Dear Northwood Families:
Northwood School is committed to the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and families. So far, we accomplished our goal of opening our school – including our dormitories, classrooms, fitness center, dining services and co-curricular activities – virus-free. Over the past several weeks, as Northwood began the school year, our region has seen the virus spread faster than at any time in this pandemic:
- One nearby school has gone virtual due to positive cases.
- A local college has disciplined scores of students for COVID-related safety violations.
- This week, numerous cases have been reported among hospitality industry employees who work in local restaurants and hotels.
- An outbreak at a nearby nursing home has resulted in several deaths, dozens of cases and many more people forced to quarantine.
We want our parents and families to see their children, but we also need to be vigilant to protect our campus community from the spread of the virus. With that balance in mind, we offer these guidelines and restrictions for family visits:
Families may see their students for on-campus and outdoor visits only. They may walk the Cobble Hill trails, sit at the Bartell Pavilion, or find a quiet spot to catch up anywhere on our 70-acre campus. Students may not leave campus, and visitors, including parents, may not enter any of the buildings on campus. All visitors are required to complete the symptom check when they arrive to campus or shortly before and no visitors may come to campus if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Visitors from states on the New York State Travel Advisory are not permitted on campus. Families may bring homemade meals or treats or takeout from local restaurants. They may also bring supplies, groceries, and anything else that would normally be shipped to a boarding student.
In advance of the visit, we recommend all families follow the same practices we ask of our day students and employees:
- Avoid unnecessary travel outside the North Country and all travel to locations on the New York State travel advisory
- Always wear a mask or face-covering when in public
- Avoid gatherings of ten or more people
- Practice good personal hygiene, including regular handwashing
- Monitoring symptoms daily using guidelines provided by the school
Sincerely,
John Spear
Assistant Head for School Life