2021-2022 SCHOOL YEARBOOKS SENT HOME TODAY, LIMITED EXTRAS AVAILABLE
2021-2022 yearbooks for students who ordered them last year will be sent home with students beginning August 29. Yearbooks for last year’s eighth graders will be available for pick-up in the pick-up bins by calling 330-867-8720. If the graduate has a sibling in the school, the yearbook will be sent home with the sibling. If you have a record of ordering a yearbook (online payment receipt) and do not receive one, or if you believe the order you receive is incorrect, please do not contact the school, but contact Lifetouch directly via www.lifetouch.com. If you did not order a yearbook but wish you had, a limited number of hard cover ($30) and soft cover ($25) books will be available for purchase through September 9 or until sold out. Cash or checks payable to St. Hilary Parents’ Association will be accepted. We cannot accept credit cards. We cannot hold books without payment. To purchase a yearbook please send a check in an envelope with your child’s name and room number marked on it so the book(s) can be sent via backpack. Please do not come to the school office to purchase a yearbook.
ROOM PARENT MEETING SEPTEMBER 12
There will be a meeting for all Room Parents on September 12 at 10:00 a.m. in the Spiritual Center Lower Level. Room Parents for each classroom will be notified soon.
SCHOOL HANDBOOK HIGHLIGHTS
The complete family handbook for 2022-2023 is available here on the school website.
Please take note of the following policies/procedures:
We will revert to our original 24-hour-symptom-free policy for students returning to school following an illness. This means that a full 24 hours must elapse from the last symptom, not 24 hours from when the symptoms began, before a student may return to school.
Families using the playground outside of school hours are expected to follow the same rules in effect during the school day. Children must be actively supervised by an adult who is present on the playground - not waiting in a car - at all times. We ask that you be respectful of our equipment and the rules we follow at school during the day. Running up the slide is not permitted, and older students are not permitted on the bridge. Your cooperation in following these rules will help us to maintain consistency in playground expectations.
PARENTS AS PARTNERS CODE OF CONDUCT
We have implemented a new Parents as Partners Code of Conduct that will guide all actions and interactions in our school community. You can read the Parents as Partners Code of Conduct here. All parents will be expected to abide by this code. The code has been established to foster the partnership between parents and the school, as well as among parents themselves, and is grounded in respectful actions and interactions that align with our school mission. Please note that behavior that undermines our mission will not be tolerated and violations of the code may cause a family to be removed from the school. We trust that all of you will be true partners with us and with each other so that none of you will find yourselves in that situation.
COMING SOON TO A SCHOOL NEAR YOU!
We are excited to offer something new this year - Parents' Nights Out! These evening events will feature an opportunity to socialize with other parents from your child's grade level over adult beverages and snacks, as well as discussion about a topic or topics of interest. Please watch for more information as planning takes shape!
SCHOOL COMMUNICATION
Mass emails containing school news will be sent on Monday mornings when school is in session. Information to be included in these emails must be emailed to dsinopoli@st-hilary.org by 3:00 p.m. on Friday for the following Monday.
DROPPING OFF AND PICKING UP ITEMS
The drop-off and pick-up bins are located on the Moorfield Road side of the building to allow 24/7 access. If a lunch or other forgotten item needs to be dropped off to a student in a time-sensitive manner, please call the school office at 330-867-8720 or ring the bell at the Moorfield entrance door, let the secretaries know what you are dropping off and for whom, and leave the item – clearly labeled with the student’s name and room number or teacher – in the drop-off bin. A staff member will retrieve the item and get it to the student. Items you may need to pick up can be left for you in the pick-up bin.
NEW ANGEL SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS WIN-WIN-WIN OPPORTUNITY!
The new Angel Scholarship established by the Catholic Community Foundation offers a win-win-win opportunity for taxpayers, scholarship recipients, and our school! Click here and see the infographic at the end of this section to learn how you can turn your taxes into tuition!
ARRIVAL, DISMISSAL, LATCHKEY, AND BUSING
PLEASE SHARE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WITH CAREGIVERS!
Please note: We are a cell phone-free campus during drop-off and pick-up. For the safety of the children, please refrain from using your phone during this time.
ARRIVAL
- Students not attending morning Latchkey should arrive no earlier than 8:00 a.m. Families using Latchkey pay for this service. Supervision for all other students is not available until 8:00 am.
- Our tardy bell rings and homeroom period begins at 8:25 a.m. Students arriving after 8:25 am will be marked tardy.
- Students will report directly to classrooms upon arrival.
- Please help your child prepare for the school day in a stress-free manner by ensuring that he or she arrives at school by 8:25 a.m. each day.
Traffic Safety Logistics for Morning Arrival:
On Both Sides:
- When pulling forward, please make sure you are looking forward and that the path in front of and around your vehicle is clear before moving the vehicle.
- Please pull up to the sign at the end of the drop-off area. This allows more cars to stop between the two signs. Three to four cars can fit in the drop-off zone. All cars that fit within the zone between the signs may unload at the same time to help keep the lines moving.
- Please make sure students are ready to exit the car when they arrive. Seatbelts need to be unfastened, backpacks need to be loaded and zipped, masks and winter gear need to be ready, and last minute discussions about the day need to be handled before the point where students need to exit so as not to hold up the line.
- Please do not put your car in park and get out of the car in the drop off lines. If your child needs assistance getting out of a car seat or unbuckling, please park in the lot, help your child get out, and walk him or her to the building.
- Please be sure your child is completely clear of your car before pulling away. Water bottles are often dropped and may roll under cars. Please instruct your child not to reach under the car or run back to the car for a forgotten item. Adults on duty will assist.
- Please remember that students should never get out of the driver's side of the car and cross in front of the car during morning drop-off. There have been tragic accidents resulting from this practice and we want to make sure all of our children are safe. If your child is unable to get out of the passenger side in the car line, please park and walk him or her to the building.
On The Moorfield Road Side:
- Please do not pull around stopped cars when they are dropping off students. Occasionally, a driver may need to exit from the non-curb side, and passing creates a dangerous situation.
On The Parking Lot Side:
- Please do not pull up to areas other than the designated car line to drop off. If you do not want to wait in the line, you may park in the lot and walk your child to the building.
- Please do not pull beyond the sign at the end of the drop-off area or stop on the cross walk to drop off. Please keep the crosswalk clear for pedestrians.
DISMISSAL
- We will follow a staggered dismissal schedule:
- 2:55 pm - Kindergarten students and their siblings
- 3:00 pm - Non-Kindergarten Last names A-M
- 3:05 pm - Non-Kindergarten Last names N-Z
- Students will not be released until their designated time, so it is important that you make every effort to arrive as close to that time as possible, rather than lining up far in advance. We also ask for your cooperation in picking up your child on time, or calling the office in advance if you will be a few minutes late.
- If you prefer not to go through the car line, you may park in the far back parking lot and stand in the red “box” painted on the parking lot where you can safely reunite with your child.
- All kindergarteners and siblings will be walked to the red "box" by school staff rather than being picked up at the car line.
- Students should go directly to their car or bus – no loitering.
LATCHKEY
- Morning Latchkey will be available beginning at 6:50 a.m. Students being dropped off for morning Latchkey will be dropped off at the Art Room Door.
- Afternoon Latchkey will be available until 6:00 p.m. Students being picked up from evening Latchkey will be picked up at the Art Room Door.
BUSING
Four districts provide bus transportation for our students who reside in those districts: Copley-Fairlawn, Highland, Revere, and Woodridge. We anticipate that these districts will provide transportation for St. Hilary School students barring driver shortages. In that case, there is the potential that bus transportation for St. Hilary School students who ride the affected district’s bus may be lost. We encourage all families to have an alternate transportation plan in place. For more information, you may contact the transportation departments listed below:
Copley-Fairlawn: 330-664-4820
Highland: 330-239-1901, ext. 1235
Revere: 330-523-3118 or 3119
Woodridge: 330-928-6312
Please also visit our Bus Transportation page on the school website.
KINDERGARTEN OPENING SCHEDULE
MONDAY, AUGUST 29 – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 – Kindergarten students will arrive between 8:30 and 8:45 am, after our regular drop-off time. This will allow time for saying goodbyes in our “hug zone” outside our main entrance before our Kindergarten team takes children to classrooms. Look for your child’s teacher and teaching assistants holding signs indicating where each class should meet near the main entrance / Jesus statue. Each class will be color coded and have a designated area to meet, and each student will have a color-coded dot to stand on to maintain social distancing:
101 - Miss Faetanini: Green, Meet in front of main entrance
102 - Mrs. Haskins: Blue, Meet in first row parking spaces to left of main entrance
105 - Miss Bennett: Red, Meet by large garage door to right of main entrance
If your Kindergartener will ride the bus to school during the first week of school, please email his/her teacher so arrangements can be made to assist your child in getting to the classroom
Beginning Tuesday, September 6, Kindergarteners will report at the same time and follow the same procedures as all other students.
MONDAY, AUGUST 29 & TUESDAY, AUGUST 30 – First half-days of school for Kindergarten.
Kindergarten students (half of each class) will attend school from 8:45 am to 12:00 pm as follows:
Monday, August 29
Students with last names: Students with last names:
101-Miss Faetanini: Last names A-Mc
102-Mrs. Haskins: Last names A-H
105-Miss Bennett: Last names A-K
Tuesday, August 30
101-Miss Faetanini: Last names O-Z
102-Mrs. Haskins: Last names L-V
105-Miss Bennett: Last names L-T
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31 - ALL kindergarten students will attend from 8:45 a.m. to 12:00 pm.
ON AUGUST 29, 30 AND 31, Rooms 101 and 102 will be dismissed from the Moorfield Road doors. Room 105 will be dismissed from the doors by the Jesus statue. There will be no buses to take kindergarten students home on these days and no Latchkey available for kindergarten students these afternoons. Please be sure your child has a ride home. The child’s name should be displayed prominently in the passenger window. Please email the teacher if someone other than a parent will be picking up your child.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 - FULL-DAY kindergarten program begins. Please make sure your child has arrangements for lunch, a snack, a rest time towel, and a ride home or Latchkey arrangements at dismissal time. Kindergarten students who ride the bus may ride home from school for the first time on September 1. Adults will escort the children to the appropriate buses and other dismissal locations. Please remimd your child to wear his or her "bus" tag to help us direct your child to the appropriate location.
COVID-19, ILLNESS/ABSENCE AND MEDICATION
COVID-19 POLICIES
PLEASE NOTE: THE INFORMATION BELOW REFLECTS WHAT WAS ISSUED LATE LAST WEEK BY THE CDC AND ODH. WE EXPECT SCPH TO ADOPT THIS GUIDANCE THIS WEEK AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT THIS IS WHAT WE WILL BE FOLLOWING AS WE BEGIN THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR.
CURRENT GUIDANCE:
On August 11, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance on how people can protect themselves and others from COVID-19, what actions to take if exposed to COVID-19, and what actions to take if you have symptoms or test positive with the virus.
As a result, on August 12, ODH also updated its guidance for Ohio K-12 schools and recommended the CDC’s general guidance to best protect Ohio’s students in the school setting.
- First, because contact tracing and case investigation has shifted to focus on high-risk environments, such as long-term care facilities and healthcare settings, ODH is no longer recommending the Mask to Stay, Test to Play quarantine alternative for schools.
- Instead, ODH recommends schools follow general isolation procedures from the CDC for confirmed cases. If students or staff feel sick or suspect they might have COVID-19, they should stay home and take a rapid test. If positive, students and staff should stay home from school for at least 5 days and longer if necessary until fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and symptoms are improving. Additionally, after isolation ends, students and staff should continue to take precautions as they resume normal activities by wearing a mask for 5 days (or after two negative tests 48 hours apart).
In addition, it is recommended that schools continue to work closely with their local health departments to monitor community spread and make decisions about the best measures to protect students and staff based on what is happening in their communities.
REPORTING:
Like all schools, St. Hilary School is no longer required to contact trace or report positive individual cases to SCPH, but we are still required to seek guidance in the case of cluster cases. Parents still need to state that a student has tested positive for COVID-19 if applicable as the reason for an absence when reporting the student absent on the attendance line. If you have a COVID-19 situation in your household, please contact school administration or nurses to help determine next steps for your child.
Jennifer Woodman, Principal - jwoodman@st-hilary.org
Darcy Alexander, Assistant Principal - dalexander@st-hilary.org
Julie Bauman, School Nurse - jbauman@st-hilary.org
Abby Laughlin, School Nurse - alaughlin@st-hilary.org
MASKING:
Masking is optional at this time and we will follow the updated guidance issued August 11-12 by the CDC and ODH, and expected to be adopted by SCPH. However, students may be asked to wear masks in the school clinic at the discretion of the school nurses, if there is an outbreak within the school, or in other limited situations as warranted.
All four school districts that provide busing for St. Hilary School students have communicated to us that students are no longer required to wear masks on their buses, but may do so if they choose. In some cases, drivers may continue to wear masks. Please note that in relation to school field trips involving buses, while students will not be required to wear masks on the buses, we will respect the mask policy of the field trip location during our time there.
All students, staff, and parents are expected to respect the masking decisions an individual or family chooses.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
We continue to be mindful of social distancing where appropriate, proper hand washing, sanitizing of highly touched areas, and symptom monitoring at home. Students are encouraged to bring water bottles to school. These may be refilled at our bottle filler stations.
SCHOOL RESPONSE SUBJECT TO CHANGE:
The CDC has stated that COVID-19 community levels and public health prevention strategies can be increased when communities are experiencing more severe conditions and decreased when things are more stable. Our school response will continue to follow the guidance we are given as conditions change and if more restrictive measures are warranted. For more information and resources to monitor community spread, read more about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Community Levels here.
REPORTING AN ABSENCE, TARDY OR EARLY PICK-UP
If your child will be absent, tardy or picked up early for any reason, please contact the school office. We have two options:
- Call our school attendance line at 330-867-8720, ext. 350 and leave a message 24/7, or
- Email attendance@st-hilary.org. Although not necessary, you may also notify your child's teacher and Latchkey as a courtesy. Please do not email other school staff regarding absences, as our dedicated attendance email inbox is checked each morning, but other emails may not be immediately received.
- Whether calling or emailing, please state your child's name, grade, and the reason for the absence, tardy or early pick-up, including specific symptoms if due to an illness. Absences must be reported to the school office by 10:00 am on the day of the absence. We are required by law to follow up with families who do not do so.
- If a student needs to be picked up for an appointment or is ill and being picked up to go home, please pull up to the Moorfield Road door, call the school office at 330-867-8720, and your child will be signed out with your permission and released to your car under staff supervision.
- Students who are ill may not return to school until they are symptom free for a full 24 hours without fever reducing medication. There is no perfect attendance award or other incentive to come to school when ill.
- Please contact teachers directly regarding requests for homework; however, please understand that requests may not be able to be filled until the next day if the teacher does not see your request until late in the day. Thank you for understanding that our teachers' first priority during the day is teaching.
MEDICATION AT SCHOOL
If your child will need medication, an Epi-pen, etc. stored or administered in the clinic this school year, please be sure to complete the necessary forms in Digital Academy (see Back-to-School Forms above and follow complete instructions) BEFORE the start of the school year (i.e., schedule physician visits now). It is important that the clinic has these forms from the first day of school in order to legally store and administer medication. Please do not wait until school starts to complete these forms and have them signed by a physician.
NEW FORMS FOR MEDICATION, WHETHER PRESCRIPTION OR OVER-THE-COUNTER, ARE REQUIRED EVERY SCHOOL YEAR... SO EVEN IF YOU FILLED OUT FORMS FOR LAST SCHOOL YEAR, WE MUST HAVE NEW FORMS FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
ASBESTOS COMPLIANCE NOTICE
Federal law requires all schools to inspect their buildings for asbestos containing materials and to develop management plans for those materials found. Our school has completed this inspection/management plan and has submitted a copy to the Ohio Department of Health. This asbestos inspection/ management plan is available for review, by appointment, during regular business hours. Please know that we are making every effort to comply with all laws and regulations pertaining to asbestos and the safety of our children.
