RALEIGH – Thales Academy, a college preparatory network of Pre-K-12 independent schools, opened the doors of its eight North Carolina campuses plus its first out-of-state campus in Glen Allen, Virginia for the first day of school this week as scheduled for the first quarter of its year-round calendar for the 2020-2021 school year. Thales Academy Franklin K-3 in Tennessee will open the doors of its new campus August 3. Thales Academy said they have prepared each campus to be a safe, in-person learning environment and is offering a virtual learning option as well for the first quarter.
“We are thrilled to be open this week for the 2020-21 school year and are grateful to our hard-working, committed staff for their diligent efforts to provide a safe and excellent educational experience every day for our students,” says Bob Luddy, Founder and Chairman of Thales Academy. “We are committed to providing the highest quality education to as many students as possible and are proud to offer strong in-person and virtual learning options to families during this important time.”
Josh Herring, Dean of Students, explains, “We strongly believe that providing an in-person educational experience is of utmost importance for the wellbeing of our students and families. Returning to school helps students to continue progressing academically and socially, promotes positive mental health, and allows our working parents to focus on their obligations to their employers.”
Families got a taste of the new safety protocols upon their first day of school on Monday, July 20, and those returning to campus are reassured by Thales Academy’s extensive precautions to ensure the safety of its students and staff. Safety measures for the in-person option include:
- Thales Academy will continue to monitor conditions and guidelines and will update protocols continuously as new information is released.
- Daily temperature checks and symptom surveys completed before students enter the building
- Social distancing whenever possible
- Frequent hand washing
- Staying within the same cohort of students and teachers throughout the day to minimize contact with others
- No shared supplies
- One-way traffic flows in hallways and stairwells
- No mass gatherings
- Staggered class change times to reduce the number of students in hallways at any one time
- No visitors or parents permitted in the building
- Masks worn in compliance with county and state mandates
- Advanced HVAC units that provide up to 100% outdoor air – these units continuously remove and do not recirculate contaminated indoor air and replace it with highly filtered, fresh outdoor air (crucial to protect students from airborne viruses)
- If any student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, or has been in close contact with someone who has, the individual is asked to quarantine at home and is not permitted to return to school until numerous conditions are met to ensure symptoms have abated and the individual is no longer contagious. Campus staff will work closely with the Department of Health and Human Services for guidance on handling these various circumstances.
Thales Academy campuses have seen an increase in interest given the strong commitment to in-person learning in a safe environment. “We are so proud to be able to serve students back on campus this quarter so that they and their families feel confident in their continued academic and educational progress,” says Bethany Bateman, Admissions Counselor.
Tuition at Thales Academy is $5,000-6,000 per year depending on grade and campus.
