COVID-19 Coronavirus Response

• Day one of isolation is defined as the first full day after symptoms started OR the first full day after testing positive if asymptomatic. 
• After day five, if the student/member of RPCS  is asymptomatic or has symptoms resolved, including fever free for more than 24 hours without the use of medication, they may return to campus with the use of a well-fitted KN95 mask. While it is encouraged for families to provide these for their students, masks will also be available on campus. Masks must be worn at all times, including outdoors, but may be removed for eating. 
• RPCS is currently highly recommending the use of at-home rapid antigen tests to help guide the return to campus after a period of isolation. By providing proof of a negative rapid antigen on the morning of day six, we can reassure the community that the likelihood of a student or employee transmitting the virus is extremely low. Please direct questions on rapid antigen testing to Danielle Thiboutot, RN. 
• If symptoms have not resolved by day six, or the employee or student is unable to wear a KN95 mask, he/she will need to continue the full 10 day isolation. 
  • Special Note to Little Reds families: Due to the inability to adequately distance and the increased times without mask wearing (snacks/lunch/nap), asymptomatic Little Reds students MUST participate in rapid antigen testing to return from isolation on day six. Currently, KN95 masks are available for 2 and above. Please ensure the child is able to comfortably wear these masks prior to return. 

• He/she may continue on-campus activities so long as he/she is asymptomatic and continues with mask and distancing protocols
• He/she should seek PCR testing five days from their last exposure if possible.

• Adults 18 and older are considered fully vaccinated if they have received a booster or completed their vaccination series in the past 6 months.
• Children ages 5-17 are considered fully vaccinated after completion of their primary Pfizer series. 
• RPCS highly recommends all eligible (12 and above) within our community to complete booster vaccination at this time. 

• Masks: Please remind your child(ren) of the importance of wearing a mask and make sure that they come to school each day with a well-fitted mask. At this time, experts are recommending three-ply disposable surgical masks over fabric or cloth masks. Some studies show that respirators, such as K95 masks, may help protect especially well against the Omicron variant. We recommend you consider using a K95 mask and we are making these available for employees. Check out a few options here and here.
• Illness: If your child is not feeling well, please keep them home. Until further notice, a child with cold symptoms such as, but not limited to, a runny nose, headache, cough or scratchy throat, is encouraged to stay home and contact the health suite for guidance. These symptoms are in addition to the traditional COVID-like symptoms of cough, fever, sore throat, diarrhea or vomiting, or new loss of smell or taste. Should a student present with symptoms during the school day, the health suite can offer on-site testing (with permission and waiver signed on myRPCS)  and will be sent home.
• Vaccination: We encourage you to please consider vaccinating your child if you haven’t already. And, if you or your child (12 and above) are eligible now for the booster, we continue to encourage you to take advantage of this important resource as well.
• Communication with Health Suite: Lastly, please contact Danielle Thiboutot, RN for guidance following an exposure or positive case of COVID-19 within your households. 

1. If your child tests positive for COVID-19, he or she must be isolated from school for 10 days for symptom start date or positive test result. The child may return on day 11. 
2. If your child is unvaccinated and has been deemed a close contact (non-household), he or she may take a PCR test between days 5-7 after the exposure and return on Day 8 with a negative test.
3. If your child is vaccinated and has been deemed a close contact (non-household), he or she may continue to come to campus with daily symptom screening, masking, and distancing.   
4. Until further notice, a child with cold symptoms such as, but not limited to, a runny nose, headache, cough or scratchy throat, is encouraged to stay home and contact the health suite for guidance. Should a student present with symptoms during the school day, the health suite can offer on-site testing (with permission and waiver signed on myRPCS)  and will be sent home. 

• Go to https://capitaldxlab.com
• Click on “Registration” at the top of the page (under Capital Diagnostics)
• Enter Location Code: MDHRPCS  
• Review agreement and consent
• Register using your child’s demographics and personal information
• At the Payment tab, select ‘Maryland K12 Schools’ 
• Confirmation email will be sent 

1. Vaccine Clinic - Sunday, November 21
2. Tri-School Panel Discussion - Wednesday, November 17
3. Parent and Guardian Survey

• You will need to sign up for the first clinic for each child age 5-11 who is getting vaccinated.
• When prompted in the registration form, please be sure to select the Pfizer brand (not Moderna).
• Please complete this form for each child getting vaccinated and bring it along with your insurance card to the clinic.

• Priya Duggal, PhD, MPH | Professor, Epidemiology and Medicine, Johns Hopkins University
• ​​Matthew B. Frieman, PhD | Associate Professor, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland
• Amy L. Winkelstein, MD, FAAP | Pediatrician, The Maryland Pediatric Group

1. Mask wearing - At this time, we will be requiring all members of our community above the age of 2 years old to wear masks at all times indoors. Masks may be removed for eating and drinking, and will not be required when outdoors.
   A note on masks: Please ensure that your child is comfortable wearing a 3-layer mask for extended periods of time, has back-up masks available, and that the mask completely covers their nose and mouth. 
2. Physical distancing - A minimum of 3 feet distance between students (while wearing a mask) will be maintained in the classroom setting. This update is based on research of transmission of COVID-19 in the classroom, and will help prevent the need to quarantine large groups of students potentially at  low risk following an exposure.
3. Symptom screening - We will not be requiring the completion of the AUXS app prior to attending campus. At this point, our community is very aware of the responsibilities we have to stay home for signs of illness and update the school accordingly. Please print this out and review these statements prior to leaving for school each morning. By staying home if you are exhibiting symptoms, we can best prevent the spread of COVID-19 at our school.
4. COVID-19 Testing - We will continue to explore the use of PCR and rapid antigen testing for surveillance and early detection of COVID-19. We ask you to complete this waiver that will be posted on myRPCS later today, allowing the health suite to perform testing if needed in the future. Please note that the health suite will always call the parents/guardians prior to any testing.

• Little Reds: Opening Day
• Lower School Orientation
• Upper School Roses/Semis Opening Day Rehearsal
• Community Welcome Back Picnic

• Middle School Orientation
• Upper School Roses/Semis Opening Day Rehearsal
• Class of 2022 Senior Class Meeting
• US Welcome Day for the Class of 2025

• First day of school for Lower School, Middle School and Upper School students

Dear RPCS Community,

Testing has been an important tool for us as we have navigated the early weeks of 2021. As previously communicated, an aggressive testing strategy works to protect our students, teachers, staff, and our broader community by signaling early warnings of infection and allowing for targeted and swift measures to be taken to stop the spread. That having been said, I am writing with the plan for reentry testing after spring break which begins Saturday, March 13 and ends Monday, March 22. 

The Plan for Diagnostic (PCR) Testing Upon Reentry to Campus After Spring Break

The results of our reentry testing after both Thanksgiving break and winter break affirmed that our community is making appropriate choices to keep us all safe. We believe it will be important to mandate reentry testing again after spring break. We are no longer requiring our Lower School students to test to return to in-person learning. This decision came after discussions with medical professionals and looking at our internal data which shows we have had zero cases of COVID-19 in our Lower School student body since returning to campus last fall.

Further details are below.

          Required individuals: All in-person students and employees (with the exception of Littlest Reds students, Little Reds students, and Lower School students)

          Location: On-site (at RPCS)*

          Cost: Approximately $50 per test

Schedule for Returning After Spring Break

Littlest Reds, Little Reds and Lower School

Faculty will drop off their self-collected swabs on Tuesday, March 23 for return to in-person learning on Thursday, March 25. No testing is required for Littlest Reds students, Little Reds students or Lower School students. If you are a Littlest Reds, Little Reds or Lower School parent and have concerns about your family being unable to maintain precautions over spring break and would like to discuss testing options for your child(ren), please reach out to our Health Suite (ThiboutotD@rpcs.org and WhiteKi@rpcs.org) to discuss.

Middle School 

Faculty and students begin virtual learning on Tuesday, March 23 and return in person on Friday, March 26.

Testing: Wednesday, March 24 from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Click here to sign up for a time slot for your child(ren). Wednesday, March 24 will be an asynchronous virtual learning day to accommodate testing.

Upper School 

Faculty and students begin virtual learning on Tuesday, March 23 and return in person on Thursday, March 25. 

Testing: Tuesday, March 23 from 9:00 a.m. - 3-00 p.m. Click here to sign up for a time slot for your child(ren). Tuesday, March 23 will be an asynchronous virtual learning day to accommodate testing.

*We strongly recommend using our testing on campus for these reasons:

• Quick turnaround time for results

• Less invasive collection of sample

• Familiar location (on RPCS campus)

If you are interested in seeking a different location for testing, please email screening@rpcs.org.

Please remember, virtual students or employees may not be present on campus at any time unless a negative test result has been presented.

Required Paperwork

Consent Form: Please disregard if you have already completed this form. To perform tests on campus, we will need every employee and student (except for Littlest Reds, Little Reds and Lower School students, for which testing is not required) to sign and submit the consent form through the myRPCS portal. If you have not done so, please log in to your myRPCS account to complete this form immediately.

Lab Requisition Form: This will need to be printed out and completed again for this round of testing. This form allows you to see your test results as soon as they are ready to view. Please bring the completed lab requisition form to campus with your test. 

An Important Reminder About Testing and Your Behavior

It is important to add that testing to diagnose COVID-19 is part of a comprehensive strategy and it is by no means a solution on its own. It is one layer of our larger risk mitigation framework, and will be used in conjunction with social distancing, mask wearing, hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfection, etc.

While no school can guarantee that there is zero risk to in-person learning, we can confidently say we have done everything in our power to create the safest environment possible for our students and teachers. That having been said, I am asking you to continue to do everything you possibly can to help guard against transmission outside of school. Sacrifices will have to be made as it pertains to vacation plans during spring break. Choose safer modes of travel; avoid large gatherings. Our students and teachers deserve these small sacrifices for the larger gain.

Students Participating in Athletics this Spring Season

For students participating in a sport this spring season, please look out for a separate communication from Director of Athletics Carol Hatton for the testing schedule for student athletes and coaches.

Your Continued Understanding, Compliance and Support 

On behalf of our entire community, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for working together with us to make this testing possible. COVID-19 is not yet behind us, but we are beginning to see glimpses of light at the end of this tunnel. There is so much to be grateful for and so much goodness on the horizon. I know, for one, that I will never take for granted time we are able to spend together. 

Sincerely,

Caroline Blatti
Head of School

Dear RPCS Parents and Guardians,

It has been wonderful seeing spaces all over campus come back to life after the quiet of winter break. We have entered into the new year with a renewed appreciation for the time we are able to spend together. To make this possible, we are also entering into this new year with a meticulously planned testing strategy. Today, I am writing with details on our plan for Random Ongoing Testing (also called “surveillance testing” or “screening testing”), and also to announce an informational session with our panel of experts. At the end of this letter, you will have an opportunity to submit questions that may be on your mind as we continue to navigate COVID-19 in the new year.

Random Ongoing Testing with Antigen Testing

Antigen testing (often referred to as “rapid testing”) is a powerful strategy when used frequently over time on a population. Starting on January 15, 2021, we will begin on-site random antigen testing for our students, as well as adults on campus. We will begin with our Upper School students this first week. We have developed a process (outlined below) that is designed to be minimally disruptive to the school day. Under our nursing staff’s supervision, individuals will perform a self-swab and the samples will be run onsite to provide immediate results. Random ongoing testing will be at no cost to our families.

It is important to remember that a positive result from an antigen test will alert us that a PCR test will need to be performed immediately (also onsite) to provide a more accurate diagnosis. A positive result from an antigen test alone does not give us a definitive diagnosis. A positive result from an antigen test followed by a positive result from a PCR test gives us a more definitive diagnosis. PCR testing is the gold standard when it comes to diagnosing COVID-19 due to its high degree of accuracy. Antigen testing, while results are fast, is not quite as accurate and therefore, is not as reliable as a diagnostic tool. However, antigen testing is an ideal tool for population level surveillance or screening testing. When used in communities for frequent, repeated testing over time, antigen testing allows for the ability to detect cases long before significant clusters or outbreaks of linked cases can occur. Random ongoing testing, over time, in conjunction with existing risk mitigation practices (hand washing, mask wearing, social distancing, disinfecting surfaces), is a powerful defense against infection and outbreak.

Required Paperwork

**If you have not completed the required Consent Form, please do so immediately.**

To perform tests on campus, we will need every employee and student (except for Littlest and Little Reds students, for which testing is not required) to sign and submit the consent form through the myRPCS portal. Please log in to your myRPCS account to complete this form by the end of the day today.

Our Process for Random Ongoing Testing

Students will be randomly selected to participate in random ongoing testing. Based on grade level, we will be notifying students via email following either their first period or second period classes to report to our Sinex Theater for a self-administered nasal swab during their passing time. Our goal is to expedite this process to prevent any disruption in the academic day. Results are available 15 minutes after completing the test. If the antigen (“rapid”) test is positive, the Health Suite will perform a second test with the previously collected swab. If both antigen tests indicate a positive result, we will retrieve the student from passing time or her next period test. At this point, we will offer an on-site PCR test at no cost to our families to expedite our clinical guidance. Families also have the choice to receive a PCR test off-site if preferred. Once the PCR result is available, we can determine if the student can return to campus or is required to isolate at home per CDC guidelines. Detailed contact tracing will take place should the PCR test come back positive.

RPCS Parent/Guardian Panel Session: Mark Your Calendars and Submit Your Questions

Join us on Thursday, January 21, 2021 from 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. for an informational panel session with the below expert panelists. This session will be recorded for those who are unable to attend.

Dr. Adrianna Bravo, Consulting Physician

Caroline Blatti, RPCS Head of School

Danielle Thiboutot, RPCS Lead Nurse

Meg Miller, RPCS Interim CFO and Data and Strategy Analyst

Zoom Info:
Link: https://zoom.us/j/94164212750
Meeting ID: 941 6421 2750

As mentioned in my letter from last week, we are offering an optional Q&A-style panelist session for all parents and guardians. Random ongoing testing will be of key importance in the months to follow. You may have questions about how these testing strategies, layered on top of our risk mitigation practices already in place, will add another layer of protection. Or, you may have questions about how we are navigating challenging metrics at the city and state level, while simultaneously considering our own internal test positivity rate, and how we are utilizing this information as we constantly re-evaluate our on campus learning. We invite you to submit up to two questions each that you may have. Information about this session, plus a bit more about Dr. Bravo, as well as a link to submit questions are found immediately below.

Dr. Adrianna Bravo Bio

Dr. Bravo is a board-certified pediatrician who graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College with a bachelor’s degree in biology and studio arts. She earned her medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School. She is currently the medical director at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia.

Submit Your Questions

Please click here to submit up to two questions that you would like to see addressed during this session.

Thank you for your continued commitment to making this school year possible.

Sincerely,

Caroline Blatti
Head of School

Dear RPCS Parents and Guardians,

I hope that this break has been restorative and uplifting for you and your families. 

It has been a challenging year, but we made it. We are finally at a point in time where we can put 2020 behind us and look ahead to 2021. In all of the challenges we faced this past year, there is still so much for which we are grateful. Not a single day goes by when I am not thinking of the resilience, bravery and perseverance of our community of on-campus and virtual learners.  Time and again since March, I have been reminded of all that we have to be thankful for at this time, and foremost in my mind and heart is our RPCS community. Thank you for what you have done as parents to support, encourage and uplift your children, and our faculty and administrative teams. Your gratitude and encouragement has meant so much to all of us. 

Parent Education Sessions Facilitated by Dr. Deborah Offner

As we head into January, I want to be sure that we offer resources to help you as you support your child’s continued wellness. This is uncharted territory for all of us, and we could all benefit from productive conversations focusing on how to navigate complex conversations with our children. Since last March every parent, child,  and employee has been challenged and tested by the complexities that come with living in a world confronted with a global pandemic. To that end, we have engaged Dr. Deborah Offner to offer voluntary sessions for our families. Dr. Offner is a Boston-area clinical psychologist with expertise in student mental health and adolescent development.  We will host two sessions, one for Littlest and Little Reds and Lower School parents and one for Middle and Upper School parents. Our counseling team and division heads will also be involved in these sessions for parents. I encourage you to take advantage of these sessions. Your division heads will be communicating the details on these sessions

Testing Reminders 

We anticipate that testing will be an important tool for us as we navigate the early months of 2021. An aggressive testing strategy (involving both PCR testing at reentry and weekly antigen testing over time) will protect our students, teachers, staff, and our broader community by signaling early warnings of infection and allowing for targeted and swift measures to be taken to stop the spread. 

The Plan for Diagnostic (PCR) Testing Upon Reentry to Campus 

As you are aware, we are requiring all employees and students (with the exception of Littlest and Little Reds students) be tested prior to returning to campus. 

For this reentry testing, we have partnered with a local laboratory, Real Diagnostics. Test results will be communicated to you and the school within 24 hours of processing. This test uses an approach that is well-tolerated and less invasive than the traditional collection process. The cost for this service to our families will be $50 per test which will be billed via an incidental charge on the student FACTS account.

Please find your divisional date and a link to register below. If you have not already signed up, you should do so immediately.

Little Reds Students

No testing required

Lower School Students

Monday, January 4 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Click here to sign up for a time slot.

Middle School Students

Wednesday, January 6 from 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Click here to sign up for a time slot.

Upper School Students

Thursday, January 7 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Click here to sign up for a time slot.

We strongly recommend using our testing on campus for these reasons:

• Quick turnaround time for results
• Less invasive collection of sample
• Familiar location (on RPCS campus)
   

If you are interested in seeking a different location for testing, please email screening@rpcs.org.

For virtual students, you may not be present on campus at any time unless you have presented a negative test result.

Random Ongoing Testing As An Important Risk Mitigation Tool

Beginning the week of January 11, 2020, we plan to provide random antigen (rapid) testing for our students as well as adults on campus. This proactive strategy will provide us with weekly testing data that will be useful in maintaining a safe and healthy environment on campus. We will begin with a percentage of our Upper School students in the first week of January 11. Additionally, we will test a cross-section of our employee population each week in a process that is designed to be minimally disruptive to the school day. Under our nursing staff’s supervision, individuals will perform a self-swab and the samples will be run onsite to provide immediate results. The cost for random ongoing testing will be covered by the school.

It is critical to remember that antigen (rapid) testing can identify a possible positive case faster than molecular (PCR) test, but is less accurate. Therefore, a positive result from an antigen test will alert us that a PCR test will need to be performed immediately (also onsite) to provide a more accurate diagnosis. We can now provide that test to you on site and have results back in 24 hours. A positive result from an antigen test alone does not give us a definitive diagnosis. A positive result from an antigen test followed by a positive test from a PCR test gives us a more definitive diagnosis.

Detailed information about our random ongoing testing plan will be available after we return from winter break. For now, please know that we are working with medical professionals to make the best possible decisions that increase our ability to be together on campus and keep us all safe and healthy. We will also be offering a parent/guardian session with Dr. Adrianna Bravo, our consulting medical professional, to help answer your questions about random ongoing testing as an important risk mitigation tool.

Required Paperwork

Consent Form: This is mandatory for in-person learning. To perform tests on campus, we will need every employee and student (except for Littlest and Little Reds students, for which testing is not required) to sign and submit the consent form through the myRPCS portal. Please log in to your myRPCS account to complete this form by January 4, 2020.

Lab Requisition Form: This form allows you to see your test results as soon as they are ready to view. You must bring the completed Lab Requisition Form to campus when you drop off your test. This form was also sent in a communication from Lead Nurse Danielle Thiboutot with the subject “Testing in January”.  

An Important Reminder About Testing

It is important to add that testing to diagnose COVID-19 is part of a comprehensive strategy and it is by no means a solution on its own. It is one layer to our larger risk mitigation framework, and will be used in conjunction with social distancing, mask wearing, hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfection, etc. The follow up antigen testing process is also another additional layer in our risk mitigation efforts. Combining multiple layers of efforts and systems is the best possible way to ensure that we are creating a safe and healthy environment for employees and students. 

Your Continued Understanding, Compliance and Support

This has not been an easy year for any of us, and while there is promise on the horizon, COVID-19 is not behind us yet. That said, we have seen that in our work together our employees and students have been safe and we have pushed forward with essential values foremost in our minds and hearts: a commitment to safety and well-being will define and drive all of our decisions. As always, we are strongest as a community when we work together and walk this journey with a shared understanding of our values.  

Enjoy waking up tomorrow to a new year, a fresh start and a new beginning in 2021 - for all of us. 

I can’t wait to see you over the next few weeks!

Warmly,

Caroline Blatti
Head of School

• Quick turnaround time for results
• Less invasive collection of sample
• Familiar location (on RPCS campus)

Dear RPCS Community,

Providing our students with an in-person education while protecting the health of our community at large has been a delicate balance, but one that I feel we have been able to strike since we opened our doors this fall. While I am proud of how the RPCS community has contributed to our ability to achieve both objectives, we are certainly not finished with these efforts just yet. In fact, now is precisely the time to double down on our efforts to make thehard choices (avoiding travel and social gatherings) and easy choices (wearing a mask, social distancing, practicing hand hygiene) that protect our ability to be on campus together. 

I am writing today to provide you with an update on our plan to return to campus in January. I hope you know that decisions - by division - on whether to be in-person or virtual come after lengthy conversations with medical professionals and analysis and consideration of data and metrics, both internal and external. I am confident that the plan which I describe below prioritizes both the physical health and social-emotional wellness of our students and employees and their families.

Mandatory Testing

All individuals (students and employees) who plan to return to campus will be required to take a COVID-19 PCR test, with the exception of the students in the Littlest and Little Reds division. Due to their age and lower risk profile, students in our early childhood division will not be required to take a COVID-19 test to return.

We are securing on site testing here at RPCS on the dates indicated below. Given theamount of individuals we will be testing this time in January, we need you to test on site to enable efficient and swift record keeping. Danielle Thibitout, our RPCS Lead Nurse, will send out further details about those testing dates next week. 

*Out of State Travel: While the state recommendation is to avoid non-essential travel, if you opt to do so, please know that your testing date may be subject to change based on thenature and timing of your travel. 

Looking Ahead: Testing As Important Risk Mitigation Tool

We anticipate that testing will be an important tool for us as we navigate the early months of 2021. An aggressive testing strategy will protect our students, teachers, staff, and our broader community by signaling early warnings of infection and allowing for targeted and swift measures to be taken to stop the spread. We are in the process of exploring with medical professionals how we can best utilize various testing strategies and this information will be available to you in early January.

It is important to add that testing to diagnose COVID-19 is part of a comprehensive strategy and it is by no means a solution on its own. It is one layer to our larger risk mitigation framework, and will be used in conjunction with social distancing, mask wearing, hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfection, etc.

Health and Safety Reminders

It is inherent that there are risks associated with being anywhere in person right now. We cannot guarantee a risk-free environment. But, what we can confidently say is that we are taking every possible precaution to create the safest possible environment. The rest is up to our community members making the right choices off-campus. 

I am asking you to continue to do everything you possibly can to help guard against transmission outside of school. Sacrifices, in the form of gatherings and travel, will have to be made - especially in the two weeks leading up to your return to campus in January. We are asking you to think of this time as a quarantine period. It will be more important than ever. Our students and teachers deserve these small sacrifices for the larger gain. I also ask that parents and guardians continue to do the hard work at home: continually reinforce with your child the risk mitigation practices that we require on our campus: mask wearing, maintaining social distance and good hand hygiene. And, as always, please adhere to local, state, and national guidelines and avoid travel and gatherings as much as possible. Revisit our Wellness Pledge here. 

Kids need in-person school. This past year has made its value clearer than ever before. What we need now are tangible ways to keep our teachers, students and school employees safe - and for them to know that they are valued and protected. I am committed to taking every possible precaution to make this possible.

Sincerely,

Caroline Blatti
Head of School

Dear Roland Park Country School Community,

I am writing with reminders about our return to campus after Thanksgiving, and to provide additional information about requirements around testing. We are heightening our risk mitigation efforts and we believe testing is a tool that will help us safely reopen after Thanksgiving break. 

Early Childhood and Lower School Families

We plan to safely reopen Littlest and Little Reds and the Lower School on Wednesday, December 2. In order to do, we will put the following protocols in place:

All families in Little and Littlest Reds and Lower School will be sent a survey on Sunday, November 29. If you identify your behavior over the Thanksgiving break as “high risk” based on the CDC guidance below, you will be required to submit a negative PCR COVID test for your child before she/he returns to campus. Families with high risk plans are advised to schedule a COVID test as soon as possible for the week after Thanksgiving. This testing can be scheduled in advance and can be completed as early as Monday, November 30  to allow time to process the results. Due to testing availability and processing requirements, this may require distance learning for a portion of the week while you await your results. You will need to e-mail your child’s results to screening@rpcs.org for review and approval before she/he is allowed back on campus. Please contact the Health Suite or the COVID Support Team if you have questions while determining your holiday plans. 

For further guidance on available testing locations, please click here. To schedule a test at the Baltimore Convention Center, click here.  

Middle and Upper School Families

In order to ensure the health and safety of the two divisions that have the widest social and activity circles the Middle and Upper Schools will engage in virtual learning Wednesday, December 2, Thursday, December 3, and Friday, December 4.

Students in these divisions will be required to take a PCR COVID Test to return to campus on Monday, December 7. Because we are asking all Middle and Upper School students to submit a COVID PCR test, RPCS will offer this testing for students on-site on Thursday December 3 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. We are working with a company called FiveMedicine. The cost is $30 per test for administrative fees. Further details on how to register can be found below. This company can turn the tests around in 24-48 hours and results will be provided directly to the school. You also may still elect to test at a site of your own choosing starting on Tuesday, December 1. If you do not test on-site, you will need to e-mail your child’s results to screening@rpcs.org for review and approval.

FiveMedicine Registration Information:

1. Go to www.fivemedicine.com
2. Select "Book An Online Appointment"
3. Scroll down and click on " Roland Park Country School (Students)"
4. Sign up for a time slot (you may show up at any point within their 30 minute window e.g. if you sign up for the 11 a.m. slot, you may show up any time between 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.)
5. Fill out the online form with demographic & insurance information
6. Submit form

Quick Reminders:

1. When inputting information in the patient intake forms please input the information of the individual receiving the test (e.g. if your child is getting tested, input the child's information on the intake form, not the parent's information.)
2. When you register, you will receive a second email confirming your appointment. This is not an automated process, so we ask for your patience as we manually confirm each appointment. 
3. If you do not fill out all your demographic and insurance information you will be asked to step out of line so as not to delay the process.  We are unable to provide testing if your information is not accurate and in the system. Thanks.
4. Lab results will be sent from the following email address: notify2@labgenlis.com 

Everyone being tested should bring a photocopy of their ID and Insurance Card. For minors being tested, we will need a copy of the parent's ID and Insurance Card. 

Testing if Symptomatic or Exposed

As always, if at any time your child exhibits COVID symptoms or is exposed, please contact your pediatrician immediately and follow any recommendations to get tested. It is our expectation that you share with us your test results as soon as you receive them, even while on break. It is important that we are able to track this data, even while we are not physically on campus.

Our Path Forward

Thank you so much for continuing to make responsible choices to keep your family and our community safe. And thank you for continuing to trust us as we navigate these complex decisions.

Sincerely,

Caroline Blatti
Head of School

Danielle Thiboutot
Lead Nurse, Health Suite

1. Our youngest children (early childhood through 5^th grade) need to have an option to be learning on campus if it is healthy and safe to do so.
2. Planning a return to campus for Middle and Upper School students needs to account for the increased freedom and independence students have access to in the normal course of their academic, social and co-curricular lives.
3. In a time of great uncertainty, we wanted to make decisions that allowed parents to plan ahead for the week after break. While COVID-19 is challenging with changing information often in quick succession, we believe the plan below strikes the best balance for health and safety for all, while accounting for the developmental needs of young children, and the ability for teachers and parents to know how to plan accordingly.

 

• Having a small dinner with only people who live in your household
• Preparing traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and delivering them in a way that doesn’t involve contact with others
• Having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and family
• Shopping online rather than in person on the day after Thanksgiving or the next Monday
• Watching sports events, parades, and movies from home

• Having a small outdoor dinner with family and friends who live in your community
• Visiting pumpkin patches or orchards where people use hand sanitizer before touching pumpkins or picking apples, wearing masks is encouraged or enforced, and people are able to maintain social distancing
• Attending a small outdoor sports events with safety precautions in place

• Attending indoor gatherings with people from outside of your household
• Going shopping in crowded stores just before, on, or after Thanksgiving
• Participating or being a spectator at a crowded race
• Attending crowded parades

Dear RPCS Community, 

First, I would like to express that I am beyond proud of our teachers, students, administrators, maintenance, security, and support staff – for rising to the challenge and showing up in person and virtually day in and day out to make this school year possible. Navigating the complexity of COVID-19 has made this a year unlike any other – and our community members have proven their dedication to RPCS by doing the hard work that keeps propelling us forward. I also want to personally thank our parents and guardians for their flexibility, positivity and understanding as we continue to navigate our time together this year in this ever-changing new normal. 

To each and every member of our community: Thank you.

As we continue on our journey together, our next big decision point involves our approach to Thanksgiving break and the potential for travel and increased socialization. We know that this particular Thanksgiving break, contextualized against the backdrop of a global pandemic, creates a risk for increased community transmissions of COVID-19. As we have done with each decision for reopening and staying open safely so far, we relied on the advice of board-certified medical experts and the many other professionals who provide guidance and recommendations. It should come as no surprise that as we decide on a plan for how to ensure a safe community return from Thanksgiving break, we are considering every last perspective and recommendation shared with us. After much thought and care, we formulated a plan that prioritizes health and safety for our community. 

Schedule Change in Light of COVID-19 and Thanksgiving Break

While we are encouraging you to limit travel, we understand there is the potential for community members to be socializing and/or traveling leading into Thanksgiving on November 26. Given this potential reality, we will be extending the Thanksgiving break to include the Monday and Tuesday after Thanksgiving. To be clear, our break will now be from Wednesday, November 25 through Tuesday, December 1 and will resume on Wednesday, December 2. These additional days off will afford us with 5-6 days between Thanksgiving and a return to campus, a medically recommended window of time for potential symptoms to appear. Another benefit of this change in schedule is that it will give everyone - particularly our faculty and staff - some well-earned time to recharge. It will also open up time for the school to consult with medical professionals on up-to-the-minute health trends and determine the safest plan for the rest of the week. 

It is important that your family is prepared to accommodate a shift to distance learning for the rest of the week if we feel that it is necessary. I realize this may not be ideal but - as always - we have to remain flexible. Please know that we will be working closely with each and every division from Littlest Reds through Upper School with faculty, students and parents to navigate how to ensure a safe return for each division. Should you have specific questions about your division, please follow up with your division head in the next few weeks.

While we hope that no one in our community contracts COVID-19 over break, we have to take the greatest measures of caution. The particular ways in which what were once considered normal behaviors over this holiday may now actually increase the risk of transmission, and we need to be prepared to conversely increase the ways that we counteract these additional risks. 

Our Increased Public Health Expectations for Your Decision Making

As you make your plans for Thanksgiving this year, I urge you to abide by current prevailing public health recommendations. The CDC recently published some helpful guidelines to think through as you plan for Thanksgiving. I strongly encourage you to consider modifying or adjusting plans that you would normally propose for the Thanksgiving holidays. Now more than ever I need you to consider your individual needs in relationship to those of the entire community. 

Travel Guidelines

Our travel guidelines will help mitigate risk as we enter into the holiday season. 

• Try to limit travel if at all possible.
• If you travel to a location that has a 10% positivity rate or higher, you will not be permitted back on campus until you provide us with a negative PCR test. This test should be taken no earlier than Monday, November 30. 
• If you have anyone coming to you from an area posting 10% or higher positivity rates, we ask that you request that these individuals quarantine for 14 days before arriving.

Other Recommendations for the Holidays

The safest way to approach holidays during COVID-19 is to avoid socializing with large groups, wear a mask at all times, and stay outside whenever possible. While this holiday season may look different than in prior years, the payoff of making responsible - albeit sometimes difficult - choices will directly impact our ability to stay open. As we assess the data daily, we encourage you to do the same. Please examine current COVID-19 levels in your community and your family members’ communities and potentially postpone, cancel or limit the number of attendees at any celebration. You may also elect to ask individuals who are attending your gathering to seek proactive testing prior to arriving. 

Flu Shot

I strongly suggest you get a flu shot this year. The seasonal flu will complicate matters as the symptoms can overlap with those of COVID-19. In the midst of many factors out of our control, getting the flu shot is something you can do right now to help protect our community.

Our Path Forward

While these recommendations and guidelines may feel overwhelming, I am asking you to trust us, plan ahead and make responsible choices. We have all worked so hard to open - and stay open - and we need to redouble our efforts and not give in to risk mitigation fatigue or a desire for the holiday season to feel like years past.

Thank you, as always, for placing your trust in us and continuing to make responsible choices that keep your family and our community safe. It falls squarely on each of our shoulders to make the right choices to keep us headed in the right direction. Let’s do this together. Safe, prudent short term decisions by each of us will sum to larger, long term, community wide success in opening after break - and staying open. Our current decisions now and over the Thanksgiving break have the potential to ensure that we return safely and with limited disruption. 

Together, let’s make our shared hope for a seamless return from break an achievable reality for our community. 

With so much appreciation, 

Caroline Blatti
Head of School

Dear RPCS Community,

Out of discussions with and recommendations from our advising medical experts, we have made the decision that going forward we will be using the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center testing trend tool to identify the states on our restricted travel list. If a state has a test positivity rate of above 10% according to Hopkins, it will be on our restricted travel list. We have been using the Hopkins data internally for tracking purposes and are comfortable with their data and real time updates. 

Beginning Tuesday, October 13, if you traveled to a state with a test positivity rate above 10% (click here for data tool), you will need to take a PCR COVID-19 test within 72 hours of your return to Maryland, or quarantine for 14 days. Rapid tests will not be accepted.

According to the current data, the following states are above 10% positivity rate:

• Alabama
• Florida
• Idaho
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• South Dakota
• Utah
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

It is important to note that this data fluctuates constantly so the states on the restricted list will change. The screening app will be updated every Sunday night to reflect the current list of restricted states.

If you have any questions about travel, please reach out to screening@rpcs.org.

Sincerely,
The RPCS Covid-19 Support Team

Dear RPCS Community,

We are writing to you today with two updates:

Update to Travel Policy

Now that we are through the two week transmission cycle following Labor Day, we have decided to modify our travel policy. Beginning Wednesday, September 23, if you traveled to a state with a test positivity rate above 10%, you will need to take a PCR COVID-19 test within 72 hours of your return to Maryland, or quarantine for 14 days. Rapid tests will not be accepted. Previously, we were requiring testing following travel to any state outside of Maryland. For employees, the expectation is that you will be tested and return to work as soon as results are confirmed. States and their respective positivity rates can be found here. As of today, states with test positivity rate above 10% are as follows: Arizona, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Idaho, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia.

If you have any questions about travel, please contact screening@rpcs.org.

Update to COVID-19 Decision Making Chart

We have consulted with physicians, medical professionals and other peer schools on best practices that emphasize safety and practical decision-making. As a result of these consultations, we have decided to tweak our decision making chart to define COVID-19-like illness as: new onset cough or shortness of breath OR at least two of the following symptoms: fever of 100 F or higher, chills, shivering, muscle pain, sore throat, headache, loss of sense of taste or smell, and gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting or diarrhea).

Your child’s cohort may be asked to separate from school if a student in their cohort exhibits symptoms that are highly suspicious for COVID-19. These decisions will be made after a health suite assessment and once additional information from the students, parents/guardians, and the pediatrician is available.

If you have any questions about COVID-19 protocols, please contact ThiboutotD@rpcs.org

Sincerely,

The RPCS COVID-19 Support Team

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we continue to reopen campus, I want to reiterate the thought and care we are taking with the health and safety of every single student who is walking through our doors and coming onto campus. Over the last few weeks, we have experienced much success with the opening of Littlest and Little Reds and our Lower School. We are now focused on bringing our Middle Schoolers onto campus, followed by your daughters, our Upper School students.

I am writing to you today with announcements and reminders specifically for Upper School parents and guardians.

Required Testing for Upper School Students

We have spent a great deal of time thinking through the developmental and behavioral differences of our students by division and how these differences impact the potential for risk exposure. Upper School students have greater autonomy and participate in a wider range of social, athletic and extracurricular activities. This increasing complexity of behavior in terms of co-curricular and social behaviors may place our oldest students at higher risk for exposure. For this reason, we are now requiring Upper School students to show proof of a negative PCR test for COVID-19 before returning to campus. Below you will find the dates to get tested in order to return.

Grade 9: Test starting Wednesday, September 23 with results approved prior to Wednesday, September 30

Grade 10: Test starting Friday, September 25 with results approved prior to Friday, October 2

Grade 11: Test starting Thursday, September 24 with results approved prior to Thursday, October 1

Grade 12: Test starting Tuesday, September 22 with results approved prior to September 29

*Yom Kippur

While you may certainly consult your own doctors and/or medical professionals for advice on testing, the Maryland State Fairgrounds, the Baltimore City Convention Center and Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia are all allowing asymptomatic individuals to be tested for free and are turning results around in 24-48 hours. We encourage your daughter to get a test at a location convenient to you. To avoid long wait times, it is strongly recommended you make an appointment for testing. Please upload your daughter’s test results directly into Magnus in the Student Health Tracker. The Health Suite will review each result and approve or reject, as needed. In order to be approved, the result must clearly show the student’s name, date of birth, screening test date, and screening result. Any absences from classes due to testing will be excused. Please note we may also require subsequent PCR tests after their return to campus.

AUXS Health Screening App: COVID-19: Behavioral Risk Assessment

While your teenage daughters have more freedom, they may also have more questions about what to do when confronted with various options for socializing, club sports, travel, and events. To assist your daughters in this complex process, we are adding some questions to the symptom screening app that help address what is called a COVID-19 Behavioral Risk Assessment. In consultation with the medical doctor on our AUXS team, we created a set of questions that ask students to select yes or no to complete a COVID-19 Behavioral Risk Assessment.

We are introducing this new feature in advance of the proposed start of school in-person on September 29 so that our Upper School Dean of Faculty, Grade Level Deans and Upper School Head Colleen Kyle can thoughtfully help students work through next steps based on their responses.

Please note that we will be launching these questions with your daughters on Sunday, September 20. They will receive reminders in advance as well as information from this email today as well.

This first screening will enable us to see where we are with students who have questions and/or behaviors where we need to do some increased education around risk mitigation practices. We will then have all Upper School students complete the questions again on Sunday, September 28 before students are set to begin returning on Tuesday, September 29. Students will need to complete the behavioral screening by 12 p.m. each Sunday for the near future as we attempt to reopen this division with the goal of remaining open. 

A sample draft of these questions include:

• Have you been around people outside of your family without wearing a mask and not practicing social distancing? (e.g. sleepovers, carpooling, parties with friends)
• Have you been indoors with a large group of people (over 8)—and not everyone was wearing a mask?

If your daughter selects yes to one of the options, she will receive a notification to contact Melissa Carter-Bey, our Dean of Students. Mrs. Carter-Bey or someone from the Upper School Administrative team will then talk through your daughter’s situation and options for returning to school. The purpose of these questions is to help guide your daughters through the process of navigating their normal social lives against the backdrop of an entirely new normal: the decisions your children make off campus now directly impact the overall health of our community. Please note she may not return to campus until she has a conversation with the Upper School team member and a plan for her return is in place.

It is imperative that we all understand that once we open our buildings and campus, human behaviors will determine whether we stay open. We want to help your daughters become proactive about their choices and decisions and also understand the relationship between their choices and the options our school has to consider in order to protect the health and safety of our larger community.

I hope we all agree that our shared goal is to open—and remain open.

Parent/Guardian Public Health Education and Teenagers (Zoom Session)*

We are here to help you navigate conversations with your daughters around the complicated topic of risk and exposure. It is important that you have these conversations at home about how individual choices and behavior can impact the larger community. We are hosting a Parent/Guardian Health Education and Teenagers Zoom Session on Monday, September 21 at 6:00 p.m. At this time, Dr. Adrianna Bravo and Bill Rouse from AUXS will be joining me, Colleen Kyle, our school nurses Danielle Thiboutot and Kirsten White, our Dean of Students, Melissa Carter-Bey and our grade level Deans.

We look forward to a thoughtful conversation and a chance to listen and learn. Thank you, yet again, for being on this journey with us.

Sincerely,

Caroline Blatti
Head of School

Dear Roland Park Country School Community,  

This letter is to inform you that an Upper School student has recently tested positive for COVID-19. This student was asymptomatic and was last on campus Wednesday, September 2 from 1:30-3:00 p.m. 

Those who may have been in close contact with this individual have already been notified separately. Those who have not been notified separately can continue to come to campus.

We want to share with you the course of events and what you can expect for future suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Immediate Actions

• Following our COVID-19 Decision Making Chart outlined by the Maryland Department of Health, the individual is quarantining for 10 days.
• Those who were in close or prolonged contact with the individual have been notified and have begun a 14-day quarantine (you may have questions about why close contacts must remain quarantined longer than an infected person: please click here).
• Lead Nurse Danielle Thiboutot has reached out to the Baltimore City Health Department to notify them of the confirmed case.
• The affected space has been closed for 24 hours and will be medically-grade cleaned; all areas used by the individual are being medically-grade cleaned.
• Families whose child is considered a “close contact” of the individual will receive a follow-up communication which will outline the required quarantine period and information about approval to return to campus.

Monitoring for Symptoms

It is important to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms, which include any one of the following symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, fever higher than 100.0, chills, shivering, muscle pain, sore throat, headache, loss of sense of taste or smell, and gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting or diarrhea). Contact the Health Suite immediately if you have any of these symptoms.

Communication between the School and Home

We strongly encourage you to review this decision chart. This will help you to understand the process we will follow when positive COVID-19 cases or COVID-like-illness (symptoms mentioned above) are identified. 

• When we receive information that a member of our community has tested positive or has a suspected case of COVID-19, our Lead Nurse will notify the Baltimore City Health Department and we will work with the city on contact tracing.
• If the individual is on campus:
  • If the individual is an adult, he/she will be immediately sent home.
  • A student will be isolated in a special area adjacent to the Health Suite and the student’s parent or guardian will be called; students must be picked up from school within one hour of receipt of this phone call; if a parent or guardian is not reachable, the student’s emergency contact(s) will be called.
  • As determined by contact tracing and the CDC-determined definitions of “close contacts,” exposed students will remain in their classroom while parents/guardians/emergency contacts are notified by email to pick them up (again, within one hour of receiving the communication); parents/guardians will be asked to confirm receipt of the email. If that does not happen, parents/guardians will be called on the phone. If unreachable, the student’s emergency contact(s) will then be called. 
  • The school will be in touch with the individual and other affected people, as determined by contact tracing and the CDC-determined definitions of “close contacts,” with further instructions and information on next steps.
• If a suspected or confirmed case is reported to the school while the individual is not on campus:
  • The School Nurse will contact affected individuals by email to let them know that they will need to remain home and await further instruction.
• Transparency is of utmost importance to us; a dashboard of anonymous confirmed cases of COVID-19 by division can be found here (you will need your myRPCS password to access)

Communication on COVID-19 Confirmed Cases Going Forward

This is the first case in which a member of our community has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19 since we have returned to campus. With subsequent confirmed cases, we will only contact those families whose child has been in “close contact” (as defined by the CDC) and will update the dashboard of confirmed cases.

Our highest priority is to protect the health and well-being of all members of the campus community. We intentionally keep cohorts small and limit contact chains so that in the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19, we have minimized the number of individuals who will need to quarantine at home. That is the case here, and that is the reasoning why we will only be communicating on confirmed cases to affected individuals. 

Prevention Works
Together we can mitigate risk and reduce spread of the virus. Prevention matters and works. 

• Wear a mask at all times and ensure that it is worn properly (covering the nose and mouth), while on campus. 
• Maintain six feet of social distance at all times, while on campus.
• Review our Wellness Pledge in order to help keep us healthy and safe.
• Remember that parents, friends, and non-essential visitors are not allowed on campus except for drop-off and pick-up and should not enter the building without permission.
• Please contact the Health Suite immediately for suspected or confirmed exposures. 

Tracking Confirmed Cases

Transparency is of utmost importance in this process. A dashboard of confirmed cases of COVID-19 by division will be accessible to you at any time in myRPCS. Click here to access the tracking tool. You will need to login to your myRPCS account to access this information. This tracking tool does NOT include names or any private information. It will be updated immediately upon the Health Suite receiving confirmation of positive test results.

We are aware that receiving this information may cause concern, but we can assure you that the planning for protocols and procedures that we have put into place have allowed us to quickly jump into action. We are entering this situation fully prepared. We are here to help and support you, and are available to answer questions you may have. Please feel free to respond directly to this email, and you will be provided a timely response. 

We recognize your commitment to Roland Park Country School in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you, again, for your partnership in this journey. 

Sincerely,

Caroline Blatti
Head of School

Danielle Thiboutot
Lead Nurse

Dear RPCS Community,

This email is to serve as a reminder of the important information you need to know before arriving back on campus and being cleared for entry.

AUXS App

You must have the AUXS app downloaded on your phone. You must complete the COVID-19 Screen before you arrive on campus that same day, after 5 a.m. Once you complete the screen and pass, you will receive an email with a green pass (example below) and you must show this email upon arrival to be cleared for entry. The most efficient way is to pull up the email with the green screen on your phone and have it ready to show. If you do not have a smartphone, you can either print it out or show it on another digital device.

If you respond yes to any question on the screen, the COVID-19 Response Team will be in touch with you (via the phone number associated with the App) with regards to next steps.

COVID-19 Response Team

The COVID-19 Response Team is responding to individuals who have been denied entry to campus. This team is on call during certain windows of time and these windows are below:

7:00 – 9:00 a.m.
12:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Note: If you fill out the symptom tracker after 2:00 p.m. and do not receive a green pass, you will not receive a response until the following morning and will not be cleared to come on campus.

Travel Restrictions

It is important that our families are clear on travel restrictions. Any travel out of state (this includes Virginia and D.C.) will require a negative COVID-19 test or a 14 day quarantine with no symptoms, before you are permitted back onto campus. 

Visitors

In the interest of minimizing exposure to outsiders, we are limiting on-campus visitors to those whose presence is mandatory and critical to school operations. Parents/guardians should not enter the building except in cases of emergency.

Thank you for your cooperation as we work to ensure the safest environment possible for our teachers and students.

Michael Brooks
Director of Safety and Security

Dear RPCS Community,

We are writing with updates on policies and procedures from the Health Suite. The health and wellness of our teachers and students are central to our decision-making, and we are doing everything possible to create and maintain a safe environment for our community.

As you learned in our email update from July 30, 2020, we have hired two new nurses. Our Lead Nurse Danielle Thiboutot brings with her extensive experience in the field of nursing, including medical-surgical acute care, post-operative care of pediatric orthopedic patients, and most recently, coordination of pediatric food allergy trials at Johns Hopkins. Assistant School Nurse Kirsten White joins with a background in neonatal intensive care, as well as pediatric food allergy.

COVID-19 Decision Making Chart

Linked here is the RPCS COVID-19 Decision Making Chart for your review. By combining both the resources of the Maryland State Board of Education and the CDC, we are utilizing a conservative, but age-appropriate plan that will allow us to protect our community. We can imagine that you will have questions about this chart, and our nurses are more than willing to answer them. 

Health Suite Set-Up

Our Health Suite has been expanded to allow for safe and efficient triaging of medical concerns, in addition to the everyday needs of the students and employees. By designating a stand-alone room for children with COVID-like symptoms to separate from their class, we can care for and monitor the child, while awaiting pick-up from a parent or guardian. On this subject, it is important to remember that we have a new policy that requires prompt pick-up of a sick child, within one hour of communication from the nurse or RPCS staff. This will not only ensure that we keep the other children and employees safe but will also streamline a visit with your child’s pediatrician, if needed.

Suspected Case During the School Day: What Will Happen?

If a student shows COVID-like symptoms during the school day, this individual will be immediately isolated and monitored in a room adjacent to the Health Suite while they await pick-up from a parent/guardian or emergency contact. As mentioned above, this sick child must be picked up within one hour of receiving communication. Close contacts of the symptomatic child will remain in their classroom while their parents/guardians are contacted to pick them up as well. Parents/guardians of the close contacts of the sick individual will receive an email asking them to pick up their child. This email will ask that you confirm receipt by replying back to let us know that you are on your way. If we do not hear back via email within one hour, we will place a phone call, and if we are still unable to connect with parents/guardians, we will begin calling emergency contacts.

Depending on the individual situation, students may be asked to separate from campus to quarantine for a period of time. Each situation will be different, but we will be in close communication with you throughout that time so that you are clear on expectations about returning to campus. 

Tracking Confirmed Cases

Transparency is of utmost importance in this process. A dashboard of confirmed cases of COVID-19 by division will be accessible to you at any time in myRPCS. Click here to access the tracking tool. You will need to login to your myRPCS account to access this information. This tracking tool does NOT include names or any private information. It will be updated immediately upon the Health Suite receiving confirmation of positive test results. 

Reopening school brings much excitement, but also many questions. The nursing staff is here to support you and your children as they start this year with us. RPCS Lead Nurse Danielle Thiboutot will be joining divisional parent nights to address any questions you may have about the Health Suite and COVID-19 processes and procedures.

Sincerely,

Caroline Blatti
Head of School

Danielle Thiboutot
Lead Nurse

Dear RPCS Community,

This email is to clarify expectations around travel outside the state of Maryland.

As stated in our communication from August 13: We expect that our families will follow the travel guidelines and any other recommendations that come from the state of Maryland. Please read this linked document closely and know that we will be enforcing these recommendations upon entry. The AUXS app questionnaire includes a question about out of state travel and if you answer yes, you will need to know the state recommendations and follow them to be cleared for entry. Reading carefully and understanding the recommendation from the state is of utmost importance in these last few weeks leading up to school, and also for Labor Day. Please note that when traveling back from out of state a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of your re-entry to the state may be required. Please be mindful of this in planning your travels.

For teachers, we recognize that you are categorized as essential workers and point three in the travel guidelines has specific recommendations if your travel out of state is to perform essential work. Please contact Mike Brooks to discuss your particular circumstance if you traveled out of state to perform essential work.  

As we emphasized in our August 13 mailing, we are looking to every single individual in our community to partner with us in our wellness efforts and expectations in and out of school, as we plan to repopulate. A link to these guidelines from the state is also included in the Wellness Pledge.

Thank you for your compliance. We trust that you understand that our strict adherence to state recommendations is to keep our community safe.

 Sincerely,

Mike Brooks
Director of Safety and Security

Dear RPCS Community,

I hope you are doing well and continuing to stay safe and healthy this summer. Following the RPCS Reopening Blueprint that I shared on July 30, I appreciated the feedback, support, and questions you shared. All voices and perspectives continue to be honored and considered in this process. I thank you again for the thought and care you have taken in your responses and in completing the reopening survey from last week. That data has been incredibly helpful as well in our planning for these pivotal next few weeks. We are at a significant point in our reopening journey with our community, and the next stage of our partnership together involves communicating a description of our Phased Reopening Plan.

The RPCS Phased Reopening Plan: A Conservative Model to Ensure Long Term Health and Safety

In this letter, you will find both a summary of our overall plan and an outline from each division head detailing plans for repopulating school in a safe and staggered manner for every division. Given the complexity of a return to campus for close to 600 students and over 150 employees across four different divisions, as well as non-teaching staff, we can’t re-enter campus all at once. Thus, we are presenting a reopening plan that reflects a safe, healthy and intentional phased reopening plan. 

As we have expressed often in our town halls and reopening blueprint, two of the key risk mitigation strategies we are putting in place involve social distancing and developing cohorts for students and as much as possible for employees. In order to ensure that these two strategies are implemented effectively, we need to repopulate campus in a safe and gradual manner. We also need to provide students, families and employees with opportunities to get used to the “new normal.” 

Phased Reopening Plan: General Overview

We have carefully and intentionally scheduled campus to reopen in ways that allow for de-densification, small cohorts, and staggered divisional presence on campus. We have thought through morning and afternoon times on campus and the need to consider creative ways for students and employees to be re-enter campus safely. You will see in the specific plans below that we will begin repopulation with Littlest Reds, then a staggered re-entry for Lower School on campus while Middle School and Upper School commence classes virtually beginning on September 1. While Middle and Upper School will begin classes virtually the morning of September 1, we have also provided for safe, intentional ways to ensure that students in grades 6-12 can come to campus in small groups for orientation time in staggered ways across mornings and afternoons the weeks of September 1 and 7.

Over the first two weeks of September, Middle and Upper School students will have distinct times to engage with advisors and peers in small, safe ways that allow our older students to access important social-emotional experiences. As I will outline further below, helping students understand the need to partner in shared public health values is critical to remaining open.  We will be utilizing these times with our older students in small groups— and utilizing outdoor spaces—to review the public health requirements expectations in this new normal. As we approach the week of September 14, we will consider the Maryland metrics to see if it is possible to commence some in-person instruction for Middle and Upper School students beginning the week of September 14. 

We will continue to monitor a comprehensive set of criteria as we evaluate our next steps in repopulating campus. Criteria include positivity rates, new case numbers, rates of transmission, and how closely our community is adhering to our risk mitigation practices outlined in our Reopening Blueprint. Please review divisional calendars that are linked below, and bear in mind that in mid-September, we will be deciding whether we are expanding our in-person options, remaining consistent, or contracting back.

Reopening Plans: The Great Debate

Before we detail the phased reopening plans by division, I also want to acknowledge that over the last few weeks, we have watched as decisions to reopen schools have come with political complexity—and intense, heated debate. Just last week on August 6, Robert Neall, the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health,sent a significant memo to all local health officers entitled: Blanket Closure of Non-Public Schools in Local Jurisdictions. In this memo he stated: 

“The State of Maryland’s position is that all schools, including public school systems and non-public schools, be provided with the individualized opportunity to determine how they are able to comply with the federal and state COVID-19 guidance to reopen safely and protect students and staff. Those determinations should be made in close consultation with the affected schools and local health departments with Maryland Department of Health guidance. It is important that an individualized analysis be conducted so that each non-public school has the same opportunity that public schools have to make reopening decisions based on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, and that are consistent with the Maryland State Department of Education’s (MSDE) Reopening Plan.”

In our RPCS Reopening Blueprint we have stipulated very thoroughly where and how our efforts to reopen are based on guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as the Maryland State Department of Education’s (MSDE) Reopening Plan. In the RPCS Reopening Blueprint and in my parent and employee town halls, we detailed the plans for healthy classrooms, buildings, schedules and policies. I also noted in my last letter on July 30 that we will continue to stay abreast of the latest developments from the Governor’s office, the Maryland Department of Health, the Maryland State Department of Education, and medical professionals. We work with our local health department and we will continue to monitor recommendations from the CDC, WHO, AAP and other reliable health organizations. Should there be changes in our ability to return to campus, we are prepared to resume our virtual learning and continue to provide a top-notch learning experience for our students and families. 

On this last point, I want to contextualize more fully the most recent stage that we – like many independent schools — are facing right now. While all of us have been laser focused on data and metrics all summer long, we took great care to track key COVID-19 metrics when developing our phased reopening plans. Each day, we log, track and analyze key metrics such as the positivity rate and the number of cases per 100,000, among others. As we track these numbers, we will continue to look closely at the direction in which future metrics are headed. We are prepared to be nimble so that when possible, we can increase the frequency and pace of our phased reopening plan; or conversely, we can adjust and rein in our phased reopening plan if those numbers are not trending in the right direction.

As we look at the more recent metrics here in Maryland, we also balance them with the prevailing views on the need — and recommendations — to get students back to school. As the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) clearly asserts:

“The importance of in-person learning is well-documented, and there is already evidence of the negative impacts on children because of school closures in the spring of 2020. Lengthy time away from school and associated interruption of supportive services often results in social isolation, making it difficult for schools to identify and address important learning deficits.” Read more.

The age-specific guidance from the AAP is incredibly important in the creation of our phased reopening plan. As we repopulate our campus, we need to start this process in ways that prioritize the youngest learners who need to be learning in person, even if socially distanced, to other children and teachers. This last part is critical: it can’t go unsaid that teachers play an integral role in this phased reopening process. Thus, we need to work with the risk factors across both students and employees to ensure that how we repopulate considers the health and safety of both students and employee populations in these older divisions. 

How we repopulate RPCS this fall is going to be grounded in research and best practices to ensure that students will learn safely and that teachers stay safe and healthy as they deliver such important instructions to students. 

Phased Reopening Plans by Division

We want to open – and stay open. A key factor in the success in both areas involves these incredibly thoughtful, division-specific phased reopening plans. I appreciate you reading through your specific division’s plans, as well as looking at all of them to get a clear sense of the comprehensive and thoughtful ways that we will repopulate our campus this fall. Please note as well, that as numbers trend more favorably, we will continue to phase in our repopulation plan and just as thoughtfully, if numbers are less favorable, we will scale back as needed in the repopulation plans. 

Littlest and Little Reds

Lower School

Middle School

Upper School

We Are All in This Together 

In closing, I want to remind you of our mission as we repopulate and reopen school: to mitigate the risk of the transmission of COVID-19 at RPCS, while preserving our core values, culture, community and academic and co-curricular programs. As I mentioned in my July 30 letter, our confidence in reopening is based on the belief that our community members will do the hard work it takes to keep us safe. For this to work, it will require everyone in our community to understand and abide by the rules and guidelines from our Governor, the Department of Health and RPCS. We need to have confidence that everyone in our community is doing their part here. Your choices at home and as a family will directly affect our ability to remain open. 

The RPCS Wellness Pledge: The Home and School Partnership

If there was ever a time for us to lean in together in partnership, it is now. Our lives are inextricably linked, and we must share the same goals: to prioritize healthy and safe decisions personally and as a community in order to open and stay open. To keep children, teachers and staff safe, we need your help. Please review our Wellness Pledge here. All families will be asked to sign this prior to the start of school. Students will also sign an age-appropriate version when they meet with their advisors and homeroom teachers. A large part of this Wellness Pledge focuses on travel plans, which will be of utmost importance as families make plans for their last few weeks of summer and into Labor Day. We expect that our families will follow the travel guidelines and any other recommendations that come from the state. We are looking to every single individual in our community to partner with us in our wellness efforts and expectations in and out of school, as we plan to repopulate.

We need your help, and, we need one another – each of us — to do our part to repopulate school safely and to be able to remain open. As always, our strength as a community is one of our greatest assets. Let’s leverage that strength to make responsible decisions that prioritize public health and our commitment to being able to reopen campus this fall. 

Thank you, again, for the trust you place in us. I look forward to being on the next stage of this journey with you.

Sincerely,

Caroline Blatti
Head of School

Dear RPCS Community,

In the last couple of weeks, I have hosted 9 different town halls with our community members to share with you our big picture strategy as it pertains to opening school — and staying open — this coming school year. During these conversations with our community I have shared our plans for ensuring a safe and healthy reopening on September 1. At this time I would like to share our most up-to-date RPCS Reopening Blueprint with you. As you read through this important document, please know that the health and safety of our teachers and students is central to the work outlined in the RPCS Reopening Blueprint.

RPCS Reopening Blueprint

The evolution of this blueprint for reopening is a result of continual, intentional work by our internal team, consultation with the AUXS team, and direct feedback from many of you in our community. On this last point, I want to thank you for your candid feedback and questions along the way. As we approach the beginning of August, I am so proud of the thorough, thoughtful and rigorous planning that has gone into our plans to reopen school on September 1. This work is continuously evolving and not a day has gone by this summer where we are not working to meticulously address every last detail involved to ensure a safe and secure re-entry. 

In recent weeks, we have seen a national conversation grow about the risk of sending students and teachers back into schools this fall, without a COVID-19 vaccine. The specific, focused, pro-active plans we have been developing this summer allow us to make choices that prioritize safety and programming; RPCS will not have to choose one over the other. I want to assert, again, that the health and safety of our teachers and students is central to our decision making. 

We are planning to reopen in-person, on campus this fall. We feel this is the right decision because of these unique attributes to Roland Park Country School:

• The power of small: We are a small school that can organize small cohorts effectively
• The power of space: Our unique campus layout and investment in infrastructure position us for a healthy environment
• The power of community: We place trust in our community members that individuals will make decisions in their daily lives that keep us all well.
• The power of planning: Our reopening committees have worked alongside medical professionals with deep commitment and incredible focus on a reopening plan that considers every detail to mitigate risk.

This work is constant. We will continue to stay abreast of the latest developments from the Governor’s office, the Maryland Department of Health, the Maryland State Department of Education, and medical professionals. We will continue to monitor recommendations from the CDC, WHO, AAP and other reliable health organizations. We will also continue conversations with peer schools who are also engaged in this challenging and important work. Should there be changes in our ability to return to campus, we are prepared to resume our virtual learning and continue to provide a top notch learning experience for our students and families. 

In the meantime, what can you do to help? We ask that you do the hard work of educating your children on the proper usage of masks and the importance of social distancing. Practice these behaviors immediately and consistently. And please communicate with the school around issues of testing, exposure, and quarantining. Click here to read a back to school planning guide from the CDC, which includes checklists to guide parents, guardians and caregivers.

We are all in this together. Our confidence in reopening is based on the belief that our community members will do the hard work it takes to keep us safe. For this to work, it will require everyone in our community to understand and abide by the rules and guidelines from our Governor, the Department of Health and RPCS and confidence that everyone in our community is doing the same.

Thank you for the trust you place in us. We are placing trust in you and will be asking that you sign a community wellness pledge prior to the start of school. Thank you, again, for your partnership in this journey. 

Please be sure to read the RPCS Reopening Blueprint carefully. Division-specific (Littlest/Little Reds, Lower School, Middle School, Upper School) updates from respective Division Heads will be emailed in the middle of August.

Sincerely,

Caroline Blatti
Head of School

• FLEXIBILITY: THE POWER OF SMALL RPCS policies will need to change quickly as we receive new information and data, and we will need to pivot and alter course as soon as new information becomes available. Our small size will enable us to adapt quickly. 
• EXPERT GUIDANCE RPCS policies and any updates will be made in conjunction with state and local public health policies and expert medical recommendations. We are constantly monitoring the most up-to-date research from the CDC, WHO, the AAP and many other reliable health organizations. 
• POLICIES BY DIVISION RPCS serves children from 6 weeks old to grade 12. Decisions on policies will be informed by what is appropriate and feasible by developmental level.
• ACCESS FOR ALL RPCS will partner together with medical professionals and families/individuals to develop accommodations, as needed, for those in our community who have unique medical needs.
• CLEAR AND FREQUENT COMMUNICATION Policies will be clearly and consistently communicated to ensure the smoothest experience for all.

• FLEXIBILITY: RPCS policies will need to change quickly as we receive new information and data, and we will need to pivot and alter course as soon as new information becomes available.

• CLOSE COMMUNICATION WITH STATE AND LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES AND CONSULTING RESEARCH AND BEST PRACTICES: RPCS policies and any updates will be made in conjunction with state and local public health policies and recommendations. We are constantly monitoring the most up to date research from the CDC, WHO, the AAP and many other reliable and helpful health organizations. 

• POLICIES BY DIVISION: RPCS serves children from 6 weeks old to grade 12. Decisions on policies will be informed by what is appropriate and feasible by developmental level.

• ACCESS FOR ALL: RPCS will partner together with medical professionals and families/individuals to develop accommodations, as needed, for those in our community who have unique medical needs.

• CLEAR AND FREQUENT COMMUNICATION: Policies will be clearly and consistently communicated.

• If you have a fever and/or acute respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath), please contact your doctor immediately.
• If you are immunocompromised or have an underlying health condition, you should contact your health care provider to see if they have additional recommendations for you.
• Accessing a screening test of COVID-19 can now be done online.
• If you have severe symptoms, you should always contact your physician to seek care.
• For more information aside from our school’s site, please see the latest updates for our state here: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/.

• Classes will continue via Distance Learning from March 25, 2020 using platforms outlined in the Continuation of Program document as well as other online tools.
• Policies and procedures in the Handbook continue to be in effect, including but not limited to:
  • Expectations for academic honesty, including the Honor Code as stated in each division’s student handbook,
  • Acceptable use and privacy policies, and
  • Bullying and harassment policy.
• Group and one-on-one consultations (including email) will continue to occur between students and teachers, advisors, learning specialists, counselors, deans, and administrators between 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST Monday-Friday. Email correspondence sent out after 4:00 p.m. will not be responded to until the following day.
• Teachers/Administrators may record classes (not advisory sessions or 1:1 meetings) to facilitate the review of direct instruction for students who are absent or who need reinforcement. 
• Students should not record classes or meetings.

• Upper School lacrosse trip to North Carolina, originally scheduled for March 15-18
• Semiquavers trip to Carnegie Hall/New York City, originally scheduled for March 27-30

• Coronavirus (COVID-19): How to Talk to Your Child 
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): Your Questions Answered 
• Coronavirus: What Kids Can Do (for children)
• Guidance from the World Health Organization
• Maryland Department of Health

1. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
2. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
3. Stay home when you are sick.
4. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
5. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
6. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.