Update on On-Campus Instruction for Early 2021

Dear Berkeley Carroll Community,

As we complete the first week back from Winter Break, I would like to share some of our thinking about the current COVID-19 context and its implications for how we will move forward with on-campus instruction in the early months of 2021.

We are aware of the rising rate of infection in New York City and the emergence here of a new strain of the virus first identified in England and South Africa. We are continuing our ongoing conversations with both our Health Team and our outside medical consultants as we track local metrics regarding the virus while parsing research related to this new variant of COVID. We will also continue to track the rate of infection in our school (currently 0.1%) while doing all that we can to maintain our successful track record in keeping community spread at bay.

Currently, we still intend to return to our hybrid program, which includes reduced density, on-campus instruction, on January 19th. Having said this, we must remain nimble in what remains a fluid context. Our faculty and staff are prepared to shift from hybrid to remote instruction and back again on short notice. Internal and external conditions will guide our decision making regarding on-campus instruction during this term as has been the case since the start of the school year. Of course, we will also heed any local, state, or federal mandates regarding in-person instruction.

The Berkeley Carroll Health Team will be in touch with reminders regarding testing requirements for those who intend to return to campus during the week of January 19th. They will also share our pool testing schedule for the months ahead.

Thank you again for all that you have done thus far to help our community successfully navigate this pandemic. I greatly appreciate your support, your flexibility, and your commitment to our school.

Sincerely,
lyw