Reopening Plan - Process & Rationale

II. Process and Rationale

In developing the Reopening Plan for Fay School, the task force utilized guidelines issued by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the World Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control. The task force has also consulted the Southborough Board of Health and with experts affiliated with the National Association of Independent Schools, The Association of Boarding Schools, the Association of Independent Schools in New England, and various secondary schools, colleges, and universities.

The guidance issued by the Massachusetts DESE provides a clear set of health and safety requirements for in-person learning this fall, grounded in the most up-to-date scientific literature and discussions with expert medical advisors, including infectious disease physicians, pediatricians, and public health experts from the Massachusetts General Brigham Health System and the Massachusetts chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics. These requirements served as an initial planning blueprint for our task force.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Massachusetts chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics issued statements strongly in support of reopening in person in the fall, citing the cognitive and emotional benefits for students: “The AAP strongly advocates that all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school.”

Furthermore, the state of Massachusetts has demonstrated a strong, coordinated response to the pandemic, with clear requirements for mask wearing and physical distancing and effective systems for testing and contact tracing,

After considering all of these factors, the task force concluded that it would be possible for Fay to resume for in-person learning in the fall with clear protocols for screening and testing community members, cleaning and sanitizing spaces, limiting contact between and among students and teachers, requiring regular hygiene practices such as hand washing and wearing masks, and modifying some school routines and events.