June 30, 2020
Dear Haverford School families,
For several weeks now, teams at The Haverford School have been carefully planning for a safe return to campus this fall. While this planning work is still ongoing, we are excited about the prospect of continuing the education and growth of every student in person on Sept. 9. You can see the School's academic calendar as it stands here.
We've sorely missed having the boys in class, in the studios, and on the playing fields this past spring. We are fortunate and grateful that the new Middle School will be complete and we are able to retain Virtue Village, which will provide us extra classroom space and allow every boy to return to campus five days a week this fall.
Today, I am sharing a high-level overview of what some elements of the school year may look like in the COVID-19 era. This letter is to inform you of the work that has been completed this spring and early summer, while other elements of the plan are still being solidified. It is important to note that the School is also considering contingency plans to ensure a smooth transition should Governor Tom Wolf or local health authorities mandate that schools again cease in-person operations. We plan to be able to transition seamlessly into Virtual Haverford should the government require us to do so at any point.
This still-evolving plan is the product of The Haverford School's Reopening Task Force, a group that is working in consultation with or using guidance from local, regional, and national experts. These experts - including those from the Montgomery County Department of Health, the CHOP PolicyLab, the Centers for Disease Control, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and others - are providing guidance and best practices for returning to campus in a manner that will protect all members of the community.
With this guidance in mind, the School's Reopening Task Force has reimagined our learning spaces, considered ways to protect our community members, and developed guidelines for new norms this year. At every step of this process, there has been - and will continue to be - a commitment to the School's mission of preparing boys for life by developing men of character, intellect, and compassion who will transform our world.
Read on for a look at some high-level elements from the plan for the 2020-21 school year.