Charger Check-In
September 4, 2020
A Note from Ms. Owens
As I shared in last week's Check-In, our internet connection has been a significant frustration for the school these past days. With the persistent sleuthing of our IT consultant, we have found and resolved the issue. Please know that we will have occasional internet challenges in these next weeks as we have almost doubled the number of student devices in the school and teachers will be integrating technology into their learning activities much more frequently. Those challenges should be small and easily rectified. They should not result in the total lack of access we experienced in the past several school days.
As many of our families enjoy this long weekend, I strongly urge you to limit your family's gatherings as well as your family's travel. If your family or your SCA student is traveling to a state experiencing a significant COVID-19 outbreak, those who made the trip will need to quarantine for 14 days once you return home. Please notify the school of any such travel. The list of states experiencing outbreaks is available below.
In that same spirit, we 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.
The overview of our reopening plan is available at the button below. This link will take you to the plan with the most recent updates. Please give your attention to the following areas:
- Visitors and Volunteers
- Quarantine Protocols
- Before and After Care
- Virtual Learning Option (already communicated to those families)
As it's the time of year for our temperatures to be a bit cooler - especially in the mornings, please remember to review SCA's uniform policy for and with your child(ren). As per the Parent-Student Handbook, during the school day, "students may wear St. Catherine uniform crewneck sweatshirts or fleece. Other sweatshirts, including SCA spiritwear and hooded sweatshirts, are not permitted during the school day but are permitted for recess and outdoor gym classes" (28-29).
A Bit More News
- I'm excited to share that our eLearning students will be starting their school year on Tuesday. The SCA families participating in remote learning have been patiently waiting for this time to arrive. It's going to be a great year, Chargers!
- The most recent edition of Chicago Catholic features our school and religious education students who recently received the sacrament of First Holy Communion. The link below will take you the article.
- We have a limited number of 2019-2020 yearbooks available for purchase. The cost is $20. You can send your payment (exact change or check) into school. Please place payment in an envelope with the child's name and indicate that this is for a yearbook.
- 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 pray for our nation, for our communities, for our brothers and sisters who are tired and broken, for our brothers and sisters working to keep us safe, and for own sorrows. We are all - each and every one of us - beloved children of God.
Peace,
Kristine Owens
A Bit More Focus on Our Quarantine, Sick and Return to School 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. Siblings of students exhibiting symptoms will also be sent home.
This additional information was announced to Archdiocesan schools on Friday afternoon (9/4/2020).
If a student is sent home due to exhibiting a listed COVID symptom, the school - in consultation with an OCS medical advisor - will need to assess when it is safe for the student to return to building. Once the assessment has been made, Ms. Owens will contact the parent/guardian to discuss the required steps for the child to return to school.
If a child needs a doctor's note to in order to return to school, the doctor's note must address the following three areas.
- The note must provide an alternate diagnosis.
- The note must include a treatment schedule for the stated diagnosis.
- The note must state there is no concern that the patient has COVID-19.
Information on Items Forgotten at Home, Birthdays and Lunch
- This year, we will be limiting the types of items that can be delivered to students during the school day. The only items accepted for delivery are a student's lunch, medication or a glasses.
- To reduce the number of items being passed out and going home, we will not pass out birthday treats or gifts while we are existing in this pandemic. Alternately, a gift to the class would certainly be welcome. Possible ideas include a book for the class library or recess equipment that supports physical distancing (e.g., sidewalk chalk, skip its, jump ropes).
- In past years, St. Catherine would provide plastic utensils for students who needed them during lunch. This year, St. Catherine will not provide plastic utensils. Please be sure to include them in your child's lunch.
- For families with younger students, please take the time to practice opening the items sent in the students' lunch boxes. Being able to open the items in their lunch boxes on their own means lunch parents and staff will not need to touch your child's lunch items and this is safer for everyone.
Substitute Teachers
If you know of someone who is interested in working as a substitute teacher here at St. Catherine, please reach out to Mrs. Kehoe.
- Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree at a minimum.
- VIRTUS training and all other required background checks will be necessary.
- All COVID safety protocols and procedures apply to substitute teachers - including, but not limited to, wearing masks at all time while in the building and maintaining the expected distance from other students and staff.
Socks and S&T Orders
S&T Orders for September are due back to school by Tuesday, September 22. Vouchers will be sent home on September 24. The order form is available below.
Online Virtus Training
Our Church is Open!
- Saturdays - Mass at 4PM
- Sundays - Mass at 9:30AM and 11:30AM
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.
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.
Queen of Hearts Raffle
St. Catherine's Queen of Hearts Raffle has re-started. Check out their Facebook page for more information.
So Many On-going Ways to Support St. Catherine!
Upcoming Events
- Early Dismissal at 11:30AM
- Labor Day - NO SCHOOL
Wednesday, September 9
- Eat & Earn at Chipotle from 4-8PM (111th and Cicero)
Friday, September 11
- All-School Liturgy (streamed)
- Picture Day
Friday, September 18
- All-School Liturgy (streamed)
Thursday, September 24
- Dress Down to Fight Pediatric Cancer
Friday, September 25
- Professional Development for Teachers
- No School for Students
Friday, October 2
- All-School Liturgy (streamed)
About us
Website: www.scaoaklawn.org
Location: 10621 South Kedvale Avenue, Oak Lawn, IL, USA
Phone: 708-425-5547
Facebook: facebook.com/scaoaklawn/