Area private and public charter schools are preparing for when students and staff return in response to the resurge of COVID-19.
Safety precautions include wearing masks, requiring vaccinations and testing.
All staff and students returning to the all-girls boarding and day school on Bernardston Road in Greenfield in September are expected to be vaccinated, according to Stephanie Luebbers, head of school at Stoneleigh-Burnham School.
Masks will also be required indoors.
“We’re maximizing social distancing, whenever possible,” she added. “Some rooms are not being used because they’re too small.”
Additionally, the school — which serves girls in seventh through 12th grade — has air purifiers and plans to keep windows open for improved airflow. The building will also be routinely cleaned.
International students plan to quarantine on campus before the rest of the students arrive, Luebbers said. School starts for students on Sept. 6.
Although the school isn’t testing, it is something that is being considered.
All staff and students will be expected to wear masks when indoors at Four Rivers Charter Public School on Colrain Road in Greenfield.
“They are optional outdoors,” noted Acting Principal Zevey Steinitz. “That is consistent with what the (state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) commissioner has recommended.”
Steinitz noted that an “extremely high rate” — nearly all — of the staff has been vaccinated.
“We are obviously encouraging students to get vaccinated, but we have no plans to hold a clinic,” she said.
The school does plan to participate in the state’s weekly pooled COVID-19 testing program, which parents will have the opportunity to opt into this fall.
“We’re socially distancing as much as possible, and we have outdoor tents for extra breakout spaces,” Steinitz added. “We’re doing extra hand sanitizing and sterile cleaning.”
The school, which serves roughly 220 students in grades seven through 12, welcomes students back to campus for orientation on Sept. 1.
All staff and students at Deerfield Academy must be vaccinated before arriving on campus. Those with medical or religious exemptions will be required to wear a mask when indoors.
“We won’t be require masking for fully vaccinated students and employees,” said Director of Communications Jessica Day. “Our goal is to be able to have in-person, on-campus instruction.”
Day said 97% of the school’s staff are fully vaccinated and the student body of 647 students is near that percentage as well.
All students will be tested upon arrival on campus, and unvaccinated students, staff and athletes will be tested twice a week.
“We’re doing arrival testing for all students, to set that baseline for community health,” Day said.
As the pandemic continues to evolve, Day said Deerfield Academy will closely monitor the situation and “make adjustments as necessary.”
New students arrive Aug. 30, while returning students will come Aug. 31. Classes begin Sept. 1.
“We’re looking forward to a good year,” Day said. “There have been a lot of people who have put a lot of thought into this plan, vaccination is the primary safeguard here.”
According to Northfield Mount Hermon School Chief Advancement Officer Philip Hood, the school mandated vaccinations, providing exceptions, for students and faculty returning to the Gill campus.
Most students are returning this week, but he said some international students arrived on campus already and were quarantined before getting their vaccinations.
“The good news is, in both cases for employees or students, by the middle of September we’ll be over 99% vaccinated as a campus, which is incredible and which we’re happy with,” Hood said.
Despite the vaccination rate, Hood acknowledged concerns around potential breakthrough cases and the delta variant. At this time, NMH is mandating masks be worn indoors at least through the first full week of September.
The campus is also conducting rounds of COVID-19 testing for employees and students returning to campus, but Hood said the school has not determined the need for regular testing throughout the year. Another health safety precaution will prohibit campus visitors from student instructional facilities, dormitories and the dining center.
Representatives of The Academy at Charlemont could not be reached for comment about the school’s policies for the upcoming school year by deadline on Wednesday.