NEW YORK, NY — As New York State plans for the upcoming academic year, the Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York are preparing for schools to be fully open and in-person for the fall with no remote or hybrid learning. Today, the Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York has released Catholic Schools Are Open: We Continue to Soar!, a guide which lays out the Archdiocese’s plan to ensure the maximum health, safety, and care for children and staff in September.
The updated manual, distributed today to parents, principals, school staff and faculty, is based on an international and national review of standards and guidelines, and was created by the Catholic Schools Reopening Advisory Council, in coordination with the Health and Safety Task Force of the Office of the Superintendent of Schools. The manual outlines how schools will operate in the fall including face covering guidelines, social distancing, facility requirements, daily protocols and procedures, sanitizing and disinfecting measures being taken, and resources for families.
Students will be grouped into consistent pods each day, which reduces the number of students potentially exposed to someone infected with COVID-19. These groups of students will remain together throughout the day in the same classroom or other designated areas of the building as much as possible, and teachers will change locations instead of students. Students will eat breakfast in the classroom, and all special subjects (art, music, physical education, language, computers, etc.) will be taught in the classroom.
The Archdiocese of New York has also updated its video for school staff and families to watch so they may see first-hand how schools will be operating in the fall. This video can be found https://youtu.be/1CoABrSWqow
Some of the protocols that will be in place include socially distant classrooms with hand sanitizer stations, mandatory temperature checks, daily questionnaire for parents and masks for anyone who will enter the building. As the Center for Disease Control and New York State publishes additional regulations, recommendations, and guidance, the schools will adapt their plans to ensure compliance with federal, state and local officials.
As always, Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York remain committed to providing a first-rate education as this year they will collaborate with global brands such as the Discovery Channel and Google to enhance their stellar programs in science, technology, robotics, engineering, math and the arts.
“We are excited for all of our schools to be open five days a week, for in-person instruction for all students ensuring social distancing can safely be maintained in our buildings under the direct supervision of a teacher,” shared Michael J. Deegan, superintendent of schools of the Archdiocese of New York. “Our number one focus continues to be offering an excellent academic program in a safe and nurturing environment. I’m grateful to the Catholic Schools Re-Opening Advisory Council for their work in updating the manual and to the principals and teachers who will implement it so we may maintain the same bubble of protection for our students and staff that we created over 18 months ago.”
For school updates and to watch videos about our new learning environments for our students and faculty, please visit here.
About the Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of New York:
Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of New York serve nearly 55,000 students from Pre-K through 12th grade across 172 schools in ten counties and boroughs throughout New York, including Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster, Sullivan, Orange and Dutchess. Catholic schools offer a unique combination of academic and spiritual development that empowers children of all backgrounds to gain the confidence to realize their fullest potential. To learn more about the Archdiocese of New York’s Catholic schools, visit here.