Dear Delone Catholic Families,

Our mission continues and so does the learning! Thank you for your continued patience as we
implement our response to the corona virus pandemic. We are trying our best to ensure that our
students' education continues through the use of flexible instruction days. Our teachers will engage in another in-service day on Monday, March 23. There will be no instruction on that day so that we can  reassess where we stand and to prepare for four more flexible instruction days (March 24 through  March 27). Please note that, if at home learning is extended beyond March 27, the Diocese has directed  us to maintain Mondays as non-instructional in-service days with teachers being available from 9 to 3 on  Tuesdays through Friday.

Teacher-student-parent communication is paramount in this process. If something happens within your home environment that interrupts the learning process, for example, serious illness or interrupted internet service, please communicate that information to your child's teachers and/or the school in a timely manner so that expectations regarding work completion can be adjusted accordingly. I have reiterated to my staff the need to be "reasonable, flexible and creative" in their attempts to deliver instruction with an emphasis on maintaining a continuity of learning. As I have indicated earlier, each teacher is in a different place with respect to technology and on-line learning so, again, I ask for your understanding.

Given the latest directive from the Governor, the building will no longer be accessible to the public as of 3 p.m. today. I will continue to update you as new information becomes available. I also ask that you continue to pray for our students, our staff, their families, and for all affected by this disease.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

May God bless you and give us all the strength to persevere.

Sincerely,

Richard La Rocca
Principal

Mrs. Melissa Braden, Art Teacher, is the instructor of our Publications class, whose primary purpose is to create the school yearbook. This is an intensive, year-long effort to represent the school and the students for the 2019-20 school year. In light of the current circumstances, many of the remaining sections and pages of the yearbook will not be available to be published. But not to worry! Mrs. Braden has an idea of ways to fill up those pages!

"I want to show the myriad of ways our Delone Catholic families are coping and staying positive through this weird time of sacrifice and adjustment. I am asking parents to send photos and short descriptions of the funny, creative and selfless things that they as families are doing to pass time, stay active and help others." 

Mrs. Braden is working on this project in conjunction with Mrs. Jennifer Hart, so please submit your photos, stories and/or videos to her at [email protected]. Mrs. Hart may want to post some of these on Social Media, so please be aware of this when you submit your photos/videos.

Here's a small sampling of what some of our teachers are doing as we navigate the waters of remote learning:

Father Morelli was able to live stream Mass at noon on Thursday in honor of the Feast of St. Joseph. Father Morelli has also emailed students with information on staying in touch and some spiritual resources.

Mr. Derf Maitland (English) has been very impressed with the technical acumen of his students. " For me, I was three-quarters of my way through each student in my AP class doing presentations on chapters in Jane Eyre  when school was closed. However, the remaining presenters have seamlessly used technology (specifically Hippo Video in this case) to record their presentation." 

This is an excellent example of how we help our students to be accountable and adaptable, an important life skill! The way that they are forging ahead with their education is to be commended.

Mr. Jim Colborn (Physical Science, Biology & Geometry) is using many online resources to continue his students' education:  "Many of my students are getting online to complete assignments that have been created in Google Forms, Edpuzzle.com, Wizer.me and Pearson video's.  Pearson is the publisher of my Biology Fundamental book and they have given total access to the online version of the book.  This allows me to create lessons, quizzes and tests that can be completed online by the students and synchronized with the students Google Classroom.  As a teacher I can monitor the students progress as they complete assignments and quizzes/tests." 

The Social Studies Department is using Google Meet to interact live with their students. Mrs. Diane Scanlon reports that the best part of her day is her Google Meet chats with her students. She had coffee with her AP US History class and got to meet some of the students' siblings and pets. A Google Classroom was also set up for Student Council so that students may keep in touch and share any concerns or ideas that can be brought to Administration. She reports that they are working well with the remote learning, and encourages them to speak up/interact with their teachers if they have questions or concerns. 

Stay tuned and follow us on Social Media for more stories and information on staying connected and educated during the school closure.

Delone Catholic High School is excited to provide innovative opportunities to engage our students in the context of real-life learning through academic internships. Through this program, students in their senior year would have the ability to work in a professional setting for one to two hours daily. Placement would be based on a student's career interests and pursued under the supervision of our internship coordinator in conjunction with an on-site mentor. In addition to exploring experiences on the job site, students will participate in monthly in-school seminars exploring career and workplace issues. All positions will be on an unpaid basis.

We are currently seeking businesses/companies that would have an interest working with our students in this program. Our plan is to begin this program the fall of 2020. If your business/company has an interest in working with us on this new adventure or if you have any questions about our program, please complete this REQUEST FORM and send it to Lori Heberling at Delone Catholic High School either via fax at 717-637-0442 or contact Mrs. Heberling via email at [email protected] .

Thank you for your consideration and interest in our internship program.

Sincerely,

Richard La Rocca

Principal