COVID-19 Information Page

Updated: August 24, 2020

Please click on the following links for our Campus Reopening Plan and our Community Expectations. For an introduction to these plans by our Head of School, click on the "Plans for Reopening Campus" message below.

Operationally, all offices are now open from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. If you have questions or need to contact anyone, please reference our Faculty & Staff Directory or email info@columbusacademy.org.

We are monitoring the COVID-19 situation carefully while taking proactive measures to safeguard the health of our community members in accordance with the guidance provided by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). You can find links to coronavirus information from these organizations and others by scrolling to the bottom of this page.

Designed to provide convenient access to reliable information resources regarding COVID-19 in general, as well as timely updates specific to our school’s response and planning efforts, this page will be updated regularly as new information becomes available.

Communications from Head of School

• Plans for Reopening Campus 8/12/20
  "The route towards in-person school every day for all students begins with two weeks of what I referred to in my last letter as a “shakedown cruise” to make sure our systems and training are working for each student and our faculty and staff. During the short week from September 8-11 after Labor Day, we hope to have our entire Lower School on campus while still conducting a hybrid (in-person and online) model in the Middle and Upper Schools. You will hear on September 8 if Columbus Academy intends to increase the number of MS and US students on campus for the fourth week starting on September 14 and going forward. If all goes well in our beginning and our gradual increases, we will hope to have in-person school fully and in a sustained way."

• Update on Opening of School 7/24/20
  "There are three ways school could begin on August 24: 1) we will have all students on campus every day, 2) we will be in a hybrid model with MS and US students rotating on campus for some days a week and off campus (virtual learning) for other days – with LS continuing in their small cohorts on campus, or 3) we will be entirely online (with the possible exception of having Explorer and PreK classes running a pandemic-care model on campus) by order of the state or local health department or as a result of what is occurring in our own school community related to COVID."

• Plan for a Fall Return 6/27/20
  "On behalf of all our faculty, staff and administrators, we are excited at the possibility of beginning school August 24 on our campus and can't wait for the opportunity to welcome our new and returning students to the life of classes, friends and play."

• What Is Going to Happen in the Fall 5/18/20
  "As of now we have seven scenarios that range from having all students in school on our campus (scenario 1) to having all K-12 school campuses closed by the state and being completely online in our learning (scenario 7). In scenarios 2-6 (blended learning of both in-person and online), we are examining every aspect of school including our physical campus, our school calendar, daily schedules, programming and social habits as they may require modifications based on recommendations from national, state and local health authorities. Given the lack of predictability of these times, we are expecting to use whatever scenario our circumstances call for during the next year."

• Announcing the Academy Community Fund 4/24/20
  "The school has established the Academy Community Fund with the purpose of providing a bridge in the form of a one-time grant toward tuition and fees for families experiencing substantial and unforeseen hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic."

• Online Learning for Remainder of This School Year 4/20/20
  "Earlier today, Governor Mike DeWine announced that all of Ohio's K-12 schools will continue online learning for the remainder of this school year. Out of the safety of our students and families, Columbus Academy will comply with this order."

• We Will Get Through This Together 4/9/20
  "Rest assured that my colleagues and I are pouring over all these questions in addition to doing everything we can to ensure that we are able retain and pay our exceptional faculty and staff while also planning for increased affordability measures through financial aid during such a complicated and unpredictable financial landscape. Given the complexity of decision-making and the fierce headwinds so many of us are facing, I am incredibly grateful for your patience, flexibility and support as we continue to deliberate each and every issue."

• There Is No Time Like the Present 4/3/20
  "Compassion, integrity and fairness – all key character traits in a Columbus Academy education – are what we need to exercise most when the world seems to have dealt us a particular blow. Just one glance at the faded ghosts of school activities populating my calendar with a spring that will never be causes a realization that there is no time like the present to practice bringing out our better selves."

• Checking In With Academy Families 3/27/20
  "I hope all of you are staying safe as we adapt to these new normals of physical distancing and sheltering in place, for now. You should be hearing from division heads this afternoon with more details of next week's transition to online learning, but first I'd like for you to watch this brief video recorded from my living room by my son Phil, a current Academy senior."

• Online Learning Will Begin on March 30 3/16/20
  "We will begin to roll out online learning for every grade. Students and parents can expect a continuum, from establishing connections on March 30 to full scheduled learning by Friday, April 3... Regarding spring sports, all of the school's athletic facilities are closed until April 6, when we tentatively will allow practices and seasons to resume."

• Follow-Up to Governor DeWine's Announcement 3/12/20
  "Please act in the best interests of our entire community as we all manage these incredible and inconvenient circumstances. Over this break, we strongly encourage you to check on our fellow families and provide support for each other in what are sure to be anxious times for many."

• Coronavirus Update from Head of School 3/10/20
  "For anyone in our community who is traveling this month, we strongly encourage you to monitor travel alerts from the CDC and to remain attentive to the elevation of the risk assessment for individual countries. In fact, the CDC has recently sent out a warning specifically about cruises. Regardless of where you travel in the coming weeks, please remember to adhere to CDC guidelines for staying healthy and please stay home if you do not feel well. Your participation in the safety of our community is paramount."

• Health Concerns Note from Head of School 2/28/20
  "I want to urge you to help children understand that, at the moment, the ways we have all been taught to prevent the spread of germs (washing hands often, covering coughs and sneezes with an elbow or tissue, not sharing drinks and food, and -- most importantly -- staying home when you are sick) are still crucial in preventing illness, and they continue to be important social cues of sharing in the responsibility of a tight-knit community during a time when people feel panicky about the flu or viruses."