April 22, 2020
Good morning,
It is with a heavy heart that I write to you today. On Monday, Governor DeWine made the official decision to keep students home for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. While the rational part of my brain realizes that this is the best decision for the health and safety of our students and faculty, the emotional part of my brain is deeply saddened to continue the separation. My decision to become an educator nearly thirty years ago was driven by my love of learning and passion for mathematics. However, over time, the most important thing has evolved from my love of academia to a love for the students beyond the confines of the academic walls. Talking with students during lunch, chatting with them during class changes, watching them excel on the athletic fields and courts, entertaining audiences from the stage, reminding them to tuck in their shirts - these are the things that I miss the most. While I completely understand the decision to keep school buildings closed, I am still allowing myself time to grieve for the experiences lost.
All of that being said, please know that we are continuing to work through the process of providing your students with the best education possible in a digital environment. There are many questions remaining on how to end the school year effectively and efficiently. Over the next few weeks we will be outlining plans for retrieval of belongings from the STVM campus. We will also make plans for the return of textbooks and school materials. Underclassmen will retain their chromebooks over the summer, but seniors will be turning theirs in. These plans are still in the works and will be announced once finalized.
We are also in the early stages of looking at adjustments and alternative options, should social distancing continue through the summer months and into the next school year. All of these thoughts are preliminary, but we must be prepared for all three of the following options - traditional schedule, digital platform or a hybrid model. No matter what model will be in place, it will provide all students with a top notch, Catholic education.
By early next week, a timeline of events for the last few weeks of the school year will be outlined. This timeline will include final plans involving baccalaureate and graduation, end of the year dates for seniors and underclassmen, belonging collection and material return, amongst other important information. At this point, we did have to make the difficult decision to cancel summer gym. We are looking into several options for earning physical education credit and more information will be forthcoming.
Please continue to keep the STVM Community in your prayers and as always, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Stay safe and God Bless,
