This page has been created to update the St. Mark’s community and provide resources regarding COVID-19, first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Please check back often for the latest updates. The Centers for Disease Control has created this list of frequently asked questions and answers about the new coronavirus.
With a heavy heart and a keen recognition of the realities our world is confronting, I write to let you know that our campus will remain physically closed at least through mid-June. While I suspect the news that we will be unable to resume normal operations on May 18 does not come as a surprise, I imagine this reality is, nonetheless, a disappointment.
Careful planning is underway to ensure a positive ending to our Spring Term. Many details about the approach for the weeks between May 18 and June 6 remain to be finalized, and we will be sure to communicate those details when we know them.
Here are decisions that have been made:
The remote approach to how we “do school” will continue through the week of June 1. The goals for that approach are continued academic engagement and continued community building.
We will hold a virtual Prize Day on June 6, and we will hold as many of the other end-of-year traditions as the virtual format allows. Also, we will hold an on campus ceremony to honor the Class of 2020 at a time that is safe and logical.
We will be in touch with boarding families about how to ensure that student belongings are returned home or are safely stored.
We have communicated to boarding parents the offer to refund the room and board portion of tuition for the weeks of the Spring Term when St. Mark’s is not, physically, in session. We are also asking boarding parents to consider donating some or all of that refund to the Annual Fund.
As you may have heard, at 10:40 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14, I conveyed the news about the end-of-year decision to VI Formers in a Zoom call. Speaking live to the wonderful Class of 2020, and answering questions I can at this point seemed an important way to acknowledge the disappointment these students experienced when they heard the news.
I am aware that the closing of campus prevents the sort of connection with the School that is so important to parents and to all of us faculty and staff. Therefore, under the guidance of Parent Association Chairs Michelle and Tom Davis, we plan to hold town hall-style Zoom forums for parents later this month. We imagine holding separate forums for parents of each Form. We hope that this approach allows parents to gain the most helpful and relevant information and provides the most effective opportunity to raise questions and offer feedback. In addition to me, administrators who can be most helpful to parents will participate in the Zoom parent forums. We look forward to the opportunity to connect in this way.
Thank you so much for your continued support of our School at this challenging time. As we enter the third week of our remote learning program, students and faculty alike are developing more of a rhythm and routine to this new way to approach academics. The transition has involved a learning curve, as we know, and we are committed to continuing to refine our approach, based on feedback and lived experience. I am proud of the student and faculty engagement with our remote education program and of the learning that is taking place. I am proud, too, of the vibrancy of virtual community events like Chapel, School Meeting, and 9:30 p.m. boarder check-ins. While these virtual community events cannot entirely replicate the in-person experience, they are helping us remain the school under one roof we all prize, even if the roof is more conceptual than actual at the moment.
With all best wishes and hoping that you are safe and well,
I hope you and your family are well as we work through the daily challenges of this global health crisis. As members of our St. Mark’s family, you and your loved ones are on our minds during this unprecedented time. Thank you for your many supportive messages and inquiries in recent days about how to support our students and community during this crisis. I know this situation is affecting all of you in a variety of ways, so your expressions of concern for our students are particularly meaningful. Please know that in the coming weeks we will share opportunities for you to best support our students and the campus community more broadly.
I’m sure at this point it comes as no surprise that due to the restrictions placed on many areas, St. Mark’s will postpone Reunion Weekend, along with the Athletic Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, planned for May 8 and 9, 2020.
While the need to postpone is unfortunate, I do have good news. When next year’s Reunion is held we will invite classes ending in 1s and 6s as well as 0s and 5s. We know how special Reunion Weekend is to the St. Mark’s community, and making sure we celebrate with those who did not have a chance to attend this year’s event is the right thing to do. We will hold the Athletic Hall of Fame Induction ceremony then too.
No doubt, there will be questions about how postponing this year’s event will impact those who have already registered. A separate email with more information will be sent soon to Reunion registrants.
I think it’s important to underscore that we are not alone during this crisis. Head of School John C. Warren ’74, and his staff have been hard at work effectively communicating to students and families about plans for launching our remote learning program. We can stay connected with each other through social media (see the links below) including SM Lions Connect, our alumni network platform.
These are challenging times. As we work to meet the needs of our campus and global communities, we send our best wishes to everyone in the St. Mark’s community, and we hope you and your family remain safe and healthy through this crisis. Thank you for your commitment to St. Mark’s, and for your patience and understanding as we navigate these extraordinary circumstances. I know we will get through these times, and we will do so together.
Sincerely,
Lindsay Allen
Chief Advancement Officer
I hope that you are doing well under a tremendously challenging and rapidly changing set of circumstances brought about by COVID-19. As I noted in my message to you last Friday, March 13, the top priority for all of us at St. Mark’s is ensuring the safety and well-being of every single member of our community: faculty, students, and staff. With that priority in mind, we have decided to extend the period of remote learning from the previously announced date of April 6, 2020, to Monday, May 18, 2020. We hope that conditions in mid-May will allow us to resume on-campus events on that day and for the rest of the School year.
New guidelines and recommendations at the local, state, and federal level have led us to this new decision regarding in-person resumption of School activities. We will hold to our previously announced plan of beginning a program of remote learning on March 30.
The May 18 date coincides with the close of our Monday-Friday class schedule and the end of Window Four, and will allow our faculty to undertake appropriate planning for the remainder of the semester to ensure that their courses provide the best possible development of skills, habits of mind, and content for every one of our students.
I am aware of how important regathering physically is to students. I am thinking, in particular, of our VI Form students as they prepare for their final days at St. Mark’s. While we are not yet sure exactly what the final weeks at St. Mark’s may look like, should we be able to return on May 18, all of us at the School agree that gathering together is an important first step in the process of restoring the community we all cherish so dearly.
I realize that any regathering this academic year will be imperfect because many of our international students are returning home, or have returned home, and may not be able to get back to campus this spring. We will do everything we can to make students who are unable to rejoin us physically feel part of our on campus end-of-year activities. Please be assured that we are attentive to the specific challenges that these students may face in connecting with our remote learning programming at a distance and across many time zones. It is also of paramount importance that we as a community remain committed to the safety of our Asian and Asian-American students, families, faculty, and staff in the face of escalating xenophobic rhetoric related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
I know that many of you will have questions in the hours and days to come about this announcement and its specific impact on your family. Following are some details that you may find helpful. We will share more specific information as it becomes available.
Later today, you will receive an email from Dean of Students David Vachris that will include details regarding how and when students can access the houses to retrieve essential items. Students will have access to their rooms for a brief period of time. This will not be a comprehensive move-out process. The email will include a form through which families can sign up for a time slot to come to campus.
As I noted last week, specific details about our program of remote teaching and learning, which will begin Monday, March 30, will be shared no later than Friday, March 27.
As a reminder, no St. Mark’s athletic practices or games will take place until students return to campus. More details regarding our spring athletics season will be shared as soon as they become available.
Please continue to refer to this website for the latest updates and resources.
The uncertainty that continues to exist for all of us during this time is challenging and unsettling. I am confident that the kindness, adaptability, and resilience that are hallmarks of the St. Mark’s community will continue to provide strength for all of us as we face the days and weeks ahead.
At St. Mark’s, our uppermost priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of every single member of our community: students, faculty, and staff. Indeed, that priority orients every aspect of my leadership of our School. Every now and then, outside events require a change in our normal approach in order to meet the highest standards of safety and well-being. The outbreak of COVID-19 makes this one of those times.
Because the course of the infection is currently on the rise in Massachusetts and in many other places in the United States and the world, and because we cannot anticipate the way the infection will evolve, we need to take some strong protective measures as a School while continuing to provide the quality of learning that our School is rightly known for. In particular, rather than students returning from spring break for classes on March 24, we currently plan to resume our full on-campus program on Monday, April 6. Details of what will take place between March 24 and April 6 appear below. Please send any immediate questions to headofschool@stmarksschool.org. We are working on a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions, which we will distribute early next week.
The week of March 23 will serve as an extension of spring break for students. Over the course of this week, faculty members will participate in professional development sessions to prepare for the launch of a remote learning model.
St. Mark’s will temporarily shift to a remote learning model beginning on Monday, March 30. We are thinking very carefully about the implementation of this temporary teaching and learning model and about maintaining academic continuity during this time, and will share more specific details in a separate communication no later than March 27. If students need any support in regard to technology or equipment, they should be in touch with the Help Desk at helpdesk@stmarksschool.org. We are very fortunate to be able to call upon the expertise of faculty and staff leaders in the Academics Office as we develop our specific plan for online teaching and learning during this time.
We will make a decision by Friday, March 27, regarding the resumption of in-person School activities. As we have seen, it is impossible to determine how quickly or broadly COVID-19 will spread in the coming days and weeks. It may be necessary to extend our period of remote learning.
As of today, we plan to welcome asymptomatic/healthy students back to campus beginning on Sunday, April 5. Traditional, in-person classes are scheduled to resume on Monday, April 6. As this situation is rapidly changing, these dates could shift. Families will be asked to complete a survey regarding recent travel before students will be allowed to return to campus. Students who have traveled to an area designated by the Centers for Disease Control with a Level 1, 2, or 3 advisories, have traveled on a cruise, or have been in contact with a person being tested for or diagnosed with COVID-19 should self-quarantine for 14 days before returning to campus. Students who do not feel well or who are at increased risk for complications from COVID-19 should contact Director of Health Services Adria Pavletic to discuss their return to campus.
No athletic practices will take place until students return to campus. The ISL heads agreed on March 12 that ISL schools will not hold practices when their schools are not in session. The ISL heads also agreed to remain in close communication over the coming weeks to develop an approach toward the Spring 2020 athletic schedule. That schedule will clearly need to be adjusted due to delayed student returns at a number of ISL schools.
Boarding students who are in need of living accommodations before they return to campus on April 6 should contact the Dean of Students Office. We have been fortunate to have local families and faculty and staff members volunteer to host students during spring break, and I will be sending a message later today to ask for volunteers from the St. Mark’s community (families, faculty, and staff) to host students during the extension of spring break and the period of online learning.
Please know that students will receive full credit for coursework that takes place online. VI Form students who fulfill all requirements will graduate as planned on Prize Day on June 6. We are considering options for virtual community experiences, including chapel, for students during this time , away from campus, and will share details next week.
We will share additional details on next steps for your child as soon as they are finalized. In the meantime, I encourage you to visit this website for the latest updates and resources. In the coming days, we will be supplementing this website with a list of frequently asked questions for families. There are a number of questions for which we do not currently have answers, but that we will be thinking carefully about in the coming days. For example, how will St. Mark’s Saturdays and Lion Term be impacted by our approach to COVID-19? We will communicate additional details about these and other items as they become available.
I am well aware that the changes we have identified, up to this point, for the spring term will cause frustration for many, inconvenience, and a certain sense of loss. I wish, as much as anyone, that circumstances would allow us to resume normal operations on March 24 in just the way we had anticipated when spring break began.
I am well aware, too, that uncertainty exists for all of us about what will happen at St. Mark’s in April, May, and June. Regrettably, we are at the mercy of factors beyond our control. What I can promise is that every adult at St. Mark’s is committed to providing a valuable learning experience for every student, and that the decisions we make moving forward will ensure the highest degree of safety and well-being possible for every member of our School community.
At St. Mark’s we are resilient, we are adaptable, we are innovative, and we are deeply caring. I know that these qualities, which are part of what makes our School so special, will carry us through these challenging times.
School leaders have been in extensive conversations as we follow not only the rapidly-changing challenge of this virus, but also advice from health experts.
As a result the following is now in effect:
Domestic and international travel by faculty and staff for St. Mark’s-sponsored activity is suspended through May 1, 2020.
Off-campus St. Mark’s-sponsored events scheduled through May 1, 2020 will be postponed or canceled;
On-campus events involving outside guests scheduled through May 1, 2020 will be postponed or canceled.
We will be communicating to those registered for events that have now been canceled or postponed.
It is important to note that at this point plans for May and June events, including Reunion 2020 weekend and the Lives of Consequence Boston-area launch, have not changed. We are, however, actively planning for any necessary changes, and will communicate them as soon as any new decisions are reached.
Many resources are available online that have information about COVID-19, including this webpage, for St. Mark’s families that provide updates and resources from the School and other respected resources.
I, and the entire St. Mark’s community, are thinking about you and your families, and remain committed to keeping you updated during this challenging time. Coronavirus will be solved. I believe in the strength of our St. Mark’s family and community, and we will overcome this challenge unified and in support of each other and together.
Sincerely,
Lindsay Allen
Chief Advancement Officer
All spring break domestic trips have been cancelled. This includes three scheduled athletics trips and one domestic Global Citizenship trip. There will be no athletics activity (on or off campus) over spring break.
I write today to provide an update on measures that St. Mark’s has taken, as well as decisions we are considering, in regard to the new coronavirus (COVID-19).
With spring break just days away, many of you are facing travel restrictions and other challenges that will affect your child and your family. As the impact of COVID-19 is expanding and changing each day, a team of St. Mark’s faculty and staff members chaired by Chief Technology Officer Ken Griffin is meeting daily to review the latest updates on COVID-19, to discuss the status of recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control, and plan for next steps here at St. Mark’s. Many thanks to our local parents and families who have graciously offered to host students who are not able to go home for the break.
The School is considering the implementation of screening protocols when students and faculty members return to campus after spring break, and we will share details of this process with you via email and the RAVE system before students return on March 23. We will also be asking families to provide information about where students have traveled over spring break. We will share information on the process for collecting this information in the coming days.
We are encouraging students, faculty, and staff to avoid traveling to countries that have a Level 2 or 3 travel warning from the Centers for Disease Control. Here is a complete list of CDC travel health notices. Over the course of spring break, there is a chance that domestic travel will be impacted by restrictions as well. Please check the Massachusetts Department of Health website for the latest information. If the CDC increases the warning to a Level 3 for any location, there is risk of a mandatory period of quarantine or refusal of entry on return to the United States. It is also possible that the CDC could recommend that individuals returning from a Level 2 country should self-quarantine. Please note, the School is not equipped to quarantine students awaiting COVID-19 lab results or accommodate 14-day self-quarantine waiting periods. We expect families to have off-campus contingency plans in place for their students, if needed.
St. Mark’s spring break international travel programs (scheduled for Belize, Italy, and Peru) have been canceled. The Global Citizenship office is in direct communication with affected families regarding this decision. Our domestic spring break trips are currently scheduled to continue as planned. Again, this is very much an evolving situation. We will communicate about any postponements or cancellations of domestic spring break trips with affected students and families as soon as information becomes available.
There are many resources available online that provide information about COVID-19. I encourage you to check back to this page, a resource created here at St. Mark’s that provides updates and resources from the school, as well as links to respected resources.
We will continue to monitor new information daily. Thank you for your help as we work to ensure every member of the St. Mark’s community remains safe.
I write to update you on measures St. Mark's is taking in response to the increasing spread of COVID-19. In general, we are following our stated Infectious Disease Epidemic Policy as stated on page 34 of the School’s Handbook.
In addition:
As students look ahead to the start of spring break on March 7, we will respectfully ask that families follow the official recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and avoid all nonessential travel to China, South Korea, Italy, and any other identified areas. As this situation is changing rapidly, the number of countries on this list is likely to grow in the days and weeks to come.
Consistent with current CDC guidelines, St. Mark's is introducing precautionary health screening questionnaires for visitors to campus who have recently been in countries that the CDC has identified as being at Alert-Level 2 or Warning-Level 3. If you have been to one of these countries in the past month, and are planning on coming to St. Mark's in person, please call Director of Health Services Adria Pavletic at 508-786-6372. This is a fluid and challenging situation, and we will respond accordingly as it unfolds. Our foremost concern, of course, is the health of the students in our care as well as the faculty and staff who work to support our students.
Our Facilities staff is implementing their normal infection control measures by cleaning public surfaces with antimicrobial solutions. Students, faculty, and staff are being reminded of the importance of good hygiene and self-care practices and to report to our 24/7 Health Services at the onset of illness.
For students visiting our Health Services, we will begin to ask screening questions of any student who could be considered a suspicious case of COVID-19. A suspicious case is anyone with fever and respiratory symptoms who has traveled to a country that the CDC has identified as containing possible carriers of COVID-19 within the past 14 days, or anyone with fever and respiratory illness who has had close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19.
We will continue to be in contact with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences as our primary resource for guidance.
If a student has been in an area identified by the CDC as being at Alert-Level 2 or Warning-Level 3, or if a student has been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, they will need to be away from campus and symptom-free for 14 days. They will need to contact Health Services to discuss their status before they return to campus. In addition, they need to contact the Academic Dean to arrange for ways in which to continue to do their schoolwork while away from campus.
While we are relying on the CDC and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health as our primary sources of information and guidance, we are also using the resources of the World Health Organization, International SOS, Johns Hopkins University, and the Global Education Benchmark Group, and we are making decisions that we believe are in the best interest of St. Mark’s and our students based on internal conversations as well as recommendations from peer schools about best practices regarding students and others who are coming to the School from places where cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed.
We will continue to carefully monitor developments with this public health concern, and we will share further updates as they come available. Thank you for your patience and for your support of St. Mark’s during this challenging time.
A Message to St. Mark’s Parents and Families from Head of School John C. Warren ’74
As you know, the new coronavirus is having a great impact on our students and their families, particularly those from Asia, in planning for spring break at St. Mark’s in less than four weeks. All of us at St. Mark’s understand the personal and logistical challenges that the virus has caused in regard to travel, not only to and from China, but throughout the world.
I am sorry that St. Mark’s will not be able to remain open over spring break. I am very proud of the work that our faculty members do each and every day to care for our students. During spring break, our faculty members will not be on campus, and we are simply not able to provide the adult presence necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of our students. In addition, campus dining services are not available during this time.
I am very pleased that St. Mark’s, in partnership with our travel partner, Envoys, is offering two travel options for those students who are not able to travel home for spring break. Each session is offered for one week or two weeks. The programs are:
For more information or to sign up for an Envoys spring break program, please contact Mary Ann Ciampa at 508.786.6047 or maryannciampa@stmarksschool.org. The deadline to register for the Envoys programs isSaturday, February 15.
Spring break provides an important mental, physical, and emotional break for our students, and I hope that you will encourage your child to take this time to relax in preparation for the final months of the academic year, whether through one of the Envoys programs or elsewhere. Through our work with Dr. Justin Chen and the MGH Center for Cross-Cultural Student Emotional Wellness, we know that students who push themselves too hard over the break often suffer from illnesses related to stress and fatigue. The Envoys programs are academically aligned and designed to stimulate thought and perspective-taking without being overwhelming.
I am so grateful that you and your child are part of the St. Mark’s community, and I thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this very challenging time.
Spring Break Travel Options
For those students who are not able to travel home for Spring Break, St. Mark’s travel partner, Envoys, is offering two travel options:
Arizona: Environmental Stewardship and Ancient Heritage
Session 1: March 8-21
Session 2: March 15-28
Boston and New York City: Great American Cities
Session 1: March 8-21
Session 2: March 15-28
For more information or to sign up for an Envoys Spring Break program, please contact Mary Ann Ciampa at 508.786.6047 or maryannciampa@stmarksschool.org.
The administrative team at St. Mark’s is closely monitoring updates about the coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, including the latest news and recommendations from the U.S. Department of State and the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
As Spring Break at St. Mark’s approaches, we are considering steps to ensure the safety of all of our students. We are in the process of consulting with member schools of the Global Education Benchmark Group (GEBG) to offer U.S.-based travel options for our Chinese students over Spring Break through our travel partner, Envoys. While St. Mark’s does not currently have any students from Wuhan, the CDC is now recommending that travelers from the U.S. avoid nonessential travel to China. We will be sharing information on opportunities for our Chinese families soon.
In the meantime, please know that we are monitoring this situation closely and will be in touch with any updates as this situation continues to evolve.
Coronaviruses are an extremely common cause of colds and other upper respiratory infections. These viruses are zoonoses, which means they can infect certain animals and spread from one animal to another. A coronavirus can potentially spread to humans, particularly if certain mutations in the virus occur.
Chinese health authorities reported a group of cases of viral pneumonia to the World Health Organization (WHO) in late December 2019. Many of the ill people had contact with a seafood and animal market in Wuhan, a large city in eastern China, though it has since become clear that the virus can spread from person to person.
The symptoms can include a cough, possibly with a fever and shortness of breath. There are some early reports of non-respiratory symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Many people recover within a few days. However, some people—especially the very young, elderly, or people who have a weakened immune system—may develop a more serious infection, such as bronchitis or pneumonia.
Scientists are working hard to understand COVID-19, and Chinese health authorities have posted its full genome in international databases. Currently, there are no approved antivirals for this particular coronavirus (COVID-19), so treatment is supportive. For the sickest patients with this illness, specialized, aggressive care in an intensive care unit (ICU) can be lifesaving.
"Social distancing" means minimizing contact with other people and maintaining a distance of at least six feet as a way to prevent infection. This New York Times article provides additional details on “social distancing.”
By slowing the spread of infectious illness with protective interventions like "social distancing,” the number of ill persons at the same time is decreased, which serves to avoid overwhelming the health care system. Here is a short piece that illustrates how the timing of infection control measures affects the level of infection spread.
