December 28, 2021
Dear Parents and Guardians of Ursuline Students,
I hope that your Christmas was joyful, and that the winter break is giving you and your family a respite from the normal pace of life. To every member of our community, I offer my gratitude for all you have done over the past 20 months. Truly, Ursuline has met the challenge of the pandemic well at each juncture. Thank you for doing your part.
At the start of the pandemic, nearly two years ago, we prioritized the health and safety of our community. That remains our focus, along with doing all we can to ensure that our students stay engaged through in-person learning which best supports them academically, socially, and emotionally.
With the rapid spread of the Omicron strain, its increased transmissibility, and the escalating number of COVID cases in our local and national communities, we will employ (or continue to employ) the following mitigation strategies at Ursuline:
Masking
Our current masking policy remains in effect: all community members, regardless of vaccine status, are to be fully masked when indoors at Ursuline. We ask parents' help in reinforcing this message with their daughters and please make sure that your daughter always has spare masks with her. Faculty, staff, and administrators will be reminding students to wear their masks properly (nose and mouth covered). We will re-evaluate this policy on or about February 1.
Vaccines and Testing
Currently, the vaccine rate for our students is 90%, and for employees, 98%. Again, we'd like to thank you for helping to protect not only yourselves, but the wider community. We continue to encourage everyone to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and when eligible, to receive the booster shot.
Please note: effective January 10, all students and employees who are not fully vaccinated will be required to test weekly for COVID. At this time, a person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the completion of one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or two weeks after the second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine.
Testing will be offered at Ursuline at no cost to families through the state-sponsored surveillance testing program. Parents of unvaccinated students will be contacted through our School Health Office with additional information on the program and be asked to authorize consent. If your daughter is unvaccinated and you choose not to utilize the school testing program, you will be required to provide proof of a weekly COVID test (physician or laboratory-documented) in order for your daughter to attend school. Further details will be provided in the next few days.
Athletics and Co-curricular Activities
While there are many events, games, and activities planned for the coming weeks, we are closely monitoring the associated risks of each unique situation. The Winter Semi-Formal Dance, originally planned to be held in January, has been rescheduled to February 18. We will work to inform students and families as quickly as possible if there are changes to other events currently on our school calendar.
In-School Precautions
Over the break, we are reconfiguring classrooms and the Tea Room to increase the distance between students. We ask parents to remind students to be fully cooperative with these efforts – please remember that all measures are in place to keep our students coming to campus daily, which offers the best educational setting and fosters the strongest social and emotional learning for our students.
We will continue to provide frequent communication, and encourage you to reach out to us when you have questions. This is very much an evolving situation, yet I have great confidence that our community will remain strong and continue to persevere. I have seen countless examples of faith, courage, and joy in the way our students, faculty, and staff have managed thus far. I'm grateful to be part of such a special community.
On behalf of all of us here at Ursuline, I wish you and your families a blessed, happy, and healthy New Year as we remain united together in the hope of St. Angela.
Sincerely,