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FAQ

UPPER SCHOOL

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Brief questions and answers on Upper School Health and Safety topics appear below. For more information on Milton’s Health and Safety protocols, please review our Health and Safety FAQ.

Will vaccines be required in the Upper School?
Yes. All Upper School students are required to be fully vaccinated by the time they arrive on campus for the fall. People are considered to be fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving their final vaccine dose. Exemptions will be granted only to students who have a documented medical reason for which use of the vaccine is contraindicated, or for religious exemption. Health forms for new and returning students, which you will use to document your child’s vaccination record and other health information, are available through the Magnus Health Portal.

What if I am unable to be vaccinated in my home state or country prior to arriving at Milton?
Boarding students arriving without vaccination will be able to start school on campus even if they are unable to be vaccinated this summer as long as they have created a plan in advance with Peg Reardon, Milton’s director of nursing. Unvaccinated boarding students will need to quarantine and test upon arrival to campus. As a result, they may miss some Opening of School activities. We will plan for vaccination as soon as possible for those students. Students and families should monitor vaccination eligibility in their home states and countries and may reach out to Milton’s Health Center at 617-898-2450 with any questions and concerns about their ability to be fully vaccinated before traveling to Milton.

Should students be tested for COVID-19 before arriving on campus?
All boarding students must obtain a negative RT-PCR COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to their arrival on campus.

Will there be weekly testing in the Upper School?
Milton Academy will test boarding students weekly through October 8. Students and employees exempted from Milton’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement will be tested weekly. The School has partnered with the Broad Institute to administer RT-PCR pool tests using a nasal swab. We will monitor the data from Massachusetts and alter our testing protocol in response to the prevalence of the illness in the Commonwealth and in conjunction with recommendations from public health, government, and medical experts. Milton Academy coordinates and pays for COVID-19 testing requested by the School.

What if a student tests positive before returning to campus?
If a student tests positive before arriving on campus and the student is asymptomatic, they will be asked to isolate at home for 10 days. If a student becomes symptomatic after a positive test, isolation is required at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms. Isolation will be extended beyond 10 days if necessary until symptoms are improving and the student has been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. Medical clearance by the student’s healthcare provider will be required to return to campus. The Health Center team will help coordinate the student’s safe return to campus.

Will students be required to quarantine before coming to campus?
All students need to comply with travel guidance provided by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Quarantine is currently required for unvaccinated individuals traveling internationally and recommended for unvaccinated individuals traveling domestically.

Will there be a daily attestation?
No; however, students, faculty, and staff should stay home when they show signs of any infectious illness and see their healthcare provider for testing and care.

Are masks required in the Upper School?
In accordance with CDC recommendations, all Milton Academy community members, regardless of their vaccination status, will wear masks while indoors. In addition, all visitors, regardless of their vaccination status, must wear masks inside campus buildings.

May I visit campus?
Yes. Please note that all visitors to campus—vaccinated and unvaccinated—must wear masks inside campus buildings.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM

Where can I find the academic calendar?
The 2021–2022 calendar is available at www.milton.edu.

Will the Upper School be offering remote or hybrid options for 2021–2022?
No. The Upper School is not planning to offer remote or hybrid options for the 2021–2022 academic year. When students are excused from classes because of illness or a need to quarantine, they are expected to get their assignments from classmates and teachers, or by accessing Schoology.

What does the daily schedule look like?
Classes begin at 8:05 a.m. Monday through Friday. Classes end at 3:20 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Classes end at 1:05 p.m. on Wednesdays. Please see the Academic Schedule section of the Student Handbook for more details about the daily schedule.

Will the bookstore be open?
The bookstore is open for course books and Milton Academy clothing and giftware, as well as snacks. Please call the bookstore manager, Kevin Mullins, at 617-898-2110 with any questions.

RESIDENTIAL LIFE

Will students be able to leave campus?
At this point, we are anticipating allowing students to leave campus. Boarding students leaving campus must abide by the rules in the Upper School Student Handbook regarding leaving campus as well as Milton’s COVID-19 safety guidelines, including masking requirements. Please note, as conditions change, we may introduce additional limitations.

Can families visit students on campus?
Yes. To the degree possible, we ask families to visit their children outdoors. Visitors must wear masks when in any Milton Academy building.

Will students be able to move freely within and across dorms?
Boarders may mix with other residents of their own dorms in common spaces. Students may also visit other dorms at designated times and in designated locations. Boarders across dorms can also come together for activities on weekends.

Will day and boarding students be allowed to engage with one another?
Yes. Day and boarding students will mix in classes, co-curricular programming, and weekend activities.

What changes have been made to dorm buildings due to COVID-19?
To improve air flow and filtering, HEPA filters have been placed in each dorm room and common spaces (where indicated by an independent consultant). Cleaning will continue daily as usual, with added attention to high-touch areas and bathrooms. Please see the Campus Buildings and Operations section for more details.

What happens if a student needs to isolate (due to testing positive for COVID-19) or needs to quarantine (due to exposure to a COVID-positive individual)?
Students who need to quarantine will be asked to do so at home, if possible. Students who need to isolate will do so in the Health Center or at home, depending upon the circumstance. The renovated Faulkner Health Center is equipped with 11 rooms with private bathrooms and ventilation that can be used for isolation and quarantine purposes. Nurses will staff the Health Center 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A Boston Children’s Hospital physician will be on campus two days per week and also available daily for telehealth appointments and regular program consultation.

ATHLETICS

Will there be interscholastic athletics this year?
Yes. The Independent School League plans to run a full interscholastic athletic season this fall. We will draw on the most recent guidelines from the CDC and Commonwealth of Massachusetts to determine appropriate protocols, and we will abide by the ISL’s agreed-upon safety protocols.

DINING

How will lunch be served?
Lunch will be served in Forbes Dining Hall, as it has been in prior years. The hot food line, pasta and salad bars, and dessert, as well as drinks, will be available. Students may eat in the dining room or outside under the Quad tent. Any student who wishes to bring food from home for lunch may do so, as long as it is nut-free.

How will breakfast and dinner be served?
Boarding students will be able to obtain hot and continental breakfast (brunch on weekends and holidays) in the dining area assigned to their dorm. Dinner will be served similarly. A schedule for breakfast and dinner will be provided to each dorm at the beginning of the school year. Outdoor eating space will be available near all assigned dining areas.

Will the snack bar be open?
Yes. It is the School’s intention to return the snack bar to regular operations in 2021–22.

BUSING

Will daily buses be in operation?
Yes. As in prior years, the School has contracted with Local Motion to meet our day-student transportation needs for grades 6 through 12 and is piloting a Boston route for grades K through 5. More information is available at www.www.milton.edu/bus.

What COVID-19 precautions are in place on the bus?
Students must follow all directions of the bus driver as well as guidelines issued by the School. In particular, all COVID-related guidelines announced related to seating, distancing, mask wearing, etc., must be followed. Any student who does not follow the guidelines will no longer be allowed to ride the bus. More information is available at www.www.milton.edu/bus.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Brief questions and answers on Middle School Health and Safety topics appear below. For more information on Milton’s Health and Safety protocols, please review our Health and Safety FAQ.

Will vaccines be required for the Middle School?
Milton students eligible to receive a World Health Organization (WHO)-approved COVID-19 vaccine—currently anyone age 12 and older—are required to be fully vaccinated by the time they arrive on campus for the fall. People are considered to be fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving their final vaccine dose. Exemptions will be granted only to students who have a documented medical reason for which use of the vaccine is contraindicated, or for religious exemption. Health forms for new and returning students, which parents will use to document their child’s vaccination record and other health information, are available through the Magnus Health Portal.

Will testing be required?
Grade 6 students will be tested at the start of school, and weekly surveillance testing will occur at least until they are vaccinated.

Are masks required?
In accordance with CDC recommendations, masks are required for all Middle School community members indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

Will there be a daily attestation?
No; however, students, families, faculty and staff should stay home when they have signs of any infectious illness and be referred to their healthcare provider for testing and care.

When should people stay home?
Students, teachers, and staff who have symptoms of infectious illness, such as influenza (flu) or COVID-19, should stay home and be referred to their healthcare provider for testing and care. During the COVID-19 pandemic it is essential that parents keep children home if they are showing signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and get them tested.

Students will need to quarantine in accordance with Milton’s quarantine policy if they are exposed to someone with COVID-19.

May I visit campus?
Yes, Middle School families may visit by invitation and/or advance arrangement. The health and safety of our community members, and the health and safety of anyone who may visit campus and engage with our community, is our top priority. Please note that all visitors to campus—vaccinated and unvaccinated—must wear masks inside campus buildings.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM

Where can I find the academic calendar?
The 2021–2022 calendar is available at www.milton.edu/k8.

How will students transition between classes?
Students will have 5–10 minutes of passing time between each class. There will no longer be directional signage in hallways.

Will there be an option for students to attend school virtually?
No. When students are excused from classes because of illness or a need to quarantine, they are expected to get their assignments from classmates and teachers, or by accessing Google Classroom. In cases of extended absences, students should get their assignments from their advisors, who will collect assignments from teachers.

Upon the student’s return, the Student Support Team (principal, dean of students, counselor, learning specialist, and nurse) will work with the student, family, and advisor to support the transition and provide any necessary accommodations.

Will the bookstore be open?
The bookstore is open for course books and Milton Academy clothing and giftware, as well as snacks. Please call the bookstore manager, Kevin Mullins, at 617-898-2110 with any questions.

ATHLETICS

What will the afternoon program look like?
All Middle School students have the opportunity to participate in our optional Afternoon Program offerings. Afternoon Program choices include our athletics/interscholastic sports program and theatrical productions (fall play and winter musical). Athletic practices and rehearsals take place five days per week from 2:25 to 3:45 p.m. and students will make program selections before the start of each season (fall, winter, and spring).

For all Afternoon Program activities, we will abide by the most recent guidelines from the CDC and Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Please refer to the Middle School Student Handbook for more information.

DINING

How will lunch be served?
Lunch for seventh- and eighth-grade students will be served in the Elliott Commons dining hall, as it has been in prior years. The hot line, salad bar, and dessert, as well as drinks, will be available. Students may eat in the Elliott dining room. Lunch is supervised by adults.

Lunch for Grade 6 students will be provided in the Junior Building Multipurpose room dining space, different from prior years. The Junior Building service approach is designed to serve students who are unvaccinated, and offers the same hot food line, salad bar, and dessert as Elliott Commons plus a fruits/vegetables/cheese/yogurt bar. Once they have selected their food, Grade 6 students will eat together outside (or will return to their classrooms on inclement weather days to eat at their desks in a distanced manner); the Junior Building Multipurpose room will only be used as a food service area until further notice. Lunch will be supervised by adults.

Any student who wishes to bring food from home for lunch may do so, as long as it is nut-free.

Please note that any Grade 6 students who are vaccinated will remain with their class and go to the Junior Building.

Will the snack bar be open?
Yes. It is the School’s intention to return the snack bar to regular operations in 2021–22.

BUSING

Will daily buses be in operation?
Yes. As in prior years, the School has contracted with Local Motion to meet our day-student transportation needs for grades 6 through 12 and is piloting a Boston route for grades K through 5. More information is available at www.www.milton.edu/bus.

What COVID-19 precautions are in place on the bus?
Students must follow all directions of the bus driver as well as guidelines issued by the School. In particular, all COVID-related guidelines announced related to seating, distancing, mask wearing, etc., must be followed. Any student who does not follow the guidelines will no longer be allowed to ride the bus. More information is available at www.www.milton.edu/bus.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

Will the After School Program be available?
The After School Program (ASP) will be available Monday through Friday in Ware Hall. Families are asked to register if they wish to make use of the ASP before each of the three sessions (designated by athletic season). Students must check in to ASP by 4 p.m. daily. ASP closes at 5:45 p.m. Please refer to the Middle School Student Handbook for more information.

LOWER SCHOOL

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Brief questions and answers on Lower School Health and Safety topics appear below. For more information on Milton’s Health and Safety protocols, please review our Health and Safety FAQ.

Can students from different classroom pods mix?
Students from different pods will be permitted to mix outdoors only.

Will testing be required for Lower School students?
Yes, we will continue with weekly COVID-19 testing for all Lower School students until vaccinations are available.

Are masks required?
In accordance with CDC recommendations, masks will be required indoors for all Milton Academy community members K–12 except when eating or alone in a space.

Will there be a daily attestation?
No; however, students, families, faculty and staff should stay home when they have signs of any infectious illness and be referred to their healthcare provider for testing and care.

When should people stay home?
Students, teachers, and staff who have symptoms of infectious illness, such as influenza (flu) or COVID-19, should stay home and be referred to their healthcare provider for testing and care. During the COVID-19 pandemic it is essential that parents keep children home and get them tested if they are showing signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

What cleaning protocols will be in effect?
Please see our Campus Buildings and Operations section below.

How has the School modified its air flow inside buildings?
Please see our Campus Buildings and Operations section below.

Can parents visit campus?
Yes, by invitation and/or arrangement. The health and safety of our community members, and the health and safety of anyone who may visit campus and engage with our community, is our top priority. Please note that all visitors to campus—vaccinated and unvaccinated—must wear masks inside campus buildings.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM

How will classrooms be set up?
We will continue to use individual desks in all classrooms.

Will there be an option for students to learn remotely?
Remote enrollment status is not an option this year; all students will be taught in person. Should any students be required to quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19, the school will support those students’ learning until they can return to the classroom in person.

What will academic classes look like in Lower School next year?
We are excited to bring specials classes (Spanish, art, music, etc.) back to the Lower School this year. Our Lower School curriculum, for the most part, will go back to pre-pandemic standards.

EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING

What kinds of social/emotional support will be available to my Lower School student next year?
We have found that attention to the social/emotional lives of our students is more important than ever. We are pleased to have added a Lower School counselor to our Learning Resources Team. Our counselor will work with teachers and leadership to support Lower School families and students in the fall. Lower School families will have an opportunity to meet our new counselor in September.

DINING

How will lunch be served?
Lunch for Kindergarten to Grade 5 students will be provided in the Junior Building Multipurpose room dining space. The Junior Building service approach is designed to serve students who are unvaccinated, and offers the same hot food line, fruits/vegetables/cheese/yogurt bar, salad bar, and dessert as in prior years. Once they have selected their food, students will eat together outside in a South Quad tent (or will return to their classrooms on inclement weather days to eat at their desks in a distanced manner); the Junior Building Multipurpose room will only be used as a food service area until further notice. Lunch will be supervised by adults.

Any student who wishes to bring food from home for lunch may do so, as long as it is nut-free.

BUSING

Will daily buses be in operation?
Yes. As in prior years, the School has contracted with Local Motion to meet our day-student transportation needs for grades 6 through 12 and is piloting a Boston route for grades K through 5. More information is available at www.www.milton.edu/bus.

What COVID-19 precautions are in place on the bus?
Students must follow all directions of the bus driver as well as guidelines issued by the School. In particular, all COVID-related guidelines announced related to seating, distancing, mask wearing, etc., must be followed. Any student who does not follow the guidelines will no longer be allowed to ride the bus. More information is available at www.www.milton.edu/bus.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

Will the School offer an After School Program?
Yes. The school will offer its After School Program (ASP) in 2021–22 from 3 to 5:45 p.m., returning to the hours provided in prior years. Until Lower School students are vaccinated, ASP will take place outdoors as much as possible as classroom pods will be mixing.

Will the School offer enrichment clubs?
Yes. On certain days, students may elect to enroll in after-school enrichment clubs from 3 to 4 p.m. for a fee. Clubs are open to all students, regardless of whether they are enrolled in the After School Program. Each club meets once per week. Club sign-ups occur three times a year: fall, winter, and spring.

CAMPUS BUILDINGS AND OPERATIONS

I am a parent. May I visit campus?
Yes, visitors are welcome to campus as long as they are following the visitation guidelines established by their child’s division. Please see the Lower, Middle, and Upper School FAQs for more information. If you would like to visit the Business Office, please see the Enrollment and Financial Policies section for further details.

Please note that all visitors to campus—vaccinated and unvaccinated—must wear masks inside campus buildings.

I am a prospective family/student. May I visit campus?
Our admission team is excited to connect in person with prospective students for tours. Interviews will occur online. Please visit the School’s Admission webpage or contact admission@milton.edu for more information.

Please note that all visitors to campus—vaccinated and unvaccinated—must wear masks inside campus buildings.

How has Milton Academy changed its operations in response to COVID-19?
We have been working diligently to address the current and prospective needs of all our community members under COVID-19. COVID-19-work safety training has been delivered to all employees currently working on campus. We continue to modify protocols as new circumstances and directives emerge.

Many building changes—from HVAC to bathrooms to cleaning—were made for the 2020–21 school year and will be carried over into 2021–22 in recognition of COVID-19 health and safety needs. The health and safety of everyone on our campus is our first priority. As a result, the School has engaged external experts to ensure that the campus is physically prepared.

How is the School cleaning and disinfecting its buildings?
Cleaning and disinfecting occurs at the end of each school day and during the day in certain high-traffic areas on Milton Academy’s campus. The protocols are customized to each type of space, and were created by an external cleaning consultant in 2019. Due to COVID-19, Milton Academy is adding the following cleaning activities on top of existing protocols:

  • Providing disinfecting wipes and/or disinfecting spray and paper towels for each classroom to allow the cleaning of classroom surfaces multiple times a day
  • Increasing during-the-day professional cleaning of bathrooms and wiping down of common space high-touch areas (e.g., doorknobs, light switches)

What changes have been made to bathrooms?
In addition to cleaning and replenishing bathroom materials multiple times a day, the following changes have been made to bathrooms based on expert guidance:

  • Posting of handwashing and other COVID-19-related hygiene guidance
  • Installing lids on all toilets, so that they can be closed during flushing
  • Running any available ventilation fans throughout the day

How has the School modified its air flow inside buildings?
Understanding the importance of air flow for mitigating potential virus transmission, the School implemented all heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)-related best-practice recommendations on air exchange and ventilation. Specifically, the School has:

  • Completed a full cleaning and disinfecting of all HVAC building systems to ensure optimal, clean air flow
  • Purchased new, higher-grade filters for all relevant building systems and standalone HEPA filters for any spaces which do not already have centralized filtration
  • Engaged Griffith & Vary, a firm expert in HVAC building design and engineering for education and health care, to evaluate each building’s HVAC system, recommend how to achieve the optimal balance of fresh air and filtration for each area, and test that the School’s building management system is programmed to achieve those results

How does the Health Center support COVID-19 needs?
During the summer and fall of 2020, the School completed a series of renovations of Faulkner Health Center in support of improving health services on campus, primarily for Upper School students. Specifically, the renovations:

Improve general usability, flow, and finishes in support of Health Center operations

  • The first floor is now fully ADA accessible
  • The second and third floors provide additional private rooms for students to rest
  • The HVAC system has been revised to ensure that there is no air flow between any single rooms and that fresh air is consistently re-introduced

Separate COVID-19-suspected or COVID-19-positive students from other students

  • A separate COVID-19-designated entrance and examination room is located on the east side of the building
  • Certain single rooms with private bathrooms on the second and third floors can be sectioned off from other rooms so that they may serve as isolation and quarantine spaces

ENROLLMENT AND FINANCIAL POLICIES

When is my enrollment contract binding?
A family is considered “re-committed” to paying tuition for the entire school year, per the contract signed during the 2021–2022 enrollment process. If you have any questions about your child’s enrollment status, please contact Dean of Enrollment Paul Rebuck (paul_rebuck@milton.edu or 617-898-2232).

When are tuition payments due?
Student first-semester statements were released in July 2021; payments are due by August 31, 2021. Second-semester statements for all students will be released in mid-December 2021 and payments are due within 30 days (mid-January 2022).

Will Milton Academy make any changes to its tuition or fee rates due to changes in the School’s program due to COVID-19?
There are no changes to 2021-22 tuition due to COVID-19. Each student will have a COVID Support Fee in 2021-22 in addition to a division’s typical fees:

  • Upper School – $250 – this fee is in addition to the health fee typically charged
  • Middle School – $500 – there are no other fees charged to Middle School families
  • Lower School – $500 – there are no other fees charged to Lower School families

Milton Academy has and will continue to incur significant costs during the upcoming academic year due to COVID-19. These costs include adding support teachers (deployed in classrooms and for general supervision), nursing staff, tents, and personal protective equipment (PPE), among other necessary expenditures. While the types of needs vary by division, the School projects 2021–22 COVID-19 costs will add several million dollars in expenses to the School’s budget. (Please note that last year (2020–21), the School did not implement a COVID Support Fee, as COVID-19 was not yet a factor when the School issued its contracts and tuition and fees.)

Revisions to the School calendar, programs, and services that are temporarily suspended during the course of the year, or additional days that individual students must spend at home due to quarantine, etc. are unfortunately an outcome of the uncertainties and complexities related to COVID-19. All enrolled students will continue to advance through, and receive credit for, Milton Academy’s academic program despite these circumstances. Milton Academy faculty and staff continue to work, and the School continues to pay their salaries and maintain other financial commitments that enable delivery of our academic program and services.

Whom do I contact with financial aid questions for this year, 2021–2022?
Please contact Chris Kane, our financial aid director, at chris_kane@milton.edu or 617-898-2239. Please do not wait to be in touch even if your need is not yet clear.

Will remote learning enrollment and tuition rates be offered this year?
No. Please note that remote enrollment status is not an option for the 2021–22 school year. All classes will be taught in person. Should any students be required to quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19, the school will support those students’ learning until they can return to the classroom in person.

Do I need to inform the School if my student plans to switch from Upper School day to boarding or boarding to day status?
Yes. We ask that families who wish for their Upper School student to change their enrollment status to please reach out to Dean of Enrollment Paul Rebuck (paul_rebuck@milton.edu or 617-898-2232). Only the dean of enrollment can grant a change in enrollment status.

If my family receives financial aid, how will that be adjusted if my student changes enrollment status?
The financial aid package will be adjusted to reflect the applicable tuition rate and fees for students changing enrollment status.

Will Milton Academy offer credits to bus fees for any days my child cannot attend school due to COVID-19?
No. The bus fees and policies quoted on the bus section of the School’s website will remain in effect (www.www.milton.edu/bus). The School purchases bus capacity in advance of the start of the school year.

Will Milton Academy offer credits to music lesson fees for any days my child cannot attend school due to COVID-19?
No. Music lessons will be charged in full to all families who sign up for the semester, regardless of whether those lessons occur in person or online, as Milton Academy is obligated to pay music teachers for reserving their time; it is the family’s responsibility to work with the teacher to ensure that all lessons are scheduled.

Is tuition insurance still in place for this year?
Yes. Student tuition insurance for 2021–22 may be purchased for any enrolled child. Please contact Giselle Sharpe in the Business Office at giselle_sharpe@milton.edu or 617-898-2281 with questions.

Is student health insurance still in place for this year?
Yes. If you have questions, please contact Dawn Cruickshank in the Health Center at dawn_cruickshank@milton.edu or 617-898-2451.

Is the Business Office open?
Business Office staff continue to work and will continue to return calls and emails in the order they are received. For those who typically stop by with a payment, we ask that you drop any payments or correspondence into the mailbox that has been installed immediately outside the Business Office entrance. It is secure and is emptied each business day.

Faculty, staff, and students may enter the Business Office using their ID and wait at the front counter for assistance. Others (visitors) are asked to please make an in-person appointment in advance by contacting the person you would like to meet with using the directory on the Controllers’ Office webpage.

Please note that all visitors to campus—vaccinated and unvaccinated—must wear masks inside campus buildings. In addition, only two individuals will be allowed into the main Business Office doors at a time; others are asked to remain in the lobby.

Whom should I contact if I have further questions?
Please reach out to the following individuals if you have any further questions:

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