RE Zoom Contact Chat
We are so grateful for Zoom. The video conferencing application allows for all our Middle School classes to continue remotely. Unfortunately, it also presents some distraction challenges. Teachers have found students are using the Zoom client contact chat feature for social chatting during class, which is distracting them from lessons at hand. The technology team can disable the client contact chat feature for Middle School students while still enabling the class chatting features which the teacher controls. The technology team will be disabling Zoom client contact chat. Middle School students will not be able to use it as of Tuesday April 20. This Zoom policy change upkeeps Zoom as an educational resource, not a social one. If you have any questions about this policy change, feel free to reach out to MS Director Galen Hamann or Chief Information Officer Theresa Jay. 

Change to Middle School Dismissal Pickup
Effective April 15, the 5th grade class began utilizing the Middle School parking lot for after-school pickup five days per week. This process has been used for Friday pickup to alleviate some of the congestion at dismissal and has worked so well that it will now be used for all in-school days. Buses have been delayed from entering the Middle School loop until 3:20 p.m. to accommodate for this change.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Teresa Tenney in the Middle School Office.

First "Game Day" is April 22
Middle School sports will hold its first of four "game days" on Thursday, April 22; these are intramural games and competitions. The "game day" will include grades 5-8 together and will take advantage of the entire afternoon block from 1:20 until 3:05 p.m. There will be normal pickup as usual. Please feel free to watch from your car as you are in the carpool line, but there cannot be fans at the fields or courts on these days.  

Virtual “Coffee with Galen" is April 28
All Middle School parents and guardians are invited to a virtual coffee Wednesday, April 28, at 8:30 a.m. Topics include: spring events & end-of-year activities; there will also exam study tips with MS Hale Learning Center Director Kerri Brosnan P ‘ 25, ‘28. The Zoom link will be shared the day before the call.

Fully Remote Day is April 28
The Middle School will be fully remote on Wednesday, April 28.  

Snack & Study: Preparing for Year-end Exams
The MS Hale Learning Center will offer a variety of Snack & Study sessions over the next five weeks to help 7th and 8th graders prepare for exams at the end of May. All sessions will be virtual. The first will be held Wednesday, April 21, at 4:30 p.m. and will cover test-taking strategies. Other topics will address creating and using study guides, active study strategies, time management and organization, and stress relief. A full description, including dates and times, can be found here. Please email Maryann Shafter to reserve your spot and receive the Zoom link or if you have questions.

Info Regarding Final Exams
The Middle School will have final exams for the 7th and 8th graders (and any 6th graders in a 7th grade class). Final exams in the Middle School are used as a tool to instruct students how to prepare for a large-scale test. Academic teachers will work with all classes this spring on the proper techniques to apply when preparing for this type of test.

The 8th grade Final Exam is a two-hour test and worth 15% of the third term grade. The 7th grade Final Exam is a 90-minute test and worth 10% of the third term grade.
 
2021 Final Exam Schedule

• 8th Grade
  • Thursday, May 27 - Language
  • Friday, May 28  - English
  • Tuesday,  June 1  - History
  • Wednesday, June 2  – Science
  • Thursday, June 3 – Math
  • Friday, June 4 – Exam Return Day
• 7th Grade
  • Thursday, May 27 - Math
  • Friday, May 28  - Language
  • Tuesday,  June 1  - Science
  • Wednesday,  June 2  – English
  • Thursday  June 3 – History
  • Friday  June 4 – Exam Return Day

Info for Cast of Showstoppers
Please click here for important rehearsal dates for the upcoming Middle School production of Showstoppers. Please click here for a costume list. 
 

A Summary of Thayer’s Relevant Health Policies

For Travel
As of March 12, 2021, Thayer has based its travel policy directly on what is stated on the Massachusetts state website, which was initially labeled “MA Travel Order” but, as of March 22, 2021, was changed to “Travel Advisory.” 

Effective Monday, March 22, the MA Travel Order is replaced with a Travel Advisory. MA Travel Form and lower-risk states map are no longer in effect.
All visitors entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, are advised to quarantine for 10 days upon their arrival. Travelers in the following categories are exempt from this quarantine advisory:

-- Travelers who have received a negative COVID-19 result on a test administered not more than 72 hours prior to their arrival in Massachusetts. Travelers may also test out of the quarantine advisory after arrival in Massachusetts, as long as they quarantine until receiving a negative test result.
-- Anyone who is entering Massachusetts for fewer than 24 hours
-- Anyone who is returning to Massachusetts after being out of the State for fewer than 24 hours
-- Workers who enter Massachusetts to perform critical infrastructure functions (as specified by the Federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) during required commuting to or from work and while at work
-- Travelers who are fully vaccinated (i.e. who have received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines OR who have received a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 14 days or more ago) and who do not have symptoms

For Response to Positive Covid-19 cases
For the individual who develops symptoms of Covid-19 or whose Covid test is positive:

-- They must isolate for 10 days, and are released from isolation as of day 11, as long as there is no fever for 24 hours, and any Covid symptoms are significantly improved. 
-- These parameters would be different for anyone who develops serious illness and/or hospitalization with Covid infection.
-- Also, any student who tests positive for Covid-19 is required to present a note from their PCP to clear them to return to sports and physical activity. Any athlete participating in the current season team will need to follow a gradual return-to-play protocol as directed by the Athletic Trainers.

Close contacts:
Massachusetts and CDC continue to define a close contact as anyone who is within 6 feet of a positive Covid case for 15 minutes or greater in a 24-hour period of time, during the 48 hours before someone tested positive or developed symptoms.

When we learn of a positive case in a Thayer student or employee, we determine if the person was on campus at any point during the 48 hours beforehand and conduct contact tracing.

For the Upper School, with some classrooms now having desks less than 6 feet apart to accommodate the larger number of students on campus, those who would be identified as close contacts are:

-- The students who were seated around the positive case
-- The students who were sitting to the right and left of the positive case while eating lunch in the dining hall.
-- Others whom the student identifies as having spent extended time nearby, whether or not masks were worn.
-- Participation in rehearsals for the musical may result in greater risk of being identified as a close contact as does participating in certain athletic teams.

Though the spring season involves primarily outside practices and games, certain sports inherently involve a moderate or higher risk for spread of COVID-19. (See MA Youth and Amateur Sports Information April 2, 2021). For example, baseball is listed as moderate risk, and boys lacrosse is listed as high risk. When a positive case is identified in an athlete, the nurses and athletic trainers confer about risk of the sport, the age of the athletes affected, and observed behaviors of mask-wearing and physical distancing during games, practices, etc. to decide whether the full roster or only targeted individuals are close contacts. 

Be reassured that any individual who is directly affected by the report of a positive case is notified by the nurses. We will continue to periodically provide an update of trends to the Thayer community.

We all have learned the fluid nature of what is known about COVID-19, the vaccines, and the impact on our lives, including on-campus learning. While the health and safety of the Thayer students, faculty, and staff is our priority concern, we are trying to balance many related concerns while deciding about the process of bringing all Upper School students back to campus and Thayer’s policies about preventive measures and responses to positive cases. These include:

-- health risks to individuals or families; 
-- the known benefits of typical on-campus classroom learning with athletics, arts, clubs, etc.;
-- the reality that few people on campus are yet fully vaccinated;
-- state and federal guidelines for schools.

At this time, Thayer Academy continues the policy of requiring quarantine for 10 days when a person is identified as a close contact from exposure to someone positive for COVID-19. This is the middle option of the three options listed on MA Information and Guidance about Quarantine. It’s an approach that we’ve assessed to be moderate and balanced by limiting possible spread on campus while trying to minimize the disruption to on-campus programs. We continue to review our policies and adjust as appropriate.

When your student receives their vaccination, please send an email to nurse@thayer.org with specific information. (Which type and date of last vaccine, if a 2-dose series or date of vaccine if it is the 1-dose Johnson & Johnson). Remember that “fully vaccinated” means 2 weeks past the final dose.
Also note that “fully vaccinated” does not mean “freedom from mask wearing and distancing” and all of the other safety measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19. It does offer a high degree of protection from getting the infection but it is not a 100% guarantee. We need to all continue with the safety measures in school and out of school to get us safely through graduation and until a larger proportion of the population is fully vaccinated.

Plan for Covid testing for next week:

Monday, 4/19: Varsity athletes are encouraged to go to OccuMed of New England (5 Dan Road, Canton, MA 02021) to be tested. Hours are 7 am. until 3 p.m. Prescheduling is not required, but you are welcome to call to confirm a specific time: 781.664.2842. When you arrive in the parking lot, before going inside, call that number to indicate you are from Thayer and provide your name. 

Tuesday, 4/20: Thayer Academy, Memorial Gym, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., one tester available. This is for any athlete who was not tested on Monday. 

Wednesday, 4/21: Thayer Academy, Memorial Gym, Noon to 5 p.m, two testers available. This is for any remaining Upper School athletes and other targeted students from the Upper School and Middle School, which will be determined by Tuesday.

Click on the book or article titles for the book review or full article.

• Southworth Library Director Sara Kelley-Mudie is reading Dig by A.S. King. 
• Associate Director of College Counseling Nellie Brennan Hall is reading Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, And A Mother's Will To Survive by Stephanie Land.