Campus Safety & Security

In alignment with the CDC and VDH, we will begin the year requiring universal masking with a two-ply cloth or medical style face covering that covers the nose and mouth when indoors, with age/activity appropriate breaks, and on school transportation regardless of vaccination status but allowing for optional mask use outdoors. We are hopeful that conditions may allow for a change to the indoor masking policy in the future. For example, ascertaining the vaccination rates for eligible students and employees within our school community can be a helpful metric.

Our social distancing has been reduced to 3 feet, according to CDC and VDH recommendations, and allows our classrooms to return to nearly normal layout and capacity.

We will continue to provide cleaning and ventilation measures at the highest possible levels, including electrostatic spraying of frequently used surfaces, HEPA filters in all teaching spaces, and increased airflow with UV light disinfection in some units.

• Hand washing and/or hand sanitizing will be required throughout the school day.

• Hand sanitizing will be available at the entrance of every building and classroom.

• Students, faculty, and staff that are either visibly ill or have a fever will first be isolated and then sent home immediately.

• Immediate protocols with the Virginia Department of Health will begin, and return will only be allowed when the appropriate health professional provides permission or required mandates have been met.

• Vaccination:  Institution of a mandatory COVID vaccination policy for employees in alignment with all applicable laws.  Additionally, in alignment with the CDC and Virginia Department of Health (VDH) recommendations, we strongly recommend COVID vaccination for eligible students. 

Lockers:  Middle and Upper School students will again have lockers.

Student Activities: We can have field trips, sing, and compete in Middle and Upper School sports. We are still awaiting guidance from our athletic conference, so PE and Athletics health mitigation requirements will be forthcoming as soon as they are available.

Classrooms: All desk are 3 feet apart which is the normal layout of each classroom. 

We are excited to invite back the Lower, Middle, and Upper School students to the dining hall during their designated lunch times.  As always, students can enjoy the outdoor picnic tables for their lunch hour as well. 

We will primarily function with two cohorts, JK-Grade 5 and Grades 6-12, but the use of all buildings on campus will again be available to all grade levels. We are excited to welcome Lower School students back to the Arts Building, the Dining Hall, and the Upper Gym. We will also be able to enjoy cross-cohort activities at times (outdoors, for example).

We are so excited to welcome parents back to campus, host events in person, and allow spectators at athletics and arts events, with indoor masking required.  

Admissions will be hosting on-campus tours and open house events.  Please see the admissions page for more information and to sign-up for a private tour or open house. 

We will notify the state and local health department immediately upon being informed of any positive COVID-19 diagnostic test result by an individual within school facilities or on school grounds, including students, faculty, staff, and visitors. We have developed plans to support local health departments in tracing all contacts to any individual who tests positive, in accordance with the protocols, training, and tools provided through the Virginia Department of Health. We will maintain confidentiality as required by federal and state law and regulations. We will cooperate will all state and local health department contact tracing, isolation, quarantine efforts, and all local health department recommendations or mandates.

If there is a suspected case of COVID-19:

•  If a student is identified as symptomatic, they will be escorted to a designated room where they can be kept separate from others. 

• The student will be given a surgical mask to wear, and the school nurse will ask them about their symptoms. If the student is exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19, parents or guardians will be called to come to pick the child up. A parent or trusted adult identified on the student’s contact information form must pick the student up within 1 hour of receiving a phone call. Siblings and other household members will also be required to go home at this time, due to likely close contact.

• Upon arrival at the school, the parent will call to notify the school that they are in the parking lot. The student and other household members will then be escorted to the car by a staff member. 

• The student and parent/guardian will be provided information on receiving a diagnostic test for COVID-19.

• In support of the Wakefield School Community Health Commitment, the family then confidentially reports to the school and the health department when testing is complete.

• If the test is negative, the child may return to school. If the test is positive, additional instructions will be provided about isolation at home and returning to school.

• Similarly, if a faculty or staff member exhibits possible COVID-19 symptoms while at school, the faculty or staff member would be taken to the designated isolation area or immediately sent home from campus for evaluation by a healthcare professional.

• The school will consult with the health department to determine the next steps, but it would be likely that the entire class would be on quarantine, including faculty and staff, until the student, faculty, or staff member’s testing was complete.

• Additional quarantining may be necessary due to more contact among students and teachers.

Common Questions:

While waiting for COVID test results, are all other kids quarantined as well? 

• We will consult with and rely on the health experts at the Virginia Department of Health to provide specific guidance based on the situation’s specifics.

What if a teacher is exposed or tests positive and therefore misses class? 

• If the teacher needs to quarantine or isolate and teach virtually, they will do so, and a substitute teacher would be in the class to proctor.

• If the teacher is unable to teach virtually a qualified substitute teacher would be in the class.

If someone test positive, are they required to let the school know? 

• Due to HIPPA regulations and laws, a family cannot be required to tell the school, but all Wakefield School families have indicated their acceptance and support of the School’s policies, procedures, and Community Health Commitment, which includes the expectation of confidentially reporting positive cases to the Student Health Manager.

What are the protocols for returning to school after  COVID-19 positive results? 

• The return to school protocols from the Virginia Department of Health will be followed after a positive COVID-19 test result for students, faculty, and staff. At present, the return to school protocol is at least ten days beyond the onset of symptoms or exposure and at least 72 hours symptom-free. 

What does the school do when there are asymptomatic cases? 

• If an asymptomatic case of COVID-19 is found, the protocols are the same as in a symptomatic case, and the recommendations and requirements of the Virginia Department of Health will be followed. 

Keeping parents, students, and faculty and staff informed is of utmost importance during this changing environment, but we also must abide by all applicable HIPPA privacy laws. We will carefully consider the scenario and decide if the communication goes to the classroom, the grade, the division, or the full school. Communications will include detailed information provided to us from the Virginia Department of Health, and sample letters may be reviewed here. 

We understand our whole community may have many questions if a case of COVID-19 is identified in the school. Given this, the local health department has outlined the procedures we will follow in the event of a case:

• If a student or teacher has a confirmed positive case of COVID-19, all classroom members will be notified with an email sent home to families impacted and follow up phone calls. Any students who may have come in close contact with the positively testing individuals in any school environment will also be notified of their exposure level. Students identified to have medium to high risk of exposure will be required to quarantine at home beginning the following day after exposure. The Rappahannock Rapidan Health District will contact families by phone to provide instructions for quarantining. 

  • These same procedures will apply if a student or staff member becomes symptomatic during the school day, and COVID-19 is suspected.

• If a symptomatic student tests negative for COVID-19, all students may return to school the following day. If the symptomatic student tests positive, all students who may have been exposed will be required to quarantine at home for 14 days. Parents will need to plan accordingly for childcare needs in the event your student needs to be home unexpectedly. 

• The families of all students in the school will be notified that a confirmed case of COVID-19 has been identified in the school. Most likely, most students and staff school-wide will be considered low risk due to the social distancing, use of masks, and handwashing in the school.  Some students who may be identified as a close contact by a health department investigation of the individual may be required to quarantine for 14 days. Families will be provided with information on monitoring for symptoms and a reminder of the precautions to prevent the spread of disease. 

• In certain circumstances, such as a large outbreak of cases, the school may have to return to an online learning environment for a period of time. Families should have contingency plans in place should the school need to close for several weeks. 

If a student, faculty, or staff member is exhibiting any signs of illness, including but not limited to low-grade fever, cough, runny nose, etc. they should stay home. 

When in doubt, keep your child home and seek the advice of your health care professional.

• Students are required to remain home until they have been fever-free, without the aid of fever-reducing medication, for at least 72 hours. 

• While Wakefield School is currently open for an in-person and on-campus opening, we are also accommodating needs for distance learning and preparing for possible interruptions to on-campus learning in the event local or state authorities advise or mandate a closure to our school or a portion of our school population. Should that occur, a shift to Distance Learning will happen immediately to ensure continuity for our students. 

• In preparation for possible interruptions to our in-person learning, our faculty and staff spent much of the summer investing time in blended learning models, training in new technologies and platforms to deliver the high-quality educational program one expects from Wakefield School. These preparations included increases in our 1:1 technology in grades JK – 8, enhanced webcams in all teaching classrooms, new platforms for teaching like the G Suite for Education Enterprise and SeeSaw, etc. 

More information about Distance Learning Accommodations may be found here.

The resounding support of the Community Health Commitment that our families, faculty, and staff signed and agreed to in recognition of the policies and procedures of Wakefield School demonstrates their willingness to embrace and abide by the safety protocols designed to enhance the public health of our community. Our on-going commitment to individual responsibility for the adhering to and abiding by the protocols in support of community health will allow us to stay in an in-person environment. 

The Return to Campus Synopsis provides additional FAQs regarding our day to day operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Angela Gerald, the Student Health Manager, is the first contact. She can be reached by email at agerald@wakefieldschool.org or by phone at 540-253-7548.  

• Your child’s division head may also be reached with questions:

  • Lower School, Ms. Erin Leonard – eleonard@wakefieldschool.org    540-253-7503

  • Middle School, Mrs. Keturah Maraska – kmaraska@wakefieldschool.org    540-253-7547

  • Upper School, Dr. Gabriel Fuchs – gfuchs@wakefieldschool.org     540-253-7625

The Virginia Department of Health, through the local health department personnel, have been active partners with Wakefield School throughout this unprecedented time. We are grateful to them for their expertise and engagement in defining protocols and communication strategies and always being just a phone call away for questions and guidance. 

Center for Disease Control

American Academy of Pediatrics

Local testing centers