Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Face coverings are required for all persons entering and exiting the school buildings and while in transit within the building during all re-entry phases.

Masks provided: Faculty, staff, and students will receive an allotted number of reusable cloth masks on the first day of school to ensure each person on campus is following proper safety precautions. If a staff member or student forgets or loses the mask, a disposable one will be provided for the day.

Enforcement: School administration, staff, and faculty will be stationed at entry points throughout each campus to remind students to wear face coverings prior to entering campus. In instances where reusable masks are left at home, a disposable mask will be provided for the day. Students who repeatedly do not wear a mask on school grounds will be educated on their importance while faculty will work to use restorative practices to encourage students to utilize a mask.

Yes. The face covering needs to fully cover the nose and mouth, and be able to stay on one’s face without using their hands. They must be school appropriate and shall not interfere with the school’s dress code policy.

Every classroom will be designed to maximize space and distance between each student and plexiglass barriers will also be provided for faculty and students in many rooms and locations. We will utilize outdoor spaces when possible, limit large gatherings, and control student movement. Administration will create procedures for restrooms and confined spaces to allow for social distancing and proper hand washing. Canterbury will offer in-class meal service options and lunch will be eaten in the classrooms or outside when possible (see question below). We will work diligently to educate our students, in all grades, about the importance of social distancing and masks. In addition, younger students will be kept in cohorts to avoid mixing of groups.

All students and employees are required to self-screen before coming to school.  Students and employees exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 (fever of 100.4 or greater, cough, shortness of breath, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell) without being otherwise explained, are prohibited from coming to school. Canterbury will contact the parents of any student who exhibits these symptoms during the day, or who arrives at school with them, and will request immediate pick-up from campus. Students who cannot attend class in person can attend class virtually.

When there is a positive case of COVID-19 within our school community, we will follow Allen County Department of Health guidance and this communication procedure:

• If we receive a report of a positive case, the school will immediately start contact tracing in conjunction with the Allen County Department of Health.
• Any persons that were within 6 feet of the infected individual for more than 15 minutes (as defined by the DOH and CDC) will be directly contacted by the school. If you do not hear from us, your child was not in high risk contact.
• Those persons will be quarantined for 14 days from the last point of exposure with the diagnosed/ infected person.
• We will inform the community that a case was identified.
• Remote learning options will be provided for those ill or in quarantine.

School will be cleaned daily, focusing on major touch entry points in common areas such as doorknobs, handles, elevator buttons, stairwell railings, light switches and soap dispensers. Custodial staff will disinfect using proper cleaning products with microfiber cloths to spray and wipe down objects. In the Early Childhood (EC) Division cleaning and sanitizing will also take place between morning and afternoon sessions.

Routine cleaning: Throughout the workday, the custodial staff will implement a routine of surface cleaning in the major touch point areas discussed such as restrooms. Latter custodial shifts will apply the full standard cleaning of all areas to be ready for the next day. Custodial staff will wear face masks and gloves.

Deep cleaning: If a positive COVID-19 case is determined within a school or building, the custodial staff will use an approved chemical and fogging machine to disinfect any area deemed appropriate by contract tracing processes.

Students will be encouraged to stay socially distanced while at the bus stop. This must be a joint education effort between families and school personnel. Students will be socially distanced as much as the physical capacity of the bus allows. School administration, in conjunction with the driver, will establish seating charts with social distancing in mind. Hand sanitizer stations will be on each bus, and students will be encouraged to use it upon entry and exit. Students will also wear masks while social distancing. Bus drivers will have disposable masks to hand out to students in the event a student does not have his or her mask. Ventilation will be incorporated into the bus along with air conditioning systems. Bus drivers will wipe down high-touch areas between each run.

We are actively monitoring federal and state public health guidance as medical experts continue to learn more about the virus on a daily basis. We are working closely with the Allen County Department of Health to ensure that we are staying on top of any new regulations or guidance that would impact our campus operations. We are consulting regularly with a variety of physicians on the Pandemic Response Committee. And we are carefully following the Centers for Disease Control and the status of the virus within our region. If we were to experience a significant outbreak within our region, it would likely predicate the closing of campus and we would communicate plans immediately.

Lower, Middle and High School lunch will be eaten in advisory/homeroom class, or outside in good weather. Meals can be ordered via AVI at the beginning of the day, charged to a student account and delivered to classrooms during lunch. Students will still be permitted to bring their own lunches. EC lunch will be in the clubhouse, corner house, or a space where social distancing can be maintained. EC students will bring their own lunch.

Canterbury has asked all of our families to sign a pledge, thus binding our community to upholding the guidelines produced by our Pandemic Health and Wellness Committee. The Canterbury family is strong and united in our common purpose of keeping our students, faculty, and parent community healthy. However, if anyone struggles to adhere to the guidelines of our returning to campus plan, they will be referred to the Head of School.

Canterbury is aware that this has been a difficult time for students and parents, and the school will be working with staff members to monitor the emotional well-being of all students. To assist here, we have increased the hours and availability of our counseling staff, and are now partnered with the Bowen Center, a mental health center in Fort Wayne. Through our Bowen Center partnership, any Canterbury family can reach out directly to the Bowen Center and receive two sessions with one of their counselors at no cost to you. Those interested in this option are free to contact the Bowen Center directly at 260-471-3500.

Canterbury will limit campus visitors to mission-specific and personal needs, including carefully structured admissions visits. Visitors must be approved in advance, must sign both a release of liability waiver and a declaration in regards to COVID-19. All visitors must wear cloth face coverings and practice social distancing while on campus. Necessary PPE will be supplied by the school to all essential visitors to campus. All essential visitors will be greeted upon arrival at which time they will be provided PPE and briefed on the school’s visitor policy. Any visitor who chooses not to comply with campus policy will be denied entry to school buildings and be asked to depart from campus.

Yes, we now have a full-time nurses on both the Covington Road and Smith Road campuses.

It is our strong belief that the quality of the student experience is rooted in the on-campus experience with faculty who are able to provide the critical relationship role paramount to optimal student growth and achievement. At the same time, the remote learning experience acts as a bridge between maintaining that same quality of programs while we are unable to be on campus and it is there that the quality of the student experience is also preserved. Canterbury has dedicated the last two months to developing our curriculum, our professional expertise, and innovative planning in order to be responsive to the demand and expectations of our talented and diverse student body during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students will learn together, they will enjoy a rigorous, individualized educational approach, they will enjoy fine arts and athletic programs, they will employ technology in innovative ways, and they will do so within a safe community — all hallmarks of a Canterbury education. Adaptations will be made in order to make all of these activities as safe as possible.

Faculty and staff will receive training in the policies, protocols, and expectations we establish to keep our students and community safe. Upon returning to campus, students will also receive guidance and training, including basics such as proper hand washing, as well as more specific expectations regarding on-campus conduct and policies. Faculty and staff will regularly guide students to ensure that they comply with expectations to keep the community safe.

When we were forced to close campus last spring, our teachers did a remarkable job of embracing remote learning. They poured their time and energy into a learning modality that was new for us all. Having reviewed the spring semester, we will modify our remote learning plans to include more synchronous instruction at all levels. Remote learning in EC will require parents/caregivers participating with their children in asynchronous and synchronous experiences. We will have this plan in place by the start of the school year.

Classes: Working with the physicians on the Pandemic Team and staying abreast of scientific research, faculty will continue to offer classes with modifications as necessary. Masks, social distancing, plexiglass, and outdoor lessons will be incorporated to ensure a safe experience. At this point in time, students will not be singing and band instruction will be modified. We will continue to monitor and adjust our programming as the semester progresses.

Concerts: The Fine Arts Department will continue to deliver a robust music education curriculum in a variety of processes including performance. Implementation of performances may be impacted by safety guidelines. 

Theatre Productions: Current plans are to offer all experiences as scheduled with necessary modifications in cast size, rehearsal procedure, and performance format. Student safety is the primary factor in all decisions.

The athletic department will follow all pertinent guidelines established by Canterbury School, Allen County Board of Health, IHSAA, the State of Indiana and the CDC regarding athletic activities. Masks and distancing will be used by staff and by athletes in transit as well as in circumstances not involving strenuous physical activity. Schedule adjustments may be made to reduce travel, and spectator limitations may be imposed as necessary to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19.

We are still determining the feasibility of field trips, and other off-campus learning opportunities. We have currently cancelled off campus field trips through the month of September, and will adjust future trips accordingly. We ask for your understanding as adjustments are made.

Shared educational spaces, such as the auditoriums, student commons, EDC, libraries, gyms, etc., will be utilized, but at a smaller capacity due to social distancing guidelines. Our administrators are evaluating the square footage of these spaces and will pre-determine socially distant capacities of all spaces.

Yes, some classes will be held outside when the weather and curriculum allow for learning in a flexible environment. Learning outdoors can allow for additional social distancing and fresh air, but must be balanced to ensure that learning can continue in a productive manner.

The school is working to have additional substitute teachers available in the event that any number of our faculty get sick or need to self-quarantine for any reason. These substitutes will be trained in the same manner as our faculty to ensure that all students remain as safe as possible.

We will not be refunding or discounting tuition for the 2020-21 school year should we go fully remote at any point. Each division will offer ample remote learning options should we need to go fully remote during the school year. 

Yes. Parent feedback will be vital to our plans moving forward.  We encourage you to return to this web page frequently to review updated plans, and we ask you to reach out to your Division Director or Parent Association representative with any thoughts, feedback, questions, or concerns.

We will issue a refund for any payment incurred if we have to close the campus and Enrichment/Extended Care is not available.