Dear Parents,
Once again thank you to the entire Trojan community for your support as we recently pivoted to full-time virtual instruction during the final weeks of this semester. 2020 has brought us a global pandemic and challenges we have never faced. One thing I will take away from the past nine months is the resilience of the Bishop Chatard community. Bishop Chatard has remained united, and we continue to trust God throughout these most difficult times. For that I am forever thankful.
Recently, the Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD) announced that schools are able to return to in-person learning as early as January 4, 2021. MCPHD’s most recent Public Health Order (39-2020) mandates that if high schools cannot maintain six feet of social distancing they must move to online only or hybrid learning so that the number of students on campus at any one time will allow for six feet of social distancing between each student. With those guidelines, and the opportunity to return on our originally scheduled date, we have decided that we will begin the second semester with our hybrid schedule. Our first day will be Thursday, January 7. We will remain hybrid until further notice and a schedule for the entire third quarter will be published next week in the event we are unable to move to full in-person learning until then.
Our hope is to return to full in-person learning as soon as possible, taking into consideration all of the circumstances beyond our control and doing all that is possible within our control to provide a safe environment for students, faculty and staff. We also remain steadfast in our desire to minimize the impact of close contact exposures that require multiple-day quarantine. Since mid-August our hybrid model has provided a safe space where students could be at school every other day and not run the risk of close-contact exposure. The hybrid model allows us to remain six feet apart at all times. As evidence of the safe space that we have created, our last 20 positive cases did not close-contact expose any student or teacher in our academic space.
Extended non-hybrid virtual participation is reserved for students who are isolated, quarantined, or who would like to opt-out of the hybrid model. An opt-out requires a quarterly commitment and must be approved by administration. A student who opts out is not eligible for athletics or other extracurriculars. Please contact Mrs. Ann Taylor at [email protected] if your son or daughter would like to opt-out for the third quarter.
Over the Christmas break we will continue to track COVID-19 cases in our community. If somebody in your household tests positive for COVID-19, is quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure or exhibits COVID-like symptoms, even if you believe them to indicate something else, please contact BCHS using the email address [email protected].
Thanks always for your support as we continue to work through the challenges that are presented to our community. Please continue to pray for the success and safety of Bishop Chatard High School.
God bless,
