Good Afternoon NuVu Families,

Based on additional information from families and staff, we are opting to remain remote until Monday, Jan. 10 due to community concerns. We’ve heard from many of you, and there are currently enough students and staff members in our community who have either tested positive or have been exposed to a positive close-contact to warrant a remote approach for the remainder of this week in an abundance of caution. 

Fortunately, we can report that of the twenty-four (24) students, and six (6) staff tested via pooled PCR tests yesterday, all returned negative results.

Please review the temporary remote schedule for the remainder of this week:

January Return Plan | Daily Remote Schedule for Weds Jan. 5 - Fri Jan. 7

* Students, please note the change in start time. We’re planning to balance asynchronous work time with synchronous instruction so that you do not lose precious studio time! We will create space for asynchronous work with afternoon office hours and desk-crits, in addition to asynchronous activities throughout the day. All Zoom Studio links can be found in the info tab of your studio on the platform.

Next steps for returning onsite 

You will receive a survey later this afternoon, and we’re hoping to hear from every family. The goal of this survey is to allow us to make a well-informed decision about when we can safely return to a fully on-site approach.

A brief note of gratitude

Beyond what is just in front of our noses - more COVID navigation and negotiation - lies a truly wonderful NuVu community. Throughout this pandemic, NuVu students continue to be engaged, happy, socialized students. And NuVu staff continue to be inspired by the creative magic that happens here every day. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me, molly@nuvustudio.org directly if you have any questions.

All the best, 

The NuVu Team

Dear NuVu Families,

Thank you for your continued support and patience this week. We are writing to you with updates to our current COVID-19 safety policies, as well as a survey to be completed by Thursday, Jan. 6 at 5PM. We hope to hear from each member of our community about your comfort level in returning onsite this coming Monday.

Community Feedback Survey | Onsite Return, Monday Jan. 10

As we navigate an onsite return during this period of more transmissible variants, we’re staying on top of relevant science and recent health data in order to adjust our onsite safety protocols accordingly. 

Please review the following changes to policies below: 

• Threshold for Onsite Studio

• Positive Test Protocol & Quarantine Guidelines

• Mask Requirements

• More Pooled Testing on Monday

Updates to COVID-19 Safety Policies

Threshold for Onsite Studio

In order to facilitate an adequate studio experience, at least 70% of students need to be present onsite. Due to the size of our student body, the highly collaborative work, and tactile nature of NuVu’s curriculum, we know from experience that student engagement is higher as a collective. In order to maintain continuity in the community culture of each studio, we will strive to keep studio groups together wherever possible, even if this means going remote for a few days. We are ready to create custom maker-kits for each studio should the need arise, but we will consistently prioritize in-person learning through routine testing of students and staff. 

We aim to have consistently relevant information about covid transmission in our community with these routine checks. In the event a pooled test returns presumptive-positive results, and less than 70% of students are able to remain onsite, the entire student body will transition to remote learning for a minimum of four (4) days while follow-up tests and contact tracing takes place.  

Positive Test Protocol and Quarantine Guidelines

If a pooled COVID-19 test returns a presumptive positive result, all students in this pool will be asked to attend studio remotely until a follow-up test is completed. Should this make less than 70% of students eligible for onsite participation, all students will transition to remote learning until follow-up tests can be completed. Families are responsible for individual follow-up testing. 

Asymptomatic COVID-19

Individuals who have tested positive, but remain asymptomatic, will need to complete a five (5) day quarantine, and submit one negative PCR test within a 24-48 hour period prior to returning to NuVu’s physical studio space. Upon returning, the individual will need to double mask for an additional five (5) days, and monitor any onset of symptoms. A negative PCR test, and an N95 mask, or two surgical or cloth masks will be required to return onsite. 

Symptomatic COVID-19

Individuals who have tested positive, and are also experiencing symptoms, will need to complete a ten (10) day quarantine. Provided that the ninth and tenth days (48-hours) of quarantine are symptom and fever free, the individual should seek medical guidance, or take a PCR test within a 24-48 hour period prior to returning to NuVu’s physical studio space. Once negative results have been submitted to NuVu, the individual may return to studio on the eleventh day. A negative PCR test and an N95 mask, or two surgical or cloth masks will be required to return onsite.

Updated Mask Requirements 

Given data around higher transmissibility of new variants, we’re asking students and staff to forego surgical masks for more effective N95, KN95, or KF94 masks.

Surgical, and multi-layered cloth masks must be worn together as a double layer if you prefer to use these options.

More Pooled Testing Next Monday

We will provide another pooled testing opportunity for students this coming Monday, Jan. 10 from 8:30 - 9:30 AM. Tests take about 3 - 5 minutes to administer, and once students have completed their test they may go to studio to minimize disruption.

Existing / Unchanged Covid Safety Policies

Testing Frequency & Dates

NuVu students participating in onsite programming are required to be tested for COVID-19 at least once every fourteen (14) days. All students and staff are required to be tested upon returning from breaks regardless of where it falls in the bi-monthly schedule. Testing options are available onsite at NuVu through CIC pooled tests, and we accept tests from any local CDC accepted testing resource.

Pooled Tests

Families who opt in to our onsite pooled testing program will consent to have their student self-administer an anterior nasal swab COVID test every other Thursday for the duration of the term. Each test now comes at a $5/swab cost, and families will be electronically invoiced for all tests administered during the Fall and Winter Term. We realize cost can be a barrier to access to tests, and we are hoping to alleviate some of this by offsetting half the cost. Tests are provided through CIC-Health and are handled by the Broad Institute.

Non-Pooled Tests

Families who prefer to utilize free resources closer to their home, through their primary care physician, or any other CDC accepted COVID testing resource must self-report negative results to molly@nuvustudio.org every other Friday. 

Testing Logistics

Pooled testing students are divided into two groups, and each group will be tested in pools every other Thursday. Students will self-administer an anterior nasal antigen COVID-19 test provided by CIC Health during the last block of the day from 2:30-2:50 PM. The tests will then be immediately transported to the lab on Charles St. in Cambridge by a NuVu staff member. 

Non-pooled testing students should be tested any weekday or weekend every fourteen days, and should self-report results to NuVu by emailing a digital copy of results to attendance@nuvustudio.org. 

Results Reporting

Student COVID test results will be recorded through a main point of contact at NuVu and handled by the CIC Health lab. Results are pooled and will be reported to NuVu within 24-48 hours. If there is a positive pool, or if there is need for testing follow-up, NuVu will contact families to request immediate quarantine and individual testing follow-up. 

Non-Pooled Testing Resources

Families who have not opted into CIC testing should also follow the bi-monthly testing schedule and have their student tested for COVID-19 at least once every fourteen (14) days. All students and staff are required to be tested upon returning from breaks regardless of where it falls in the bi-monthly schedule. You may use any of the below resources or your preferred testing resource. Test results must be reported to NuVu by emailing a copy to attendance@nuvustudio.org.  

As we carefully steer the school year back to a new normal, we’re still constantly reviewing relevant health and safety data regarding COVID-19. All policies are subject to change as we learn more about the risk factors associated with the COVID landscape. We sincerely appreciate your thoughtful feedback and patience. 

Regards,

The NuVu Team

Dear NuVu Community,

I hope you and your families have all had a restful and rejuvenating winter break. We’re excited to get back to school next week!

After hearing from many of you over the past week about limited accessibility of PCR tests, we sent out a survey on Tuesday, December 28, to gauge the feasibility of an onsite return on Monday, January 3. Thank you for your responses!

With the New Year's holiday falling within our testing window, and the recent challenges in accessibility to at-home PCR tests, we will be offering onsite testing on Monday, Jan. 3 from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM at NuVu. Please see below for full details of our return plan next week. 

January Return Plan | Week of January 3 - 7 

Monday, January 3, 2022 | Remote 

• No studios will be held in the morning

• Onsite pooled PCR testing for NuVu students will be available from 9:00 - 11:00 AM

  • If you have been able to secure PCR testing prior to Monday, please share results with us ASAP. A negative PCR test result will be required for onsite attendance.

  • Haven’t yet opted in to pool testing? No problem, if you would like to take advantage of Monday’s batch testing, please see details below. 

• Session 1 Portfolio Day will be remote from 1:00 - 2:50 PM. 

  • Students should meet on Zoom in Studio Pink at 1:00 PM. 

  • Students will receive their Session 2 studio placements. 

Tuesday, January 4, 2022 | Remote

• Session 2 studios begin remotely at 10:00 AM. 

• We will be remote on Tuesday while awaiting pooled PCR results from Monday (we typically receive results within 24-36 hours of testing)

• More details on the full-day schedule and Zoom links to follow. 

Wednesday, January 5, 2022 | Onsite based on test results 

• Students return onsite for studio beginning at 9:00 AM if 70% of pooled tests return negative results.

• Should fewer than 70% of pooled tests return negative results, all studios will remain remote until that threshold can be passed.

• Any presumptive positive pooled testing groups will follow this protocol.

Monday, Jan. 3 | Onsite Pooled Testing Details

All students who were not able to receive a PCR test prior to Monday should follow these instructions:

1. Report to NuVu anytime during the 9:00 - 11:00 AM timeframe

   1. We are located at 450 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA 02139

   2. Street parking is available on nearby Brookline St, Green St, and Mass Ave. Garage parking is available at the Green St Garage

2. If you have not previously opted into the CIC Pooled Testing program, please bring a completed Consent Form (attached to this email)

3. Return home to join Portfolio Day remotely Monday afternoon

We're so appreciative of the thoughts and feedback you shared with us this week, and we are eager to start the new year as safely as possible. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly with any questions or concerns. Thank you in advance for your understanding and support. 

All the best,

The NuVu Team

Winter Term | Important Dates 

• Start: Monday, November 29, 2021 - End: Thursday, March 3, 2022 
• Session 1: Nov. 29 - Dec. 17
• Session 2: Jan. 3 - 28
• Session 3/OI: Jan. 31 - Mar. 3
• Seminars: Jan. 3 - Feb. 25
• Parents' Night: Wednesday, December 15 7PM
• End of Term Final Exhibit: Wednesday, March 2, 2022, Time TBA

Winter Term No School / Holidays + Break  

• Winter Break, Monday, December 20, 2021- Friday, December 31, 2021 (classes resume Monday 1/3) 
• Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 17, 2022 
• Presidents' Day, Monday, February 21, 2022 
• Faculty Professional Development Day, Friday, March 4, 2022

NuVu Families,

We’re notifying you that a pooled sample from the community COVID-19 test on Tuesday Nov. 30 returned a “presumptive positive” result. Three additional pooled samples taken on Tuesday 11/30 returned negative results. We are working with the specific group of students who were part of that sample to support remote studio participation until two additional PCR tests can turn negative results. 

We’ve done everything necessary to prepare ourselves for this scenario and are confident that our protocols around masking, testing and ventilation will enable us to limit exposure. We remain committed to getting everyone back on-site as safely and quickly as possible. 

Our students and staff are fully vaccinated, and have performed an additional pooled test on Wednesday, December 1. Both pools from this community sample taken on 12/1 returned negative results. 

On Wednesday 12/1, we gathered community feedback on students remaining on-site through Thursday and Friday of this week. More than 70% of families opted-in to being onsite for the rest of the week, so we’ll offer that onsite option. For families who wish for their student to attend remotely for any reason, we’ll open all Zoom classrooms and support students both onsite and virtually. 

Zoom studio links can be found below:

Gifts From the Future - Studio Cyan

Procedural Phenomena - Studio Blue

Walk for a Cause - Studio Pink

Down to Size - Studio Chartreuse

We sincerely appreciate this community’s commitment to keeping one another safe.

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me directly at (617)-945-7716 or molly@nuvustudio.org.

Positive Test Protocol

If a routine pooled COVID test returns a presumptive positive or positive result, students in this pool will be asked to attend studio remotely until a follow-up test is completed. Families are responsible for follow-up testing. The individuals in this pool will need to complete MA exposure guidelines, and test negative twice within a 24-48 hour period prior to returning to NuVu’s physical studio space. The individual who’s follow-up tests determine positive results must quarantine for 10 full days, and may return to studio on the 11th day, provided the 10th day was symptom -free.

Local Testing Resources

Families who have not opted into CIC testing should continue to follow the original testing schedule found on the NuVu School Calendar. You may use any of the below resources, or your preferred testing resource. Test results must be reported to NuVu by emailing a copy to attendance@nuvustudio.org.  

As we carefully steer the school year back to a new normal, we’re still constantly reviewing relevant health and safety data regarding COVID-19. All policies are subject to change as we learn more about the risk factors associated with the COVID landscape. We sincerely appreciate your thoughtful feedback and patience. 

Regards,

The NuVu Team

During our recent parent events, Rob shared info from the conversations he's had with various colleges over the past few months. He's continuing to reach out and still hearing enthusiastic and supportive responses to NuVu's program and curriculum. Some families mentioned that they'd like to see the list of those colleges, so we're sharing them here.

Additionally, some families mentioned it would be great to see a list of colleges that NuVu alums have attended or are currently attending. As you can see below, it's an impressive list! Colleges with multiple NuVu alums are in bold.