Dear Students, Parents, & Guardians,
Today the OLSH faculty gathered to finalize preparations for providing online instruction to our students while school is closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During our time together, we prayed for you, our families, as we all navigate this time of difficulty and uncertainty. We will continue to communicate with all of you on a regular basis, sharing updates and other messages via email, on our website, and through our social media accounts.
Building Access
OLSH will be open for student access to lockers, books and equipment this week during the following time-frames. Please leave a message at (412) 264-5140 in advance to let us know you are coming to campus.
Tuesday, March 17: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
Wednesday March 18: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Thursday, March 19: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Please enter the school through the front door, as student codes have been deactivated.
Contacting OLSH
Please be advised that we will be checking Main Office voicemail messages on a daily basis throughout our time away from school. For emergency/immediate matters, we ask that you please email Mr. Plocinik (
tplocinik@olsh.org
), Mrs. Donoghue (
tdonoghue@olsh.org
) or Mr. Holup (
sholup@olsh.org
), as appropriate.
Calendar Updates
- Wednesday, March 18 we will begin online instruction (see below for more details).Wednesday is a Day A; the days of the cycle will continue to follow the calendar.
- At the moment, we are looking at Monday, March 30 as the first day back in the building, although that could change. It will be a day of classes for all students, not an Act 80 day as originally scheduled. The senior seminar presentations will not take place that day; they will be rescheduled.
- All activities and events continue to be postponed until further notice.
- The OLSH Prom is currently on hold. More details will be forthcoming, but the moderators have been in touch with the venue and are developing plans in the event it will need to be cancelled or postponed.
Online Learning: Teacher Expectations
- Teachers should be available online from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm each school day.
- Assignments should be posted daily by 9:00 am (note some teachers already followed a practice of posting weekly, those teachers may continue that practice).
- Assignments should be meaningful to the outcomes of the course.
- Assignments may be collected and graded. Teachers should specify which online platform (i.e. google docs) students are to use to complete the transaction.
- Assignments should not exceed more than 40 minutes per class, as students may have assigned work in all of their courses.
- Teachers should allow up to 48 hours (minimum) for students to submit an assignment or complete an assessment.
- Teachers should review and respond to student emails by 2:00 pm.
- Teachers may also offer evening “office hours” which will be posted on their teacher page, google classroom, etc.
- Teachers will communicate with students (and parents) who do not submit assignments on time.
- Teachers will work to be flexible with students, understanding that different situations may arise, students have varying levels of access to technology, etc.
Online Learning: Student Expectations
- Students are to check their OLSH email accounts daily.
- Students should complete assignments based on the OLSH daily cycle/calendar (i.e. assignments will be posted daily based on the courses that are typically scheduled to meet on that day).
- Students can communicate questions to teachers via email before 2:00 pm each day to receive a response in the same day.
- Students are to complete assignments and submit them to their teacher(s) via the requested format (Google docs, etc.) by the deadline communicated by the teacher.
- Students will communicate with teachers if questions or challenges arise.
Remember, communication is key throughout this process!
FAQs
Where do I find my teacher's teacher page?
Visit the OLSH website at www.olsh.org and click on Faculty/Staff under the Community tab. Then click the purple Staff Directory button or click
here
. Next select the teacher of your class and you should see a list of courses or other posts. If you still aren't sure, contact your teacher directly.
What if my technology is not working?
Contact your classroom teacher if the issue is related to a single assignment and/or contact OLSH Director of Technology, Mrs. Patricia Krueger at
pkrueger@olsh.org
or call the school at (412) 264-5140 and leave a message.
What if I don’t understand what my teacher is asking me to do?
Similar to what you would do if you were confused about a homework assignment, email your teacher or reach out to classmates. Remember that teachers will be checking email between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm and many will also have evening office hours. Communication is key!
Why are some of my friends in public school not required to do work at this time?
Different schools are handling this period of closure in different ways. At OLSH, we are committed to providing our students with a high quality educational experience and we think it’s important for our students to have continuity in learning as we continue to prepare students for success in college and beyond.
What about spring sports, AP tests, or other events and activities?
At this time, there are many unknowns. Outside organizations are making decisions daily regarding upcoming events and activities. At OLSH we are constantly monitoring the situation and following recommendations from the CDC and the Allegheny County Health Department, as well as from the PA Department of Education. This is a fluid and rapidly changing situation and we are committed to updating our families on a regular basis. Updates will be emailed and posted on our website under the Community tab:
COVID-19 Updates.
Thank you all for your continued prayers, patience, and support.
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, pray for us.
Tim Plocinik, Principal
Terry Donoghue, President
