Saturday, August 1, 2020
Dear Parents,
As we approach the start of a brand new school year, teachers and staff are eagerly preparing to welcome back our students. We know that you have a lot of questions, and we will do our best to provide you with up to date information. To best prepare for a safe school year, we must know the actual number of students who will be attending school for
in-person
learning.
All school families need to complete an online form to indicate their choice by Friday, August 7.
Please review the information in this letter before completing the online form (a link to this online form can be found near the end of this letter).
In-Person Learning Option
On Monday, August 24, all grades PK-8 will return to in-person learning.
In-person cohorts (homeroom class) will follow the staggered arrival and dismissal. Once inside, all students will remain in their cohorts wearing their mask and maintaining social distancing throughout the school day. Students remain in their cohort (homeroom) classroom throughout the day. Teachers will go to the cohort classrooms to teach classes that homeroom teachers don't teach. Students will eat lunch in their homeroom. There are no shared supplies, spaces, or activities between homeroom classes. See our
Welcome Back presentation
for more details and photos of how we are preparing to welcome back our students, teachers, and staff safely.
Remote Learning Option
Remote learning will start on Tuesday, September 8.
Remote learning will consist of lessons from our school curriculum conducted by St. Therese teachers. Teaching videos, supplemental videos, and live interactive sessions will make up the daily lessons. Assignments will be given and graded. Remote learning will primarily focus on the core subjects (Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies) and will involve approximately five hours of student instruction/work on assignments each school day. Daily lessons will be posted during the school day, but it may not follow the exact schedule of your child's homeroom. Further information about remote learning will be shared as it becomes available.
If your family decides that
remote learning is the best option for your family, you may choose that option via the online decision form (link found below). If you choose the remote learning option, your student must stay in remote learning for the duration of the entire trimester.
The only exception will be if the entire cohort is quarantined, then the entire cohort will join remote learning until quarantine’s end.
Daily attendance will be taken for students in both remote and in-person options to fulfill state attendance requirements.
VERIFY Your Child is Fully Registered
Please ensure that your child(ren) are fully registered for the fall, which includes setting up your
FACTS
account, uploading required health forms, first tuition installment payment and fees have been paid, etc. Log into your FACTS account to verify this information.
Also, log into your
Magnus Health
account via PowerSchool to verify you have provided all your child(ren)'s health information. We understand if your student’s doctor's appointment is after our August deadline.
Please email us to let us know that some health forms might be delayed and we will note that in your child(ren)'s file.
An Important Note About I
nfluenza and COVID-19
Health officials and experts have been alerting the general public that in the coming weeks and months we will not only be dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, health risks from influenza will be upon us as well. Having both health risks going on simultaneously is particularly concerning for our school families. We are encouraging our families to get their flu shots as early as possible. Also, there appears to be some
medical evidence
that having a flu shot might help in combatting the COVID-19 virus. The flu shot is recommended but not required.
Your Action is Required
Every school family should complete an
online decision form
for
EACH child attending St. Therese School this school year
. Contact the school at 312.326.2837 if your family needs Chinese language support to complete the online decision form.
Complete this online decision form by Friday, August 7 at 5:00 pm
.
Bear in mind the learning option that is chosen is the one your student will stay in until November 6 (Trimester 1).
If there is no response for a student, the student will be automatically assigned to the remote learning option.
If you have any questions, concerns, or any special circumstances, please email me immediately. The teachers, staff, and I are very excited to see all of our students on August 24.
Take care and be well,
