Planning for Semester Two in 2021
We opened safely.
To open a boarding school amidst a pandemic has been no easy task, but we did open safely and successfully. We are filled with gratitude for the total community effort. We have so many people to appreciate:
To open a boarding school amidst a pandemic has been no easy task, but we did open safely and successfully. We are filled with gratitude for the total community effort. We have so many people to appreciate:
- our medical team for their guidance and expertise;
- our faculty and staff for their determination to deliver an excellent Millbrook education in these extraordinary times;
- our students for persevering through the challenges of social distancing, face coverings, and unconventional approaches to academics, arts, athletics, and residential life;
- and you, our parents, for your partnership, faith, and trust in our ability to run a safe and healthy program.
We must also give a shout out to Mother Nature for the gift of a dry and warm autumn, a beneficial ingredient in the recipe of our success.
We have considered our options for the second half of the school year.
The second semester will present more challenges as we continue to live within the daily adversity brought by COVID-19. Yet, our goal remains exactly the same: to complete the 2020-2021 school year in person, safely and successfully, and in ways as close to Millbrook's traditional program as possible.
The second semester will present more challenges as we continue to live within the daily adversity brought by COVID-19. Yet, our goal remains exactly the same: to complete the 2020-2021 school year in person, safely and successfully, and in ways as close to Millbrook's traditional program as possible.
With all of this in mind, departure in November, December remote learning, and the start of Winter Break remain the same, but we have adjusted the school calendar for the second semester (click here to download this calendar).
Why the longer breaks?
Assuming that the NYS regulations and CDC recommendations regarding COVID-19 remain essentially unchanged, we foresee more necessary time between home and a return to campus.
Winter Break
Spring Break- With January 1 falling on a Friday, we anticipate a two-week cooling period before students return. In honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on January 18 and the scheduled Presidential Inauguration on January 20, we decided Thursday, January 21, is best to begin students' return to campus.
- A four-week break will allow for the possibility of two weeks at home or on vacation and two weeks of quarantine, if necessary. This break also brings some symmetry with the winter break, and with Passover and Easter falling early this year, we see an opportunity for students to stay home and celebrate the holidays.
We are grateful, and we are humble.
We want to thank all students, parents, faculty, and staff for invaluable input as we forge forward down a path that best serves the Millbrook community. Given the variables and a risk-reward analysis from every angle, we are convinced that this second-semester plan will give us the greatest chance for a safe and successful school year.
Thank you for believing in Millbrook. The solidarity of this community remains an inspiration and source of strength as we move ahead.
We remind ourselves of the wisdom of Millbrook parent Dr. Scott Rodeo:
We remind ourselves of the wisdom of Millbrook parent Dr. Scott Rodeo:
“Take a simple scientific approach: start with a reasonable plan based upon the best available current data, assess how things go day by day and week by week, and don’t be afraid to change course as needed.”
Dismissal for Thanksgiving Break
Our final day of classes on campus is Friday, November 20. This will be a full day of classes, and all students are expected to fulfill all obligations that day.
IIIrd and VIth form students will depart campus after classes and before 8 p.m. on Friday, November 20.
IVth and Vth form students will depart campus by noon on Saturday, November 21.
We are encouraging a staggered departure in order to reduce traffic and density on campus. If there is a specific reason your child must be picked up on Friday or stay over into Saturday, regardless of their form, we are happy to work with you and make an exception to the scheduled departure times.
Parents will not be allowed in the dorms to help their child pack; however, students will be given plenty of time to pack up their belongings during their last week on campus leading up to break.
Two adults are allowed at pickup. Please stay outside, masked, and socially distanced from other families and Millbrook faculty and staff. Please coordinate the pickup time with your child in order to expedite the process and depart campus as soon as the car is packed up.
Packing
Our hope is that students will return to Millbrook’s campus for semester two, but please understand that a return to in-person learning remains uncertain due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Your child should pack with this understanding in mind.
Equally important, they should bring with them all their books and materials needed for remote learning.
Transportation
If your child needs transportation to LaGuardia or JFK airports, Millbrook will have a chartered bus leaving for these airports at 7 a.m., on Saturday, November 21.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there is a limit of 20 students on the bus. If you would like to sign up your child for a seat on the bus, please click here.
As always, you are welcome to make your own travel arrangements for your child. Please visit the Transportation Information page on our website for local car service recommendations.
Should you have any questions related to dismissal times, transportation, or packing, please contact Dan Skoglund or JJ Morrissey in the student life office.
Continuing Communication
We encourage you to reach out to your child’s advisor or any member of our administrative team below with individual questions you may have. Click on any name to send an email.
Director of Advancement Nancy Stahl
