St. Louis Catholic School
Dear St. Louis Families,

The situation with COVID-19 is rapidly evolving daily. We are continuing to monitor the  Fairfax County Health Department , Virginia Department of Health  and  Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention websites, in addition to working with the Diocese of Arlington Office of Catholic Schools to evaluate the health crisis associated with COVID-19. As the outbreak continues to evolve, it is possible that an individual within our community could potentially be exposed or become ill with the coronavirus. Therefore, additional precautions may become necessary, and we will provide updates to our response and contingency plans as new information is shared with us by these websites. At this time, the Virginia Health Department does not recommend school closures and the CDC reminds us that the risk to the public remains low.
 
Let us know of your travel plans.
The safety of our students is our top priority. Travel abroad and even in certain parts of the U.S. carries potential risks, so we are asking for parents/guardians, faculty and staff to please notify St. Louis of travel plans between now and the end of May 2020, especially if you are traveling for Spring Break with your family. Please take a moment to complete the  travel survey which will help us continue to keep our school community healthy and safe. The countries of concern change daily and allowing us to know your plans will help us work with you upon your return should any self-quarantine requirements be in place. We recognize that self-quarantine may impact families adversely, but as we work closely with our local health departments and the diocese in these individual circumstances, remember we do so with the best interest of all students in mind.
 
Some reminders for our families:
  • Our professional development day for our faculty that is scheduled for Monday, March 16th will focus on e-learning strategies and digital tools for online learning so that our teachers can continue to prepare in the event school has to close for an extended period.
  • In the event a closure is necessary, St. Louis School will make the determination in consultation with the Diocese of Arlington Office of Catholic Schools, and not necessarily Fairfax County Public Schools. This situation is different than an inclement weather day.
  • Please remember to use these precautions:
  • Wash hands frequently and use hand sanitizer
  • Cover sneezes and coughs with tissues, then discard immediately
  • Stay home if you experience fever or other flu-like symptoms
  • Stay home for 24 hrs without symptoms and without fever-reducing or pain reducing medicine before coming back to school
  • For current and accurate information, please refer to the Virginia Department of Health and Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention websites.
  • Continually monitor the St. Louis School website for communications and social media for updates. We will use Constant Contact as our initial means of official school communication in addition to posting updates on our school website and social media. Please ensure you are receiving our school communications. Reminders for how to connect with us will come home in the Friday folders.
  • Check daily for communications from teachers about assignments and homework.
  • Plan to provide a good learning atmosphere during a school closure, taking into account the effects the crisis is having on your family.

I know that as the situation changes, it is natural to feel uncertain and anxious. The administration, nursing team, and faculty are taking extra precautions and preparing in order to keep our community safe as best we can. It is our goal to keep learning as our focus and to minimize any potential for panic. We are operating on our usual schedule and seeking to provide as much normalcy as we can with our daily routines in the classroom. We ask that everyone work together and use common sense especially if you are not feeling well so that we can prevent further spread of the illness. I have included a  letter from our Superintendent, Dr. Joseph Vorbach , on the diocesan response to COVID-19, please review it.

We pray for all those who have been adversely impacted by the illness, for those in the medical fields who are working tirelessly to help combat the illness, and for our community’s continued health and well-being.

God bless,
Anne M. Dyke
Principal