WRA plan for coronavirus - Top Boarding School in OH

Western Reserve Academy’s COVID-19 Protocols

We recently shared the following message in an email sent on August 17, 2022:

The CDC and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) recently released new guidance for the prevention of COVID-19 in schools, acknowledging that we are better positioned than before to protect students from illness due to stronger immune resistance and increased access to treatments. We have learned, practiced and instituted myriad measures over the past years, spearheaded by our 24/7 Health Services team, which is led by Medical Director and School Physician Dr. Vish Hegde and Director of School Health Services Cindy Rocco, BSN.

Masks are not required at WRA and we will not mass test upon return to campus this August. We ask that if possible, and with courtesy to the community, you and your students test at home before coming to school. However, we will not collect test results and trust you will share news of COVID infection if necessary. A positive test result requires five days of quarantine and five subsequent days of wearing a mask upon returning to school. We also will provide dedicated living spaces for boarders who test positive for COVID and need to quarantine.

The Health Department offers further recommendations on what to do if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or if you test positive for COVID-19: CDC: What to Do if You Have COVID-19. We also encourage COVID boosters and can provide recommendations on local pharmacies where boosters are available.

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Western Reserve Academy's COVID-19 policies are as follows:

Vaccination required unless exempt
Mask optional as of Feb. 14, 2022

Ensuring the physical and emotional health of our students is our number one priority, followed shortly thereafter by providing robust and vibrant in-person learning. Our policies are rooted in the recommendations of WRA’s COVID Task Force, public health officials and our medical partners.

1. Vaccination required

Western Reserve Academy is requiring students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless an exemption form is submitted. Students, faculty and staff may apply for an exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine requirement by completing the appropriate exemption form.

2. Mask optional effective on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022

Over the past month, COVID cases in our county, community and schools have dropped dramatically. Locally, Hudson public schools, Revere and some private schools in the area have been mask optional for almost two weeks and this policy change has not led to an increased rate of COVID spread within these schools. As such, regardless of vaccination status, WRA will switch to a MASK OPTIONAL policy effective on Monday, Feb. 14, 2022.

Masks will still be needed in certain circumstances:

ODH has advised K-12 schools to still continue to follow the protocol, Mask to Stay, Test to Play and allow asymptomatic students to attend school while wearing a mask if they have been exposed to someone with COVID.
After ending isolation for a COVID-positive individual, one can come back to school as early as day six, but would still have to wear a mask until day 10.
In compliance with any other school’s or organization’s masking policy while representing WRA off campus.

Our COVID Task Force is in constant communication and regularly monitors updates from the CDC, Summit County Public Health and other medical professionals. We will continue to share updates to our policies and procedures when necessary.

Sharing Voice, Expertise & A Little Innovation

Never before has education faced such a formidable, unusual challenge. Like every school in the nation, Western Reserve Academy had to navigate new waters to create an action plan that kept our community safe, engaged, and healthy in mind, body and spirit. Fortunately, WRA is staffed with a full Health Services team, including counselors, an onsite nursing staff and Dr. Vish Hegde, the school's physician. Our medical team provided guidance and care that was critical to WRA's successful charter through COVID-19, and they continue to be an invaluable voice at the table with every decision we make, always prioritizing our community's safety and wellbeing.

Below we share a few ways WRA spent the 2020-21 year giving guidance and sharing experiences with local and industry partners, finding creative ways to connect with the community, and seeking new opportunities to serve the community and region, with PPE supplies and a good meal!

On March 21, 2021 Head of School Suzanne Buck joined Peter Baron and Hans Mundahl, hosts of the Enrollment Management Association podcast The Enrollment Spectrum, for a conversation about strategic leadership and opportunity for innovation in the education sector in the midst of a global pandemic.

Highlights from the 2020-2021 Year

WRA community comes together to produce medical face shields

Utilizing the tools in our Wang Innovation Center, WRA donated more than 250 face shields to the Cleveland Clinic Twinsburg and Summit County Public Health. Read the full article here.

Bringing the comfort of home cooking to our community

In the pioneering spirit of the school, in March of 2020, WRA launched a new initiative, "Reserve Your Meal," that kept Chef Eddie Mundy and his team cooking and, in the process, delivered comfort and joy to Hudson residents during this tenuous time.

Happiness has (four) legs! Evoking joy by spotlighting community pets

How do you connect with a community during a stay-at-home order? We crafted our video "Pet Project" to capture stay-at-home life and learning, in all its ups and oddities, through the eyes of our pets and narrated our faculty and staff. Watch the video here.