September 9, 2020 Dear Ursuline Families, This week, we are welcoming nearly 380 students back to campus, after months of planning and preparation for these unusual times. As we have stated over the summer, our utmost priority is the health, safety, and well-being of our students, our employees, and their families. If our community can remain healthy, we can continue to educate our students in person; we are at our best when we are together, and we seek your partnership in order to accomplish this. During the pandemic, the actions of each of us directly impact the well-being of all of our community, and thus, we are requiring that all students, parents, and employees sign a COVID-19 Prevention and Safety Covenant. We ask that parents read the covenant and have a meaningful discussion with your daughter about it. Parents are asked to sign the covenant electronically, while students will be asked to do the same next week at school. While students are at school, we are requiring them to keep six feet apart from others, wear a mask at all times (except for mask breaks and while eating), and disinfect their hands thoroughly and frequently. We recognize, however, that due to the nature of the virus, students' off-campus behavior can negatively impact the health of our community, as the virus can be spread by those who are asymptomatic. We ask parents to closely monitor their daughter's activity outside of school, reinforcing those practices which will minimize the risk of illness to her, her family, and our community. Care should be taken to avoid large gatherings. Students who do not follow the guidelines should expect disciplinary consequences, which may include being prohibited from participating in extracurricular activities, athletics, and in-person classes and on-campus activities. We are keenly aware of the challenges that the pandemic has brought to our students' lives. With the cooperation of all our community members, we will best be able to mitigate the risk associated with the COVID-19 virus. We appreciate your understanding and partnership in this most essential element of the 2020-21 academic year. With gratitude, Mary-Kate Tracy Principal Ursuline Academy | 85 Lowder Street | Dedham, MA 02026 | 781.326.6161 |