August 26, 2022

Dear Students and Families,

We write today with great excitement for the opening of the 2022-2023 school year! In a matter of days, we will begin welcoming our new and returning Saints to campus and cannot wait for our students’ energy and enthusiasm to return to our hilltop.

Details about dates and times for students’ arrival to campus have already been communicated, so the purpose of this email is to share the COVID-19 protocols that will be in place as we start the school year. These protocols align with the most recent guidance issued by the CDC. Please feel free to bookmark our COVID-19 Protocols webpage, which will also be accessible at any point during the year via the student and parent portals on Veracross.

• While not required, we strongly recommend that all students take a rapid antigen test within 24 hours of arriving to campus; you are welcome to use an at-home test. If the test result is positive, please stay home and contact the Health Center. We will work on a smooth transition to campus once the isolation period (see below) has passed.

• We ask family members to stay home if they have been exposed to COVID-19 within 10 days prior to campus arrival or if they are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. If they must come to campus to help register their child, masking is required, especially inside buildings. Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within five days prior to registration may not come to campus. 

• Please note that our arrival/registration days will include a large number of people inside our buildings at any given time. To that end, students and family members may wish to consider masking as an added precaution.

• Canterbury will operate with a mask-optional policy for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors. This means that masks are not required in classrooms and other indoor settings on campus, except if individuals are experiencing any symptoms associated with COVID-19, if they are visiting the Health Center, or if masks are required at the discretion of the Health Center as warranted.
  • Please remember that students who test positive for COVID-19 or who are a close contact of a positive case must mask as directed by the Health Center (see below).

• We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic remains ongoing and acknowledge that members of our community may prefer to remain cautious. Therefore, we support those who wish to continue wearing masks and encourage them to do so.

• Students who test positive for COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status, must isolate off campus for at least five days.
  • Students may return to campus on day six If symptoms have improved and they have remained fever free for at least 24 hours without using fever-reducing medications. Upon return to campus, continued indoor masking is required for an additional five days (or less if a negative antigen test can be provided).
  • If symptoms persist after day five, students must consult with the Health Center and continue to isolate until symptoms resolve.

• As we have previously communicated, it is imperative that all families have pre-established plans for their student to depart campus within 24 hours of testing positive for COVID-19. We are no longer able to offer isolation spaces on campus. If you are not able to commit to picking up your child and have no one nearby who can assist, there are outside services, such as Student Health Advocates that some of our families have used. We recommend making arrangements with them in advance.

• Students who are identified as close contacts, regardless of their vaccination status, may still attend classes and participate in all campus activities but will be required to abide by additional safety measures, including masking for five days following the last date of exposure. Further information regarding testing will be communicated to affected students by the Health Center.

• We do not anticipate ongoing surveillance testing of the campus community. In the Health Center, we will continue to test students who present with symptoms.

• Students' family members are welcome to visit campus and enter buildings, including dorms.

• Remote access to classes will only be granted to students placed on extended medical leave that is approved by the Health Center. COVID-19 isolation protocols typically meet the criteria for medical leave.

• As always, we continue to ask all community members to pay diligent attention to their health generally and COVID-19 symptoms specifically and stay home/in the dorm if they are feeling ill and contact the Health Center.

As has been our practice throughout the pandemic, we will continue to monitor health conditions on campus, locally, regionally, and nationally and utilize best practices and the most current medical guidance to provide a high level of protection for our community. To that end, please note that the Medical Task Force may revisit mask-wearing and other protocols at any point in the year, should circumstances warrant.

Finally, please know that our Medical Task Force is keeping a watchful eye on the monkeypox virus. The risk of infection is extremely low among children and, as such, there are no recommendations at this time to implement protocols for preventing the virus spread on our campus. Should leading public health guidance change on this matter, we will promptly communicate any updates to our community.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation. If you have any questions about our COVID-19 protocols now or during the school year, please feel free to contact Director of Health Services Colleen Cook, R.N. ‘02.

We look forward to seeing your children (and many of you!) on campus in the days ahead. Go Saints!

With appreciation,

Head of School Rachel Stone P ‘23, ‘24
Assistant Head of School for Student Life Peter LaVigne P ‘14, ‘16, ‘17, ‘20, ‘23
Director of Health Services Colleen Cook, R.N. ‘02

P.S. If you missed attending our Virtual Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, August 23, and would like to view the recording, please email studentlife@cbury.org.

August 17, 2022

Dear Canterbury Students and Families,

While we hope summer has been filled with adventures and joy, we are excited to welcome our students back to campus in the coming weeks. We are writing today to share registration details and other important information.

In order to plan for our opening days, please take a moment to complete the Arrival Survey if you have not already done so. Information regarding when each student plans to arrive on campus is essential to our start-of-year planning. Thank you in advance for providing these details for us to best support your child upon arrival.

Reminders:

● Families must upload proof of their child’s COVID-19 vaccination via the Magnus Health Portal prior to arrival on campus. We continue to review the latest guidance from the CDC as well as state and peer school guidelines and will communicate any changes to our protocols prior to registration. Any questions regarding vaccination status or COVID-19 protocols should be directed to Director of Health Services Colleen Cook, R.N. ‘02 at ccook@cbury.org.

● Third and Fourth Formers are not permitted to have gaming systems in their dorm rooms.

● All students will be asked to wear formal dress once a week.

Your child’s registration day schedule is below. Please know that all our new families will have scheduled time to meet your student’s faculty advisor on the day you arrive. Additionally, we encourage parents and guardians to join us for the Welcome Reception that corresponds to your students’ arrival. Click here to RSVP to the date and time that works for you.

Monday, August 29: Invited Student Leaders
Thursday, September 1: Invited Fall Varsity Athletes
Saturday, September 3: International Students (not previously registered above)
Monday, September 5: All Remaining Boarding and Day Students

Registration will again occur in the Steers Center this year. When arriving on campus, all families should initially report to the Sheehan House Parking Lot and walk up to the Steers Center Terrace. At registration, students will receive their school debit card and a printed copy of the full schedule of orientation events through our first day of classes, Wednesday, September 7.

All students are required to attend orientation events on Monday afternoon, September 5, including our all-School cookout, and Tuesday, September 6, from 9:30 AM through the end of athletic practices at 5:30 PM. These orientation activities are a chance for students to meet or reunite, feel comfortable on campus, and get to know their peers and teachers.

All students will receive their housing assignments by Friday, August 19. Returning students can plan to find their housing by logging onto Veracross; new students will receive an email from studentlife@cbury.org with their room assignment as well as roommate information when applicable.

To streamline the move-in process, students and families may come to campus to drop off their belongings on Saturday and Sunday, August 27 and 28, between noon and 5:00 PM. We ask that families email studentlife@cbury.org if they plan to drop off their child’s belongings. Residential houses will be open as will each dorm room. Please lock and shut individual dorm rooms prior to departure. Students will receive their room key at registration. When on campus, please call 860-605-6084 should you need assistance.

Please refer to All Required Forms on our Opening of School website if you have not already completed the required forms (Arrival Form, the Parent Questionnaire, and the Magnus Health Information). Required forms and documents must be finalized as soon as possible.

Finally, parents are invited to join us on Tuesday, August 23, at 7:00 PM for a Town Hall Zoom Meeting. Parents can register here; a Zoom link will be emailed. This informal, virtual conversation is intended to introduce new families to the opening days of school and will include Head of School Rachel Stone, Associate Head for Academics Sue Roberts, Director of Health Services Colleen Cook, Director of Athletics Jim Stone, and me. Returning families are certainly welcome to join as well.

If you have any questions about Move-In, Registration, or Opening Days, please contact the Student Life team at studentlife@cbury.org or call the Student Life Office at 860-210-3860.

We look forward to seeing you on the hilltop!

Peter LaVigne
Assistant Head of School for Student Life P ‘23, ‘20, ‘17, ‘16, ‘14

August 9, 2022

August has arrived!

This is the final summer communication from the Donovan Center for Learning about courses for this fall.

The link for current 2022-2023 course enrollments can be found on the student and parent Veracross portals on the "Links" tab; select the link for “Course Requests.” Should there be a conflict or question, a note has been included. If the student’s schedule is complete, no further action is necessary. For assistance accessing the student and/or parent portal, please contact Rachel Germon, Systems Support Specialist.

If you would like to request adjustments to your schedule or simply talk through possible options, please reach out to the appropriate Academic Counselor via email. As a reminder, Ms. Mockus works with the Third and Fourth Form students, and Mr. Gooler works with the Fifth and Sixth Form/Postgraduate students. If you would like to schedule a time to meet virtually with your counselor, you can make an appointment with Ms. Mockus here or Mr. Gooler here.

I am happy to announce that we will be offering a new Theology course entitled Life Worth Living. This new course is open to new Fifth Form students and all Sixth Form/Postgraduate students. The course description of Life Worth Living is as follows:

The Life Worth Living course aims to engage students in critical discussion about the most important question of our lives: What is a life worth living? What kind of life would be truly worth wanting? What kind of world would be truly worth seeking? How ought I to live? This course spurs critical thinking on the question of what constitutes a flourishing life by drawing upon several religious and philosophical traditions, as well as literature, poetry, and art. Students and teachers together approach the core question—what is a life worth living?—by examining different models of the good life, by active reflection, discernment, and how to pursue the good life, and by practicing collective habits of discussion within a respectful, honest, and diverse community of learners.

Don’t forget to visit the Opening of School 22-23 webpage. I strongly suggest that you bookmark this page and visit it frequently as information will be updated as it becomes available. Here you will find the required summer reading list, bookstore information, and required AP course summer assignments. If you plan to have textbooks delivered directly to Canterbury, be sure to include the student name in the shipping address details.

The academic schedule for next year has been altered slightly. Please note that on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, classes will now begin at 8:20am to allow for a longer lunch and community block. Click here to view the updated Academic Day Schedule.

The start of the school year is rapidly approaching, so take the weeks ahead to prepare. Now is the time to apply the finishing touches to your AP summer assignments or wrap up the summer English reading.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Enjoy the final weeks of summer!

Sincerely,

Todd Mathewson
Director of Studies

July 11, 2022

Dear Families,

I hope you are enjoying the summer months. On the hilltop, the Student Life Office is preparing for the upcoming school year, and we are excited to welcome our new and returning Saints to campus!

As we approach the opening of school, I am writing today to provide important information regarding your student’s arrival on campus and preparations for the 2022-23 academic year. As in years past, there is a great deal of information about the upcoming year on Canterbury’s Opening of School webpage. This page is the central location for all back-to-school information, including required forms, arrival dates, updated calendar, and academic details. A Parent Checklist & Quick Reference Guide can be found on this page, which includes all action items and forms that require your attention.

Reminder: COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement & Information
Canterbury requires all students eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to be fully vaccinated in order to attend the upcoming school year. Families should arrange for students to complete a full course of the primary vaccine series at least two weeks before the student's arrival on campus, including participation in any school-offered programs (e.g., pre-season athletics, leadership training). A copy of your child’s vaccination card must be uploaded to Magnus before arrival on campus. Families with questions about the vaccination requirements or exemptions should contact Director of Health Services Colleen Cook, R.N. ‘02.

Canterbury will continue to follow the most current CDC guidance for positive cases pertaining to isolation and close contacts. Students testing positive must isolate off campus for five days and wear a mask for an additional five days upon campus return. Close contacts will be required to mask for five days while remaining on campus and continuing to participate in all academic and extracurricular activities. Please be aware that Canterbury’s Medical Task Force will continue to monitor the conditions of the pandemic throughout the school year and update our campus protocols as necessary.

Lastly, please note that Canterbury will no longer be able to quarantine or isolate positive students on campus. Therefore, each family must have a pre-established plan to pick up their child within 24 hours of a positive test result and provide oversight for their five-day isolation.

Arrival and Registration

• Student arrivals and registration are scheduled accordingly:

                    August 29 - Student Leaders (1:00 - 3:00 PM)
                    September 1 - Returning Varsity & Invited Athletes (10:00 AM - 1:00 PM)
                    September 3 - International Students (3:00 - 4:00 PM)
                    September 5 - All Other Students (1:00 - 3:30 PM)

• All students will register in person on the above-mentioned dates. Parents will also be invited to several Parent & Guardian Receptions on registration days. Further details, including times and instructions upon arrival, will be communicated in August.

• Dorm assignments will be completed and shared with students during the first week of August.

• All families must submit the Arrival Survey. The survey requests your child’s specific travel information, including arrival dates and transportation needs. Please note that Canterbury can help arrange transportation to campus from New York-area transportation hubs on specific dates; the final page of this survey asks whether you would like to arrange transport.

• Families who live close enough to campus may have the opportunity to move in and set up a room before the student’s official registration days referenced above. Tentatively, Saturday and Sunday, August 27 and 28, will serve this purpose. Dorms will be open from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM, during which time we invite families to move their child’s belongings into their dorm room. There is no need to schedule a move-in time, but families will only be permitted on campus during the posted times. Room assignments will be posted at each entrance to the dorms and may be shared electronically in early August, as already mentioned.

Dress Code
Please note the dress code requirements for 2022-23. While the academic day dress code remains the same for the upcoming year, there will be more regular occasions when we expect our students to wear Saints Formal Dress.

Faculty Advisor, Big Sibling, & International Student Buddy
New students are paired with a faculty advisor and should expect to hear from them prior to registration. Advisors are the “go-to” adults for questions, concerns, and information once the school year begins. The faculty advisor can help guide families in the right direction should you have questions.

Similarly, every new student will be matched with a Big Sibling during the summer months. Big Siblings are returning students who will be another resource for your child as they transition to life on our hilltop.

Additionally, international students are matched with a returning international student who we call a “Buddy.” An International Student Buddy can answer questions specifically dealing with international student matters during the summer and will also help new students acclimate to boarding life at Canterbury.

Athletics
Canterbury’s coaches are busy preparing for the upcoming season! If you are unsure whether your child should arrive on campus for fall varsity preseason training starting on September 1, please reach out to the specific coach or Director of Athletics Jim Stone.

Weekends
Many boarding students are accustomed to traveling on weekends after classes and/or athletics to return home to spend time with family, to participate in off-campus commitments, and to visit colleges. The first two weekends of the academic year (September 10-11 and September 17-18) and the final weekend of the year (May 27-28) are closed weekends. All students are expected to remain on campus during the first two weekends, and all Underformers are expected to remain on campus during the final weekend of the year. Families with questions about this policy should reach out directly to the Student Life Office.

Canterbury uses an online platform called REACH to manage off-campus permissions. All students have access to an account (which can be accessed at cbury.reachboarding.com) via their Canterbury email username and password. Returning students currently have access to their REACH account; new students will gain access upon their registration during their first day on campus.

For more details on REACH, please visit the Opening of School webpage and scroll to the FAQ: “How do I give my student permission to go off campus?”

2022-23 Student Handbook and Forms
The Student Handbook for 2022-23 is now available, and I ask that you read it while paying particular attention to the following sections: Major Rules, Policy on Healthy Relationships, Policy on Alcohol and Other Drugs, and Terms and Conditions for Internet Use. Once your family has reviewed the Handbook, a parent/guardian must complete and submit this form to confirm. Students will sign a similar form during the first week of classes.

The School Calendar is found on the last page of the Handbook and online. Prior to registration, you will receive a more detailed orientation and opening days schedule.

I encourage you to complete the checklist and submit the online forms. We ask that all families—returning and new—complete a Parent Information Questionnaire by August 1. The Magnus Health forms are accessible through your Parent Portal. Please contact Rachel Germon, Canterbury’s System Support Specialist, if you have issues or questions accessing your portal.

Conclusion
Please watch for a communication from the Academic Office in the coming days, including academic updates and other important details. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact the Student Life Office at studentlife@cbury.org or 860-210-3860 if you have any questions about Student Life or the opening of school. I look forward to seeing you at the start of the year.

Regards,

Peter D. LaVigne P ‘14, ‘16, ‘17, ‘20, ‘23
Assistant Head of School for Student Life

July 5, 2022

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are very pleased to welcome your child to Canterbury School in the fall. This email summarizes several items that fall under the purview of the Business Office and hopes to anticipate questions you may have regarding this information or other related matters.

TUITION
As part of your online enrollment, a FACTS account was created to manage tuition payment plans and billing. As a reminder, our FACTS letter is linked here, and answers to frequently asked questions can be found here. Payment via wire transfer is available only to international families; wire transfer instructions can be found here. 

If you choose to pay your tuition in full by July 31 and declined the Tuition Refund Insurance on your Enrollment Contract, a credit for the full premium will be issued once your payment is received. To review information regarding Tuition Refund Insurance, please click here. 

If you have any questions or concerns about tuition, insurance, or your FACTS account, please contact Student Billing Coordinator Christina Watson at (860) 210-3803 or cwatson@cbury.org.

TEXTBOOKS
Students are required to purchase textbooks before the start of the new school year; all texts are available for purchase through our online vendor, Follett. 

A list of each student’s scheduled courses will be sent from the Academic Office in mid-July.  Follett has a dedicated area on its website where all Canterbury School texts will be available by course title. All book purchases must be made online; however, you may contact Follett customer service at (800) 381-5151 if you encounter any issues. Books will be shipped directly to you. Boarding students may have their books shipped to themselves at Canterbury.

HEALTH INSURANCE
The cost of medical services in the United States is high, and families must have coverage that is accepted at local hospitals, health clinics, and other medical practitioners. To assure that international families meet this financial responsibility, the School requires all international families to purchase student health insurance (United Healthcare Student Injury & Sickness Plan). Please note that due to federal regulations this plan is no longer available to domestic families. 

ACCIDENT INSURANCE
Any student that is not enrolled in the United Healthcare Student Injury & Sickness Plan (see above) has been enrolled in our Accident Insurance through A.W.G. Dewar. This Dewar accident policy is a no-deductible, accident-only policy that pays from the first dollar up to a limit of $2,000 for bodily injury resulting from an accident (whether a sports injury, slip/fall, or any other accident on or off campus). Canterbury recommends this policy to assure that if a student has an accident or injury while at school, emergency treatment at New Milford Hospital and elsewhere will be immediately available without any issues of insurance coverage causing a delay.  If you wish to decline this coverage, please sign and return this waiver form.

SCHOOL DEBIT CARD
The School processes most student purchases on campus with a Debit Card. Detailed information regarding Canterbury’s Debit and Spending program can be found here. Please use this form to make an initial deposit to your student’s account. The Debit Card is not optional. A digital photograph of your child will be taken at registration in September and the photo I.D. card will be created overnight. This card is also used for our campus door lock system. Students use the same I.D. card each year that they attend Canterbury.

STATEMENT OF CHARGES
Canterbury’s 2022-23 Statement of Charges can be found here. As a reminder, you will be billed for tuition and certain academic, transportation, and medical fees. Other incidental fees such as athletic equipment and supplies, student activities—including but not limited to weekend and student activities, trips/outings, charity fundraisers, sports photos, yearbook, prom, postage, dorm damages, and replacement Debit/ID Cards—will be charged to your student’s School Debit Card. 

POLICY ON UNPAID BALANCES
The School will charge and collect interest on any charge or installment charge that is overdue. According to your Enrollment Contract, interest will accumulate at 1.5% per month (18% per annum) for each month that a charge remains unpaid. Any student whose tuition is significantly in arrears will have his or her grades and/or transcripts held until the account is brought current. Additionally, Canterbury has the option of precluding students with significant account delinquencies from attending.

LAUNDRY AND DRY CLEANING
The School provides card-operated washers and dryers for student use in the dormitories. Alternatively, students may walk to downtown New Milford to use local laundry and dry-cleaning establishments.

As an option for students and parents, E&R Laundry & Dry Cleaners of Manchester, NH, offers a full line of pick-up and delivery services to our students. Details can be found here. You can also obtain information at www.thecampuslaundry.com. 

SUMMARY AND TIMELINE
The following are due by July 31:
• FACTS account setup; tuition payment due according to payment plan setup
• Student Accident Insurance Plan payment
• Technology Fee payment
• Matriculation Fee payment (if new student)
• Refundable Escrow Fee (if new student)
• Debit Card deposit (separate check marked “Debit Card Deposit”)
• Medical Insurance (United Healthcare Student Injury & Sickness Plan) full payment (if required)

By mid-August:
• Buy textbooks online at Follett 

I hope this email has been helpful. We look forward to greeting you at registration and answering any further questions you may have. In the meantime, Christina Watson in the Business Office is available to assist you with any questions or concerns. She can be reached at (860) 210-3803 or by email at cwatson@cbury.org.

Sincerely, 
Stephen Carleton, CPA
Business Manager

Links included in this email: 
FACTS Letter to Canterbury Families 
FACTS FAQs
Wire Transfer Instructions (international students only)
Tuition Refund Insurance Information
United Healthcare Student Injury & Sickness Plan Information (international students only)
Accident Insurance Information
Accident Insurance Waiver
Debit Card Information and Budgeting Information
Debit Card Initial Deposit Form
Statement of Charges 2022-23
E&R Laundry Information
Follett Online Bookstore

Hello, Saints!

Welcome to Canterbury! Our students and faculty are thrilled that you have chosen to join this extraordinary community.

With the 2022-2023 school year just around the corner, we know that you are eager to plan ahead–from selecting courses to preparing for the fall arrival to campus to figuring out what to pack–and we are here to help you through every step of this process.

We invite you to visit our Opening of School 2022-2023 webpage, where you will find essential information about the first weeks of school, the school calendar, course selection, vaccination protocols, and more. Please be sure to bookmark this page as information will be added and updated during the summer months. Please note that there are a number of required forms that parents/guardians must complete prior to the start of the school year; the Parent Checklist can help you keep track of these items. Additionally, please review the Summer Communications Archive, which includes important information that has already been shared with our students and families this summer.

The Academics section of the Opening of School webpage contains information about our course offerings as well as course request worksheets tailored to each grade level. Once you have had a chance to review this page, please send me an email with your course request worksheet. Also, please be sure to complete the math and language placement tests as soon as possible; this will help us finalize your schedule.

Finally, do not forget to have your academic records sent to our Registrar, Anne Zapletal. To do this, please complete our transcript release form and submit it to your prior school.

Throughout this process, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. We are here to support you every step of the way. Go Saints!

Sincerely,

Todd Mathewson
Director of Studies

P.S. We have created a brief survey for newly enrolled families about your experience with our admission process, and we would love feedback from both students and parents/guardians. Your input is important to us and will help enhance the admission experience for future students and families. We thank you in advance for your responses!