Message From The Head Of School
March 26, 2020

Dear Fontbonne Community, 

I am reaching out to you to share Fontbonne’s updated plan following Governor Baker’s order to extend the shutdown of ALL schools in Massachusetts until Monday, May 4th, 2020 . In accordance with the order, Fontbonne will continue Distance Learning through that date. We will stay the course and follow our 2020 Distance Learning Schedule for the next 5 weeks. 

Please reach out to me at mspignesi@fontbonneboston.org if your family is in need of WiFi services. We have already worked to help some of our families secure an internet connection at home. We are here to help! Also, i f any student needs items from their locker, please email Ms. Roach .  We will connect with you individually and ensure you get what you need. 

Update on the Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 Grading Policies
We have been in transition to Distance Learning during these last weeks of Quarter 3. The focus of these past two weeks has been on that successful adjustment. In order to have a more equitable assessment of student work, we are making the following change to our grading period:
  • As we do for seniors, we will issue a combined Quarter 3/4 grade to be calculated with final exams in generating a Semester 2 grade.
  • We will post Interim Reports in PlusPortals on Tuesday, March 31, 2020; the day Quarter 3 would have ended.
  • We will post another Interim Report on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 as we have scheduled in our calendar.

You may have some questions regarding this change from a Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 grade to a semester grade report. We hope that we have anticipated your questions and concerns below. Do not hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions.

What will happen with the Quarter 3 Honor Roll? 
We will not be issuing a Quarter 3 Honor Roll. We will issue one for combined Quarters 3/4 in June.  

Will this look bad in a college application? 
No, since colleges see only final year averages on the transcript along with Quarter 1 and Semester 1 grades from Senior year. Only students and parents see Grade 9-11 Quarter grades on report cards. Report cards are not sent to colleges. Since the whole country is in this predicament, we have also been notified by Admissions officers at colleges and universities that they are aware of the challenges high school students are facing and they will be flexible when reviewing transcripts and standardized testing.

Update on SAT Administration
As you know, the College Board has canceled the March and May SAT administration. When we return to school for classes, we will know if and when we will be able to offer the school-based SAT testing that was originally planned.

Update on the AP Exams
The AP exam dates in May 2020 have been canceled. For this year only, students can take a 45-minute online exam at home. Specific dates will be announced on Friday, April 3, 2020 .

Students and schools now have access to free, live AP review lessons, delivered by AP teachers from across the country. The lessons will focus on reviewing the skills and concepts from the first 75% of the course.  

Parents and students can access information regarding the SAT and AP through this website

Update on Financial Aid Deadline
We are extending this year’s Financial Aid deadline for all families in Grades 9-11 to Monday, April 6, 2020 . Due to the change in date for filing 2019 tax returns, we are making adjustments to our Financial Aid requirements.   We will accept the 2018 tax return and copies of any 2019 W-2 forms for now. FACTS will continue to list the application as incomplete until the 2019 tax returns are received but the Financial Aid Committee will use the 2018 tax returns for their application review. All awards will be contingent upon final verification of the 2019 tax returns. We know this pandemic will possibly have a financial impact on our families. Please list the details about the impact of current events on future income in the extenuating circumstances section of the FACTS application. You may also submit a separate letter addressed to the Financial Aid Committee.   

Class of 2020 
As we look to the end of this school year, we know this pandemic has particularly affected the Class of 2020. Senior year is a very special time in the life of high school students and we know our seniors were eagerly awaiting such events like the Social Justice Fair, Senior Breakfast, Last day of Classes, etc . Our seniors and their families undoubtedly have questions about these events, especially graduation. As you know, we are in a situation that seems to be changing weekly. Currently, our plan is to host all senior events when we return to school in May as scheduled. We know we need to wait and see if the Governor lifts the social distancing ban. Graduation is scheduled to be held on Thursday, May 21, 2020 . If our Graduation cannot be held on that date, all efforts will be made to reschedule Graduation for a later date. It is of utmost IMPORTANCE that our Class of 2020 is honored and celebrated.

I will continue to send a weekly update to all parents and students moving forward. You can find the latest updates and information on our website . I am grateful for all the parents who have reached out to offer words of encouragement as well as support if we need help in rescheduling important events. It is times like these when we recognize how strong our community is and how important we are to one another.  
 
We continue to pray for all of our families, those affected by COVID-19 directly and all who are struggling right now. As we continue our Lenten journey towards Easter, we look towards the future with hope and optimism that our faith promises at this time.
Many blessings,
Head of School