Reopening Details

The Austin Prep Community Covenant is a set of expectations aligned with the mission and values of Austin Prep. As members of the Austin Prep community, we ask that you take a moment to pause and reflect on the importance of good citizenship, and a commitment to do your part in keeping yourself, your family, and the Austin Prep community healthy and safe. Expectations are detailed below:

Unitas:

• A mask must be properly worn at all times on campus. Only during scheduled, supervised mask breaks will masks be removed.  
• Adhere to the rules and directions set forth by the school administration related to COVID-19 safety.
• Stay in assigned spaces: i.e. assigned lunch tables, classrooms, advisory spaces, etc. 
• Promptly arrive and depart campus and classrooms and other assigned spaces at the specifically designated times and through the specifically designated entry and exit locations.
• Create a safe environment where students can learn and grow is a whole community effort in which each individual member plays an important role.

Veritas:

• Monitor symptoms and promptly disclose any illness or symptoms.
• Promptly disclose to the school if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19. 
• Comply with all contract tracing efforts.
• Commit to the daily temperature screenings. 
• Actions and intentions will be guided by honesty and integrity.
• Adhere to Austin Prep’s academic and behavioral expectations whether in-person on campus or virtually.

Caritas:

• Adhere to the guidelines outlined by the school - informed by the CDC, state, and local health authorities to ensure safety for all. 
• Refrain from attending or hosting large gatherings.  
• Practice good personal hygiene: Sanitizing & hand-washing often.
• Maintain appropriate social distancing at all times. 
• Treat peers and all students at Austin Prep with respect and kindness.
• Commit to considering the needs of others both physically and emotionally.
• Tell a trusted adult when concerned about another person’s safety within our school community.

Students and staff who are sick are required to stay home from school. Even students and staff who are showing mild symptoms of illness, especially symptoms that indicate possible COVID-19, influenza, or the common cold are prohibited from attending school. The School Health Office will communicate additional information and guidelines.

If students or staff suspect they have been in contact with a person who has been infected with COVID-19, or if a member of their household has been infected with COVID-19, you may not come to school until a 10-day quarantine period has elapsed without showing any symptoms. Individuals may return to campus after day 7 of the quarantine with a negative test taken within the previous 48 hours. Please note, the negative test must be from a PCR test and not a rapid test. After stopping quarantine, you should watch for symptoms until 14 days after exposure, and if you develop symptoms, immediately self-isolate and contact your local public health authority or healthcare provider.

Please immediately contact the School Nurse, Kimberly Esakof, at 781.944.4900, ext. 816 to report your illness or situation.

If an employee or student has a confirmed case of COVID-19, Austin Prep will initiate appropriate contact tracing procedures, which includes notification to the Department of Public Health and required quarantining of those who are infected or impacted. Austin Prep will support the continuity of instruction from home during periods of quarantine or periods that school is cancelled as a result. 

COVID-19 spreads among people who are in close proximity for a prolonged period. Limiting face-to-face contact and maintaining consistent physical separation is an essential practice to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and all students and staff have a responsibility to the Austin Prep community to fulfill this obligation.

Students and staff are required to undergo a daily a temperature check prior to entering the building onto the school campus. Those who have a temperature that is higher than 100.4F will be subject to additional screening by School Health Office Staff who, in their sole judgment, may require the student or staff member to go home. If such a situation occurs, the Health Office Staff will provide additional instructions related to a return to campus. Students who are waiting for a parent to pick them up will be quarantined in a specially designated area.  

Students and staff are required to follow the handwashing recommendations of the Department of Public Health and wash their hands as frequently as possible. Additionally, students and staff are expected to practice general good hygiene.

Students and staff are asked to limit the personal items that are brought to campus each day and are discouraged from sharing beverages, food, and school supplies, among other personal items. 

In-person teaching methods will be adapted to minimize sharing equipment and material between students. In addition, classroom assessments and practices will be designed to reduce the transfer of objects between home and school and the transfer of objects between students.

These additional measures will also be put in place:

1. All students and staff will be required to wear approved face coverings.
2. During the course of the school day, there will be “mask breaks” at certain times which will include lunch.
3. All students and staff will maintain appropriate physical distancing whenever possible.
4. Classroom seating has been arranged to minimize disease transmission. Per the guidelines issued by the Commonwealth, CDC, and the WHO, this includes distancing between each student desk of 3 to 4 feet, which creates actual distancing from center of seat to center of seat that is 5 to 6 feet.
5. Students and staff will be expected to routinely wash their hands as often as possible during the school day. 
6. Hand sanitizer dispensers and bottles will be available throughout the campus including key areas such as the dining hall, classrooms and restrooms.
7. Cleaning and disinfecting procedures will be compliant with the latest Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations.  All cleaning products will be EPA approved.
8. The School will post appropriate signage and use decals to facilitate the flow of pedestrian traffic in the hallways.  Traffic flow in hallways, stairwells, and common areas will be adjusted as needed to maximize social distancing and reduce congestion.
9. Students will not be assigned lockers this school year to maximize physical distancing and to minimize contact with high-touch surfaces.

September 8 is the first day of classes. The schedule that week will be as follows:

Sept 7 - no class

Sept 8 - Cohort A on campus

Sept 9 - Cohort A on campus

Sept 10 - Cohort B on campus

Sept 11 - Cohort B on campus

Student orientation will take place August 31 - September 3. That schedule is forthcoming.

Wearing masks is an important practice to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Students and staff are required to wear masks at all times on campus, both indoors and outdoors, except during approved mask breaks and while eating lunch. Students and staff are required to wear masks that have at least two layers (single layer masks increase risk). Students must wear solid colored masks. Additionally, gaiter style masks, makeshift scarves, and handkerchiefs are not permitted. Students and staff will be provided with one school issued mask to wear to school. 

More information regarding flu vaccinations can be found here. For additional information, please contact the Health Office at (781) 944-4900 ext. 816.

For the latest information regarding fall athletics at Austin Prep, please click here.

Austin Prep is currently reviewing guidelines from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts related to fine arts, including choir and musical instruments. While we will be conducting fine arts classes, we anticipate utilizing recommended modifications that will increase safety; an update will be provided as soon as possible.

Austin Prep is fortunate to have an expansive campus that allows for flexibility in our use of spaces, both indoor and outdoor. To safely return to in-classroom learning, we are maximizing the use of our larger classrooms, converting larger meeting spaces for classroom instruction and making use of outdoor spaces (weather permitting) for instruction, dining, and breaks. In addition, nearly all of our classroom instructional spaces have undergone technology enhancements to provide for hybrid learning options. If planning to utilize outdoor spaces, teachers will take into account the needs of students who may be participating via remote instruction.

To mitigate risk, classrooms have been set up to mitigate the spread of illness and increase social distancing. Additionally, spacing has been delineated to establish appropriate distancing between classroom teachers and students. Each classroom has unique configurations and distancing. Furniture placement has been customized based on square footage, social distancing guidelines, and individual classroom configuration. Students’ desks have been configured in the same direction to limit face-to-face contact. In all cases, classroom occupancy has been reduced.

We are mindful that students may require accommodations because of pre-existing medical conditions, members of their families may be at-risk, their ability to travel to the United States may be limited, and/or difficulty experienced in transitioning to our on-campus plan. We also understand there may be some students and parents who are just not comfortable with a return to campus for a variety of personal reasons. We will do our best to meet the specific needs of students in our diverse community.

While the primary goal is to resume in-person classes as safely as possible, those students who either need a medical accommodation or are just are not comfortable participating in person may opt to participate remotely, subject to the following conditions:

●     The student must commit to virtual learning for the entire marking period and it is irrevocable for that defined time period.  Students may not return to campus before the next marking period. 

●     Students who opt for remote learning may not return to campus or participate in any school events or activities (unless they are virtual activities or events).

●     There will be an opt-in, opt-out period for one cycle at the start of the academic year.  Students will have an opportunity to “test” the remote teaching and learning option.  Students must affirmatively commit to opt-out at the end of the first cycle (Day 1 to Day 7).  This choice is irrevocable for each marking period students have elected to participate. 

Opt-out dates by quarter:

●       September 16th (1st quarter)

●       November 12th (2nd quarter)

●       February 2nd (3rd quarter)

●       April 15th (4th quarter)

In making every effort to keep our students and staff safe, we will not be permitting any unscheduled outside guests into our main building. Should parents need access to the main building during normal school hours (drop off or pickup items, etc.), we will ask that you reach out to the Main Office at (781) 944-4900 to schedule a time when a staff member can meet you at your car.

Until further notice, Austin Prep will not permit the use of indoor facilities to any third party group.  On a case-by-case basis, Austin Prep will consider requests to utilize outdoor spaces and fields.

Austin Prep is working with our transportation vendors to provide our families with safe, reliable transportation to campus. In light of current conditions, however, the ride to and from School will be quite a bit different this year. Seating will be assigned and limited, physical distancing will be requested at bus stops and face masks required by all riders. To keep our students safe, buses will be sanitized before and after each trip and drivers will undergo a pre-trip health screening each and every day. Our transportation vendors may also require additional requirements.

Austin Prep’s dining and food service plan has been reviewed by the Town of Reading’s Department of Public Health.  Our dining service partner, Sage Dining, will be following strict protocols around food safety.  Seating in the dining hall has been limited to approximately 35% of the occupancy limit.  To minimize risk, students will be seated in permanent cohorts in the dining hall.  Students will have the opportunity to select who they sit with, but they will not be permitted to change who they eat lunch with each day once those tables are finalized. Except when eating, masks must be worn in the Dining Hall.  In between each lunch period, the dining hall will be sanitized. To minimize exposure, students may not bring food from home into the dining hall.  All food will be prepared and served by Sage Dining staff.

The daily schedule will be impacted by the model the School is currently following (on-campus learning, remote teaching and learning, hybrid learning). For more details, view our reopening Plan PDF.

We are still working to reimagine Cougar Block. More information will follow.

The health, welfare, and safety of the Austin Prep community is our highest priority, and we have made significant investments to enhance safety and allocated considerable resources to undertake a comprehensive planning process.  To date, Austin Prep has invested over $1,000,000 in COVID-19 related planning and safety.  What follows is a partial list of investments in safety which were made possible, in part, because of the incredible generosity of the Austin Prep community on our record-breaking Giving Day on May 29, 2020. 

1. Hiring an additional nurse. 
2. Hiring additional facilities staff to clean campus and sanitize high-touch areas during the school day.
3. Increased dining hall staffing.
4. Hiring an additional Campus Safety Officer. 
5. Hand sanitizers placed throughout campus including entryways, classrooms, offices, and hallways. 
6. Purchase of thermal scanners for daily temperature taking upon arrival.
7. Utilization of a contract tracing app.
8. Amplified cleaning practices including electrostatic foggers.    
9. Installation of ultra violet germicidal irradiation units in HVAC systems.
10. Upgraded HVAC filtration systems utilizing the highest level of filtration that our HVAC systems were designed to handle.
11. Purchase of portable HEPA filtration units for classrooms. 
12. Increased use of fresh air on all air handling units. 
13. Enhancement of all classroom technology to support remote learning.
14. Increased campus safety staffing.

All off-campus field trips are suspended for the current school year until further notice.

As a member of the student body of Austin Prep, all students are expected to honor the expectations and comply with the policies contained in the Student Handbook.  The expectations and polices are applicable whether the student is physically present on campus or participating in any virtual or remote activity. Last spring, we had the opportunity to evaluate and access student behavior during the remote teaching and learning process. As a result, this fall, we are expecting student to abide by the standards expected during on-campus learning. Moving forward, all students are required to abide by the dress code, including if they are participating in remote instruction. Students also must use School approved virtual backgrounds when participating in remote teaching and learning. More details on virtual backgrounds will be made available during the orientation process. Additional guidance will be communicated related to proper decorum and etiquette while participating in virtual instruction. Students who fail to meet community expectations will be referred to the Dean of Students for possible disciplinary action.
 

Respecting social distancing guidelines is an important factor in preventing the spread of COVID-19. All students and staff are expected to fulfill the expectations outlined in the Austin Prep convenant, including proper social distancing guidelines. Those who egregiously fail to meet expectations put the community at risk, and may be subject to disciplinary action. Repeated failure to comply with community expectations will result in disciplinary action, including limiting students to the remote teaching and learning option. 

The thermal temperature scanners will be used to determine an individual's temperature upon arrival to school on a particular day. Austin Prep is not using the scanners to collect any medical information.

Remote learning is an option for students who have long term medical issues or want to remain remote for the entirety of the fourth quarter. Students who are sick should contact the main office and their teachers so that they can catch up when they return.

There are many logistical challenges, such as practice schedules and facility usage, that would make it difficult for a student to participate in both remote teaching and learning and extracurricular activities. This is a topic that may be revisited after September 14 as we await more information from the MIAA.

Students will be divided into two cohorts sorted alphabetically by last name. One cohort will be on campus while the other will be at home participating in class remotely. Questions regarding cohort assignments should be directed to Mr. Jay Tebbens, Dean of Students.

Austin Prep has contracted the services of Massachusetts-based Trace Innovations. Students and staff will be required to download this app onto their mobile devices. The app is being utilized to trace duration and proximity of the Austin Prep community to one another. In the event of a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19, we will have the capability to identify exactly who has been potentially exposed. It will also enable us to work closely with the Department of Public Health to manage suspected cases. This particular app does not collect or retain any medical information. What the app does retain is information about duration and proximity of the Austin Prep community to one another. 

More information to follow.

Reimagining the operations of Austin Prep has been a complicated process. Managing the logistics of students opting in and out of in person instruction on a repeated basis is not a feasible practice, especially for faculty who are preparing lessons and assessments.

For those who believe they may have symptoms related to potential COVID-19 exposure, please contact your medical provider and Mrs. Kim Esakof, School Nurse.  

For Emotional Health and Wellness concerns regarding your student, please contact Mr. Jay Tebbens for the Upper School and Mrs. Jessica Lenci for the Middle School.

For questions regarding specific academic subjects, please contact Department Chairs directly.

History Department Chair: Mr. Nathan Picinni

World Languages Department Chair: Ms. Celia Barletta

Mathematics Department Chair: Mrs. Natalie Petrillo

English Department Chair: Mrs. Nicole Putney

Theology Department Chair: Dr. Michael Lescault

Art and Design Department Chair: Mrs. Marla Pascucci-Byrne

Science Department Chair: Dr. Maria Blewitt

For questions regarding updated athletics department schedules and opportunities, please contact Mr. Patrick Driscoll, Director of Athletics.

For Apple MacBook Air questions contact Ms. Jill Bonina, Director of Technology, Mrs. Marissa McLaughlin, Assistant Director of Technology, or Mr. Brad Harkins, Academic Technology & Library Media Specialist.

For questions regarding your student's iPad or textbooks contact Mr. Brad Harkins, Academic Technology & Library Media Specialist.

Any other technology related questions related to remote teaching and learning, please contact Ms. Jill Bonina, Director of Technology.

For questions regarding the college counseling process at Austin Prep, please contact Ms. My Doan or Mrs. Cyndy Pitta, Co-Directors of College Counseling.