Dear Perkiomen Community,

This summer, we at Perkiomen have been keenly focused on September with the goal to safely open campus and deliver the excellent, experiential learning that our students deserve.

Starting now, we will need to approach each day remembering that our individual actions may affect the well-being of a friend, a teacher, the campus, or the surrounding community. We know that we can only reach the goal of a successful opening if we all accept a set of behavioral changes designed to increase community health. Being part of a community carries with it an important responsibility. Perkiomen's strength is found in the way we value each other and what we bring to the whole – regardless of our differences or circumstances. As we look to the fall, our responsibility to one another takes on a sense of weight and urgency.

Our full Health and Safety Plan is now available for your review. Directives change very quickly and we wanted to be sure we have given proper time and attention to each scenario, knowing that there will likely be updates moving forward.

After your review of the Health and Safety Plan, we are asking that families begin to have conversations about Perkiomen's expectations as you prepare for a return to campus. The CDC has a household checklist available. We are preparing a Perkiomen "Back to School" checklist that we will also share soon, but in the meantime, please review the CDC recommendations and consider the following specific topics:

Travel

Domestic travelers returning from certain states with high numbers of COVID-19 cases should quarantine for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania.
International travelers should monitor restrictions for travel to the United States.

Preparing to follow Pennsylvania's Universal Face Coverings Order

Review the CDC guidelines on wearing and washing masks. View the World Health Organization's (WHO) video on proper mask procedures.
Practice daily mask wearing and find a style that is comfortable.
Recommended masks have two layers of material, fully cover the nose and mouth and secure under the chin, fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face, and be secured with ties, ear loops or elastic.

Illness and Symptom Monitoring

Review the list of COVID-19 symptoms.
If a student or family member is showing symptoms, feeling ill, or has a fever, they should stay home and monitor symptoms. If close contact has occurred with a person who tested positive for COVID-19, quarantine at home.
Practice temperature taking with your preferred thermometer.

We will continue to follow the guidelines from the CDC, and the Pennsylvania and Montgomery County Departments of Health and adjust the Health and Safety Plan should experts revise their recommendations. On Thursday, the CDC released new guidelines for K-12 schools and we are pleased to share that our plan observes these guidelines, including recommending use of outdoor spaces, reinforcing personal protective behaviors, limiting participation in certain activities, and working with local health officials. We emphatically agree with the CDC statement that schools play a critical role in supporting the whole child, not just their academic achievement.

To that end, as we continue to review the data and the debates from scientific, government, and political leaders, we also find there is no debating that our school - Perkiomen - is a very human place. The decisions we make take that into consideration. We want to provide a proportional response to the human experience we are facing. We are better together.

At this time, we are working out details regarding after-school activities. We are exploring options for the arts and how we can safely share performances, as well as the logistics around holding athletic competitions. Clubs like the student newspaper, yoga, e-gaming, and mini robotics will provide safe ways for students to connect, pursue passions, and take a break from class. We are also looking at ways to open Robbie's (and serve everyone's favorite cookies!) as well as examining weekend activity formats and take-out food delivery.

We are also preparing plans for possible next steps after we return to campus, including communications, contract tracing, and/or closure scenarios should a positive case be confirmed. The CDC recommends specific procedures regardless of the level of community spread, and we will continue to follow the expert guidelines. We will distribute those plans when they are finalized.

The next step for your family is to submit a form declaring your choice for Terms 1 & 2 – on campus or online – by August 7. Boarding student families should also fill out the Arrival Form by August 1. All forms and continually updated information can be found at www.perkiomen.org/resolved.

Thank you for your continued cooperation and support. We will continue to keep you informed. Look for our next Perk Update the week of August 5, and feel free to reach out to Task Force members with questions. As was shared in one of our student Zoom meetings last week, our Perkiomen team considers each student as part of their family. We can't wait to get the family back together!

Sincerely,