The school has also rented space in the nearby French Institute/Alliance Francaise to accommodate its fourth and fifth graders, where they’ll have their own private entrance manned by a member of the school’s security team. Boys from fifth grade and up can dispense with the usual blazer and tie. In the lower school, students will form 9- to 12-person pods, which will prioritize friendships. Specialty classes like music and computer science will be taught in-person over two-week periods.

COLLEGIATE

  • First day of school: Sept. 8
  • Size: 661 boys in grades K-12 and 108 teachers
  • Location: 11 floors in the West 60s near the Hudson River
  • Tuition: $55,900

For now, Collegiate plans to start mostly remote, with on-campus instruction reserved for its youngest students. Then, middle school and upper grades will be phased in over the next month. But nothing’s set in stone. “In all candor, a final announcement of our reopening plan could come as late as the Labor Day weekend,” Head of School David Lourie wrote to parents on July 30.

For safety, the school has created three isolation rooms, hired a second nurse and upgraded its ventilation systems. Younger children will have a desktop plexiglass shield at their desk, and older ones will carry theirs from room to room as needed. To return to school, students will need to provide a negative Covid-19 test. Parents must complete a daily health check as the “ticket” for a child to enter the building.

DALTON

  • First day of school: Sept. 9
  • Size: about 1,300 students in grades K-12 and 250 teachers
  • Location: East 91st and 89th, and a gym on East 87th
  • Tuition: $54,180

The school will start the first trimester with a mix of onsite and remote learning. All teachers, however, will conduct classes virtually. Lessons will be streamed on students’ computers, or the classroom whiteboard, using Zoom. “Specials” like chess will also be taught online.

First priority for in-school learning will go to K-4 families with “students who do not have a supervised space at home where they can attend their digital classes,” or need direct teacher support. Older students will have a chance to come to campus to “connect with each other and their teachers.” The school year may extend later into June.

HORACE MANN

  • First day of school: Sept. 8
  • Size: 1,800 students from nursery school through 12th grade and 263 teachers
  • Location: an Upper East Side townhouse, and over 18 acres in Riverdale
  • Tuition: $55,200 (fees for books, lunch, etc. not included)

Horace Mann plans to start in-person to give teachers and students a chance to get to know each other before going online, which may happen between Thanksgiving recess and mid-January. A remote option is available under certain circumstances, such as a serious preexisting medical condition, and must be approved by Aug. 24.

For safety, the school is putting a special antibacterial film on desks, handrails and doorknobs. Performances and athletics can be live-streamed. It’s also asking all students and faculty to test prior to coming to school.