Good afternoon from Castine and the Maine Maritime Academy campus!  We trust that you and your family had a safe, enjoyable, and relaxing holiday. As promised, we are writing to update you on the status of the Spring 2021 semester.

At this time, our plans have not changed. Classes will begin remotely on Monday, January 11. Remote instruction will continue through Friday, January 22. We will use the week of January 25 as a transition period for students to return to Castine. Face-to-face classes will begin on Monday, February 1.  Please note that this plan may change and we ask that you not make travel arrangements at this time. We will let you know, in an upcoming update, once plans are firm enough to plan your return to the Castine area.

To ensure that we can open safely and remain open for the full semester on campus, we have made some changes to the testing and quarantine plans for the spring semester. You will be asked to self-quarantine for the two weeks of remote learning and limit your exposure to others as much as possible. During this period, you will be asked to complete the COVID-19 Health Self-Assessment, available on the portal or the MMA app, at several points. You will need to bring documentation of a negative PCR or antigen (rapid) test with you to campus, taken within the week prior to your arrival. Once you arrive on campus, you will need to participate in the entry testing program and quarantine in your on- or off-campus housing until your test results are received.

Your arrival and testing date will be posted on the MyStudentLife portal by January 12. Additional details about these plans can be found on the Spring 2021 section of our website.  If your questions are not answered there, please contact me directly.

Please note that the campus will be remain closed, except for those individuals who must work to prepare for opening, until the transition week of testing and quarantine.

If you contracted COVID-19 during the break period, please notify Dorothea Woods of your positive diagnosis so that we can remove you from the testing schedule. You will remain off the schedule for 90 days after your initial positive test date.  You must provide documentation of this diagnosis to be exempted from the testing. This is because research has shown that patients may continue to test positive for 3 months after their initial exposure, even though they are no longer contagious.  By providing documentation, you will avoid having to isolate for a second ten-day period.

We appreciate everything you have done since your departure from campus to remain safe, and we urge you to continue to follow CDC guidelines to ensure your return to campus in late January.

We look forward to seeing you then.

Best regards,