March 10, 2020
Dear Members of the Miss Hall’s Community,
As the School’s Incident Response Team (IRT) continues to monitor coronavirus/COVID-19 developments and discuss potential impacts to our community,
we have decided proactively to cancel classes on Thursday, March 12, and Friday, March 13.
This decision was made after much consideration and discussion among the School’s Leadership Team and IRT members, who have been regularly reviewing local, state, and federal health advisories.
It is important to emphasize that we do not have any cases of COVID-19 infections at Miss Hall’s, but we are carefully monitoring the number of confirmed cases in Berkshire County, and the recommendations from local and state authorities and health professionals. Given ongoing health concerns, we feel that cancelling classes is the most prudent choice for the well-being of students, faculty, and staff.
Please see below for important reminders and schedule information.
Important Reminders:
- Prior to departure from campus, all students must complete a travel form detailing their Spring Break travel. We will provide students with the form on Wednesday.
- Before returning to campus, all students will be required to complete a Health Declaration, signed by a parent/guardian.
- Both of these forms, as well as links to important information about health, travel, visa/I20 status, and recent all-school communications, will be available on the School’s website over the break, www.misshalls.org/resources.
Plans for Wednesday, March 11
- We will follow a regular Wednesday class schedule, then have advisor meetings for all students from 1:15-1:45 p.m.
- Students have the option to leave school after the advisor meeting, as long as they have parent/guardian permission and have completed their academic obligations for the day.
- The National Spanish Exam scheduled for Wednesday afternoon will be held as planned.
Plans for Thursday & Friday, March 12 & 13
- Day students are not required to come to school.
- Boarding students are welcome to stay on campus Thursday and Friday and will have regular check-ins and supervision by adults, similar to a snow-day schedule. Culinary, Housekeeping, and Residential Life services will remain in place.
- Thursday and Friday will be work days for faculty and staff, allowing time to plan for distance learning, should the School need to offer classes remotely or close for an extended period of time.
- The School’s Spring Break transportation will run as scheduled on Friday, but parents who wish to pick up their children earlier may do so. Please communicate directly with Ms. Bazanchuk if you are making any changes to your travel plans.
During Spring Break
- Dormitories will remain open through Spring Break as planned.
- There will be scheduled and supervised activities for students who choose to remain at school for all or part of the break.
- Culinary, Health Center, Housekeeping, and Residential Life services will remain in place during the break.
- Members of the School’s IRT will also continue to meet during the break to monitor developments and arrange plans for the days, weeks, and months following Spring Break. We expect to communicate regularly, and students have been reminded of the importance of checking their Miss Hall’s School email and www.misshalls.org/resources for updates.
I thank all of you who have contacted me with your concerns and suggestions, and I thank you for your partnership with us as we navigate this ongoing situation. Please feel free to continue this dialogue and to contact me with any questions. We will continue to monitor developments and consult with authorities and cohort schools and organizations to make informed decisions with the best interests of your daughters in mind. As always, the health and wellness of our students remain our top priorities.
Take care,
