Charger Check-In
January 29, 2021
A Note from Ms. Owens
What an eventful week we've had at St. Catherine! We had our first remote learning day in response to inclimate weather. We welcomed new and returning families at registration on Thursday morning. Our primary grades celebrated the completion of our first 100 days of the school year. And we welcomed our youngest Charger - Baby Franks!
Thank you to all of our SCA families for spreading the word about our fabulous school community. We had an amazing turn-out on Thursday morning, and our PK3, PK4 and Kindergarten programs all have waiting lists! We know our students and their families are the best promoters of St. Catherine. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I have another thank you to share - and it is a bit belated. On behalf of the staff and faculty of St. Catherine, thank you for the generous Christmas you contributed. Each of knows how blessed we are to be part of this school community. And thank you to the members of FSA for coordinating the collection!
Please note two important updates regarding our Covid protocols.
- After receiving additional clarification from the Covid Task Force, students who have previously tested positive for Covid-19 will not have to quarantine following a Covid exposure. This will apply for a 90-day period following their positivity date. These students will need to move to quarantine if their entire cohort is doing so.
- There is also a NEW change in protocols for travel quarantine. Families should have received this update on these protocols directly from the Archdiocese on Wednesday, January 20. The details are available below.
Our Covid awareness needs to continue. If a member of your household knows they will be going for a Covid test or is waiting for the results, your child must stay home until results are received. If the results are negative, if your child has not had exposure to anyone who has tested positive and if your child is free of symptoms, they may return to school.
I urge you to monitor closely the health of all members of your household. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever (temperature greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit), chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle/body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.
- If a member of your household has even one Covid-like symptom, your child(ren) should not come to school that first day of a household member having symptoms.
- If your child has symptoms on a second consecutive day, your child will need a negative Covid test in order to return to school. While PCRs are still the preferred tests, in light of the increased wait time for test results, rapid tests are accepted. (See button below for more detailed information.) Your household should quarantine while awaiting the results.
- Do not send your child(ren) to school medicated to camouflage symptoms.
- If your child(ren) has been identified as a close contact to a confirmed or presumed positive case, you child(ren) will need to quarantine for 14-days from the last day of contact with the positive case.
- If your child(ren) has been identified as a close contact to a confirmed or presumed positive case and develops symptoms, contact your medical advisor to discuss evaluation and testing.
- If your child(ren) has been identified as a close contact to a confirmed or presumed positive case and does not develop symptoms, it is recommended to be tested 5 to 9 days after your child’s exposure to the positive case.
I ask that you continue to partner with us in a shared effort to maintain a safe environment for our school community. We have gone through extensive measures to put protocols and procedures in place for our collective health and safety. Maintaining cohorts is at the heart of that plan. We ask for your cooperation in maintaining this model whenever feasible so that our staff and students are able to experience a safe and sustained return to school.
A Bit More News
- Parent -Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Thursday, February 11. This is also an early dismissal at 1PM. Please stay tuned for additional information.
- Students will not have school on Friday, February 12 or Monday, February 15.
- The Archdiocese should be publishing their decision regarding the possibility of a remote period following Easter Break soon.
- St. Catherine has added another weekend Mass. You can now attend in-person Mass at 6PM on Sundays. The online sign up for Mass is further down in the Check-In.
- If you know of an SCA family who owns a small business that we can publicize here to help support them, please reach out to me via email. Scroll down to see local businesses we can support.
Please continue to pray for our medical professionals, our first responders, our essential front line workers as they work to ensure the health and safety of the larger community.
Peace,
Kristine Owens
Pizza Lunch for Students on Tuesday, February 2
- If your student does not like or cannot eat pizza, please send them with a lunch from home.
- We have ordered gluten-free pizza for those students whose families made the request.
- If you have an older student who may want more than a slice of cheese pizza for lunch, you are welcome to send them with additional items to eat.
- Students who normally receive milk will be able to get milk.
Adjusted Quarantine Period for Travel - updated 1/20
After consultation with state and local health departments, as well as their own medical advisors, the Archdiocese of Chicago is making an adjustment to quarantine periods for travel. The following guidelines are in effect as of January 20 for all Archdiocesan-run schools (no matter their location). The updated information is in bold.
- Quarantine periods for all domestic travel (travel out of Illinois) is now ten (10) days.
- Quarantine is required regardless of whether or not there is a negative test result, and no matter how much time is spent in another state.
- Quarantine starts the day after return home.
- This guidance does supersede the information released in the recent Parent Newsletter. We are doing our best to remain on top of frequently changing guidance from health authorities.
- Quarantines for international travel quarantine remain 14 days.
- Quarantines for COVID-19 exposure cases also remain 14-days (based upon the recommendation of all departments of public health in those jurisdictions in which the archdiocese operates and our own medical advisors).
A Bit More Focus on Our Quarantine and Sick Policies
Please be aware of these situations in which a student/faculty/staff/volunteer will need to remain home.
- Any student/faculty/staff/volunteer who has close contact to a person who is symptomatic, awaiting test results or diagnosed with COVID-19 will need to stay home.
- Anyone with close contact with a confirmed case must quarantine for 14 days from date of last contact with confirmed case.
Close contact is defined as "anyone (with or without a face covering) who was within 6 feet of a confirmed case of COVID-19 (with or without a face covering) for at least 15 minutes. The period of close contact begins two calendar days before the onset of symptoms (for a symptomatic person) or two calendar days before the positive sample was obtained (for as asymptomatic person).
Any student/faculty/staff/volunteer who presents with any of the following symptoms - fever (100.4 or higher), headache, shortness of breath, cough, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, congestion, new loss of taste/smell, nausea, fatigue or muscle/body ache will need to stay home or will be sent home if they are at school. All members of that person's household will also be sent home.
Year End Tuition Statements - Tax Documentation
- Log into your Smart Tuition account.
- Click on the "Family Year End Statement" button. See the image below for a visual.
The Sunday Collection
Visit the link below to set up your recurring contribution. Donors can change the amount of the contribution or pause it at any time.
Our Church is Open!
- Saturdays - Mass at 4PM
- Sundays - Mass at 8AM (no music), 9:30AM, 11:30AM and 6PM
In order to attend, parishioners must sign up online. The sign up is available below. Be sure to read the protocols that must be followed by those attending Mass in-person.
You are also invited to attend a weekday morning Mass on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday in-person at 8:30AM. You will need to register in the vestibule when you arrive and all protocols must be observed.
Ways to Support Our Local Small Businesses
If you know of an SCA family who owns a small business that we can publicize here to help support them, please reach out to me via email.
So Many On-going Ways to Support St. Catherine!
Upcoming Events
Sunday, January 31
- Catholic Schools Week Mass at 9:30AM (lived streamed)
Tuesday, February 2
- Dress Down Day for all students
- Pizza lunch for all students
Wednesday, February 3
- Blessing of the Throats (classroom visits)
Thursday, February 4
- Blessing of the Throats (classroom visits)
Friday, February 5
- School Spirit Dress Down for all
- All-School Mass (live streamed)
Thursday, February 11
- Dismissal at 1PM
- Parent-Teacher Conferences
Friday, February 12
- No School - PD Day for Teachers
Monday, February 15
- No School - President's Day
Wednesday, February 17
- Ash Wednesday
Thursday, February 18
- Tuition Exclusion Day
Friday, February 19
- All-School Mass (live streamed)
Friday, February 26
- End of Second Trimester
About us
Website: www.scaoaklawn.org
Location: 10621 South Kedvale Avenue, Oak Lawn, IL, USA
Phone: 708-425-5547
Facebook: facebook.com/scaoaklawn/