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SJNA Planning for Fall 2020

July 14, 2020

St. John’s Northwestern Academies is preparing to open for the 2020-2021 school year with face-to-face instruction. Precautions will be in place to minimize exposure to the COVID-19 virus and maintain a low-risk environment. The health and safety of our students and staff continue to be our highest priority. It is also important that students get back to school in-person and SJNA is planning to support this in the safest manner possible.

Our leadership team has been working closely with the school’s health care provider and we have been following the guidance from various associations including The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the State of Wisconsin Department of Health, the Waukesha County Health Department, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States, the National Association of Independent Schools, and the Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States. We have also been in close communication with other boarding schools in Wisconsin and other states to coordinate our planning with schools facing similar challenges.

Detailed planning is underway and will be finalized by July 31. Some of the essential points of the plan include:

  • Single room occupancy for boarding students
  • Face mask policy for all students and staff
  • Daily health screening and monitoring (temperature and symptom checks twice a day)
  • On-site virus testing through the SJNA infirmary
  • Staff trained in the proper use of PPE
  • Minimized class sizes, classrooms and events configured for social distancing
  • Meal schedules and dining hall policies designed to reduce the potential spread of illness
  • Isolation and quarantine areas in residence halls
  • Intensive cleaning and disinfection protocols across campus (including wipe down of classrooms between each class period)
  • Strict enforcement of hygiene, hand washing/sanitizing, and social distancing policies
  • Restricted access to campus by outsiders; all visitors restricted to designated safety zones, temperature and symptom checks, face masks mandatory
  • Following WIAA guidelines pertaining to athletic schedules and contests (final policy pending)

These examples and, ultimately, our comprehensive plan are designed to create and maintain an isolated and low-risk environment. It is important to note that maintaining a safe environment is a responsibility shared by the entire SJNA community – students and staff alike. As everyone is well aware, the COVID-19 situation is continually evolving; therefore, our planning must remain fluid and responsive to new information. Details of the plan are subject to change based on the latest news and updated guidance from health and government authorities.

The detailed plan will be communicated on or before July 31, and any important updates on athletic camps, leadership cadre school, travel arrangements, and other preparations for the start of the school year.