November 30, 2020

I hope you had a restful break and you are ready to complete the last few weeks of term with renewed energy and creativity.

I am writing to let you know that we have a new positive case of COVID-19 on campus. It was identified over the break; the Vermont State Health Department conducted contact tracing, the person is in isolation, and no one else was identified as a close contact. We will continue to keep you informed, while also working to protect the privacy of individual members of our community. 

This event is an example of Bennington’s COVID-19 safety measures working as they were intended--to swiftly identify and contain the virus when it appears within our community. It’s a reminder that if we all continue to adhere to testing, reporting, masking, and distancing protocols, we can maintain a safe and healthy campus through the holiday season. 

Additionally, several of you have asked about the plan for spring term, given the state of Vermont’s additional restrictions. I am pleased to tell you that we anticipate opening for spring term in much the same way we did this fall, as outlined in the Spring 2021 arrival plan which we shared in late October. If anything changes, we will be in touch promptly.  We are currently planning webinars with Q&As for students and families in late January as well.

 Please continue to wear your masks, social distance, adhere to the state guidelines and the commitment to shared responsibilities. Please use the  COVID webpage as a resource and  submit any questions you have so the COVID task force can respond. We will keep you informed if there are any new updates. 

Thank you for all you are doing to keep the community healthy.

 

Sincerely,

Laura Walker