We certainly hope not, because we miss you already. At this time, we can only tell you that we are tirelessly watching COVID-19 developments here and throughout the world. As we learn more about this virus, we will respond swiftly to global health recommendations that promote everyone’s health and safety. If there are any restrictions when it is time for you to return to campus, we will work closely with everyone to facilitate whatever we can for your safest and speediest return.

We have a four-page plan that continues to evolve as new information about COVID-19 becomes available. The first part of our plan aims at prevention, beginning with sharing information about how this virus spreads between people.

The second part of our plan is evolving as we learn more about this virus. WRA will have a measured response on which we will provide regular updates.

First, understand that the only way COVID-19 gets into a person is through their eyes, nose or mouth. Please use Personal Protective Behaviors (PPB) to avoid COVID-19, as described here.

Most WRA students who take medication regularly have a prescription from their primary physician. He or she usually wants to see you when you are home, and we ask you to get new orders from your prescribing doctor annually anyway, so we suggest you do that now for 2020-2021.

If you have any other questions, challenges or concerns about medications or anything else related to your health, please email the WRA Health Services team, and we will respond to you individually.

• Stay Connected — Practice physical distance but reach out virtually to friends and family members.
• Stay Positive and Proactive — Focus on what you value and be thankful. Make a “gratitude list."
• Stay Involved — Help those in your family who are vulnerable. Check on the elderly in your neighborhood.
• Stay Focused — Maintain daily routines and hygiene habits. Get enough sleep, eat nutritionally and exercise.
• Stay Mindful — Practice deep breathing, relaxation techniques, yoga, listen to music, draw, color.

Yes! The WRA Counselors are available. We are available using Ring Central Meetings, by phone or email. Please contact us at counseling@wra.net to schedule an appointment.

Yes! The WRA Counselors are available to all WRA students — existing or new. Please contact us at counseling@wra.net.

Please contact counseling@wra.net, and we can help you find a mental health practitioner to facilitate continuity of treatment.

Yes, for international families, UHC health insurance is extending coverage in response to COVID-19. United Healthcare decided that, in light of concerns about the pandemic, they will cover WRA students anywhere in the world, including in their home country through this academic year. We expect to have more information to share with you soon.

COVID-19 symptoms may begin with a loss of taste or smell. This virus also causes people to have a cough with or without a scratchy throat and nasal congestion, maybe nausea and diarrhea, a fever, headache, body aches and chills, marked fatigue, a worsening cough and shortness of breath, and in severe cases, difficulty breathing. For more information, read this well sourced article from Business Insider.

1. Anyone with these symptoms should isolate themselves at home, away from everyone else in their home, and call their physician, clinic, local urgent care center, their telehealth service or their local health department officials for a phone assessment and individual instructions.
2. Inform your recent close contacts that you are in isolation for suspected COVID-19, and instruct them to quarantine themselves in their home until they receive further instructions from your physician or local health authorities.
3. It is important to stay in touch with your local healthcare provider (as mentioned above), so they can monitor whether your symptoms worsen, especially if you develop shortness of breath.
4. If you have difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider or the local hospital emergency room right away, and tell them your symptoms, so they may best instruct you about going to the hospital, and so the hospital may prepare for your arrival, as needed.

As of now and per orders from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, campus is closed to all but essential employees. We have begun packing rooms and local boarding families are welcome to come to campus beginning Monday, April 20, to retrieve their belongings. In order to keep everyone safe, we have clearly outlined protocols, for example, no family members will be allowed in the dorms. The luggage and boxes will be brought to the dorm entrance, and we'll ask you to pull up your vehicle while we load your car. More information regarding the options for having your dorm room packed up was sent out to families on April 7. Please do choose your desired option (whether you would like to pick up the belongings, have them shipped home, or use Dorm Room Movers) using the link on the message.

Day families can come pick up any items from the MAC, Seymour, or Wilson lockers beginning Monday, April 20. Details about those protocols were sent to families on April 7.

We’ll have our own Canvas page, like your teachers, where we will post information and updates. This is the platform we’ll use to hold leadership elections and selections in the coming weeks. The Student Life Canvas Page will be up and running on Friday, April 10.

We miss our advisees, too! We will ‘gather’ during our first week of online learning and weekly after that to check in, catch up and share information.

Details will be shared the next few weeks. Know that the process will be very similar to what we have followed in the past: you’ll apply, you may have an interview, you may give a speech. There will be voting. There will be celebrating. We are also hoping to hold a leadership training session, as usual, at some point in May. So, keep thinking about how you can make positive change happen at WRA; we will need you next year! And stay tuned for more information.

Clubs and organizations will have a way to meet and connect. Details can be found on the Student Life Canvas Page.

We will resume normal school hours from 8:15 a.m. until 3:15 p.m. EST starting March 31, 2020, and follow our regular seven block rotating schedule with classes being held when students would normally meet during the school day.

Due to the diverse nature of our student population, many students whether domestically or internationally will be located in a different time zone during the scheduled class period. If the class is held live, the session will be recorded and available on the student’s Canvas class page for them to view asynchronously (recorded). Students will not be penalized for missing a live class because they live in a different time zone, but are expected to watch the recording and complete all relevant work they missed.

Assessment practices will remain consistent and adhere to stated course practices. Students’ academic progress and current grades will be available on Canvas to allow feedback on learning.

All courses participating in distance learning for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic year will earn credits that will be applied towards graduation requirements. Nothing has changed in this area due to distance learning.

Taking into account there will be 34 school days affected and that WRA is currently on a rotating class schedule where classes meet 4 out of 7 days, the total number of classes affected per course will only be 19.

Spring term ECHO classes have been suspended for the remainder of the academic year.

Students were instructed several times to take their books home with them. All assignments and supplemental readings will be posted on students’ Canvas accounts. Students will need a computer, reliable Internet connection and a quiet place to work.

Please reach out to Technology@wra.net if your child does not have access to the Internet. We are committed to helping every student be successful using online learning.

Courses that have a significant performance and hands-on component (Arts, Wang Innovation Center, Instrumental and Science Labs) will still be held. Instructors are creating assignments relevant to the subject. We cannot replicate the course exactly online, but we know we will create meaningful learning experiences all across the curriculum.

If students are having difficulties with the technology being used, they can contact the Technology Office at technology@wra.net to ask any question, obtain training or have their issue resolved.

The next scheduled SAT is August 29, 2020, with a registration date of July 31, 2020. All members of the Class of 2021 should advance their prior test registrations to this date or register.

ACT has rescheduled its April 4 national test date to June 13, across the U.S. in response to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). All students registered for the April 4 test date will receive an email from ACT in the next few days informing them of the postponement and instructions for free rescheduling to June 13, or a future national test date.

Please know that colleges are re-evaluating their standardized testing requirements daily. The SAT subject tests are not going to be required at any domestic institution next year, so it is best to focus preparation on the SAT or ACT in anticipation of fall testing.

AP Exams will no longer include multiple choice questions and can be taken at home. Additionally, the content has been abbreviated to represent the first 75% of curricula. The dates for the tests will be published on April 3, 2020. Please bookmark this page to stay up-to-date with testing plans. https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap/news-changes/coronavirus-update

There will be no impact to the release of admission decisions. Most decisions are posted already; those who have not released will do so no later than April 10, 2020.

All colleges have created virtual, admitted student programs. Please access these through college admitted student portals. Additionally, the following piece was shared with all members of the Class of 2020 and their families: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brennanbarnard/2020/0.

For some institutions, the enrollment deposit date has been extended. Again, it is best to check the college’s website to ensure a timely deposit.

None, whatsoever! This is the way of all high schools at the moment.

Absolutely, College counselors have already been in touch with their counselees to arrange for these conversations to take place.

Colleges will be offering virtual tours. Once you complete these tours, and if your interest is high, please email the Ohio representative, let him or her know that you have done so, and ask a meaningful question to demonstrate your level of interest and engagement.

We are eager to communicate with you! Please email to set a time that is convenient for you.

WRA will provide a credit of $1,500 if full boarding tuition was paid in the 2019-20 school year. This amount will be prorated proportionately for boarding families who received financial aid or for families of students who boarded for only part of the year. The credit was made available on your child's debit account on Friday, May 8. Additionally, we have refunded all costs related to planned spring trips, for academics and athletics. Not all partners refunded our expenditures for these trips, but we were pleased to be able to absorb costs and provide full refunds to all involved.

For more information, please read our full email communication sent out on May 7, 2020.

Any new or returning student should continue to complete the enrollment process according to the schedule that has been provided. In the event that you are unable to enroll due to matters related to COVID-19, your deposit will be refunded. You should contact the Admission Office at 330-650-9717 if you have any additional questions or concerns.

Currently, WRA is following the Stay At Home Order that is in effect from 11:59 p.m. on Monday, March 23, through Thursday, April 30. During this time, only essential employees are permitted to be on campus. However, most offices do have remote coverage and can be contacted via phone or email. Please find directory information on the WRA portal.

Once the order is lifted, precautionary measures may still be taken to ensure everyone’s health and safety, while still providing the WRA experience to our students, parents, alums and all community members.

As much as possible, we will replicate the full WRA student experience: expert teaching along with advisory time and support, club and organization connections, health and wellness, and of course continuing to work on leadership development this year and for next year, including selection and election of student leaders for 2020-21. While boarders are no longer actually living in their second homes on campus, we are thinking of ways for dorm communities to continue to interact with a virtual dorm meeting or two for starters. Day student connections are important as well.

For the duration of the Stay At Home Order, the facilities team will be working to ensure that critical functions and projects are completed. However, all non-essential tasks will be delayed to ensure that we are following precautionary measures.

During this time, if you have an emergency that requires the assistance of any of our team members, please DO NOT USE SCHOOLDUDE. Instead, please call or text for a prompt response:

Jeremy Paul: 330-618-3132
Scott Sondles: 330-903-5625

If you can not reach us and need immediate assistance, please contact Security at 330-903-0095.

Mail and packages will be sorted each morning between 9 a.m. and noon and available in the mailroom. Packages that arrive after noon will be moved into the mailroom by Security at the end of the day. However, these will not be sorted until the next day.

Given that many offices will be less utilized during this time, trash will be collected periodically throughout the week, but not on a daily basis. The cleaning of offices will also be adjusted based on the areas that are being used with a focus on disinfecting surfaces. Trash for campus residences will be collected on Wednesdays.

Normal operations for facilities services will resume once the Stay At Home Order has been lifted.

For the most part, employees will continue to be paid given that the majority of our operations will be continuing during the Stay At Home or Distance Learning periods. In many instances, increased work will be necessary to meet the needs of our community. The dedication and commitment of our employees is sincerely appreciated.

No. Per the Governor’s order, our campus is currently closed.

Even though you will not be playing, this is a great time to reach out to college coaches and engage in dialogue with them. The college coaches are dealing with the same issues, so everyone will be looking for opportunities to engage and connect. This might also be a good time to prepare a highlight video, especially if a coach has not seen you play yet.

We are working with the coaches and strength and conditioning staff to provide online instruction and individual workouts. More information will be provided later.

All spring athletic contests and practices have been cancelled. The Student Life Office and program leaders in other extracurricular and/or club activities will continue programming remotely.

We will be as flexible as possible to help you stay enrolled at WRA and will consider options including delayed arrival and mid-year enrollment. However, if travel or visa restrictions or other mandates would prohibit your enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year, WRA will refund your enrollment deposit and tuition.

Welcome, new Pioneers! Beginning in mid-April, we will guide you through the WRA orientation process. This will include course selection as well as all other parts of school life, from health forms to summer reading to dorm packing lists.

Yes! We are now reviewing both day and boarding applications on a rolling basis. Step-by-step application instructions for admission and financial aid are available on our website.

Our admission team is here to help you, and we welcome virtual visitors! Please contact admission@wra.net to schedule a personalized virtual visit experience or speak directly with an admission director.

Advancement staff are working remotely and are therefore not on campus. Mail will be checked on Monday of each week, however online giving is the most efficient way to support WRA at this time. For information on how to make payments through other means, please contact us by phone at 330-650-9701 or visit our methods of giving page. https://www.wra.net/alumni/support-reserve/methods.

As previously announced, all on campus and regional events have been cancelled through the end of June. In light of the COVID-19 news, we have postponed Reunion Weekend 2020 and, for the first time ever, will introduce a Double Reunion in 2021. Mark your calendars for June 11-13, 2021, during which we will celebrate all the classes ending in ‘0 and ‘5, as well as ‘1 and ‘6!

The Advancement Office is developing tools and opportunities for classmates to connect with each other and with the school and will be announcing them soon. If you have ideas for virtual or remote events, please share them with us by emailing Director of Alumni Relations Abbey Baker ’94 at bakera@wra.net.