Dear Fords,
I hope you’ve had time to recharge this summer and are as excited as I am for what will surely be a fun and busy fall. Thank you again for the warm welcome you have given my family and me. I’m grateful to have met so many members of the community during my first few weeks on campus and I look forward to meeting many more as the school year begins.
The School has been active this summer planning for the upcoming year. Our central goal in that planning process is to create an environment where we can enjoy the engagement and shared experiences that define a Haverford School education, while also keeping our students and faculty/staff safe from COVID-19.
Although we ended the 2020-21 school year hopeful that we would begin the 2021-22 school year in a markedly different health context, the recent rise in cases, hospitalizations, and the worrisome Delta variant have reminded us that we are not past the major concerns posed by the pandemic.
The School’s COVID-19 Task Force is determining ways we can keep our community safe, while still providing an exceptional education to the boys. Consistent with last year, the Task Force will remain committed to following the guidance of several agencies, including at the federal, state, and local level, as well as the guidance from organizations such as the CHOP PolicyLab and Main Line Health.
Below are some details about campus norms and procedures for the upcoming school year. In the coming weeks, each Division Head will be sending specific protocols for their division. Please keep in mind that the School may change some of these guidelines as more information becomes available to us. Any update to these guidelines will be shared with families as soon as possible.
Masks
Regardless of vaccination status, masks will be required by all members of our community while indoors on Haverford’s campus. When outdoors, masks will be optional, but are certainly allowed for anyone who chooses to wear one. In a continuation of last year’s policy, and in accordance with health guidance, neck gaiters and masks with valves will not be allowed.
Vaccinations
In addition to the health forms we ask all families to complete, all students and faculty/staff are required to share their vaccination status with the School’s Health Office. You can access health forms and the Magnus app login on the School’s website. All health information will be kept confidential by the Health Office and will be used only for contact-tracing purposes.
While the School is not requiring the COVID-19 vaccination, the School strongly encourages all members of our community who are eligible for the vaccine to receive it.
Health Screening
The Lower School will continue to conduct symptom surveillance via the Magnus app. Each morning, parents/guardians are required to log their son(s) health status in the app. Students will not be allowed in the Lower School building until their health submission has been confirmed.
More division-specific information on health screening will be provided by the Division Heads in their upcoming communication.
Campus visitors
Guests, including families, alumni, and friends of the School, will be allowed on campus this year so long as they have an invitation or appointment. All guests must check in at the building they are visiting and be accompanied by a staff member for the duration of their stay. All visitors will be asked to adhere to the School’s policies and procedures while on campus.
Transportation
If your child takes a bus to campus, the School will follow the policies of the 15 school districts that transport our students.
For students being dropped off, we ask that all parents/guardians stay in their vehicle. Specific details about drop off by division will be provided in your Division Head’s Back to School email.
Opening Day activities
Haverford’s Opening Day is Thursday, Sept. 9. The traditional Walk of Virtues with Form VI students and their kindergarten counterparts will take place this year. Families of Form VI and kindergarten students are welcome to attend the walk, but are kindly asked to depart campus once the procession is over to allow for the school day to continue.
Since the pandemic began in March 2020, the School has had the safety and health of our community as a top priority. That priority has not - and will not - change. While we will not yet be fully back to “normal” on campus, we certainly hope to enjoy a more “normal” experience in the 2021-22 year and will work tirelessly to ensure that, despite any restrictions, we continue to offer our students the first-rate education they deserve.
While none of us can predict how the health context might evolve over the course of the year, we will continue to work through the challenges in a thoughtful, collaborative, and disciplined manner grounded in our mission. Central to that effort will be our collective effort as individuals to do our part in keeping ourselves and each other safe by adhering to campus policies and supporting one another through this unprecedented era in our shared history.
I look forward to seeing you all on campus in a month to begin the 2021-22 school year!
Be well and go Fords,
