URGENT
December 3, 2020
Dear St. Mark Families:
After review of the data from the Parent Survey emailed 12/1/20 and a comprehensive meeting conducted with the St. Mark School Advisory Board, we must inform our school community that we will continue the fully remote Distance Learning model from the period of December 4 through December 22, 2020.
We FULLY understand that this decision causes many challenges for members of our school community and for our dedicated instructional staff.
There will be MANY difficult decisions ahead for the 57% of families who preferred fully remote Distance Learning during this period, as well as for the 43% of families who preferred to return to the Hybrid Model during the weeks before Christmas Break. (The data was analyzed to ensure only one vote was counted per household for reliability and validity purposes.)
We are continuing our efforts with our Medical Director to receive free rapid COVID testing kits from Erie County and/or New York State. We will be returning to Hybrid in-person instruction on Monday, January 4, 2021.
St. Mark Administration and the School Advisory Board will continue to monitor the requirements from the Governor and New York State regarding COVID reopening guidelines for schools. Should testing of any form be required to return to our Hybrid model in January, we will do so.
Once NYS changes the requirements for social distancing within classrooms we will return to regular, five day instruction for all students.
We know that these are frustrating times that cause anger and disappointment. Decisions regarding instructional models are not made lightly. Student safety, parental input and all NYS mandates are taken into consideration and fully discussed.
Be on the lookout for the regular weekly email updates along with other communications that will be sent out as new and pertinent information comes to us.
Sincerely,
R. Clemens, H. McCarthy
& the St. Mark School Advisory Board
(Father Joe Rogliano, Martha Lamparelli- Board President,
Carol Corr, Elizabeth Dirr, Chris Murphy, Patricia Pitts, Dan Ryan, Meghan Cavanaugh- Parent Representative, Scott Fruehauf- Parent Representative, Sara Kane- Parent Representative)
