COVID-19 | School Updates and Information

National Heritage Academies (NHA) is closely monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19, which is a form of the coronavirus. This disease creates a mild to severe respiratory illness that can easily spread from person-to-person.

NHA has a response team who meet daily to monitor the status of school communities throughout our network. We want to thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work through this fluid and ever-changing situation.

If you have questions, please check our FAQs. Additional questions or concerns may be directed to NHA Parent Relations at (877) 642-7471 or emailed to info@nhaschools.com.

Last updated August 19, 2020 at 4:00 p.m.

Tips and Additional Info

Back to School Plan

We are planning for a school year of learning together in an in-person classroom environment. However, we realize things can change between now and the first day of school. Take a moment to watch the video below to hear more about how we’re preparing for the 2020-21 school year. We created detailed plans around four learning model scenarios:

In-person – a return to our traditional classroom environment.
Hybrid – a combination of in-person and remote instruction.
Virtual – teaching and learning in a fully online environment.
Remote – teaching and learning at home for a period of time.

These learning models, which you can read more about below, are in-line with the each state's department of education plan, which outlines required and recommended safety protocols for the 2020-21 school year based on the status of coronavirus in each community.

The wellbeing of your child remains our number one priority. We have been busy this summer planning for your scholar’s return to the classroom by creating cleaning and sanitization plans. In addition to regular cleaning services, our plan includes elevating the amount of sanitation in the building overall, while also focusing on high-touch point surfaces such as door handles, light switches, and railings.

All of these cleaning measures follow recommended safety protocols as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local officials.

As we continue to navigate this new and challenging landscape, we realize you’ve likely had to make difficult decisions for your family about returning to normal activities. Rest assured we will be prepared to provide your scholar a welcoming learning environment that meets your family’s needs.

In the coming weeks, school leadership will share more detailed information. Thank you for your patience as we continue navigating this new path for the coming school year.

Healthy Coping Strategies During COVID-19

Over the past few weeks you’ve probably found yourself going between a variety of emotions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are a few strategies you can use to process emotions and cope with feelings of anxiety or depression.

School Visit Guidelines

While school offices will now be open during select times and by appointment throughout the summer, safety remains our priority. We will use precautionary measures to maintain social distance during this time.

Please keep in mind the following guidelines when planning to visit any NHA school.

Please check the school website for summer office hours or call ahead to confirm someone is available in-person if you need to drop off items or visit for any reason.
All families will be asked to wear masks and use hand sanitizer when entering the building.
School tours are by appointment only. We encourage families to schedule via Calendly (see school website for Tour the School link) or by contacting the school directly.
- A maximum of 4 family members per tour are permitted.
- Please follow the directions of the representative conducting the tour in order to only enter designated rooms and avoid two-way traffic in the halls.
- Limited handouts will be provided in order to avoid too much touch-point interaction.

Prevention Tips

NHA leaders continue working under the guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). We recommend following the CDC’s recommendations, to prevent the spread of illness:

Practicing good hand hygiene, including washing your hands with soap and water for the length of 20 seconds.

Covering your coughs and sneezes

Staying home if you are sick.

Helping Children Cope

The amount of change caused by these circumstances can be very overwhelming and difficult for children to understand. Here are a few tips for helping your child understand COVID-19.

Stick to honest, simple, age-appropriate facts.
Remain calm and reassuring.
Encourage germ-fighting at home.
Monitor your child's social media intake.

For details on these tips as well as more helpful information, resources, and at-home activities, download our COVID-19 Resource for Parents. We also recommend these healthy coping strategies for all ages.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is returning to school actually better for children’s mental and physical health?

We believe the well-being of children comes first and that young people, like adults, learn best when they are happy, safe, calm, and cared for properly. All teachers and staff have received additional training and resources around how to handle both the social and emotional well-being of students during this time.

Are teachers and staff being tested for COVID-19 regularly?

All teachers and staff will have access to COVID-19 testing. We are not requiring staff to be tested at this time in alignment with federal and state guidance. We will adjust if that guidance changes.

Will the school be offering the children the plastic face shields or masks?

For schools opening in person or in a hybrid model, NHA will provide cloth masks for students.

How do you enforce consistent maintenance of social distancing or consistent awareness of surroundings for younger children?

An important part of school for younger students is learning the routines and procedures that make for a productive learning environment. Our staff is well-experienced at instructing, modeling, and reinforcing routines and procedures with young learners. Social distancing falls into this category, and our teachers will be vigilant to enforcing consistent social distancing practices.

Will the entire school go into quarantine if someone at the school (staff or student) tests positive for Coronavirus? How will parents be notified?

The school will close for the local required amount of time, thorough building cleaning will occur and students will immediately shift to remote learning. Parents will be immediately notified via a parent letter in School Messenger.

Can I turn in enrollment documents online rather than in-person?

Certain enrollment documents that we normally require to be physically handed in to the school office can now be uploaded online if needed. To find the upload link, please log in to the Parent Portal, select Forms, and click the Submit Paperwork Online link.

For more detailed instructions, take a look at the video below.

NHA Parent Tutorial - How to Upload Documents Online from NHA Schools on Vimeo.

If I elect to homeschool my child this fall, will my child lose their seat/placement?

We have on option for students to remain part of the school and receive instruction remotely by selecting the Virtual Select option. If a parent wants to homeschool their child, this indicates that they are taking on the responsibility of their education and their child would not be enrolled in the school thereby giving up their seat.

Will the in-person school day be the usual length of time or shortened? Will students have to be logged on the full day if virtual?

In-person school days will not be shortened. On days students will be learning virtually, there will be certain hour requirements and participation expectations based on grade level.

How exactly does virtual learning work?

More detailed information on how virtual instruction will be conducted including helpful resources can be found on our Virtual Learning Hub. You can also check our Virtual FAQs for more general information about this option.

How are parents who are working expected to work with a home-learning program (remote or virtual)?

Remote and virtual learning has been designed as a teacher-driven program that places as little a burden on parents as possible. There will also be parent materials for families with students learning remotely. These materials will help outline how parents can best partner in their child’s virtual education and how to fit it into their own schedule.