(updated testing resources April 12, 2021)

Questions will be added and updated regularly. If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, email Director of Middle School Tiffany Smith.

For the latest Middle School information, visit the Middle School Expanded Learning Experience page.

Back to Campus

Is fully online learning still a possibility


Yes. We recognize every family’s comfort level is different. If your student feels more comfortable being fully online until the end of the year, they can do so (even if they’ve been on campus all year up to this point). For MS, we strongly encourage all students to come to campus on Wednesday, April 14 for our reorientation. This day will give middle school students the opportunity to see what it feels like to be on campus all together.

Please note: If your student needs to stay home due to symptoms, they are unwell, or they need to quarantine, they will be able to join class online. We ask you to contact the Health Office, their advisors, teachers, and attendance—as early as possible—so that teachers can be ready to welcome your student by logging into class Meet/Zoom.

Can my student alternate between on-campus and online?

In a word, no. Our teachers need to be able to plan their classes accordingly.

Could we go back to fewer days on campus?

If the state or the town of Brookline mandates more restrictions again—like a 6-foot distance—it is possible. We are hopeful and optimistic that the pendulum will not swing back in that direction.

Testing

Where can I find resources for testing?

Stage 3

Below are some of the questions parents asked during our Stage 3 Q&A MS Zoom on Monday, October 19.

LOGISTICS & SCHEDULE

Will the academic schedule shift in Stage 3?

Yes!  Here is what the class blocks will look like in Stage 3. Note the changes on Thursday and Fridays.

Will Middle School Meeting shift to Fridays in Stage 3 since students will now be on campus on Thursdays?

Yes! Our Middle School Community time will now be on Fridays from 8 to 9 a.m. instead of Thursdays. We are moving one Friday class to Thursday to make this switch happen.

What is the plan for music, advisory, lunch, and other activities that have been taking place outdoors as winter sets in?


We will continue to eat outside as much as possible, so bundle up! Advisory will take place in rooms inside when it’s too cold to hangout outside. Other activities, like the afternoon activity cooking, has been meeting outside. We will move activities like that inside.

What is the plan for chorus and other instruments in the cold weather?


Chorus, woodwind, and brass ensembles can not sing/play inside. Their classes will move inside when it’s too cold to be outside and they will sing/play their instruments at home. Classes will focus on musicianship and theory when students are no longer able to play their instruments at school.

Will the windows be opened in the classrooms?


Yes, in the classrooms that have windows, we have instructed the teachers to keep the windows open.

SYMPTOMS & TESTING

Do we still have to complete the Daily Attestation every day?


Yes. Please complete the form by 7:30 a.m. for Middle School and 8:30 a.m. for Upper School. Completing the form at those designated times saves us a tremendous amount of time following up with you or your students each morning. The Daily Attestation helps you screen your student for symptoms each day.

If the student reports allergy-like symptoms or a headache, what are students supposed to do if they say 'yes' to any of the symptoms on the attestation? In other words, if they stay home due to COVID-19 symptoms, but are well enough to still attend school, how should they do this? How do they access their classes?

The daily attestation is really intended to screen for COVID symptoms and not symptoms that can be attributed to something else, like allergies. This is indicated on several of the questions. The questions are looking to screen for the presence of those symptoms that morning. If anyone is concerned about a symptom, they can always contact the health office to discuss further. If a student is home, yet feeling well enough to attend classes, they are welcome to sign-on remotely to participate in class.

Students are always instructed to go to their class Canvas page at the start of each class to join the class Meet/Zoom and see the agenda for the day.

In the event that a student stays home due to experiencing COVID-19 related symptoms, a negative test or a different diagnosis from a physician is needed to return to school.

TRAVEL & BREAKS

What are the state guidelines for quarantining and testing if you travel out of state?


Massachusetts regularly updates its list of high-risk areas that would require quarantining and/or testing after visiting. You can find those here. In addition, here is the information we shared with families.

Has there been discussions around extending breaks or having school start remote after break as many families might be traveling or visiting with family?


We are discussing all of the potential scenarios. Our plan right now is to keep with our current schedule for breaks and ask that families consider that schedule as they make their plans.

Previous FAQs

Stage 2

When does Stage 2 start, and how long does it last?


Starting October 5, we will run this rotation for three weeks. Three weeks will be the general interval between stages, allowing for time beyond the current quarantine guideline to assess data on the healthiness and readiness of our community.

How often will my child be on campus?


Every student in each division will have two days on campus and three days online. During Stage 2, we will be carefully monitoring how an additional 60 students on campus is impacting traffic flow in the hallways, common space use, and interactions. 

If Stage 2 goes well, what's next?

If after three weeks our health metrics are good, Stage 3 is next!

The goal will be to continue swinging the pendulum in the direction of having more time on campus, while keeping the health and safety of our community as our primary focus.
As you prepare for Stage 2, this is a good time to revisit the resources on our website for Middle School and Upper School as well as the Best Policies, Practices, & Protocols we have put in place (and that we update regularly based on new information). Following these guidelines as a community will give us the best chance of continuing to move towards a safe return to campus.

Orientation

What is happening during Middle School orientation?

For the most up-to-date orientation information, we encourage you to visit the MS Expanded Learning Experience.

The On Campus Experience

How will you ensure the safety of students when on campus?

We will require all students and faculty to adhere to our “big three” safety protocols:

  1. Face masking 
  2. Social distancing 
  3. Hand hygiene

What days are students on campus?


This will depend on where we are on the pendulum swing. For the month of September:

  • Friday, September 11: Music matching for new students who did not attend our music matching event over the summer.
  • Monday, September 14: 6th Grade
  • Tuesday, September 15: 7th Grade
  • Wednesday, September 16: 8th Grade
  • Monday, September 21: All Middle School students
  • Tuesday, September 22: All Middle School students
  • Wednesday, September 23: All Middle School students
  • Tuesday, September 29: All Middle School students
  • Wednesday, September 30: All Middle School students

You can see the full (and most up-to-date) schedule on the MS Expanded Learning Experience page.

What do I need to do on the mornings I send my child to school?


Complete the daily attestation form in Magnus by either 7:30 a.m. or prior to your child’s departure for school. The form cannot be completed the night before school. It must be completed in the morning. The form includes a symptom checklist and taking your child’s temperature at home. Based on the responses to the symptom check-list, you will receive a message signaling whether or not you should be sending your child to school.

Parents can download the Magnus app (Magnus Mobile v2) or log into the Magnus Health system. You already have a Magnus user name and password. Contact Magnus directly if you need any help logging back in.  See sample symptom questions.

What time should MS students arrive on campus?

Students should arrive starting at 7:50 and go directly to their first class. 

Before 7:50 a.m.: 6th and 7th grade student should go to the Cohn Terrace and 8th grade students go to Bloomberg Plaza.

What time should MS students be picked up?

Students should be picked up at 3:30 p.m. 

What does my child need to bring to school each day they are on campus?

Students will not be able to leave stuff on campus so they will need to bring all their supplies back and forth. This includes folders, notebooks, pencil cases with pens and pencils, books, etc.

Your child needs to bring two (2) masks. Click here to read about the acceptable types of masks.

Hand sanitizer and wipes will be available throughout the building and in classrooms.

Additional things to consider:

  • Laptop chargers
  • Refillable water bottle labeled with your child’s name
  • Sunscreen and bug spray for when students are outside

What should my child wear?

We’ll be using our outdoor space throughout the day. In addition, physical activity—including BVRfit—is built into the schedule.

This means students should wear something that will keep them comfortable being outside, while they’re moving around, and during sitting in class—all in one.

Where can my child put their stuff on campus?


Students will need to carry their personal belongings with them; they will not be able to leave them in spaces around campus.

Where will classes take place?


Our current classrooms will be set up to ensure at least 6-foot physical distancing between students. We also are using our outdoor spaces for some classes.

How will busing and transportation work?

Beaver will continue to work with the bus companies we have used in the past providing transportation from multiple routes including from the Chestnut Hill Green Line T Stop. All bus companies have employed health and safety protocols that comply with best practices.

  • For more information about transportation click here.
  • If you would like to purchase a monthly T-pass, complete this form. T-passes can be picked up at the front desk.

All questions about transportation can be directed to Kellie Sullivan at ksullivan@bcdschool.org.

How will carpooling work?


All students riding public transportation and carpooling with other families should practice social distancing, wear masks, and comply with hand hygiene practices as recommended by state guidance and as required by Beaver’s policies.

Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks

Can students eat breakfast on campus?


Yes, there will be breakfast, but it will look a little different and no eating will be allowed in the dining room. All breakfast will be grab-n-go and include things like individual yogurt cups, oatmeal packets, individual cereal bowls, individual milk cartons, and fruit cups. Everything will be disposable.

How will snack work?


Snack will be available at the end of the second block of each day on campus. Everything will be pre-packaged and grab-n-go, and snack time will be supported by advisors.

How will the dining hall and lunch be set-up?


Here is the dining hall setup and here are all the health and safety protocols Sage Dining has implemented and is following. We are working on an instructional video with more details.

Click here to check out the menu.

What if my child has dietary restrictions?


As in previous years, our Director of Dining Service will speak directly with families about students’ dietary needs and you are encouraged to reach out directly sage@bcdschool.org.

The Online Experience

What days are students online?

This will depend on where we are on the pendulum swing. For the month of September:

  • Tuesday, September 8-Thursday, September 10: All MS Students
  • Friday, September 11: All MS students, except those new students participating in the music matching process.
  • Monday, September 14: 7th & 8th Grade students
  • Tuesday, September 15: 6th & 8th Grade students
  • Wednesday, September 16: 6th & 7th Grade students
  • Thursday, September 17 & Friday, September 18: All MS students
  • Thursday, September 24: All MS students
  • Friday, September 25: All MS students

You can see the full (and most up-to-date) schedule on the MS Expanded Learning Experience page.

Can a student participate in classes online if they need to stay home the day(s) they’re supposed to be on campus?

Yes, all information and materials will be available on Canvas pages on how to access the information.

Will BVR Fit be supervised when it’s online?

BVR Fit happens three times a week and the other days/periods students are in music class. Both music class and BVR Fit will happen in the same time blocks even when we are online. All Middle School students are being given a “Fit Kit” to be used for their BVR Fit class. Workout activities will be shared prior to BVR Fit classes so even students at home will be able to do their activity while others are on campus.

What should my child do during snack time when they are at home?

Snack happens on the days we are on campus and is by advisory. Therefore students not on campus will be videoed into the snack time. When we are all online, snack becomes advisory time.

How will Recess be structured?

Recess options will also have synchronous opportunities when we are all remote. We also hope to use the lunch/recess block as a time to provide options for what students can do while being a tech-free space/break in the middle of the day.

Groups

How are MS students grouped?

Students are grouped by grade, and then socially distanced in their classes. 

Why does the Middle School day start at 8 a.m. and the Upper School day at 9 a.m.?

If/when there are times when the divisions have to share the campus the different start times will help us with safe transitions to the start and the end of the day. We will also be able to navigate any of our shared spaces better (common spaces, fields, gyms, performing arts spaces and outdoor classrooms) The earlier start also allows ms school students to take all of their classes and activities while ending the day by 3:30 p.m.

Afternoon Activities

What Afternoon Activities are you offering?

Performing Arts, Visual Arts, and Athletics

How will Afternoon Activities differ online vs. on campus?


We’ve intentionally designed our Afternoon Activities to have both online and on campus components.

Will there be team sports?

Due to the nature of the virus and its potential lasting health effects on the cardiopulmonary system, any student with a prior confirmed diagnosis (positive test) for COVID-19 is required to undergo an assessment with their physician prior to returning to participation in sports or fitness activities. Any ongoing symptoms related to COVID-19 should be further examined, including the presence of chest pain or shortness of breath with exertion, heart palpitations, excessive fatigue, or decreased exercise tolerance.

Written medical clearance is required prior to participation in sports. This clearance is separate from the physical exam submitted to the health office annually and is required only of students who have had a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis and want to continue to participate in fitness activities and sports at school.

To date, we have not had any reported positive cases in our student community. In consideration of keeping our information current, please complete this Athletics and Fitness Attestation form.

At a minimum, in order to be cleared to play after a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, please submit the following to the Athletic Trainer:

  • Written clearance by a physician and documentation that a screening has occurred with a detailed history and normal exam, including a normal ECG screening.
  • Any other pertinent information and documentation that applies.
Additional articles to reference

Precautions and Protocols

What are the face-covering requirements?


Each student should bring two masks to school each day. Mask wearing will be required. We will build in mask breaks but everyone will know they HAVE to wear a mask when at school. If they forget their mask, we will have surgical masks available as a back-up. Students will also receive a Beaver branded mask at orientation they can choose to wear.

Click here to read about the acceptable types of masks.

How are students being socially distanced?


All students and faculty are expected to commit to the social distance practice of 6 feet of space from each other at all times. The furniture in rooms will be configured so that seated workspace allows for the appropriate distance and signage around the building will cue appropriate spacing while entering the dining room, moving around the building, and accessing restrooms.

What are the cleaning protocols for classrooms, shared spaces, and bathrooms?


Beaver will be cleaning and disinfecting classrooms and communal spaces multiple times daily.

In classrooms that are shared throughout the day, cleaning and disinfecting of desks and chairs will occur between classes and before and after eating, if food is eaten in the classroom.

High touch surfaces, including toilets and sinks, will be cleaned and disinfected throughout the day and after periods of heavy use. We will provide sufficient supplies—soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels, and tissues—and replace them as necessary.

Here are the detailed cleaning and disinfecting guidance for specific spaces.

How will spaces be ventilated?

  1. All classrooms/offices will have a portable HEPA air purifier (sized to the room) in addition to the filter in the HVAC system.
  2. Masks are the most important.
  3. Experts say windows should be open, even a crack.
  4. Doors should remain open.
  5. We have de-densified each space (less furniture and half the bodies in each room). This helps greatly with air quality.
    More information is available in our Healthy Policies, Practices, and Protocols document.

What is the plan for testing?

On August 20, the Governor announced a mobile response team effort that will be deployed to any school (public or private) if the following minimal conditions apply:

  • Two or more students/staff within the classroom group develop COVID-19 within 14 days, and transmission/exposure occurred in the classroom;
  • More than 3 percent of the cohort/grade (at least 3 individuals) develop COVID-19 within 14 days, and transmission/exposure occurred in the school;
  • More than 3 percent of the school develops COVID-19 within 14 days, and there is evidence of transmission within the school;
  • Three or more staff within the same school develop COVID-19 within 14 days, and there is evidence of transmission among the staff; or
  • Two or more students on the same bus develop COVID-19 within 14 days.

With regards to testing ahead of the school year kicking off, we did consider an initial test very seriously, below are a few of the reasons we are holding off testing the entire community at the start of the year.

We have produced a plan in which we have confidence because it involves a slow and staggered start along with an expanded orientation program to:

    • Reinforce excellent hygiene habits
    • Address less healthy patterns of behavior and reorient to better ones
    • Prioritize adjustments to hybrid learning and early in-person contact with teachers
    • Go SLOWLY at the beginning, measuring along the way

Comprehensive testing might reinforce a feeling of safety and false sense of security among students. This could then run counter to our efforts toward community commitment to relatedness and health as well as the importance of ongoing healthy habits using the protocols that have been shown to keep people healthy.

Our communication around symptom development, positive test results, and then subsequent contact tracing and testing will give us a good window into our volume of asymptomatic cases. That will tell us whether we should deploy a more comprehensive testing plan before moving the pendulum further toward on campus time.

Where can I find resources for testing?

What if a student in my child’s group tests positive for COVID?


When a student is sent home from school for possible COVID-19 symptoms, a letter notifying any close contacts will be sent. Once testing is complete, we will send out another communication regarding the results and advising close contacts on next steps. When we learn that a student tests positive: All close contacts should be tested but must self-quarantine for 14 days after the last exposure to the person who tested positive, regardless of test result. After further consultation with the medical community, we are updating this guidance as the virus can cause illness from 2-14 days after exposure and even asymptomatic individuals can transmit the virus. Going forward, even if an individual identified as a close contact receives a negative test result, they must continue to self-quarantine for the full 14 days as the virus may take up to 14 days to cause illness.

How will BVR differentiate between cold symptoms, allergies, and COVID symptoms?


At this time, unless we can confirm a symptom is directly related to other causes—allergies, migraines, etc.—we can not rule out COVID-19 on symptoms alone.

If a student or staff member has COVID-19-like symptoms, they must stay home.

A student may not return to campus if experiencing symptoms. Any student that presents with symptoms associated with the COVID-19 virus will be directed to consult with their PCP and it will be requested that they get tested.

If a student is asked to stay home because of mild symptoms, but feels better in a day or two, can they return to school?


As of August 31, if a student or staff member has COVID-19-like symptoms, they may return to school after they have tested negative for COVID-19, have an improvement in symptoms, and have been without fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications. If a provider makes an alternative diagnosis for the COVID-19-like symptoms, the individual may return to school based on the recommendations for that alternative diagnosis (e.g., influenza or strep pharyngitis).

If a student or staff member presents COVID-19-like symptoms and chooses not to be tested, they may return to school 10 days from start of symptoms, as long as their symptoms have improved and they have been without fever for at least 24 hours prior to their return to school without the use of fever-reducing medication.

How will the school ensure all families adhere to the safety protocols?


We’re trusting our community to consider the impact of their activities and how it may affect everyone in the community.

What should I do if my family has traveled out of state?


We are expecting members of the community to follow all local and state travel guidelines. Here is the current Massachusetts Travel Order.

What is the school's policy about non-BVR activities (ex.travel athletic teams)?


Beaver is not requiring any restriction of student or family activity outside of our program. We are asking that every member of our community considers the impact that their activity may have on the health and safety of members of the Beaver community. With that, we expect that all families will follow the recommended prevention practices.

What are the flu shot requirements?


The flu vaccine is required for all Massachusetts School Students enrolled in K-12. Students must get their flu shot by 12.31.20. Read the full guideline here.

Metrics

Under what circumstances or criteria would BVR choose to open fully in person or close completely to all students and faculty?


The Core Leadership Team will continue to monitor COVID-19 developments closely through the CDC, state, and local authorities, as well as consulting with our internal panel of experts, and shift the pendulum accordingly.

When will parents know the plan for October?


We’ll share this information as soon as we can.

Throughout this next month, we will continue to monitor COVID-19 developments closely through the CDC, state, and local authorities, as well as consulting with our internal panel of experts. It is important for our full community to keep in mind that this is a rapidly developing and shifting situation.

Ongoing Institutional Priorities

How do you plan to support students' mental and emotional health at BVR?


We are keeping well-being at the center of all that we do to support our students. We will continue to work with the understanding that there needs to be tiers to our prevention and intervention work. We will continue to offer various types of health and wellness information and programming to our students, we will intervene as early as possible when any member of our community needs additional support and we will conduct outreach and provide many engagement opportunities to those members of our community with known emotional risk factors.

Paced and varied resources will be shared with students (as well as faculty and parents) throughout the year. The counseling staff will be accessible to students both on campus as well as virtually for individual sessions and group sessions as is appropriate and we will be very clear with students about the multiple ways they can access any of the counselors. Additionally, we will continue to provide referrals for providers in the greater community as needed.

As always, we invite you to be in communication with your student’s advisor or the counseling staff directly at any time throughout the year.

How is Beaver supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion work for the community at this time?

At Beaver, the ABCs of inclusion (Affirm Identity, Build Community and Cultivate Leadership Skills) are an important part of our approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). This simple mnemonic device from Beverly Tatum, Ph.D., provides an outline for critical dimensions of effective learning environments.

This effort begins with Tiffany Smith, the Director of Middle School, and is grounded in “The BVR Student”. During her tenure as director and with assistance from Ann Bevan Hollos, the Associate Director of the MS, Tiffany has instituted norms in the MS community and effective strategies for engaging students and families. This includes establishing the ritual of asking a student to share what a particular “BVR Student” skill or habit means to them in our weekly MS community gatherings. For the middle school faculty and staff, she has facilitated conversations that ask them to contemplate their relationships with students, examine their instructional practices, and engage in self-reflection. This summer, the MS faculty, and staff explored an exercise that asked them to analyze how their childhood experiences affect their values, norms, and beliefs. Tiffany’s open-door policy for families and her participation in the affinity gatherings for guardians and parents have cultivated strong partnerships with our students’ caregivers.

Others assume essential roles with everyone expected to fully engage in the work. Terri Flannery, the Associate Director of Support Services, helps faculty develop equitable learning communities in their classroom with the focus on a student-centered approach. This encourages teachers to get to know each student and create a sense of community where each individual feels valued. Once trust is established, students become open to receiving critical feedback from teachers and classmates and take academic risks.

Joe Christy, MS Director of Engagement and Inclusion, works with students, faculty, and families to implement research-based practices that foster a sense of belonging. Examples include a Get To Know You Activity in September, a new Lesson Planning tool (developed with assistance from department heads, Tiffany Smith and Terri Flannery), and a new Autonomy tool (shared with MS faculty in a BVR 101 session). He also organizes and participates in affinity gatherings for students, faculty, and parents and guardians and has stressed the importance of utilizing data as we endeavor to improve in our areas of growth.

In some advisory periods, class meetings, and affinity spaces, students explore different aspects of their identity and ways to demonstrate kindness to others. Tammy Graham, the MS Counselor, oversees the Advisory Circle program. Advisory Circle is a dilemma/scenario-based conversation in advisory groups. These dilemmas ask students and advisors to explore real situations and grapple with possible solutions. In one activity, we explored excluding others. In another, we discussed spreading rumors.

Faculty and staff facilitate our affinity spaces: Students of Color Community Meeting, and Sexual and Gender Alliance (SAGA). Upper School students have joined us for some of these sessions in the past. This year, we hope to occasionally include alumni as well.

Liz Latour, the Director of the Hiatt Center, encourages faculty and students to practice perspective getting as they learn about and explore issues that affect communities. This approach emphasizes asking questions and empathetic listening rather than studying from afar and making assumptions. Each January, she and Michelle Wildes, the Associate Director of the Hiatt Center, work with faculty, staff, and administrators to organize an in-depth, full-day social justice retreat for MS students. During this event, students learn about becoming an advocate for justice by developing powerful skills and tools to address microaggressions and discrimination. Workshops have been led by US students, adults in the greater Boston area, and faculty and staff.

Amber Kuntz, the Director of MS Student Life and Athletic Programs, works with coaches and staff to create an environment where students develop skills, learn to collaborate, and have fun. There is a focus on the importance of students understanding what it means to work as a cohesive unit to achieve a common goal. All essential components in building strong relationships among students with different backgrounds are identified and fostered throughout programming. We utilize the same philosophy in our afternoon activities program.

Our faculty design lessons that encourage empathy and often challenge students to go beyond their comfort zone. Some activities allow students to engage in thought-provoking conversations about identity and social justice. A few examples include Jon Greenberg’s “Melissa the Movie Project” in sixth grade Humanities, Melissa Bell’s “Ramp Investigation” in seven grade Math, Sara O’Toole’s “Every Day Unit” in eighth grade Theater Arts, Amy Winston’s “Here’s the Thing” in seventh grade Visual Arts, and Kathleen Kosberg’s “In the Heights Keepsake” Box Activity in eighth grade English.

We established the MS BVR 101 Series to assist us in this important work. During the year, we will have four or six virtual workshops with noted experts in social psychology, developmental psychology, and neuroscience. We have worked with these professionals for the past few years and hope to maintain an ongoing relationship.

In order to gauge where we are in this journey, we will continue to collect data from students, faculty, and families. Panorama Education has assisted us with this in the past. This year, we will continue to use their surveys but administer them in-house. This will allow students to play an active role in distributing the surveys, analyzing the results, and offering possible ways for us to grow. At least three middle school teachers, Vanessa Savas, Geeta Jain, and Elaine Hamilton, will use the classroom survey to receive feedback from students in three areas. We have not used this instrument for a while, hence we want to explore effective ways of implementing this tool before utilizing it in all classes. We will continue to administer the All-School Climate survey, which all students will take in the winter.

Please feel free to contact us with any thoughts and/or questions.

Joe Christy, Middle School Director of Engagement and Inclusion
jchristy@bcdschool.org

Tiffany Smith, Director of Middle School
tsmith@bcdschool.org