![Reminder: Departure Plan from School]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1620941851/hebronacademyorg/wvp6vuffqssolglyuq4l/Thumbnails-2.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1620941851/hebronacademyorg/wvp6vuffqssolglyuq4l/Thumbnails-2.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1620941851/hebronacademyorg/wvp6vuffqssolglyuq4l/Thumbnails-2.jpg","width":600}])
Why a departure plan?
I have had a few parents ask about the departure plan. Here are the why, who and where to help you out.
Why - A student who has a contagious disease, including COVID 19 and the flu, among others, cannot be housed on campus during quarantine or isolation due to the risk of transmission to others in the community. Additionally, we do not have adequate isolation space (private rooms with their own bathroom) and staff to care for a student 24 hours a day for up to two weeks in isolation. So they do need to be housed off-campus.
And if we have a sudden school closure (which until March of 2020, we rarely thought would happen), there needs to be a plan in place for students whose parents need more time to plan a return home.
For days students, please do fill out the plan so we know who to call first and not guessing which parent to call- if it is a parent. Please remember for day students we ask they depart campus in 90 minutes.
Who - Please identify an individual who can arrive within 24 hours. We cannot hold a child for any longer than that, so if your plan is to arrive on campus within 24 hours, make sure that is a viable plan. We cannot be flexible, especially with a contagious disease and a whole community to keep in mind. So please factor in leaving a job, planning travel, international travel regulations, pre arrival and arrival testing requirements, delays, car rental, hotel rental etc. Please note that thee length of time you will have your student will not be definite -- it will depend on the diagnosis and the length of time they may have symptoms or the time we must wait between testing and getting the tests returned. There are many variables. It could be up to two weeks or longer.
Where - Ideally, plan to take your student home, but please note that no student who is contagious or suspected of being contagious can be on public transportation. So, if you are not within driving distance, you will have to consider booking a local hotel or rental.
Finally, if you are not within driving distance, please consider designating Lara Butera and ISS as your local guardian, even as a back up plan in case you are unable to make it here within the 24 hrs. Her bio is included in this newsletter. Please reach out to Director of Health Services, Deb Traub, with any questions. Once you have completed the requirements, you can go back in and change them at any time up until August 1.