Reopening Task Force Update on Facility Improvements

Reopening Task Force Update on Facility Improvements

Dear Aidan Community,

We hope that the first week of the new school year has gone well for you and your families, and that everyone remains safe and healthy. While DLP 2.0 is taking its maiden voyage, the Reopening Task Force continues to ready our building for the return to in-person instruction, in line with our safety standards and protocols designed over the summer.

Ongoing improvements include the following:

  • We are transforming the front office into the office for our new school nurse Lexi Pollack. Some construction will be undertaken, and furniture and equipment are being delivered and installed so that Lexi will be ready to serve the needs of our students, faculty, and staff when we return to the building.
  • We have purchased and taken delivery of thousands of masks and gloves, gallons of hand sanitizer and soap, and dozens of hand sanitizer dispensers. It is essential that Aidan have this PPE, and we encourage our community to continue to practice good hand hygiene, wear face coverings and observe responsible social distancing protocol.
  • We are taking the following steps to keep fresh outdoor air circulating through our building, one of the most important strategies to maintain a healthy facility during the pandemic:
    • To better regulate temperature and allow for continuous fresh air flow in every classroom throughout the school day, we are taking advantage of building downtime this fall to upgrade our windows. The new windows are insulated, double-paned windows that offer improved operability and ease of use. Coupled with new box fans we will be able to exchange all the air in a classroom continuously throughout the day.
    • Exterior doors in the Sassafras, Mountain Silverbell and Sweet Gum classrooms are being fitted with screens so that we can keep those doors open to maximize air flow.
    • Multiple free-standing air purifier units are also being deployed in each classroom to provide coverage for any spots (corners, alcoves) that may receive less airflow. 

As part of our ongoing work assessing the timetable for our reopening scenarios, the Reopening Task Force is monitoring COVID metrics in the region, including the rolling 7-day average of novel cases, sustained low transmission rates, and sustained decrease in community spread, as well as the relevant standard of care.

The Task Force and the School continue to be heartened by the statements of support, helpful feedback and offers of assistance that flow in from our families. We are grateful for the patience, resilience and good humor of our Aidan community. Please send any questions or thoughts to our dedicated email address, reopeningtaskforce@aidanschool.org. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Josh Ackil

Chair, Reopening Task Force

Rachel Li

President, Board of Trustees

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