BUA COVID Protocols

• Members: Chris Kolovos, head of school; Rosemary White, assistant head of school; Elisha Meyer, associate director of institutional advancement for marketing and communications; Victoria Perrone, director of student life and chemistry teacher; two BUA faculty members, Olive Brown and Dan Ford; Laura Jenks, chief of staff to BU Provost Jean Morrison; and BUA parent Dr. Mark Poznansky, director of the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center at Massachusetts General Hospital.
• Mandate: This group’s mandate is to: (1) determine, in collaboration with the University and in accordance with local and state guidance, when in-person classes can resume on campus; and (2) develop plans and put the resources in place for the academic year.

• Maintaining the health and safety of our community
• Building connection and community, particularly among new students
• Facilitating engaging and rigorous learning

The COVID Task Force has relied most heavily upon the following resources in developing its plans and protocols:

• The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Initial Fall School Reopening Guidance and ongoing updates
• Boston University’s Back2BU policies and protocols
• CDC Guidance

BUA has formed four planning teams, which will work in conjunction with the COVID Task Force. We are fortunate to have several BUA parents in the medical and public health fields participating on the Health and Safety team. These teams will focus on the following areas:

• Teaching & Learning
• Community & Student Experience 
• Health & Safety 
• Logistics & Facilities

All members of the Boston University Academy school community have a shared responsibility in maintaining a safe and healthy campus. It is imperative that all students, families, faculty, and staff commit to the school’s health and safety policies and procedures to prevent the spread of illness and to help keep one another safe. This is our collective responsibility for the health of the community. 

We want to work with families to support their child’s adherence to safety measures while they are on campus as well as at home. As a community that prioritizes health and safety, we must all do our part to adhere to state health recommendations and regulations to control transmission and potential future outbreaks. Moreover, there may be times when we ask families to comply with broader safety measures and we greatly appreciate your cooperation in this regard.

We expect members of the BUA community to agree to the following norms and expectations:

• Follow federal, state, and local orders related to COVID-19.
• Notify the school if your child or someone in your household tests positive for COVID-19 or if they are symptomatic and awaiting test results.
• Keep your child home if they have symptoms, have tested positive, or if the daily attestation suggests that they stay home.
• Practice and reinforce good hygiene practices at home, in particular, the importance of frequent handwashing.
• Reinforce the importance of physical distancing on an off campus.
• Limit the items your child brings onto campus each day and reinforce policies around the sharing of food, supplies, and other items with other students.
• Send your child to school with a face covering that securely covers the nose and mouth every day they will be on campus. Teach your child how to properly use and remove a face mask and reinforce the importance of face coverings. If using a reusable cloth face covering, it should be changed daily and laundered regularly.
• Complete and submit all required student medical forms prior to the first day of school.
• Avoid unnecessary travel. If your child has traveled outside of Massachusetts, you are required to follow all relevant BU and state policies.

It should be understood that, based on public health circumstances, BU and BUA guidance and protocols may change, potentially abruptly. It is expected that all families, faculty, and staff will follow all new guidance and protocols that are put in place.

All BU students returning to campus will be required, through a digital agreement, to agree to a set of Health Commitments and Expectations including face coverings, symptom attestation, testing, contact tracing, quarantine, and isolation. The agreement makes clear that compliance will be a condition of being a member of our on-campus community. The University is also planning comprehensive public campaigns to inform the community about compliance requirements. You can learn more about BU’s compliance policy and expectations here.

Recent guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health dictates that all children over six months of age must receive an influenza vaccine (flu shot) by December 31, 2020. This mandate includes both students returning to campus in person and those who will learn remotely. We appreciate your timely compliance with this guidance and encourage you to schedule your child’s flu shot at your earliest convenience.

• Face coverings must be worn at all times by everyone inside and outside all BU and BUA facilities.
• Students, employees, and visitors are expected to provide their own face covering. The term face covering can include any cloth or disposable face covering that meets the following criteria: fits snugly but comfortably against the sides of the face and covers the nose, mouth, and chin; fastens securely with ties or ear loops; includes multiple layers of fabric; allows for breathing without restriction.
• Gaiters, bandanas, neck fleeces, scarves, and masks with exhalation valves are not acceptable given the potentially increased risk of aerosol transmission associated with these types of facial coverings.
• BUA will maintain a supply of extra masks should they be needed.
• Based on currently available data, face shields in the absence of facial covering will not provide adequate protection against COVID-19 infection. They may be used in addition to masks but not as a sole intervention.
• For those are unsure about mask usage, here’s a useful video from BU on the best face coverings to choose how to wear a face mask properly. 
• If a student needs a mask break during the school day, he/she may be excused from class to step outside briefly. Designated mask break areas are the BUA Front Lawn and the sidewalks immediately adjacent to the BUA building.
• Additional information is available here.

• Students, faculty, and staff are expected to stay at least 6 feet (about two arms’ lengths) from others in both indoor and outdoor spaces.
• BUA has made significant changes to afford physical distancing for students, faculty, and staff throughout our building.
• Classroom schedules have been adjusted to accommodate 6-foot (or more) distance between students; this often means more, smaller sections.
• Existing classroom furniture will be temporarily replaced with individual tablet desks.
• Stairways and hallways within the main BUA building will be designated for one-way traffic (the main lobby, access-hallway to the SAO annex, and stairway to the arts floor will allow for two-way passage).
• Students and teachers should allow others to exit a room before entering the space while maintaining adequate physical distance.
• Signage and floor markings have been installed throughout the building clarifying capacity and flow.

• Students, faculty, and staff should establish a regular handwashing routine upon entry; before and after meals; after sneezing, coughing, or nose blowing; after using any shared equipment; and before dismissal.
• Sanitization stations will be available at all entrances, in each classroom, and throughout the BUA building. BUA will also install three new handwashing stations.
• All individuals are encouraged to wash their hands frequently, or to use alcohol-based (at least 60% alcohol) hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.

• Spaces within the BUA building will be designated as medical waiting rooms to allow for separation of students who are symptomatic or who receive a positive test result while on campus. 
• As a reminder, the term quarantine is used for individuals who may have been exposed to the virus. It means keeping them physically apart from others in case they are infected. The term isolation is used for individuals who have the virus. It means keeping them separated from people who are not known to have been infected.
• Families are encouraged to familiarize themselves with BU’s Guidelines for COVID-19 Exposures.

Families play a vital role in maintaining safety on campus. The number one safety measure is to keep a child home if they meet any of the below criteria. BUA students, faculty, and staff should not come to campus if they:

• are experiencing any of the following new symptoms of COVID-19 that have arisen in the past 14 days (see list of symptoms below)
• have been in close contact (within 6 feet for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19
• have been in close contact with someone who is symptomatic (patient under investigation) who has been tested for COVID-19 and is awaiting test results
• are symptomatic and been tested for COVID-19 at an off-campus testing location and are awaiting results or have been told the test was positive
• have traveled internationally or to a high-risk location domestically

COVID-19 symptoms include: fever of 100° F, or feeling unusually hot (if no thermometer available) accompanied by shivering/chills; sore throat; new cough not related to chronic condition; difficulty breathing, shortness of breath; vomiting; severe fatigue; severe muscle aches; new loss of of taste or smell. This list will be updated periodically.

Parents/guardians should immediately contact their child’s pediatrician if they are symptomatic or receive a positive test result.

Screening, Testing, Tracing, & Vaccines

As a unit of Boston University, BUA will adhere to and benefit from the University’s multi-pronged approach to safely resuming on-campus activities. In addition to incorporating public health protocols to drive down the rate of transmission of the disease, the University will institute its own COVID-19 screening and testing program for all students, faculty, and staff.

BUA students, faculty, and staff will be required to participate in a daily attestation questionnaire via a secure BU proprietary health portal. 

• Students will receive an automated email every morning directing them to complete the daily health attestation, or they can log into Patient Connect to access the questionnaire.
• All BUA students will need to complete their health attestation every day, including weekends and other days they will not be on campus, unless they plan to learn remotely for the entire semester.
• Students will answer a series of questions related to COVID-19 symptoms and exposure, regardless of whether they plan to come to campus that day or not.
• It is expected that students complete the daily health attestation with a parent/guardian present and inform them if they answer “yes” to any of the questions.
• Selecting “yes” to any of the questions necessitates that the student must remain at home and await a follow-up conversation with a Healthway triage specialist. Callbacks should be within three hours or less from when the attestation form was submitted. The staff member will contact the student directly.
• Parents/guardians should notify the school (617-353-9000 or academy@bu.edu) if the student is asked to stay home due to completing the symptom attestation. 
• BUA students are able to test at the BU Health Services Annex if they are symptomatic. Appointments must be scheduled by the Healthway triage specialist. It is recommended that a parent/guardian transport the student to the on-campus symptomatic testing site; however a parent/guardian does not need to be present for the check-in or collection.
• A letter from the student’s primary care physician is necessary in order for a student to return to campus if their symptoms persist after a negative PCR COVID test is received.
• Upon completion of the daily health screening, individuals receive a COVID-19 badge that they may be required to show to enter BU buildings and events. The badge indicates that individuals are clear to come to campus if they are asymptomatic, in compliance with the testing schedule, and have recently tested negative for COVID-19. Otherwise, it indicates that they are overdue for testing/survey or advised to stay home until contacted by a medical health professional.
• In line with state guidance and recommendations from BU medical professionals, BUA does not have plans to conduct on-site temperature checks.

• Selecting “yes” to any of the questions necessitates that the student must remain at home and await a follow-up conversation with a Healthway triage specialist. Callbacks should be within three hours or less from when the attestation form was submitted. The staff member will contact the student directly.
• A Healthway triage specialist will contact the student directly to review and triage symptoms. If triage determines the student should not be on campus, they must speak with the guardian to review next steps including follow up with the student’s primary care provider.
• Students who have been asked to quarantine due to symptoms reported on their health screening survey must be symptom-free and provide a negative test result or a letter from their primary care physician in order to be cleared to come back to campus. A letter from the student’s primary care physician is necessary in order for a student to return to campus if their symptoms persist after a negative PCR COVID test is received.
• BUA students are able to test at the BU Health Services Annex if they are symptomatic. Appointments must be scheduled by the Healthway triage specialist. It is recommended that a parent/guardian transport the student to the on-campus symptomatic testing site; however a parent/guardian does not need to be present for the check-in or collection.

• Based on their daily symptom screening and COVID testing results, students will see one of five color-coded “badges” when they click on “Show Badge” on the home screen when they log in to Patient Connect. A guide to what each badge color and status means is available here. 
• BUA students and employees are not required to show their COVID-19 badge to enter the BUA building, but faculty and staff may conduct periodic compliance checks. Students who plan to participate in in-person sports activities will be required to show their coaches a GREEN badge to indicate that they are cleared/compliant.
• BUA students and employees are not required to show their COVID-19 badge to enter the BUA building, but faculty and staff may conduct periodic compliance checks (i.e. upon entry in the gym or a gym-wide check every 30 minutes each morning). Students who plan to participate in in-person sports activities will be required to show their coaches a GREEN badge to indicate that they are cleared/compliant. Other departments/buildings on campus and some University professors may ask students to show their COVID-19 badge.
• FitRec, the GSU, and all on-campus dining halls are currently requiring individuals to show their GREEN badge upon entry to the building/facility.

Boston University will implement its own in-house COVID-19 testing program for students, faculty, and staff. Protocols are still being developed. Here is more information and FAQs on coronavirus testing at BU as well as a helpful video on scheduling and self-administering an on-campus test.

• All members of the BU community including BUA students, faculty, and staff, will participate in the University’s COVID-19 screening and testing program if they plan to come to campus to work or learn.
• The testing program will be free to all community members, who will be tested on reentry to campus in August and regularly throughout the year.
• The frequency at which an individual is tested is determined by the testing category to which they have been assigned. Most BUA students, faculty, and staff have been placed in category 1, the most frequent testing category, unless they will engage only in virtual learning, working, and other activities and events. 
• Test collection will be required every four days for students who are enrolled in University classes; for students in BUA classes only, the testing frequency will be every seven days.
• Stations for submitting a testing sample have been installed at four sites on the Charles River Campus and one site on the Medical Campus; the closest testing site to BUA is 808 Commonwealth Ave., diagonally across the street from the BUA building. Individuals will have the ability to pick the testing time and location that is most convenient for their schedule. 
• Test collection is conducted through a self-administered nasal swab (the Anterior Nares collection method), overseen by a medical professional.
• The test is designed to detect whether an individual has SARS-CoV-2, also known as the “coronavirus.” SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes the disease known as COVID-19. The results of this test will not tell if the individual had the virus in the past or if they have immunity from getting the virus in the future. It only tests for the presence of the virus in the specimen at the time of the test.
• BU will use the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test, the most accurate method currently available for detecting the virus that causes COVID-19.
• The tests will be run through a new laboratory located inside the Rajen Kilachand Center for Integrated Life Sciences & Engineering (CILSE). The lab will be run and overseen by certified clinical lab professionals who will work closely with Student Health Services and the Occupational Health Center.
• The University aims to return results within 24 hours for every test. Negative results will be released electronically through the health portal.
• Students who test positive will be contacted by Student Health Services once contact is made with a parent/guardian. Student Health Services will share test results with others at BU including designated contacts at BUA strictly on a need-to-know basis and in support of the student’s care during recovery.
• For more protocols for individuals who test positive, see below.

• Students should schedule their first test upon their return to campus. COVID testing is not required prior to the start of school.
• Testing is available 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, at four locations across campus.
• A short video on how to complete on-campus testing is here.
• Appointments take less than 10 minutes. Students will need to bring their BU ID with them to the testing site along with the QR appointment barcode that is generated when the appointment is booked. The QR code can be printed out or accessed from the student’s phone (either in the patient portal or the appointment confirmation email). They will also be asked to show confirmation that they completed their daily attestation and have been cleared to come to campus that day — a “green badge.”
• Parents and guardians will not be permitted to accompany their child into the testing site. In the opening weeks of school, BUA staff will be on hand to facilitate student visits to the testing site.
• Test collection will be required every four days for students who are enrolled in University classes; for students in BUA classes only, the testing frequency will be every seven days.
• Students will receive email notifications when test results are available in addition to reminders about upcoming appointments and scheduling subsequent tests.
• Results are generally reported within 24 hours and will be made available through the Patient Connect portal.
• Parents will be notified directly in the event of a positive test result.
• BU has posted a video tutorial and step-by-step guide to accessing and navigating Student Patient Connect
• Instructions for Scheduling a Test
  1. Log into Patient Connect (a student’s Kerberos credentials are required)
  2. Click on ‘Schedule an Appointment’
  3. Select ‘COVID-19 Testing’
  4. Review ‘COVID-19 Health Commitments and Expectations’
  5. Review Consent to Testing
  6. Indicate if you are symptomatic or asymptomatic
  7. Confirm your contact information
  8. Select a testing location (closest site to BUA is 808 Gallery)
  9. Select an appointment time
  10. Confirm by clicking ‘Schedule’
  11. View your confirmation information and QR code needed to enter testing

• Boston University’s contact tracing protocol is modeled off the World Health Organization, CDC, and Massachusetts Community Tracing Collaborative processes. Contact tracing scripts have been adapted with input from University academic programs and students to capture the day-to-day intricacies of student and professional life.
• The University will expand on the contact tracing program that it began in Spring 2020. Contact tracing enables rapid identification of those who might have been exposed to the virus by an infected person. The University plans to employ contact tracing (within the BU community) for all infections of individuals in testing categories 1 and 2.
• The local board of health or the Massachusetts Community Tracing Collaborative will also reach out to provide support in identifying and contacting the close contacts of an infected individual. 
• As of October 21, 2020, the CDC has updated its definition of a close contact as:
  • Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (e.g., three 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes) starting from two days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, two days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.
• The Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Boston University further identify those individuals who have direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment as close contacts.
• For updates on the contact tracing protocols, please visit the relevant pages on Back2BU.

• A new web portal, Healthway, has been developed to guide BU community members living, learning, or working on campus. Everyone in the community will use this site to securely access health systems for the following tasks:
  • Completing daily self-attestation symptom reports
  • Scheduling testing
  • Checking test results
  • Displaying health compliance status
• BUA will partner with the Healthway team to ensure access to the University’s COVID-19 health and safety resources for all of its student, faculty, and staff.

• If diagnosed with COVID-19, individuals must self-isolate for a minimum of 10 days from the onset of symptoms or from the test date if no symptoms are present, and be symptom free for at least 24 hours without medication. The individual must receive clearance from public health authority contract tracers in order to leave isolation and return to campus. BU protocols do not require a negative test prior to returning to campus assuming the individual has followed state guidelines; however the individual will need to be cleared by a member of the Healthway staff in order to return to campus. Repeat testing prior to return is not recommended. An individual’s return to school should be based on time and symptom resolution.  
• Students who test positive through on-campus test collection will be contacted by Student Health Services once contact is made with a parent/guardian. A designated school official will also be notified and the student will be placed in a medical waiting room until they can be picked up by a parent/guardian or approved emergency contact. Employees will be contacted by the Occupational Health Center and sent home immediately. In each case, the individual should notify their primary care physician and begin to identify possible close contacts as well as on-campus spaces that they recently inhabited.
• As of August 10, BU does not have plans to do repeat testing for anyone who tests positive to asymptomatic surveillance testing; the BUA community will be notified if this should change.
• Students, faculty, or staff who test positive through off-campus test collection should contact their primary care physician and remain at home (except to get medical care). It is also expected that they notify the Healthway team of the positive test result (either by calling 617-353-0550 or reporting it on the student’s daily attestation, which will prompt a call from a Healthway triage nurse). Parents/guardians and employees should notify the school if they are not well enough to participate in remote work or learning (similar to the normal process for calling in an absence).
• During the isolation period, infected individuals are expected to remain at home (except to get medical care), monitor their symptoms, notify the Healthway Line (617-353-0550) of any relevant updates, notify personal close contacts, assist BU in contact tracing efforts, and answer calls from the local board of health or Massachusetts Community Tracing Collaborative.
• In the event that a presumptive positive or confirmed case is determined, Healthway professional staff along with Facilities Management & Operations and Environmental Health & Safety will develop an individualized cleaning and disinfection plan. All areas used by the infected individual (e.g., classrooms, offices, bathrooms, and common areas) will be closed for decontamination. The length of the closure depends on the type of disinfecting product to be used along with other factors specific to the individual case.

• Close contacts, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), are those individuals who have been within six feet of a COVID-19 positive individual  for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period OR who had direct contact with infectious secretions of that person while not wearing the recommended personal protective equipment.
• Current Massachusetts DPH guidance is that all close contacts of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 should be tested themselves. An individual may be notified by a contact tracer from Boston University, a local board of health, or the Massachusetts Community Tracing Collaborative if they were identified as someone who met the close contact criteria. Students and employees should call the Healthway Line to report the situation if they believe they may be a close contact of someone who tested positive.
• Close contacts should call their primary care provider and follow state guidelines for self-quarantine. Close contacts must quarantine for 14 days since the exposure date unless they receive a negative test result after day 8 of quarantine and are symptom free. Testing is advised for all close contacts; Healthway staff can provide a Massachusetts Department of Public Health “test pass” that indicates they are a priority for testing.
• Recommended timing of testing for close contacts:
  • Close contacts without symptoms: individual should be tested as soon as possible after they are notified of their exposure to COVID-19.
  • Close contacts that develop any symptom at any time during their quarantine period: individual should be tested promptly. Testing should occur even if the person previously had a negative test result during their quarantine period.
• Students, faculty, and staff are expected to notify the Healthway Line if they have been identified as a close contact of an individual who has tested positive. BUA parents/guardians should not call the Healthway Line for themselves (i.e. if they have been identified as a close contact) unless their child has also been deemed a close contact.
• In the case of a positive test result, follow all steps under the “Student, Faculty, or Staff Tests Positive for COVID-19.”
• Strict adherence to the physical distancing, face covering protocols, and other health and safety measures by all members of the BU and BUA community should mean that there are very few, if any, close contacts through BUA classes or activities.

• In this case, close contacts are those individuals who have been within six feet of an individual with symptoms who is awaiting COVID-19 test results for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period OR who had direct contact with potentially infectious secretions (e.g. being coughed on or being sneezed on).
• Close contacts should quarantine for 14 days (i.e. do not come to campus) until they learn that the symptomatic individual is negative and they themselves are asymptomatic. In the case of a positive test result, they should remain at home, call their primary care provider, and follow all steps under: “Close Contacts of Individuals who Test Positive.”
• Students, faculty, and staff do not need to notify Healthway if they have been identified as a close contact of a symptomatic individual unless that person receives a positive test. BUA parents/guardians should not call the Healthway Line for themselves (i.e. if they have been identified as a close contact) unless their child has also been deemed a close contact.
• Parents/guardians and employees should notify the school if they are not well enough to participate in remote work or learning (similar to the normal process for calling in an absence).

• The student or staff member should remain at home and not come to campus.
• Timely and accurate completion of the daily symptom screening should capture an individual’s symptoms and prompt a follow-up phone call from a Healthway triage specialist.
• BUA students are able to test at the BU Health Services Annex if they are symptomatic. Appointments must be scheduled by the Healthway triage specialist. It is recommended that a parent/guardian transport the student to the on-campus symptomatic testing site; however a parent/guardian does not need to be present for the check-in or collection.
• An employee should call their primary care physician and seek appropriate advice regarding a symptomatic testing site.
• Current state guidance is that all symptomatic individuals in Massachusetts, even those with mild symptoms, should be tested. An individual should isolate at home prior to testing and while awaiting test results. Those who do not wish to be tested should remain home in self-quarantine for 10 days from the onset of symptoms and until asymptomatic for 24 hours.
• Individuals who have been asked to quarantine due to symptoms reported on their health screening survey must be symptom-free and provide a negative test result or a letter from their primary care physician in order to be cleared to come back to campus.
• A letter from the student’s primary care physician is necessary in order for a student to return to campus if their symptoms persist after a negative PCR COVID test is received.
• In the case of a positive test result, follow all steps under the “Student, Faculty, or Staff Tests Positive for COVID-19”. 
• Parents/guardians and employees should notify the school if they are not well enough to participate in remote work or learning (similar to the normal process for calling in an absence).

• Students who are found to have a fever or other potential COVID-19 symptoms during the school day will be placed in a designated medical waiting room and directed to speak with either the BUA or BU triage nurse about their symptoms.
• Parents/guardians or an approved emergency contact will be notified that immediate pick-up from school is required. They will also be directed to call their child’s pediatrician to seek appropriate advice regarding a symptomatic testing site.
• Current state guidance is that all symptomatic individuals in Massachusetts, even those with mild symptoms, should be tested. An individual should isolate at home prior to testing and while awaiting test results. Those who do not wish to be tested should remain home in self-quarantine for 10 days from the onset of symptoms and until asymptomatic for 24 hours.
• Individuals who have been asked to quarantine due to symptoms reported on their health screening survey must be symptom-free and provide a negative test result or a letter from their primary care physician in order to be cleared to come back to campus.
• In the case of a positive test result, follow all steps under the “Student, Faculty, or Staff Tests Positive for COVID-19”. 
• Parents/guardians and employees should notify the school if they are not well enough to participate in remote work or learning (similar to the normal process for calling in an absence).

• In instances of multiple cases of confirmed COVID-19 in the school at one time, or if there are a series of single cases in a short time span, school leaders will work with Boston University health officials and the Boston Public Health Commission to assist in the determination of whether it is likely that there is transmission happening at the school and plan appropriate steps.
• Steps may include closing part or all of the school for a short time for an extensive cleaning or other facility mitigation, or closing the school partially or fully for a longer duration.

• In the case of a significant outbreak at BU or the area, school leaders will work with Boston University health officials and the Boston Public Health Commission to assist in the determination of whether it is appropriate to close the school for a period of time.

• Massachusetts is tracking its overall statewide reopening in phases according to the Reopening Massachusetts plan. Currently, Massachusetts is in Phase 3 of reopening.
• If Massachusetts moves back into a prior phase, or further changes are made in Phase 3, DESE (in consultation with the Massachusetts COVID-19 Command Center) will advise on whether in-person school should continue.
• BUA will consult with BU in making its determination.

Based on CDC and ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) guidance, Boston University Facilities Management and Operations (FMO) has implemented enhanced maintenance protocols for mechanical and plumbing systems in campus buildings, including BUA. For more information, please visit the a helpful information FAQ on Back2BU and a recent white paper on HVAC at BU.

• BUA has upgraded air recirculation system filters to a minimum MERV 13. 
• The combination of additional filtration and increased outdoor air ventilation is intended to mitigate the risk of airborne transmission of COVID-19 virus in buildings with mechanical ventilation systems.
• Airborne transmission risk in naturally ventilated buildings can be mitigated by increasing fresh air from open windows. 
• FMO has created an integrated, multi-disciplinary team composed of University Engineering and Building Systems staff, HVAC technicians, external COVID-19 HVAC consultants, building area managers, and Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) staff to review and monitor building HVAC system performance and maintenance on a continuous basis. 
• The University has hired Environmental Health and Engineering (EHE/www.eheinc.com), an engineering and consulting firm with expertise in HVAC system design and operation, to assist both FMO and EH&S staff with this work. 
• FMO has reviewed all building water systems including domestic hot water heaters, hot and cold-water piping systems, sinks, water fountains, bottle filling stations, and toilets.
• The following additional actions have been taken by FMO to mitigate the risk of viral and bacterial exposure following a prolonged period of minimal building use: implemented a plan to regularly flush hot and cold-water; created a schedule to regularly monitor domestic hot water heaters for proper operation and ensuring set points that are consistent with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts plumbing standards; disabled water fountains where the potential transmission of COVID-19 is higher.

For details about plans for BU’s enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols, please visit http://www.bu.edu/cpo/return-to-campus/covid-19-faq/. Specific highlights for BUA include:

• Custodial staff will perform enhanced routine cleaning and disinfection of classrooms and common spaces, with special attention to high-touch surfaces including, but not limited to; tables, chairs and seats, doorknobs, light switches, handrails, handles, elevator buttons, desks, workstations, toilets, sinks, and faucets. Electrostatic broad spectrum sprayers that aerosolize virucidal cleaning agents will be for large scale spaces. 
• The enhanced cleaning & disinfecting protocols utilize products with the lowest toxicity available. FMO uses Hydrogen Peroxide based products (Envirox 117 and Oxivir TB) to sanitize and disinfect. Both of these products are among the safest and most effective available in the industry. These products remove 99.9 percent of common germs.
• All classrooms will be equipped with a disinfecting wipe dispenser with an integrated garbage can and a touchless wall-mounted hand sanitizer dispenser. 
• Students and staff will wipe down desks and other high-touch surfaces upon entry and exit.
• BUA’s planned building closure on Wednesdays will allow for deep cleaning and disinfecting during the day mid-week.
• In the event that a presumptive positive or confirmed case is determined, BU professional staff along with Facilities Management & Operations and Environmental Health & Safety will develop an individualized cleaning and disinfection plan. All areas used by the infected individual (e.g., classrooms, offices, bathrooms, and common areas) will be closed for decontamination. The length of the closure depends on the type of disinfecting product to be used along with other factors specific to the individual case.

• All classrooms will be equipped with touchless hand sanitizer dispensers and disinfecting wipe kiosks. 
• BUA has also installed three handwashing sinks and additional touchless hand sanitizer dispensers in common spaces throughout the building.

Water fountains that require contact for use will be closed or removed; water bottle filling stations remain operable.

Stairways and hallways within the main BUA building will be designated for one-way traffic (the main lobby, access-hallway to the SAO annex, and stairway to the arts floor will allow for two-way passage). Elevators are limited to a one-person occupancy and protocols for bathrooms are being discussed. Student lounges and shared spaces where people are likely to congregate will be closed or reconfigured.

Administrative office occupancy will be limited to no more than 50% of typical occupancy. Signage and floor markings have been installed throughout the building clarifying capacity and newly established traffic patterns.

Signage has been posted throughout the building to provide visual cues about COVID-19 guidelines and behavioral expectations including those for traffic flow purposes, policy enforcement, and the promotion of good hygiene and physical distancing.

• Much of the current classroom furniture will be temporarily replaced by individual tablet desks to allow for appropriate physical spacing.
• Communal furniture in the lobbies and corridors will be removed to avoid congregation.

• Each classroom has been outfitted with a webcam and microphone to facilitate students who choose to join in-person BUA classes synchronously.
• The Black Box Theatre and Gym will also receive new audio/visual equipment.
• Students who will attend in-person classes are asked to bring a tablet or laptop computer every day that they are on campus in order to minimize paper and material distribution, facilitate safe group work, and allow for students in class to collaborate with students at home. A laptop or tablet is ideal, though individual smartphones will also be acceptable devices for classroom use.
• If you believe that the expectation to provide a dedicated device for your child(ren) represents a significant hardship for your family, please reach out to Nastaran Hakimi. 

• BUA will install an additional swipe-card access reader in order to activate a new building entrance. This will allow for four entrances for students during peak hours.

BUA’s reentry plan for fall 2020 entails holding in-person classes four days per week, with Wednesday being a day for remote learning. Any student will have the ability to join BUA classes from home on the four in-person days.

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes (BUA English, history, classics) will meet for 50 minutes 3 times per week; Tuesday and Thursday classes (BUA math, science, arts) will meet for 75 minutes twice per week. 
• 9th- and 10th-grade students will typically have three class meetings per day, with other periods devoted to community time, health, and other activities. 
• Juniors and seniors in BU courses will follow the schedules for those classes, and will have the option of learning remotely via BU’s Learn from Anywhere program.
• All BUA classes will meet remotely on Wednesdays. 
• All BUA classes will be held in the BUA building and BUA 3rd floor arts wing.
• Students without a class in the first and/or last period will be encouraged to arrive for their first class and/or leave after their last class. 
• Parents/guardians will be asked every two weeks to indicate if their child(ren) will learn on campus or from home. Those who opt for in-person learning and decide to move to remote learning after making their selection, can do so at any time by contacting the front desk. Those who select remote learning are asked to continue with that option for the full two-week period. More details and specific attendance protocols to follow.

• The schedule allows section sizes conforming with 6-foot spacing between desks. A space analysis was conducted by BU’s Facilities Management and Operations team.
• Bringing students to campus four days per week helps build community and connection; this is important for everyone, but particularly so for new students.
• The schedule allows for staggered starts and ends to the day, since some students will not have classes during the first and last blocks of the day. This alleviates crowding at the entrances and exits during peak hours.
• For students who are learning from home synchronously, a three-class-per-day schedule is a sustainable Zoom experience.
• Remote-only Wednesdays respond to a parental preference for a schedule where students are not on campus all five days, reducing the number of commuting days.
• A remote learning day on Wednesday allows for deep cleaning of the facility on that day, as necessary.

BUA is committed to providing meaningful experiences for all students in life outside of the academic classrooms. We also acknowledge that in our current environment, the experiences in performing and visual arts, will be different from the pre-COVID-19 context.

• In Visual Arts classes, we are developing protocols around uses of materials, including individual art supplies for each student. We will also work with students who are learning from home to have the supplies they need for the course.
• Due to health guidelines, we are unable to have chorus, wind, or brass instruments perform indoors. Therefore, students enrolled in Chorus, Jazz Band, and Chamber Ensemble will learn about aspects of music on a variety of topics from jazz theory to music technology during regular class time. Students will choose from units offered throughout the semester. To supplement this, students have the option to practice and perform in small ensembles who will meet online to rehearse. Swamps Cats plans to meet in person and practice on the front lawn, weather permitting,
• The Introduction to Drama course has been redesigned for physical distancing and remote learners. The curriculum will include how to stage a play, exploration of the history of Western theater traditions from the Greeks to Contemporary practices, and a performance component. It will culminate in a recorded performance using online platforms. The Advanced Drama course will focus on creating an ensemble work based on stories found in the media, as is the typical curriculum for this course. The semester will culminate in a zoom reading of this work by professional actors from the Boston area.

• Physical Education will not be required for 9th- and 10th-grade students in the 2020-2021 academic year. Instead, we are reimagining our P.E. program to offer group Zoom classes for students at home, likely in the evenings. These may include yoga, hip hop dance, and karate.
• BUA will provide safe opportunities for students to stay active, develop team spirit, and have some fun along the way. This fall, BUA will offer four sports in the afternoon — cross country, soccer, tennis, and disc golf — in ways that allow for appropriate physical distancing.
• There will be no interscholastic competition in the fall of 2020.

• No interscholastic athletic play will take place during the fall semester. 
• We are thinking creatively to ensure that students have opportunities for physical fitness, skill building, and team camaraderie this fall — whether that experience involves smaller groups of students, lower-risk sports and activities, or amended athletic practice/competition schedules.

There may be a time during the school year when we will transition to a fully remote learning model, as we did in spring 2020. The spring transition went well, but we will apply what we learned and heard from student and parent feedback surveys to provide an improved remote experience. 

• The fall schedule matrix allows for a smooth transition to fully remote learning.
• 9th- and 10th-grade students will have 3-5 hours of synchronous learning per day (depending on schedule). 
• Many parts of the student experience (e.g., activities, office hours, class meetings, academic support) will be online for students participating in remote learning all year; this will ensure a seamless move to full remote learning. 

• 9th- and 10th-grade students will meet with their advisors in small group and individual meetings three times throughout the week. These will be online via Zoom or in-person depending on schedules and whether a student or advisor is on campus or learning/working from home.
• Eleventh and twelfth graders will meet with their advisor in weekly individual meetings. These will be online via Zoom or in-person depending on schedule and if the student/advisor is learning/working from home.

• Specific information for each student support program will be shared in the coming days. Peer tutoring pairs will have remote meetings via Zoom. The Writing Center and Math and Science Help Center (MASH) will be available online via Zoom or in-person. Subject-specific help from BU undergrads through our Proctored Open Study Hall (POSH) program will be available online via Zoom or in-person. Hours for MASH and POSH will be posted at the start of the school year. 
• Academic accommodations for BUA courses will be facilitated by Ms. Weiskopf and Ms. Mansour. Ms. Weiskopf will help students coordinate with BU’s Disability and Access Services for BU courses.

• All-School Meetings and Class Meetings will be held virtually. More information and schedules for these will be shared at the start of the school year.

• The roster and schedules for student clubs and activities is generally announced around the end of September, following the Student Activities Fair (which will take place virtually this year). It is expected that, depending on the size and nature of each club or activity, some may take place in person, while others will meet remotely.

Given the current health and safety environment, we understand that fulfilling the community service requirement may prove challenging in the upcoming year. Therefore, the requirement of eight service hours per year a student is enrolled at BUA will be waived for 2020-2021. Any service hours submitted over the course of the year will be applied toward the following academic year, up to eight hours. 

• The main BUA building will be open from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
• The Gym/BUA annex will be open from 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, including on Wednesdays.
• Students taking BU classes are welcome to be in the gym on Wednesdays to join those classes remotely or to wait during periods between classes.
• Students are encouraged to limit their time on campus to when they have in-person classes or activities and/or if they need access to on-campus resources. This will allow for staggered arrival and departure times.
• Students and staff will have swipe-card access to the building; vendors, delivery people,  and visitors by appointment only must ring into the building from the front door/main entrance.
• Parents/guardians are encouraged to call the front desk with questions/concerns or to schedule an online meeting. Building access for parents/guardians should be limited and, where possible, be by appointment only.
• We have added an additional swipe-card access reader to the door adjacent to the Bridge Lot, in the lower BUA hallway near Dr. Harvey’s classroom, by the bike racks. This additional entrance/egress point will allow for lower density in the highly-trafficked front and side doors.

• When commuting to campus, BUA students and employees must follow City of Boston and Commonwealth of Massachusetts recommendations, including wearing face coverings and maintaining physical distance in public spaces. 
• Those individuals who rely on public transportation should review changes to service and passenger protocols on the MBTA website. 
• Active pick-up and drop-off areas have been identified in the Upper and Lower Bridge Lots (accessed from University Road by Storrow Drive), Law School North Entrance (accessed from Bay State Road), Essex Street Garage & Lot (entrance at 148 Essex Street in Brookline). Families should be aware that the both Upper Bridge and Essex Street lots are unattended gated lots. Parents/guardians will need to use the QR code on their individually assigned BUA parking placard in order to open the gate.

• BUA has reached out to those who have expressed interest in carpooling to connect them to other BUA families in their area. Current families can also utilize the online directory in the secure family portal to coordinate their own carpool.
• Students who bike to campus are strongly encouraged to register their bikes and familiarize themselves with bike-related amenities on campus. The closest racks to BUA are located off the Upper Bridge Lot and at the SAO entrance on University Road. There is also a covered bike rack located between the Booth Theatre and 808 Commonwealth Avenue.
• BUA students who do not live in close proximity to campus and who are interested in driving themselves to school are eligible to purchase a parking permit through BU Parking & Transportation Services. The semester-based pass will cost $493 for the fall and $580 for the spring semester; parking is subject to the lots and other restrictions allowed by the Blue Student Parking Permit. A BUA-specific application form must be emailed to Victoria Leskoski (vleskosk@bu.edu) at BU Parking & Transportation Services for processing; charges will be billed through Smart Tuition (financial aid incidental grant funds can be used for this purpose). Prorated refunds will be issued if the school were to fully transition to remote learning during the semester or if a student were to cancel the pass prior to the end of the semester.

• All movement around and within the BUA building should be deliberate.
• Individuals should adhere to the requisite 6-feet of physical distance when in shared spaces including classrooms, corridors, lobbies, and stairwells; this translates to 5 steps apart on the stairs. Traffic flow and capacity rules will be clearly marked by signage throughout the building. 
• The stairways and hallways within the main BUA building will be designated for one-way traffic, while the main lobby, access-hallway to the SAO annex, and stairway to the arts floor will allow for two-way passage. Floor markings will be used to delineate passageways. 
  • West stairwell (by parking lot) → one-way directional UP
  • East stairwell (by University Road) → one-way directional DOWN
  • Hallways → one-way directional CLOCKWISE
  • SAO stairwell to arts floor → two-way passage
• All elevators are limited to a one-person occupancy. 
• All bathrooms regardless of the number of stalls are currently limited to a one-person occupancy.
• Drinking fountains that require contact for use will be closed; motion-activated water bottle refilling stations will be operational.
• Common spaces such as the Quiet Study Room (QSR), Junior-Senior Room (JSR) will be closed to student use and repurposed for one-on-one or smaller group meetings. Larger spaces within the BUA building will be designated for student social spaces and gatherings.
• All classroom seating will be preassigned, and desks’s will face in the same direction. A student’s classroom seat assignment will remain the same for the fall semester. Physically distanced seating in the gym will not be assigned.

• Ninth- and tenth-grade students will be in the gym during lunch and any free periods throughout the school day. They also have the option to go to green spaces near the BUA building (see map of approved outdoor spaces below). If a parent/guardian does not want students walking to and utilizing these green spaces, they should email academy@bu.edu to let the school know that their child should remain in the gym during lunch and any free periods during the school day. 
• 

• All students may either bring food from home or order food from the GSU using the GrubHub Campus Dining app using Convenience or Dining Points or a credit or debit card. Instructions on how to set up your GrubHub account is here.
• 9th and 10th graders will eat lunch in the BUA building or in one of the approved outdoor spaces. 9th and 10th graders are not allowed to eat inside the GSU.
• Refrigerators and microwaves will not be available for student use.
  

• Students will not have access to lockers during the fall semester. Students should plan accordingly, packing their backpacks as lightly and efficiently as possible. We will reevaluate this policy mid-semester as the weather gets colder and students begin bringing heavier coats and outerwear to school. Exceptions will be considered in extenuating circumstances; individual requests should be submitted to academy@bu.edu.  
• All student mailboxes will be closed for the fall semester to prevent crowding and congregating in the main lobby. Paper assessments and assignments will be distributed and returned in class; all other announcements will be made virtually.

• Large in-person gatherings including community-wide events for the fall semester (e.g. New Parent Orientation, Back-to-School Night, Fall Festival, Parents Day) will be held virtually, where possible.
• The 9th and 10th grade trip to Camp Burgess will not take place this year. We will actively pursue ways to recreate the community-building experiences for this cohort.
• We will look for opportunities to create community moments with small-group in-person gatherings, if possible.

• Non-essential visitors to campus and within the BUA building will be strictly limited. This includes but is not limited to: parents/guardians; prospective students and families and all admission visitors; and college representatives.
• All essential visitors to campus, including delivery personnel and external vendors, must adhere to BUA’s physical distancing and face covering protocols at all times.
• For more information about BU’s campus-wide policies, please consult BU’s Policy Regarding Campus Visitors During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Chris Kolovos
Head of School
ckolovos@bu.edu

Stacey Weiskopf
School Counselor
ssherpe1@bu.edu 

Nastaran Hakimi
Director of Admission
nrhakimi@bu.edu

Rosemary White
Assistant Head of School for Academics and Student Affairs
rosew@bu.edu

David Stone
Director of Athletics & Alumni Relations
stoneyd@bu.edu

Victoria Perrone
Director of Student Life
perronev@bu.edu

Ellen Evans
University Liaison
erevans@bu.edu

For students, faculty, and staff who are symptomatic, tested positive, or calling to speak with a contact tracer.
617-353-0550