SaberSpeak
Week of September 7, 2021
How to Submit News to SaberSpeak
Information to be considered for inclusion in the newsletter must be emailed to dsinopoli@st-hilary.org by 3:00 p.m. on Friday for the following week. Information must be relevant to the St. Hilary School or St. Hilary Parish community, and cannot promote a personal interest or a school other than our own. The school reserves the right to determine what content will be included.
Principal's Message
We've made it into September! We continue to celebrate the small victories as we move through another school year with COVID-19 in our lives. We are all cheering for every day we are able to be in the school building with your children. We sincerely appreciate all of your efforts to support our work and our protocols to keep everyone learning, growing, healthy, and safe.
Please see the COVID-19 Central section below for the latest on COVID-19 as it impacts our school. In addition, a question that has come up a few times is whether to send a student to school if he or she has been exposed to someone who exhibits symptoms known to be associated with COVID-19 but that person has not yet been tested for COVID-19. We cannot mandate that a student stay home in such a case. However, this year, more than ever, we are relying on you as parents to do the right thing and exercise caution at all times. Please keep in mind that if your child has been exposed to a symptomatic person who eventually tests COVID-19 positive, and in the meantime you choose to send your child to school before the individual receives test results, your choice has the potential to affect many other students, staff members, and families, including the potential to close a classroom, a grade level, or the entire school. In cases of doubt, it may be advisable to err on the side of caution and keep your child home until the threat of illness has been resolved.
Looking ahead to this month, MAP Testing begins September 13 in every grade level. MAP Testing will continue through October 1. We have pushed back our three-week testing window by one week to allow additional time to prepare the technology that will be used for testing. MAP Testing at this point in the year gives us a baseline for each student to work from as he or she learns during the remainder of the year. The goal is to see growth, and data from our testing at this time, as well as in January and in the spring, is used to hone in on areas in which students might need help. Also on September 24, we will reach the interim point of the first quarter. First quarter interim reports will be available on this date. As a reminder, student progress may be checked any time on Gradelink. If you need assistance with Gradelink, please contact Mrs. Smith at msmith@st-hilary.org.
Some positive things happening so far this school year include our students being able to eat lunch in our lunch room, rather than at their desks, and being able to play with their entire grade levels at recess, rather than in the cohorts we were confined to last year. This is so important for social-emotional well-being, which we know has suffered a bit since March 2020. We are also excited that three grade levels at a time are able to safely attend Mass in person each week. Last year, we spent most of the year watching Mass via live stream in our classrooms, so this is a big step forward and an important one for the spiritual growth of our students. In addition, we have buddy classes again this year, we are planning field trips, and are working to bring back some of our clubs and extracurriculars, starting with Student Council! We look forward to doing more things that resemble normalcy as soon as we are safely able to do so.
Finally, we are grateful for the many positive messages you have shared with us. Your support during this time means more than you know. Similarly, if you have questions or concerns, we ask that you bring them directly to us so we can appropriately address them, rather than airing them on social media or elsewhere in the community. In many cases, the totality of facts we base our decisions on is not known outside of the long hours spent in the administrative offices, and we appreciate your trusting us to use these facts to make the best decisions for our school and your children. The decisions being made this year are the very same decisions you applauded last year for keeping your children and our teachers safe and in school. Knowing this, we ask for your continued support. Again this year, we are faced with unusual and ever-changing facts and circumstances. We are in the business of education, not health care; yet, we are dealing with medical issues and privacy concerns on a daily basis this year. Please understand that we always have the best interests of every student in mind, that all decisions are made with the goal of keeping students and staff safe and in school, and that we will always be as transparent as possible within the confines of the health care privacy guidelines we must respect.
We appreciate your continued cooperation and patience as we navigate another unusual school year together!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Woodman
Principal
Need To Know Now
Click here for 2021-2022 Back-to-School Forms to be completed now
Click here for the School Faculty & Staff Directory
Click here for the latest COVID-19 information
Click here for the 2021-2022 School Calendar, revised August 1
Click here for the 2021-2022 Dress Code
Click here for the 2021-2022 School Handbook and Amendments, including important health and safety information, school policies and procedures, and more
COVID-19 Central
MASKS MANDATORY AUGUST 23 - SEPTEMBER 17
All St. Hilary School students and staff, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to wear masks August 23 - September 17. Conditions will be re-evaluated at the end of this four-week period. Click here for details.
DIOCESAN STATEMENT ON MASKS
On August 20, the Diocese of Cleveland issued a statement strongly recommending masks in its Catholic schools. Click here to read the statement.
DID YOU KNOW?...
- Students who need to participate in distance learning while quarantining or isolating at home for five days or more must allow 24 hours for set-up , including preparation of materials that will be necessary to learn from home.
- Under the CDC guidelines, students exposed to COVID-19 in the classroom setting who consistently wear a mask at school do not need to quarantine.
IMPORTANT TIPS FOR RETURNING TO SCHOOL DURING COVID-19
Below are some tips for families as we return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. Every household must have a thermometer to check students’ temperatures before leaving home in the morning. Any student with a temperature above 100◦F must not come to school and will be sent home if this temperature level occurs at school. Students will be checked upon arrival and during the school day. Assessment of temperature and symptoms at home is extremely important to avoid last minute changes of plans for parents if students are found to have a fever or symptoms upon arrival at school.
2. We will return to having one clinic this year. As much as possible, minor needs such as Bandaids will be managed in the classroom. We need your help in reinforcing with your child that trips to the clinic should be reserved for when a child is truly not feeling well – not things such as chapped lips, dry skin, and other minor issues that can be addressed at home.
3. Masks will be required beginning August 23 through September 17 and conditions will be re-evaluated at that time. Please make sure your child has enough masks to wear a clean mask each day. During warm, humid weather, you may want to send several masks in case your child needs to change during the day. A spare mask should be kept in the student’s backpack at all times. Please make sure your child’s name is on each mask either with a Sharpie or with labeling tape that won’t wash or wear off.
4. The school will provide a face shield for each student in grades K-2 and by individual request in other grades. It is the responsibility of parents to provide face masks. Lanyards will be available to help contain masks while eating or drinking.
6. Our attendance policy has been adjusted in consideration of COVID-19. Students may not return to school until they are symptom free for a full 48 hours (2 days) without fever reducing medication (reduced from 72 hours symptom free) OR they have a negative COVID-19 test (must provide test results) OR they have a note from the attending physician stating that symptoms are not the result of COVID-19. There is no incentive to come to school when ill. The perfect attendance award has been eliminated. The policy on excessive absence will be reviewed and applied on a case-by-case basis during the duration of COVID-19.
7. Each student, including Kindergarten students, should bring his/her own individual snack to school each day. Birthday and other treats must be factory sealed or come from a commercial bakery - they cannot be homemade.
8. Each student MUST bring a water bottle to school each day. Water fountains are turned off due to COVID-19. Bottle filler fountains are available for students to refill water bottles, but we suggest sending enough water to get through the day.
9. Students having gym class on a particular day will come to school in gym clothes and remain in gym clothes for the school day. Black “gym pants” may be worn during colder weather and will soon be available to order through our school uniform supplier. This will eliminate the need for students to gather in locker rooms to change clothes.
10. A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT SHOES FOR KINDERGARTENERS AND FIRST GRADERS: If your child does not yet know how to tie his or her own shoes, he or she MUST wear Velcro strap shoes to school. Due to COVID-19, school staff will not be able to assist with tying shoes. Thank you for your cooperation.
11. Parents and visitors will have very limited access to the school building and every effort will be made to conduct business in a contact-free / virtual manner when possible.
12. If a lunch or other forgotten item needs to be dropped off, please ring the bell at the main 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.
13. 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.
14. In the extenuating circumstance that a parent would need to enter the building, please note that masks are required for all visitors, regardless of vaccination status.
15. Finally, we ask for your patience as we continue to receive and provide updated information while this situation evolves. Please understand that while many businesses and offices across the country are still not open and have no definite plans to return in person, we are again being asked to safely bring 525 students and over 80 staff members into our building every day beginning in one week, and are working tirelessly to do so. We ask that you trust us and know that we have the best interests of every student in mind as we plan for our return to school. Thank you for respecting our knowledge of the many facts and nuances behind each and every decision we make.
Additional information can be found on our COVID-19 webpage and in our School Handbook COVID-19 Appendix.
Hot Off The Press
NEW DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP BIN LOCATION
In order to better serve our families, our drop-off and pick-up bins have moved. The bins are now located outside the Moorfield Road entrance and can be accessed any time. This replaces our original drop-off and pick-up bins that were located at our main entrance, which is now enclosed and accessible only during school office hours. If you need to pick something up, or drop something off, you can again do so at any time by accessing the bins outside the Moorfield Road entrance.
SCHOOL DIRECTORY FORMS DUE SEPTEMBER 8
2021-2022 School Directory forms were sent home with the youngest/only child in each family last week. Please be sure to read your form carefully and legibly print any changes. Your directory entry will be printed based on this form and we are unable to make corrections once the directory is printed, so please check your form carefully. All forms must be returned to the school office by Wednesday, September 8, even if there are no changes. Questions? Please contact Mrs. Smith at msmith@st-hilary.org.
LAST CALL!
2020-2021 SCHOOL YEARBOOKS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE THROUGH SEPTEMBER 10
2020-2021 yearbooks for students who ordered them last year have been sent home. 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 10. 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.
CYO FALL SPORTS PICTURES SEPTEMBER 14 & 15
CYO Fall Sports Pictures - Tuesday September 14th and Wednesday September 15th
(does not include Munchkin or All Saints Soccer)
Individual and team pictures for CYO sports grades 1-8 for the yearbook are scheduled! Please see schedule below for times and locations.
Please be in uniform and masks (all COVID protocols apply), and arrive 5 minutes before your scheduled time.
We ask that all pictures be ordered online with the exception that if your athlete is in multiple spring sports, you cannot pre-order online. If your athlete is in multiple spring sports, and would like to pre-order, you must bring cash (exact amount) or check (made out to Lifetouch) at the time of pictures.
Pre-order pictures by going to mylifetouch.com website and entering the code: EVTFT7M8G. Pre-orders can be placed online now and up to 48 hours after the pictures are taken. Orders may also be placed after proofs are received back from Lifetouch (4 to 6 weeks). If you have any questions, please email Marlinda Bonus at pab53170@aol.com
Tuesday Sept. 14th - Schneider Park - 351 Schneider Park Drive, Akron, 44313
TimeLeague NameCoach
4:00 PM 1st grade Boys Flag Football Kurzweil
4:10 PM 2nd grade Boys Flag Football Alaburda
4:20 PM 2nd grade Boys Flag Football Taylor
4:30 AM 3rd grade Boys Flag Football Denholm
4:45 PM 4th grade Boys Flag Football Beiting
5:00 PM 5th Grade Boys Tackle Football LaCause
Tuesday Sept. 14th - Allardale Park - 401 Remsen Road, Medina, 44256
TimeLeague NameCoach
6:00 PM 3rd - 8th grade Boys Cross Country Mosher
6:15 PM 3rd - 8th grade Girls Cross Country Mosher
Wednesday Sept. 15th - St. Hilary School (Horning Hall Hallway in case of rain)
TimeLeague NameCoach
4:00 PM 3rd grade Girls Soccer Varian
4:10 PM 3rd grade Girls Volleyball Oldham
4:20 PM 4th grade Boys Soccer Knoll
4:30 PM 4th grade Girls Cheerleading Kistler
4:40 PM 4th grade Girls Cheerleading Quester
4:50 PM 4th grade Girls Soccer Inglett
5:00 PM 4th grade Girls Volleyball Jukanovic
5:10 PM 5th grade Girls Soccer Oldham
5:20 PM 5th grade Girls Volleyball Bockstoce
5:30 PM 6th grade Girls Soccer Wenzlik
5:40 PM 6th grade Girls Volleyball Higley
5:50 PM 7th grade Girls Volleyball Johnson
6:00 PM 7th grade Girls Volleyball Kennedy
6:10 PM 6th and 7th grade Boys Soccer Palumbo/Nonno
6:20 PM 8th grade Girls Cheerleading Maykut
6:30 PM 8th grade Girls Soccer Peterson
6:40 PM 8th grade Girls Soccer Wenzlik
6:50 PM 8th grade Girls Volleyball Johnson
7:00 PM 8th grade Girls Volleyball Woodburn
LAST CALL!
ONLY 15 CRYSTAL COMMEMORATIVES LEFT!
ONLY 15 Crystal Commemoratives are remaining to fill the window in the Horning Hall alcove! There are 5 – 12" x 6" crystals available for $5,000 each and 10 – 6" x 6" crystals available for $2,500 each. Crystals can be paid for over 5 years. These beautiful etched glass panels are a great way to honor a special person or occasion or memorialize your family's name as part of the St. Hilary community. Crystals are going fast so don't miss your opportunity to be a part of this lasting legacy. Contact St. Hilary Parish Foundation Development Director Diane Sarkis at 330-608-4787 d.sarkis@sthilaryfoundation.org for more information.
ST. HILARY SCHOOL RECEIVES $2,500 GRANT
St. Hilary School is delighted to announce we received a $2,500 grant from Ohio Catholic Federal Credit Union this year, and a total of $4,500 in grants over the past 4 years! Ohio Catholic FCU awarded $60,500 in Catholic School Grants this year to 44 Catholic schools throughout the Dioceses of Cleveland, Youngstown, Steubenville, and Cincinnati.
Ohio Catholic FCU also gave away $25,000 in tuition scholarships for students attending Catholic schools for the 2021-2022 school year. In fact, over the past eight years, they have awarded more than $850,000 to Catholic schools in the form of grants, scholarships, and charitable donations.
As the largest faith-based, full-service credit union in the state, Ohio Catholic FCU proudly serves the everyday banking and loan needs of over 11,000 members. Members choose Ohio Catholic FCU for their low loan rates, personal service, and how they give back generously to the communities where members live, work, and worship.
If you want to bank with a credit union that fully supports Catholic education, give them a call at (888) 696-4462 or visit OhioCatholicFCU.com. Tell them St. Hilary sent you!
The Main Event
Plan Ahead
GOOGLE CALENDAR
Click here for the school Google calendar
~ September 6: No School - Labor Day
~ September 10: October Hot Lunch ordering ends
~ September 13-October 1: MAP Testing for grades K-8
~ September 24: First Quarter Interim Reports
~ September 25: Grade 2 First Reconciliation Retreat 1:30 - 5:00 pm
~ September 30: Kindergarten to Ramseyer Farms
Help Wanted
ACME RECEIPTS NEEDED TO EARN MONEY FOR OUR SCHOOL
We are collecting Acme receipts again this year! Please save your Acme receipts from August 5 through December 25, 2021. Send them into school anytime to Attn: Tara Reuscher; c/o Alex Reuscher Room 107. If you prefer, take a picture of your receipts (be sure to include the bottom portion of the receipt that includes the cash back amount) and email to tarareuscher@gmail.com.
SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL SEEKS NOMINATIONS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 10
Last year, members of the St. Hilary School Board approached the school and parish administration wishing to change the format and purpose of the board in order to be more productive. After ongoing discussion, it was determined that this group could better serve the school community if several changes were made.
First, the body will no longer be called the St. Hilary School Board, but will be re-named the St. Hilary School Advisory Council. This name change is in line with the nomenclature used for other advisory bodies such as the St. Hilary Parish Council and St. Hilary Parish Finance Council. It also eliminates long-standing confusion about the authority of the previous school board, with many erroneously believing the board paralleled the role of a public school board.
Second, the St. Hilary School Advisory Council will seek to represent various competencies among its membership, such as law / law enforcement, health care, accounting / business, IT, social media, architecture / construction, marketing, and, of course, education. Membership is not limited to these groups but the goal would be to have some of these competencies represented among membership. The members would be tasked with assisting with special projects such as parent programming, school safety, and other projects that would be of benefit to the school community.
Third, members of the St. Hilary Advisory Council would commit to a two-year term, beginning in October 2021, with the option to remain on the council for an additional two years or until a project or program is completed. Previously, members of the school board were asked to commit to a three-year term of membership.
Finally, the St. Hilary School Advisory Council will meet on an as-needed basis, rather than following the monthly meeting schedule previously used by the school board. This will allow meetings to be more productive, with time for working on larger projects between meetings.
At present, only two members of the previous St. Hilary School Board remain in active terms: Karl Higley and Lindsay Schroeter. To begin the St. Hilary School Advisory Council, nominations are being sought for five additional members to serve alongside Karl and Lindsay. Parents of currently enrolled St. Hilary School students are eligible to serve on the council. If you are interested in nominating yourself or someone else to serve on the St. Hilary School Advisory Council, please contact Karl Higley at higleykarl@hotmail.com or Lindsay Schroeter at lindsay.lamp@gmail.com.
Candidates will be asked to submit a one paragraph biographical sketch to Karl or Lindsay by September 10. A voting ballot listing all candidates will be emailed to all St. Hilary School parents on September 14, with voting concluding on September 17. The St. Hilary School Advisory Council will hold its first meeting on October 12, with council members being installed and voting on their specific roles.
We invite you to become involved in your school community through this opportunity!
BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Did you know 19% of Akron school aged children are food insecure and lack regular access to nutritional food? Akron Blessings in a Backpack is looking for volunteers to assist with packing food for Akron Public School children for the 2021-2022 school year. This is an easy way to give back to the community. Volunteers are requested to sign up for 1 Thursday per month, from 6:00 - 7:30 pm. Children are welcome, and encouraged! Volunteers pack bags of food at a local Akron Public School. Students pick the bags up from the school they attend on Friday to carry them through the weekend. If interested, please email mega.rankin@gmail.com and a Team Leader will be in contact.
HOT LUNCH HELP NEEDED
Our Hot Lunch program is in need of volunteers to fill open spots to ensure we can offer Hot Lunch every day. If you can help, please email Hot Lunch Coordinator Becky Vieltorf at bvieltorf@st-hilary.org with your availability.
SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS NEEDED
We are always in need of individuals to serve as substitute teachers. A summary of requirements would include the following: a bachelor's degree in any subject, Virtus training, a background check including fingerprinting, and a substitute teaching certificate. If you meet (or are able to complete) these requirements and are interested in being added to our pool of substitute teachers, please email a current resume to Miss Malick at smalick@st-hilary.org as soon as possible.
CLASSROOM VOLUNTEER SIGN-UPS
There will be limited in-person volunteer opportunities this year, but sign-ups will be available via the classroom Sign-Up Genius. Watch for more information.
Growing Together in Faith
SCHOOL MASS THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
Our next school Mass for the 2021-2022 school year will be THIS FRIDAY, September 10 at 9:30 am. Grades K, 3 and 8 will attend in person. The school Mass will be planned by grade 8, and will be live streamed and available to view at http://sthilarychurch.org/live/. You will be able to view all live streamed Masses through this site. A copy of this year’s liturgy schedule can be found in the Forms and Documents section under the Red Folder on the school website. Masses are also posted on the school Google calendar, with the grade level planning the Mass listed. Upcoming Masses are September 17 planned by grade 7 (grades 1, 5 and 7 will attend in person), and September 24 planned by grade 6 (grades 2, 4 and 6 will attend in person).
We will continue to celebrate Mass together each week and on holy days. Students will attend school Mass on a rotation with other select grade levels (not the whole school). Only parents / grandparents of the participating class may attend Mass in person, and must sit in the back of the Church away from students. Masses will be live streamed and available for all to watch, and students not attending Mass in person will watch live streamed Mass from their classrooms. Eucharistic ministers will come to the classrooms to distribute Holy Communion. We will handle other religious services and events in a similar way.
JOIN US IN OUR APPEAL TO GOD TO CRUSH COVID
Fr. Cameron and St. Hilary's Healing Waters Ministry invite you to pray with them on Fri, Sept 24, 7:30 pm-9:00 pm. Adore and praise God through song before the Blessed Sacrament and implore God to destroy COVID in all its forms. To conclude, pray the Healing Rosary for those afflicted with the virus and other infirmities.
Student Life
STUDENT COUNCIL OFFICER ELECTIONS THIS WEEK
We are so excited to bring our Student Council back for the 2021-2022 school year after a hiatus last year! We will be holding elections for the four Student Council officer positions this week.
Timeline:
Tues., Sept. 7 - President and VP speeches due to Mrs. Woodman
Weds., Sept. 8 - Treasurer and Secretary speeches due to Mrs. Woodman
Thurs., Sept. 9 - President and VP candidates give speeches on announcements and students vote
Fri., Sept. 10 - Treasurer and Secretary candidates give speeches on announcements and students vote
Questions? Please contact Mrs. Sollenberger at msollenberger@st-hilary.org.
ST. HILARY TO HOST HSPT PREP COURSE
St. Hilary School will host an HSPT prep course for 8th graders on Saturday, September 18. Please click below for a flyer with complete details. The location will be determined based on the number of students who register.
Reminders
PLEASE COMPLETE BACK-TO-SCHOOL FORMS NOW
Back-to-School forms must be completed and submitted at this time. Students will not be able to use school devices or Internet until forms are completed. Click here for 2021-2022 Back-to-School Forms to be completed now. Please refer to this page for the list of necessary forms and the instructions for completing and correctly submitting them. PLEASE BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS TO ENSURE THAT YOUR FORMS ARE RECEIVED. PLEASE DO NOT SIMPLY EMAIL FORMS TO THE SCHOOL OFFICE OR YOUR CHILD'S TEACHER - EACH FORM HAS A DESIGNATED PERSON / PLACE TO SUBMIT IT. You may begin submitting forms now. ***Families with custody changes, it is very important that you complete and return the Custody Form.***
SCHOOL DIRECTORY FORMS DUE SEPTEMBER 8 EVEN IF NO CHANGES
2021-2022 School Directory forms were distributed to the youngest/only child in each family last week. Please be sure to read your form carefully and legibly print any changes. Your directory entry will be printed based on this form and we are unable to make corrections once the directory is printed, so please check your form carefully.
All forms must be returned to the school office by Wednesday, September 8, even if there are no changes.
OCTOBER HOT LUNCH ORDERING ENDS SEPTEMBER 10
MILK ORDERING AVAILABLE
Hot Lunch ordering for October is underway and will be open through September 10. You may notice a new item on the menu each month - a special item that is a favorite of a student! The student whose favorites are listed purchased this exciting privilege as a Celebration auction item last spring. If your child would like to join the fun, watch for this item up for auction again at Celebration 2022!
Milk ordering for the first semester will be offered again in this round of ordering for those who missed it. If you don't want to wait and would like your child to receive milk at lunchtime beginning this week, please email Hot Lunch Coordinator Becky Vieltorf at bvieltorf@st-hilary.org. All orders must be placed and paid for online by the deadline. You must have an account to order. Click here for instructions on creating an account. Please note that activation of your account is not immediate, so don't wait until the last minute to create your account! Click here for more information about our Hot Lunch program. Please contact Hot Lunch Coordinator Becky Vieltorf at bvieltorf@st-hilary.org with questions.
FUNDRAISERS
Acme Community Cash Back and Box Tops for Education benefit our school every time you shop or purchase qualifying products. Please click here for more information.
VERIFY & UPDATE ONE CALL NOW INFORMATION VIA SELF-UPDATE PORTAL
As the new year begins, please make sure we have your current telephone number(s) and email address(es) in our One Call Now database. Doing so will ensure you receive the latest mass email updates, as well as phone calls in the event of snow days or school emergencies.
New families: Please make sure you have returned the yellow One Call Now form contained in your child’s acceptance packet so your One Call Now account can be set up.
Returning families and new families who have returned yellow One Call Now forms: Please click the My School button at the top right corner of the school website, login, and click the One Call Now link to be directed to our new One Call Now Self-Update Portal. Click the green SIGN UP button as a first-time user to create your login for the secure portal. Users will be able to view only their own information. Follow the prompts to verify and update your information as needed. Please retain your login information so you can return to the portal and simply login to make any necessary future updates.
Please contact Mrs. Smith at msmith@st-hilary.org with questions.
A FEW REMINDERS - PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH CAREGIVERS
- We are a cell phone-free campus during drop-off and pick-up. We are already seeing drivers on phones during these times. For the safety of our children, please refrain from using your phone during these few minutes.
- When dropping off on the parking lot side of the building, please stop before the cross walk in order to leave the cross walk clear for pedestrians crossing from the lot to the building. Please do not stop on the cross walk to drop off.
- 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.
- Three to four cars can fit in the drop-off zone. All cars in the drop-off zone can unload at the same time to help keep the lines moving.
- 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 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.
- If you need to report an absence, please be sure to call the school attendance line at 330-867-8720, ext. 1. You may also email your child's homeroom teacher, but absences must be reported to the attendance line. If your child will be absent due to a COVID-19-related reason, you must also notify Mrs. Woodman at jwoodman@st-hilary.org or 330-867-8720, ext. 343.
- If your child has any symptoms, no matter how slight, that could be COVID-19 symptoms, you must not send him or her to school. Please also notify Mrs. Woodman at jwoodman@st-hilary.org or 330-867-8720, ext. 343 or the school nurses at 330-867-8720, ext. 225. In addition to the symptoms we have all been aware of for months now, a new symptom, fullness in the ears, has been added to the list and is becoming common in children who test positive for COVID-19.
- If you need to pick your child up for an appointment, please call the school office at 330-867-8720, ext. 4 to notify the secretaries that you are here, but pull up to the Moorfield Road entrance to pick up your child. This is also the location students are to be picked up if they become ill during the school day and need to go home. Students will not be dismissed from the new office area.
- Please make sure your child knows what bus he or she rides home from school in the afternoon. We have had quite a few students confused about what bus they are to board at dismissal time.
- If you allow your children to play on the playground after school, you must supervise them. We have had reports of inappropriate behavior on school property.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT MEDIA RELEASE FORM
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, we will be using live streaming as a tool to gather together as a school community in situations where we will not be able to have large in-person events: when we want to gather our community for prayer, for events where parents would normally be invited, and as a way to connect our community. When a student appears in a live stream, we will not identify the student by his or her full name so as to protect his or her identity. Any live stream with students on camera will only be viewable live and will not be recorded or available after the live stream is over. This will be to more readily ensure that the live image does not stay as something that can be downloaded. A live stream will simply be a way to “attend” as the event occurs, not to view it later.
For our weekly school Masses and any other live streamed events, only students whose parents have given consent on the Media Release form on Gradelink will be able to participate and appear on camera. To be clear, that means that if you do not give us permission to have your child participate as part of live streamed events, he or she will be unable to participate as a singer or reader at school Masses and other religious services, and unable to participate in school assemblies and academic contests, parades, and any other events we may choose to live stream. This would be done not to exclude any student, but to respect parents’ wishes. Similarly, if you have consented on this form, you now need to understand the additional implications of your consent for your child if he or she participates in an event that is live streamed.
IMPORTANT! Whatever choice of consent or lack of consent you have indicated on the Media Release form on Gradelink will apply to live streamed events as indicated above, unless we hear otherwise from you. You may change your consent at any time, even during the school year and even for only a particular event, by emailing Mrs. Smith at msmith@st-hilary.org.
Arrival & Dismissal
ARRIVAL TIME EXPECTATION
It is our expectation that students will arrive by 8:20 a.m. This bell signals our morning arrival time, at which time students begin to prepare for the day. (Please note that during COVID-19, students not attending morning Latchkey should arrive no earlier than 8:00 a.m. as we cannot allow students to congregate outside the building, in the hallways, or in the Multi-Purpose Room.) The 8:30 a.m. bell is not intended to provide a ten-minute grace period after the 8:20 a.m. arrival bell, but signifies the point at which students are marked tardy. Please help your child prepare for the school day in a stress-free manner by ensuring that he or she arrives at school by 8:20 a.m. each day.
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL
Arrival:
- Students not attending morning Latchkey should arrive no earlier than 8:00 a.m.
- Students will be scanned for temperature and screened for symptoms upon arrival before entering the building – those with a temperature over 100°F or COVID-19 symptoms will not be permitted to enter.
- All students in every grade must wear a mask.
- Students will report directly to classrooms, not to Multi-Purpose Room.
Dismissal:
- In order to ensure social distancing during dismissal, we will follow a staggered dismissal schedule as follows:
2:50 pm - Kindergarten students and their siblings
Non-Kindergarten Families Alphabetically by Last Name:
2:55 pm - Last names S-Z
3:00 pm - Last names N-R
3:05 pm - Last names G-M
3:10 pm - Last names A-F
- 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. In addition, we ask that the family last name of students being picked up be prominently displayed in the passenger side window of each car to help us efficiently match students with cars.
- 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 students in every grade must wear a mask to exit the building.
- Students should go directly to car or bus – no loitering in hallways, restrooms, visiting other rooms.
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 - PLEASE NOTE THIS CHANGE FROM THE MAIN ENTRANCE!
- 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 - PLEASE NOTE THIS CHANGE FROM THE MAIN ENTRANCE!
- Students attending either session of Latchkey will have temperatures checked upon arrival.
- The door used for Latchkey morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up will be clearly marked with a large sign as school begins to help parents and students easily find the new location.
Busing:
Four districts provide bus transportation for our students who reside in those districts: Copley-Fairlawn, Highland, Revere, and Woodridge. We anticipate that when the districts are providing in-person instruction and transportation for their own students, they will provide transportation for St. Hilary School students as well. If any of these districts move to online learning at any time, 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 as this could happen without warning. 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.
Archives
Click here for information about our drop-off and pick-up procedures (note exception for Kindergarteners as shown on opening schedule)
About Us
The Admission Policy of St. Hilary School is in accordance with the student acceptance regulations of the Diocese of Cleveland. St. Hilary School admits qualified students of any gender, race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship, tuition assistance programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
Email: dsinopoli@st-hilary.org
Website: www.st-hilaryschool.org
Location: 645 Moorfield Road, Fairlawn, OH, USA
Phone: 330-867-8720
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StHilarySchoolFairlawnOhio/