Reopening - Fall 2020

Each grade will be split into two smaller cohorts entitled "Green" and "Gold". Student lanyards with school IDs will correspond in color with the team upon which they are placed.

Students will automatically be placed (seated) six feet apart and/or at whatever space is needed to accomplish social distancing. The maximum number of students who can populate a classroom while maintaining social distancing measures at a six foot minimum is 13. With this in mind, classes will be split in 40 minute halves between face-to-face classroom time with teachers and an accompanying period of digital learning driven by Canvas in their Digital Learning Cohort (DLC) areas.

Digital Learning Cohorts (DLC) will be proctored by a teacher to guide students’ corresponding asynchronous classroom work. Students from each cohort will have designated seats that will be only theirs each day. No phones are allowed.

Green and Gold cohorts will alternate who attends Face-to-Face and DLC sessions first every other cycle on Day 1.

There are exceptions to the rule of splitting every class out to a DLC. Those are as follows:

• Classes with five or less students
• Chorus and band which will take place on the auditorium stage to give additional area for spacing
• Possible lab days in science classes which would alternate days rather than utilizing a split period

The following are the four DLC locations:

• Freshmen: The Alix Family Gallery
• Sophomores: The Brother James Kane, C.S.C. Library/Media Center
• Juniors: The Lecture Hall
• Seniors: The Cafeteria

As technology usage increases, we will place great emphasis on ensuring the originality of our students’ work.

• TurnItIn is a software that is embedded in Canvas that allows students to monitor their own work for instances of potential plagiarism which will most often manifest in missing citations, etc.
• With student leaders, we will craft a school honor code that will accompany the submission of all student work as we reinforce the values of  honor, integrity, and respect through academic endeavors.

Classes meet Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Each grade will have a singular point of egress for both arrival to and departure from school. This entrance will correspond with the location of their DLC as closely and safely as possible.

There is no late arrival for students with study halls. They must report directly to their DLC or their first period class. If a student is late, he or she will be met by staff in the Main Lobby  for health protocols. Timely arrival is crucial now more than ever.

Early dismissal for 11th and 12th graders that have fourth block study hall  with written permission from their parents or guardian is permitted. If a student has an after-school extracurricular obligation, early dismissal is not permitted.

After-school study hall that is typically supervised in the library will take place in the cafeteria.

If your student is going to be late or absent, the parent/guardian must call the Main Office by 7:20am.

All students must enter using the front doors of the building.

A COVID-19 test is not required, but parents/guardians are asked to complete and return the health agreement form to the school by August 28, 2020.

The school also asks that parents check to see how their students are doing each morning? Do they have a fever? Are they experiencing symptoms? If so, we ask that they stay home.

Yes, face masks/coverings must be worn at all times during the school day and must cover both the mouth and nose.  All students will be given an official Holy Cross High School face mask. Additional Holy Cross High School face masks are available for purchase online through the school store. 

Any face mask deemed inappropriate by the Administration will not be allowed and the student will be provided another mask to wear for the day.  Holy Cross will follow the guidance provided by the CDC for wearing masks and assessing the effectiveness of masks. Masks are effective in a number of respects, including their ability to prevent the spread of bacteria from the mouth or nose into the air.  In that respect, face masks with perforations or valves are not allowed as they are less effective in stopping respiratory particles.   

Restrooms
Each grade will have a pair of restrooms dedicated to their usage alone to minimize contact.  Restrooms will correspond with the location of their DLC as closely and safely as possible. Students will be strongly encouraged to use the restrooms only during their DLC time. Only one male and one female student at a time will leave each room for the restrooms.

Lunch
Lunches will be in the students’ DLCs. This will ensure peer socialization in a safe and appropriate space. In every DLC, there will be a dedicated yet inclusive space for students with allergies to eat safely. Lunches will continue to be available through our Chartwells service, but lunch choices will be pre-selected and delivered safely directly from the kitchen to each DLC.

We will not be using hallway lockers as most students use their backpacks.

Regarding Athletics, Holy Cross High School follows CIAC guidelines. We are currently waiting to hear CIAC's plans for the fall season. We will post updates once we receive.

Regarding other extra-curricular activities, we will look at what this would look like in our interior spaces such as our band room, our gymnasium and our auditorium. We are looking at what performances and practices would look like.

Hand sanitizers and wipes will be available for usage in every classroom and common area. In between classes, desks, doorknobs and light switches will be wiped down by an employee of the school. A cleaning service will also be in each evening to clean the building, and a deep clean will take place on Wednesdays when the students are not on campus.

If you have visited certain areas, the State of Connecticut's travel regulations do require a 14 day quarantine upon return to Connecticut.  Please check here and contact Ms. McKirryher at amckirryher@holycrosshs-ct.com to coordinate the need to self quarantine

Should there be a need to return to a distanced virtual learning environment for any period of the year, we feel strongly that this current instructional format allows us to seamlessly transition both in and out of that platform. That is, the usage of everyday, scheduled virtual classroom instruction over Zoom that would still center on teacher facilitation of learning and student discourse, combined with corresponding Canvas classroom work in the split schedule, would mirror the student learning experience from afar.

While our reopening plan supports in person learning, and is responsive to the desire articulated by most Holy Cross families to return in person, we recognize there will be instances where distance learning from home is necessary.  Requests to learn from home should be sent to Mr. Pompei at tpompei@holycrosshs-ct.com.  In general, requests that are based on health concerns should be accompanied by a doctor's note to help assist us in determining duration and any other needs the student may have. Please note there is no discounted price for distance learning.

There will be no change in tuition price for Holy Cross High School. The school plans to deliver the exact same educational experience that students and families were used to before the pandemic hit.  We are all acutely aware of the financial strain that these circumstances have placed on our families.  Our Director of Finance and Operations will work with families on an individual basis to help them navigate these difficult waters.

Flexibility is key. We understand that things can change. Our plans are based on the best evidence we have in front of us. They're generated from a re-opening task force and informed by external medical, legal and architectural professionals.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  

Know how it spreads

• There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
• The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
• The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
  • Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
  • Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
  • These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
  • Some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms.

Everyone Should

Wash your hands often

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• It’s especially important to wash:
  • Before eating or preparing food
  • Before touching your face
  • After using the restroom
  • After leaving a public place
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • After handling your mask
  • After changing a diaper
  • After caring for someone sick
  • After touching animals or pets
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact

• Inside your home: Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • If possible, maintain 6 feet between the person who is sick and other household members.
• Outside your home: Put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
  • Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread virus.
  • Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people.
  • Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others

• You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick.
• The mask is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.
• Everyone should wear a mask in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
  • Masks should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
• Do NOT use a mask meant for a healthcare worker. Currently, surgical masks and N95 respirators are critical supplies that should be reserved for healthcare workers and other first responders.
• Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The mask is not a substitute for social distancing.

Cover coughs and sneezes

• Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow and do not spit.
• Throw used tissues in the trash.
• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Clean and disinfect

• Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
• If surfaces are dirty, clean them. Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
• Then, use a household disinfectant. Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants

Monitor Your Health Daily

• Be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.
  • Especially important if you are running essential errands, going into the office or workplace, and in settings where it may be difficult to keep a physical distance of 6 feet.
• Take your temperature if symptoms develop.
  • Don’t take your temperature within 30 minutes of exercising or after taking medications that could lower your temperature, like acetaminophen.
• Follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.