5/04/2020 Update

May 4, 2020

 

Dear ASD Family,

 

I hope you had a nice weekend!  

 

The COVID-19 Steering Committee met earlier today and I have a few updates to share.  

 

 

Our students and staff on campus continue to be fever-free and healthy.  Our mandatory health screening tool was updated last week to reflect the additional symptoms of COVID-19 identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  

 

Should it be necessary for staff to retrieve materials from classrooms/offices, an appointment must be made in advance to limit the number of individuals on campus at any given time.  Staff are asked to please e-mail Andrea Dillon to determine the time for your arrival.  Please include your direct supervisor and ASD Security on this e-mail.  Campus visits will be limited to Tuesdays and Thursdays. Upon arrival to ASD, you will be asked to complete the health screening tool before Bradley meets you to escort you into the building. Thank you for your continued cooperation in following these procedures!

 

 

Today marked the beginning of Staff Appreciation Month at ASD!  Thank you for your marvelous work continuing to move ASD forward despite the current challenges.  We will be recognizing all staff within the next few weeks, and I will continue to express my sincere appreciation to the entire ASD family.

 

Our PACES students who returned to ASD a couple weeks ago will be finishing their time in quarantine beginning tomorrow (Tuesday) and returning to Butterworth dorm.  Cogswell will remain our quarantine dorm going forward, and a deep cleaning of this dorm is scheduled once the building is empty. 

 

I had a positive meeting with the local Department of Public Health (DPH) today.  They were impressed by the safety measures we took to welcome students back on to campus, and they gave approval to welcome additional PACES students back to ASD.  This week, we will contact our students’ parents and families to determine who will be arriving back to ASD.  All students returning to campus will undergo the same quarantine procedures established with our previous group of returning students.  Students will complete the health screening protocol and will be quarantined in Cogswell dorm for two weeks.  We are pleased with DPH’s confidence in us and we will be very happy to welcome our students back to ASD!

 

 

A decision by Governor Lamont regarding the reopening of schools in Connecticut is expected later this week.  We are hoping the Governor will allow individual schools to make the decisions that are best for their communities.  In order to ensure the continued health of our students and staff, ASD will most likely remain closed until September.  However, a final decision has not been made and we will wait for the Governor’s guidance on this issue.  

 

 

Several questions have been raised regarding our Extended School Year (ESY) program and Camp Isola Bella.  Although the format has yet to be determined, ESY will go on this summer.  

 

In regard to Camp Isola Bella, the idea has been discussed to open Camp Isola Bella for ASD students only and combine ESY into the camp experience, with a portion of the day dedicated to academics.  The number of campers at IB would be limited at any given time to comply with social distancing recommendations.  We would also ensure the continued safety of our students and staff by providing an adequate supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).   Although a final decision has not yet been made, I would like to thank all staff who have offered suggestions for potential options for our summer programming this year.  I will continue to keep you updated on this situation!  

 

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns!