Planning for Fall 2021: The Return to Five Days On Campus

Below is the announcement shared with the SPA community on April 22, 2021, by Bryn Roberts, Head of School, regarding plans for the opening of school in Fall 2021.

To the SPA community,

With the end of the academic year in sight, we are working to organize the activities of May and June and we are planning for the new school year in the fall.

We plan to open the 2021-22 school year, which begins at the end of August, with students in all divisions attending in-person classes on campus five days per week. Some of our COVID mitigation measures will still be in place in the fall, and we will keep you apprised of our evolving plans over the summer. I know that we all look forward to a return to our five-day week and the sense of normalcy and consistency that will come with the resumption of our school schedule as we knew it before the pandemic.

There are good reasons to be hopeful as we look ahead, including the successful rollout of the vaccine in Minnesota and a general sense of optimism that the worst of the pandemic is behind us. In our optimism, however, we cannot let our guard down: COVID is still with us, and it is critical that we continue to observe the protocols and policies that have served us so well this year. Our Medical Director, Dr. Paul Anderson, has advised us that COVID numbers will continue to fluctuate throughout the spring. Your vigilance is essential. I ask that you continue to counsel your students, especially those in the Upper School, on the necessity of making wise choices when they are not at school. This means wearing masks and maintaining social distance. Prudent choices by all our community members after school hours and on the weekend will help to preserve the safety of the school community.

We hope that the spring will give us some opportunities to reconnect as a school community. Traditionally, spring is filled with the excitement of year-end rituals, and planning is now underway in every division for the spring activities that we cherish. We will do everything we can to make those events as personal and celebratory as possible. In the coming days, you will hear more from the division principals on these end-of-year activities.

In the meantime, continue to stay safe and healthy, and many thanks for your continued support.

Best wishes,

Bryn S. Roberts
Head of School