Health and Safety FAQ for the 2020-2021 School Year

Frequently Asked Questions

We plan to resume teaching and learning on campus this fall, and we look forward to having both new and returning students here in Canyonville! Though the plans we lay out here represent our most up-to-date thinking
about the year to come, please check back frequently as these plans are subject to change in response to evolving circumstances.

This FAQ will be updated regularly with additional information. The most recent update was on July 24th, 2020. As we add or change information, it will be marked specifically with a date the information was added or changed. 

For letters sent to parents, updated cleaning and sanitizing progress and other Covid related information regarding our school, please click here. 

Do students need to quarantine before arriving at Canyonville Academy in the fall? (updated 7/24)

Yes, we will be asking all students to quarantine for 14 days, in their dorm rooms on campus.

Will students, faculty, and staff need to be tested for COVID-19 before school begins?

Students should be tested for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, 2-4 days prior to coming to Canyonville Academy and bring documentation of a negative result upon arrival at school. Anyone who is positive will remain home for 14 days prior to coming to campus. Students who are unable to obtain testing before coming to school will be tested immediately upon arrival.  Any student who tests positive for SARS-CoV-2 at that time will be required to isolate off campus for 14 days in the care of a parent, guardian, or other caretaker before returning to campus. 

Will there be subsequent, routine testing? (updated 7/24)

Testing of anyone that is symptomatic will be done immediately throughout the year. Additionally, all faculty, staff, and students on campus will be asked to complete simple symptom and wellness checks each day to help screen for possible illness.

How will the School mitigate the risks associated with families bringing students to campus on drop-off day?

Whenever possible, only one adult should bring a student to campus for drop off. All individuals coming to campus must wear a mask. Upon arrival, students and any accompanying adult will be screened for symptoms and COVID-19 risk before beginning registration. Parents or guardians will be asked to drop students off and depart campus promptly. Only students will be allowed to enter campus buildings. Ample support will be provided to help students move into their rooms and acclimate to the new school environment, and while parents will remain an important part of their student’s support network, we need to limit the number of people who move around our campus in order to promote a safe and healthy environment for all students and other campus residents. 

Will Canyonville Academy adapt plans for the opening of school as new information becomes available throughout the summer?

Canyonville Academy will continue to monitor all available information closely and make any necessary modifications to support both health and campus programming. Plans and updates will be shared with the school community when available.

How will students learn about the health and safety protocols and what’s expected of them on campus during the pandemic?

Over the summer and again shortly after they arrive on campus, all students will receive important education and training about illness prevention, new routines and protocols on campus, and the imperative for all of us to help protect each other by taking steps to prevent disease transmission. Faculty members and peer leaders will all be involved in this important training.

How will students be expected to modify their behavior on campus to help promote a healthy campus and minimize risk of infection to themselves and others?

In accordance with public health guidelines about preventing transmission of the virus causing COVID-19, students will be expected to follow three basic principles: physical distancing, mask wearing, and hand washing/sanitizing. Students will also be expected to limit any travel off campus, and any off-campus travel will require permission from the Head Dean.

Will these protocols be in place all year?

As we repopulate campus, we will need to begin with stricter health protocols to minimize the presence of the virus on campus and possible transmission. We will monitor conditions both at Canyonville Academy and in the local area closely and will relax the initial restrictions if and when circumstances make it safe to do so.

How will Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) be handled on campus?

We are evaluating needs across campus and are ordering PPE to support a safe return for students and adults on campus.

Will students be supplied with masks?

Canyonville Academy will provide disposable masks for students, but students are welcome to bring their own masks from home. Masks should be changed daily.

What is the difference between quarantine and isolation?

Isolation separates sick people with COVID-19 from people who are not sick. Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to the virus causing COVID-19 to see if they become sick.

If the Canyonville Academy determines that a student must be quarantined after arrival on campus, where will the student quarantine?

Students who are exposed to someone with COVID-19 will be able to quarantine in their dorm rooms on campus.

How will families be notified if a student needs to be quarantined?

Students will be contacted directly if the Canyonville Academy deems it necessary to quarantine. In keeping with normal practice, parents and guardians will be notified directly as students are evaluated and treated.

What is the protocol if a student on campus tests positive?

Any student who tests positive will be isolated on campus, in our dorm specifically set up for quarantine, Boone Hall—located away from other students. It is imperative, therefore, that all students complete the “Evacuation Plan” form in the Student Information section of the Parents Portal. Contact tracing will be performed to identify any close contacts requiring quarantine.

What happens if a student needs to be hospitalized?

Any student requiring hospitalization will be transported to Mercy Medical Center or other area hospitals for further care. A faculty or staff member will stay with the student until a parent, guardian, or appointed caregiver arrives. 

Will dorm rooms have single or double occupancy?

Based on current advice from DHS and the CDC, we do not anticipate changing our housing model, so both single and multiple occupancy rooms will be in use on campus.

How will students dine on campus?

We are planning to deliver meals in multiple locations on campus, while maintaining no more than 10 students at a time in dining areas and allowing for appropriate physical distancing. As conditions allow, this plan will be revisited throughout the year.

How will classrooms be organized?

Classrooms will be set up to allow for adequate physical distancing between students, with no more than 10 students per class. 

How will physical distancing be enforced in shared spaces (dorms, classrooms, etc.)?

Dorms are being arranged to be divided into cohorts. Within these cohorts, physical distancing will not be required, giving students a home-like environment in which to relax. Maintaining physical distancing and mask use is a social responsibility to keep each other and our Canyonville Academy community safe. Faculty will be expected to model these behaviors themselves and modify student behaviors if they are not complying. Other common spaces will be evaluated and reconfigured as needed for appropriate use (e.g. lowering density) in alignment with health and safety guidelines. 

What facilities will be open to students when campus opens in the fall?

A variety of shared spaces will be open to students on campus as the year begins, with appropriate density and physical distancing expectations in place. For example, students may be able to use the PXC (student center), the library, and the athletic facilities, but new protocols will be in place to ensure health and safety and time for enhanced cleaning.

What cleaning protocols will be in place?

Canyonville Academy already thoroughly cleans shared spaces daily, including door handles and light switches. We will expand disinfection and sanitizing routines. Students and faculty will wipe down commonly touched surfaces between uses of classrooms. Bathrooms will be wiped down after every use.

What laundry services are available?

All students have access to laundry machines on campus. 

What about trips home or off campus?

The fall academic calendar will not include a casual Welcome Weekend or a long weekend break during which students may leave campus. Any boarding student who needs to leave campus during the fall term must request permission through the Administration Office, which will be assessed for both necessity and risk. This policy will be reassessed on a regular basis, taking into account the prevalence of COVID-19 at Canyonville Academy, in our surrounding communities, and in the student’s destination. If boarding students return home, they will need to quarantine for 14 in Boone Hall upon return to campus, and have a negative test for the virus that causes COVID-19 upon return to campus.

Will visitors be allowed on campus?

In order to keep our community as safe and healthy as possible in the midst of COVID-19, we are currently not allowing visitors to campus for the foreseeable future. If health conditions allow a change to this policy, we will inform students and their families.

How will the daily schedule work?

We are in the process of modifying the academic daily schedule for both on-campus and remote learning. This will be very similar to our traditional daily schedule. Though many classes will happen during our traditional academic day between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., others will take place during evening hours, and each block will “rotate” much less throughout the day. All class times will be feasible for learners in Canyonville (and others in the same time zone), and enough blocks will be optimized for each time zone so that learners around the world can have their classes scheduled primarily or exclusively during reasonable waking hours. For example, some classes will happen in the evening, Canyonville time, and those might work especially well for students in east Asia and Hawaii.

Will the daily schedule change during planned or unplanned periods of remote learning?

The daily schedule we are planning will promote easy transitions between on-campus and remote learning. Students will have to indicate whether they prefer for their schedule to use Canyonville as a “home base” or the location where they’ll reside when off campus.

Will all classes be synchronous?

Yes, given that the daily schedule will be constructed to support students in all time zones, we anticipate that synchronous instruction will be the norm.

Would the school consider extending the school year into summer of 2021 to make up for missed days if closures occur during the school year?

The academic schedule for 2020-21 is being developed to support both on-campus and remote learning. Therefore, we do not anticipate a need to extend the academic year into the traditional summer break.

When will there be a decision regarding fall interscholastic athletics?

A decision about fall interscholastic athletic competition will be made in the latter half of July 2020. If it is deemed safe for students to play interscholastic sports, Canyonville Academy will allow its student-athletes to compete. If fall interscholastic athletics are cancelled for safety reasons, Canyonville Academy will provide a full athletic program on campus including practices, physical training, and offerings centered on sports psychology, leadership, and nutrition, as well as more traditional intramural athletic opportunities, since athletics are an important aspect of overall health and wellness in our community.

How will the arts be impacted?

Creative ways to learn and perform all art forms are being explored. Performance ensembles and classes will be limited in size and physical barriers when needed will be used to allow for appropriate protection of our students.

When is my contract binding? When is tuition due?

The tuition commitment date is July 1. The first tuition payment is due on July 31. Please know that if you decide not to attend Canyonville Academy after July 1, you are responsible for the full year’s tuition.

My family has been impacted financially by COVID-19. Is tuition assistance available?

Families with altered financial circumstances because of COVID-19 may apply for temporary emergency tuition assistance by contacting the Vice President of Finances, Fernando Esparza.

Will students be allowed to defer or take a gap year?

Newly enrolled and currently enrolled Canyonville Academy students will not be permitted to defer for a year or take a gap year. Students who choose not to enroll for the 2020-2021 school year will need to reapply during the next admission cycle.

Will there be a refund for students who cannot get to campus?

At the end of each term, boarding students who have been unable to return to campus for the entire term for visa or travel reasons, or other documented obstacles beyond their control, will receive a refund per term (amount will be determined).

What if my child wants to be a remote learner for the whole year?

Boarding students who wish to remain online for the whole year may petition the Vice President of Academic Affairs to convert to day status for the year.  If the petition is granted, the student will be changed to day student status and charged the day tuition. Once the petition is granted, the student must remain online for the 2020-21 year and may not return to campus for in-person instruction.

What if I can’t get my visa or there are travel restrictions that prevent me from getting to campus?

Students who are unable to return to campus for the beginning of the academic year will be welcome to start classes as remote learners and make plans to return to campus whenever they are able. Families should not make any travel plans that can’t be changed or canceled; please consider purchasing travel insurance.

Do students need to quarantine before arriving at Canyonville Academy in the fall?

We will be asking all students to quarantine for 14 days in their dorm rooms upon arrival. 

How will students travel from the airport to campus with physical distancing recommendations in place? Will airport shuttles be provided?

We are currently developing plans to support students with ground transportation. More information will be forthcoming towards the end of July.

To students, parents, and guardians – Do not make plans for travel to and from campus for proposed vacations and breaks that cannot be changed. The school calendar is subject to change based on prevalent conditions.