Irish Insider
January 11, 2022
Sixth Grade's Living Museum
We hope you enjoy the Irish Insider. For consideration in future editions, please email info@stcathschool.com by 9 am Monday for Tuesday's edition.
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In This Issue
  • Upcoming Event
  • Covid Updates
  • Diocesan and Parish Tuition Assistance 22-23
  • Bereavement Ministry Leader
  • Substitute Teacher- preschool
  • Let It Snow -Cozy, Comfy Dress Down
  • TRIP/SCRIP
  • Community Night - Piada
  • Christina Ann Allwein Catholic Retreat Fund Dinner
  • Tax Credit for Tuition Assistance Contributions
  • Current Volunteer Opportunities Available
  • St. Catharine Athletics
  • Boys Lacrosse
  • Commissioner Opportunities
  • St Catharine Church
January 12
  • School Mass - 9:00am
  • Home & School Board Meeting -6:00pm
  • Advisory Board Meeting - 7:00pm

January 13
  • End of 2nd Quarter
  • Dress Down Day for $2

January 14
  • No School - Teacher In-Service

January 17
  • No School - Martin Luther King Jr Day

January 19
  • School Mass - 9am
  • Community Night - Piada - 11am - 10pm
  • SPICE Meeting 4:30pm

January 20
  • All School Adoration - 2pm

January 21
  • Second Quarter Report Cards will be Published
If anyone in your household would have a Positive COVID-19 test result, or if any student has knowingly been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, you must notify Mr. Watts by calling or texting (614) 949-7713 as soon as possible, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

Additional Risk Mitigation Strategies
Temporary Recess and Lunch Adjustment

We will be adjusting the recess and lunch schedule in an effort to collectively mitigate risk and reduce the chance of spread of COVID-19 at our school.

We have been confident in the COVID-prevention strategies we have implemented since June of 2020. However, in light of recent developments with the Omicron variant, we want to be proactive in keeping our students and staff safe.

We have been transparent about the fact our highest risk activity since returning to school has been lunch. The students have been diligent and we have been fortunate to manage this risk. We are in a different place now. 

  • Classroom – Low to Moderate Risk
  • Lunch – Moderate to High Risk
  • Recess – Low to Moderate Risk
  • Mass – Low to Moderate Risk
  • Adoration – Low to Moderate Risk

Change can be difficult, but there are times it is warranted. We feel this adjustment increases our ability to control in-school spread without a significant disruption in schedules.

Basically, we are adding two additional lunch periods to the school day, temporarily.

Two grades per lunch would mean less students and more distance between each student, per lunch.  

This adjusted schedule would also reduce the amount of time students are in the lunch room while still providing adequate time to eat due to the smaller group size.

Recess times would be reduced by five minutes but would more often justify outdoor recess on chilly days.

This schedule would not affect our academic schedule or WIN periods. Below is the proposed template.
Updates to Isolation and Quarantine Recommendations

The Ohio Department of Health and Franklin County Public Health have adopted the updated CDC recommendations for Isolation and Quarantine timelines. Mask to Stay, Test to Play Protocols are still in place for in-school exposures.

Basically, if you have tested positive for COVID-19, you must isolate for 5 days from the onset of symptoms. You may return to school after 5 days if you are asymptomatic.

The following is from Franklin County Public Health and the Ohio Department of Health.

Isolation: Individuals who test positive for COVID-19

Anyone who tested positive may discontinue isolation after 5 full days (day “0” is the day they first exhibited symptoms or tested positive) if they are either asymptomatic or their symptoms have resolved. They should continue to wear a mask when around others until at least day 10. If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves.

If your student has tested positive for COVID-19, they must isolate for 5 days from the onset of symptoms, regardless of vaccination status. They may return to school after 5 days IF they are asymptomatic. It is recommended that a COVID-19 test be performed 5 days after the onset of symptoms.

Quarantine: Individuals who have had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19

If you:
  • Have been boosted OR
  • Completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months OR
  • Received the J&J vaccine within the last 2 months

You should:
  1. Wear a mask around others for 10 days
  2. Test on day 5, if possible
  3. If you develop symptoms, get a test and stay home

If your student is vaccinated: No quarantine is required if you provide proof that your student is fully vaccinated. They should still wear a mask indoors as much as possible for 10 days (required at school) and it is recommended that a COVID-19 test be performed 5 days after exposure.

If you:
  • Are not boosted and completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine OVER 6 months ago OR
  • Are not boosted and received the J&J vaccine OVER 2 months ago OR
  • Are not vaccinated

You should:
  1. Stay home for 5 days. After that continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
  2. Test on day 5, if possible.
  3. If you develop symptoms, get a test and stay home.

If your student is NOT vaccinated: Quarantine is required for 5 days as long as the student is asymptomatic at the end of those 5 days. They should wear a mask indoors as much as possible for 10 days (required at school) and it is recommended that a COVID-19 test be performed 5 days after exposure.

Home Tests Limited Availability
We have a limited availability of COVID test in our school office. For the foreseeable future, we will only be distributing tests for symptomatic students and/ or students with a known COVID exposure due to close contact. Call or email the office if you need a test sent home or for you to pick up.

St. Catharine School COVID Stats
We are required to post positive cases of students and staff on our website weekly. Currently, we have 13 active cases and
16 cumulative cases with students and staff for the current school year.

Diocesan Update on Masks
The Diocese is constantly monitoring the situation regarding masks. If their decision on masking in school changes for Franklin County, our School Task Force will meet to see how to implement the recommendations. No decisions on masks or any other protocols will be considered until that point. Thank you for your patience and willingness to keep our students safe.
Bereavement Ministry Leader

Qualifications: Heart for the grieving, willingness to develop teams, daytime availability may include a Saturday, willing to volunteer! This is good for school parents. I goes towards family volunteer hours!

What do I do? When someone passes away and the funeral is at St. Catharine, the Church offers a simple luncheon meal. If the family chooses a luncheon at St. Catharine Parish Hall, the Team leader would call their team members for assistance during the luncheon.

Assistance means; helping the leader by calling other team
members for dessert drop offs, calling other members to come and help during luncheon, calling the caterer to order the food, pick up the food or designate someone. Organizes set up of chaffing dishes, place settings, drinks, and table decor in the parish hall, cleans up afterwards. 

There can be several Bereavement teams! But we need someone in the parish to organize this. We currently have a list of ladies who assist, but they need a leader!
Thank you for considering!

Contact Sue in the Church Office
Substitutes for Preschool
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St Catharine Preschool is looking for substitutes to cover for when staff need to be away from school. Do you know someone who might have some availability to help us on the occasional morning or afternoon, maybe a college student, retired neighbor or family member? Maybe YOU!!

Minimum requirements are a High School Diploma and Background Checks. Please have them contact Christy Deberson cdeberson@cdeducation.org for more information.
Save money on your tuition!!
Shop scrip has daily bonus deals, which can be 5x as much. Check your RaiseRight app daily for these deals. If you're not signed up, please reach out to Alli Brinkmeyer and start earning money back on tuition, with your everyday shopping.
Register for Scrip using the RaiseRight App

St Catharines ID: 168A39F61LL94

You can also save with Kroger Community Rewards. Use organization #:81633 to register

Orders for physical gift cards will be placed on the first Friday of the month during the school year.

Any questions please contact Alli Brinkmeyer (614) 214-5428

E-gift cards and Reloads can be done at any time through the website or app (RaiseRight).
Get Signed Up TODAY
*St Catharine School and Church is not responsible for lost or stolen gift cards. They do not keep records of card numbers. Therefore, we suggest making note of your card numbers in case you are a victim of theft
Community Night - Piada
Please join us for our January Community Night at Piada in Bexley (2585 East Main Street) Wednesday, January 19th from 10:45am to 10pm. 20% of sales will be donated back to St. Catharine School. 

Orders placed online through the Piada app or mypiada.com, or for catering orders, those receipts must be forwarded to marketing@thepiadagroup.com within 3 business days of the fundraiser with “ST CATHARINE’S SCHOOL” FUNDRAISER in the subject line.
The Christina Ann Allwein Catholic Retreat Fund Dinner
Recess Duty

Volunteer shifts for January are now available!

ALL dates in January need filled

We NEED your help!

Recess duty is from 11:00 am - 12:15 pm
Cafeteria Volunteers

Volunteer shifts for January and February are now available!

Volunteers are needed:

1/13
1/19- 2 needed
1/24
1/26

The Cafeteria volunteer shift is from 11:00 am -1:00 pm
Thank you!!
Volunteers are an invaluable group of individuals who provide a sense of community for the many parish and school activities at St. Catharine. It is the expectation of the St. Catharine Advisory Board that each parish family fulfills their obligation to actively support and participate in the parish and school. In addition, it is expected that parents volunteer their time and talent in helping with church and school-sponsored activities and programs. Such involvement is not only necessary for financial stability, but parents can provide a valuable service to the school and to the children by their dedication and support. In order that tuition rates may be kept at a reasonable level, parents are asked to volunteer for a minimum of 50 hours. per family

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart” ~Elizabeth Andrew
BOYS LACROSSE PARENT MEETING

A meeting for parents of boys interested in the boys’ lacrosse program for the 2022 season will be held on January 18 at 7:00 pm in the parish hall. We anticipate having a 1st and 2nd grade team and a 3rd and 4th grade team.  The meeting should be short, and we look forward to seeing everyone.

Nate Allwein
Bill Butler
Andrew Keebe
Aaron Keebe

Commissioners Needed
A great way to serve our community and receive all your family's necessary volunteer hours is to help with our Diocesan Youth Recreation program. We are currently looking for commissioners in the following sports:

Girls Lacrosse
Boys Football
Boys Baseball

Please contact Paul Keiffer at 614-668-0134 or pkeiffer@gmail.com if you are interested in finding out more about these positions.
St Catharine Church
Mass Schedule
Sunday 8:30a - 11:00a - 5:00p

Eucharistic Adoration Chapel
6:00a - 9:00p daily except Saturday
Saturday 6:00a -4:00p