coronavirus

Our Mission

At Broadwater Academy, students are engaged in creative and critical thinking, nurtured in a student-centered learning environment and empowered to become confident, independent and caring leaders who will strengthen our community and transform the world.

Introduction

Broadwater Academy is dedicated and committed to providing our community with in- person learning for students in every grade-level beginning on August 31st. On-campus learning from Pre-K 3 through Grade 12 will continue throughout Phase III and beyond. We will also offer full virtual learning options for students and families who prefer, or need, to learn remotely.

Taking advantage of our small size, and open, flexible indoor spaces in our 70,000 sq.ft. facilities, as well as extensive outdoor facilities, and our talented faculty and staff, we have been able to create routines and procedures driven by our mission and centered on student, faculty and staff health and safety. These are dynamic and evolving plans, as the situations and conditions warrant. This situation has enabled us to enhance our program offerings, increase our use of educational technology tools and broaden the opportunities for our Broadwater students and families.

As we approach the reopening of BA and welcoming our students, faculty, staff and the surrounding community back to our campus, the health and well-being of our Broadwater family is central in mind and shaped our reopening guidelines. The Re-Opening Task Force has been working thoughtfully and diligently to develop the plan for reopening and returning to campus safely. Our plans are guided by federal, state and public health regulations to ensure that best practices in safety and health are implemented in accordance with the existing CDC and VDH guidelines, national and international recommendations, and Federal, State and Local regulations.

In creating these new plans and procedures for operations, we reviewed plans with local medical officials and have received strong endorsements. We continue to work closely with local and state public health officials, monitor the health and safety regulations, and recommend changes and/or adjustments to our procedures and guidelines as needed.

Health and Wellness on Campus

Delivering the educational experience in-person will require new practices to ensure health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff. Returning to campus will look and feel different. Be assured, our plans and program enhancements keep in mind the health, safety, and social and emotional needs of our students at every grade level. Among all grades, we have plans and schedules that will minimize student travel as necessary, utilize outdoor spaces, and enhance all aspects of curricula.

As previously mentioned, Broadwater will be guided by the CDC's and VDH's recommendations for schools, and measures will include but are not limited to, physical distancing, enhanced health and hygiene procedures, disinfecting measures, temperature checks, as well as the use of face coverings at the developmentally appropriate age levels with regular mask breaks scheduled throughout the day.

The health and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, and our Shore community are central in mind. Broadwater Academy is committed to implementing physical distancing and health and hygiene practices to promote a healthy and safe campus environment. Additional spaces have been created to accommodate physical distancing for students with various ailments and symptoms. Students who are running a fever, coughing or experiencing other COVID-like symptoms will not return to class and will remain in the designated isolation space. Due to the nature of health conditions, we will ask for students to be picked up within one hour of a call home.

At Home Screening

Performing at home screening and knowing when to keep students home from school is a vitally important part of keeping our Broadwater family healthy and the school open for in-person instruction. To help, we have outlined key protocols to help families determine when students should stay home.

This effort must be supported by everyone in the Broadwater community including parents, students, faculty, and staff. Committing to and following these methods will strengthen Broadwater Academy's position as the trusted partner in educating children on the Eastern Shore and will preserve the wellness of our school and the Shore in general.

symptoms

• Commit to supporting BA's health, wellness and safety protocols. Keep students home when they have COVID-like symptoms or if they have been exposed to COVID-19. Faculty and staff will model all health, wellness, and safety protocols.

  temperature checks

• Daily temperature checks will be performed. If a student has a temperature of 100.0 F or higher, he or she will be sent home. Students will be screened prior to entering a bus or the school building.

  masks

• Students, faculty, and staff are required to use face coverings as an important way to prevent the spread of the virus and protect each other when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Face coverings in school are mandatory every day.

In the Classroom and Beyond

Broadwater Academy is committed to delivering an educational experience that is flexible and accommodating, and that will engage and empower the whole child in- person and in a virtual setting.

The Broadwater faculty have worked diligently and creatively to reconfigure the curriculum so it can be effectively delivered both in-person and on a virtual platform.

We have adopted the Google Classroom platform for managing all classes at all grade levels to extend the reach of the classroom. This platform will allow delivery of hybrid, remote, and in-person instruction as well as provide enhancements of in- person teaching and engagement. The Google Classroom interfaces with RenWeb/ParentsWeb and allows for video conference participation synchronously for students and families who either need to or choose to keep their children home for some portion of the school year.

Unfortunately, there may be circumstances beyond our control that could possibly impact in-person learning at some point in the school year. In the event that Broadwater is notified by government officials or the health department of the need to close our campus, instruction will continue without interruption virtually.

Broadwater Academy faculty and staff remain committed to delivering an exceptional educational experience to every student. We will provide our students with high- quality, student-centered learning in a virtual platform with structure, and clear and consistent communication from faculty and staff.

Additional Programs and Procedures

The Arts, Music, and Physical Education

The current conditions have allowed us to enhance our program offerings and include additional elective opportunities to our students in all grade-levels. Students will continue to receive a well-rounded educational experience including art, music, and physical education. Whenever possible, these classes will be held in outdoor spaces, appropriately distanced indoor locations, and specials teachers may travel to the students in their grade level classrooms.

Athletics

We are currently still participating in all Varsity sports. Our Middle School students are able to play intramural sports among their peers. A link to our Athletics schedule is here.

Transportation

We provide adequate spacing in busses, and allow for only family members to possibly share seating. Face coverings are required on bus transportation. We provided screening and recording training for our drivers. Students who do not meet the requirements of being COVID-19 symptom-free and being of a temperature of 100.0 degrees or higher will not be allowed entry to the bus and will be required to be taken home.

Arrival and Dismissal

lower School

• will use the main entrance

middle school

• will use the side hallway entrance

Upper School

• will use the single Upper School hallway entrance to the classrooms

Records of a morning health screening being performed must match the attendance records. Students must wear a face covering upon exiting the vehicle as is developmentally appropriate. Temperature screenings will be performed outdoors when possible, and a faculty or staff member will escort the student to his or her classroom. Faculty and staff are being trained on proper screening procedures. Students who do not meet requirements of being COVID 19 symptom free and/or with a temperature 99.9 degrees or higher will not be allowed entry to the building and will be required to be taken home.

There will be one arrival and one departure per student per day to the campus. There will be no travel in and out of campus by any student at any grade level.

Extended Care

We will be securing Extended Care interest from our families very soon. We are still in the planning stages to determine if it will be possible to offer extended care including before an after school and meet the CDC and VDH guidelines for schools. Please continue to monitor school communications for inquiries and updates.

Recess

All lower school classes will have daily recess at assigned play areas or designated locations. Daily times will be assigned to ensure controlled groupings are in the common space at any given time. There will be sanitizing in place for use of the common spaces.

Lunch and Snacks on Campus

As we start our school year, students will be eating in their classrooms or other designated spaces. Students will need to pack a lunch, snacks, and water every day. The drink and snack machines, water fountains, and off-site food delivery services will not be available at this time. Classroom surfaces will be sanitized before and after each lunch period. Proper hygiene practices, such as frequent hand washing, will continue to take place before and after lunch and snack times.

Visitors and Volunteers

Upon opening for classes, we will strictly limit access to the buildings to maintain a healthy environment and minimize risk. This includes parents, vendors, alumni, and admissions visitors. Visitors will be considered by appointment only and must have a health screening performed prior to being allowed access to the building. Classroom volunteer opportunities will be suspended for the beginning of school and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis if the need for on-campus support arises.

School Events

Historically, Broadwater has hosted several community building events on campus which have marked important traditions of the School. At this moment, we are exploring ways to host many of these events in a virtual format. Please continue to monitor communications for further information, including modifications for Back-to-School Night.