January 3, 2022
 
Dear Trojan Family:
 
Happy New Year! Thank you for your support as we have navigated a successful first half of the year.  
 
As a reminder, school resumes on Wednesday, Jan. 5, at 8:55 a.m. I am confident that 2022 will be filled with many blessings and continued success at Bishop Chatard High School. Let’s continue to pray for peace and good health in the year ahead.  
 
Last Thursday the Indiana Department of Health provided new K-12 guidance for schools concerning isolation, quarantine, and mask wearing as it relates to COVID-19. Bishop Chatard has revised prior COVID-19 protocols and will now utilize the following:   
 
  • Any student that tests positive for COVID-19, is required to stay at home and isolate for 5 days. (regardless of vaccination status) 
  • If they are asymptomatic or their symptoms improve and/or resolve after 5 days (fever free for 24 hours and symptoms are improving), they may return to school and extracurriculars, but are required to wear a mask properly while around others for 5 additional days. The student is advised to get a COVID-19 test on Day 5 if possible.

  • If a vaccinated student (received all doses of vaccines, including booster, if eligible) is exposed to someone with COVID-19 in or outside the classroom, they may remain in school as long as they continue to be asymptomatic and wear a mask. 
  • The student will be allowed to continue with extracurriculars as long as a mask is properly worn for 10 days. The student is advised to get a COVID-19 test on Day 5 if possible.
 
  • If an unboosted or unvaccinated student is exposed to someone with COVID-19 in or outside of the classroom, they are required to stay at home for 5 days. No extracurriculars will be allowed for the 5 days of quarantine.
  • If the student has no symptoms after 5 days, they may return to school, but are required to wear a properly fitted mask around others for 5 additional days and test on Day 5 if possible. 
  • If symptoms develop, the student must get a COVID-19 test and stay at home and isolate. If the test is negative, the student may return to school and extracurriculars when symptoms resolve. 

  • If all students are masked, and an exposure occurs, the exposed student may stay in school as long as they continue to be asymptomatic, and continue to wear a mask properly at all times. Exposed students should test on Day 5 if possible. Exposed students may continue extracurricular activities. If symptoms develop, they should get a test and stay home. If the test is negative, they may return to school when symptoms have resolved.  
 
Please note that the Health Department is now including boosters when eligible in their definition of fully vaccinated. This means that anyone who completed the primary two shot series of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine over six months ago and is not boosted or who completed the primary one shot series of J&J over two months ago and is not boosted is now considered to be unvaccinated. If a person is inside of the respective six or two month window or is not yet eligible for the booster, they are still considered to be fully vaccinated.
 
While I am pleased these new changes reduce the quarantine time required of students, I am concerned with the sharp increase in positive cases that we have seen in our greater community over Christmas Break. During the past two weeks the Bishop Chatard community has had 12 positive COVID-19 cases reported to the COVID-19 committee. With this recent uptick in cases and the continued concern with the Omicron variant, upon return from Christmas Break we will require all students, staff and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, to wear a properly fitted mask while on the Bishop Chatard campus. 

The COVID-19 committee will continue to reevaluate the decision to wear masks on a weekly basis and communicate any changes in the Friday COVID-19 update. We will continue to report positive cases of COVID-19 to the Local Health Department, State Health Department, and to the Office of Catholic Schools. 

Please continue to report student COVID-19 exposures and positive cases to medical@bishopchatard.org. Any student exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 that cannot be otherwise explained should remain at home and the parent should contact the email address listed above for guidance. 
 
If you have any questions concerning COVID-19 please feel free to contact me at (317-251-1451, ext. 1900) or via email at jhansen@bishopchatard.org

Please continue to pray for the success of Bishop Chatard High School! 
 
Sincerely,
Joe Hansen, Principal
Bishop Chatard High School