McCallie Headmaster Lee Burns said on Wednesday that all on-campus activities for the rest of the school year have been canceled.
He sent the following letter Wednesday:
"In light of the continuing spread of the coronavirus in the Chattanooga area and recommendations from the governor of Tennessee, the mayor of Chattanooga, many local, state, and national health officials, and members of McCallie’s Board of Trustees, I have decided to cancel on-campus activities at McCallie for the remainder of the school year. Virtual classes and related activities will continue online.
"As with our previous decision to limit on-campus classes, this decision was made with one overriding consideration: what’s best for our students, for their health and safety, and for their continuing growth and education.
"McCallie’s faculty and staff have been making plans in anticipation of this decision, and they will be in contact with students and parents with specifics as the school year wraps up over the upcoming weeks. We are a large, complex organization and there are a lot of moving parts. Like our students, we’re up for the challenge. Our online courses are working well and we will continue with them through the remainder of the school year.
"For the seniors: I know this is particularly hard for you, as you will miss many of the wonderful springtime activities that lead up to your graduation. We promise to do the best we can to make your final days as a McCallie student meaningful, and already we’re preparing for a special mid-summer graduation weekend complete with a number of preliminary events that will make that a truly special occasion. The duck hasn’t quacked its last time yet.
"These are challenging times for all of us, but McCallie has faced many challenging times throughout our 115-year history, and we always came out of those challenges stronger and more united as students and alumni. We will do the same this time. We will end this year not with a whimper, but with a roar. And we’ll be back next fall with a similar roar."