www.saintceciliacatholicschool.org 

Returning To School Plan 2020—2021 School Year

 

Table of Contents 

St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning To School Plan 

 Introduc on  Major Learning Points Purpose

Page 1 — 2 

 

Returning to School  Face to Face Hybrid Remote

Page 3 

 

Health & Safety  Accessing Campus Temperature Checks Face Coverings Hand Sani za on Cleaning & Disinfec ng School Entry Flowchart Re‐Admission Criteria Emergency Response

Page 4 — 7 

 

School Opera ons  Day To Day Student Well Being Scheduling Carpool Lunch me & Meals Mass Uniforms Ancillary Classes Recess Bridges Water Fountains Nurse’s Office Technology Technology Cleaning Athle cs Field Trips & GO Projects Visitors To Campus Community Events Calendar

Page 8 — 12 

Table of Contents  Resource Links

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not into your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and he shall direct thy paths” ‐ Proverbs 3:5‐6

School Website

Google and One Page Calendar

Ques ons

Signature Form

Date of Publica on

July 14, 2020

This document is subject to change due to the changing environment regarding COVID‐19. Addendums will be published with any changes if and when that becomes necessary.

 

Page 1 

St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning to School Plan 

School Leadership Introduc on 

“Everything has suddenly changed. What we previously took for granted seems to be

uncertain: the way we relate with others at work, how we manage our emo ons,

study, recrea on, prayer, even the possibility of a ending Mass...”

‐ Pope Francis, Strong in the Face of Tribula on: A Sure Support in Time of Trial  

 

 

 

 

Jeff Ma hews Principal

John Aylor Assistant Principal

Diane Blackman Academic Dean

Rachel Nunez Lead Counselor

Monique Smith Director of Innova on

Cindy Orlando Digital Learning Coach

Tim Scalzi Director of

Community Engagement

Adrianne Grobelny Recep onist &

Principal’s Secretary

Cindy Duca Administra ve Assistant

Mary Yokubai s Business Manager

Our mission at St Cecilia Catholic

School is the ongoing Catholic forma on and educa on of the whole

child in mind, heart, and spirit, in prepara on for an adult life of

commitment and service.

We are in an unprecedented me. The reality of COVID‐19 has presented a number of significant tribula ons. At the very minimum, trying to adapt to teaching in new ways while grieving the loss of our sense of normality is emo onally draining. The thoughts of prepara on for a fall opening of school in an uncertain future magnifies anxiety and fear. However, Pope Francis has offered that “present difficul es have s mulated the crea vity and inven veness”, and this invites us to new methods of engagement and ministry. On March 13, 2020 a decision was made to close St. Cecilia Catholic School due to the increased community spread of COVID‐19 in our area. By that me, a well formulated plan had already been developed to allow our teachers and students to quickly and effec vely pivot to a distance learning environment ‐ to ensure a con nuity of learning. We are so proud of our teachers, our students, and our parents for how they responded to their new normal. We are filled with tremendous gra tude for the reless efforts of our teachers, and the pa ence and coopera on of the St. Cecilia parent community. Despite unfamiliar territory for the en re learning community, the school’s innova ve approach to interweaving online learning and teaching with virtual opportuni es for professional collabora on, regular school‐wide virtual assemblies and virtual parent mee ngs led to a truly innova ve response to this cri cal moment for our school. This was an inspiring overnight upskilling of collabora on in teaching and learning, all based on wan ng the best for our students and for them to know that we were s ll there for them, helping to establish a normality in the crisis.

The collabora on, innova on, care, and coopera on that we have experienced over the last three months gives us tremendous confidence that whatever the future holds for St. Cecilia Catholic School, we will face it with grace, and will con nue to deliver the high quality teaching and learning that has come to characterize St. Cecilia. As we look to the start of the 2020‐2021 school year, our leadership team has taken the opportunity to reflect on our experiences, survey our situa on, gather feedback from teachers and parents, and develop a robust, comprehensive, and improved plan for returning to school 2020.

 

Page 2 

St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning To School Plan 

  Be organized

  Keep it simple ‐ Less is more

 Communicate clear expecta ons for teachers, students & parents

Major Learning Points: Throughout our reflec on and survey process we have iden fied the following major learning points from our first Con nuity of Learning Plan:

Purpose 

In the face of the COVID‐19 global pandemic, St. Cecilia Catholic School is commi ed to dynamic planning and prepara on for a safe return to school for the 2020‐2021 academic school year.

We are dedicated to providing the safest and most effec ve methods of learning and instruc on while balancing the greatest sense of normalcy for students, faculty, staff, and parents. We aim for clear planning and vision as we con nue to provide a Christ‐centered, rigorous academic educa onal experience for students that parents trust and can be relied upon as the superior choice for their child’s educa on now and into the future.

This planning tool is intended to be fluid (a living document) as it is designed to reflect the latest informa on from na onal, state, and local public health experts regarding COVID‐19 disease transmission and mi ga on strategies. The informa on contained within is subject to change at any me as new informa on emerges from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas DSHS) and in accordance with updated guidance from the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops Educa on Department (TCCB ED), the Archdiocese of Galveston‐Houston, and our local government and county health department.

This Returning to School 2020 Plan is built upon the guidance and recommenda ons of health officials; it is strongly aligned to the reopening guidelines that have been provided by our state and local leaders and the Catholic Schools Office. Our Returning to School 2020 Plan focuses heavily on the health and physical requirements necessary for returning to our school buildings and in considera on of the academic, social, and emo onal effects the COVID‐19 pandemic has had on our students and staff. This document is subject to change due to the changing environment regarding COVID‐19. Addendums will be published with any changes if and when that becomes necessary.

  Focus on learning goals

  Think about student and staff well‐being

 Follow guidance from Catholic Schools Office, state and local authori es

 

Page 3 

St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning To School Plan 

Returning to School 

At this me, we are fully an cipa ng a return to school on August 12 for students (August 3 for staff) as originally planned and communicated. While social distancing guidelines may impact the number of students we are able to accommodate on campus, our hope is to have 100% of our younger learners on campus 100% of the me. In prepara on for a possible reduc on in the number of students we are able to accommodate on campus, and the possibility of an extended school closure, we have planned for mul ple se ngs for teaching and learning to take place, including smooth transi ons between op ons, if needed.

Tradi onal School Se ng ‐ Face to Face: It is our hope that the majority of our students will return to a “brick and mortar” school. As such, there are primary logis cs and planning considera ons that we have addressed: entrance protocols, social distancing, scheduling, social and emo onal support, etc.

Combina on School Se ng ‐ Hybrid: In the event that we are unable to accommodate 100% of our students on campus, we may need to use a combina on of both tradi onal and non‐tradi onal school se ngs. We have a plan for a variety of configura ons of this approach which may include some students a ending school on an every other day schedule.

Non‐Tradi onal School Se ng ‐ Remote: In the event that governmental or Archdiocesan authori es may deem it necessary to close our school, teaching and learning will con nue to occur within the guidelines of our Con nuity of Learning Plan.

     

 

Face to Face

 

Hybrid

 

Remote 

Entrance Protocols

Cleaning Protocols

Social Distancing

Suppor ng Catholic Iden ty

Scheduling

High Quality Instruc on

Social & Emo onal Support

Entrance Protocols

Cleaning Protocols

Social Distancing

Suppor ng Catholic Iden ty

Scheduling

Curriculum Planning

High Quality Instruc on

Technology Support

Social & Emo onal Support

Technology Support

Curriculum Planning

High Quality Online Instruc on

Suppor ng Catholic Iden ty

Maintaining Community

Social & Emo onal Support

 

Page 4 

St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning To School Plan 

Accessing Campus 

Access to the St. Cecilia campus will be limited to visitors and volunteers essen al to school opera ons and mission viability.

Visitors and volunteers on campus will be by appointment or invita on only.

All visitors will be required to enter through the main entrance and pass the safety screening prior to entry.

All visitors on campus will be required to wear a mask and maintain social distancing.

Temperature Checks 

Temperature checks will be conducted for all students, staff and visitors every day and each me upon entering St. Cecilia campus.

Please see the “Carpool” sec on under School Opera ons for more informa on on procedures regarding daily temperature checks for students.

Face Coverings 

Appropriate face coverings/masks will be used by all students, staff, and visitors while indoors.

Appropriate face coverings will be used by all students, staff, and visitors while outdoors when individuals are not able to adhere to 6 feet of social distancing.

Students should use parent supplied face coverings. At this point, we will not be manda ng the type, color, or style of face covering, however face coverings should adhere to the medical purpose of a face covering and should not create condi ons for false temperature readings.

Students will not be expected to wear face coverings when engaging in physical ac vity or when ea ng/drinking, however teachers have discre on to mandate a face covering in certain situa ons when outside.

When possible students should have a backup mask with them at school.

Hand sani zer will be placed at building entrances and will be available for students in classrooms.

In addi on to regular handwashing, students, staff, and visitors are encouraged to correctly apply hand sani zer when entering buildings or classrooms.

Hand Sani zing and Washing 

Health & Safety

 

Page 5 

St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning To School Plan 

Cleaning & Disinfec ng 

Commonly‐touched surfaces will be sani zed mul ple mes a day by teachers and maintenance staff.

CDC approved cleaners will be used every night in all classrooms, restrooms, offices, and other common spaces.

High traffic areas such as offices or other spaces will have their own cleaning protocol.

Health & Safety

Health & Safety: May I Enter The School? 

As we return to school it will be important for each parent, student and staff member to carefully assess whether they can safely return to campus. This flow chart describes the decision making process by which individuals should determine whether or not they should stay home, or return to campus.

 

Page 6 

St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning To School Plan 

Health & Safety: Exclusion and Re‐Admission Criteria 

St. Cecilia Catholic School adheres to the Communicable Disease Exclusion Criteria for Schools and Childcare Se ngs as outlined by the Texas Administra ve Code. This chart is found in the TCCB ED School Health Manual. We an cipate either a revision to this document to include considera ons for COVID‐19 or a new stand‐alone guidance document for COVID‐19. The below informa on is consistent with current recommenda ons from the CDC and Texas DSHS, subject to change.

 

1. Immediately isolate and send home any employee or student who has any of the following new or worsening signs or symptoms of possible COVID‐19:  

 

  Cough ‐ Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing ‐ Chills ‐ Repeated shaking with chills ‐ Muscle pain ‐ Headache ‐ Sore throat ‐ Loss of taste or smell ‐ Diarrhea ‐ Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit ‐ Known close con‐tact with a person who is lab confirmed to have COVID‐19

 

  2. Do not allow employees or students with new or worsening signs or symptoms listed above to return to work/school un l: In the case of an employee or student who was diagnosed with COVID‐19 the individual may return to work/school when all three of the following criteria are met:  

  At least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery including resolu on of fever without the use of fever‐reducing medica ons

The individual has improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath)

At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared

In the case of an employee or student who has symptoms that could be COVID‐19 and does not get evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID‐19, the individual is assumed to have COVID‐19. The individual may not return to work/school un l the individual has completed the same three‐step criteria listed above

If the employee or student has symptoms that could be COVID‐19 and wants to return to work/school before comple ng the above self‐isola on period, the individual must obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alterna ve diagnosis.

  3. Do not allow an employee or student with known close contact to a person who is lab‐confirmed to have COVID‐19 to return to work/school un l the end of the 14 day self‐quaran ne period from the last date of exposure.  

 

Page 7 

St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning To School Plan 

Health & Safety: Emergency Response for COVID‐19 

If St. Cecilia iden fies that a confirmed case of COVID‐19 has entered a school building, the following procedures will be observed:

No fica ons & Coordina on 

No fy and coordinate with the local health department ‐ the local health department will be abreast of the latest required ac on steps and guidance for appropriate response to COVID‐19.

Coordinate with the local health department for ac ve disease surveillance.

No fy the Catholic Schools Office.

Communica ons 

Communicate with staff, parents, and students.

Communica on must maintain confiden ality of the student or staff member as required by ADA and FERPA.

Dismissal / Transi on to Remote Learning 

Be prepared for dismissal of students and staff for a 2‐5 day minimum. The local health de‐partment will likely advise an ini al short‐term dismissal to allow me for tracing and required cleaning.

Par al school closures are possible if affected areas are limited and can be closed off. Longer term dismissals may be advised. Par al or full closure would apply to the Before and A er School Program. Extra‐curricular ac vi es, events should be cancelled as well in the event of required school dismissals.

Transi on to Remote ‐ Distance Learning.

Schools should wait as long as prac cal before beginning cleaning and disinfec on to minimize poten al for exposure to respiratory droplets. If possible open outside doors and windows for a period of me and if possible wait up to 24 hours before beginning cleaning and disinfec ng. Specific CDC instruc ons can be found here: CDC ‐ Interim Guidance for Administrators.

Coordinate with the local health department for a safe return to school opera ons.

Safe Return to School ‐ Cleaning and Sani za on 

 

Page 8 

St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning To School Plan 

School Opera ons 

Day To Day 

All St. Cecilia students will return to school full me in August.

We will be opera ng under current state guidelines regarding classroom occupancy and social distancing in our classrooms, leveraging addi onal campus spaces if necessary.

In each classroom, students will wear face coverings and social distancing guidelines will be in place.

Where possible, students will sit at an individual desk.

Student movement around the room will be limited.

Students will not share supplies or materials.

Bringing Students Back To Campus: Student Well‐Being 

We an cipate our students will experience some measure of apprehension or anxiety as we return to school in the fall. We are commi ed to crea ng an environment that will address the needs of students’ physical, emo onal and mental safety needs during this unprecedented me.

We encourage you to make me to discuss returning to school with your children, and to learn and explore their specific apprehensions. Thinking through and discussing their specific apprehensions, such as going to the restroom, or ea ng lunch, will give your family an opportunity to address these concerns before they occur. Prac ce using masks at home in their naturally safe environment, as you discuss returning to school, to eliminate any worries regarding mask wearing.

We will monitor and respond to signs of stress in your children and priori ze self‐care, empathy, and pa ence with yours and your children’s circumstances.

We encourage you to no fy teachers and counselors with any apprehensions, anxie es or issues related to your children, as we want to work in partnership with you to create an environment that is both suppor ve of their needs and conducive to learning.

Scheduling 

Students in PK3 through 4th Grade will remain in their homeroom classroom all day.

Ancillary classes for PK3 through 4th will take place in the homeroom classroom.

At this me, we an cipate middle school students will also remain in one classroom for the majority of the school day. We are con nuing to assess and plan for mul ple scenarios with the possibility of middle school students rota ng for at least some of their classes throughout the school day.

 

Page 9 

St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning To School Plan 

School Opera ons 

Carpool 

Morning Carpool Drop‐off will con nue to take place in the church parking lot and HOV drop‐off in the school parking lot.

Students must remain in their cars un l a temperature check is complete.

Students with a temperature below 100.0 will be permi ed to proceed to their classroom.

Students with a temperature of 100.0 or greater will proceed to a secondary temperature check. If the secondary temperature check confirms a temperature of 100.0 degrees or greater students will be sent home.

Be prepared for an amended set of carpool procedures should these new procedures substan ally affect traffic conges on or student punctuality.

Lunch me 

Lunch may be ordered from our food service provider (ECI), or students may bring lunch from home.

ECI will be providing an online meal order form for families.

Lunches served from ECI will be delivered to the classroom and will be served on disposable plates with disposable utensils.

At this me, parents or other visitors are not allowed on campus for lunch.

At this me, parents are not allowed to send treats for birthday celebra ons. ECI will provide a set of op ons for birthday celebra ons that parents will be able to order via online form.

Students in PK3 through 4th Grade will eat lunch in their classroom.

School Mass will con nue to be every Friday morning.

Only two grade levels will a end Mass in the church.

All other grade levels will have Mass streamed to the classroom.

Each grade level will a end Mass on a rota ng schedule.

Mass uniform will be required for every student on Fridays.

Mass 

 

Page 10 

St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning To School Plan 

School Opera ons 

Uniforms 

St. Cecilia Catholic School students will con nue to wear uniforms.

Due to the size of our locker rooms, middle school students will no longer change into their PE uniforms for PE.

Middle School students will wear their daily uniform for PE.

Middle School students should bring tennis shoes to school on PE days. Students will change their shoes only at the beginning of their PE class.

Ancillary Classes 

Art, Drama, Music, Spanish, and Technology.

Ancillary classes for PK3 through 4th Grade will take place in the homeroom classroom.

Recess 

Recess will take place outside.

PK3 through 4th Grade students will have mul ple recess mes per day.

5th Grade through 8th Grade students will have at least one recess period per day.

Bridges 

Bridges will operate under our tradi onal schedule ‐ 3:35 ‐ 6:00PM

Bridges classrooms will operate under the same guidelines as classrooms throughout the school day.

When students are present in the cafeteria social distancing will be observed.

Shared water fountain spigots will be disabled.

At this me, contactless water bo le filling sta ons will be available for the refilling of water bo les only.

Water Fountains 

 

Page 11 

St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning To School Plan 

School Opera ons 

Nurse’s Office 

The school nurse will s ll be available for all students.

Minor scrapes & bumps or common first‐aid will temporarily be handled outside of the nurse’s office; per normal procedures, the incident will be recorded and an assessment will be made as to whether the injury requires greater interven on or parent contact.

Classrooms, cafeteria, gym will be outfi ed with minor first aid supplies, ice packs, and incident form surveys.

Visits to the nurses office will be reserved for students experiencing fever, flu‐like symptoms, or more severe injuries.

Students presen ng poten al COVID‐19 symptoms will be separated in a triage area un l parents can pick them up.

Technology 

To avoid the sharing of technological devices we have purchased addi onal Chromebooks and iPads for our students.

In addi on to our expected 1:1 arrangement in 4th‐8th grade, for the 2020‐2021 school year:

Every second and third grade student will be assigned a unique Chromebook.

Every student in PK3 ‐ First Grade student will be assigned a unique iPad.

These addi onal Chromebooks and iPads will stay in the classroom while we are in school. In the event that we need to transi on to a distance learning scenario the Chromebooks and iPads will go home with the students to whom they are assigned.

Technology — Cleaning Protocols 

Student technology that is shared must be sani zed a er each use.

Sanita on guidelines will be communicated to faculty by the Tech Department.

 

Page 12 

St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning To School Plan 

School Opera ons 

Athle cs 

We will follow state (TEA, UIL, TCCBED) and local (CSO, GHCAA) guidelines for our athle cs programs.

At this me, some summer (early August) training may occur.

It is unclear at this me whether outdoor contact sports, or indoor sports, will be allowed.

In the event that any sports programs are not permi ed, we will advocate for a postponement of the season as opposed to an all out cancela on.

Field Trips & Off Campus GO Projects 

All off campus trips will be suspended or postponed un l further no ce.

Visitors On Campus 

Access to the St. Cecilia campus will be limited to visitors and volunteers essen al to school opera ons and mission viability.

Visitors and volunteers on campus will be by appointment or invita on only.

All visitors will be required to enter through the main entrance and pass the safety screening prior to entry.

All visitors on campus will be required to wear a mask and maintain social distancing.

Community Events and Large Group Gatherings 

At this me, some of our community events will need to be suspended or postponed due to current social distancing guidelines.

We will send updated communica ons and update our school calendar regarding any suspended or postponed events as we get closer to the start of school.

We will be making adjustments to the published year‐at‐a‐glance and online calendar to ac‐count for possible suspensions or postponements of previously scheduled events.

At this me we do not an cipate changing start dates, end dates, or holidays.

Calendar 

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St. Cecilia Catholic School  ‐  Returning To School Plan 

Resources 

Ques ons 

Please click on the ques on icon to the le , or from anywhere in the document (the bo om of each page) to submit your ques ons.

Signature Form 

All families are required to have one parent / guardian complete a quick Google Form to acknowledge receipt of the St. Cecilia Catholic School Returning To School Plan.

Return To School Website Page

A page on the St. Cecilia Catholic School website featuring the Returning To School plan as well any addendums or updates that may need to be published.

Calendars 

One page and online Google Calendar.

Social Media 

Stay connected to St. Cecilia Catholic School on Facebook, Instagram, & Twi er.