Sunday Evening News 1.3.2021
January 3, 2021
SUNDAY EVENING NEWS
Happy New Year!
“The feast of Epiphany is not intended to offer us figures to admire, but a journey to join … a spiritual journey to encounter the innocence of a Christ child,
the voice that guides us where we are meant to go.”
Rev. Joel Rippinger, O.S.B.
Peace & Greetings,
EVENING REFLECTION & PRAYER
“They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. They opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
Today we celebrate the Epiphany. The three kings were guided by the light of Christ and offered him gifts. May we be enlightened by Christ, offering him the gift of ourselves, and always walk in his light.
Let us pray,
O God, who on this day revealed your Only Begotten Son to the nations by the guidance of a star, grant in your mercy, that we, who know you already by faith, may be brought to behold the beauty of your sublime glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Happy New Year! Fr. Glen, Chaplain
SCHOOL CALENDAR
Week of January 4 – 8, 2021
Welcome back! St. Paul will return to providing both an in-person learning and alternative remote learning option on Monday, January 4, 2021. We recognize the social/emotional benefits in-person learning provides as well as respect the personal decision of each family in determining which option is best suited for them, at this time.
Monday, (Day 1); Tuesday, (Day 2); Wednesday, (Day 3); Thursday, (Day 1) and Friday, (Day 2)
POSSIBLE WEATHER DELAYED OPENING MONDAY
There is a possibility of a two-hour delayed school opening tomorrow due to forecasted overnight wintry mix. If this should happen, it will be announced on a Parent Reach robocall and the local television stations. A reminder that out-of-town busing will operate on a 90-minute delayed schedule if there is an announced two-hour delay. From an instructional perspective, A & B Periods will be dropped and Homeroom/C Period would begin at 9:45 am.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR IN–PERSON LEARNING
As COVID-19 cases continue to increase across the country and in our state, please adhere to the following
MANDATORY PRACTICES to help keep our St. Paul community healthy and safe.
- Every student, faculty and staff member MUST submit the mandatory online BBHD Daily Morning Health Self-Assessment before arriving at school. Students who do not complete the daily health survey will lose in-school privileges. Remote learners do not need to complete the daily survey.
- PLEASE REMAIN HOME IF YOU ARE NOT FEELING WELL. Stay home if you have symptoms associated with COVID-19 including a fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches, sore throat, unexplained loss of taste and smell or a headache. Do not assume you have a cold, allergies, etc. You should not return to school until your symptoms have improved or you submit a doctor’s note indicating that your symptoms are not COVID-19 related.
- If you, a family member or a “close contact” test positive for COVID-19 you MUST stay home from school and notify the St. Paul health room immediately.
- Practice mitigation health strategies (i.e. wear a mask, wash hands, practice physical distancing, etc.) beyond the normal school day (i.e. evenings and weekends) to leave the virus outside our borders.
CLOSE CONTACT QUARANTINE PROTOCOL
- Individuals who are close contacts and reside in the same house as a positive case will still be required to quarantine for 14 days.
As previously announced, the CDC and State of Connecticut have provided the option of a 10 or 7- day quarantine with a negative test on or after day 5 along with other requirements. We have since learned that while the BBHD is offering all three options not every local health district (as determined by where you reside) is offering these early release options due to staffing. Therefore, due to the sheer volume and inconsistency of neighboring health districts, St. Paul will not be offering these reduced quarantine options in the cohorts of students that are identified as close contacts. Depending on COVID-19 conditions, this is subject to review but appears prudent in the short-term.
St. Paul and the BBHD have experienced situations where individuals have initially tested negative then developed symptoms after 7-10 days. Thus, the longer initial quarantine will help to minimize further quarantine exposure.
RETURNING FROM OUT-OF-STATE TRAVEL QUARANTINE PROTOCOL
Effective December 19, 2020, pursuant to Governor Lamont’s Executive Order No. 9S, anyone traveling into Connecticut from a state or territory, other than New York, New Jersey, or Rhode Island, or from a country other than the United States, is directed to self-quarantine for a 10-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state or country.
“Given the current high rates of COVID-19 throughout the United States and internationally, Connecticut continues to strongly discourage all nonessential, interstate travel at this time as the risks are too severe,” Governor Lamont said. “Visitors to Connecticut and residents returning from any location beyond the immediate region – including New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island – should self-quarantine for a period of 10 days in order to reduce the risk of any further spread of this virus.”
The new state travel guidance has lowered the required travel quarantine period from 14 to 10 days. Anyone who travels to a state or country on the state advisory list must quarantine for 10 days. If travelers get a negative test (PCR or Antigen) within 72 hours after returning, they may submit a copy of those results to our health office: Elizabeth McGuire, elizabethmcguire@bristolct.gov or Ann Marie Pahl, apahl@spchs.com for consideration of an early end to their travel quarantine. However, even if you receive a negative COVID- 19 test result, you will be required to remain home and reduce non-essential activities for a full seven days after travel before returning to school.
WEEKDAY MASS
Our weekday Mass this week will be held on Wednesday, January 6 at 7:15 am. Given recent schedule changes, we will be combining Cheerleading, Galatians House, and Student Government in roles at Mass and praying for our entire school community and our nation as we begin the new year. All students and faculty/staff are invited. Please enter St. Gregory the Great Church by the side parking lot entrance.
2021-2022 TUITION ASSISTANCE
St. Paul Catholic High School uses an independent consultant, FACTS Grant & Aid, to evaluate financial need. Anyone who wishes to be considered for tuition assistance for the 2021-2022 school year will need to apply to FACTS Grant & Aid. The online application, FAQs and more detailed information about the process can be found at www.spchs.com/parents/tuition-assistance. Applications for returning students, must be submitted to FACTS Grant & Aid by February 5, 2021, with the required documentation and application fee of $35.
ADMISSIONS NEWS
Our next Open House is scheduled for Saturday, January 23, 2021 from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm and the next Placement Exam is Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 8:00 am. For in-person or virtual appointments
visit https://spchs.com/openhouse/ or https://spchs.com/placement-exam-registration/. Questions? Please reach out to our Admissions Office: mcrowley@spchs.com or cmone@spchs.com. Please share these dates with your family, friends, co-workers, etc.
GUIDANCE NEWS
Welcome! As previously announced, Ms. Allison Owsianko has been hired as a long-term substitute school counselor during Mrs. Mancini’s maternity leave. She will begin her first day at St. Paul tomorrow. Ms.
Owsianko can be reached at aowsianko@spchs.com.
Also, don’t hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Glynn, kglynn@spchs.com or Mrs. Kilbourne, lkilbourne@spchs.com in the Guidance Office with any questions or concerns.
College Acceptances
Congratulations to the following seniors on their recent college acceptances: Sammi Bray Fordham University & Quinnipiac University
Caleigh McDougall College of the Holy Cross
Grace Perugini University of South Florida
Evan Zimnoch University of St. Joseph
Seniors are reminded to notify their school counselor if they want their college acceptances to be acknowledged.
COMFY SWEATPANTS DAY FOR KIDS
This Friday, January 8, 2021 is the rescheduled date for our Comfy Sweatpants for Kids fundraiser in honor of all the courageous kids at Connecticut Children’s. All funds raised will be in support of their cancer and blood disorder patients. For $3.00 or more, you will be allowed to dress down in your favorite comfy sweat pants (no pajamas) on that day.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY (January 1 – 10)
Happy Birthday to: Erica Morelli, Molly Newman, Nadia Riemer, Natalia Riemer, Khoi Tran, Marlon Wilkins and Mr. Kapral.
FINAL WORD
It takes all of us!
Rest in Peace
It’s always sad when we lose a member of our St. Paul school community, especially when that individual is a parent, grandparent or other loved one. I’m heartbroken to share that Zach Caron ‘24 lost his father this past week, ten months to the day after losing his mother to cancer. Please keep Zach and the Caron family in your thoughts and prayers.
The family has established a GoFundMe account: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fundraiser-for- zach?utm_source=customer&utm-medium=sms&utm-campaign=p_cp+share-sheet, if you are interested in helping with funeral and future expenses.
Letters of encouragement can be sent to: Zach Caron, 185 Martin Rd., Bristol, CT 06010
New Year’s Resolution
It’s an annual ritual for many to compile a list of self-help resolutions for the new year. At a time during this global pandemic where there is so much stress, inconvenience, and sacrifice required on a daily basis, I suggest we keep our resolution simple this year: BE KIND to yourself and others.
Stay well … take care of yourself and each other.
St. Paul, pray for us!
Cary M. Dupont ‘72
President/Chief Administrator
