Cape Fear Christian Academy is actively preparing for on-campus instruction based on government guidelines for COVID-19; however, we recognize that there may be health safety concerns for some families. For those families, we offer the accommodation of remote-instruction.

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While On-Campus Instruction may look a bit different this year, we are committed to delivering quality instruction in a Christian environment no matter which option you choose for your child.

July 24, 2020

 

Dear Eagle Families,
 

We hope this letter finds you and your loved ones safe, doing well, and enjoying the remainder of the summer season.  The COVID Committee is continuing to expand and develop our “Welcome Back Eagle Plan” and taking measures to reduce the risk of spread when we reopen campus on August 19th.

This letter is our 4th installment of communications to families regarding school operations for the 2020-2021 school year.

 

Our previous communications have covered a range of topics, including:

• our continued commitment to offer both on-campus and remote instruction starting August 19th

• an aggressive plan for cleaning and disinfecting our facilities throughout the year

• a 2-layered strategy to keep student groups separated: the campus will be zoned/restricted, and students will be assigned to cohort groups

• daily temperature/symptom check process (more details to come)

• campus access restrictions – only students, staff, administrators and approved service vendors; an exception will be student drop off areas (parents and guardians are to remain in vehicles)

• special campus signage: reminders and directions

 

This 4th communication (but certainly not final) is intended to add to this growing list of clarifications so that as many questions as possible are answered prior to the academic year.

 

As previously communicated, and as an essential reminder, families who intend to begin the academic year with remote instruction must notify the Head of School in writing by August 1st so that the particular plan for these students can be assessed and developed before the beginning of school.  Whether your family chooses to join us for on-campus instruction or through our virtual-only option, we are committed to providing an effective academic program for all students.

 

All of us have had our lives disrupted and inconvenienced since the novel coronavirus emerged in our area in March.  Our committee has been working hard to plan for the unique health safety concerns for the upcoming academic year while also considering the hardship and disruption that operational changes at the school may create for families.  The operational start-up of the 2020-2021 academic year is going to be quite different than years past - it is simply unavoidable.  Our committee will continue to make decisions that we think are necessary to enable us to deliver instruction to all our students with the least amount of disruption to that instruction during the academic year.  To do this, however, requires that some of our traditional offerings and operations be altered or suspended.  We apologize for the inconvenience and hardship such changes may create and ask for patience with them as we continue to work hard to balance the many competing factors in play while this virus is in our midst.

 

BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL CARE

• all extended care will be indefinitely suspended — necessary to help us maintain the integrity of our student cohort groups

• lower school students with middle/upper siblings can remain in their classrooms until 3:00 dismissal

 

MORNING ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE SCHEDULE

•  The Lower School (pre-k - 4) day will begin at 7:40 a.m.   Students can arrive on campus at 7:15.  Students will depart campus by 2:20 p.m. unless students are waiting for middle/upper school siblings.

• The Middle/Upper School (5-12) day will begin at 8:15.  Students can arrive on campus at 7:15.  Students will depart campus by 3:00 p.m. unless participating in extracurricular activities (athletics, tutoring, etc.).

 

FALL BREAK

• 3-day fall break is being eliminated this year

• these three days will be added and as an extension on the end of Christmas break

 

OPEN HOUSE

• there will be no mass open house program prior to the beginning of the school

• instead, the head of school and teachers will pursue remote/virtual orientation programs and start-up instruction to ensure preparedness prior to the beginning of classes

 

LUNCH & SNACKS

• grades K4 and K5 will eat in the cafeteria or on the steps of the Kindergarten building.

• grades 1-5 grade will eat in classrooms or at the picnic tables on the playground (weather permitting)

• grades 6-8 will eat in classrooms or at picnic tables near the soccer field area (weather permitting)

• grades 9 -12 will eat in classrooms or at picnic tables adjacent to the upper school building (weather permitting)

• seating arrangements will be designed with social distancing in mind, while still allowing students the positive social experience to interact with peers

• students will be able to bring snacks, lunch, and water bottles from home; water and personal snacks can be eaten in the classrooms with teacher permission

• water fountains will be closed except for the use of the bottle-filler to replenish individual water bottles; all students are encouraged to bring a personal water bottle to school each day

 

CHAPEL

• Chapel is a vital part of student life at the Academy, but we are not currently able to have mass gatherings in our gymnasium

• even so, our teachers will continue to uplift our children in His name and share His word with them in our smaller group classroom settings each and every day

• as with many other important aspects of school life, we will continue to evaluate and work toward a more accommodating plan for Chapel as the school year progresses

 

FIELD TRIPS

• all off-campus learning opportunities will be indefinitely suspended

• as we strive to maintain a safe and healthy campus, it is necessary to temporarily limit instruction to on-campus or digital options

 

ATHLETICS

• until further notice, our athletic program will continue to follow the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association (NCISAA) recommendations and requirements for practices and all athletic activities

• the NCISAA is likely to continue to issue guidance throughout the school year; at this time we remain in Stage 2 of the NCISAA Summer Guidelines

• we will not be able to mix cohorts at this time; this will, unfortunately, require a more rigid approach to athletic team participation as we begin the school year – as such middle school athletics will be strictly comprised of grades 6-8 and JV and Varsity athletics will be strictly comprised of grades 9-12.  We will continue to evaluate a possible exception plan for low-risk transmission sports such as cross-country, tennis, and swim

 

FACE COVERINGS

• all should be advised that the plan noted below is subject to change as we approach the school year

• parents and guardians are reminded that it is their responsibility to ensure that students have a face covering with them when they arrive at school each day

• until further notice, face coverings must be worn by all CFCA students when outside of their classrooms and moving about campus during the school day (the exception being during lunch and snack times with their cohort group) – examples include during class changes, when in hallways and when in locker rooms and bathrooms

• lower school students will not be required at this time to wear face coverings during instruction in their assigned classroom or while enjoying recess with their designated cohort group

• middle and upper school students will be required to wear face coverings during the school day when social distancing cannot be achieved when completing close-proximity group assignments with fellow students and at the request of individual teachers during classroom instruction

 

SOCIAL DISTANCING EFFORTS

• VERY IMPORTANT NOTE – while we are working diligently to utilize our modest facility best to foster social distancing on campus, our families who plan for their students to return to on-campus instruction must do so with the full understanding that 6 feet social distancing, particularly in our classrooms but throughout campus, will not be feasible in many instances

• classrooms will be arranged to provide as much distance as possible between individuals

• scheduling in grades K through 5 will allow for students to remain with one group of peers, and opportunities for cross-interaction will be limited

• outside fields and playgrounds will be used when weather permits

• opportunities for physical exercise is a must for younger students; recess will operate on static schedules with only one classroom in a designated space at a time

 

REMINDER - CALL TO ACTION – PICNIC TABLES, SHADE, AND DONATIONS!

As mentioned in our last communication, we need a lot of picnic tables, tents, and shade for our kids to distance and eat outside on pretty days.  If you would like to contribute or lend the academy such items or make a financial donation to assist with these needs it would be much appreciated – please contact the office if you are in a position to assist – 910-897-5423.

 

Our goal at Cape Fear Christian Academy remains the same – to provide a Christ-centered, academically challenging education.  Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” We covet your prayers as we continue to trust God for guidance.  We will continue to keep you updated on our planning as the start of the academic year approaches, so please be on the lookout for additional communications in the coming weeks.

In His Service,

COVID-19 Committee

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July 18, 2020

 

Dear Eagle Families,

 

We hope this letter finds you and your loved ones safe, doing well, and enjoying the warm, but beautiful summer season. The COVID Committee is continuing to expand and develop our “Welcome Back Eagle Plan” and taking measures to reduce the risk of spread when we reopen campus on August 19th. 

 

Most importantly, the Academy is offering REMOTE INSTRUCTION for all grade levels to families who choose that option. Teachers will provide synchronous lessons at specific times during the school day. This effort and capability are currently focused on supporting core classes, but faculty and staff are also working diligently to accomplish the same with electives and specials that are practically well suited for remote instruction. Families who intend to begin the academic year with remote instruction must notify the Head of School in writing by August 1st so that the particular plan for these students can be assessed and developed prior to the beginning of school.  It is important to note that the remote instruction option is not a convenience option, but rather is being offered to accommodate families who have health safety concerns regarding instruction and activities on campus. We fully respect those concerns and while conditions may develop to allow more flexibility later in the year, students in the remote learning accommodation are not to be on campus for any reason without specific approval of the Head of School.

 

The COVID Committee met on Monday, July 13, to continue to develop the STUDENT GROUP SEPARATION PLAN on campus. The Committee currently believes that the following two-layer strategy will assist with reducing virus spread and will help limit disruption of on-campus instruction as much as possible when a symptomatic or COVID event occurs:​

• Layer #1 – The campus will be physically divided into 3 to 4 zones

  • Each student will be assigned and restricted to that zone

  • Each student will be provided a daily, color-coded, disposable wrist band matched to their zone to help staff recognize whenever a student is not in their designated zone. Band colors will change daily.

  • Temporary posts and roping will be installed on campus to help define the physical zones – do not envision fencing or something unsightly; rather a helpful reminder tool for students of where to be and where not to be.

• Layer #2 – All students will be assigned to a “cohort” group, and we are working hard to establish as many of these “bubbles” as we can:

  • A cohort will be mainly comprised of a group of students who spend their day together – for example, students who are in the same classroom for instruction would be in the same cohort

  • The Team is working with local pediatricians to develop a plan for handling symptomatic or COVID cases. This plan will present unique challenges and circumstances and some level of continued customization as more information develops surrounding the virus, but we feel this two-layer student separation approach will give us a greater opportunity to continue on-campus instruction for the greatest number of students when a symptomatic or COVID event occurs.

 

Earlier Communication referenced a DAILY TEMPERATURE/SYMPTOM CHECK PLAN. The Academy has continued to develop the following plan, and will later send a more detailed communication on this, but all students and staff will be health screened and have their temperature checked upon arrival to campus each day:

• Staff with proper PPE will check temperatures and symptoms of each student at the point of drop off before exiting vehicles each day using handheld, contactless, infrared forehead thermometers.

• Anyone exhibiting symptoms or registering a reading of 100.4 or greater will not be permitted to remain on campus; students with such readings will need to return home and participate in remote learning if well enough to do so.

• Students with temperature readings under this threshold and not exhibiting symptoms will be given a color-coded, disposable, daily armband to indicate a successful temperature check. The colors will change daily and will also indicate the zone on campus to which they are assigned.

 

We always enjoy having our parents and visitors on campus. Unfortunately, this will not be possible at this time. The Committee is developing the following RESTRICTED ACCESS TO CAMPUS PLAN that will be in effect day one:

• Effective 8/19, access to the Academy will be restricted to only Academy staff, administrators, students, and approved essential service providers who will be allowed on campus or inside of buildings.

• The obvious exception to this will be parents and guardians dropping off and picking up students each school day. In those cases, it is requested that you remain inside your vehicles in the drop-off and pick up areas. We are all social in nature and love our Academy and our staff, but for that very reason, we all need to respect and abide by these restrictions.

• We will revisit these restrictions further as the plan regarding athletics becomes more clear and also as the health safety environment evolves further in our larger community.

 

Students, faculty, and staff returning to campus will no doubt notice quite a bit of special signs and notices posted throughout campus.  The following SIGNAGE PLAN will offer visual cues providing reminders to faculty and students to follow safety protocols:

• Reminders to wash and sanitize hands.  The campus will offer hand sanitation stations throughout campus. 

• Reminders to cover your cough or sneeze.

• Instructions to distance.  Although we cannot always implement social distancing at the recommended 6-foot distance on our modest campus, we hope to mitigate risk by reminding students to safely space apart. 

• Directions to temperature/symptom check stations. 

• Directions on where to go and not go.

• Zones, cohorts, and individuals permitted in each zone will be delineated by signs and roping.  

• Station signs for student late check-in and early check-out 

 

CALL TO ACTION – PICNIC TABLES, SHADE, AND DONATIONS!

As you can imagine, the Academy budget for 2020-2021 is stretched given the extraordinary expenses and measures (including a robust facility sanitation plan) taken to deal with Covid-19. We are in need of multiple picnic tables and shade for our students to distance and eat outside on pretty days. If you would like to contribute or lend the Academy such items or make a financial donation to the Academy to assist with these needs it would be greatly appreciated.  Please contact the Academy office if you are in a position to assist at 910-897-5423.

 

A great deal of work has been accomplished by the Committee, but we realize that much work remains. We thank you for your continued support as we work diligently to provide the answers that everyone in our Academy community needs to know in order to be prepared for the 2020-2021 academic year. We do humbly ask you to join our team in praying for protection, wisdom, guidance, and provision as we prepare to welcome our students back to our campus. In the words of the inimitable, and incredible matriarch of CFCA in years past, Mrs. “Lib” Daniels, “Patience is a virtue, sayeth the Lord.”  

 

We will continue to keep you updated as the start of the academic year approaches. On behalf of the Academy’s leadership and its wonderful faculty, we thank you for your support, love, and care for Cape Fear Christian Academy.

 

In His service,

 

COVID-19 Committee

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July 2020 Eagle Family Update

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Good Afternoon, Eagle Families, 

 

I hope that all of you are having a wonderful holiday week and are doing well. I wanted to update you on the progress of our “Welcome Back Eagle Plan” as our leadership team has been hard at work over the last two weeks.  This communication specifically covers three topics: 1) our COVID-19 committee's current plan for facility cleaning and disinfecting during the 2020-2021 school year, and 2) more detail about the real-time distance learning option we are making available to families this year.

 

While subject to change and some adjustment, the COVID-19 committee's plan for cleaning and disinfecting our facilities during the school year is a robust and aggressive one.  Here are some of the specifics:

• The Academy is partnering with Jan-Pro, an established commercial cleaning company that has been at the forefront of helping many schools, companies and institutions fight the battle with the novel coronavirus.

• Jan-Pro will conduct a very extensive cleaning and disinfecting inside our buildings just prior to the start of school on 8/19.

• Once the school year begins, Jan-Pro will perform nightly cleaning and disinfecting on campus, after each school day, which will include a very rigorous, multi-step process to disinfect all of our bathrooms.

• Additionally, our staff will also disinfect our bathrooms twice daily during the school day - targeting high touch surfaces with a spray, let sit, wipe system.

• While the use of Academy vehicles during 20-21 remains an open question, the committee plans to implement a "disinfect and seal after each use" system.

• In the event of a COVID-19 event on campus, the affected building will be vacated and Jan-Pro will quickly be on-site to disinfect it with their EnviroShield system.

• Additionally, persistent cleaning procedures will be implemented on campus, including the disinfecting of student desks and commonly touched surfaces in classrooms throughout each school day by faculty, staff and students.

• All of the above efforts will be in addition to the ongoing cleaning and disinfecting efforts the school has been and will continue to undertake.

The costs of the above measures are very significant, but the school's leadership feels these steps are absolutely critical to take if we are able to re-open our campus on 8/19 as planned.

 

As stated in our previous correspondence, ALL GRADE LEVELS AT CFCA WILL OFFER A HYBRID LEARNING OPTION FOR FAMILIES WITH COVID-RELATED CONCERNS.  We recognize that some families may not be comfortable with their child(ren) being on campus in the fall due to the student or family members' pre-existing health conditions or other risk factors.  Families who choose not to send their child to campus will be given the option of learning remotely.  Teachers will have the ability to provide synchronous lessons at specific times during the school day, as well as post classes and lessons for students and parents to access later.  If a family intends to begin the 2020-2021 school year remotely via the Hybrid Learning option, they are advised to alert the Head of School in writing by August 1.  The Academy will evaluate all requests for hybrid learning and assess the feasibility. 

 

We are constantly monitoring the virus situation daily while making necessary adjustments as needed to safeguard our campus.  Based on community reporting, the COVID-19 committee requests that parents and guardians ensure students have several washable / reusable face coverings at the start of the school year.  An example of why a face covering will be required is a child beginning to exhibit symptoms during the school day.

 

Our COVID-19 committee will meet again later this week.  We look forward to updating you on our progress as we work to reopen the Academy, so please stay tuned.  We appreciate your continued support and encouragement as we navigate through this evolving situation. 

 

Warmest Regards,

 

Karen Parker

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June 2020 Eagle Family Update

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Good Afternoon, Eagle Families!

 

I hope this email finds you in good health and as well as can be expected.  Cape Fear Christian Academy is excitedly making plans for the 2020-2021 school year and wants to keep you updated with the latest information throughout the summer.  With the work of successfully completing the 2019-2020 school year behind us, the Academy has turned its full attention toward planning for next year as we continue to face challenges associated with the novel coronavirus.

 

To that end, the Board of Directors recently established a 2020-2021 COVID-19 committee to assist it in making necessary preparations for reopening our Academy campus on August 19, 2020.  Such a reopening will ultimately depend upon how the health environment in our area unfolds and the status of government directives as we approach early August, but we are hopeful, prayerful and forward leaning.  In the event we are able to reopen the school campus in August as planned, all of our families will have a choice of beginning the year with traditional on campus learning or with real-time distance learning, the latter being an option that the school intends to make available to families throughout the school year.

 

With the help of the COVID-19 committee, the school is gathering up-to-date information to guide decisions regarding safety measures, social factors, and educational factors necessary for planning a healthy environment on campus.  We have been and will continue monitoring federal, state and local recommendations, guidelines and mandates associated with the novel coronavirus.  We will also continue to monitor how other schools' plans are developing, but we want to assure our school family that CFCA is being independently thoughtful and proactive in our planning, and we are working hard to ensure we will have the flexibility and readiness for any scenario.

While the specifics are still being discussed and are subject to change based on events in the coming months, here are some important measures you can reasonably anticipate when our campus does reopen: requirement for staff & student temperature checks, reduced density within educational spaces, restrictions associated with shared/common spaces, assigning and restricting of students to certain buildings/areas and special protocols for lunch hours, recess and athletic activities.  Many precautions are being discussed and developed and will be announced over the next few weeks, so please monitor your email for updates regarding various areas of the school.  These messages will be primarily communicated through the Academy's newsletter, The Weekly Eagle, and shared in other avenues as appropriate.

 

As the apostle, Paul teaches, in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, self-discipline." (NLT). I urge all families to continue to partner with us in prayer for those impacted by the current medical situation.

 

Warmest Regards,

Karen Parker

Head of School