Dear Bullis Families,
Last Thursday marked the last day on campus for our seniors, the Class of 2021. It was an emotional day for them and also for many faculty who have taught them over the years. Their college outcomes are impressive; congratulations to them, their parents, the faculty, and the college counseling office. The matriculation list is attached below. Everyone is excited for their graduation on Saturday, June 5, and we look forward to welcoming them back to their alma mater in the years to come.Â
â–º Matriculation List: Bullis Class of 2021
COVID Testing:
Last week, we carried out 874 tests for COVID-19; all were negative. Since August last year, we have conducted 26,081 tests and have had a total of 27 positive results on campus. We have had one positive result in the last 10 weeks. Likewise, community spread has diminished drastically.
There are now 2.9 new cases per 100,000 people per day in Montgomery County. The last time the rate was this low was March 28, 2020. The test positivity rate continues to drop – 1.4%. Last year, we saw that transmission dropped during the summer months and rose horrifically in the late fall and winter. There is some reason for quiet optimism for the coming months, and we can hope that widespread vaccinations will prevent an increase later in the year.
Bullis Vaccination Clinic:
As you know, Bullis very strongly encourages every eligible student and faculty member to be vaccinated. We are holding our first clinic on Tuesday, May 25. There are still appointments available at every time slot – please do feel free to register any eligible member of your family. Check your email for registration and consent forms.
Protocols for School Year 2021-22:
As we know, this pandemic has made planning extremely difficult. Nevertheless, I want to lay out our current thinking about some protocols for the start of next year. For ease of reading, I will bullet:
- School will begin a week earlier than normal: Wednesday, September 1, 2020.
- School will be held five days per week, and with our regular schedules.
- Classes will NOT be livestreamed; it is in students’ best interest to be physically present in school. While livestreaming classes has been necessary this year, it is clear that effective teaching and learning is best facilitated through a singular modality. Students who need to learn remotely for specific reasons will be accommodated as they would have been pre-pandemic.
- The school very strongly encourages every student and faculty member to be vaccinated. Vaccinations remain authorized for emergency use only by the FDA. Bullis does not require vaccinations. Those not vaccinated will be required to be tested weekly, complete the Magnus app daily, and wear a mask.
- Students will be distanced three feet in classrooms.
- At this point, we anticipate that masks will be required when inside for everyone, but will follow the guidance of the CDC and health authorities for schools.
Obviously, we are still subject to the jurisdiction of the state and county health departments, and to the vagaries of what can happen over the next three months during a pandemic. I do feel cautiously optimistic that school in the Fall will feel somewhat back to normal.
Class Sizes, Enrollment, and Contract Deadline:
Bullis has experienced unprecedented interest over the last year. Our enrollment this year is 830 students. Next year, our enrollment will be 885 students; we will be completely full. Most of this growth is located in the Lower School. Counter-intuitively, our class sizes will remain the same or be smaller.
In the Lower School, the maximum class size in Kindergarten and 1st grade is 12, and in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades it is 14. The average class size in the Middle School will be 15. We are targeting a maximum class size of 16 in the Upper School, with greatly reduced numbers of students per teacher. We will be able to achieve these targets through the hiring of an additional 12 positions.
Given this situation, it is more important than ever that parents are aware of the June 1 deadline for withdrawing from enrollment contracts. Until June 1, families can withdraw, forfeiting the deposit, which is non-refundable, but are not liable for tuition. Once this date has passed, families are obligated for the entire tuition.
Please don’t hesitate to contact Director of Admission Matt Trammell if you have any questions.
With only 12 school days left before the end of the school year on June 9, and with good weather and drastically reduced COVID-19 numbers in the community, there is palpable excitement for these last days and the coming summer on the part of students…and yes, faculty too. It’s been a long, strange year! Before families take off for the summer, I do hope that I get the chance to greet you in person.
Warmly,
Christian G. Sullivan
Head of School
