In preparation for their first day of school next Tuesday, McCallie School administrators issued a 10-day self-quarantine as one of many precautions being put in place. The first day of the quarantine was Saturday.
During this quarantine period, all students are required to take COVID-19 tests and will not be allowed to attend class or go on campus unless they can document negative results.
Head of School Lee Burns told the Times Free Press the mandate was "already in the works" and not because of the recent coronavirus outbreak within the school varsity football team during its summer camp. As of Sunday, there were 11 players who tested positive. According to school staff, the players are in isolation and are reporting none to mild symptoms.
For this upcoming school year, students of the all-boy school will have a choice of attending classes on campus or virtually. Approximately 30 have opted for the virtual classes.
"If someone during the course of the school year tests positive - we certainly anticipate that - they'll have to be at home for an isolation/quarantine period for about two weeks and get a negative test before they can come back," Burns said.
Burns said the school has about 935 students, with 270 living on campus and the remainder being day students. The school's COVID-19 protocol requires any boarding student who flies to Chattanooga to be given a rapid-antigen test prior to being allowed into the dormitory.
Among the steps that McCallie is taking are daily temperature check and health screening for all day students, faculty and staff through a computer app prior to being allowed onto campus each morning; requiring everyone to wear a mask at all times while on campus; cleaning and social distancing inside classrooms, dining and common areas; and not allowing visitors - parents will be allowed on campus only to drop off and pick up their students.
"These are just some of the many new rules and procedures we have put in place for this year," Burns said in a news release. "As always, we have high standards and expectations for our boys. This year will be no different. We expect that our boys will rise to the challenge."
Contact Monique Brand at mbrand@timesfreepress.com.