific questions regarding standardized testing this spring, please contact Leanne Larson at llarson@salisburyschool.org.

Salisbury’s athletic department will be working to re-design a competitive schedule for all of our spring teams that will provide our Knights with valuable playing time for our final trimester, as some school's (the Founders League) have recently released that they have canceled their spring athletics.

1.       Monitoring
 We continue to closely monitor updates from local, state, and national officials, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and from the World Health Organization (WHO). We are also in communication with both local and state departments of health, Sharon Hospital, and with peer schools.

2.       Following travel guidelines/recommendations
 We are guided by recommendations of the CDC, WHO, and public health officials and taking extra steps as considered necessary to protect our community.  Salisbury requests that students, faculty and staff refrain from traveling to areas designed by the CDC as Level 2 or higher as well as other high-risk areas.  Please check the CDC travel information website for current information. Any student traveling to or from Level 2 or higher countries must remain off campus and symptom-free for 14 days after leaving the country with a travel advisory.  Should the situation arise, please be prepared to find alternative quarantine arrangements for your son, as students will not be allowed to quarantine at Salisbury School.  

3.       Preventative measures on campus
As of March 18, 2020, the Salisbury School campus is CLOSED to all visitors until further notice.  School-related deliveries will be allowed access to campus. 

We are working with service providers across campus to prevent the spread of germs. Upon return to campus, Salisbury will be implementing measures to reduce the potential spread of viruses. These include reinforcing best hygiene practices, modifying dining services protocols, increased cleaning and sanitation measures and making adjustments to our daily schedule, if needed.

In the interim, Salisbury School Housekeeping staff continues to work diligently to maintain the highest level of disinfection possible at the school.  Housekeeping Supervisor Patti Stevens, recently completed a certification program on cleaning management.  She has instructed her staff on the proper disinfection procedures, using EPA-approved chemicals.  The School has a good supply of cleaning products, and has made hand-sanitizer, disinfecting wipes and disposable gloves available to all students and employees.  The staff has also been practicing social-distancing, and soon will begin staggering their work shifts, to further limit contact with others.  After a thorough cleaning, buildings on campus that are not in use have been closed.  This has allowed our staff to solely focus their cleaning and disinfection efforts on the one dormitory that remains open and the few other accessible buildings on campus.

Are Salisbury’s international trips still happening?

No. Following Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations against international travel for school programs, we have canceled our March Break trip to Indonesia because of the extremely fluid nature of the COVID-19 outbreak.

What about domestic school-sponsored trips?
As of March 9, all domestic March Break trips have been canceled.

Individuals who meet any of the following criteria should contact the Health Center for clearance before returning to campus:

·         do not feel well or have a fever and/or respiratory symptoms within five days of their planned return

·         have traveled to an area designated by the CDC at a level 2 or higher within the last 14 days

·         have traveled on a cruise within the last 14 days

·         have been in contact with a person being tested for or diagnosed with COVID-19

The Salisbury community has provided accommodations for students to remain on campus during our March Break in lieu of returning home to family in areas designated high-risk by the CDC.  Advisors, deans, the health services team, and many other adults on campus have also provided support during this time of uncertainty. The Salisbury community is prepared to continue its support of those most impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Health Center staff is available to provide care for students 24/7. Most likely, a symptomatic student will have a cold or the flu and not COVID-19. However, we are preparing as best we can for the occurrence of the virus on campus and will work in partnership with Sharon Hospital and our local and state Departments of Health to manage students of concern. Health Center staff members are undergoing special training to prepare for this possibility. Should the situation arise, please be prepared to find alternative quarantine arrangements for your son, as students will not be allowed to quarantine at Salisbury School.