SaberSpeak
Week of September 8, 2020
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! In a "normal" school year, this is no amazing feat, but during this highly unusual school year, 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.
On August 28, we clarified our policies on student illness, travel, returning to school, and COVID-19 reporting. Please click here to read this information. 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. We are blessed to be able to offer a distance learning option that will be in place throughout the school year and mirrors what is taking place in each classroom. In cases of doubt, it may be advisable to err on the side of caution and keep your child home to participate in the distance learning program until the threat of illness has been resolved.
Looking ahead to this month, MAP Testing was to begin today in every grade level, but is currently on hold. We are working with the Diocese of Cleveland to firm up details and will have more information for you shortly.
First Quarter interim reports will be available on September 25. 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.
As we begin to celebrate our school's 60th anniversary, we will hold a tree planting ceremony on September 28 at 2:00 p.m. Please watch for more information about this event. Although COVID-19 will not allow us to celebrate our 60th anniversary as we would have liked, we will continue small-scale observances throughout the school year as we recognize this important milestone for our school.
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 administrative offices, and we appreciate your trusting us to use these facts to make the best decisions for our school and your children. 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, 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 move through this unique school year together!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Woodman
Principal
Need To Know Now
Click here for the School Faculty & Staff Directory
Click here for the 2020-2021 School Calendar, revised August 1
Click here for the 2020-2021 Dress Code
Click here for the 2020-2021 School Handbook and Amendments, including important health and safety information, school policies and procedures, updates due to COVID-19, and more
Hot Off The Press
SUMMIT COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH CLARIFIES CONTACT TRACING
Summit County Public Health has issued a letter to parents that explains how contact tracing is handled in a school setting. Please click the attachment below to read the letter. Please keep in mind that our school policy remains "72 hours symptom-free" (not 24 hours) before a student may return to school.
RED, WHITE AND BLUE DAY THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
On Friday, September 11, students are encouraged to wear red, white, blue or American flag accessories with their school uniforms (i.e., bracelets, necklaces, bandanas, masks, earrings). No hats are permitted as it is a Mass day. Also, political accessories will not be permitted.
Giant Eagle has notified us that it has discontinued its Apples for the Students program after more than 30 years supporting schools. Like so many other businesses, Giant Eagle has had to adapt to changing conditions brought about by COVID-19, and will be redirecting resources from the program to support feeding K-12 students who face hunger daily.
The Main Event
This week's main event was to have been the start of MAP Testing for all students in grades K-8. Testing is currently on hold, as we are working with the Diocese of Cleveland on details for this round of assessments. More information will be provided for students taking the test in school and at home as soon as it becomes available.
Plan Ahead
GOOGLE CALENDAR
Click here for the school Google calendar
~ September 8-11: New Student Check-in Week
~ September 10: October Hot Lunch ordering ends
~ September 10: Room Mom meeting via Zoom at 10:00 am
~ September 11: Red, White & Blue Day - accessories with uniforms
~ September 12: Grade 3 First Communion at 1:30 pm (Students arrive at 1:00 pm)
~ September 18: Grade 3 Mass and Brunch
~ September 19: Class of 2020 Confirmation Practice at 9:25 am
~ September 20: Class of 2020 Confirmation at 1:30 pm
~ September 30: Grade 7 Night of Reflection at 6:30 pm
Help Wanted
URGENT! PLAYGROUND MONITORS NEEDED
Looking for a fun way to be involved at school, see your child during the school day, get some fresh air, and make some extra money? Consider being a playground monitor! Help is needed for the 2020-2021 school year in order to ensure that our students are properly supervised during recess. Monitors work just a couple of hours each day, so this is the perfect part-time job for those with limited time! If you are interested in learning more, please contact Playground Supervisor Laura Pszonowsky at laurakay54@gmail.com or 330-289-9678.
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 from teachers / room moms.
Growing Together in Faith
NEXT SCHOOL MASS THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
UPCOMING MASSES SEPTEMBER 18, 25
Our next school Mass will be THIS FRIDAY, September 11 at 9:30 a.m. The school Mass will be planned by grade 7, and will be live streamed and available to view at http://sthilarychurch.org/live/. 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 this month are September 18 planned by grade 3 and September 25 planned by grade 5.
We will continue to celebrate Mass together each week and on holy days. Each grade level (1-8) will plan several Masses as usual, but only the grade level planning the Mass will attend in person. Parents and grandparents of participants may attend but 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.
Student Life
VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING
Afterschool Enrichment Solutions, our Chess Club and Engineering Club provider, is offering some virtual programs for students, covering six subjects throughout the week. Students may benefit from the social, engaging and fun lessons. Please click the links below for more information.
Click for more information and to register for Virtual All Access Pass!
Click here to see a digital flyer!
HSPT PREP CLASS OPPORTUNITIES FOR 8TH GRADERS
To help our 8th grade students prepare for the HSPT class as part of the high school admissions process, we are sharing information about HSPT prep class opportunities. Please click the link below for a flyer with complete information. Please do not contact the school with questions about the classes, but use the contact information provided on the flyer.
Reminders
NEW STUDENT CHECK-IN WEEK SEPTEMBER 8-11- VIRTUAL STYLE
By suggestion of some of our new families in past years, we will again offer “New Student Check-in Week” the week of September 8-11. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, these will be offered in a virtual format. Each teacher will schedule time during this week to meet virtually with parents and students new to the school to address any questions or concerns about classroom procedures and general adjustment to a new school setting. Teachers will provide information about the New Student Check-in Week for their specific classrooms as school begins.
ROOM MOM MEETING SEPTEMBER 10 VIA ZOOM
There will be a meeting for all Room Moms on September 10 at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom. Room Moms for each classroom have been notified.
OCTOBER HOT LUNCH ORDERING ENDS SEPTEMBER 10
MILK ORDERING AVAILABLE
Hot Lunch ordering for October ends September 10. 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.
MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD HAS A LUNCH!
Because students will eat in their classrooms this year, it is imperative that you make sure your child has a lunch either brought from home or ordered through our Hot Lunch program each day. While we will have Lunchables available, it will be difficult to get those to students in a timely manner after pre-ordered lunches and milk have been delivered. Please be especially mindful of this during this school year.
MASKS AVAILABLE THROUGH ONLINE STORE
Is your child in need of additional masks for this school year? Don't forget that you can order our very own SABERS spirit masks through our online school uniform store!
SCHOOL YEARBOOKS
Production of our 2019-2020 school yearbooks is delayed at Lifetouch due to COVID-19. School yearbooks will be sent home as soon as they arrive. Yearbooks for last year's 8th graders will be sent home with siblings if applicable or may be picked up by appointment once they arrive. Please click here for details.
FUNDRAISERS
Giant Eagle has discontinued its Apples for the Students program this year. However, the Acme Community Cash Back program and Box Tops for Education continue to benefit our school every time you shop or purchase qualifying products. Please see below and click here for more information.
ACME RECEIPTS
We are collecting Acme receipts again this year! Please save your Acme receipts from August 6 through December 26, 2020. Send them to school at anytime to Attn: Jamie Malick; c/o Caleb Malick Room 113. Or 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 jamiemalick@hotmail.com.
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.
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.
Archives
Click here for 2020-2021 Back-to-School Forms to be completed now, with special attention to the Student COVID-19 Policy Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risk Form
Click here and here for important Back-to-School information, including new arrival and dismissal procedures, the Kindergarten opening schedule, and more
Click here for important information for families considering distance learning, and here for the agreement that must be signed and returned in order to participate in distance learning
Click here for information about our drop-off and pick-up procedures (note exception for Kindergarteners as shown on opening schedule)
About Us
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/