Coronavirus COVID-19 Updates
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A note from Michelle Peduto, Director of Catholic Schools, March 24, 2020
Below you will find the Diocese of Pittsburgh's current update regarding the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). This was released on March 24, 2020, and talks about a possible date for returning to school.
A note from Michelle Peduto, Director of Catholic Schools, March 24, 2020
Below you will find the Diocese of Pittsburgh's current update regarding the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). This was released on March 24, 2020, and talks about a possible date for returning to school.
| march24-coronavirus_update_diocese_of_pittsburgh.pdf |
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A note from Michelle Peduto, Director of Catholic Schools, March 23, 2020
Below you will find the Diocese of Pittsburgh's current update regarding the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). This was released on March 23, 2020.
A note from Michelle Peduto, Director of Catholic Schools, March 23, 2020
Below you will find the Diocese of Pittsburgh's current update regarding the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). This was released on March 23, 2020.
| march23-coronavirus_update_diocese_of_pittsburgh.pdf |
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A note from Mr. Militzer, Principal, March 20, 2020
Hi Everyone,
I hope everyone is hanging in there and trying to make the best out of everything. If you’re like me, you probably had more than one moment of feeling anxious and overwhelmed by all of this.
I wanted to thank everyone who has reached out with ideas and suggestions. We appreciate it all, but please do not get upset if we do not respond to you right away. We are being completely overwhelmed with resources from the diocese and state as we are all trying to formulate the best plan we can for our students, families, faculty and staff.
Starting this coming Monday, March 23, 2020, we will begin or online lessons. With this, we are committed to bringing you the excellent instruction and personal experience that you are accustomed to. Our staff plans on providing feedback and to be in daily communication with you throughout the process.
The Edmodo platform is what a majority of our teachers in grades K-5 are utilizing to send you assignments. Your child’s teacher will be sending you a communication with a link and log in code needed to create an account to allow you access to the assignments. Teachers not utilizing Edmodo will be reaching out as well to let you know how they will be getting assignments to you.
(Please keep in mind that with all of these platforms experiencing higher traffic than ever before, there may be some lag time initially as they improve their sites)
Kindergarten – 3rd Grade:
Most of the teachers are setting up through the Edmodo platform to communicate assignments and give instructions on how to complete work. They will start sending out assignments Monday. The first thing you will get at some point today or this weekend is an email invitation to join your child’s online class. Please make sure to do so.
4th and 5th grade plan:
Monday you will all be contacted by your homeroom teacher via Option C and Email. Please respond to them on Monday to let them know you are ready to go. Once you respond back to them, they will then forward your students log in information for the various online academic programs they will be utilizing including the Reading Wonders Program, Khan Academy, Edmodo, and possibly others.
Each day, the teachers will post assignments to complete with instructions on how to submit work. Mrs. Huebner and Mrs. Suppa will post their assignments on Option C and Ms. Miller and Ms. Smigielski will post theirs on Edmodo.
6th – 8th grade plan:
Everything is being done via Google Classroom. Whether or not you realize it, most of your children have already been in contact with the teachers throughout this week in various forms such as test runs with classroom meetings on Google Hangout Meet and emailing back and forth with teachers. The students know how to utilize Google Classroom and are ready to go, many of them are really excited and ready to work. As a parent, your big role with this group of kids is just to make sure they are logging in daily and completing assignments. If students aren’t completing assignments or communicating with the teachers, the teachers will be in contact with you.
They have been doing some amazing things already that’s way above my head, so I can’t wait to see how much more they expand on it.
Special Classes:
These classes will be sending me weekly ideas, assignments, and suggestions. I will send those out in a separate One Call on Monday or Tuesday each week. Mr. Allen, who has already been subbing, will be handling all the Spanish duties as we finish the year.
The biggest thing for Monday will be to just make sure you are all set up and able to communicate with your student's teachers, especially in grades K-5.
If you have any questions or difficulty, please reach out to your homeroom teacher first. They are ready and willing to help.
Thank You,
Don Militzer
*************************************************
A note from Mr. Militzer, Principal, March 16, 2020
Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to provide you with an update on things today. First, I am totally amazed by our staff. I spoke with a majority of them today and they are on fire! They are planning ways to make this experience a positive one for everyone. The ideas and things they were coming up with as ways to help your children learn and grow are exciting. Most of them have been working non-stop since Friday planning and creating online learning lessons.
One idea presented by a parent that we all loved was the idea of journals and VLOG’s (video log). We are dealing with something that we have never seen in our history. Having the kids do a log of what their days are looking like and how they are going is an interactive way to keep them engaged. We can share stories when we return to school and it creates something that they can look back on 20 years from now and have some memories of this possibly once in a lifetime challenge. This is something you can start with them right away.
We are still at this point planning on providing online instruction materials and procedures to start next week. We will be sending you our plan with procedures on Friday.
As you heard the Bishop has ended all masses. The reconciliation service for tonight was postponed. We are still waiting on word about the confirmation and communion days and have no idea what the decision on that will be at this current time. We will keep you posted.
The school building will not be accessible for the time being so please do not call the school as we will not be able to remotely receive messages. Instead email any of the staff with questions or concerns.
God bless all of you and your families!
Don Militzer
*************************************************
A note from Mr. Militzer, Principal, March 15, 2020
Good Morning Everyone,
As we continue to be inundated with new information, I hope to bring some clarity to the days ahead for our students. The events of the last few days have placed us in a situation we have never encountered in recent history. Having said that, I am heartened by the fact that we have excellent educators committed to making this a quality experience for your children. They love and know your children! While our days will look very different, we will tackle this together by the grace of God.
In light of the Governor’s mandate and after a week of increasingly critical information hitting us at record speeds, we will take the first 5 days (March 16 – March 20) to get our plans fully developed and to run test sessions to be sure all teachers are prepared to deliver instruction online. The flexible instruction days will commence on Monday, March 23. Resources will be sent out to aid our teachers in preparation of this new teaching delivery method.
We will get you more information next week about how things will work starting March 23rd. Please do not stress this or worry about this at all. The goal of our staff is to create some meaningful learning experiences during this time allowing the students to continue to grow and develop. We are striving to make sure none of this work is overwhelming or adding to the anxiety that a lot of us are feeling.
Additionally, I hope this brief break will give our families time to adjust, as much as is possible, to our new challenges and norms for the time being. With the situation seemingly changing hour by hour I will continue to update you as much as possible with any new information I receive.
Please keep your families safe and healthy.
Thank you for your patience and your support!
Sincerely,
Don Militzer
*************************************************
A note from Michelle Peduto, Director of Catholic Schools, March 11, 2020
Below you will find the Diocese of Pittsburgh's current update regarding the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). This was released on March 11, 2020.
A note from Mr. Militzer, Principal, March 20, 2020
Hi Everyone,
I hope everyone is hanging in there and trying to make the best out of everything. If you’re like me, you probably had more than one moment of feeling anxious and overwhelmed by all of this.
I wanted to thank everyone who has reached out with ideas and suggestions. We appreciate it all, but please do not get upset if we do not respond to you right away. We are being completely overwhelmed with resources from the diocese and state as we are all trying to formulate the best plan we can for our students, families, faculty and staff.
Starting this coming Monday, March 23, 2020, we will begin or online lessons. With this, we are committed to bringing you the excellent instruction and personal experience that you are accustomed to. Our staff plans on providing feedback and to be in daily communication with you throughout the process.
The Edmodo platform is what a majority of our teachers in grades K-5 are utilizing to send you assignments. Your child’s teacher will be sending you a communication with a link and log in code needed to create an account to allow you access to the assignments. Teachers not utilizing Edmodo will be reaching out as well to let you know how they will be getting assignments to you.
(Please keep in mind that with all of these platforms experiencing higher traffic than ever before, there may be some lag time initially as they improve their sites)
Kindergarten – 3rd Grade:
Most of the teachers are setting up through the Edmodo platform to communicate assignments and give instructions on how to complete work. They will start sending out assignments Monday. The first thing you will get at some point today or this weekend is an email invitation to join your child’s online class. Please make sure to do so.
4th and 5th grade plan:
Monday you will all be contacted by your homeroom teacher via Option C and Email. Please respond to them on Monday to let them know you are ready to go. Once you respond back to them, they will then forward your students log in information for the various online academic programs they will be utilizing including the Reading Wonders Program, Khan Academy, Edmodo, and possibly others.
Each day, the teachers will post assignments to complete with instructions on how to submit work. Mrs. Huebner and Mrs. Suppa will post their assignments on Option C and Ms. Miller and Ms. Smigielski will post theirs on Edmodo.
6th – 8th grade plan:
Everything is being done via Google Classroom. Whether or not you realize it, most of your children have already been in contact with the teachers throughout this week in various forms such as test runs with classroom meetings on Google Hangout Meet and emailing back and forth with teachers. The students know how to utilize Google Classroom and are ready to go, many of them are really excited and ready to work. As a parent, your big role with this group of kids is just to make sure they are logging in daily and completing assignments. If students aren’t completing assignments or communicating with the teachers, the teachers will be in contact with you.
They have been doing some amazing things already that’s way above my head, so I can’t wait to see how much more they expand on it.
Special Classes:
These classes will be sending me weekly ideas, assignments, and suggestions. I will send those out in a separate One Call on Monday or Tuesday each week. Mr. Allen, who has already been subbing, will be handling all the Spanish duties as we finish the year.
The biggest thing for Monday will be to just make sure you are all set up and able to communicate with your student's teachers, especially in grades K-5.
If you have any questions or difficulty, please reach out to your homeroom teacher first. They are ready and willing to help.
Thank You,
Don Militzer
*************************************************
A note from Mr. Militzer, Principal, March 16, 2020
Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to provide you with an update on things today. First, I am totally amazed by our staff. I spoke with a majority of them today and they are on fire! They are planning ways to make this experience a positive one for everyone. The ideas and things they were coming up with as ways to help your children learn and grow are exciting. Most of them have been working non-stop since Friday planning and creating online learning lessons.
One idea presented by a parent that we all loved was the idea of journals and VLOG’s (video log). We are dealing with something that we have never seen in our history. Having the kids do a log of what their days are looking like and how they are going is an interactive way to keep them engaged. We can share stories when we return to school and it creates something that they can look back on 20 years from now and have some memories of this possibly once in a lifetime challenge. This is something you can start with them right away.
We are still at this point planning on providing online instruction materials and procedures to start next week. We will be sending you our plan with procedures on Friday.
As you heard the Bishop has ended all masses. The reconciliation service for tonight was postponed. We are still waiting on word about the confirmation and communion days and have no idea what the decision on that will be at this current time. We will keep you posted.
The school building will not be accessible for the time being so please do not call the school as we will not be able to remotely receive messages. Instead email any of the staff with questions or concerns.
God bless all of you and your families!
Don Militzer
*************************************************
A note from Mr. Militzer, Principal, March 15, 2020
Good Morning Everyone,
As we continue to be inundated with new information, I hope to bring some clarity to the days ahead for our students. The events of the last few days have placed us in a situation we have never encountered in recent history. Having said that, I am heartened by the fact that we have excellent educators committed to making this a quality experience for your children. They love and know your children! While our days will look very different, we will tackle this together by the grace of God.
In light of the Governor’s mandate and after a week of increasingly critical information hitting us at record speeds, we will take the first 5 days (March 16 – March 20) to get our plans fully developed and to run test sessions to be sure all teachers are prepared to deliver instruction online. The flexible instruction days will commence on Monday, March 23. Resources will be sent out to aid our teachers in preparation of this new teaching delivery method.
We will get you more information next week about how things will work starting March 23rd. Please do not stress this or worry about this at all. The goal of our staff is to create some meaningful learning experiences during this time allowing the students to continue to grow and develop. We are striving to make sure none of this work is overwhelming or adding to the anxiety that a lot of us are feeling.
Additionally, I hope this brief break will give our families time to adjust, as much as is possible, to our new challenges and norms for the time being. With the situation seemingly changing hour by hour I will continue to update you as much as possible with any new information I receive.
Please keep your families safe and healthy.
Thank you for your patience and your support!
Sincerely,
Don Militzer
*************************************************
A note from Michelle Peduto, Director of Catholic Schools, March 11, 2020
Below you will find the Diocese of Pittsburgh's current update regarding the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). This was released on March 11, 2020.
| march11-coronavirus_update_diocese_of_pittsburgh.pdf |
