With the beginning of spring term, March 22, quickly approaching, the School’s administration has been working to formulate a plan for return that mimics as closely as possible the pre-pandemic Choate experience while ensuring the safety of the community.
According to Medical Director Dr. Miriam Cohen, the spring term will likely be similar to this school year’s fall and winter terms, with mitigation strategies such as masking, social distancing, and handwashing in place, but more specific guidelines will depend on the spring Covid-19 statistics and trends in Connecticut. After a mandatory quarantine period, students will resume the same freedoms in the winter term. For instance, after two weeks of negative testing on campus, students within the same family unit will be allowed to enter each other’s dorm rooms without masks, and more students will be allowed in rooms at the same time. In addition, day students will again be allowed to commute to campus from their homes but will be restricted from entering the dorms.
Dr. Cohen said that although Choate staff might start receiving vaccinations sometime in March, the timeline for students may differ depending on their home state and the state of Connecticut. Dr. Cohen has communicated with the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) regarding the possibility of giving vaccines on campus, but the vaccine supply from CT DPH remains uncertain. Once vaccinations are approved, the Health Center may be able to administer vaccines for students in Connecticut.
As the School sought a balance between campus safety and student life, many traditions this year, such as Holiday Ball and First Hurrah, have moved to a completely virtual format over Zoom. The School, however, is determined to ensure that the traditions of senior spring occur in some physical form for the Class of 2021. Dr. Cohen said that, as long as activities can be held safely and in accordance with Choate Covid-19 guidelines, the usual senior-spring rites like Last Hurrah, Garden Party, Senior Dance Lessons, and Commencement will occur.
