Dear parents and students of St. Michael,
Coming off Christmas and New Year's celebrations, you will recall, the Archdiocese published protocols that required all students to wear masks in our schools, but promised it would review this decision on January 21. It has done so. Beginning Monday, January 24, face masks are no longer required for students, but strongly recommended. It’s the parent’s call.
We ask that you consider masking, as it has helped limit, we think, the number of teachers and staff who have needed to go on the protocols. Though we’ve had over 100 students on and off protocols over our first three weeks of the semester, we’ve only had three classroom teachers impacted. It will be the availability of teachers, ultimately, that will determine our ability to continue to offer face to face instruction until the virus has run its course. It's possible that if the teacher numbers go up, we may need to re-evaluate, but come Monday, masking is a parent’s decision, and we will respect that decision.
We ask that you continue to keep sick children, or children with developing symptoms, at home. If your child needs to stay at home for Covid related reasons, please email me and let me know. The current CDC protocols are 5 days of quarantine from the date symptoms develop, and a return to school on the sixth day if fever free and symptoms are improving. Students on protocols, confirmed via our email exchange, will continue to have access to live classrooms. If that time needs to be extended— if, for example, symptoms are still present after 5 days—I ask that you email me for an update and new authorization for live classes. I am including a one page handout from the ADPH which gives guidance on the quarantine protocols.
Going forward, we will not ask students for their vaccination status, and for that reason, can no longer conduct close contact tracing. We recommend the vaccine as the best protection for your child, but again, this is, and will always be, a parent decision.
Taking a big picture view, we’ve been battling through this virus together for a long time. Only our seniors remember a year of high school WITHOUT Covid. It’s been difficult! I have been edified, however, by the extraordinary cooperation of parents, teachers and students. Most of the protocols we’ve been asked to follow have been for others, especially the most vulnerable, and not ourselves—a kind of sacred trust between us. I ask that we evaluate this new guidance, and whatever future guidance we may receive, in this same light.
Please continue to brief Marguerite for all routine, non-Covid related absences. Email me for the Covid stuff. If you have any questions or concerns about these new procedures, don’t hesitate to email me!
Thank you,
Faustin Weber
Principal
[email protected]