PRESIDENT’S LETTER DR. DAN RYAN
Dear Friends, I hope you are enjoying your summer and are staying healthy and safe. I would like to thank you for your ongoing partnership which has made a tremendous difference as we continue to navigate these trying times. The end of the school year came in a manner we could have never predicted but we were able to quickly pivot and finish the school year remotely. This would not have been possible without the support of our parents and the hard work and perseverance demonstrated by our students, teachers and staff. Looking ahead, I want to share with you our commitment for the upcoming school year and provide an update on the preparation taking place. After conducting an internal analysis and gathering feedback from our teachers, students and parents, we have created a plan to help guide us forward. This plan will operate under a continuum taking into account the various scenarios related to COVID-19. The first phase is our traditional setting with new protocols; second is a hybrid model combining in-person instruction with online learning capabilities; and the third is 100% virtual instruction. Our intention is to return to campus in August, however where we start on the continuum will ultimately depend on what is determined to be the safest learning environment at that time. The health and safety of our students and those in our community is at the forefront of every decision and we will modify the plan as necessary. Significant technology upgrades have taken place over the summer which will provide students with a seamless learning experience in the classroom or virtually. Each student will also receive a Chromebook laptop to use through graduation. This was made possible in part by the tremendous community support we received when it became necessary to transition our largest fundraising event to a virtual format. Thanks to the success of the “Bash Online” in April, we were able to purchase a number of new Chromebooks, allowing us to provide this much-needed equipment to all of our students. You will also read in the pages ahead about the accomplishments of the Class of 2020 and their graduation ceremony which took place in late June. We are incredibly grateful for our partners at Principal Park who made it possible for us to provide these graduates with this welldeserved celebration. In this issue we also recognize the recipients of our year-end student, faculty and staff awards which are traditionally celebrated at the Scholastic Achievement Assembly in April. Instead, we celebrated their accomplishments virtually via social media and have also highlighted them in this issue. One final highlight I will share is the five-year anniversary of the Coppola Family St. Joseph Chapel which was blessed and dedicated on May 9, 2015, by the Most Reverend Bishop Richard Pates. We hope to celebrate this milestone and those who made it possible in person in the future, but in the meantime have included a story highlighting the many ways the chapel has become the heart and home of Dowling Catholic High School. During these uncertain times I am reminded of how blessed my family and I are to be part of the Dowling Catholic community. Your prayers and support for our students, teachers and staff have been greatly appreciated and provide comfort as we plan for the months ahead. I will continue to keep you in my prayers. May God bless you all. Yours in Christ,
Dr. Dan Ryan
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D O WLIN G CATH OLIC H IGH SC HOOL