March 1, 2020

Dear FRA Families,


I am confident you have been following the media reports regarding coronavirus (COVID-19). Since January, our leadership team has been monitoring the spread of the virus and preparing for possible impacts and/or modifications to our programming. It is incumbent on us as a school community to be diligent in our ongoing education about the virus and prepare for a number of unpredictable contingencies.


We are in regular conversations with health care professionals and following guidelines outlined by the Tennessee Department of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While the CDC indicates the immediate risk to the United States is low, they recommend preparing for possible disruptions due to a broader spread. We have included links to the CDC and WHO websites for your reference:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

Similar to the flu and other respiratory viruses, coronaviruses are spread from person-to-person through the air by coughing or sneezing, close personal contact such as touching or shaking hands, or touching an object or surface with the virus on it. The CDC believes symptoms may appear within two to 14 days after exposure and consist of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. 
 
The safety of our students, faculty, and staff is our top priority. When considering personal preparedness, it is important to keep a few points in mind. First, infectious disease experts are emphasizing that coronavirus causes an illness that is similar to the flu. While a vaccine for coronavirus is not available, everyday habits that protect us from common respiratory illnesses are even more important now. We all can protect our own health as well as the health of our family members and community by remembering to:

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue to cover it, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

We will be encouraging these practices at school and we ask that you do so at home. 

As a school community, we are vigilant in our cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched objects and surfaces. During Christmas break, we treated all buildings with PURE Bioscience disinfectant as part of our standard cleaning and disinfecting program to combat influenza and the common cold. Starting in January, our housekeeping staff shifted their daily evening routine to more aggressively clean and disinfect our primary surfaces: doorknobs, desks, chairs, light switch covers, handrails, toilets, sinks, water fountains, cafeteria tables, shelves, and locker rooms. In addition, each weekend, our facilities department has been treating all commons areas, door handles, and clinics with Clorox Total 360 electrostatic spraying system. This system, which is an intentional plan to kill germs on these surfaces, is a significant step-up from general cleaning.Starting tomorrow evening, we will begin daily treatment of all frequently touched surfaces in classrooms, common areas, and restrooms with PURE Bioscience disinfectant and/or Clorox Total 360. These cleaning materials are effective in disinfecting these surfaces and safe for use in a school community. We will continue these practices through the duration of this season. 
 
If you would like to know more about these products, we have included links below:
https://www.purebio.com/products/pure-hard-surface.htm
https://www.cloroxpro.com/products/clorox/total-360/

With our Interim trip experiences set to depart in a little over a week, we are closely monitoring the conditions in the destinations we will be traveling and regularly consulting with medical professionals. We have canceled our Interim trips to Europe and we hope that all other Interim experiences will move forward as planned with the well-being of our students and trip leaders as our primary concern. We will continue to monitor the situation and make changes when warranted. With conditions changing daily, please know we are vigilant in our monitoring.

The potential for schools to close as a result of the virus or to protect against the spread has been raised in recent days around the country. We will be having discussions with our faculty and planning for this possibility. Being a 1:1 school in grades 5-12 will provide us significant capability for remote learning, if needed. In addition, Dr. West will be working with his faculty on a comparable plan for our lower school students in the event it is necessary.

We recognize that intense media coverage may cause a great deal of anxiety and raise many questions. We hope this communication allays some of your questions and concerns.  We will continue to communicate as circumstances evolve. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or reach out to our campus nurse Georgie Goldthorpe, RN (goldthorpeg@franklinroadacademy.com). Please know that the safety and security of our students is always our first priority. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
Sean R. Casey