And at the same time, it is
not summer break around here... at least not yet! With the recent moves towards
Phase 2, our School Office is currently open (summer hours and constraints listed below). Our staff has been very busy with final returns/pickups of items, cleaning, wrapping up grading and report cards, sitting on hiring/interview teams, and of course, planning our safe return in the Fall!
Speaking of
interviews and hiring, we have had some amazing candidates in our interview process and have verbal or written
commits for all of our positions! Hooray! As we roll into summer, I will be introducing each to you and updating our positions on our website to match. I'm excited for the energy, talent, and experience we have in our new hires and the gifts we look forward to sharing in next year's adventures!
I would like to take a moment to update you on our
planning for safe return in the Fall now that we have guidance from both the State and Archdiocese. We know from our previous parent surveys that there is a
strong preference for in-person learning on campus where possible within public health guidance (ie. spreading out to follow social distancing guidelines, masks, etc). We also know if we are forced to return to full school
remote learning then focus on the consistency of a reasonable set schedule with optional components, attention to social and emotional health, and more are required. We know the special value
community has at our school and the difficulty of replicating virtually what we do so well in-person.
Our teams are actively
drafting our plans for what is possible for all on-campus and if necessary, continuous remote learning in Fall 2020. We have measured our classroom sizes to determine how many desks/students are able to fit to meet spacing guidelines, and are analyzing potential schedules, and re-imagining each of our roles as we embark on a new paradigm of student learning during this ongoing pandemic. In the next few weeks we will be seeking input from you as well in a variety of forms, so please keep an eye out. In fact, the first input opportunity I have is for helping
Sal with some
desk updates next Wednesday, 6/24.
My goal is to have a draft of our full plans available before the end of the month, and I am committed to ongoing communication throughout the summer.
I am in continuous communication with our neighboring Catholic schools as well to ensure our system is equitable and fair for all. All three of our West Seattle schools are seeking as full a reopening as possible within the safety precautions and restrictions we are bound to. A huge shout-out to our teachers/staff for pivoting so quickly from end-of-year wrap-up right into fall planning, and for all parents for your input, flexibility, and understanding as we move forward.
Also a huge shout-out to our founders and supporters. We are blessed with the foresight of OLG founding families and the Archbishop in 1962 building a school with well ventilated, large classrooms. We are blessed with all the donors through the decades that have helped provide us with stability and a foundation for growth and additional space in gym and parish center. Most especially I want to thank all those who've donated to our recent special
School Fund Drive appeal for extra Tuition Assistance, PPE purchases, cleaning programs, and everything else that will carry us through this crisis.
We realize that these are difficult economic times and are committed to making it work for all our family’s situations while maintaining our robust academic program and fulfilling our educational mission. We hope our efforts together will make a difference and I encourage anyone experiencing financial hardship to reach out to myself or our school office to engage in the support you need. Thank you for all the support of OLG parish and school community!
