COVID-19 Information Page

Current COVID-19 Cases

• Lower School Students: 2

• Middle School Students: 5

• Upper School Students: 3

• Faculty/Staff Members: 1

• Contracted Employees: 0

• Athletic Coaches: 2

If you have any questions or concerns related to COVID-19 and your family's health, please contact our school nurses by emailing them at nurse@columbusacademy.org or by calling their mobile numbers: 614-332-2764 for Beckie Hoagland or 614-496-9591 for Janet Fireman.

Communications from Head of School

• COVID Communication Update 1/7/21
  "Happy New Year? It clearly will be a while before we can put certain aspects of 2020 in the rearview mirror, and yesterday’s images of smashed glass, hate symbols and armed intrusion on the United States Capitol underscore the work ahead for our democracy and its people."

• Looking Towards the New Year 12/14/20
  "Given what is ahead next semester, we are going to plan our re-entry to school with a sensitivity to the dangers vacation brings to our in-person class plans. First, we are offering convenient free COVID-19 testing on campus December 22nd for all faculty/staff, students and parents. In addition, a lane will be devoted to the Columbus Academy community from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on December 28th at Primary One, 3433 Agler Road, in Gahanna."

• Middle and Upper Schools Returning to Hybrid Model 11/15/20
  "While earlier than anticipated, our reduction to 50% MS and US in-person learning each day was always likely to be a part of our winter schooling plan. Please know the expectation is that we will return after Thanksgiving at a 50% capacity in those divisions as well. Most likely, we will be in that reduced density for two weeks, after which the Middle and Upper Schools will determine how they would like to handle schedules that involve exams."

• Update on COVID Conditions 10/26/20
  "The number of COVID-19 cases is on the rise in Ohio and in Franklin County, the number of hospitalizations related to COVID are up, and Columbus Academy may need to change from having 100% of middle and upper school students on campus back to a hybrid model to reduce the density of our daily population in the divisions where students travel from class to class. Also, in order to clear up any confusion regarding out-of-state travel – especially with major holidays approaching – we want to be sure you understand our position on travel to areas that the Ohio Department of Health has identified as 'states reporting positive testing rates of 15% or higher' in its COVID-19 Travel Advisory, which is updated every week."

• Middle & Upper Schools Increasing to 100% 9/28/20
  "Having half of our middle- and upper-schoolers every day has been a good test of our COVID protocol systems, and while we will need to make adjustments to moments of gathering times like lunch and class period changes in the next week or so, we are going to welcome all of our middle and upper school students (lower-schoolers have been 100% on-campus for some weeks now) starting Friday, October 9th."

• Update on In-Person Learning 9/8/20
  "While we are vigilant in our observation of positive COVID-19 tests in our school and larger community, the four conditions listed in our Campus Reopening Plan have been satisfied and we can move to 50% daily capacity in the Middle and Upper Schools starting Monday, September 14. The Lower School will continue to operate at full capacity on campus in cohorted classrooms."

• 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." Please click on the following links for our Campus Reopening Plan and our Community Expectations.

• 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."