For students who choose to return to campus for in-person instruction, several new protocols and procedures will be put in place to ensure the safety of our students, faculty, and staff. These protocols and procedures are clearly outlined in the sections below.
Pre-K through 5th Grade students will also remain in homeroom groups, or cohorts, throughout the day. Middle School (6th-8th grade) schedules will be reduced to limit the number of transitions. This will limit the number of individuals they come in contact with. They will remain in their classroom for the majority of the instructional day, but will also have opportunities to go outside for breaks when weather permits.
As we continue to plan for the opening of the 2020-21 academic year and the re-opening of the St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School Campus, the safety and health of our students and staff is our primary concern and focus. Our COVID-19 response policies and procedures are intended to mitigate, not eliminate, risk. No single action or set of actions will completely eliminate the risk of infection and/or transmission. We have implemented several coordinated interventions and plans with the intent to greatly reduce the risk.
Due to an increase in cases in our area, the 14-day quarantine period may supersede the three-step return to school protocol. Each case is examined individually by the nurse and the principal to determine the safest return date.
When a student, faculty or staff has a temperature or answers "yes" to the screeners on the screening tool distributed by the school nurse, he/she will be required to notify the school and follow the recommendations of the CDC. These students are still encouraged to engage in distance learning when feeling able. The school will supply students with the materials needed to remain current on academic learning with the primary focus being on the student's health. Support will be given as needed. The nurse will work with students as they return to school to develop a plan unique to each student which will help with the student (or faculty and staff) return to campus. These guidelines are subject to change as recommendations change from CDC, TEA and TCCBED.
ON-CAMPUS REQUIREMENTS FOR:
LAB-CONFIRMED COVID-19 INDIVIDUAL
ALL 3 CRITERIA MUST BE MET:
If the individual has symptoms that could be COVID and wants to return to school before completing the 14 day quarantine period, the individual must either;
“CLOSE CONTACT” WITH SOMEONE WHO IS LAB-CONFIRMED COVID-19
“CLOSE CONTACT” defined as :
(a) Being directly exposed to infectious secretions (e.g., being coughed on while not wearing a mask or face shield), OR
(b) Being within 6 feet for a cumulative duration of 15 minutes, while not wearing a mask or face shield; if either occurred at any time in the last 14 days at the same time the infected individual was infectious.
(c) The period of time for close contact may be irrelevant if the individual with COVID-19 coughed on the other person.
(d) The definition of “CLOSE CONTACT” has been revised over time and may be modified again.
(e) Individuals are presumed infectious at least two days prior to symptom onset or, in the case of asymptomatic individuals who are lab confirmed with COVID-19, two days prior to the confirming lab test.
Administration knows that our students will return to school with varying levels of mastery of the material from the last quarter of the 2019-2020 academic year. To obtain a strong initial benchmark, we have moved our beginning of year assessments to earlier in the first quarter.
Students in 1st - 8th grades will take the Renaissance STAR Reading and Math assessments at the end of August and beginning of September. The assessment will be administered again in January and at the end of the school year. PK4 students take the Early Literacy STAR Assessment in January and at the end of the school year. Kindergarten will take the Early Literacy STAR Assessment at the beginning of the school year, January, and at the end of the year.
Additionally, teachers will give students classroom benchmark assessments to help determine the mastery and gaps of each student. This data is used to guide instruction in the classroom and to support the growth of our students. Teachers utilize this data to develop individual and small group instruction for their students. Parents are informed about results through parent narratives report which are sent home. Administration reviews results of students’ progress and meets with teachers to discuss and form action plans for students.
Committed to our Catholic Identity and forming leaders who live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, students will continue to attend mass weekly. In the beginning days of our school year, students will attend mass virtually though our parish's livestream in their homerooms. Our school mass will be celebrated on Wednesday mornings at 9 a.m. It is our hope that as the academic year progresses our school community will once again be able to join our parish community in celebrating Mass in person.
Our priests, deacons and seminarians are committed to visiting classrooms and continuing to be a presence for our students.
EMERGENCY LUNCHES
St. Anthony of Padua will continue to offer our Beyond the Bell Program both before and after school care. We encourage families to utilize these services only if truly needed. Beyond the Bell will operate under all of the same safety protocols as the school day. Our Beyond the Bell coordinator, Mrs. Aldrich, will communicate regularly with registerd families regarding procedures and safety measures in place.
Once a family has chosen the Remote Learning option, the student will remain in that model for 9 weeks, or through the end of the quarter.
Families who choose for their child to participate in remote learning should have the following expectations: