Archer leaders expanded the vaccination requirement today to include all students following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for individuals five to 11 years old.

Head of School Elizabeth English notified the community of this change through an email detailing the updated vaccination requirements. The email also specified the timeline for vaccination: unvaccinated students must be fully vaccinated no later than Jan. 4, when school resumes following Winter Break. To abide by this timeline, students must receive their second of the vaccine dose no later than Dec. 21.

Student’s proof of vaccination must be submitted to Healthcare and Safety Practitioner Amanda Butch by Jan. 3.

“Families who would like to request a medical exemption should do so by consulting their medical provider and submitting documentation to Archer no later than Wednesday, December 1,” English wrote in her email.

Prior to CDC director Rochelle Walensky’s issued recommendation on Tuesday, the CDC had only approved COVID-19 vaccines for those 12 and older. This meant that Archer’s unvaccinated population, made up of students in sixth and seventh grade, had to follow specialized protocols that ensured an additional level of caution. These protocols, and others, may be subject to change as the unvaccinated population at Archer decreases.

English concluded her email with an acknowledgment of the collective efforts of families and students.

“We truly appreciate your willingness to cooperate and to keep our community safe,” English wrote.