Reopening Plan

As we return to campus, the School realizes that some members of our community are particularly vulnerable to illness and infection. As a result, we are taking additional steps to protect those members who are at a higher risk of infection. These steps include: 

• Providing flexible learning environments for boys who are unable or unwilling to return to campus due to a health concern related to the student or to an immediate family member

• Requiring masks and specific hygiene practices (such as hand washing) throughout the day to reduce the spread of germs

If a student or staff member is feeling sick at all, they should stay home. 

In the event a member of the community becomes sick or demonstrates a history of exposure while on campus, steps will be taken to care for that person in a designated COVID-19 area in Centennial Hall. 

Any individual experiencing symptoms will be isolated to protect them and other members of the community. Students and staff members will be escorted to a designated area in Centennial Hall, where they will be monitored by a member of the School’s health staff until they can depart campus safely. Emergency contacts will be notified and will be asked to arrange for the student or staff member to be picked up within an hour. The emergency contact will also be directed to contact their primary care provider for evaluation and treatment directives. After departing campus, individuals should go home or to a healthcare facility, depending on the severity of their symptoms and follow guidelines given to them by their provider.

Students who develop COVID-19 symptoms, have tested positive for COVID-19, or have been in close contact (as defined by the CDC) with an individual who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 must have their parent or guardian contact their son's Division Head and the Health Office as soon as possible. 

Students dismissed from school due to illness will be required to follow The Haverford School 2020-21 Wellness Policy - When to Stay Home Guidelines. Any child dismissed from school with a fever at or above 100.4° will require a physician's clearance to return to school.

In the event a member of the Haverford School community is diagnosed with COVID-19 or has a close contact exposure to someone diagnosed with COVID-19, the School will provide support to the individual and their family. A close contact exposure is defined as being within six feet of someone who is COVID-19 positive for more than 15 minutes. 

If someone is diagnosed with COVID-19 or qualifies as a close contact exposure, members of the School's health office will work directly with officials from the Montgomery County Department of Health to determine next steps. 

The School will review the student or faculty/staff member's schedule and support contact tracing efforts by notifying other individuals who may have been exposed. Areas frequented or visited by that individual will be sanitized and cleaned. 

Communication regarding a diagnosed individual and/or close contact exposures will be done under the guidance and requirements of the Montgomery County Department of Health and other state and national authorities. Each situation of a positive case and/or close contact exposure will be dealt with by the School's health office and will be done so confidentially.

All members of the community will be required to wash hands several times a day, as keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Our community will be required to wash hands several times a day, including:

• before and after eating food,
• after using the restroom,
• after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing,
• after playing outside,
• after touching garbage,
• after handling high-touch items, such as door handles, tables, carts, screens, or other items frequently touched by others,
• before touching your eyes, nose, mouth, or face.

Everyone should wash their hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.  

According to local and federal health authorities, wearing masks can protect against the spread of germs and COVID-19, which is why all members of our community will be required to wear a mask each day at school while not drinking or eating. Students and staff will be required to wear a mask at all times, including during times of transition, arriving at and departing from campus, and in the restrooms. Our community members are required to wear their masks while on the bus and/or public transportation when arriving and departing the School. Masks should only be worn one day at a time and be laundered before being used again. 

While we encourage everyone to use a mask that supports their individual needs, the School is not allowing neck gaiters or masks with valves as a face covering at this time. Anyone with these types of masks will be required to replace it with a cloth mask that covers the nose and mouth. Please review the CDC's guidelines regarding masks/face coverings. 

Consistent with our dress code philosophy, masks should contain no large text, logos, brands, or images. Haverford School branded masks are permitted.

We understand that prolonged use of masks could be difficult for some, especially our youngest boys. The Lower School community will have "mask breaks" throughout the day when it is safe to do so and when physical distancing can be maintained. 

Members of our community who cannot wear a mask due to medical reasons must contact their Division Head and Theresa McCarthy at tmccarthy@haverford.org. 

We have reimagined our learning spaces to provide a safe environment for our students. Each classroom will be set up to allow for six feet of separation between each student’s desk. 

The Haverford School must adhere to guidelines that allow for the proper amount of space in classrooms and other learning spaces. Each room has a capacity designation determined by a formula which takes into account the following:

• The square footage of the room
• Student space needs, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• Faculty space needs
• Pathways needed to enter/exit a room

At the start of each day, the facilities team will check each classroom to ensure proper spacing is in place. During the day, teachers will be responsible for ensuring proper separation is maintained throughout the day.

Any parent or guardian that is able to pick up/drop off their student is encouraged to do so. If your student is taking a bus to campus, please note that The Haverford School will support the policies and procedures of the 15 school districts that transport our students. Students awaiting pick up are required to comply with physical distancing regulations. Masks will be worn during both student drop off and pick up. Car line pick up times will be staggered to enhance physical distancing.

• Lower School: As in years past, the Lower School will have a staggered dismissal time beginning at 2:30 p.m. and ending at 3:15 p.m.
• Middle School: Middle School will continue to have a staggered dismissal, with boys departing campus between 3:30-4 p.m.
• Upper School: For Upper School students with a scheduled class, Fifth and Sixth Formers will depart campus starting at 2:45 p.m. Third and Fourth Formers will be dismissed at 2:55 p.m. 

We have reimagined our learning spaces to provide six feet of space between each students’ desk.

Students will be discouraged from sharing items that are difficult to clean or disinfect. Supplies and equipment will be limited to use by one group of students at a time, with cleaning and disinfecting protocols taking place between uses. Students will not be allowed to share electronic devices, books, toys, and other games or learning aids that are unable to be disinfected appropriately. To the extent possible, student belongings will be separated from others’ in individual storage areas, such as a cubby or locker.

Students should limit the amount of personal items they bring to school. Items that cannot be stored in a personal locker or cubby will have to stay with the student at all times. This will help cut down on cleanliness issues and reduce the amount of items in the School's Lost and Found.

Adjustments will be made for the 2020-21 school year dress code. A mask will be a required element of this year's dress code. Students should bring a mask in the style that supports their needs, but all masks must cover the nose and mouth. 

Middle and Upper School boys will not be required to wear a tie or blazer/jacket for the 2020-21 school year. We require each boy to come to campus in clean garments each day, and we do not expect families to wash/dry clean ties and blazers daily. Further, eliminating blazers and ties helps cut down on the number of items that end up in the School's Lost and Found.

• The Lower School dress code will stay largely the same for the 2020-21 school year. Boys are required to wear a mask, maroon, white and gold/yellow polo shirts (the Haverford rugby shirt is also acceptable), and khaki/tan, gray, or navy blue pants, and closed-toed shoes. Shorts are permitted until Oct. 31. No cargo style pants or shorts are permitted. Additionally, boys should come wearing their PE shirts on the days that they will have PE.  
• For the 2020-21 school year, Middle School boys will not be required to wear a tie or blazer/jacket to School. Boys are required to wear a mask, a collared button-down or polo shirt, shorts or dress slacks, belt, and closed-toed shoes each day.
• Upper School boys will be required to wear a mask each day. They will also be expected to wear a collared button-down shirt, shorts or dress slacks, belt, and closed-toed shoes to campus. 

Note that these policies are only in effect for the 2020-21 school year. 

Our community will not utilize the Dining Hall for lunch during the 2020-21 school year. Instead, all boys who signed up for the Meal Plan will have a nutritious lunch delivered to their classroom. 

In order to minimize risk and maintain a healthy environment for our students, faculty, and staff, the School will strictly limit access to campus buildings to all visitors, including parents/guardians, alumni, and volunteers. Only students, faculty, and staff will be allowed on campus or in campus buildings, excluding a situation where a student is ill or injured and/or an alternative is not available. If a visitor must come on campus, they must make an appointment with the building or Division administrative assistant before coming to campus. While on campus, all visitors will be required to check in at the front desk of the building they are visiting, complete a health screening questionnaire, and wear a face mask for the duration of their time on campus.

Keeping the campus clean and sanitized is an important step to ensure the health and safety of our entire community. 

The School's facility team will complete a series of cleaning procedures before, during, and after the school day, including: 

• Cleaning all common areas daily. High-touch surfaces in places like restrooms will be cleaned twice a day,
• Ensuring restrooms are stocked with soap, towels, and sanitizer,
• Additional hand sanitizer stations will be provided in all classrooms, at the entrances of each building, and in other common areas,
• Faculty and staff will be asked to clean their classroom areas and workspaces before and after use, with special attention to high-touch surfaces,
• Following cleaning and sanitizing best practices as set by the CDC and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

The Facilities team has also implemented a system for increased filtration on campus. All buildings have increased filtration and new, upgraded filters that will be changed once a month. 

There are two options for boys to learn this year - On-Campus and Hybrid Haverford. Both scenarios are detailed below.

Families must designate which learning environment their student will take part in to start the 2020-21 school year by filling out this form as soon as possible.

Scenario 1 - Lower School On-Campus Learning:

Maintaining a safe and healthy environment for on-campus learning means that we will all have to work together as a community. Faculty, students, and families will need to respect and commit to following the guidelines, policies, and procedures put in place by making thoughtful and intentional decisions throughout the year. More details about these on-campus procedures can be found on pages 2-6 of Dr. Greenblatt’s Aug. 4 letter, which you can find here.

Learning Scenario 2 - Hybrid Haverford:

We will be offering Hybrid Haverford as an option for students who need to remain home due to illness/quarantine and for families who wish to keep their sons in the virtual classroom in the fall. 

Our Lower School classrooms have been outfitted with cameras, allowing classroom activities to be livestreamed to the boys at home. However, our teachers’ focus will be primarily on teaching their classes on campus. We cannot offer the same experience we did from March to June of 2020 if we are teaching on campus. However, we will provide access to classes and systems to keep our students at home as engaged as possible.

Students will need to follow their classroom schedule and will be provided with a Google Meet link each day that will allow them to join the classroom for academic and specials classes.

Students will also have access to Canvas, our learning management system, which will provide them with additional materials to support their learning in the classroom.

You can read additional details about the Hybrid Haverford option for Lower School students on pages 6 and 7 of Dr. Greenblatt’s Aug. 4 letter, which you can access here.

On-campus learning:

Unlike a traditional school year, where students move from room to room, this year our students are assigned to a specific room on the appropriate grade level floor. They will have a homeroom teacher who is responsible for them most of the day. 

Our schedule will consist of classes in all major disciplines, including English, math, history, science, languages, fine arts, physical education, and reading. Boys will see each class three times a week and will have two classes of PE a week. We will follow a five day rotation so there is a consistency regarding Monday through Friday for planning purposes. 

We will continue with our trimester-based program, which allows for grading periods three times a year in December, March, and June, with mid-trimester reports in October, January, and April.

At-home learning: 

Our goal is to have school be safe for all students and that all students are able to attend classes on Sept. 9. We realize this may not be possible for everyone. Please let us know if this is the case for your son by emailing Dr. Greytok at jgreytok@haverford.org as soon as possible.

We are planning to live stream our classes for those students who cannot attend class, as well as offer some online support for those students. However, our teachers’ focus will be primarily on teaching their classes on campus. We cannot offer the same experience we did from March to June of 2020 if we are teaching on campus. However, we will provide access to classes and systems to keep our students at home as engaged as possible.

Read more about on-campus and at-home learning by accessing Dr. Greytok’s Aug. 4 letter here.

This year, the Upper School will utilize a quarter block schedule. Often referred to as a “quarter on, quarter off” block schedule, this framework is one that numerous schools utilize by choice under normal circumstances and one that many of our peer schools are adopting next year in response to COVID-19. This schedule allows for more concentrated experiences in subjects by condensing full-year courses into a half a year taken over two non-consecutive quarters and half year courses into a quarter of a year. In this model students take up to three courses at a time with courses meeting every day. Full-year courses are either taken during Quarter 1 & Quarter 3 or during Quarter 2 & Quarter 4. Half-year elective courses are taken during one designated quarter. For more details on the quarter schedule, refer to Mr. Fifer’s Aug. 4 letter, which you can access here.

On-campus learning:

Upper School boys who are learning in-person will follow a three day rotating block format, with the school day running from 8:45 a.m.-2:45 p.m. You can see a sample schedule here.

Boys will take part in three 90-minute classes meeting each day on a rotating basis. Increased time between periods is also built in to allow for safe, distanced transitions between classes.

As in previous years, this schedule will continue to have a modified schedule on Wednesdays to allow for necessary and valuable faculty collaboration and meeting time. For students, the Wednesday adjustment is an acknowledgement of the intensity of the daily schedule and will hopefully help to break up the week by affording the opportunity for additional rest and unstructured time.

Read more about in-person learning in the Upper School on pages 2-4 of Mr. Fifer’s Aug. 4 letter.

Hybrid learning:

We will be offering a hybrid learning model as an option for students who need to remain home due to illness/quarantine and for families who wish to keep their sons in the virtual classroom to begin the school year. 

Our classrooms have been outfitted with cameras, allowing classroom activities to be live streamed to the boys at home. If you are considering this option for your son, please reach out to Mr. Fifer (mfifer@haverford.org) as soon as possible.

Students will follow the in-person learning class schedule and will be provided a link that will allow them to join the classroom each day. Canvas, our learning management system will continue to provide resources in support of learning in the classroom.

It is important to understand that teaching in the physical classroom and teaching in the virtual environment entail different approaches to instruction and classroom engagement. Therefore, families electing to remain in a virtual learning environment should expect that the instruction will be different from the spring, when we were all in a virtual learning environment.

Read more about the hybrid learning environment in the Upper School on page 4 of Mr. Fifer’s Aug. 4 letter.

The Haverford School is working closely with the PIAA and the schools in the Inter-Academic Athletic League. Read the full email sent to parents on Aug. 26 >

Please see the below statement from the Inter-Academic Athletics League from Aug. 26:

The members of the Inter-Academic Athletics League continue to focus on plans for the 2020-21 academic year with the safety and well-being of students, faculty, staff, and their communities the primary concern. In response to the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Directors of Athletics and Heads of School have been meeting diligently to address opening our schools safely, as well as the safety and well-being of our communities. Athletics engagement is an important part of the experience for many of our students, and member institutions remain committed to this experience. However, the Heads of School and Directors of Athletics have unanimously decided to suspend any inter-scholastic competition through December 31, 2020. This decision was made given the unprecedented health concerns we face in our community and in consideration with Gov. Wolf’s strong recommendation, as well as updated policy recommendations from CHOP PolicyLab.

Additionally, member schools may maintain conditioning, skill development and sport practices from September 14 through November 20 in accordance with Gov. Wolf’s guidelines and CHOP PolicyLab requirements.

Should conditions permit, the League intends to hold three 7 week seasons for our student-athletes in the new year. Traditional fall, winter and spring sports may be moved due to health concerns, facility availability or weather conditions. Additional information regarding these seasons will be available shortly.

The Inter-Academic Athletic League members are deeply aware of the importance of athletics to our student-athletes and communities. This difficult decision was not made lightly, and every effort was made to maintain our fall athletic season. We are deeply saddened that this was not possible.

The Athletic Department, in conjunction with the directors of each sport, are in the planning process for delivering a program that keeps our student-athletes engaged and developing their skills throughout the first semester, while keeping the entire community as safe as possible. While they will be separate, opportunities will be offered to both Middle School and Upper School students.

For the upcoming academic year, the Upper School’s two sport/activity requirement will be temporarily suspended. It will be up to the discretion of each Upper School student as to whether or not they choose to engage in these offerings. For Middle School students, the athletic period is contained within the regular school day schedule, so all students will be involved in this programming. Many programmatic details continue to evolve and we will keep you informed as these plans solidify.

Extracurricular activities will be supported in a virtual setting (as possible) for the 2020-21 school year. We understand this is a disappointing requirement. This decision was made to ensure in-classroom learning is as safe as possible.