Return To School Plan

After careful planning and consideration, and following a discussion with our Board of Trustees, Norwich Free Academy will begin the 2020-2021 school year in a hybrid model. This means school will be open, but there will be reduced daily capacity. Students will be placed in two groups. While one group is on campus, the other will participate in remote learning. Each group will be on campus two days per week.

Based on state requirements, we were originally tasked to plan for three distinct opening scenarios: all students every day, hybrid model and full remote learning. We submitted our initial plan July 24 based on state guidelines.

We believe this model provides the safest environment possible for our students, faculty and staff. Please review the information here carefully. We encourage you to check back often, too, as this will serve as our main information hub.

More information will be forthcoming as we begin to fully operationalize this plan, but this will provide you with an important starting point about the upcoming school year.

School Day

What will the day look like? What about lunch? How will we get around campus? Will there be sports and clubs? Here’s important information for you.

Calendar & Schedule

Our school calendar has been adjusted as it pertains to the start of the year. Ninth graders and Sachem campus students will now begin Monday, August 31. All other students will begin Tuesday, September 1. The rest of the academic calendar remains as is and can be found here.

Work continues on the academic schedule in all models with a focus on reducing passing time, adjusting class levels, adding additional sections when necessary and more. More information will be announced as this continues.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Cohort A (In Person)	Cohort A (In Person)	ALL on Distance Learning	Cohort A (Distance Learning)	Cohort A (Distance Learning)
Cohort B (Distance Learning)	Cohort B (Distance Learning)	ALL on Distance Learning	Cohort B (In Person)	Cohort B (In Person)

School Meals

Students will continue to have access to breakfast and lunch service. The main cafeteria will remain in operation with altered seating to enhancing distancing between students. Meals will also be served in Slater Auditorium and students will be encouraged to eat outside when the weather is feasible and practice social distancing. Specific details will be announced before the start of school.

In addition, grab-and-go lunches will be available every day for students who qualify for free and reduced lunch and choose not to attend in-person classes.

Getting Around Campus

Athletics & Activities

While some of our athletic teams are currently participating in socially distant condition programs approved by our public health partners, the status of a competitive fall season will be determined by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC). When the CIAC provides additional guidance, it will be shared here and in other channels.

We are hoping to provide an environment that will allow our clubs to continue safely. That may mean certain in-person guidelines and restrictions. It may mean clubs will meet virtually. We continue to work through this process and develop protocols. More information will be released prior to the start of school.

Safety Protocols

While stopping the spread is everyone’s responsibility, our priority is to provide the safest environment for our students, faculty and staff. Together, we can make a difference. We will promote behavior that reduces spread and helps to keep us all safe. Our plan will closely follow the guidelines released by the CDC.

Daily Symptom Checklist

Masks Required

Faculty, staff and students will be required to wear a mask that completely covers the nose and mouth. An exception to this is only possible with a medical waiver on file with our Medical Center. For more information, contact the center at 860-425-5552.

All students, faculty and staff will be provided one cloth mask at the beginning of school. It is the responsibility of each individual to have a mask when arriving on campus. Students not arriving on campus with a mask will have one provided.

Some faculty and students may be provided with additional PPE, including face shields or clear masks. Those will be handled on an individual basis.

Classroom Layout

All classrooms have been assessed for maximum capacity based on acceptable social distancing guidelines. In addition to reducing the number of students in each classroom, alternative spaces will be utilized for classroom locations. All desks will face the same direction and no desk groups will be allowed. We will share photos of classroom space before the start of school.

Cleaning & Hygiene

In addition to requiring face coverings and practicing social distancing, we will be installing a hand sanitizer dispenser in each class room and other high traffic areas. Students will be expected to use sanitizer on the way in and out of class.

Disinfectant wipes will also be available in each class, and time will be allotted at the end of each period for students to wipe down their workspace before leaving the room.

Members of our contracted cleaning service will be assigned to regularly clean high-touch areas in each building such as doors, railings and more. Following our hybrid model, a deep clean of our school will happen twice each week, once on Wednesday and once over the weekend.

Signage

FAQ/Resources

Answers to some of the more commonly asked questions are here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I choose to keep my student home?

Students will be enrolled in their regular academic courses where possible and fully supported by NFA faculty through a mix of synchronous and asynchronous lessons and support.

What if someone on campus is sick and/or diagnosed with COVID-19?

Throughout this situation, NFA remains in regular contact with our medical advisor and public health officials. If a student or staff member becomes ill at school, they will be brought to an isolation room staffed by a registered nurse until they are able to leave campus. The room will be cleaned regularly and staff will maintain detailed records at all times of who is in the room.

Regular symptom monitoring from that point and communication with our medical center staff and advisor will determine conditions necessary for a safe return to school.

If a student or staff member tests positive, NFA will work closely with all health officials to determine the needs for contact tracing among staff and other students. In addition, we will rely on the guidance of public health officials to determine the need for any adjustments to our schedule.

If a member of our community tests positive, we will communicate that fact. However, we will not identify the person diagnosed because of privacy concerns. We will, at that time, also inform you of how the diagnosis would impact school operations.

What if I travel out of state? Can I participate in school-based activities if I test negative when I return? If you travel to a location that is part of the Connecticut travel advisory, our policy requires that you self-quarantine for 14 days before resuming any school-related activities.

https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/travel link that on Connecticut travel advisory

Is Slater Memorial Museum Open?
Slater Memorial Museum is currently closed to the public. Our faculty and students will have access to the Museum when school is in session. We will continue to monitor the best time for public access. Until then, there is a virtual tour option online at slatermuseum.org.

What about field trips?
At this time, no field trips will be allowed, at least through the first semester. A decision regarding second semester field trips will take place at a later date.

What if I need to visit campus?
Campus will remain closed to everyone except students, faculty and staff. Many parent meetings will take place virtually. If a meeting is required on campus, that will be arranged specifically with the parent and faculty or staff member.

Can my community group utilize the NFA campus?
Community groups will not be able to utilize NFA facilities until further notice. We apologize for this inconvenience, but it is our hope to focus our attention on providing the safest spot for our students, faculty and staff.

What about the track? Can I exercise there yet?
With campus being closed to the public, that includes the track. We know our neighbors have relied on this resource for some time, and we hope to be able to open it again for community use. We will make an announcement when we are able to do so.

My student will be starting ninth grade. Will there be an orientation?
We are working through this now and will share more information soon. Each family will be allowed to schedule a virtual meeting with a member of our ninth grade team prior to the start of school. You will receive that information shortly. Our traditional Wildcat Beginnings will not be held this year. However, we are working on another way to provide ninth grade students and families with important information before the start of the year.

What about water bottles and water fountains?
We encourage all students to carry a personal water bottle to help keep them hydrated throughout the day. Fountains on campus designed to refill water bottles will remain in operation. Traditional fountains where students take water directly into their mouth will be disengaged.