3.21.2021
Dear Parents and Guardians,

Spring is around the corner and with it the return to nicer weather. Open windows no longer necessarily mean cold classrooms! Thankfully, this year we are welcoming a slow, steady return to pre-pandemic normal as the various COVID-19 vaccines continue to be manufactured and distributed. 

As ever, we are carefully monitoring the recommendations of the CDC and IDPH. A few things have recently been added to their recommendations, and I want all of you to be aware before we start the 4th block.

  • Outdoor venues can now be at 20% capacity. Each one of our outdoor 'venues' will have a capacity calculated based on square footage, the east lawn, the front entrance, the Division lawns, etc. Going forward, should we opt to host events in these places, each attendance cap will be in accordance to this rule.
  • If you intend to travel for spring break, please track the IDPH guidelines for quarantining. For the states deemed "Higher Risk" the Illinois Department of Public Health still requests a 10-day quarantine  https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/travel
  • Based on a plethora of research, both the ISBE and the IDPH now agree that, while masked, students may be in the classroom 3-feet distanced instead of 6. We do not intend to make this change indoors at this time, but it's good to know as more of our students opt to return to in-person learning
  • Fully vaccinated individuals (2 weeks after receiving their final dose) can be unmasked when around other fully-vaccinated individuals. This means you may begin to see groups of faculty and staff once again gathering and meeting unmasked, as we all take advantage of our priority status for receiving the vaccine.
  • As we did for every Block this year, Trinity will be sending all families our reopening plan, updated for the 4th Block. You can expect to receive this via email within the next week.

Finally, this breath of fresh air from the Illinois State Board of Education "... capacity limits for in-person learning, including non-academic school hour activities such as lunch, are now determined by the space’s ability to accommodate social distancing, and not a set capacity limit number or percentage." This means that our large spaces, like the cafeteria, the gymnasiums, and the auditorium can be utilized for groups larger than 50 provided they can accommodate social distancing. This is GREAT news for our seniors, as we hope to have them together as a class during their last block at Trinity.

Enjoy the break! I hope that each of you has a relaxing time with family and that our Blazers return after Easter with all the joy and exuberance that springtime brings.

As always, your support through this past year is something for which I give thanks. I know we look forward to the day when all the students are back with us, and Trinity is once again the energy-filled active school it is known to be!

Warmly,
Laura

PS - I have included a few of the links to the reports and research I referenced above. 

Sources:

Updates from our Principal
Week of March 22-26
This week students will have in-person learning on Mon. March 22 and Tues. March 23. On Wed. March 24 and Thurs. March 25 the students will take virtual block 3 exams. There will be no in person learning on either date. The exam schedule is below: 
Wed. March 24 
  • Period 1 - 8:30 to 10:30 AM (Exams must be submitted by 10:30 AM)
  • Period 2 - 11:30 to 1:30 PM (Exams must be submitted by 1:30 PM)
Thurs. March 25
  • Period 4 - 8:30 to 10:30 AM (Exams must be submitted by 10:30 AM)
  • Period 5 - 11:30 to 1:30 PM (Exams must be submitted by 1:30 PM)
On Fri. March 26 there will be no classes (neither in-person or online) for students. We look forward to seeing our students back in person and online on Tues. April 6. 
Block 3 final project (exam guidelines) 
As the culmination of their learning for block 3, all students will complete final projects in lieu of taking formal written exams. The guidelines for the final projects will be the same as for blocks 1 and 2. Please take note of the following expectations: 
If a student is ill on the day the exam is due, a parent must contact the office by phone by 8:00 AM. 
  • A student may borrow a Chromebook from Trinity or work on the Trinity campus during the exam days. A parent must make the request to the office by phone. 
  • If a student is having technical difficulties on the day of an exam, the parent must contact the teacher and the principal via email or on the phone to explain the difficulty. (Contact from the student is not sufficient to warrant an extension) The situation will be reviewed by the teacher and Department Chair and a determination will be made as to whether or not the student will be able to submit the work at a later time. 
  • If a student submits the work up to 2 hours late, they will receive a 10 % reduction in their grade for the project.  
  • If a student submits the work more than 2 hours late they will receive a 15 % reduction in their grade for the project / assessment.
  • No exam will be accepted after 11:00 PM on Thurs. March 25. Any exam submitted after this time will receive zero credit.  
  • If a student has violated the academic integrity policy, zero credit will be awarded to the final exam.
Uniform Violation Detention
As you read in last week's newsletter, beginning on Tues. April 6, all students will be expected to be in full Trinity Uniform. (See pages 11 & 12 of the student handbook.) If a student is out of uniform at any point during the school day, she will be assigned a Uniform Violation Detention. The detentions will be served during Lunch Circle. These expectations have been communicated to students. Please help support your Blazer in respect.
Congrats to Trinity's Dancers!
We are so proud of how resilient, courageous, and adaptable this group of IB Dancers and Blazerette Dance Club members have been. Many of these students created and practiced their pieces entirely in their homes, up until filming day. This year’s dancers have truly been adaptable! Please click the video and enjoy Trinity's Virtual Dance Concert, Adaptations.
Trinity High School Athletics
Happy Spring Blazers!!! It's time for Blazer volleyball action to get going. The Blazers will open the season on Monday at St. Joseph High School before hosting the Chargers on Wednesday and St. Laurence Vikings on Thursday. Thanks to the generous donations from a couple of Booster Club members, we will be streaming all of the Blazers' home games on our YouTube Channel and/or Facebook Live. To keep up with all of the streams, subscribe to the YouTube Channel (Trinity High School Athletics) and like us on Facebook,

Summer Sports (Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball and Track and Field) will hold their tryouts on Monday, April 5. Registration for those sports will open on Monday, March 22. Anyone planning to tryout must be registered and have a current sports physical (done within the last 395 days) on file in the athletic office. For more information, contact Athletic Director Ken Trendel, ktrendel@trinityhs.org.
Trinity Events
Trinity Magic Raffle
Trinity Magic Raffle kicked off this week.
Attached is a letter explaining the Raffle.
This is an excellent opportunity for Blazers to be philanthropists! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to Mary Beth Lavezzorio in the advancement office.

Alumnae & Friends
What's Cooking at Trinity?
Wednesday, March 24th, 2021 at 6:00 PM

Join members of the Trinity community and learn how to make asparagus potato dill soup and roasted tomato grilled cheese with balsamic glaze.
Mothers Club Mound Bread Sale
The Trinity Mothers Club is thrilled to offer delicious bread from the Sinsinawa Bakery. The most popular options are available: Sin-a-mound, cinnamon, zucchini. Remember, this bread freezes really well, so stock up! Pick up at Trinity's parking lot on Saturday, May 8, from 10:00 am-noon. We will observe all safety protocols to ensure the health and well-being of our Trinity community during pickup.
 
Orders are due April 16 - payment is required at the time of the order.
Mothers Club Cooking Class
Wednesday, April 7th, 2021 at 7:00 PM

Join members of the Trinity community and learn how to manage dough to achieve texture and flavor as we make herbed flatbreads and gourmet cheese crackers together.
Join the Movie Discussion
The Trinity High School Bar Association invites mothers and daughters to join alumnae and friends in a spirited discussion of the movie “On the Basis of Sex”. This event will be hosted by Liz Scarano Oplawski ‘79 via Zoom on March 30, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. Read More
#FutureBlazer Summer Experiences Now Open!
#FutureBlazer Summer Camps and Workshops Registration is now open! This summer Trinity will be hosting camps for rising kindergarten through 6th-grade girls as well as workshops for rising 7th and 8th-grade girls and current Blazers!
College Planning Information
The Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation is seeking applicants for the Laura Southwick, A&D Hewitt, and Baldoceda Memorial Scholarships for summer enrichment grant opportunities 

The Laura Southwick Fund provides $500 - $1,000 awards to encourage young people (freshmen, sophomores, or juniors) between the ages of 14-17 to begin discovering their own style and start shaping their creative aspirations in the fine and applied arts.  

The A&D Hewitt Scholarship is in memory of brothers Abel and Don Hewitt, who believed that you inspire others when you are your most authentic self. The purpose of this fund is to encourage and enable students to explore possibilities in new and varied areas of interests, expanded cultural experiences, leadership training, and new skills development. The grant awards are between $250 and $500 and will be awarded to support creative/development interests, academic, STEM, enrichment or internship opportunities.  

The Baldoceda Memorial Music enrichment grant is a $1,000 grant that can be used for programs, materials, equipment, or instruction that furthers the applicant's musical goals. Anyone between 14-25 years of age interested in music is eligible to apply.

Trinity HS students are eligible to apply with the attached applications, or they may also be found on our website by linking HERE
ICYMI (In case you missed it ... info from previous newsletters)
Reminder: please complete the following important Archdiocese Survey
Climate, Culture, and Catholic Identity survey
Please take a few minutes to give Trinity the honest feedback we need to continue to make your school the best possible home for your Blazer. Click here to complete the survey. The survey will close on March 26, 2021.

Freshmen Dental Forms Needed
The health of your daughter has an important influence over her ability to progress in her schoolwork. This fact is so well recognized that the State of Illinois has laws to preserve the health of children. A new state law went into effect on January 1, 2019 that also requires students to have a dental exam prior to entering 9th grade. Documentation of a current dental exam (done within 12 months of the first day of school) is also required. An extension of this deadline was granted by the State of Illinois due to COIVD-19.

Registration Deposit and Tuition Contract

Registration deposit and tuition contracts for the 2021-2022 school year are due no later than March 24, 2021. Please click here to complete the tuition contract and make the registration deposit. If you have any questions, please contact the Business Office.
Campaign and Construction Update
We are delighted to share an update on two major fundraising initiatives at Trinity High School -- our EmPOWERed Campaign and our Trinity Theater Renovation Plan.

Click here for issue 2 of "Campaign & Construction Updates @ THS"
Virtual Chapel Prayer Book
Calendar Updates for Block 3:
Wed. March 24 & Thurs. March 25: Block 3 Virtual Exams 

Spring Break March 26 - April 5