Dear Parents:
Over the past four days, seven new COVID-19 positive cases were reported to school leaders. As of the writing of this letter, we have had over one hundred students quarantined due to meeting the Marion County Public Health Department criteria for close contact exposure.
In response to the dramatic increase of students in quarantine we have made the difficult decision to transition back to a hybrid model of instruction beginning Wednesday, April 28, and continuing until the end of the school year.
This decision was made after careful consideration, but given our recent positive cases and the close contact quarantine requirements, returning to the hybrid model for the remainder of the year is the best way to stabilize the academic and extracurricular spaces in our school. Moving forward under the hybrid model, our students will be in classroom and lunch spaces that are socially distanced at six feet apart, thus eliminating situations where we would lose large numbers of students to close contact quarantine. By way of example, we had no close contact quarantines from the middle of August until just recently.
Transitioning to the hybrid model for the remainder of the year will eliminate contact tracing in classrooms and therefore allow more students to participate in activities outside of the classroom. The hybrid model will protect the students involved in Advanced Placement (AP) testing. Without this change seniors run the risk of missing out on rite-of-passage events like honors night, prom, baccalaureate, and graduation as the six-foot close contact quarantining requirement looms over their heads.
We will remain hybrid for the remainder of the year. CLICK HERE to view our updated Virtual Learning Page that includes Blue/White Schedules for the remaining weeks of school.
Here is the plan moving forward:
- Tuesday, April 27: There will be NO HYBRID OR VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION TOMORROW. Teachers and parents are encouraged to use this day to prepare and plan for our transition to the hybrid model. Students may use this day to catch up on missing work or study for upcoming assessments. After-school practices, activities and games will still take place.
- Our first day of hybrid instruction will be Wednesday, April 28. Please note that Wednesday, April 28, is a Blue Day (A-K) with those students attending school in-person, and the White Day (L-Z) students learning synchronously at home.
- AP testing will still be in-person.
- End of semester final exams for all students will now be virtual, with specific times and dates to be communicated later.
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Extended full-time virtual participation is still permitted. Please contact Mrs. Ann Taylor at ataylor@bishopchatard.org by 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 27, if your son or daughter would like to opt-out of hybrid learning and be fully virtual for the remainder of the school year. Students who opt to finish the school year all virtual may continue participation in extracurricular activities.
As we journey towards the finish line of the 2020-2021 school year, I want to assure you that we will remain focused on providing an environment where our students and staff can continue to succeed. Thanks always for your support. Should you have any questions for me, I can be reached at 317-251-1451, ext. 1900, or jhansen@bishopchatard.org.
God bless,
