January 9, 2021
Dear Students, Families, Faculty, and Staff,
This letter is to inform you that an Upper School student at NYA has tested positive for COVID-19. The student was last in school on January 6. Because this individual developed symptoms less than 48 hours after being at school, we have been directed to notify families of students who had close contact with the individual, and they must quarantine their child. We are currently completing those calls and emails to contact families. If you do not receive a call or email tonight or tomorrow, then your child was not one who had close contact with this individual. However, there is a possibility that other staff or students came in contact with this person and may be exposed to the virus. As always, please monitor your child for signs and symptoms, and keep your child home if they are feeling ill.
Because of our small size and the number of individuals in the Upper School who are considered close contacts, we have decided to temporarily shift to remote learning for the entire Upper School through Friday, January 22. The remote schedule will begin on Tuesday, January 12. Monday, January 11 will be reserved for students to gather supplies at the school and for faculty to prepare for a temporary shift to remote learning. Students in quarantine may make arrangements for a parent to pick up materials. Mr. Austin will contact Upper School faculty and students with additional information.
The CDC provides specific guidance regarding individual quarantining and our ability to keep the school open for in-person instruction. Only students who are close contacts need to quarantine; family members of close contacts may continue to attend school and work as normal unless the student should test positive or develop symptoms. This case has not affected the Lower and Middle Schools, and in-person instruction will continue in these divisions.
If you have questions specific to this case at NYA, please contact Ashley Moody, NYA Health Services Coordinator.
For general COVID-19 questions, dial 211 (or 1-866-811-5695). You can also text your ZIP code to 898-211 or email info@211maine.org. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, call a health care provider. More information can be found at www.maine.gov/dhhs/coronavirus or www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.
We greatly appreciate your assistance in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
As you all know, this is the current landscape we live in. We will continue to approach each situation with an abundance of caution, with the safety of our students, faculty, staff, and families as our primary concern. Thank you for your cooperation throughout this crisis and your assistance in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Sincerely,
Benjamin J. Jackson
Head of School
