1st-3rd grade students to return to campus Sunday, April 18
Dear Girard Families,

We began this school year with the dual goals of keeping everyone in our community safe and healthy and providing excellent academic and residential programming for our students. All of us have been working diligently to meet those goals and deliver on our promise to you and your students.
 
One of the biggest challenges we are facing right now is the impact of the quarantine guidance we have received from the Philadelphia Department of Health. Due to our status as a congregate setting, we are required to quarantine residential cohorts and other close contacts for a total of 14 days whenever an individual meets the criteria for suspicion of COVID-19. This stringent standard greatly affects our ability to sustain our in-person program.
 
Given these circumstances, plus the fact that virus transmission is still elevated in our region, we do not feel it is feasible to proceed with Phase 3 of our Re-Opening Plan, which would have seen nearly two-thirds of our students back on campus.
 
We can safely invite a smaller group of students back to campus next week, with the majority of students continuing with virtual instruction. Specific grade levels will be invited to campus for standardized testing over the next several weeks, and our Seniors will be invited to campus for the final three weeks of the school year.
 
Plan for Student Return
 
1st – 3rd grade
  • Students are invited to return to campus beginning Sunday, April 18 and continuing through the end of the school year.
  • Check-in will begin at 5:30 p.m. and students should report to the Armory for COVID testing.
 
4th – 8th grade
  • Students will continue virtual instruction, with the exception of on-campus standardized testing days.
  • Material pick-up will take place the week of April 26.
 
High School
  • Students will continue with virtual instruction, with the exception of on-campus standardized testing days. 
  • No high school students should return to campus unless directly contacted by an administrator. 
 
12th grade
  • Seniors are invited to return to campus for the following dates: May 16-20, May 23-27, June 1-3.
 
 
This modified plan will limit the disruptions to our academic program and allow us to evaluate our health and safety plans for the upcoming school year to meet our goal of full in-person instruction.
 
Thank you for rising to meet each new challenge we face with courage and strength. Stay safe.
Sincerely,
Heather D. Wathington, Ph.D.
President, Girard College