Dear Charlotte Catholic High School Families,
I am writing to provide an important update for Charlotte Catholic High School’s model of instruction. Beginning tomorrow, Thursday, November 19, CCHS will shift to full remote learning for all students in an effort to remain proactive in our management of COVID-19 within our community.
Currently CCHS has four members of our community who have tested positive for COVID-19. Three cases were identified between Saturday and yesterday morning. Contact tracing shows that as of Tuesday, no students or staff have contracted the virus on campus and the sources of the virus originated from family members or activities outside of school. Each of these cases is unrelated, thus we can confidently say that no “cluster” or school spread has been identified within our school community.
The Diocese of Charlotte has provided
the attached matrix for use in deciding when to shift to different models of instruction. The matrix offers guidance around if and when our school should plan to shift to hybrid or remote learning.
CCHS hasn’t reached the parameters provided in the matrix that warrant a shift to full remote instruction (Model C). However, due to the number of students who are out of school – in quarantine, self-isolation or remote-preferred learning – we decided as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday to go ahead and shift to remote learning for all students beginning Thursday through November 24. Students will return to in-person instruction (Model A) on Monday, Nov. 30.
Please understand this shift is not being made due to the number of positive COVID cases or concern regarding the safety of our learning environment. Rather, we make this choice as we approach the benchmark of students in remote learning for various reasons, so that teachers can focus instruction on one primary audience at home, instead of dividing their attention.
Since the number of individuals operating remotely is not an indicator of an unsafe environment, our current extra-curricular activities will continue to operate normally. Should you have any questions, please reach out to your coach or instructor directly.
As a reminder, the incubation period for coronavirus (the time between exposure to an infection and the appearance of first symptoms) is 2 to 14 days, but typically symptoms develop within 5 days. In every case of a positive test result, we continue to notify the local health department, conduct contact tracing and quarantine anyone who has been in close proximity to someone who tests positive.
Thank you again for your patience and support as we navigate the pandemic as a united community under God’s grace. As always, please monitor your child for symptoms of illness including fever, chills, new cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new loss of taste and/or smell, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. If you or family members display any symptoms, please contact your physician or call the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services’ coronavirus hotline at 1-866-462-3821. Please keep your child home when they are sick.
Should you have any additional questions, please contact Nurse Kathie Holder at 704-543-1127 or atkaholder@charlottecatholic.com.
Should you learn that your student has tested positive for COVID-19, please call the school immediately at 704-543-1127. If it is after hours or on the weekend, please email me at: ktelford@charlottecatholic.com.
Sincerely,
