Will all students be able to return to the school building in the fall?

Yes, provided there is no mandate from state or local health officials to close school buildings. SJV believes that we learn better together, and the school has made plans to accommodate all students in grades preschool through Grade 8 in the school building every day of the week.

Will Educare be open?

Yes. The school is planning to continue offering Educare before and after school.

Will students need to be screened to enter the building?

Yes. Each day families will be asked to screen their children and attest to their health. All students and employees will have their temperature taken at school with a no-contact thermometer before being allowed to enter the building. Specific screening procedures will be communicated in future messages.

Will students be spaced apart to lower the risk of transmission?

Yes. Students will be seated six feet apart in their classrooms. Some grades may need to move to a different classroom for the 2020-2021 school year in order to fit in the space with the required six-foot distance. Decisions about classroom locations will be made later this summer.

Will the school have to limit gatherings of large groups?

Yes. School-wide assemblies like Monday Morning Prayer, Pride Time, and Drop Everything And Read will be suspended until it is once again safe to gather in large groups. School-wide prayer and Pride Time will take place over the intercom, and Drop Everything And Read will take place in classrooms.

Will students be able to attend Mass?

Yes. In accord with the latest diocesan guidelines, the entire school body cannot attend Mass together, but Fr. Oiland will celebrate two school Masses per week. Current plans are that 5-8 students will attend Mass on Tuesday mornings and K-4 students will attend Mass on Wednesday mornings.

Will movement be limited throughout the school building?

Yes. Students will for the most part remain in the same space throughout the day. Junior high teachers will move from room to room to teach their classes. Students will have PE outside, weather permitting, and they will have recess.

Will hot lunch be available?

No. To reduce the risk of transmission, the hot lunch program will be suspended for the 2020-2021 school year. 

Will K-6 students have Music?

Yes. Students in grades K-6 will have music instruction in their classrooms. However, music instruction will consist of using sanitized musical instruments or learning music history and theory. Singing will not be able to take place while the risk of transmission is still high.

Will 5-8 students have Band?

No. The band program will be suspended for the 2020-2021 school year, to resume again in 2021-2022. The logistical challenges of providing enough space for a safe band experience make band class impractical at this point. 

Will K-8 students have to wear face coverings?

Yes. Students in grades Kindergarten through Grade 8 will be required to wear a cloth face covering or a clear face shield. Face coverings can be removed for eating lunch and going out to recess. Cloth face coverings are preferred to face shields because they work more effectively to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Face shields do not offer the same protection as cloth masks and therefore the wearing of face shields may cause longer quarantine times in the event of an active case of COVID-19. If used, face shields should extend below the chin, to the ears, and have no gap at the forehead. 

According to state guidelines, cloth face coverings should not be worn by:

• Children younger than age 2 years.
• Those with a disability that prevents them from comfortably wearing or removing a face covering.
• Those with certain respiratory conditions or trouble breathing.
• Those who are deaf or hard of hearing and use facial and mouth movements as part of communication.
• Those advised by a medical, legal, or behavioral health professional that wearing a face covering may pose a risk to that person.

Students who fall into any of the above categories will be able to wear face shields.

Will preschool students have to wear face coverings?

No. Preschool teachers are required to wear face coverings but preschool students will not be required to wear them.

Will the school have face coverings available if needed?

Yes. The school will have a supply of disposable masks, non-disposable masks, and face shields. Students are encouraged to bring their own face coverings from home. The more comfortable they are with a face covering, the more likely they are to keep it on. We encourage families to help children find face coverings that are comfortable, colorful, and creative. The school will happily accept donations of child-sized cloth masks and/or disposable face masks.

Will teachers wear face coverings?

Yes. Teachers will wear cloth masks during the day. For certain lessons a teacher may temporarily switch to a face shield if the lesson requires students to see the teacher’s face. 

What will happen if a child shows symptoms of COVID-19 at school?

If a student develops signs of COVD-19 while at school, he or she will be separated from others and the family will be called immediately. The student will wear a cloth face covering or mask if tolerated and will be supervised at a distance of six feet until they can leave. After they leave, the sick room will be cleaned and disinfected.

If someone at the school tests positive for COVID-19, will the whole school have to close down?

Not necessarily. The school will be instructed by the health district regarding how to best respond, and there are many variables that will affect their recommendations. By keeping students in cohorts and by wearing masks it is more likely that only a few students may need to quarantine, rather than the entire school. One thing is certain: the more that students wear cloth face masks rather than face shields, the less likely it is that they will have to quarantine, even if someone at school tests positive for COVID-19. 

If my child is healthy but has to quarantine because of contact with others, will he or she be able to continue learning?

Yes. The school will implement hybrid learning for any student that has to remain at home for an extended period.

What will happen if state or local health officials close school again?

We are hopeful that a full closure will not happen. It may be the case that instead of a full closure, some students will be able to come to school and some will not. If that is the case, then we will prioritize face-to-face instruction for students in grades preschool through 4, and implement a hybrid learning model for students in grades 5-8. We are in the process of purchasing enough Chromebooks to go fully one-to-one for every student in grades 5-8. In the event of a full or partial closure, those students will be able to take their Chromebooks home to use for learning. If you would like to help us fund the one-to-one Chromebook initiative, visit our COVID-19 Relief Fund page.

What if state or local health officials mandate a full closure of school buildings?

If a full closure happens again we will be ready to implement a hybrid learning model for all students in grades K-8. The preschool will continue to operate in the event of a K-8 closure, and the school is making preparations to provide childcare for essential workers.

If there is a full closure, will the hybrid learning model be different than it was in the spring?

Yes. The spring closure was an emergency response, and while we received much positive feedback, we know that it was only a temporary solution to a short-term situation. Hybrid learning this fall, if needed, will include more live and video instruction from SJV teachers, an easier sign-on process, more assessment feedback, and higher expectations for student participation and engagement.

Will the school year have to be extended if a stay-at-home order is in place?

No. As long as students are actively participating in the school’s hybrid learning environment, they are fulfilling attendance requirements. Whether students are engaged in face-to-face instruction or a hybrid learning model, school attendance policies are still in effect: “It is expected that each student will attend school at scheduled times, except for illness or family emergency.”

What other sanitizing measures will be in place?

The school has implemented increased sanitizing of the building both during the day and after school. Staff will wipe down desks, door handles, light switches, and other “high-touch” surfaces regularly throughout the school day. Hand sanitizing stations will be set up in each classroom and throughout the school.

What can we do to prepare for the new school year?

First, speak positively about the situation, regardless of how frustrating it may be. Children can pick up parents’ frustrations and take them on even if they don’t understand the source. The more calm and positive you are, the less stressful it will be for the children when they return to school. Look for the grace in the moment and share it with your family.

Second, follow state guidelines for preventing the transmission of the virus. Wear masks in public and limit the size of gatherings. Our children and our community cannot flourish if the virus does. Have your children practice wearing a mask so that when they come to school they are not distracted by the novelty of having to wear one.

Finally, if you are able, donate to the SJV COVID-19 Relief Fund. The school is experiencing a dramatic increase in expenses in order to create a safe and effective learning environment for the children. SJV is purchasing masks, face shields, contactless thermometers, hand sanitizer, Chromebooks, and subscriptions to various online learning resources. Your gift can help defray some of those costs.