9/9/21

Dear Families,

The Village School of North Bennington is dismissing at 11:30 a.m. today, as we learned that a member of the Village School of North Bennington tested positive for COVID-19 and was at the school while infectious on Tuesday, September 7. Those who were initially identified as close contacts have been notified already. We are notifying the whole school as a precaution. 

School will be closed tomorrow, Friday, September 8, to allow time for the Vermont Department of Health to determine whether this is an isolated case or if the infection potentially spread to other individuals. The time frame, nature of contact, and other factors can influence who is determined to be a close contact. If anyone else is identified as a close contact, we will notify you directly. 

We are conducting a thorough cleaning and disinfection of the entire school. No one will be permitted into the building until we receive an all-clear from the Department of Health. Please expect an update from us tomorrow or this weekend regarding when the school will reopen for in-person instruction for classes that are not affected.  

Your student’s teacher will send you a communication regarding lesson plans for tomorrow, Friday, September 8. 

We know this news is unsettling to many, and we ask for your patience, understanding, and support as we move forward. We are working to respect individual privacy and gather all the facts of the situation. As more information is known, we will update you. We encourage everyone to monitor themselves and their family members for COVID-19 symptoms and seek medical attention and testing as appropriate. Please refer to the Vermont Department of Health for additional information and guidance: https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19

I am available if you have any questions. Due to the fact that the school is closed, the best way to reach me is at tnewbold@vsnb.org.

Warm Regards,

Tim Newbold

Head of School