Important Update from Principal Santoli
Dear Assumption Family,
As you all know, the Diocese of Bridgeport, decided last Thursday to close all schools within the diocese effective Friday, March 13. This closure will extend to Friday, March 26. The anticipated return to school will be Monday, March 30. This return date may change as the COVID-19 situation is very fluid. Should the closure extend beyond March 30, I will update you as soon as possible with details concerning a potential change. At this time no decision has been made about Spring Break or the possible extension of the school year. The final possible day of school is June 30 should the determination be made to extend the school year.
Distance Learning Plan
In an effort to provide meaningful instruction and continued student progress while students are away from the school building we have devised a Distance Learning Plan that will use existing digital platforms to deliver instruction. Our students and staff have been using programs such as Lexia, Edmentum, Reading A to Z, Google Classroom, Brain Pop, Flip Grid,online textbooks and other digital resources in school for several years. These familiar programs will allow teachers to assign, instruct, collect and grade assignments, as well as provide feedback throughout the closure. Traditional paper and pencil assignments will also be used and available for any student that does not have access to reliable technology or internet service.
*please note complimentary internet services during this time below.
On Thursday, students were sent home with textbooks, workbooks, and other materials they would need for the planned closure period. If your child was not at school on Thursday, the materials were sent via mail. If you still need hard copy resources please contact Mrs. Gourley at
office@oloaffld.org
to schedule a time to pick them up. We have made Chromebooks available to students that need them. If you need to borrow a Chromebook, please contact me directly at
principal@oloaffld.org
to schedule a pick up of a school owned machine.
Below are the expectations for Distance Learning
- K - 8 Teachers will post assignments on Google Classroom by 9 am each morning. It is expected that all posted assignments will be complete by 8 pm the same day. Late assignments will be accepted, but failure to complete the assignment on the day it is assigned or due will be considered an absence from class on that day and the student will not receive participation credit.
- K - 8 Students will login to Google Classroom each day to receive assignments and submit work. Teachers using hard copy assignments will also post discussion questions, logs, or comment assignments on Google Classroom for students to complete. Daily completion of online tasks in the time allotted will serve as a record of attendance and participation for that day.
- K - 8 Teachers will review, comment, and grade assignments or participate in discussion through Google Classroom each day to provide meaningful feedback and monitor student progress.
- Some teachers may elect to hold live online lessons by using Zoom meetings. Links will be posted on the Google Classroom page and students will be expected to login to Zoom and participate in those lessons. Should you not wish your child to participate in these open online lessons please notify me as soon as possible and alternative plans will be made.
- Teachers recently learned how to record lessons through a screen cast feature. If used, these lessons will be posted on Google Classroom for the students to view.
Should you have any issues logging into the the online applications or accessing material, your first point of contact should be your child's teacher. If they can not rectify the situation, I will assist.
Safe Environments Compliance
Safe Environments does not allow the direct electronic communication between students and staff. All communications, with the exception of grades and grade comments are in full public view. No video chat through Zoom will be conducted one-on-one.
If only one student logs into the discussion it will be canceled or another adult will participate. I am serving as a co-teacher in every Google Classroom allowing me to see all communications and I will be invited to each Zoom meeting and therefore there will always be two adults involved in the communications with students, thus complying with the rule of two.
What can families do to assist in distance learning?
- Set a routine and schedule. Have student login to Google Classroom no later that 9:30 am. Determine when children will work on assignments.
- Provide a quiet place with access to technology, supplies, and materials for children to complete assignments.
- Monitor online activity and minimize distractions and off task behavior.
- Provide frequent breaks, healthy snacks and meals and time outside.
- Support your children and encourage them to work hard and make the best of the situation.
Preparation of school building
As of tomorrow the school building will be closed to all visitors. During this coming week a professional cleaning company will be deep cleaning and disinfecting the school building over the course of multiple days.
The scope of this work is extensive and thorough and follows the CDC guidelines for dealing with COVID-19.
Please see the documentation attached here(1)
and
(2)
describing the products that will be used.
All surfaces will be cleaned then disinfected, this includes all touch points, furniture, walls and floor throughout the building. Once this work is complete the building will be closed to all non-essential personnel until students are welcomed back into the building. In addition, the downstairs bathrooms have been freshly painted.
Final Thoughts
I understand all too well the pressure and strain this puts on you and your family. I am walking with you on this journey into the unknown. I will be starting the distance learning process with my three children tomorrow, as well as overseeing the incredible work our teachers are doing to provide meaningful learning in an unfamiliar format, while simultaneously dealing with their own feelings of isolation, confusion, concern, stress, and host of other emotions.
This is the time to rely on our faith- through prayer we can find guidance and peace. This morning my family attended a virtual Mass live streamed by Father Cipriani from Our Lady of the Assumption Church. It was a unique, but also comforting experience, our faith keeps us close in these times of social distancing.
There is a widely circulated quote from a superintendent that captures the nature of our current situation. Some have called it cautious and wise, while others make jokes. The quote is this,
"In the end, it will be impossible to know if we overreacted or did too much, but it will be QUITE apparent if we under reacted or did too little."
What I know is this, my family and my greater Assumption family is currently safe and healthy and I want to keep it that way. This might be a stressful, disrupting time but that is a small price to pay to know that the ones we love are safe, protected and healthy.
Stay Safe, Healthy, and keep the Faith.
Many Blessings,
Steven J. Santoli
Principal
