Diocese of Brooklyn Announces Catholic Academies and Parish Schools

Will close until at least April 20, 2020

 

Superintendent of Schools Thomas Chadzutko, Ed. D., has announced today all elementary Catholic Academies and Parish Schools in Brooklyn and Queens will remain closed until April 20, 2020. This follows last week’s announcement that the schools would be closed this week, March 16-March 20, 2020, out of an abundance of caution. The decision mirrors the New York City public schools announcement made last night. 

 

“The decision to close is based on the interdependency of services between public schools and Catholic schools,” said Dr. Chadzutko.

 

Many families that attend Diocesan schools depend on the New York City services such as bus transportation, meals, nurses, and crossing and security guards.

 

“If there was a safe way for us to open sooner, we would, but we cannot function without those essential services,” said Joan McMaster, Associate Superintendent for Principal and Teacher Personnel.

 

The latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control is to restrict gatherings of 50 or more people. Clearly, the school environment would be in violation.

 

The contingency pandemic plan, which is part of the Office of the Superintendent school crisis management plan, includes digital, distance and alternative instruction for students so that their education is not disrupted. A complete transition to that model of instruction will take place this week.

 

The Office of the Superintendent is in daily communication with city and state officials and is part of the Coronavirus Education Task Force of the NYC Department of Education. During this time, there is a constant reassessment of the situation and the necessary response in an effort to keep our school community safe.

March 16, 2020

Dear Parents,

 I hope you and your families are safe. It is a very strange time right now. I have never seen anything like this, and I hope that it goes by quickly. I am trying to keep up with all the information and pass it along as soon as I get it. At this time, the Superintendent’s Office of the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens is meeting to decide the length of time that schools/academies of the diocese will be closed. I will send you the information as soon as I receive it.

            We have been asked to begin distance learning for the students of St. Joan of Arc. We will be taking a two-pronged approach to achieve this. First, we will be posting all assignments/homework on the school’s website.

                                                            sjaschool.org

The assignments will be posted under the Class Pages tab on the right side of the webpage. Click on your teacher’s name and the assignments will be posted daily. Secondly, we will also be taking daily attendance. This is  for accountability purposes to the federal, state and city governments. To accomplish this, teachers will be using Class Dojo and Google Classrooms. The teachers and I are having a professional day, today, to set these things up. Grades PreK-3 to 2 will be using Class Dojo. Grades 3 to 8 will be using Google Classroom. Using these two applications teachers will be able to take attendance, communicate with students, and answer questions regarding the assignments. Parents in PreK-3 to 2 will be receiving invitations to their parent emails to sign up for Class Dojo. For Grades 3 to 8, students already have username and passwords. They use these each week during Technology Class. The username is their first name and last name (as one word) @sjaschoolny.net

If students are having difficulty logging you can email our Technology teacher, Mrs. Lauterbach at jlauterbach@sjaschoolny.net. She is our Technology teacher and will help with any technical issues.

Students should log in and answer the attendance assignment each day between 9AM and 11AM. Teachers will be online at this time to answer any questions the students may have regarding any assignments. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT STUDENTS SIGN IN AND COMPLETE THE ATTENDANCE ASSIGNMENTS DURING THIS TIME. The school will have to report attendance numbers during this time. For Grades 3 to 8 to sign in they will need to add classes via class codes. I will post class codes in the teacher pages later today. Students have been taught how to do this as well. Again, if there is any difficulty please email our Technology teacher, Mrs. Lauterbach.

            I will try to post any information I receive, quickly, through OptionC and our school website. My email is Raffaele@sjaschool.org. Please email me if you need anything. This is very new for all of us and I hope that it goes by quickly. I ask for your prayers and your patience. The students, teachers, staff and families have been in my prayers since I was hired to be principal at SJA. This is something we could have not foreseen and no amount of “principal/teacher/parent books” could have prepared us for this. I do know that we are a strong community and we love each other. So together we can get through this. I do hope to see you soon and tell the students I miss them already.

Yours in Christ,

Mr. Raffaele Corso

March 13, 2020

 

Dear St. Joan of Arc Families,

 

            We have just received word from the Office of the Superintendent of the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens that all diocesan academies and schools will be closed from Monday, March 16, 2020 to Friday, March 20, 2020. As of now classes will resume on Monday March 23, 2020. Any announcement of further closures will be shared with you as soon as we receive them.

           

To continue to educate the children we have set up class pages on the SJA website. Go to https://sjaschool.org/ on the right side of the page there are four yellow boxes, click Class Pages, then find your child’s teachers’ name and click the name. You will be taken to the class page where you will find daily assignments from the teachers. The students are responsible to complete the work that will be collected upon our return. The assignments will be review material of the lessons from the last few weeks.

           

To ensure proper cleaning of the school I have spoken to our cleaning company and they will be using CDC approved products and procedures to clean the school building.

 

            I thank you for your patience and understanding in this matter. Any more information I receive I will send out immediately. I hope that you and your families stay safe.

 

Yours in Christ,

 

Raffaele Corso

Mr. Raffaele Corso, Principal

 

                                                        

Marzo 13, 2020

Querida familias de St. Joan of Arc School,

 

 

     Nosotros recibimos informacion de la Oficina del Superintendente de la Dioceses de Brooklyn y de Queens que todas las academias y escuelas van a cerrar apartir del Lunes, Marzo 16, 2020 hasta el Viernes Marzo 20, 2020. Por el momento las clases retomaran el Lunes Marzo 23, 2020. Algun anuncio sobre el cierre sera compartido con todas las familias apenas llegue a nuestra oficina.

 

 

    Para continuar con la educacion de los estudiantes hicimos una pagina para cada clase in nuestra pagina web principal SJA website. Vayan a https://sjaschool.org/ en el lado derecho estan cuatro cajas en Amarillo, haga click Class Pages, despues buscar el nombre de la maestra de su hija/hijo. Sera llevado a la pagina de la clase donde encontrara las asignaciones de los maestros. Los estudiantes son encargados de completer el trabajo y sera colectado al regreso a clases.Las asignaciones seran repasadas al retomar las clases.

 

     Para asegurar la limpieza apropiada de la escuela me comunique con la compañia de limpieza personalmente y van a usar quimicos CDC aprobados para una adecuada desinfeccion.

 

     Les agradesco su paciensia y entendimiento in esta situation tan importante. Si en algun momento recivo mas informacion se las comunicare de inmediato. Espero que usted y su familia se mantengan a salvo.

 

 

 

 

 

Estas en Cristo,

Raffaele Corso

 

Sr. Raffaele Corso, Principal