GSSM Weekly Recap - Feb. 5th, 2021

Sent on behalf of Interim President / Senior Vice President for Residential, Mr. Danny Dorsel:

Dear GSSM Community,

Please find below some updates for this week.

COVID-19 testing, cases and contract tracing

• There were no COVID-19 cases reported this week.
• Thanks to our continued partnership with MUSC, one-third of the students were tested on Wednesday, and all were negative.

Reminders of safety precautions

• For the most part, students are doing a good job following the safety protocols, but we can do better.
• More than half of the non-compliance reports are related to students not submitting their REACH surveys on time.
• Tags
• Please charge them weekly and make sure they are on when wearing them.
• Wear them facing outwards to show others that your tag is on by its flashing light – help others help you.
• Social distancing
• Compared to last week, we had a 50% reduction in the time logged that tags were within 6 feet (close contact range) of another tag – great job!!
• Let's try for another 50% reduction from this week to next.
• There have been some violations of curfew. Signing out and in is a must.
• Reminder on campus curfew
• Students may sign out between 7:30 AM and 5:00 PM.
• Building curfew is 7:00 PM Sunday through Thursday, and 9:00 PM on Friday and Saturday.
• The walking boundaries are from 4th to 6th street on Carolina Avenue and College Avenue. Mask and contact tracing tags must be worn when you are in town.
• As a reminder, we will continue to communicate with students and parents regarding non-compliance with COVID-19 safety protocols.

Academics

• The faculty met this week to discuss what went well and what can go better in our current teaching environment.
• They continue to work hard to deliver exceptional courses in this new way.
• Students have been proactive in letting us know areas that are working well, and that could use improvement – this type of feedback is invaluable.

Interim Update

• This year's interim will be May 5-19.
• There will be in-person and synchronous online options available for students.
• Faculty are working to adapt the classes they had planned for January Interim or to develop new courses if the January courses are no longer feasible.
• In March, we will send out a new interim catalog.
• All students will have the option to stay in their January class if it can still be offered.
• If students need or want to choose another class, they will be enrolled based on availability, class (seniors then juniors), and when they turn in their preferences.
• Thanks for your patience as we work to get the new catalog ready.

Graduation Update

• Graduation will be on May 22.
• We are working to have the best ceremony we can for students and families while keeping everyone safe. Thanks for your patience as we continue to plan.

I hope everyone has a great and refreshing weekend.

Sincerely,

Mr. Danny Dorsel
Interim President / Senior Vice President for Residential
SC Governor's School for Science + Mathematics