Update to BBA Families - July 22, 2020
July 22, 2020
Dear Families:
Dear Families:
The purpose of this message is to update you on the current situation in Manchester and the surrounding towns and to share our thinking on the upcoming school year.
Current Situation
With the caveat that the situation is fluid and the numbers constantly changing, I share the following:
Manchester Medical Center has identified 64 COVID-19 positives using the antigen test. Of this 64, 35 were retested using the PCR test, and only 2 came back positive.
With the caveat that the situation is fluid and the numbers constantly changing, I share the following:
Manchester Medical Center has identified 64 COVID-19 positives using the antigen test. Of this 64, 35 were retested using the PCR test, and only 2 came back positive.
There have been 1613 PCR tests administered at the pop-up sites in Londonderry and Manchester. These have yielded only five positives. Based on this information, Health Commissioner Mark Levine, stated. “We have not yet found connections that would lead us to believe there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in Bennington or Windham counties.”
In considering this conflicting and confusing information, it is worth noting that over the past week, testing using both the antigen and PCR tests has shown relatively few positive cases. Everyone agrees that this is good.
Based on the conclusion of Vermont public health experts, we are going to allow informal sports practices/pick up games to resume. Everyone participating should follow all safety protocols, and it should be emphasized that participation is entirely voluntary.
If the current trend continues, we will start Success Camp on Monday, July 27 and Access Camp will resume on Tuesday, July 28.
The Upcoming School Year
In the next couple of days, you will receive a communication from Associate Head of School Meg Kenny detailing our reopening plans. Meg is leading an extraordinary effort by BBA teachers and staff members to plan for a thoughtful reopening. To lay the groundwork, I would like to share with you some of the overarching goals for this effort:
In the next couple of days, you will receive a communication from Associate Head of School Meg Kenny detailing our reopening plans. Meg is leading an extraordinary effort by BBA teachers and staff members to plan for a thoughtful reopening. To lay the groundwork, I would like to share with you some of the overarching goals for this effort:
- Reopen Campus. We recognize the importance of bringing students back on campus to connect with teachers and with each other, to keep the Bulldog spirit burning brightly, and to find meaning and joy in the process of learning.
- Start Well, Start Safely. We also recognize that starting well involves doing so in a manner that respects the range of emotions felt within our community and incorporates safety protocols to prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19.
- Maintain Flexibility. We fully expect that COVID-19 will ebb and flow in our lives over the course of the next year. We have developed a framework that allows us to adjust the population density on campus based on local conditions. When things are going well, we can move to 100% occupancy. If our community experiences a severe outbreak, we can dial back in increments, including moving to full remote learning. Under all scenarios, those who chose to attend BBA remotely will be able to do so.
- Build The Culture. Students have not been on campus for many many months, and life at BBA will be different. There will be temperature checks, facial coverings, physical distancing, and other adjustments. In the overall scheme, we want to build a culture that respects these changes as an important part of doing our part to protect each other and to protect our community. If this is what it takes to get us back together, I for one believe it is a relatively small price to pay.
- Rise to the Challenge. We are committed to knowing and caring for each and every student. We are committed to creating engaging, vigorous educational experiences every step of the way, whether fully in person, fully remote, or somewhere in between. We are committed to making this year productive, valuable, and memorable.
I am reminded of the saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.“ We want to go far in this coming school year, and I thank you in advance for your support and togetherness.
Sincerely,
Mark H. Tashjian
Headmaster
Headmaster
Recent News
Offering every student a world of opportunities.
Burr and Burton Academy
57 Seminary Avenue
PO Box 498
Manchester, VT 05254
Phone: 802.362.1775, Fax: 802.362.0574
