Return to Campus Plan 2020-2021
Revised March 2021
Dear TASIS Dorado Community,
I hope this letter finds you healthy and enjoying the summer! We have made great strides in preparing the School for the safe return of our students, faculty, and staff for the 2020-21 academic year. Click on this link to see our Guidelines for Campus Reopening (July 2020). They provide important details about our plans for returning to campus in August.
Our next community webinar will be this Thursday, July 16 at 7:00 pm. The link to the webinar was sent by email. No password is necessary. Topics will include COVID testing, facemasks, and facility preparation and upgrades.
We are focused on reopening the school for students the week of August 10. It will be exciting to see your children again and to continue their educational journey in person. In preparation for reopening, we have spared no effort or expense so as to create a safe learning and working environment touching on every aspect of our plant and facilities. Our spacious campus has allowed us to adapt effectively to implement all necessary social distancing measures. For those families who prefer to continue with distance learning, we are prepared to offer an enhanced model.
The TASIS Dorado Administration and Board have received guidance from the CDC and the American Association of Pediatrics, as well as by local government requirements. In addition, we have benefited from the wise counsel of our own Health Advisory Team, a group of local, highly-skilled physicians and health professionals. (See last page of Guidelines.) We are confident our campus will be fully prepared to support physical distancing and our teachers and staff will be well-trained in all health and safety protocols and technological supports.
The morning screening process at home is a critical element of keeping our community healthy, according to the CDC. Our drop-off and pick-up procedures have changed, as described in the Guidelines document. We are intentionally limiting the number of people on campus each day so as to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Please plan accordingly.
A series of informational videos explaining drop-off procedures, hygiene, etc., will be made available prior to the start of school. These videos are designed for our students, their parents and their caregivers to help them understand expectations and responsibilities on campus.
Other important steps, in brief:
- Additional health checks will be conducted daily at school, including temperature screenings and the rapid isolation of any person showing symptoms of COVID.
- All children and adults are required to wear masks on campus while moving about and in many classrooms.
- Access to campus will be strictly limited to students and essential personnel.
- Parent meetings will be conducted virtually.
- Access to the business office will be in a virtual format.
Preserving the health of our school community will require a concerted effort from all of us. We will rely on each family to closely monitor the health of their members, to keep children home when they are ill or known to have been exposed to COVID-19, to report health concerns to the school, and to follow all health and safety protocols. Many in our community travel regularly for work and leisure. We ask that you use caution in doing so. If traveling, students and their families are expected to follow the Governor’s executive order with regards to testing and quarantine upon return to Puerto Rico.
Finally, I recommend that all parents read the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Covid-19 Planning Considerations for School Re-entry. It is an excellent overview of why children need to return to school and how to do it well.
We look forward to seeing your children on campus soon!
Warm regards,
Tim Howard
Head of School
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ARCHIVED PUBLICATIONS
Return to Campus Plan Revised May 19, 2020