Catholic Schools

Faith-Filled Education Fostering Uniqueness Preparing Leaders Catholic Schools Response to COVID-19

The 2019-2020 school year ended in a way that none of response team. The final product was approved by us could ever imagine. The students expecting to return Archbishop Wester and posted on the ASF Catholic School to school following spring break were suddenly facing website. a different way of learning. The principals and teachers The Re-Opening Mandates will be used by each school jumped into action in order to provide quality education for to develop protocols specific to each site. Each school the remainder of the year. The new normal became Zoom was provided with a document titled “Leading with Hope” classrooms, Google classrooms, Seesaw, packets and a developed by the Andrew M. Greeley Center for Catholic myriad of other resources. I applaud the principals and Education-School of Education, Loyola University of teachers for their extra efforts in embracing this different Chicago that provides Catholic schools with a template way of teaching and learning. The schools did not just for planning re-opening at the local school level. This focus on academics during this time, they made sure that document assists the schools in the areas of: community was a part of this experience. The school • Logistics and Planning Masses were streamed, morning announcements were • Creating and Maintaining Community held, virtual and drive by art shows showcased student • Curriculum and Instruction work and a wide variety of spirit weeks engaged the • Promoting Catholic Identity students in community life. Now we are preparing to begin • Technology Support a new school year. At the local level teams met to address the areas above

In early May we convened a task force to look at how as they relate to their schools. We realize that our school we will plan for the opening of the 2020-21 school year. policies must be flexible and nimble in responding to new The task force was comprised of representatives from information and our strategies can be revised and adapted the following communities - principals, teachers, nurses depending on the level of viral transmission in the school and parents. The task force reviewed guidance from the and community. The health and safety of our children are Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American utmost on our minds. We pray for better treatment of this Academy of Pediatrics, and the New Mexico Department virus and a possible vaccine in order to return to some of Public Education as a basis for developing Archdiocesan sense of normalcy. wide mandates for the schools. These mandates were Susan Murphy, Superintendent, Archdiocese of Santa Fe reviewed by the principals and the Archbishop’s rapid Catholic Schools

A C S S T U D E N T S F I E L D T R I P

Leticia M . Gomez, Vice Principal Annu nciation Cathol ic School

Annunciation Catholic School (ACS) provided a fun summer session for incoming second through fifth graders this past July. The week-long session was a joint partnership between ACS and Level Up Village utilizing a webinar-based curriculum to teach children how to become better global citizens. The students interacted with citizens from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Ghana. They learned about the culture, art, food and animals of each country. Students also enjoyed engaging Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) experiments, which were led by the host person from each country.

ACS upheld a 5:1 student-teacher ratio and followed social distancing standards in a caring and fun environment. Students participated in culturally-relevant activities and also received lessons from ACS enrichment teachers in Art, Catholic Identity, and Social-Emotional Learning. Feedback from parents, students, and teachers alike was that the summer session was a wonderful learning experience and everyone was so excited to be back on the ACS campus.