826 Boston’s Fall Plans and Covid-19 Safety Policies

Updated: September 28, 2021

We are excited to be offering new in-person writing, tutoring, and volunteer opportunities this fall. We can’t wait to start welcoming back our community, and we are committed to making these experiences safe for everyone to learn, share, and grow.

Find out more about what our programming will look like and read our updated Covid-19 safety policies below. Questions? Please send them to our Deputy Director, Christopher Logue, at chris@826boston.org. We’d love to hear from you.

How can I participate in 826 Boston programming this fall?

Here’s a look at how our programs are currently operating. If updates are needed, we’ll include them in this article and share them on social media.

826 Boston Writers’ Rooms
All six 826 Boston Writers’ Room programs have returned to in-person support in our partner Boston public schools. Writers’ Rooms are open from Monday through Thursday, with operation hours varying. Program offerings will roll out in phases and will be provided based on each school’s identified needs.

If you have questions regarding the Writers’ Room program, please email Nakia Hill, Director of Youth Writing Program Innovation and Partnerships, at nakia@826boston.org.

After School Tutoring
After School Tutoring is currently enrolling returning families with options for both remote tutoring and limited in-person tutoring at 826 Boston’s Writing and Tutoring Center in Roxbury’s Egleston Square. 

Remote Tutoring Hours:

• Grades 1–5: Tuesdays and/or Thursdays from 3:30–4:30 PM
• Grades 6–12: Mondays and/or Wednesdays from 6:45–8:00 PM

Remote to In-Person Tutoring:
These sessions are for students and families who wish to either start tutoring in person OR start tutoring remotely and transition to in person later this semester or year (if public health and safety conditions allow).

• Group A: Mondays and/or Wednesdays from 4:45–6:15 PM
• Group B: Tuesdays and/or Thursdays from 4:45–6:15 PM

If you have questions—or are interested in joining the waiting list for either of these programs—please email Shannon McKeever, AmeriCorps VISTA Family & Community Partnerships Specialist, at shannonmckeever@826boston.org.

College Essay and Science Fair Boot Camp
This school year, College Essay Boot Camp (fall semester) and Science Fair Boot Camp (spring semester) will be fully virtual. For any in-class projects, such as our Young Authors’ Book Project, an 826 Boston team member will be in the classroom to assist our partner teachers and their students.

Questions? Please email info@826boston.org.

Volunteering
This fall, in-person and virtual volunteering will return, and fall semester tutoring shifts are now open for returning volunteers! Volunteer opportunities are currently available in After School Tutoring, Writers’ Rooms, and College Essay Boot Camp.

Returning volunteers should complete the volunteer registration survey to let us know how you want to volunteer this year.

Questions? Please email volunteer@826boston.org. 

What are 826 Boston’s Covid-19 policies and procedures?  

826 Boston’s policies around Covid-19 are based on the current guidelines from the CDC, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the City of Boston, and the Boston Public Schools.

We’ve listed a few important policies below, but please review the detailed guidelines for all our in-person programming sites. If you have any other questions, please email Deputy Director Christopher Logue at chris@826boston.org.

• Out-of-School Time Programs at 826 Boston’s Writing and Tutoring Center in Roxbury 
• BINcA (Boston International Newcomers Academy) Writers’ Room
• Blanca Burgos Bilingual Writers’ Room at the Rafael Hernández School
• BTU (Boston Teachers Union) School Writers’ Room
• Jeremiah E. Burke Writers’ Room
• EMK (Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers) Writers’ Room
• John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science Writers’ Room

Everyone wears a face mask

• • Everyone must wear a face mask at 826 Boston’s sites at all times, except when eating or drinking.
  • Your mask should cover your nose and mouth.
  • We will provide masks to anyone who needs one.

826 Boston staff, service members, interns, and volunteers must be fully vaccinated.

• • 826 Boston will be implementing a policy that all 826 Boston team members, including staff, service members, interns, and volunteers, must be vaccinated against Covid-19. More details on this requirement will be shared soon.

What if someone in the 826 Boston community tests positive for Covid-19?

• • If you test positive for Covid-19, please notify 826 Boston by emailing Deputy Director Christopher Logue (chris@826boston.org) and Executive Director Jessica Drench (jessica@826boston.org). To send this notification in Spanish, please email Administrative Assistant Sabrina Diaz at sabrina@826boston.org.
  • If we are notified that an individual who was in one of our spaces tested positive with Covid-19, our response will vary based on the specific facts of the exposure. The Deputy Director will lead the response, in coordination with 826 Boston’s legal counsel, and in accordance with guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and/or the Boston Public Health Commission. 826 Boston may notify other individuals present, as appropriate and practicable, while ensuring that confidential information about the infected individual, including their name and other personal identifying information, will be safeguarded and not be revealed without their permission. We may subsequently close facilities as needed for disinfecting. 

What if I have other questions or concerns about 826 Boston’s safety policies?

• • You can reach 826 Boston’s Deputy Director, Christopher Logue, at chris@826boston.org.