Barrington Christian Academy has canceled its plans for two mission trips.

BCA Head of School Mike Skazinski said 15 students were scheduled to travel to Jamaica and another five students were going to Ecuador this month as part of the school's mission trip program. 

But those plans were shelved on Thursday, March 5, after the governor and the RI Department of Health announced "broad measures to help limit or prevent the spread of coronavirus disease in Rhode Island."

Mr. Skazinski said school officials were planning to continue with the mission trips prior to the announcement, which included a new workplace policy for employers and recommended 14-day self-quarantines for people who have traveled to China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, or Japan in the last two weeks. Officials have also recommended schools cancel trips to foreign countries.

"The kids are pretty heartbroken," Mr. Skazinski said, referring to the 10th-, 11th, and 12th-graders who are part of the mission trip program.

Mr. Skazinski said BCA officials have been making calls trying to petition the airlines for refunds. He said he has also been communicating with the company that helped organize the mission trips. 

"I've been on the phone all day," he said. 

The workplace policy recommended by the governor and the RI Department of Health was shared during a press conference on Thursday morning.

“All of the COVID-19 cases in Rhode Island at this point are associated with one trip to Italy. However, because this is an evolving global public health situation, we are putting in place a number of additional preparedness and response initiatives,” said RI Governor Gina Raimondo. “We are taking extensive measures to ensure the health and safety of all Rhode Islanders.”  

The workplace policy also requires state employees who have traveled to China, Iran, Italy, South Korea, or Japan in the last 14 days and going forward to remain at home until 14 symptom-free days have passed.

The governor also announced that a five-person team from the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service has been embedded at the RI Department of Health to ensure that the state is coordinating as closely as possible with CDC officials in managing the national response to COVID-19.

International students

During a recent interview, Mr. Skazinski said none of BCA's international students had traveled home for the February break. He said the school does not have a March vacation, but instead observes an April vacation. He said none of the BCA international students were planning to travel home during the April vacation either. 

BCA places its international students with host families; the students spent the February break with their host families, the head of school said. 

Mr. Skazinski said he and other BCA officials are now discussing the possible impact COVID-19 might have on students' plans to return home for summer vacation. He said he was concerned that students who traveled home for the summer might be delayed re-entry, depending on what policies the government enacts in the future. 

Mr. Skazinski said BCA has 11 international students.