St. Peter's Postings
March 24, 2020 Parent Update
Dear Parents,
I hope this finds you well and safe. As we move through Day 2 of our Flexible Instruction Days, it still seems hard to believe that this is really happening in our world. As more families face a loss of work and others extra hours to cover those necessary jobs, all of us are feeling the weight of this pandemic in a variety of ways. There will be up moments and down moments but together we just need to do the next right thing, with goodness in our hearts, and pray that we have the grace to get through that one thing and then move on to the next. I read this quote this morning in my devotional:
“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work; You don’t give up.”
- Anne Lamont
Each morning the teachers and I have Morning Prayers together and we share our prayer intentions and concerns and struggles as well as the positive things we are learning and experiencing – like a post on a Google Slide Show … a picture of Pajama Day…a pic of a student practicing his Forensics speech to his dog…kind words from parents and students... taking time to learn about classical music or a teacher sharing her favorite book. In the midst of darkness, you provide us with hope.
The Governor announced last night that schools will be closed an additional two weeks from Monday, March 23rd. St. Peter School will abide by this mandate and the official status of our school is “closed.” I refer you to the following excerpt from the PA Department of Education:
Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera said his decision to close all schools for the additional period aligns with the governor’s stay-at-home directive announced today for seven counties – Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Monroe, Montgomery and Philadelphia.
“Protecting the health and safety of students, families, teachers and all employees who work in our schools is paramount during this national health crisis and we must continue our efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus,” he said. “The number of positive cases increases daily and we’re seeing it spread to more counties. We must adhere to the social distancing guidelines. Extending the closure will help every community in its efforts to mitigate the spread.”
While our school will be closed until the week of April 6th for now, St. Peter School, along with ALL of the other schools in the diocese and in all dioceses across PA, intends to provide a continuity of education using remote learning despite what local public school districts are doing. With the support and urging of our diocesan education office, we are joining thousands of other Catholic school teachers across the state and the nation to be a “step above” and provide the excellence in education that is our mission. We realize that this puts an extra burden on families and we hope to do whatever we can to make it not only accessible to students but for students and parents to be supported with all the online and other activities.
This has been a learning challenge for everyone. We are being asked to do things we couldn’t imagine before. In the last week, the teachers and I have been learning how to use various online platforms including Google Drive, Screencastify, Student View of Planbook.com, YouTube, Zoom and Quicktime Video to name a few. Teachers are also fitting in professional development while working from home attending 3-6 hours on various topics surrounding learning and literacy this week! Digital instruction is not our preference of teaching your children and we understand that many families prefer to limit screen time in their households. We are working hard to plan a form of instruction that will allow for a continuity of education, with appropriate teacher/student and student/student engagement with a good balance of written and online work.
To that end we sent out a survey in the last newsletter asking 6 questions about the technology capabilities in students’ homes. As of the writing of this update, only 27 families have completed the survey. We can provide some devices to families if needed but we first need to know what the internet/device status is in each home. Thank you to those who completed the survey so far. If you have not completed the survey, I have included the link again below this article and ask you to please complete it by noon on Wednesday, March 25th. Thank you!
Another few issues to attend to:
- We know you are receiving many communications both from me and the teachers. I urge you to please attend to the teacher emails promptly to the best of your ability. Parents are asked to communicate with your child’s homeroom teacher at least once daily. We are using these responses to count for attendance during the week and a way to see if students need anything. Thank you to those of you who are staying in touch when you can. Think of the daily email (even a group email to one or more teachers for multiple students at home) as “signing the Assignment Book” each day. Thank you!
- To continue to provide “remote learning” as a school of excellence, students will need their textbooks. We will have TEXTBOOK PICK UP THIS FRIDAY, MARCH 27TH 8AM – NOON and 3PM – 5PM and SATURDAY, MARCH 28TH 9AM – NOON. Parents will pull up to the ramp entrance in their cars and books will be brought out to cars. No one will be permitted in the building and books will be brought out using gloves and other precautions.
- Students in grades 4-6 are asked to please refer to their Science Fair checklists and keep in touch with teachers as different requirements are finished. Students can write the different parts out on notebook paper and have parents take a picture and email to teachers or type parts on a document and attach to an email and send to teachers. What amazing ideas students are coming up with despite the limitations of being home! At this time we will not require students to do a “display board” so that families do not have to go out and purchase one.
- At some point this week, we intend for each class to have a ZOOM meeting so they can see each other and talk with teachers in a group to see how things are going. The invite for this “gathering” will come via the email your teacher has for you. There will only be one ZOOM meeting at a time so you don’t have to worry about two or more happening at once. (Some of you are doing this already! So cool!) PLEASE NOTE:
o When you receive the email invitation, there will be a link to click on to join the meeting
o Upon doing so, ZOOM will ask you “download” the application (This can be done on a phone too!)
o You won’t be able to see the teacher / students until the “host” begins the “meeting”
o If you have a device with a camera and microphone (cell phones work) that would work best.
o Once we have all the information from the Survey Monkey survey we will contact families to see if we can lend out some devices for student use at home
o THIS WEEK’S MEETINGS ARE NOT MANDATORY
o Moving into next week, some instruction will be sent via ZOOM live and taped instruction (more details TBA)
- By the end of the week we will send out a Remote Learning Plan for continued education beyond this week’s FID packets
- We are also working closely with our Title I teacher to arrange some learning time between her and her students
- As was announced in the previous update, STUDENTS MAY TAKE AR tests at home using the link following this letter.
- Starting today students can see the Morning Announcements on our school YouTube channel. Search on YouTube: SaintPeterSchool1 and you will find us! Check back each day for some fun events:
o Daily Announcements and Prayers by 8am
o “Read Aloud with Mrs. Harris” on Mondays and Wednesdays posted by Noon
o Check in each Friday for “Mrs. Harris & Oliver” Week Wrap-up!
- We also have a fun challenge for kids in the article following this letter
- Mrs. O’Connor also sent us a few more good resources for families and they are attached below.
- We are looking into some possibilities for our Forensics students to perform their amazing pieces with everyone virtually – will keep you updated!
It takes effort to find joy in difficult times, and many of you are doing so! I thought it would be fun to highlight some of these “silver linings” examples on the morning announcements every day. Simply email me at principal@stpetersparish.com some observation or thought about how there is some good in all of this. I will get us started….
Silver Lining #1: Eating lunch outside when weather permits!
Silver Lining #2: Girls can paint their nails any color!
“Tag…you’re it!!” Let’s see how it goes
You remain in my thoughts and prayers each day. Not exactly how I planned to be the principal, nor how teachers planned to teach or how parents planned to spend their time and yet, here we are. Let us all remember the words of our Lord as He spoke to Julian of Norwich,
“All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well in the end.”
God bless you and your families….
Mrs. Harris
REMOTE LEARNING INTERNET / DEVICES SURVEY! PLEASE COMPLETE BY WEDNESDAY!
Accelerated Reader Access at Home
URGENT Contact Congress on COVID-19 Relief. HELP OUR SCHOOL AND ALL CATHOLIC SCHOOLS!
(Received from the PA Catholic Conference Tuesday, 3/24/20)
March 24, 2020
Dear Friends of Religious and Independent Schools,
The US Senate is currently considering a coronavirus relief package that includes aid to K-12 schools. Currently, there is language in the legislation allowing non-public schools to receive relief. However, it appears that some are attempting to remove this language.
Please use CAPE's link below to lend your voice to urge senators to make sure that private schools are not excluded from Congress' COVID-19 relief package.
Thank you for your help.
Sean McAleer
Director of Education
Pennsylvania Catholic Conference
ST. PETER SCHOOL TEXTBOOK PICKUP
Friday, March 27th: 8am - Noon OR 3-5pm
Saturday, March 28th: 9am - Noon
If you cannot pick up during these times, please email Mrs. Harris at principal@stpetersparish.com to arrange an alternate time. Please use the following protocol when picking books up:
- Pull into the semi-circle and up to the bottom of the ramp
- Books will be brought out to your car by a staff person wearing gloves
- Families are not permitted in the building
When we return to school, we will arrange some "drop off" times so students do not have to carry all their books back to school.
Teacher Morning Prayers and Meeting
Keegan Practices His Forensics Speech at Home!
Grade 2 Girls Visit Each Other with ZOOM!
MRS. HARRIS' " 100 BOOK BIRTHDAY CHALLENGE! "
Sunday, Mar 29, 2020, 12:00 PM
ANYWHERE YOU DECIDE TO READ!
St. Peter's Church and School...Our Chance to Give Back
With the Bishop's announcement this week that all public Masses are suspended until further notice, we are asking all school families and our parish family to spread the word that now is not the time to also "suspend" your weekly collection contributions to the church. Each student in our school receives at least 1/2, and in most cases much more than half, of their tuition subsidized by St. Peter's Parish. So please tell your friends and family to please drop their weekly contributions off at the rectory (M-F 10am -2pm till further notice) or mail in their offering (433 West Church Street, Somerset) or sign up for online giving using this link:
St. Peter's Online Giving or visiting the parish website at www.stpetersparish.com. Thank you for your continued faithful financial support!