Dear Royals Family,
Update on Campus Reopening:
We all know that the richest possible Catholic high school experience occurs in-person. When it is safe to do so, our entire staff is eager to resume our in-person ministry. However, the safety of our students and our staff remains the driving force behind that decision.
Since mid-August the number of active Covid19 cases in San Luis Obispo County has been trending in an increasingly safer direction, but the trend remains highly ‘irregular’ (it goes down for 3 days and then back up for 7 days, then goes back down for two weeks and back up for 10 days; maddening, I know, trust me).
We are aware that as of yesterday San Luis Obispo County entered the second week of Tier 2 (Red, “Substantial”) in the State’s Blueprint for Reopening. While we recognize and rejoice in this development, it must be noted that it was the case rates from 9/13-19 (about two weeks ago, when our county was still under the most strict level of business and community shutdown) that were used to determine our status of Tier 2 yesterday. This is because the State always allows some time to pass before they certify county data.
We are hopeful, but prudence demands several more weeks of patience to determine the clearest possible picture. We need to make sure how both our increased access to public spaces (now that we are in Tier 2) and the return of Cal Poly students, are affecting the gains our community made from Aug. 15 to September 19. These next three weeks, September 28-October 16, will be very important in accurately determining the overall health of our community and we are watching them closely.
Decision Date
That being said, we will not be drawing out the decision of reopening any longer than necessary. The approximate mid-way point of the first semester is Friday, October 16. This will be the date by which MCP will make and communicate its determination on reopening the campus in November (which, if so determined, would mean students could be on campus for a full marking period).
It must be clarified, that reopening will still not mean returning to what we used to call ‘normal school’. Even when a school reopens, State and County Health orders require that masks must be worn on campus, all day by both students and adults. All students and adults must also stay socially distanced from one another at all times while on campus, and both of these expectations (as well as other changes to campus life) will be in place until further notice (the state currently has no provision for relaxing these expectations, even in the highest Tier, which is level 4).
We enjoy the immense benefits of being a small school that can react nimbly to emerging needs. Given the unpredictable nature of this extraordinary situation, a cautious approach, while frustrating at times, is simply the most prudent choice. As eager as we are, this is, appropriately, a question of safety.
Parent Feedback
Thank you parents for the feedback we received in our first survey. In further reviewing the parent comments, it is clear that the majority of parent concerns at this time surround the amount of ‘screen time’ that distance learning demands. We, too, are weary of that balance and in preparation for the year it contributed to the creation of several professional development days that have been calendared throughout this semester (of which the last two Fridays are just two examples). These days allow faculty and staff to further develop their lessons and skills in delivering this exceptional education, and they also allow for some degree of recalibration and balance for both students and staff. As the semester progresses we will be mindful of any additional ways to address those concerns while still maintaining our appropriate academic standard. Thank you again and please be on the lookout for another parent survey coming out next week.
I was also abundantly pleased by the parent attendance at our Virtual Back To School Night this past Wednesday. I hope you all were as impressed by these teachers as I am. It is an absolutely exceptional group of professional Catholic high school educators.
In the coming weeks I ask that we all continue to do our part in mitigating the spread of the virus in our community and please continue to pray for the sustained physical, mental, and spiritual health of our teachers, staff, coaches, students, and their families. This crisis will profoundly change all of us in ways that will be both beautiful and in accordance with God’s unknowable plans for our community, but bearing the burden of that change is never easy. Please continue to work in partnership with teachers, giving grace in abundance as we, too, will to do likewise. There will be an after to this crisis, and WeWill arrive there as a community.
Yours in Christ,
Mike Susank
Principal