Please note that this is a living document which will be revised according to guidelines issued by the CDC, the State of Florida, the Florida Department of Education, other health agencies and after consultation with the Office of Catholic Schools and Centers of the Diocese of St. Petersburg.
OUR PLAN
- LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL
- BACK TO SCHOOL: THE FIRST DAYS
- SCHOOL ATTENDANCE CHOICES
- TUITION
- GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ALL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
- MASKS/GAITERS
- COHORTS
- PREK - EIGHTH GRADE DAILY PROCEDURES
- EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
- SPORTS
- POSITIVE COVID-19 CASE IN THE SCHOOL
- WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL
LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL
July 17, 2020
Dear Espiritu Families,
I am deeply grateful to my faculty & staff, our Back to School Advisory Group, the OCSC and Fr. Len who have all worked diligently to develop a plan to bring our ESCS students back to school for the 2020/2021 school year. Our guiding principles are safety for all students and staff, providing a top-quality, faith- filled education, respect for and commitment to the common good and living out our school mission in all that we do.
The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted our lives and given us pause as to how we will go forward. It cannot, however, stop us from living our lives and providing for our children and families. We know that having children return to school is the best way to provide the education they need and deserve. Their young minds are thirsty for knowledge and curious about the world around them. They are naturally social and need to be with friends. They need the school environment to move through the stages of academic, social and emotional development.
At the same time, the course of the pandemic is unpredictable, and we must take precautions to protect all who are involved in the education of our children. For this reason, we have developed a plan that is cautious and will require a full commitment from our entire school community. School will look and feel different. There will be limitations on how we move about the school and who we allow into the school building. Some of our programs will be temporarily suspended. However, we are committed to carrying out our ESCS traditions and rituals that are so much a part of what makes us ESCS!
When we look back on this moment in time, we want to be able to say that we did all we could to provide a safe learning environment for our students, faculty and staff. We want to be able to say we helped each other make it through and that we were kind and compassionate along the way. We want to say we kept our faith in God and in each other and that we are better for it.
I encourage you to read through this entire document for a complete understanding of our framework for returning to school. There are a great many more details we will provide for varying circumstances, but I hope this gives you hope and confidence for the return to school in August.
As always, I thank you for your commitment to ESCS and to Catholic education.
Peace & love,
Mrs. Veronica Slain
Principal
BACK TO SCHOOL: THE FIRST DAYS
The current plan is to begin school on August 24, 2020.
August 24: Monday
Full day of school for students whose last names begin with the letters A - M only for both in-school and remote learners
August 25: Tuesday
Full day of school for students whose last names begin with the letters N - Z only for both in-school and remote learners
This will allow us to transition our students back to school in smaller groups.
August 26: Wednesday
All students will report to school
SCHOOL ATTENDANCE CHOICES
School Attendance
ESCS and the Catholic schools of the Diocese of St Petersburg will operate with the goal of having students physically present for face-to-face learning for the 2020/2021 school year (Option 1). Children should attend school unless prohibited by local public health mandates or because of unique medical or familial needs. Children who are not physically present will be required to document the reason for not attending school and comply with the school’s alternative educational plan.
We understand that some families would like to begin the school year with their children learning from home. We will do our best to provide a better remote learning experience for the first six weeks of school to allow these families this opportunity.
Families choosing to begin the school year in remote learning (Option 2) for the first six weeks of school must apply by July 27, 2020 . All other enrolled students will be considered traditional, in-school students. There will be no exceptions to the July 27th deadline.
Option 1
Students report to school daily throughout the school year. Adjustments will be made by the school if it is necessary to quarantine a group of students or temporarily transition to remote learning based on the level of viral transmission in the school or local community and after consulting with public health authorities and Office of Catholic Schools of the Diocese of St. Petersburg.
Option 2
Students participate in synchronous remote learning based on the school schedule August 24 – October 2. Students will follow the schedule, pace and rigor of in-school learning. Students choosing this option make a six-week commitment to this option after which they will return to option 1, traditional in-school instruction. A student/parent agreement must be signed.
TUITION
Tuition will be the same whether a student attends classes in-school or opts for the alternative educational plan, temporary school-based remote learning. Should face-to-face learning be suspended due to a COVID-19 local outbreak requiring the school to revert to remote learning, tuition will not be discounted or refunded.
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ALL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
At Home
- Complete and submit the Diocesan back to school waiver - required for all students
- Complete and submit daily health survey
- Teach children proper hygiene including hand washing, sanitizing, proper mask / gaiter protocol, not sharing supplies
- Reassure children that school is a safe place
- Teach children to follow the new procedures in place at school
- Report family exposure to individuals who have tested positive for Covid-19 immediately
- Be prepared to quarantine children for 2 weeks upon exposure
- Be prepared to have children complete schoolwork at home during quarantine
- Keep children home if they have a temperature of 100 degrees or higher or are showing any signs of illness
In The Classroom
- Students are expected to use hand sanitizer before entering the classroom. Dispensers have been installed outside each classroom
- Each student will be assigned a desk that is appropriately spaced and should not be moved
- Each student is expected to have his/her own school supplies and should not share with other students
- Students are expected to keep their supplies and belongings neatly organized and separate from other students’ belongings
- Students are expected to have their own water bottle with his/her name clearly visible
Arrival At School
- Students are required to wear their gaiter as they exit the car
- Student temperatures will be taken as they exit the car
- Students are expected to respect physical distancing guidelines in place
- Students are expected to honor the hallway travel patterns in place
- Students are expected to take an active role in keeping their classroom clean each day
In The Hallways
- Students are expected to walk in a single line on the appropriate side of the hallway and follow the directional arrows
- Students should refrain from touching walls or any other objects along the hallway
- It is required that students wear their gaiters in the hallways
MASKS/GAITERS
Masks (Neck Gaiters)
ESCS has purchased 2 neck gaiters for each student with additional gaiters available at a nominal cost. Neck gaiters provide an effective mouth and nose covering for students when physical distancing is not possible. They must be worn on the neck all day so that they are readily available. This also eliminates the possibility of a student removing a mask, setting it on a desk, and then another student picking it up by mistake.
- Students are required to wear their neck gaiters inside the school building when physical distancing is not possible.
Masks/Gaiters Options
- School-issued neck gaiter – preferred.
- Neck gaiter purchased through local business, Noka Posh in maroon only. Click here to purchase.
- Plain, solid- color mask provided by family worn with a face mask lanyard so that the mask remains with the student at all times.
Please have your children practice wearing face coverings at home so that they are used to wearing them once we return to school.
COHORTS
Cohorts
ESCS will begin the school year in the Cohort Model where students will stay with the same group of classmates throughout the school day. This helps minimize the spread of illness to the greater school community. Essential and subject area teachers will go to the classroom where the cohort is located. As restrictions ease, we will return to our traditional methods.
PREK - EIGHTH GRADE DAILY PROCEDURES
PreK3, PreK4 and Kindergarten
Students are to wear a mask or neck gaiter inside the school building when physical distancing is not possible.
- Students must pack their lunch for the first two weeks of school
- Students will remain with their class throughout the day
- Essential teachers will come to the classroom
- Frequent hand washing and sanitizing will take place
- Students will be outside often
First Through Fifth Grade
Students are to wear a mask or neck gaiter inside the school building when physical distancing is not possible.
- Students should pack their lunch for the first two weeks of school.
- Students will eat lunch in their classroom for the first two weeks of school
- Students will remain in their classroom throughout the day and subject and essentials teachers will come to the classroom
- Individual desks will be place 3 - 6 feet apart, staggered and facing front.
- Frequent hand washing and sanitizing will take place.
- Students will be outside often.
Sixth Through Eighth Grade
Students are to wear a mask or neck gaiter inside the school building when physical distancing is not possible.
- Students will remain in their classroom cohort throughout the day and subject area and essentials teachers will come to the classroom
- Individual desks will be placed 3 - 6 feet apart, staggered and facing front
- Most of the students' school supplies and materials will be kept in the classroom; lockers will be used minimally to start
- Students should pack their lunch for the first two weeks of school and will eat in their classroom
- Students will be outside often
Once it is appropriate, middle school students will begin to change groupings and eventually move to the subject area classroom.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
SPORTS
All sports are suspended at this time.
Under normal circumstances, if students are not physically present for face-to-face learning, they will not be eligible to participate in on-campus extracurricular activities, such as athletics, most clubs, concerts, and other events. However, permission for participation in certain extracurricular activities may be granted under certain circumstances on a case-by-case basis at the sole discretion of the school’s administration.
POSITIVE COVID-19 CASE IN THE SCHOOL
WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL
Illness guidelines have been changed to reflect COVID-19 and to provide safety to both our students and staff. We will continue to monitor CDC and Florida Department of Health (DOH) guidelines, understanding this is still a fluid situation with many moving parts. Any changes to this policy during the school year will be communicated by administration.
Your student(s) should remain home if they exhibit any of the following symptoms:
- Fever 100 or above without the use of fever reducing medication such as Advil or Tylenol
- Chills
- Cough
- Sore Throat
- Difficulty Breathing/Shortness of Breath
- Headache
- Vomiting/Diarrhea
- Muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Unexplained rash
- Loss of taste or smell
If a student exhibits any of the above symptoms during the school day, they will be assessed by the school nurse and parents will be contacted. It is imperative that contact information and phone numbers are kept updated. If it is determined that a student needs to go home, we ask that they be picked up within 30 minutes of the initial call. Every attempt will be made to contact parents first; however, we will reach out to emergency contacts if needed.
