Dear St. Charles Families,

 

We know that there is one question on the minds of our school’s parents, students, employees, and community members: What will education at St. Charles Catholic School look like in the fall?

We have been working diligently to answer that exact question and continue to stay on top of information that is given to us by our state and local governments. I want to take a few moments to provide an update on the process, share what’s happening this summer, and invite you to complete a survey so your voice may be heard.

Guiding Principles

As we move forward, we are keeping our strategic plan top of mind. We are committed to:

  • The health and safety of our students and employees.

  • Academic success for all students.

  • Ensuring that students are at the center of all decision making.

  • Engaging with our school communities.

  • Continuing to provide a faith-filled environment for our school families.

Health and Safety Protocols

St. Charles Catholic School is actively planning for the reopening of school with the health and safety of our students, families, employees, and community at the forefront. The following safety protocols for students, staff and visitors follow guidance provided by the Center for Disease Control and are under consideration:

General Health

  • Daily health assessments for all staff and students

  • Limiting nonessential visitors

  • Face coverings for staff, students and visitors

  • Reducing shared materials in the classroom

  • Limiting “communal use” spaces as is feasible

Social Distancing

  • Classroom configuration to allow for desks to be socially distant

  • Staggered arrival and departure to classes to allow for social distancing

  • Social distancing during arrival and departure to school

  • Designating one-way routes in hallways to minimize face-to-face traffic

Cleaning and Sanitation

  • Increased disinfecting procedures

  • Encouraging students to wash their hands and use hand sanitizer more frequently

Procedures

  • Procedures for student or staff illness reporting/tracking and designating an isolation area

  • Procedures for closing a building during an outbreak, disinfecting, and re-opening (in conjunction with local health department)

  • Procedures for staff leave and student excused absences

Training

  • Training on safety precautions for all staff and students

Looking Ahead

We are working on several additional initiatives that will have a positive impact on student learning in the next school year:

  • Installing ionized air purification systems in the classrooms as well as additional hand sanitizing units throughout the building.

  • Growing our technology resources to a 1-to-1 ratio for students in grades K-8.  We will also be collaborating across grade levels to have cohesive setups and policies within Google Classrooms and online learning.

  • Offering support for children experiencing trauma as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. For example the school counselor will provide social, emotional counseling groups for students in need. In addition, there will be training for teachers regarding social-emotional learning strategies, and the development of safe routines and procedures for learning.

Survey

I am excited to be able to invite all stakeholders, students, parents, community members and staff to share your thoughts and opinions about the upcoming school year through a survey. Help us understand: What concerns, comments, or ideas do you have as St. Charles Catholic School plans for the reopening of school?

Click here to complete the survey.  The survey is confidential and will remain open until June 18.

Our commitment to you is to be open to ideas, to involve stakeholders in our planning, and to remain adaptable, with a focus on ensuring our students continue to get the faith-filled education they deserve in a manner that keeps them, their families, and our faculty and staff safe.  We know there are a lot of moving parts to the situation and new information is being provided frequently and we will continue to make adjustments accordingly. We appreciate your patience as we work through these very important decisions.

We know that the 2020/2021 academic year will possibly be unlike any we’ve experienced before. This also means it is an opportunity to be creative, flexible and innovative. I am confident that we will come out the other side of this experience stronger, with best practices around technology and learning that will change education forever. And our school will be better for it. The future is now!

Thank you for your partnership, support, and voice. Please take a moment to share your opinions with us through the survey by June 18.

Sincerely,

Megan Scheid, principal