Students and Families

Since the spring, Mercersburg Academy has been working diligently to understand the impact of COVID-19 and to develop protocols to protect our community. We knew that planning to open to on-campus learning would be complex and would also require significant resources in order to feel confident in this direction. At this time, our goal is to protect those in our community who are most vulnerable while delivering on our mission for our students. We all must recognize that the way we live and learn together will look different, but in order to have the privilege of being on campus, we will make the necessary sacrifices to protect our community members most susceptible to the virus. Should we receive new information in the coming weeks or months that impacts our plans, we will communicate promptly with our families. But for now, we are continuing to prepare to welcome our students back to campus with the guidance of medical experts and state policies, both of which currently support our initial plans to return to campus learning.

School Leadership Q&A Webinars

July 21, 2020: Return to Campus
July 22, 2020: Day Students
July 23, 2020: Students Living Abroad
July 23, 2020: Domestic Boarding Students

Important Dates And Travel Information

As it relates to travel planning, what is the current plan for the fall and winter terms?

Students will arrive on campus in assigned stages beginning Friday, September 4. The fall term will run without a fall break until Friday, November 13. Students will then immediately begin an interim term called the Mercersburg Intensive, which will run from Monday, November 16, to Wednesday, December 16, with a break for the traditional Thanksgiving holiday. Students will take one course during this term and will begin the course in-person while on campus November 16-18, with the balance of the one-credit course continuing virtually between Thanksgiving break and winter break. All students should plan to travel home on the currently scheduled date of Thursday, November 19, with a tentative plan to return to campus Wednesday, January 6, 2021, to begin the winter term.

On what date is my child expected to arrive on campus?

Friday, September 4: Student leaders
Sunday, September 6: New students who live abroad
Monday, September 7: New domestic boarding and day students
Tuesday, September 8 and Wednesday, September 9: Returning domestic boarding and day students (families will arrange move-in times through the Office of Student Life)
Thursday, September 10: Returning students who live abroad

What if we are unable to arrive on our child’s prescribed date?

We recognize that there may be many reasons that might prevent a student from arriving exactly on the date prescribed to them. The Office of Student Life will work closely with families to coordinate an appropriate arrival date in those circumstances. If a student is delayed from returning to school and forced to miss classes, they will be able to engage with their classes virtually until they can safely get to campus.

What is the school’s plan for transporting students from the airport to campus?

We are working with a professional third-party bus company to arrange the transportation of students on major arrival days. We will make sure that they practice physical distancing and require masks during transfers. For questions regarding transportation, please contact Transportation Coordinator, Carol Ecton.

Will students be required to obtain a COVID-19 test before returning to campus?

Yes, every student (and faculty and staff member) must obtain a nasal swab PCR COVID-19 test within 14 days before arriving on campus, and that test report must be submitted to the Rutherford Health and Wellness Center when you arrive on campus. If a student tests positive for COVID-19, they will be required to remain off-campus until 14 days after they are symptom free. If a student tests positive but has no symptoms, they must remain off campus for a minimum of 14 days following the positive test. If you have any problems scheduling a COVID-19 test, please contact the health center, which may be able to provide guidance. A nasal swab PCR test is the only acceptable testing method.

What if we are unable to complete the required COVID-19 test within 14 days of arrival?

If you are having difficulty scheduling a COVID-19 test prior to arrival, please communicate with the Rutherford Health and Wellness Center at 717-328-6136. We are working closely with Meritus Health in Hagerstown, Maryland, for our testing needs. We can provide families with information on how to to schedule a test locally. Families are required to keep their child off campus until test results are received.

How will the school manage the move-in and orientation process?

Domestic Boarding Students: If you are within driving distance of the school (“within driving distance” refers to those families who can drive from their homes to school and back in the same day), you will be expected to move your belongings into the dorm between August 15 and August 20. The Office of Student Life will send out a sign-up sheet for times soon. Students will not stay on campus, but will return home to self-quarantine for 14 days before returning to school. This process will allow us to ensure effective physical distancing while providing families with the opportunity to set up rooms together. Students living in the U.S. but not within driving distance must self-quarantine at home for 14 days before returning to school.
Students Living Abroad: Students coming to the U.S. from other countries should monitor CDC guidelines for reentry, which currently include a 14-day quarantine. As a result, both new and returning students living abroad are required to arrive in the U.S. at least 14 days prior to their prescribed arrival date:

Student Leaders: Quarantine in U.S on or before August 21; arrive to school on September 4
New Students: Quarantine in U.S. on or before August 23; arrive to school on September 6
Returning Students: Quarantine in U.S. on or before August 28; arrive to school on September 10

We ask families who are able to quarantine off campus during that time to do so. We also recognize that this may not be possible for everyone and will work with families to provide a safe quarantine option on campus if necessary. Students who elect to quarantine on campus must arrive Friday, August 21—two weeks prior to the arrival of other students. There will be an additional nominal fee for this service of $250 per week. Students planning to arrive after August 21 who need to be quarantined locally should contact Chris Howes for more information.
Virtual Orientation: Due to restrictions on having large gatherings of people on campus, we will provide virtual orientation opportunities for our new students and families in August. We will communicate those opportunities to you by August 1. In addition, once students are on campus, we will conduct our on-campus orientation for students to acclimate to school life.

Will the school place limits on what students can bring to campus this year?

Yes. Because of the uncertainties of COVID-19, we recognize that should the school be forced to close at any point during the year, students would be required to pack their belongings efficiently. More information on what to bring for the fall term is located in the parent portal.

Enrollment and Tuition

When is my enrollment contract binding? When is the first tuition payment due?

The enrollment contract for the 2020-2021 school year became binding on May 10, 2020. The first tuition payment was due on July 15, 2020.

My family has been financially impacted by COVID-19. Is tuition assistance available?

If your financial circumstances have drastically changed because of COVID-19, you may apply for short-term tuition assistance by contacting Liam Chatterton, director of financial aid.

Will newly enrolled students be allowed to defer their acceptance?

At this time, newly enrolled and currently enrolled students will not be permitted to defer for a year or take a gap year.

Will families receive a refund if there is a disruption to in-person learning?

We acknowledge the significant financial commitment that families make when choosing to enroll their child(ren). We also recognize that the uncertainties surrounding the upcoming year may cause trepidation, particularly as it relates to the potential need for the school to pivot to extended remote learning. With this in mind, we are actively working to finalize a financial model for a variety of adjusted tuition amounts in the event that we have a major disruption to the academic year that forces students to learn remotely for one or more terms.

Academics

What can you tell us about the daily schedule for the fall term and how my child’s day might look different?

We will be adjusting our academic schedule in order to make the best use of time during the 2020-2021 school year, allowing for deep and meaningful learning all year, the opportunity for students to earn more credits during the year, and the convenience of being able to select in-person or virtual learning by term. The goals of our daily schedule are to maximize flexibility, address the necessity for longer dining hours to allow for physical distancing, and design for even smaller class sizes. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, gatherings of more than 25 people are currently prohibited, and all gatherings must adhere to proper physical distancing. This will prevent us from gathering at one time as a school community for all-school meetings or meals. We have a creative team working to ensure that we have ways to build community despite not being able to be all together in the Simon Theatre, Irvine Memorial Chapel, or Ford Hall. Students should also expect other limitations, like dorm access for residents only and limited social time indoors. State guidelines help to formulate our restrictions, and we are also building our own levels that will guide our community on what is allowed on campus at any given time and what is not.

What will after-school (Performance Group Activity) offerings look like in the fall?

We are developing a variety of scenarios for our after-school and cocurricular activities. Due to the evolving landscape of the spread of the virus, we are closely monitoring the situation and have not made any final decisions. Regardless of our ability to participate in interscholastic athletic competitions or gather in performance spaces, we will ensure that our students have robust after-school programming that includes quality activity/sport-specific training. In addition, we are working to develop engaging new offerings for our students. We will provide more specific information regarding PGA plans in the coming weeks as final decisions are made.

No decisions have been made about interscholastic athletics, but we are in frequent contact with our athletic leagues (MAPL and PAISAA) and other peer schools about what might be feasible for this fall and beyond. Whatever those decisions, we are committed to providing a full and varied set of after-school offerings that will meet the needs of all students within the guidelines provided by state and local agencies and that align with our safety protocols. We hope to begin the fall with sport-specific training as approved by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We will have more information about the likelihood of interscholastic athletics later this summer.

My child is taking the SAT in August. Can they stay on campus after the test?

If a student is scheduled to take the August SAT on campus and they wish to stay on campus, they may do so (for a nominal fee) after the test but will have to follow quarantine protocols with the other students quarantining on campus until their official return date.

What are faculty doing to prepare for the new academic plan and schedule?

All faculty are engaged in robust professional development courses and workshops this summer. These courses and workshops focus on two areas: enhancing virtual learning experiences and diversity, equity, and inclusion work. In addition, when we return to campus in August, all faculty will take part in nearly three weeks of additional training and preparation to ensure that we are ready to welcome our students back to campus.

As an example, here are some of the workshops and courses faculty are taking this summer:

New School Models Design Lab (from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education)
Designing Virtual Learning Environments (from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education)
Audio and Podcasting for Educators
Designing Assessments for Digital Experiences
Advanced Google Suite for Education
How to Facilitate Project-Based Learning in Remote Environments
Games, Simulations, and Virtual Field Trips
Creating Effective Hybrid and Blended Learning Environments
Creative Use of Google Slides
Creating, Engaging, and Effective Instructional Videos
Design Thinking: Fostering Innovation
Teaching History and Social Studies with Technology
Google Apps
Rethinking Makerspaces in a Remote Environment
Creating and Designing Digital Experiences for High School
Bias, Privilege, and Equity: Who We Are and What We Can Do About It

Health and Safety

What new protocols will the school have in place to mitigate the spread of the virus on campus?

Please refer to the Health and Safety page for more information on what the expectations are for students, faculty, and staff as it relates to protocols. Below is more information to help families understand our commitment to the health and wellness of our community.

Sanitation - The school has created cleaning protocols that exceed the expectations set forth by the CDC. In addition, we will be creating cleaning and sanitation stations throughout campus as we encourage our community to engage in the most effective form of virus prevention: washing hands and disinfecting spaces.
Campus Restrictions - Over the coming weeks, we will be developing our plans related to visitors to campus, as well as students’ ability to leave campus. All families should expect limited ability to visit campus, as well as limited options for students to leave during the fall term. Once we have our students on our campus, our primary goal will be to limit potential exposure as much as reasonably possible. We recognize that day students and faculty and staff will be traveling off campus regularly and will expect them to limit their exposure and to practice effective physical distancing and use of masks when away from campus.

Day Students

Will day students be able to fully participate in school life despite the added exposure of their travel to and from campus?

More information about specific student populations will be shared as decisions are made; however, we will likely need to limit day student access to dorms in order to protect the health of our residents. If circumstances in the fall require us to restrict day student dorm access, we will create new spaces on campus for day students to gather. We are looking at the possibility of establishing day student circles that would likely be divided by grade and led by prefects.

What will the school’s expectations be for day students when off campus?

Boarding students will be held to a high standard of health and safety, and in turn, we are asking and expecting that our day students will adhere to a similar standard when off campus for the well-being of our entire school community. This includes physical distancing around those who are not immediate family members and the wearing of masks in public places.

Will day students be allowed to learn remotely for part or all of the year?

Yes, we are anticipating that some students may want to learn remotely for any number of reasons. We are working on scenarios that would allow for students to engage fully in the academic experience in a virtual setting.