Sunday Evening News 8.30.2020

August 30, 2020 - 11:18 pm

August 30, 2020

SUNDAY EVENING NEWS

O Lord, you who promise to be with me always, be with me this day as I begin my schoolwork. Keep me in health, I pray, and keep me from harm. In all that I do and say, may I love you with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength, and may I love my neighbor as myself, so that I might fulfill your purposes for me and your

calling on my life as a student. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Peace and Greetings:

Trust you and your family are in good health. After much thoughtful planning and extensive preparations this summer, Opening Day for the 2020-2021 Academic Year has arrived. Tomorrow, the Class of 2024 will step foot on campus and officially begin their high school careers. Our returning classes will follow. We are ready!

Registration stands at 401 students with 101 of them being new to St. Paul. Welcome Home, we’ve been waiting for you! As school begins, 364 students (91%) declared to return fully in-person and 37 students (9%) opted for remote learning.

The faculty had three solid days of orientation last week including preparing to simultaneously engage in- person and remote learners in the classroom, expand their knowledge/familiarity with pertinent technology scenarios and learning platforms, attend a diversity training session and participate in a COVID-19 presentation from Marco Palmeri, local director of public health.

We welcome Mr. Louis Vollono, Jr. to our English Department. Mr. Vollono received his BA degree from Stonehill College conferred in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. He comes to St. Paul from Middletown High School.

REOPENING PLAN – FALL 2020 UPDATE

Nothing has changed from our original communication. St. Paul will begin the 2020-2021 Academic Year in the In-Person Learning model. After the initial orientation and phase-in period, students will be expected to attend school in-person five days a week unless they have opted for the Remote/Distance Learning alternative, also five days a week.

Reference is made to our Reopening Plan – Fall 2020, released on August 3, 2020 for a comprehensive and in-depth look at our health and safety guidelines and detailed academic program. To request a hardcopy of the plan, contact Chelsea Mone at cmone@spchs.com.

The chapel and auditorium have been sectioned to allow for physical distancing. The library has been refitted to a classroom. Both the auditorium and library will be utilized for class sizes that don’t meet COVID-19 spacing requirements in a typical classroom. St. Gregory the Great Church will be utilized for liturgies, adoration, and religion class prayer visits.

Classrooms have been arranged to provide maximum distance between students with desks all facing in the same direction. The dining hall capacity has been reduced over 50% with seating for 100 students.

Additional outdoor seating for 50-60 students will be provided under open tents and picnic tables in warm weather. Three lunch waves have been scheduled to reduce the number of students eating at one time. The CAD and piano labs have been fitted with clear plexiglass dividers between work stations.

Directional signage to indicate classroom entrance/exit doors and assist in corridor and stairwell movement during passing times have been marked. Over 50 wall and self-standing hand sanitizer stations are located throughout the building. Educational posters highlighting mitigating practices are prominently displayed.

OPENING CALENDAR

As previously announced, the orientation calendar for the first week of school is as follows: Class of 2024 only Monday, August 31 and Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Class of 2021 only Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Class of 2022 only Thursday, September 3, 2020

Class of 2023 only Friday, September 4, 2020

Students will receive a copy of their class schedule upon arrival.

DROP OFF & PICK-UP

Doors open at 7:00 am for students, faculty and staff. School begins at 7:45 am and ends at 2:12 pm. Everyone will only be allowed to enter school through the monitored main front door or rear center staircase. After 7:45 am, students who are tardy and all visitors must enter through the front door. Everyone will have their temperature checked and are required to wear a mask and hand sanitize upon entry into the building. Please plan to arrive early.

Buses will drop off and pick up at the rear of the building. A reminder that cars must observe no passing when bus red lights are flashing in the parking lot. Car drivers can drop off and pick up at either the main front entrance or rear center staircase doors.

REMOTE LEARNING STUDENTS ORIENTATION

Virtual orientation/information sessions will be held on Wednesday, September 2 and Thursday, September 3 at 3:00 pm for students opting for remote/distance learning to begin the school year. Remote learning students will receive a Zoom invitation this Tuesday, September 1 and are required to attend either of the two orientation sessions.

Remote learning students will be emailed their class schedule the morning of their orientation. Remote learning students are required to participate virtually in meeting their teachers with their classmates on their assigned orientation day. See bell schedule below. Check your email for teachers sending Zoom invitations.

Monday, August 31 – Class of 2024

8:35 – 8:50 A Period

8:58 – 9:13 B Period

9:21 – 9:36 C Period

9:44 – 9:59 D Period

10:07 – 10:22 E Period

10:30 – 10:45 F Period

10:53 – 11:08 G Period

11:16 – 11:31 H Period

Wednesday, September 2 – Class of 2021 Thursday, September 3 – Class of 2022 Friday, September 4 – Class of 2023

8:35 – 8:45 A Period

8:50 – 9:00 B Period

9:05 – 9:15 C Period

9:20 – 9:30 D Period

9:35 – 9:45 E Period

9:50 – 10:00 F Period

10:05 – 10:15 G Period

10:20 – 10:30 H Period

Other portions of the student orientation day will be taped so remote learning students can view at their convenience.

DAILY HEALTH CHECK

A reminder that the online Daily Heath Check survey must be completed by parents/guardians of all students prior to arriving at school each morning. All responses will be received by the health room and are confidential. If a student answers YES to any of the survey questions they must stay home from school and follow the recommended protocol. Failure to honestly submit your survey on a daily basis may result in losing in-person learning privileges. Use link below.

https://forms.gle/v9mNDN8abHEYBk8G6

TRAVELING OUT-OF-STATE

Just a reminder that anyone traveling out of state must be quarantined in accordance with CT and DPH guidelines. Currently, travel to an identified high-risk area for more than 24 hours requires a 14-day quarantine. Please plan accordingly for the start of school.

HEALTH ROOM

Your Health Room Emergency Information Card (yellow form) and pre-filled SPCHS Information Form (Emergency Parent Reach), originally distributed in the June parent mailing are due.

According to Connecticut state law, as a requirement for entrance to Grade 11, students are required to have a physical examination in either Grade 9 or 10. In addition, a student who is attending a school in the State of Connecticut for the first time (regardless of the grade) is required to have a health assessment/physical examination. Students who wish to participate in sports must have a sports physical done yearly. This year due to COVID-19, the validity date has been extended from 13 to 15 months.

Parents interested in bringing medication to the health room can do so on Monday, August 31 to Friday, September 4 between 7:00 – 8:00 am. Our school nurse, Liz McGuire, will be located under a tent by the front flagpole to accept your drive by medications.

WATER / VENTILATION

The Bristol Water & Sewer Department bacteria test samples taken last week and analyzed by a private laboratory tested negative.

Air Temps inspected and serviced our ventilation system to assure that it operates at maximum capacity for the existing equipment in the building. Air Temps have replaced any belts, fans and motors that needed repair. We continue to be in conversation to enhance our existing HVAC system.

ASBESTOS

In compliance with AHERA regulations, we are required to inform all parents, faculty and staff associated with St. Paul Catholic High School of the Asbestos Inspection Report and Management Plan.

Our 6-Month Asbestos Periodic Surveillance Report completed by Eagle Environmental, Inc. is on file in the school office and is available for review by any parent, teacher, or employee during normal business hours of the school. Please make your request for reviewing this file to the President/Chief Administrator, St. Paul Catholic High School.

SUMMER LEARNING EXPERIENCE (SLE)

Student’s SLE on #bethelight will be due on Friday, September 18 when they will present in their advisory group. All other summer work should be completed by Tuesday, September 8 unless an extension is granted by individual teachers.

STUDENT HANDBOOK

You are expected to read and discuss with your child the 2020-2021 Student Handbook, located on our website before printing, signing and returning the Agreement for Students and Parents (found under the Student Life tab) by September 8.

FOOD SERVICE

As we start the school year, there will be limited breakfast options available beginning at 7:00 am. Similarly, the lunch menu will have “Grab & Go” selections (sandwiches, salads, soups) available from 10:30 am – noon. If interested, students can open an account. Checks should be made payable to Paul Gregory’s.

STUDENT ID CARDS

Art Rich Photography will be at St. Paul during the orientation for each class to take pictures for student ID cards. See the attached flyer if you are interested in purchasing a photo package.

TRANSPORTATION

Families that have registered for out-of-town bus transportation should have received their confirmed bus routes/regional stops last week. Bristol students should consult the Bristol Press or the Bristol Board of Education website at www.bristol.k12.ct.us for route information. Buses will begin operating tomorrow, August 31. If you have any questions regarding transportation, please contact Elizabeth Gunn, egunn@spchs.com, in our finance office.

ATHLETICS

Week of August 31

  • Due to CIAC recommendations & COVID guidelines the first week(s) of practice will be comprised of 1-hour conditioning sessions that will involve some non-contact sport specific skill work with student-athletes practicing in cohorts of 10 within their specific teams.
  • A reminder that all student athletes need to wear their masks to and from practice and during practices when appropriate (when not engaged in physical activity). All student-athletes will engage in a health assessment check before practice, once the school year officially begins the on-line health assessment that students will be filling out before school will be used to clear them for their activities.

Football: 4:30-5:30pm (pick up for football should be 5:45 to allow for post-practice review with team)

Girls Soccer: 2:45-3:45pm

Boys Soccer: 3:30-4:30pm (9th & 10th graders) and 4:45-5:45pm (11th & 12th graders)

Volleyball: 6:00-7:00pm

XC: Girl’s Monday & Wednesday from 4:15-5:15pm / Boy’s Tuesday & Thursday 4:15-5:15pm

Girls Swim: @ Dennis Malone Aquatic Center – Monday, Aug. 31 2:30-4:00pm & Wednesday thru Friday 6:00-7:00am.

Cheerleading: Tuesday, 9/1 – 3:00-4:00pm. Looking ahead 9/8 & 9/9 – 3:00-4:00pm, and Saturday 9/12 (morning time – TBA).

ST. PAUL PARENT FACEBOOK

Any parents who have Facebook and would like to be added to St. Paul Parent Facebook page click below to be added.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2268656876536761/?ref=share

FINAL WORD

We have invested much in responding to reopening school this year. We feel confident that St. Paul has/will continue to do everything we can to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment for everyone.

Previously, I have shared my perspective regarding students holding themselves and each other accountable, both on and off campus if we cherish in-person learning at St. Paul. Hopefully, the last 5-6 months have given all of us a greater appreciation for the special gift we have at St. Paul Catholic High School. Let us do all we can to protect that opportunity.

We can do this but it needs to be intentional … #spstrong

St. Paul, pray for us,

Cary M. Dupont ‘72 President/Chief Administrator