Dear Parents,
With the suspension of in-person classes here at Bishop Watterson continuing through Friday May 1, I am following up with more information on a variety of topics. I am happy to say that overall our first week and a half of remote learning has gone well and I’m thankful for the way so many in our community rallied together and were flexible as this transition occurred. We are as eager as you are for normalcy and seeing the students in person, yet at the same time support the efforts to flatten the curve and do our part during this global health crisis.
The quick transition to remote learning has been an adjustment for everyone and I ask that we all do our part to take this challenge day by day. Early on we experienced PowerSchool-related issues due to the volume of users, but they have done a nice job stabilizing the system.
For all of us involved, this is an unanticipated and unique situation that will not be perfect.
We are committed as a school to doing our best to balance the academic, spiritual, physical, and mental health of our community. As we hear stories of our students stepping up to help at home with younger siblings or home responsibilities we are reminded that this virus has presented all of us with unanticipated changes to normal routine. We are here to support students and families and are striving to create balance and flexibility for all involved.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a teacher, staff member, or school administrator. We will do our best to get back with you as soon as possible. Included in this letter are some important academic reminders as well as information about weekly teacher led “office hours.” We encourage students to participate and take advantage of these opportunities.
We appreciate your help, support, and flexibility during this time.
All communication with students will be through their
bwhs.org
email and PowerSchool/Unified Classroom accounts which they should be checking several times each weekday.
Time Frame
Tentatively, school is set to resume on Monday May 4.
We will keep you informed on updates as they become available.
Remote Education Plan
Students should check PowerSchool each morning and be vigilant about meeting due dates for assignments. Holy Week, April 9-13, will remain a week with no instruction.
Teachers will continue posting assignments on PowerSchool. Depending on the course, the workload will vary with AP and College Credit Plus courses having the most assignments. Due to the extended closure through April, we have expanded our remote learning to now include elective-based classes.
Our goal is to post assignments for the week every Monday so that students know what will be expected. The best place for students to look is the calendar on their Unified Classroom account. In an effort to streamline and be more consistent, we have also asked teachers to focus on assignment turn-in being done through PowerSchool. We hope this will avoid having to navigate a variety of expectations.
As our remote learning plan evolves, we have also opened the option for teachers to begin online assessments. This will vary by class, but students should be prepared for any assessment which will be communicated a week in advance.
As mentioned earlier, we are trying to balance our education plan with the demands at home. Every family situation and dynamic is different. We anticipate that our plan should provide students 60-90 minutes of work each week per core class, assuming students are committed to all aspects of what teachers are asking them to do that week.
Teacher Office Hours
All core class teachers will be having at least one “office hour” per week. These office hours will be hosted on Google Hangout or Zoom. The intention of these office hours is for students to seek help or clarification from their teacher. Please take advantage of these opportunities. Teachers will be posting the links to access the office hour on PowerSchool. To date, our teachers have already hosted 99 office hour sessions and we look forward to that number growing quickly as we move into this coming week.
Computer Devices
During this closure we realize the school issued device becomes an essential tool in learning and completing coursework. If your computer is having an issue, please contact Mr. Forker or Mr. McManamon by email. They will attempt to remotely help solve the problem. Please be extremely careful of your device during this time to avoid any damage both so that students can continue to use the device for learning and because shipping and availability of replacement parts is significantly delayed due to the virus.
State Testing
House Bill 197 was recently signed by Governor DeWine and part of that legislation included the suspension of state testing for this academic year. We are still awaiting further details from the Ohio Department of Education about how this might impact students’ state-required graduation points/seals, and will share more information once it becomes available.
Events
All events scheduled in April through the May 1 closure have been canceled. Events taking place after May 1 are still to be determined and decisions will be made in consultation with the Diocese of Columbus and in accordance with best practices outlined by the State of Ohio.
Extracurricular Activities
All school activities including sports practices, games, extra-curriculars, club meetings, special events, etc. are canceled through May 1.
Building Access
The Bishop Watterson campus is currently closed to students and community members. Should a student need a school-related item, they should contact one of the school administrators to arrange a time for pick-up.
Facilities
Our facilities staff and regular night cleaning crew have continued to clean and sanitize the building during the closure, with increased attention paid to door knobs, handrails, keyboards, tablets, light switches and other commonly touched surfaces.
Mental Health
Our Guidance Department remains available to students during this closure. They have made available to each student a page on PowerSchool with a variety of resources. If your child is struggling during this time, please reach out to one of our school counselors.
Holy Week
This week we celebrate Palm Sunday and begin the most holy week of our Catholic faith. We invite you to remain connected to your local parish during this time or one of the many online opportunities to celebrate the Mass from home. As we conclude our Lenten journey, may we reflect on our growth and preparation as we anticipate the joy of Easter.
Prayers
I encourage everyone in our community to pray for those who have contracted the COVID-19 virus, especially those at high risk, and also for a rapid end to this pandemic. We have added a prayers and resources page to our website in an effort to support our community during this time.
May God give us the grace to maintain our perspective, an understanding mind, and a flexible spirit as we give over to God what we cannot control.
Deacon Chris Campbell
Principal
