Superintendent Update 8.3.20

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Dear Catholic Schools Families,

As the Labor Day weekend draws near, so do the rituals of back-to-school preparations. Like you, our schools have been hard at work to ensure your child’s return to school is safe, efficient and seamless.

As you complete your checklists, we wanted to provide some reminders and updates critical to our collective success.

1. Make sure you complete the daily screening at home. Here is the check list again.
2. Utilize these resources to review with your child the importance of social distancing, washing hands and wearing masks.
3. Take the time to talk to your child about how this year will feel and look different. Be sure to note the same loving pastor, principal, caring teachers and staff will be there to welcome them back to school. Linked here is a conversation guide to assist you with this process.
4. For our families utilizing at home or hybrid learning, please be sure you have downloaded the Zoom application. This is the safest way for your student to video conference with their classroom. Parents can follow these directions to download the Zoom app on a Chromebook. We have worked all summer and invested millions of dollars to ensure a seamless transition to this new way of teaching and learning. Glitches will invariably happen as thousands of students and teachers connect virtually. If we encounter some challenges, be assured our Technology Team will address them as quickly as possible. Please know in advance, we appreciate your understanding, cooperation and patience.
5. This week and next, principals are providing an extensive professional development program for our beloved teachers and devoted staff in the areas of COVID-19; technology and academics; social and emotional support and reviewing the daily school procedural and operational protocols. This recent article in Catholic New York describes the scope of this enhanced training.
6. As an extended family of faith, it is of course most important to take the time to pray with your child. The Office of the Superintendent, our pastors, principals and teachers — at each of our schools — have been gathering regularly to pray for you and your families. We are reminded of Christ’s words to us, “Wherever two or more are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst.” Linked here are resources to help you do that as a family this weekend.

After all we have been through together, and with an eye towards the challenges awaiting us, I am grateful to our teachers, staff, principals and pastors who have overcome every obstacle the pandemic has thrown in their path. Together with you as our partners and with God by our side, we look forward to seeing all the smiling eyes above the masks as we safely gather once again inside our schools in just a few days.

Wishes for a healthy and fun Labor Day weekend,

Sincerely,

Mr. Michael J. Deegan
Superintendent of Schools
Archdiocese of New York