Dear Parents and Students,
We are truly excited that you are going to be back with us next week!
Briefly, some reminders as we begin this journey together:
Our Values: We are going to hold firmly to our values of maintaining a culture focused on learning, caring, flexibility, understanding, and collaboration. We must grant everyone involved the grace to help each other be successful. No one is perfect and yet, as a Catholic community, we work toward the loving example set for us by Christ. Invariably, our work involves making errors and then correcting those errors. Our job is not to sort and select though. Rather, our job is to nurture the ability to seek truth, think clearly, and communicate effectively.
Instruction: Students at home will see and hear teachers teaching at the front of the room. Teachers will teach to the camera as if it were another student in the front row and should interact with you at home as much as possible. Teachers will instruct online students how to interact and ask and answer questions.
Guidelines: We are going to stick with the guidelines as they are set. Mr. Serna is updating them with a few new details today. Please review them. Guidelines
Arrival: Students are asked to arrive on campus between 7:45 a.m. and 7:55 a.m. and they are to go directly to their classes.
Masks: Masks and wearing them to completely cover their nose and mouth is a non-negotiable requirement. If a student forgets or loses their mask, teachers will send them to the front office for a replacement.
Seeing Counselors and Other Staff: Students are not to visit any office without an appointment. Students should use the staff directory from our website to email the employee you need to visit for an appointment. The counselors are always here to support you and them. As we begin our hybrid schedule, the counseling department will specifically adopt the following procedures for meeting with students on campus:
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All students must make an appointment in order to meet with their counselor.
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Students will set up a meeting with their counselor via email to meet in person or through google meet.
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Students will not be able to go to the counseling office without an appointment.
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Appointments will be no longer than 30 minutes. This way as many students as possible have access to meetings.
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Students must use hand sanitizer as they enter and exit the main lobby area in the counseling office.
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Students MUST keep masks on at all times during meetings.
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Counselors will maintain appropriate social distancing practices with the students.
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Offices will be disinfected between each student appointment.
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In a social/emotional but non-medical crisis situation, the teacher should phone the counselor first to see if they are available to assist before sending the student out.
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Counselors will continue to schedule meetings with students throughout the year, both in person and through Google Meet.
COVID Symptoms: If a student feels that they are coming down with COVID symptoms during the school day, they should inform the teacher and the student must go directly to the Isolation Room in the gym. The Isolation Room is the office across from the Athletic Trainer’s Room and it is clearly marked with instructions inside.
Schedule: The Schedule can be found here: Schedule. Online students will follow the same schedule as students in person, including time for breaks and lunch.
Lunch: There will be no vending machines, microwaves, or refrigerators available.
Lunch and Breaks: During the Third and Seventh lunch periods, the student should go to their Third or Seventh period class first, and then be dismissed to lunch by the teacher. For the breaks during Third and Seventh periods, the teacher may deviate from the Hybrid break schedule. Although a fifteen minute break will be given, it must be an in-class break, and will not necessarily align with the published schedule.
8th Hour: I would prefer that you do this virtually as opposed to in person as until we are back to full strength and full confidence, I would prefer not to take any risks.
Cohorts: If a student comes on the wrong day, they will be sent to Mrs. Grindy or myself and we will send them home.
We can anticipate some bumps but we are all in this together and will work through this together. I know that there will be more questions and concerns and ask that you share those with me and I will answer them as quickly as possible. Thank you for your confidence in us and your support! Once again, we are excited for you to be back with us!
Blessings!
Eugene M. Sweeney, Ph.D.
Assistant Principal