The school reversed the decision and we are heading back to campus. Thank you for pushing this across the finish line.
October 14, 2020
Final supporters
This petition is to communicate to Choate that we, the undersigned students and parents urge a full reopening of the Choate campus as originally scheduled for early September of this year. The August 20th letter sent by Head of School Alex Curtis is unacceptably late in rescinding this semester’s long planned reopening and mandates unrealistic and unattainable standard of having a .0001 Covid positivity rate for returning to campus. Furthermore the letter leaves open the distinct probability of an indeterminate delay until at least January of 2021, if not beyond. The protocols set in the early summer by Choate and expectations of returning to school under our current set of unique circumstances can be fully understood and implemented by all students without another month’s delay. The invaluable sense of community and support that our students depend on from Choate to foster their academic and personal growth can only be achieved in an on-campus setting. We have chosen Choate for its exceptional resources and academic standards. If our students are not receiving the full benefit of a Choate education, we expect a full refund (pro-rata refund for every day on-campus learning is missed or replaced by on-line learning).
A couple of points worth highlighting:
- Dr. Curtis lauded the fact that Choate was collaborating and planning with the Eight School Association (Deerfield, Hotchkiss, Andover, Exeter, Northfield Mount Herman, St. Paul’s and Lawrenceville). They are ALL returning to on-campus learning in early September. Choate is the only exception.
- Since your June announcement that Choate would be returning to on-campus learning this September, the state of Connecticut has consistently ranked in the best-in-the nation for the virus.
- Choate has had all summer to prepare students and faculty and to address any issues.
- Every boarding school has day students and other populations (adults not employed at Choate) circulating on and off their campus daily.
- All the private day schools in Choate’s area are returning to on-campus learning.
- Faculty who are not comfortable teaching in person can teach remotely.
- Choate, with their proximity to world class medical care at Yale New Haven Hospital is better positioned to return to on-campus learning than all the other schools with the exception of Lawrenceville.
- Your citations of infection rates in other universities and other parts of the country as well as referring to people coming into Connecticut but not to Choate, have little or no bearing on your stated goal of creating a “bubble” at Choate.
You can always wait and see what happens to the “others”. Our families are prepared and have spent a great deal of time educating our children/your students with the upcoming new normal on-campus (protocols, etc.) Making this decision at the 11th hour is incredibly upsetting to the students, causing possible harm to both their emotional and mental health. Further, it has damaged both your and the Board’s relationship with current Choate families. The fact that you have chosen to not even try to implement your previously outlined opening is disheartening and quite frankly unacceptable. We sign this petition as parents and students to strongly ask you to reassess your decision and open the school as planned.
Please share this online petition with other parents and students from Choate!
Updates
August 26, 2020
The momentum is building fast. It is clear that the community expects better than these delays.
Reached 100 supporters
August 26, 2020
40 Comments
The school had more than ample time since March to prepare and did so. Implement the plan you came up with and make best efforts to get the kids back in the environment they need so badly for learning and socialization. We all put enormous faith in Choate, trusting the school with care and well being of our children. Please rethink this decision for the good of the students. Thank you.
Prior opening plans sounded very well developed and thought through to protect both students and staff. Let's use them, rather than be guided by less careful organizations in other parts of the country. Even if school were to close again, I'd rather we tried and got at least several weeks of on campus experience.
I wholeheartedly agree with the points made in the petition and gladly add my support. I believe the conditions and protocol are there for in person learning at Choate. If we are "solving for zero" we will never return.
My daughter is an incoming fourth former and she was very disappointed especially after reading these comments. She does not like the prospect of being behind other students and we believe that Choate students are responsible enough to understand the necessary precautions to keep each other safe. At least let the students who have worked so hard and committed to Choate have the opportunity to feel the sense of community and learn to the best of their ability. Their quality of education should be no worse than the students of the other seven schools.
We have a strong preference for our two students to return for on-campus learning in September. We believe the plans in place can mitigate the risks. There are also real downsides to keeping students at home. If some students elect to study-from-home, that's fine as an individual choice, but the school should re-open per the prior plan.
The “reversal” to full online education was very disappointing. We are all aware of the circumstances but Choate should have done better. You already lost the class of 2020 who did not receive even a real diploma yet, never mind a graduation ceremony! Now goes Class of 2021. We, as Choate community have the resources, creativity and courage to tackle this and Choate should open the school for true in person education immediately.
I dont see the benefit in moving reopening back. The way this whole situation was handled was very disappointing.
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
The school reversed the decision and we are heading back to campus. Thank you for pushing this across the finish line.
October 14, 2020
Final supporters
This petition is to communicate to Choate that we, the undersigned students and parents urge a full reopening of the Choate campus as originally scheduled for early September of this year. The August 20th letter sent by Head of School Alex Curtis is unacceptably late in rescinding this semester’s long planned reopening and mandates unrealistic and unattainable standard of having a .0001 Covid positivity rate for returning to campus. Furthermore the letter leaves open the distinct probability of an indeterminate delay until at least January of 2021, if not beyond. The protocols set in the early summer by Choate and expectations of returning to school under our current set of unique circumstances can be fully understood and implemented by all students without another month’s delay. The invaluable sense of community and support that our students depend on from Choate to foster their academic and personal growth can only be achieved in an on-campus setting. We have chosen Choate for its exceptional resources and academic standards. If our students are not receiving the full benefit of a Choate education, we expect a full refund (pro-rata refund for every day on-campus learning is missed or replaced by on-line learning).
A couple of points worth highlighting:
- Dr. Curtis lauded the fact that Choate was collaborating and planning with the Eight School Association (Deerfield, Hotchkiss, Andover, Exeter, Northfield Mount Herman, St. Paul’s and Lawrenceville). They are ALL returning to on-campus learning in early September. Choate is the only exception.
- Since your June announcement that Choate would be returning to on-campus learning this September, the state of Connecticut has consistently ranked in the best-in-the nation for the virus.
- Choate has had all summer to prepare students and faculty and to address any issues.
- Every boarding school has day students and other populations (adults not employed at Choate) circulating on and off their campus daily.
- All the private day schools in Choate’s area are returning to on-campus learning.
- Faculty who are not comfortable teaching in person can teach remotely.
- Choate, with their proximity to world class medical care at Yale New Haven Hospital is better positioned to return to on-campus learning than all the other schools with the exception of Lawrenceville.
- Your citations of infection rates in other universities and other parts of the country as well as referring to people coming into Connecticut but not to Choate, have little or no bearing on your stated goal of creating a “bubble” at Choate.
You can always wait and see what happens to the “others”. Our families are prepared and have spent a great deal of time educating our children/your students with the upcoming new normal on-campus (protocols, etc.) Making this decision at the 11th hour is incredibly upsetting to the students, causing possible harm to both their emotional and mental health. Further, it has damaged both your and the Board’s relationship with current Choate families. The fact that you have chosen to not even try to implement your previously outlined opening is disheartening and quite frankly unacceptable. We sign this petition as parents and students to strongly ask you to reassess your decision and open the school as planned.
Please share this online petition with other parents and students from Choate!
Updates
August 26, 2020
The momentum is building fast. It is clear that the community expects better than these delays.
Reached 100 supporters
August 26, 2020
40 Comments
Other top boarding schools that require remote learning for a period of time for some grades, including Andover, Exeter, Concord Academy, Milton Academy, Loomis Chaffee, have announced that boarding students will pay the same tuition as day students during the period of remote learning. In Dr. Curtis's email, the difference in the tuition refund between boarding and day students ($1225) for the first 4 weeks of remote learning is far less than the pro-rated extra tuition the boarding students paid. Choate should not be the exception that require boarding students to still pay more than day students for remote learning.
The school had more than ample time since March to prepare and did so. Implement the plan you came up with and make best efforts to get the kids back in the environment they need so badly for learning and socialization. We all put enormous faith in Choate, trusting the school with care and well being of our children. Please rethink this decision for the good of the students. Thank you.
Prior opening plans sounded very well developed and thought through to protect both students and staff. Let's use them, rather than be guided by less careful organizations in other parts of the country. Even if school were to close again, I'd rather we tried and got at least several weeks of on campus experience.
I wholeheartedly agree with the points made in the petition and gladly add my support. I believe the conditions and protocol are there for in person learning at Choate. If we are "solving for zero" we will never return.
My daughter is an incoming fourth former and she was very disappointed especially after reading these comments. She does not like the prospect of being behind other students and we believe that Choate students are responsible enough to understand the necessary precautions to keep each other safe. At least let the students who have worked so hard and committed to Choate have the opportunity to feel the sense of community and learn to the best of their ability. Their quality of education should be no worse than the students of the other seven schools.
We have a strong preference for our two students to return for on-campus learning in September. We believe the plans in place can mitigate the risks. There are also real downsides to keeping students at home. If some students elect to study-from-home, that's fine as an individual choice, but the school should re-open per the prior plan.
The “reversal” to full online education was very disappointing. We are all aware of the circumstances but Choate should have done better. You already lost the class of 2020 who did not receive even a real diploma yet, never mind a graduation ceremony! Now goes Class of 2021. We, as Choate community have the resources, creativity and courage to tackle this and Choate should open the school for true in person education immediately.
I dont see the benefit in moving reopening back. The way this whole situation was handled was very disappointing.
Share this petition
Share this petition to help it reach more people.
Your share link
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
Other top boarding schools that require remote learning for a period of time for some grades, including Andover, Exeter, Concord Academy, Milton Academy, Loomis Chaffee, have announced that boarding students will pay the same tuition as day students during the period of remote learning. In Dr. Curtis's email, the difference in the tuition refund between boarding and day students ($1225) for the first 4 weeks of remote learning is far less than the pro-rated extra tuition the boarding students paid. Choate should not be the exception that require boarding students to still pay more than day students for remote learning.