Dear Families and Guardians,

We are busy making the campus ready for your teenager and planning how best to support our boarders’ return to campus. Please note that the information in this communication reflects our plans as of this date, July 15, and some items may be adjusted to reflect the newest Health and Safety protocols.

As of now, for the first four weeks, our boarders will remain on campus and outside visitors will be limited. Additionally, we will not be running local errands or taking any coordinated trips but will be planning for plenty of outdoor activities to do on campus. Additionally, food delivery will not be permitted during this time, but students can still have packages shipped to them.

For our regional boarders, we ask that they, too, remain on campus for these first four weeks. If there is an extenuating circumstance, please reach out to me. After the first four weeks, we are planning to allow regional travel home for the weekends.

For our students who may not be able to get to campus by the start of school, please keep us up to date with your plans. We are preparing areas on campus to quarantine late arrivals for the required 14 days, as needed.

For students who will be arriving in January for semester two, we are planning for your arrival and will be sharing more information closer to the date of arrival. Please watch for more information from our Director of International Scholars, Natasha McKeown, about distance learning for semester one.

At this time, we will not be hosting any in-person family/guardian orientation due to limits on large gatherings. Once you drop off your student, they will have officially moved in and will be under our supervision. Parents and guardians are asked to leave campus after move-in is completed.

Please note that we are hosting virtual student and family orientation and community events throughout the summer, starting mid-July.

Please carefully review the information below regarding your arrival to campus. These protocols will allow us to welcome students into their new home while also keeping all students, families, faculty, and staff safe in the process.

We are so excited to welcome our new and returning students to SD Boarding!

GENERAL INFORMATION
Student arrivals for San Domenico will take place from August 14 - August 16.

During these opening days, the following requirements will be in place:

1. Each individual will participate in a safety screening upon parking, including temperature checks and answering physical health questions related to COVID-19.

2. Face coverings must be worn at all times, unless you have a medical condition that does not allow for this. In the event that this is the case, in its place, a face shield should be worn. Students with pre-existing health conditions should communicate ahead of time with our Director of Health Services, Toni Scott, via email: tscott@sandomenico.org.

3. All parents and guardians must follow instructions that will guide you to the drop off location and then to parking.

4. Parents and Guardians are allowed to assist with unpacking during your scheduled move-in appointment.

5. Upon entry in the Residence Halls, students, parents, and guardians will be asked to wash their hands and/or use hand sanitizer.

6. Assistance will be provided for transporting student belongings to the residence halls.

7. For guidance on packing, please review the Residential Life Packing List

ARRIVAL and MOVE-IN SCHEDULE

1. Friday, August 14, 8:00 am-10:00 pm - International/Domestic students, new and returning, who have been quarantining at SD, will move into their assigned rooms.

2. Friday, August 14, 11:00 am-7:00 pm - International and Domestic students, new and returning, who flew to the Bay Area and have been quarantining with their families and/or guardians will move into their assigned dorm rooms. USE this link to reserve your move in time: SD International/Domestic Boarding Arrival.

3. Saturday, August 15 - NEW and RETURNING regional boarding students move in and families must use this link to reserve your move in date/time: SD Boarding Arrival

4. Sunday, August 16 - NEW and RETURNING regional boarding students move in and families must use this link to reserve your move in date/time: SD Boarding Arrival

5. Saturday, August 15 to Monday, August 17 - Orientation, Hygiene Protocol training, and Community Activities adhering to health and safety guidelines offered throughout the day.

6. Tuesday, August 18 - Getting prepared for classes!

7. Wednesday, August 19 - Classes begin!

ARRIVAL TO CAMPUS

During your scheduled move-in time as you drive onto campus:

1. Once you enter through the front gate, a staff member will guide you to the appropriate parking lot. If you arrive before or after your arrival time, we will accommodate you as soon as possible.

2. Once you park in the designated parking lot, a staff member will check in your student and assist with unloading your vehicle if needed.

3. Enrolled students and their family/guardian will proceed to their residence hall with a student or staff helper where they will be welcomed to their new home.

4. Once students are on campus, they will remain on campus.

a. Families who need to leave campus to shop, etc. will be permitted to leave and then return to a designated parking lot on campus where their student may meet them to retrieve additional items.

ARRIVAL REMINDERS

TO BAY AREA BY PLANE - requires a 14-day quarantine period upon entry into the Bay Area
1. Students arriving by plane into the Bay Area will need to:

a. Stay with a local guardian or family member to quarantine

b. Or have made prior arrangements with San Domenico by emailing Alexis Gerlach at agerlach@sandomenico.org

2. Provide a record of 2 weeks without a fever (more information on this requirement will be sent shortly)

3. Provide proof of a passed Covid-19 test

COMING BY CAR? - requires a 14-day shelter in place prior to moving to campus

1. Students arriving by car will need to have followed these safety practices for these 14 days prior to your move-in date:

a.  Follow shelter in place guidelines
b.  Wear facial coverings outside of one’s home
c.  Practice strict physical distancing

2. Provide a record of 2 weeks without a fever (more information on this requirement will be sent shortly)

IN THE RESIDENCE HALL

1. With the assistance of staff, student volunteers, and family/guardians, students will move to their residence hall.

2. Staff members in each residence hall will welcome students to their new home and introduce roommate pairs.

3. Roommates will be considered a “pod” and boarders do not need to wear masks in their rooms. However, please note that face coverings must be worn in all other areas of the residence hall and campus.

a. Because your room is your sanctuary where you will not have to wear a mask for the foreseeable future, there will be no room visitations of any kind.

b. Dorm floors are considered “Family” cohorts, and we ask that residents wear face coverings when on their dorm floor. There will be NO visitation allowed to other dorm floors.

c. Dorm lounges and designated outside areas will be used for dorm floor meetings, discussions, and study hall.

Note that there will be extremely limited indoor common spaces on campus.

4. Due to the specific safety requirements, there will be no adjustments to housing.

STORED BELONGINGS

1. Returning students who have stored belongings for the summer will be able to pick these items up upon arrival.

2. Please head to your assigned residence hall and staff will assist with the retrieval of your belongings from the residence hall in which they are stored.

SHIPPING ITEMS 

1. For your convenience, we highly encourage families to ship as many items to campus as possible ahead of arrival.

2. If you ship essential items or personal care items, such as bedding, and they do not arrive before you do, staff will assist with temporary items.

3. Items may be shipped to the following address and will be transported to the student’s assigned residence hall once the items have arrived:

[Student Name]
San Domenico School
1500 Butterfield Rd.
San Anselmo, CA
94960

If you have any additional questions, please let me know.

Sincerely,