The Foundation for a Meaningful Life
Kindergarten - Grade 9 in Southborough, MA
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COVID-19 Updates

Frequently Asked Questions - COVID-19

Frequently Asked Questions

Fay School’s health and safety protocols are updated periodically in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).  You can see our full health and safety protocols document here.

Please continue to check this page for new information and updates. Please feel free to contact the administrators on the list below with your questions.

Health & Safety

List of 9 items.

  • What will the health and safety protocols be in the fall?

  • Are COVID vaccines required?

    For the 2022-2023 school year, all Fay and ELC employees and students are required to be fully vaccinated or to receive a medical or religious exemption approved by Fay.

    Definition of "fully vaccinated"
    Individuals are fully vaccinated if they have received the full course of two vaccines. All eligible individuals must be fully vaccinated prior to the start of the academic year. 

    Booster shots
    According to current guidelines, all individuals ages 5 and older are  eligible to receive a booster shot. Boosters are not required but are strongly encouraged.


  • Can boarding students get COVID vaccines in their home countries that are different from the vaccines that are currently approved in the United States?

    Yes. Boarding students may get vaccines in their home countries that are different from the vaccines currently approved in the United States for ages 12-17. Proof of vaccination must be provided in English.
  • How do I request a religious or medical exemption for vaccinations?

    Please contact Diane Byrne, Assistant Head of School for Finance and Operations, at dbyrne@fayschool.org regarding any vaccine exemptions.
  • Are masks required on campus?

    As of June 21, 2022, masks are optional, with the following exceptions: 
    • If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, they must remain at home in isolation. They may return on day 6 after a positive test if they are asymptomatic, but they must be cleared by the school nurse, and they must wear a mask for the next five days.
    • If someone living in your house has tested positive for COVID and you are in contact with them on a daily basis, then you will be required to wear a mask for 10 days after last contact. 
    • If a boarding student is the roommate of someone who has tested positive for COVID, the boarding student will be required to wear a mask for 10 days after last contact.
  • Does Fay conduct COVID-19 testing on campus?

    Fay will conduct rapid antigen testing of all boarding students when they arrive for the start of school in September. The School will not conduct weekly pooled testing for the 2022-2023 school year.


  • What happens if a student tests positive for COVID-19?

    • Individuals who test positive for COVID will be required to isolate for five days. 
    • Boarders who test positive must leave campus with their Local Emergency Contact within 24 hours. They may return to campus after five days if they are symptom-free, or as soon as they are fully asymptomatic. They must wear a mask on campus for the full 10 days after the date of the positive test.
    • Individuals must be cleared by the school nurse in order to return to campus. Individuals will only be cleared to return after five days of isolation if they are asymptomatic. They will be required to wear a mask on campus at all times for five more days. If symptoms remain after five days, then the individual must isolate until they are asymptomatic or until the full 10 days have passed.
  • What is your policy regarding close contacts?

    • Fay will not conduct contact tracing for the 2022-2023 school year. The School will no longer notify parents if they receive news of a positive case in the class. Parents may notify their child's close contacts if they wish.
    • A close contact is defined as an individual who has been within three feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more within a 24-hour period during the two days prior to the onset of illness or a positive test. 
    • Close contacts who are fully vaccinated are not required to quarantine. They should monitor for symptoms, and if they become symptomatic they should stay home and get tested. They are required to wear a mask on campus for 10 days after exposure.
    • Close contacts who are not fully vaccinated (as defined above) must quarantine for 5 days. They may return on day 6 and must wear a mask for the full 10 days after exposure. 
    • Any close contacts (vaccinated or unvaccinated) who become symptomatic should test, and positive cases should isolate for 5 more days. 
    • If an individual is identified as a close contact because of a positive case at home, and the positive case cannot completely isolate at home, then the individual is required to wear a mask on campus for ten days after the date of last contact.
    • While we do not required health attestations, we remind all families of day students to keep their children home if they are symptomatic or ill. If faculty or staff are concerned about a student’s health, they will send the child to the Health Office for an evaluation.
  • What is your policy for student absences?

    Any student who is absent from school due to illness of any kind for three or more days is required to provide the school nurse with a doctor's note in order to return. Upon reviewing the specifics of the absence, the school nurse may also require a negative PCR COVID-19 test.


Early Learning Center - FAQ

List of 7 items.

  • Are ELC students and employees required to be vaccinated?

    Yes. Consistent with CDC recommendations, all ELC students, faculty, and staff are required to be fully vaccinated.

    Individuals under 5 are fully vaccinated if they have received the full course of vaccines:
    - Moderna (2 doses): Both vaccines must be administered prior to the start of the academic year.
    - Pfizer (3 doses): The first two vaccines must be administered prior to the start of the academic year.

    Boosters are not required, though they are strongly recommended.
  • Does the school require ELC children to receive the Moderna or the Pfizer vaccine?

    Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are accepted for ELC children. For children attending the ELC in Fall 2022, the timeline is as follows:

    Moderna (2 doses): Both vaccines must be administered prior to the start of classes on September 6.

    Pfizer (3 doses): The first two vaccines must be administered prior to the start of classes on September 6, and the third dose must be administered on or before September 30.
  • Will ELC employees and students be tested for COVID-19?

    Fay will not conduct pooled COVID-19 testing for the 2022-2023 school year.
  • Are masks required in the ELC?

    As of June 21, 2022, masks are optional for ELC students, faculty, and staff, with the following exceptions:
    • If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, they must remain at home in isolation. They may return on day 6 after a positive test if they are asymptomatic, but they must be cleared by the school nurse, and they must wear a mask for the next five days.
    • If someone living in your house has tested positive for COVID and you are in contact with them on a daily basis, then you will be required to wear a mask for 10 days after last contact.
  • What is the quarantine policy for ELC students who are close contacts?

    Close contacts who are fully vaccinated are not required to quarantine. If a household member is positive, the child should wear a mask for 10 days.
  • What is the ELC's absence policy?

    ELC students who are absent for three or more days must have a doctor’s note in order to return to campus and must be tested for COVID-19 if directed by a doctor. Please note that tuition is not refunded when a child is absent, including when absent due to COVID.
  • Will ELC students continue to be grouped in cohorts?

    ELC children will no longer be grouped solely by classroom. Students from the three classes will be combined for AM and PM Care and at additional times when necessary. 

For Prospective Families

List of 4 items.

Academic Year 2022-23 - Program

List of 8 items.

Academic Year 2022-23 - Boarding Life

List of 2 items.

  • Do boarding students need to have Local Emergency Contacts for potential quarantine and off-campus residence in emergency situations?

    Yes. All boarding students must have a Local Emergency Contact that is provided by the student’s parents. A Local Emergency Contact should be someone within the continental United States who can arrive to campus within 24 hours of notification. The School will contact the Local Emergency Contact in the event of:
    • The student’s positive COVID-19 test or a presumed positive case of COVID-19 based on symptoms assessed by the School’s physician
    • A campus closure as a result of the pandemic
    • Travel restrictions that prevent the student from returning home during school breaks or campus closure
    • Additional reasons as identified by the School
    Boarding parents must supply Fay with the name and contact information of the Local Emergency Contact no later than August 1. If the Local Emergency Contact is not available, it is the parent's responsibility to make alternate arrangements.
  • Do boarders go off campus for weekend activities?

    Yes, we are able to schedule off-campus excursions for boarding students on the weekends, while always being mindful of our students' health and safety. You can read more about weekends at Fay here.

FaySummer

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For questions about:

Enrollment
Beth Whitney, Associate Head of School and Director of Enrollment Management
bwhitney@fayschool.org

Student health, testing, and screening
Diane Byrne, Assistant Head of School for Finance & Operations
dbyrne@fayschool.org

Academic Program
Julie Porrazzo, Director of the Educational Program
jporrazzo@fayschool.org

International student visas
Jake Sumner, Head of Upper School
jsumner@fayschool.org
48 MAIN STREET
SOUTHBOROUGH, MA 01772
main number 508-490-8250
admission 508-490-8201