SaberSpeak
Special Edition: Post-Christmas Break Planning
A Message From Mrs. Woodman
As you all know, the prevalence of COVID-19 in our community has become widespread. We are now at a point where many of us have had COVID-19 in our own homes, and most of us know someone who has experienced COVID-19. This was not the case when our journey began in March, nor even a few months or weeks ago. To ensure that we continue to plan appropriately at school, with two major holidays ahead and cases already surging, our St. Hilary School COVID-19 Task Force met last evening to discuss the situation we will face as we prepare to return to school in January. We talked about the very real presence of COVID-19 in our lives, our responsibility to keep students and staff safe and healthy at school, and our moral obligation to heed the advice of public health officials and medical professionals and do what is right to help curb the spread of this illness. We also talked about the fact that we have been blessed to be able to offer an excellent alternative to in-person learning, and we discussed feedback from our recent remote week survey. With so much to consider, our decisions must reflect a host of factors and must represent the best possible solution. With all of this in mind, below, you will find important information pertaining to St. Hilary School's post-Christmas Break planning.
I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to once again remind - or in all honesty, beg - you and your families to make good decisions so that when in-person school resumes, we can continue to operate successfully with minimal sickness in our building. The plans we are outlining below, as well as your decisions at home, will impact our success for the remainder of the school year. Your cooperation is more important now than ever.
I wish all of you a peaceful Christmas and a new year blessed with good health.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Woodman
Principal
Christmas Break Extended Through January 10
Throughout the pandemic, we have been advised by medical professionals, including a top infectious disease specialist in our area. With anticipated worsening of COVID-19 prevalence after the holidays, and the potential to overwhelm our health care system and subject our school community to the risk of an outbreak in our building that could force an extended move to fully remote learning, we have been advised to add a second buffer week between Christmas Break and the return to in-person school in January. Due to the amount of preparation required to move our entire school to remote learning for even one week, and the lack of time before Christmas Break, it is not feasible for teachers to prepare for a second week of remote learning at this point.
Therefore, our revised plan will be as follows:
Christmas Break: December 19 through January 10
Remote Learning Week: January 11 through January 15
In-Person School Resumes: January 19 following Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday*
*Subject to evaluation of conditions during week of January 11
In summary, we are adding a third week to our Christmas Break and pushing our scheduled remote learning week back by one week.
This plan has the support of the Diocese of Cleveland and is in line with what most other northeast Ohio Catholic schools are doing. This scenario will not affect the end of our second quarter or start of our third quarter, and will not negatively impact either our required instructional time or our available calamity days. This plan will also not extend our school year. We are currently working with the Diocese of Cleveland to determine how our January MAP Testing will be handled. We feel this is the best option to keep our students and staff safe and do our part to curb the spread of COVID-19 and reduce the overwhelming load on our health care system. As an added benefit, our faculty, staff and students will return to school rested, refreshed, and ready to face whatever second semester may bring.
Extended Break And Remote Week Provide Buffer
Other Details
Because Hot Lunch ordering has already closed for January, credits will be issued to accounts for lunches ordered for the week of January 11. These credits can be applied to February orders.
GRADE 2 FIRST RECONCILIATION WILL CONTINUE AS PLANNED
Grade 2 First Reconciliation scheduled for January 12 will continue as planned.
SCHOLARSHIP RECOMMENDATION REQUEST DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JANUARY 11
The deadline to request scholarship recommendations from teachers has been extended to January 11. Request forms may be placed in the drop-off bin at the entrance by the Jesus statue.
Travel Advisory States
As we clarified in our August 28 SaberSpeak Special Edition, we are requiring students to self-quarantine for 14 days after visiting states that have a 15% or more COVID-19 positivity rate. Again, this is an extra precaution and we know this could impact travel plans. If your children are learning in-person, we are asking you to respect this decision and plan accordingly. Students who are required to quarantine after traveling to a state or country with a 15% or higher COVID-19 positivity rate will be required to distance learn for the 14 days. Click here for the current list and map of Travel Advisory states.
Protocols to Remember
Our health departments are overwhelmed at this time. Here are a few protocols to keep in mind when dealing with COVID-19. Remember that Summit County Public Health follows the same guidelines as the CDC. Our school policies are a little stricter in some instances. Click on the button below to see SCPH’s guidelines.
- An individual with COVID-19 symptoms should stay at home and not go to gatherings or work to limit potential spread. Students with COVID-19 symptoms are asked to stay home and not return to school until they are 72 hours symptom-free.
- Please notify school administration ASAP if you or your child(ren) are COVID-19 positive or have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual. You should also notify the health department of your positive results or call them for clarification if needed.
- If any person in your household is getting tested for COVID-19, our policy is that you do not send your child(ren) to school.
- If exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual (for more than 15 minutes and less than 6 feet a part) you should immediately begin to quarantine for 14 days after your last exposure to the positive individual. Quarantine includes staying home and masking when social distance is not possible. This could prevent potential spread within the household.
- An individual who tests positive should immediately being to isolate for 10 days from his/her first symptom or positive test result if asymptomatic or after 24 hours of being symptom-free. SHS requires 72 hours symptom-free. Isolation includes having a separate bedroom, bathroom, floor of a house, if possible, and staying completely a part from those in your household. Family members are encouraged to mask in the house when social distancing is not possible.
- Click here for guidance on when a COVID-19-positive individual can safely be around others again.
Remote Learning Week General Guidelines
- All students MUST follow the expectations St. Hilary School Distance Learning Contract. You can find the complete document below. Just click!
- ALL 1 - 8 grade students MUST wear their uniform shirts while on Zoom. More details about appearance are in the SHS Distance Learning Contract.
- Homeroom attendance will be taken at 8:30am each day. Students need to log into their Homeroom class at this time. If your child(ren) will be tardy or not attending school, you MUST call the office to call them off.
- Teachers will be utilizing their Zoom Personal Meeting Rooms and passwords.
- All teachers will offer "office hours" as a time for students to ask questions/receive clarification on any assignments.
Grades K - 2 Expectations
- Teachers will communicate the Zoom schedule to parents. Please follow this and know there may be times built in for small groups.
- Teachers will utilize their Google Sites.
- Teachers will communicate how students will turn work in. Most work will be turned in when student return to school on January 19.
- Students will NOT attend Special Areas Zoom classes. Special Areas (i.e. Art, Music, Library, and Foreign Language) are optional assignments and DO NOT need to be turned in. These are activities to help supplement your child's learning. No grade levels will have PE.
- We understand students this age may struggle to maintain focus learning in this manner. We have considered their age and social-emotional needs for this week, but encourage you to reach out to the teacher if your child is struggling.
- Daily "office hours" will be offered so students can have extra check-in time with teachers.
Grades 3 - 4 Expectations
- Teachers will communicate the Zoom schedule to parents. Please follow this and know there may be times built in for small groups.
- Teachers will utilize their Google Sites.
- Teachers will communicate how students will turn work in. Most work will be turned in when student return to school on January 19.
- Students will NOT attend Special Areas Zoom classes. Special Areas (i.e. Art, Music, Library, and Foreign Language) are optional assignments and DO NOT need to be turned in. These are activities to help supplement your child's learning. No grade levels will have PE.
- Daily "office hours" will be offered so students can have extra check-in time with teachers.
Grades 5 - 8 Expectations
- Students will follow their regular schedules and attend their classes via Zoom.
- Teachers will utilize Google Classroom and Gradelink.
- Students will turn in most of their assignments via Google Classroom - some assignments may need handed in when students return on January 19. No grade levels will have PE.
- Students will attend their regular class schedule so they will attend Special Areas classes.
- Daily "office hours" will be offered so students can have extra check-in time with teachers.
Technology Reminder
- Grades 5-8 students will have their school-issued Chromebooks to use during this time. Please remember this device should be used for SCHOOL related purposes ONLY.
- If families are borrowing school devices, please remember your child(ren) should be using the devices for SCHOOL related purposes ONLY and devices should NEVER be removed from their cases. ALL borrowed school-issued devices are due back on January 19. Mrs. Alexander sent an email with instructions on pick up for devices to these families.
- Students and families have signed the SHS Acceptable Use Policy so please follow of the rules/expectations.
- Please remind your child(ren) to take good care of their devices throughout the break and week of remote learning.
Survey Feedback
We value your opinions and appreciate your time in completing our recent survey about our November 30-December 4 remote learning week. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with nearly 100% of you saying you felt everything we did was "just right". A few questions and comments were common among the responses we received, and we would like to address those here.
WHY CAN'T ALL STUDENTS HAVE THE SAME LUNCH PERIODS?
When we were forced to move to remote learning in the spring, one of the concerns many of you voiced was about the need for a schedule. We took this to heart and as we planned for remote learning during the current school year, having our distance learners follow the same schedule as their in-person classmates has been a priority. Keeping students on a schedule when the entire school is learning remotely has proven to be the best way to operate, as well. In order to do this, we must maintain the same lunch schedule we have at school when we are in person. From what you have told us, the benefits of having a structured schedule to follow outweigh the inconveniences of having different lunch periods.
CAN THERE BE CLEARER INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT WHICH ASSIGNMENTS ARE TO BE TURNED IN AND WHICH ARE NOT?
We have shared this concern with teachers and have asked them to be as clear as possible about expectations for the various assignments.
WHAT ABOUT SPECIALS CLASSES?
We received a wide range of comments about specials classes. In order to find a middle ground, the following will be in place during our remote learning week January 11-15:
No students will have PE.
Specials will be optional for grades K-4.
Students in grades 5-8 will have specials as usual.
We are also happy to share that our French teacher, Mrs. Six, will be returning in January from her medical leave.
OTHER COMMENTS
Other comments have been addressed as much as possible. Please know that while we value all of your feedback, the totality of circumstances sometimes prevents us from accommodating what is suggested. We appreciate your patience as we try to find the most balanced solutions for our entire school community.