LAKE PLACID — Northwood School administrators spent the summer hiring some new faculty, starting some capital projects and planning a COVID-19 strategy that requires all students to be vaccinated.

The reopening plan, led by Assistant Head for School Life John Spear, is organized in three key sections: vaccinations, tests and masks.

The COVID-19 vaccine is required of all students.

Plus, all members of the Northwood community must provide a negative PCR test or molecular test no more than three days before arriving at school — or a rapid/antigen test on the same day the student arrives.

“We are requiring a test from everyone because we are building a residential community of students from throughout the United States and around the world during a time of heightened transmission rates, including many cases among vaccinated people,” Spear wrote in a letter on the school’s website. “Requiring the vaccine is our most important layer of protection and requiring a negative test from everyone improves our chances of starting the year virus-free.”

Work began on Northwood School’s new turf soccer field in July, when this photo was taken. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

And all students, employees and visitors have to wear a mask while inside school buildings; Gov. Kathy Hochul, on Aug. 24, announced the mask requirement for all public and private schools in New York.

“While it is discouraging that we are starting another school year wearing face masks and studying COVID protocols, there is much to be optimistic about, including fully in-person classes, a full program of athletic and cocurricular offerings and a robust offering of residential and weekend activities,” Spear wrote.

Northwood Head of School Michael Maher said Tuesday, Aug. 31 that the school has weathered the pandemic so far.

“I think that all schools were uncertain how fundraising would go during the pandemic, how enrollment would go, and we’ve been fortunate and frankly somewhat surprised that on both of those counts our constituency has really stepped up to the fore and supported the school during a difficult time,” Maher said.

Northwood begins classes on Friday, Sept. 10 with a projected enrollment of 187, the same as last year. That includes 39 day students. Northwood is a coeducational, independent boarding school that offers a trimester-based college preparatory curriculum for students in grades 9 through 12, plus a post-graduate year. This year’s international students are coming from 19 countries, Maher said.

“My hope is that ultimately we can have an in-person experience throughout the entire academic year so that all of the kids and faculty can participate in a graduation that feels as it should, versus a somewhat diminished experience that everybody experienced last year,” Maher said.

Heading into the future, the school is working to complete the last items of the 2016 long-range plan: a focus on capital projects, Maher said. In the summer, ground was broken on a new turf soccer field. Plus there are plans for a new dormitory for 65 students, new dining room in the back of the building, and a new learning commons in the current dining room.

“It would sort of serve as a modern library for kids to access research and working groups,” Maher said about the learning commons.

Maher said he was excited about expansion and investment in outdoor programming.

“The Northwood Outing Club, as it was known for many decades going back 100 years, was a big part of the school experience for decades of Northwood students. We have continued the outing club, but we’re making an investment to make it even more robust,” he said.

Bobby O’Connor was hired as the Northwood Outing Club director.

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Staffing

Other key hires this summer included Keene Olympic skier Tommy Biesemeyer as the new director of Alpine skiing; Stacy McCoy Prime as the new chief innovation officer; Mark Morris as the new head hockey coach; and Steve Mallaro as the new associate head hockey coach. Trevor Gilligan was named the new athletic director, taking over the athletic department from Gino Riffle, who is the school’s new admissions director.

Other hires included Amanda Butterfield, math teacher and hockey coach; Stefano Fachin, math teacher; Justin Felhaber, English teacher and hockey coach; Benjamin LeBlanc, physics and math teacher; Simon Shergold, humanities teacher and soccer coach; and Adam Stewart, music and choral teacher.

Key departures at the end of last school year included teachers Matt Roy, Jacquie Lopez, Tony Miller and Woo Jeon; nurse Mark Conboy; Alpine ski coach Katie Haggerty; and Director of Alpine Skiing Terry DelliQuadri.

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ENROLLMENT

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Northwood School (Private, Lake Placid,

9-12)

2021-22: 187

2020-21: 187

2019-20: N/A

2018-19: 193

2017-18: 160

2016-17: 175

2015-16: 175