The “daily flow” as we call it at Green Trees depends on your child’s class and their developmental needs. Teachers will share the classes’ daily flow at our beginning of the year visits and Parents’ Night.

We now have an opportunity for our children to interact with children beyond those in their classroom, during specific times of the day, like outdoor time and after school. Cohorts will be expanded to a larger, developmentally appropriate group, similar to a grade-level.

Yes. We will continue to have a curriculum steeped in hands-on experiences and engaging materials.

Yes. Curbside arrival and dismissal will be available from 7:30-8:00 a.m. and 3:00-3:30.p.m. Grown-ups will come into the building for drop-off after 8:00 a.m. or pick-up after 3:30 p.m.

 

Per the Office of Public Health Child Care Guidelines, parents/caregivers can enter the building to drop off and pick up their children if the following occur:

 

Guidelines for this process can also be found in our Green Trees Handbook.

No. Meals will continue to be served in classrooms.

Children will go outside with their class and their age-level cohort.

Yes, outside therapists (Speech/OT) are allowed on campus after participating in the Newman onboarding process and meeting/scheduling support through the Assistant Director of Green Trees. Outside therapists are allowed on campus beginning October 4, 2021.

Green Trees will follow rigorous health and safety measures set by the School and licensing expectations.  

Remote learning opportunities are available for children whose entire cohort are at home due to a COVID-19 exposure on campus. These opportunities will include synchronous and asynchronous learning and office hours with teachers.

Lower School students may begin to arrive as early as 7:15 a.m. They will go directly to their designated grade-level early arrival classroom where they will be grouped by grade-level cohorts. They will be dismissed to their individual classrooms at 7:45 a.m. Children arriving between 7:45 a.m. through the start of school at 8:00 a.m. will go directly to their classrooms.

Varied start times on our campus aid in limiting traffic disruptions in the neighborhood and ease the load of supervision of carpool locations by our staff.

Yes, practically speaking cohorts in Lower School  can range from individual classrooms to an entire grade-level due to developmentally appropriate differences in curriculum and the daily schedule. Whenever possible we will minimize close contacts while selectively expanding cohorts to achieve important developmental goals. A cohort is a group of students who stay together throughout/across school days. Cohorts minimize crossover among children and adults while still offering programmatic and social interactions that are developmentally appropriate and important within the School.

Yes, Lower School students have breaks, recess, Specials classes, and lunch during the school day within their grade-level cohorts.

Students will have the opportunity to move around campus to their Special classes and recess.

Facial coverings are required indoors for all students in Grades Pre-K through 6 unless that student is eating during lunch or napping (Pre-K/K). When outside, facial coverings may be removed. Facial coverings are not required for adults or students 12 years of age and older who are fully vaccinated, as outlined in the CDC guidance for fully vaccinated people. Individuals who are not vaccinated should wear a facial covering while indoors on campus. We support anyone deciding to wear a facial covering.

For the 2021-22 school year, students will participate in all the curricular programming of a typical year.

Students in grades Pre-K to 3 will eat in their classrooms, or outside when feasible, with their class or as a grade-level cohort. 4th and 5th grade students will eat in the Dining Hall in designated spaces with assigned tables/seating.

Yes. SAGE continues to provide daily snacks for students.

Students participate in recess within their grade-level. They are not required to wear masks at recess/outdoors.

Students attend PE with their grade-level cohort in a variety of locations throughout campus. They wear their masks during transitions and when participating in non-strenuous activities. During strenuous exercise and/or while on the playground/outside, students are allowed to remove their masks.

We have missed you! Yes, we will welcome parents to campus this year.

Facial coverings are not required for adults or students 12 years of age and older who are fully vaccinated, as outlined by the CDC guidance for fully vaccinated people. Individuals who are not vaccinated should wear a facial covering while indoors on campus. We support anyone deciding to wear a facial covering.  Please see Isidore Newman School Framework for Mitigation of COVID-19 for specifics.

Yes, outside therapists (Speech/OT) are allowed on campus after participating in the Newman onboarding process and meeting/scheduling support through the Assistant Head of Lower School. Outside therapists are allowed on campus beginning October 4, 2021.

Students enrolled in After 3 are permitted to stay on campus after school hours. Otherwise, Lower School students must be picked up at the end of the school day (3:00 p.m.).

Newman will not offer families a remote learning option for the 2021-22 School Year.

Remote learning opportunities are available for children whose entire cohort are at home due to a COVID-19 exposure on campus. The grade-level team will support students in remote learning similarly to the remote learning program in the 2020-21 school year. This schedule and specifics will be communicated at that time to families.

Classwork and homework assignments will be provided to families through each child's homeroom teacher via Seesaw (Pre-K-3), Google Classroom (grades 4-5), and/or email correspondence for individual students who need to quarantine for exposures that occur off campus.

Social distancing will be practiced, whenever practical, in grade 6. For contact tracing purposes, we generally will maintain cohorts by grade-level. Generally Middle School students’ contact will be limited to other Middle School students.

Yes, Middle School students will move from classroom to classroom and to other areas of campus such as the Dining Hall or PE facilities throughout the day.

Yes. Middle School students have breaks, advisory, recess, and lunch during the school day.

The same grade-level courses that were offered during the 2019-20 school year will be offered during the 2021-22 school year.

Yes, Middle School students will participate in either Choir, Band, or Arts Rotation (which includes Drama, Studio Art, Media Arts, and Movement). Students made their arts selections in the spring of 2021.

Yes, all Middle School students will continue to participate in Enrichment every other day. Typically, half of the Enrichment block is reserved for independent reading time, while the second half is dedicated to content that falls outside the realm of traditional academic classes. The Enrichment programming consists of Health and Wellness, Academic Skill-Building, and Mini Courses. Mini Courses range in topic from technology instruction and library skills to financial literacy and virtual field trips, to name a few.

In Middle School, students may arrive as early as 7:15 a.m. Students arriving between 7:15 and 7:45 a.m. will remain in the locker area under the supervision of a faculty or staff member.

Starting at 7:45 a.m., students may meet with teachers, get organized for the day, and socialize with friends in designated Middle School areas of the campus. Students will report to their first block by 8:20 a.m.

Dismissal for Middle School students is at 2:50 p.m. Middle Schoolers should be dropped off either on Danneel Street (Reginelli Way or Jolly Building) or on Jefferson Avenue (Gottesman Gate).

We know from adolescent brain research that Middle School-aged students are “wired” to fall asleep later in the evening and wake up later in the morning. This slightly later start time supports the natural rhythm of the adolescent sleep cycles. Additionally, varied start times on our campus aid in limiting traffic disruptions in the neighborhood and ease the load of supervision of carpool locations by our staff.

Middle School students will enjoy lunch daily in the Dining Hall. For contact tracing purposes, there will be designated grade-level zones assigned in the Dining Hall.

Yes, SAGE will continue to offer daily snacks.

Lockers will be in use this year. Students can store everything from cell phones and athletic equipment to books and notebooks in their lockers. Because students only attend four classes per day, it is likely that students will have the option to carry their belongings with them for the duration of the day if desired.

All Middle School students will participate in the standard PE curriculum. PE classes meet every other day for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Athletics, which meet after school, will operate independently of PE.

Yes, Middle School students will have the option to participate in fall, winter, and/or spring sports. Middle School athletic practices will take place from 3:00-4:00 p.m. daily, with a few exceptions. The schedule for games and matches varies depending on the sport.

If you need to pick your child up early, you should plan to park and walk in to meet them at the Middle School Office. Likewise, if you are dropping an item off for your child, please come into the office to do so.

Yes. Middle School students involved in a Newman-sanctioned and supervised extra-curricular activity such as athletics or theater will participate in those meetings after school hours. Students without specific afterschool obligations will also have the option to stay on campus after school until 5:30 p.m. More details on this option will be forthcoming.

We hope to be able to integrate social and co-curricular opportunities, such as clubs, as the school year progresses.

Yes, Middle School students who utilize tutors may meet on campus from 3:00-4:00 p.m. if needed. If your child will take advantage of this, please call the Middle School Office for further guidance.

Facial coverings are required indoors for all students in Grades Pre-K through 6 unless that student is eating during lunch or napping (Pre-K and K). When outside, facial coverings may be removed. Facial coverings are not required for adults or students 12 years of age and older (7th grade or higher), who are fully vaccinated, as outlined in the CDC guidance for fully vaccinated people.* Individuals who are not vaccinated should wear a facial covering while indoors on campus. We support anyone deciding to wear a facial covering.

* Subject to change

The remote learning plan that existed for Middle School students last year will no longer be offered. All Middle School students will participate in in-person learning on campus this year. Students who are absent from school for reasons associated with COVID-19 (isolation due to positive case or quarantine due to exposure), will have access to assignments on iNewman and may contact teachers via email or iNewman messages to ask questions or seek extra help, in the same way they typically have for medical or excused absences.

We have missed you! Yes, we will welcome parents to campus this year.

Facial coverings are not required for adults or students 12 years of age and older who are fully vaccinated, as outlined by the CDC guidance for fully vaccinated people.* Individuals who are not vaccinated should wear a facial covering while indoors on campus. We support anyone deciding to wear a facial covering. Please see Isidore Newman School Framework for Mitigation of COVID-19 for specifics.

* Subject to change

During the 2021-22 school year we will use a long-block schedule. This plan divides the day into four academic blocks of 80-minutes each with a 30-minute block for extra help from 7:45-8:15 a.m. and a 45-minute block of Community Time (Assembly, Class Meeting, Advisory, etc.) from 3:00-4:00 p.m. A total of eight blocks (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H) will rotate, so students will have each academic class at a different time throughout the rotation.

Because of the individualized nature of students’ courses of study in Upper School, cohorts will not be in place.

During free blocks, all ninth and tenth graders will be assigned to a structured, quiet study hall environment. Eleventh and twelfth grade students will have the option to choose either a quiet study space or social space on campus. All Upper School students will be allowed to eat in the Dining Hall for lunch.

Generally speaking, students should anticipate 30-40 minutes of homework in preparation for each class. Advanced and AP classes may assign 40-60 minutes of homework per class. The block schedule will allow students more time to complete homework during the school day.

Yes, we will provide our full complement of performing and visual arts courses. Choir and Band, because of the nature of these courses, will continue to be guided by Louisiana Department of Education Guidelines, the National Federation of State High School Associations, and the National Association for Music Education Guidance.

Upper School students may arrive between 7:15-8:15 a.m.

In Upper School, students will arrive between 7:15-8:15 a.m. Dismissal time is 3:00 p.m., unless students are engaged in athletics or other extracurricular activities.

Varied start times on our campus aid in limiting traffic disruptions in the neighborhood and ease the load of supervision of carpool locations by our staff.

Upper School students who would like to have a locker may request to be assigned one in the Upper School Office.

Students will eat lunch in the Dining Hall during the Upper School lunch block. Seniors may be permitted, at designated times during the school year, to leave campus for lunch.

Students involved in a Newman-sanctioned and supervised extra-curricular activity will be permitted to stay on campus between 3:00-4:00 p.m. Students who are waiting for the start of athletic practice at 4:00 p.m. may also stay on campus.

Yes, teachers will continue to be available to meet with students after school during the designated activity period, 3:00-4:00 p.m. as well as an additional morning help period between 7:45-8:15 a.m..

Facial coverings are not required for adults or students 12 years of age and older who are fully vaccinated, as outlined in the CDC guidance for fully vaccinated people.* Individuals who are not vaccinated should wear a facial covering while indoors on campus. We support anyone deciding to wear a facial covering.

* Subject to change

We have missed you! Yes, we will welcome parents to campus this year.

Facial coverings are not required for adults or students 12 years of age and older who are fully vaccinated, as outlined by the CDC guidance for fully vaccinated people.* Individuals who are not vaccinated should wear a facial covering while indoors on campus. We support anyone deciding to wear a facial covering.  Please see Isidore Newman School Framework for Mitigation of COVID-19 for specifics.

* Subject to change

The remote learning plan that existed for Upper School students last year will no longer be offered. All Upper School students will participate in in-person learning on campus this year. Students who are absent from school for reasons associated with COVID-19 (isolation due to positive case or quarantine due to exposure), will have access to assignments on iNewman and may contact teachers via email or iNewman messages to ask questions or seek extra help, in the same way they typically have for medical or excused absences.

Yes, for the fall semester we are excited to resume some of our most popular Specialist classes. Details will be released by the end of July.

Yes, in-person private music lessons will resume on campus and will be offered to kindergarten through 5th grade students.

After 3 for Pre-K through 5th grade students in the Lower School will follow a schedule that includes choice-based activities, recess, and snack. When possible, each group will move in their same cohort to an appropriate outdoor or indoor space for recess or active play. Students registered for private music lessons will also participate in enrichment activities outside of their lesson time.

Later Gators for Infants through Fours at Green Trees will include classroom activities, snack, and gross motor activities. We will maximize outdoor time when possible.

When possible, each group will move in their same cohort to an appropriate outdoor or indoor space for recess or active play. There may be days where active play is not possible.

Second through fifth grade students will have an opportunity to complete their homework in a quiet space during After 3. They may choose to play after completing their homework. If you would like your child to complete their homework during After 3, please select the ‘Directed Study’ option at the time of registration.

Not currently. If we have the capacity once we have settled into the semester, On-The-Spot will be offered on a limited first-come, first-served basis after Labor Day.

The School is not able to guarantee afterschool care to all families due to limits on operating capacities. We will do our best to accommodate your family’s request should you need afterschool care later in the semester.

For After 3, curbside pick-up will be offered from the Lower School entrance at 5320 Loyola Avenue from 3:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. An After 3 staff member will come out to your car and radio for your child to come to that entrance. Please allow us a few minutes for your children to gather their belongings and reach the lobby for dismissal. Parents are welcome to park and walk up if preferred. Please pick-up all Pre-K through 5th grade students at this location.

For Later Gators pick-up, please enter campus through the Green Trees Parking Lot at 1820 Soniat Street. Upon arrival, per the Office of Public Health Child Care Guidelines, parents/caregivers can enter the building to pick up their children if the following occur:

Please note that some protocols may differ for Green Trees due to licensing requirements for Early Childhood Programs. Please refer to the Green Trees FAQs or the Green Trees Family Handbook for specific policies and procedures.

Newman will offer a meaningful athletic experience for both our Middle and Upper School student-athletes. We will follow guidance and recommendations from the NFHS, LHSAA, NOAL, and in concert with other independent schools in the city, state, and region.

The Lower School PE curriculum will continue to focus on students’ motor skills and spatial awareness, sport education, cooperative learning, and promotion of a positive attitude and good health through physical activity and play.

The Middle School PE curriculum will continue to focus on sports-specific instruction, and circuit-based physical fitness.

The Upper School PE curriculum will build the knowledge, skills, and strategies for incorporating physical activity into a comprehensive lifetime personal health plan. The students set personal goals, customize a fitness plan, execute the plan, and retest periodically to assess progress and adjust the plan as needed. Customized activities are performed on a daily basis, giving students the feel of having a personal trainer.

Students may be exempt from physical education class if they participate in a school-sponsored athletic program of a physical nature that regularly meets a minimum of five days a week for two hours a day for the duration of the sports season. The season must be at least 10 weeks long. Appeals may be made to the Chair of the Physical Education Department who will consult with the Upper School Head and Athletic Director on a case-by-case basis.

Yes, in the Middle and Upper School there is space available for students to safely change. Lower School students will not change.

Yes, we will provide our full complement of performing and visual arts courses. Choir and Band, because of the nature of these courses, will continue to be guided by Louisiana Department of Education Guidelines, the National Federation of State High School Associations, and the National Association for Music Education Guidance.

Yes, with a teacher present.

We will present concerts and have Band performances at football games in formats that are in line with school health and safety protocols. The Reynolds Ryan Art Gallery is open and operational. Events will be scheduled during the year with health and safety guidelines in place.

No, once in quarantine, you must remain there regardless of whether you test negative.  

If a member of our community within your child's cohort or class becomes ill with COVID-19, or exhibits COVID-19-like symptoms, a letter will be emailed home informing you of and describing the situation. We have an internal contact tracing team that will begin to identify and inform of possible exposures and the possibility of quarantine.  

Contact tracing is taking place at the City and State levels through the Louisiana Department of Health. If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, the organization that administered the test must report the information to the Department of Health. Newman has an internal contact tracing team to assist with mitigation for on-campus exposures and positive COVID-19 cases within our community.  

No, if your child has any symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they must remain at home and return to school only after completing the proper protocol (see COVID-19 Mitigation Plan).  

Facial coverings are required indoors for all students in grades Pre-K- 6. When outside, facial coverings may be removed. Facial coverings are not required for adults or students 12 years of age and older who are fully vaccinated, as outlined here:  CDC Guidance for fully vaccinated people.* Individuals who are not vaccinated should wear a facial covering while indoors on campus. We support anyone deciding to wear a facial covering. Each individual is responsible for providing their own facial coverings, but Newman will have disposable masks available for temporary use if one is forgotten at home. 

* Subject to change

No. Newman will not require your child to be tested for COVID-19. Getting tested for COVID-19 is a decision made in consultation with your family physician/treating pediatrician. If your child presents symptoms, they will not be allowed back onto campus until cleared by a physician, but it will be up to the physician to determine if a COVID-19 test is warranted.  

The School will continue its partnership with SAGE Dining Services, Inc. to provide lunch for all students, faculty and staff for the 2021-22 school year. First through third grade students will have their lunches delivered to their classrooms in order to allow grade-level cohorts to remain in place and students time to enjoy their lunch as a class. Fourth through twelfth grade students will resume eating their lunch in the Dining Hall. Fourth and fifth grade students will dine in the Dining Hall with a staggered entrance and exit schedule. They will remain with their grade-level cohort in a designated seating arrangement throughout their meal. Lunch will be served to Green Trees, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten students in their classrooms throughout the school year. The School will not serve breakfast until further notice.  

The School has developed a Framework for Mitigation of COVID-19 to reduce the risks related to the virus. The framework includes a range of health and safety protocols and procedures to address COVID-19. The protocols include but are not limited to the following: facial coverings, social distancing and cohorting, at home health screenings, hygiene and cleaning, restrictions for visitors to campus, campus improvements and enhanced HVAC systems, modified food service on campus, contact tracing, and protocols for COVID-19 symptoms and exposures.

 

Air Conditioning System: The School has increased the outside air intake to provide more fresh air in the classrooms, we have installed UV air scrubbers to filtrate viral and bacterial organisms throughout campus, and the facilities staff are changing air filters more frequently.

 

Water Fountains: The School has replaced all water fountains with touchless water bottle filling stations across campus.

The Acknowledgement of Risk form is intended to communicate and to be transparent about the risks related to COVID-19. This form is not a waiver. We believe it is important for each constituency to be informed and aware of the risks related to COVID-19.

An individual who lives with someone who has been exposed to COVID-19 but has NOT tested positive can continue to come to work or school. If an individual lives with someone who HAS tested positive for COVID-19, then the subsequent members of the household must quarantine, if unvaccinated. PCR testing for COVID-19 does NOT decrease the number of days that you must quarantine.

Individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 must isolate. Individuals who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 but have not shown any symptoms or tested negative must quarantine. Based on CDC guidelines, isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick, and quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

Please make sure your child’s Magnus Health Profile is completely updated to reflect these conditions and contact the Philipson Health Center staff (healthcenter@newmanschool.org) if you have further questions.

No. The Health Center may be able to assist you in getting a test done at a local medical center, but there will not be any testing done within the Center itself. 

The School stocks bathrooms and hand washing areas with a basic hand soap, which is recommended. Hand sanitizer dispensers use an alcohol-based product suggested by the CDC.

The cleaning staff has participated in training and conducts intensified cleaning throughout the campus nightly.

The School will ensure that there is deep cleaning and disinfecting nightly for all classrooms, restrooms, and other campus spaces, including high-touch surfaces.

Faculty will not be responsible for routine sanitizing of desks and materials in their areas of use (classrooms) throughout the day unless extenuating circumstances exist. Cleaning materials will be available upon request from the Facilities Department if needed.