Dear Hillcrest Christian Families,

With great delight, we will be opening the doors of our new Wilbur campus, with its expanded educational facilities, park-like spacious grounds, increased high tech security, and the latest in health and safety measures. These facilities provide us with a unique opportunity and set us apart from other schools in the community.  In addition to the added safety provided by the expansive campus, our leadership team and planning committees have made the health and safety of our students and the outlying Hillcrest community our top priority. Therefore, we will continue to monitor the updated federal and state guidelines carefully in order to prepare a safe and secure plan for the fall semester.

At our first open house of the new Wilbur campus this last Saturday, May 30th, we were able to share with several new and returning Hillcrest families the incredible new facilities in person, and describe some of the high tech measures we are planning to enhance the safe and healthy environment for our kids. While working on the process of reopening, we took into account that the impact of this COVID-19 pandemic spans each facet of our lives and interactions. We will continue to place great value on the importance of protecting each student’s academic experience, with a return to as much “normalcy” that is deemed safe and secure for our students and faculty. The two committees we formed, as a result, consist of our Board, HCS staff, faculty, HCS parents, and local industry leaders with crucial relevant expertise in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The first committee is convening to focus on researching and troubleshooting cutting edge technological advances in safety systems, the imperative campus protocols needed, and other ways to enhance the protection of the health, safety, and security of the campus and our HCS family.  The expansive size of the indoor and outdoor facilities will also allow for more students to attend and maintain safe distances between peers and staff and to accommodate our athletic programs, performing arts, and other extracurricular activities, as there is more available space to safely meet social-distancing recommendations. One measure included in our plan is to implement daily temperature screening of all staff and students upon arrival. In addition, each air conditioning unit will be fitted with an advanced UV light system that will cleanse the air as it is recirculated, eradicating bacteria, mold spores, and virus particles, including any potential COVID-19 virus particles.  In support of these physical upgrades, our entire staff will engage in ongoing current, comprehensive training on sanitation, disinfection, and overall health and safety protocols and procedures by specialists in the field. We will continue to partner with local specialized agencies for continued and up-to-date support on all safety and health procedures.