The Dublin Christian Academy recently received a wave of applications from nearby public school students seeking in-person instruction, Director of Development Bethany Paquin said on Friday. The calls from Conant, Mascenic, and ConVal families started coming in a couple weeks ago as other districts weighed reopening plans, she said, and the school still has openings for some grades while others have been waitlisted.
The school intends to open to in-person instruction on Sept. 2. “We cannot carry out our mission long-term in a remote learning environment. In-person interaction among students and faculty is fundamental to developing and maintaining the relationships and quality of instruction we believe will equip our students emotionally, spiritually, and academically for the future,” a statement reads on the school’s webpage detailing its reopening plan.
With regards to returning boarding students, the school has no specific guidance other than following CDC guidelines, Paquin said. The school has four international students, all boys from China, but they stayed on campus through the summer because they and their parents were concerned about their ability to return if they left, she said. All other boarders are from Northeastern states, and every student has their own room, which makes it easier to adhere to social distancing guidelines, she said.