Back to School 2020–2021
Read Our Reopening Brochure:
Calendar:
Questions?
Visit this page for more updates as they become available.
News:
12/11: Pooled Testing Program for Wellan Students
Wellan will begin testing students on an every-other-week basis beginning on Wednesday, January 13. Wellan will also continue to test all faculty and staff, using a mix of pooled and individual tests. We believe strongly that this testing will allow us to quickly identify positive instances of COVID-19 in our classrooms so that we can effectively prohibit the potential spread of COVID-19 to others. Most importantly, this testing is a necessary measure for continuing live, in-person education for the Winter and Spring. Logistics and FAQ can be found here.
9/27: COVID Testing and Flu Vaccines for Wellan Employees
Wellan has added another safety measure to its multi-layered risk reduction strategy: weekly COVID tests for employees. This protocol represents a substantial investment by the school, aligned with our commitment to a high standard of health and safety practices. Wellan also sponsored an on-site clinic to make it convenient for employees to get flu shots during an October Professional Development day.
Who to Contact:
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Logistical questions & updates (including last minute pick-up & drop-off issues) – mainoffice@wellan.org
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General student health matters (non confidential) – studenthealth@wellan.org
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Confidential health matters (including COVID related) – covid-confidential@wellan.org
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All tech help requests – techsupport@wellan.org
Announcements from the Head of School:
2/9: Important: Wellan February Vacation Travel and Visitor Rules
1/8: Important: Pooled COVID Testing Consent Form
12/11: Important: Wellan Return to School COVID Requirements
11/12: COVID-19 Update: Holidays, Travel, and Visitors
10/9: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Travel, and Visitors: Reducing Virus Spread
9/10: Important SchoolPass App Logistics
8/11: Reminder: Virtual Learning Opportunity; Zoom Presentation Thursday
8/9: Re-Opening Wellan: A Look Ahead at the 2020-2021 School Year
2020–2021 Back to School Logistics Video
2020–2021 Back to School Welcome Video
Every year the Wellan faculty chooses a theme for inspiration. This year, as we tackle the challenges of teaching during the pandemic and deepening our commitment to anti-racism in all aspects of school operations and curricula, our theme is Standing Strong, Sticking Together. Our annual Welcome! video for students, based on lyrics related to that theme, was a lot of fun to create. Even our owl mascot joined in. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Will face coverings be required?
Generally speaking, Wellan expects students 2 years and older to wear masks during the day. Wellan also expects all parents who enter the Wellan campus (including the parking lot) to be wearing masks at all times. Wellan will be providing students adequately distanced “mask-breaks” as needed.
What is Wellan doing to maintain the cleanliness of classrooms and bathrooms?
Wellan faculty and staff will be cleaning and disinfecting classrooms and bathrooms regularly throughout the school day. Individual classroom bathrooms will be cleaned and disinfected following each use. Shared bathrooms will be cleaned and disinfected on an hourly basis. Wellan will be assigning additional support teachers to classrooms to facilitate the heightened cleaning and disinfecting requirements.
What happens in terms of mandatory time out of school if a) my child gets sick, b) someone in my child's classroom gets sick, c) anyone in the school gets sick, or d) there are cases of COVID-19 in our Wellan community? What will we need to do to come back to school?
Please view our attendance guidelines regarding COVID-19 here.
Is Wellan providing testing for faculty and staff? How about for students?
What happens if students or staff develop symptoms or a fever while at school? Will there be a place for isolation until they can be picked up?
Per the recommendation of the state, Wellan has allocated space for (a) a nurse’s office with space for a sick child and (b) a separate “isolation room” for students who are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms or whose positive test results were received during the school day.
Can you provide details around lunch breaks? Are the students sitting by themselves? Will there be partitions?
Students will eat lunch in their classrooms at an assigned seat. Surfaces will be cleaned and hands will be washed before retrieving lunch items and after lunch has ended. Students will be either at a one-person seat or at a two-person table with a plexiglass partition.
How will staff breaks/lunches be handled?
Faculty will be subject to distancing guidelines at all times. With respect to lunch breaks, Wellan has removed communal lunch spaces and will be asking faculty and staff to eat in their classrooms or in socially distanced manners.
Besides Phase-In week, what are other ways to help my student acclimate to school?
To help with the transition, talk to your child about how your morning goodbye will go, read books about going to school, and focus on the positives — but reassure them that you will always come back to pick them up at the end of the day. Teachers will be doing a virtual visit before the first day, as well as greeting students outside the first couple days as a familiar reassuring face. Teachers have been preparing for this all summer, knowing it might be especially hard for children given the extended amount of time spent at home. They have also taken professional development webinars on ways to emotionally support children back to school.
Will there still be class parents?
Yes; it will be as important as ever for Class Parent Volunteers to help build strong classroom communities. Teachers will get in touch with parents about this volunteer opportunity, and the ways in which it will look different, later in September.