Dear St. Peter's Families,
It is hard to know where to begin with today's message. I socially distanced through the weekend, but I also distanced myself a little from the computer and phone. I know it is important to keep current on the news, but it also can be overwhelming. I walked, and I read. I sat on the deck with my dog.
I thought a lot about school
. I heard honking cars and walked out front to enjoy a birthday party parade, one clever family's way of celebrating their child's special day. I read some more. I talked with my family from California, Canada, Washington, and North Carolina, as well as Utah and Nebraska. I am guessing your weekend looked a little the same.
A few things jumped out of my reading. From the Editors at
Time
, "The world we cover is increasingly tribal and polarized - some studies suggest that empathy itself is in decline -
and yet so many of the challenges we face require us to act together
. And none more so than this pandemic that is testing our collective strength even in isolation.
We are apart, but we are not alone.
..We don't know when this storm will pass. But we do know how to help " (April 6/April 13, 2020). Yes, we are apart. But, we (you) are not alone.
As we jumped in to learning from home last week, please know that we recognize that we will have to adjust, revise, and improve. For some, the transition may have been a bit smoother or easier and is already working pretty well. For others, it will take a little more time. We are learning by trial and error! I would just ask on behalf of our faculty and staff, that everyone be patient with one another, and flexible. We are trying to be present for our students while also learning more about online tools and resources, and also while attending Zoom meetings to learn about Diocesan and other protocols and guidelines. And, taking care of selves and families, too.
This week, March 30 - April 3, students will have daily learning opportunities. We have tried to make sure that teachers post this information in Sycamore, so families with more than one child do not have to access multiple sources to see the overall plan for the week. You must use the desktop site (however, you can log in using your Smartphone per my CC message sent March 25). Many are using Google classroom to share the same information, and we continue to reflect on what is working best.
Quick Notes:
- Daily announcements/prayer are posted by me around 9; these are shared on the parish/school FB, Twitter, and Instagram pages, as well as the STP You Tube Channel. FB, Twitter, and Instagram can be accessed directly from Sycamore, and Mrs. Stewart began posting these to the Sycamore home page last Friday. They are recorded and can be watched at any time.
- Students should spend about 3-3.5 hours on school daily per Department of Elementary and Secondary Education guidelines. Younger students will likely spend less time than older students. The first few days, including into this week, may be exceptions, as we learn and adjust.
- Teachers are working to implement 30 minutes of coursework for core subjects: Reading and English Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, Math, and Religion. Auxiliary (specials) are spread throughout the week. Some grade levels are integrating subjects, such as social studies/reading and writing.
- It is a Diocesan requirement that a parent/trusted adult be cc'd on all email communications between educators and students.
- All Zoom meetings between teachers and students will be recorded. In addition to St. Peter's teachers, at least one administrator must be invited to the Zoom class time/meeting. As we progress, we may utilize other interactive or video platforms.
- Teachers should have shared their "office hours" with parents/students; at minimum, these are two hours that teachers will be available to quickly respond to questions.
- While many teachers have shared a proposed schedule, we want to be flexible with your family's schedule. Your livelihood and work must come first, and we understand that some students may be working on assignments earlier, later, or spread through different parts of the day.
- Parents of 5th-8th graders: please note most of these teachers instruct about 90 students daily, so it may take a little time to ease into a complementary schedule among all.
- Auxiliary teachers have 400 students to plan for. We value our specials classes and want to be sure to offer students a well-rounded week. Students should not try to complete all specials work in one day.
A fellow principal reminded me the other day that we are "building the plane while flying" (Google it)! It is so true! We have learned so much already and your input and feedback is important to us. Some decisions we have made are with the goal of some consistency (such as trying to house everything in Sycamore). Please remember, when we began to consider learning from home, we were planning for a shorter-term closure.
We do want to advise parents to have a sincere dialogue with students about academic honesty and integrity, especially among our oldest students who are working much more independently. Resources such as Zoom are wonderful tools, but also easily accessed and utilized by children. Let's just be sure to guide our students into proper and appropriate use. Students should complete school work to the best of their ability without having others do the work for them.
I bring questions to the Diocesan team meetings, as well, and we learn new things almost daily. For instance, I am waiting to hear more about proceeding with any potential drop-offs of lessons for grading/pick-ups of future activities/lessons. I appreciate the suggestions many of you have shared with us, as we partner together in the coming days and weeks.
We continue to pray for all our students and families, as well as those on the front lines, especially health care providers. I also ask you to pray for the following families:
The family Sara Cobb - Sara, wife of Chris and mom of Sam, who we hope will join us in K next year at St. Peter's, passed away last Thursday after battling breast cancer. I spoke with Chris this weekend and he welcomes your prayers for his family, as they say good-bye to Sara at an especially difficult time in our world. They plan for a small private service where Sara grew up, and hope to have a celebration of life in KC when times improve. Chris, Sara, and Sam are members of St. Peter's Parish. Please pray for Chris and Sam and keep them in your hearts and thoughts.
The family of Phillip Randle - Many of you will remember Mr. Randle, our former and beloved crossing guard. He was a great protector of our students and families, including while we were studying abroad at Southwest. Health complications forced him to retire, and he sure loved and missed the kids at St. Peter's. Mr. Randle passed away yesterday after suffering a heart attack. Please keep his family in your hearts and prayers as they say good-bye.
Please, take a deep breath, ask God to be with you and your family, and make this wish: "May I be strong and healthy" or "May I feel peaceful, safe, and content" (Jamie Price,
Stop, Breathe, & Think
).
God Bless, Angie Meyer
UPDATES:
- Iowa Assessments scheduled for Spring 2020 have been cancelled.
- Most previously scheduled/planned field trips for Spring 2020 have been cancelled.
- Diocesan Benchmarks (for grades 3-8) have also been cancelled.
- Holy Thursday, April 9, is a scheduled "Early Dismissal Day" and lessons for that day will reflect reduced time.
- Good Friday, April 10, there will be "No School" as previously scheduled.
- Easter Monday, April 13, there will be "No School" as previously scheduled.
Of course, there are many other events and activities that are under review. I will keep you informed.
"We find ourselves afraid and lost," Pope
Francis said
. "We were caught off-guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm. We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented ... all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other." (March 27, 2020)
