Catholic schools welcome students back in different ways

By Mary P. Walker | Senior Correspondent

The COVID-19 pandemic upended education last spring. Summer was a time to adapt, and now, this fall, educators look forward to being with their students again, whether in person or online.
“We are excited to return to campus,” said Misty Poe, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Austin. “We are excited to greet the students, and we are also moving cautiously to ensure the safety of our students, faculty, staff and families.”
All school personnel have received their own education about the virus, safety and cleaning protocols. Throughout the summer, principals met weekly online, discussing ways to get the school year off to a good and safe start. They created detailed plans with many contingencies. Due to the importance of community in Catholic schools, the focus was on an in-person return to the classroom, yet each plan was created with enough flexibility for when it is not advisable for all students and teachers to do so.
With 20 Catholic schools in seven counties, and each geographic area experiencing different COVID-19 infection rates, no single way of “returning to school” can be applied across the diocese, Poe said.
However, diocesan Catholic schools have advantages over those in the public sector. Catholic school communities tend to be smaller, with good communication between schools and families. Educators report that families have been appreciative and supportive during this uncertain time. Also, Catholic schools are usually associated with parishes and have access to shared space that can be temporarily used for classes.
Poe explained that each Catholic school is offering an in-person and remote option to meet the needs of students and families. Because the COVID-19 situation in a particular community can change quickly, each school is prepared to adapt and either bring more students onto campus or, if necessary, transition to a completely online format.
St. Austin Catholic School in downtown Austin has more than 200 students in pre-K through eighth grade. Tara Cevallos, principal, expects about two-thirds of students to attend in person by the end of the first nine weeks. Presently, the plan is an in-school option for the younger children, with second- through eighth-graders taught virtually for the first three weeks.
Adapting the facilities, cleaning procedures and school routines has been a challenge, she said. To allow for better spacing of students, the lunchroom, library and other locations within the parish have been converted into classrooms. Each classroom is equipped with cameras so teachers can teach students in person and online at the same time.
Every day the temperatures of students and staff will be taken, and families will use an app to report COVID-19 symptoms. Another app using global positioning system (GPS) will alert the school when a child’s ride home is nearby. This allows students to go directly to their vehicles without congregating in groups. These changes required hiring two additional staff members, Cevallos said.
Jim Rike, principal of St. Joseph Catholic School in Bryan, has frequent contact with local health authorities. He said guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Texas Education Agency, the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops and the diocese were used to create a prudent and reasonable plan. For now, parents will decide week by week whether their children will attend school in person or learn online.
St. Joseph’s classrooms are prepared for full enrollment, with barriers in the elementary classrooms where students cannot be spaced six feet apart. In the high school, students will wear masks as they move from room to room on a staggered schedule to eliminate congestion. They will use hand sanitizer upon entering and leaving classrooms and clean their desks at the end of class. Teachers are encouraged to keep windows open and teach outdoors. To allow students to spread out, lunch will be in different locations: the cafeteria, outside courtyard and classrooms.
Holy Family Catholic School in north Austin serves students in grades pre-K through eighth grade. Since seven parishes support this regional school, principal Kelly Laster has to stay aware of what health authorities are recommending in the different communities.
In the beginning of the school year, about one-third of students are expected to return to school, with 10 to 12 in a classroom to allow for social distancing. Desks have shields, and second through eighth graders will wear masks when away from their desks. Younger students will wear hats with face shields. Other children will be taught online, with plans to safely bring more students into the classroom based on the local situation.
Holy Family, as well as all the other schools, implemented special procedures to minimize contact among adults, who appear to be more at risk for suffering severe consequences of the disease.
“Our teachers and parents are so supportive of each other,” Laster said. “I feel grateful.”
To help promote a positive attitude during this time of stress, the school established the “Joy Committee” to keep the joy of Jesus in the lives of children and families. A decorating contest for desk shields is one way to positively engage students.
“Catholic schools have a unique ability to infuse joy into an uncertain situation,” Laster said. “This is a priority.”
Poe appreciates the ingenuity, flexibility, determination and dedication of the faculties and staffs at Catholic schools across the diocese.
“We are living by faith, not by fear,” she said.