Hannah Van Sickle is reporting for The Berkshire Edge John Weinstein, the new provost of Bard Academy and Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, Mass., shared the school’s reopening plan last week. “It is our intent to reopen the campus with primarily in-person, socially distanced classes; we will do so with the utmost priority being the safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, staff, and neighbors,” he said. The plan was formulated in close coordination with state and local authorities as well as public health officials. Weinstein also acknowledged that, as the public health situation evolves and the state provides new guidance, “[the Simon’s Rock community] will adjust our planning accordingly and will keep you updated.” Students will arrive on campus in phases all this week, ending Mon., Aug. 24; on-campus classes will commence August 31. Ongoing, weekly COVID-19 testing will be required for all students, faculty and staff. The tests will be administered upon arrival and continue throughout the rest of the semester. All testing will be free. Masks are required to be worn by everyone. Class size will be set based on room square footage and when possible, certain classes will be held outdoors. The traditional week-long October break will be replaced with a two-day break from regular classes; students will go home for November break and remain at home for the rest of the fall semester, with the final two weeks of classes, including reading days and exams, conducted online. Read the full story at theberkshireedge [dot] com.