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Academics » 2021 - 2022 Reopening Plan

2021 - 2022 Reopening Plan

St. Mary’s High School has developed the safest, most secure, and most teacher and student-focused school reopening plan achievable. After working diligently with outside sources and exhausting every available resource, we have developed a systematic way to secure and reopen St. Mary’s High School School at 100% occupancy, five days a week, for the 2021-2022 school year. So long as we are permitted to remain open by the State of New York, we will use every available resource to:
 
  • Provide the safest environment possible for our students and teachers
  • Keep our extended school families healthy
  • Communicate with our families and faculty
  • Provide means of support for our students’ and faculty’s social and emotional wellbeing
 
The following plan will evolve after submission based on changing needs of students and teachers, as well as the changing conditions of the pandemic and revisions to New York State Guidelines. Attending school in person is no small challenge. Through extensive studies of data and research collected from the New York State Department of Health, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, Federal Emergency Management Agency, American Academy of Pediatrics, and several other private and public-sector resources from across the globe, we have identified how to safely return teachers and students to the classroom.
Yes, Saint Mary's will be open for in-person instruction 5 days a week for all students.  All courses will meet and adjustments will be built into the schedule allow for a safe learning environment.
St. Mary’s High School will require all students, teachers, staff, and visitors to arrive at campus wearing masks. Anyone who arrives without a mask will be provided one before being permitted to enter the building. Students are not required to wear their masks when they are outdoors.
All non-essential visitors, including parents, will not be permitted to enter the building. In the event of an emergency or an appointment with administration, visitors will be screened prior to entering our secure environment.
Maintenance staff will carry out frequent disinfection of classrooms, bathrooms, and high contact surfaces around the building using EPA certified disinfectants. A logged schedule will be kept throughout the day. Full building disinfection will occur at the end of each day. St. Mary’s will continue to develop and promote a culture of healthy habits in which students and teachers sanitize their hands and personal space frequently throughout the day. Hand sanitizing stations will continue to be filled throughout the building.
In the event of a positive case within the buildings, the appropriate individuals will be notified, but not necessarily the entire school community if the case is isolated. If any student, teacher, or person with whom they reside is diagnosed with COVID-19, they must notify the one of the main offices immediately. Our nurses will follow up with any potential cases.
No, distance learning is not available.  If a student is required to quarantine the individual will follow along using My School App and through contact with the student's teachers.
St. Mary’s High School recognizes the stress and emotional toll this year has taken on not only students, but also faculty and parents. Our teachers and guidance counselor will be attuned to the realities of the physical, mental, and economic hardships our families have faced over the last several months and trained to support them to the best of our ability. Resources will be available for anyone struggling with mental health through counselors and the district. St. Mary’s asks that parents clearly communicate to teachers if their child is going through a difficult time so that we can quickly and effectively work together to address the child’s needs. 
St. Mary’s High School is actively working to implement the safest and most operationally successful school reopening plan possible amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with our partners, we will establish a culture of health within our walls. Our decision to reopen is based on scientific facts, industry standards, and threat mitigation procedures adopted from private and public sectors. COVID-19 is generally a mild disease in children, including infants, but this does not diminish its severity or the threat it poses to our students, faculty, and families. Together, we will safely and optimistically reopen this school year, and yet always remain on a heightened state of alert so that we may adjust and adapt as the pandemic conditions and student and teacher needs change. 
 
If you wish to read the full plan, click here.