AOD Schools COVID Safety Plan

PreK-12 Health & Safety Guidance for the 2021-2022 COVID-19 School Year for Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit

Case Reporting

Link to Original Letter
Student Self-Screening Sheet

Follow up Letter:

Parents, Students and Staff

As I sit in my now quiet office, I am able to quickly reflect on today. Of course my brain is still whirling and there is still so much paperwork to be completed. But I wanted to take a moment to highlight a few items.

1. Unless you were called by our office, your student was not in direct contact to this student to our knowledge . If through the grapevine you/ your student learned who it was and your student feels he/she was in direct contact (health department advises that this means within 6ft for more than 15minutes regardless of mask wearing) then you should let us know and begin quarantine. We did a full review of our records, seating charts, and student interviews to determine who to submit to the health dept.

2. A covid test will not stop or reduce the time of quarantine according to the Macomb County Health Dept. at this time. Their position remains a full 14 day quarantine based on the incubation period.  With all things pandemic related, this may change tomorrow or next week, but today’s directives from their office of infectious diseases was 14 days. If you feel the need to test your student, that is your choice and right as a parent.

3. Austin has continued to clean fully and sanitize each night. Teachers have continued to spray/wipe surfaces between each block. And we have not stopped mask wearing, although some students we know have gotten a bit lax in keeping their noses covered and they know who they are.

4. Siblings, staff, or parents of those in quarantine, i.e. a “contact” (not positive tester) are considered secondary contacts (contacts of contacts) and do not have to quarantine at this time.  In the event the “contact” does develop symptoms in the next 14 days and tests positive, then those closely related and in contact would need to quarantine.

5. While we are able to limit classes to 20 students max, that doesn’t mean that the room allows for the full 6ft.  As per our plan and guidance by Mich. Dept. of Educ. we followed the space as far as possible with 6ft being the goal. Most of our classes have desks spaced 4-5 feet apart, some the full 6ft.  One room is 5 1/2 feet distanced, but Health Dept. said nope, full 6ft!

6. Everyone should remember that our actions in the evening and weekends do affect everyone here at Austin. Please practice good hygiene and social distancing when not here. Also, please remember the self check. We thank the parents of student for noticing and keeping said student home. I have attached the symptom checklist again for everyone to review. This is a daily check.  

7. Why temperature checking now??  Because we are a close community of students, we feel that a close watch of everyone by not only parents, but us, is important during these 14 days. All students upon entering building will hand sanitize and have temperature taken.

8. Please remember that rumors can spread fast. Really fast. Too fast. It is very important to not jump to conclusions until you hear directly from Austin Administration. Also, students please respect the students and families at this time. It isn’t easy to be “the one” or to have your planned weeks of events just ripped from you unexpectedly. Please show empathy, compassion, and love of your peers.  As such, please inform the office, myself or Mr. Baker As Soon As Possible if you or your student does test positive so we can enact the chain of events that must occur. The sooner we know, the more efficiently we can act/react and put the necessary plans/procedures into place.

9. My student said the school was on lock-down today. Why?  Well as soon as we confirmed, contacted health dept. (they don’t open until 8:30am! ugh) and completed all contact tracing we put the school on lock-down to prevent students from changing classes.  This allowed us to make phone calls to parents to come pick up students identified, limit the students to attending only one class today, and put all other pieces of the action plan into place.  Plus the rumors were already swirling. So we made a formal announcement informing students of what was happening, why, and how information was being communicated.

10. During quarantine does my student need to attend virtual/distance classes?  Yes. Each teacher was given 24 hours to enact their plan depending on the number of students that will be in quarantine and the content for that class. Some classes may only have one student missing, while others have a handful. Depending on the content being covered the teacher has full discretion. All plans must be uploaded into the Student Portal and communicated to students and Mr. Baker on expectations. As with all distance learning at Austin, students will be required to engage in some form of face-to-face check-in for attendance. As this Friday is already a distance day for all students, nothing changes for students.

Finally, I just  want to reaffirm that all steps taken before, during, and after have been in complete alignment with Macomb County Health Dept. and AOD Office of Catholic Schools.  I am still very proud of our school and our 8 weeks and three days of COVID free school.  We all knew it was going to happen at some point to Austin, just like so many other schools in our county, state and nation, just don’t think we were all ready for it yet.  I thank the students and faculty for their actions today, their support of one another and respect for decisions even when they don’t necessarily agree were founded on truth and unity. I applaud the few students who self-identified and came to me; that speaks volumes on how much you respect your peers, family and adults in this community. To the parents that reached out with questions, to voice concern, or to praise us — whichever reason, thank you, for being open with us.  Again, I have attached for your reference the daily screening check and the flow chart that helps answer questions.  As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or Mr. Baker during this time.

Try to enjoy your evening. God Bless you all and may the good and gracious Lord continue to watch over you and your families during this time of uncertainty.

Mrs. Coppens

Online Registration Instructions

virtusonline.org

7/17/2020 COVID-19 Preparedness Plan for AOD Schools

5/20/2020 Superintendent Letter Planning Fall 2020 Return

4/2/2020 Superintendent Letter Regarding Cancellation of In-Person Instruction for 2019-2020

3/23/2020 A Message to the Catholic School Community of the Archdiocese of Detroit

3/20/20 Regarding today’s Michigan Department of Education Memorandum 

Letter from the Archdiocese of Detroit

Flowchart for Positive Tests for Students

Guidelines for Cases Among Students and Staff

Student Self-Screening Sheet

How to handle symptoms and household exposures for students

School Toolkit

The following offices will be available during normal school hours for video or phone conferences; please reach out to them directly to schedule a time to meet.

Counseling:
hkjuday@austincatholichighschool.org

Tuition & Billing:
rrumph@austincatholichighschool.org

Campus Ministry:
tmaxwell@austincatholichighschool.org

Mr. Baker:
jbaker@austincatholichighschool.org

Mrs. Coppens:
jcoppens@austincatholichighschool.org

Admissions:
admissions@austincatholichighschool.org

Institutional Advancement:
khorton@austincatholichighschool.org

Parent Zoom Chat Q and A

Will this transition to online learning affect my son/daughter’s college acceptance and/or readiness?

No. We are confident that learning will continue at a high level through our online platforms. Colleges across the country are making similar moves to distance learning protocols. This move is now widely considered the best practice in response to the growing COVID-19 pandemic.

What about athletics? Will this affect my son/daughter’s recruitment for college sports?

No. Colleges and universities, as well as major sporting leagues such as the NBA, are suspending operations as well. College coaches and recruiters are facing the same challenges that we are and will adjust as necessary to ensure that they have a talented crop of athletes for their future teams.

My son/daughter is having trouble with the technology. Who should I contact?

Contact individual teachers via email first and then Mr. Baker if the problem still exists. All staff information can be found on our website or by clicking the teacher in Family Portal.

What if Wi-Fi goes out or other technological glitches happen that prevent a student from engaging in his coursework during the proscribed time?

We will all need to be flexible as we navigate the next few weeks. Notify your teacher immediately of the glitch and complete any coursework that was missed by the next class day. Communicating any issues to teachers as early as possible is best practice. FACTS Portal and most of the assignments can be completed via cell phones. Also our entire team is aware and has made provisions for these scenarios.

Return to School phase 4&5 plan

Distance Learning Plan

ZOOM Directions For Students

Graduate Together Campaign – Lebron James Foundation

Online Masses

Augustinian Spirituality Online Resource Guide

Live Streamed Masses — from AOD

Augustinian Day of Prayer Against the Coronavirus

Lenten Reflection Week 5

Stations of the Cross

Stations of the Cross (Mary’s way of the Cross)

Pope Francis-Moment of prayer 27-03-2020

The Upper Room Catholic Crisis Hotline

Marians of the Immaculate Conception’s “Divine Mercy Prayerline”

Dial-A-Saint

Below, we will post resources and articles for parents from Austin’s Administration and staff we hope that you find useful:

Closure Q and A

Modified School Calendar

Stay home, stay Mindful.

The Coronavirus: Coping With Fear and Uncertainty

Coping With Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks

Stress Relief Exercises With Headspace

Summer Food Service Program

Service Industry Emergency Fund

Safe Grocery Shopping in COVID-19 Pandemic

Mrs. Coppens Holy Saturday Email

Free “Adulting 101” for 11th and 12th Graders

Austin Quarantine Scavenger Hunt

AUGUSTINIANS OF THE MIDWEST Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel

May 27th, 2020

Dear ACHS Students and Parents,

With restrictions on social distancing easing up slightly and the year completed we have scheduled time to collect Austin owned materials and clean out lockers. This is going to be a process that requires students understanding the guidelines and process completely for the safety of all students and staff.  We have selected Tuesday, June 2nd & Wednesday, June 3rd as the days.  Times for each grade level have been assigned as this will spread students out among the locker blocks in each house.  Students with siblings may attend during the sibling time to allow for only one trip for parents. If you are unable to make your assigned time, we have a time for makeup.     

Tuesday, June 2nd:                                                                                            

• 9:00am –11:00am 11th graders
  • (closed for lunch and spray down 11am-12pm)                                                                  
• 12:00pm –2:00pm 10th graders
  • (closed for dinner and spray down 2pm-5pm) 
• 5:00pm-7:00pm 9th graders

Wednesday, June 3rd:

• 9:00am –11:00am 12th graders
  •  (closed for lunch and spray down 11am -2pm)
•  2:00pm –4:00pm makeup time

Procedure:

All students and staff must wear masks and maintain social distance. This is not a social time. We know you want to high five, hug or engage in good conversation, but we should practice appropriate social distancing still at this time.

We will Limit 10 students inside the building at a time. (When a student exit, we will radio from front/exit to side/entrance ) Please be prepared to wait outside if there are more than 10 in the building.

We will spray down lockers, garbage cans, bathrooms and all doors in between each group. 

Students will enter at door 4 ( the library entrance in the loop). Sorry parents, students only in the building. 

1. First stop will be to drop off textbooks at table (2 staff manning the table) outside the library. 
2. Students will then proceed to lockers to clean out (2 staff monitoring locker cleanout). Please bring bags to collect your belongings.
3. Students will proceed down the back hall way toward gym. If they do not have a lock, outstanding balance or uniform to return, then they may exit out the back door (#15).  If they have any of these, they will continue on toward the main office. Seniors will all go to main office.
4. Drop off uniforms at weight room (1 staff)
5. Proceed to office for payment of fees or tuition (Mrs Linsley) or turn in locks (Mrs Antonucci)
6. Seniors will have graduation items (medals, stoles, awards, etc. ) on table outside the main office/entrance hall (1 staff)
7. Then students will exit out main doors.

The hope is to have a circle flow so that no one crosses paths and can enter and exit the building in a short, planned amount of time.  Please understand that while you may be fine with interaction and not wearing a mask, not everyone is at this time and may have parents or relatives with compromised immune systems at home.  We are not trying to infringe on anyone’s rights or choices, however we need to look out for everyone as a larger group during this time.  We hope and pray that mask wearing is not a way of the future but recognize during this time that many are still anxious and uncomfortable.

Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Virtual hugs to all,

Mrs Coppens and Leadership Team

Austin Students, Staff and Families

My heart breaks today. This invisible enemy has continued to challenge our daily existence and foundation. But remember while it will challenge us, it will not break us! It will not break the bonds of friendship, community and spirituality that makes us amazing!

Today the Governor announced that school buildings will remain closed for the remainder of the year.  And while I personally do not agree with this order, I understand what she and our lawmakers are attempting to do with the order. Michigan is hindered by extreme inequality across school districts and regions. By removing the copious amounts of legislation and fears of legal repercussions they are allowing districts to now move forward in ways that are best for their students and the majority of students across the state.  

We have a responsibility to make sure that not only Austin, and Catholic education comes out of this crisis better than it went into it; but also all of the American Education system.

Please see the letter attached from the Archdiocese Office of Catholic Schools in response to the Governor’s announcement.  We are united as schools to continue providing education and support.

Click for: AOD OCS letter

I and the Leadership team at Austin are working endlessly to plan and put in systems for the next few weeks, months, and end of the year. We will be sharing this with you via email possibly as soon as tonight and will offer a few virtual chat rooms/Zoom sessions to share questions and concerns as a community.  When we come out of this remember that parents and teachers want the same things so we must continue to work together and communicate. Regardless we will do whatever we can to make sure our seniors get their graduation ceremony and our students are prepared in with the minds to lead — the hands to serve — and the hearts to love!  

To our teachers, I commend you for jumping in when there wasn’t much of a system or standard to work with and I applaud you for your flexibility in making adjustments and understanding our students/families’ concerns. 

To our students:  Don’t worry about regressing in school. Every single kid is in this boat and they will be ok. When we are back in the classroom, we will meet you where you are and first work to fill in gaps and then steadfastly move forward. We will continue to support you and help each of you in the ways you need.

To our parents: embrace this time with your families. Do not worry about your student’s grades — and embrace this time to focus on the importance of learning and gathering knowledge and life skills necessary to survive in the real world.   Your kids’ mental health will be more important than their academic skills. How they feel during this time will last far longer than what equation, reading, or graph they worked on.

Again, together we will take this in stride and work collaboratively to ensure you get what you need mind — body — and soul.   Specific details are forthcoming in a separate email answering many of the questions lingering in your minds. Please be patient just a few more hours as we dig thru the mandate and our own legal, financial, calendar, and personnel situations.

Miss you all and continually pray for your health and safety.

Mrs. Coppens and the entire Leadership Team

March 16th, 2020

Parents and Students, 

We understand that the wide-spread COVID-19 coverage can be overwhelming and create undue concern and worry for our students.  I want to share two resources that I believe you will find helpful: 

• Mitigation Strategies for Communities

• Talking with Children about Coronavirus

Currently as I write this we are on a conference call/video chat with the AOD and MDE regarding the closure. I will be sending a long and detailed message shortly in regards to our planning for the next few weeks. 

Yours in Christ, 

Mrs. Coppens and Staff

Monday, March 16th  

ACHS STUDENT BODY, 

Wow! What a crazy time this is.  I hope this message finds each of you staying healthy in the midst of everything that is being thrown at you.  Please know that this is hard for adults to handle, so don’t feel that you need all the answers right now, cause even we don’t.  I know there is a lot of anxiety out there; I know I am feeling it daily. This is uncharted territory for all of us and we are learning just how flexible we can be. A fellow school leader said it best: “in the end, it will be impossible to know if we overreacted or did too much, but it will be quite apparent if we under reacted or did too little.”  We leaders in every single industry and facet of society are facing something that there are no guidelines for or precedent to go from. Along the way I know we are all going to make some mistakes, so please bear with all of us as we muddle through this together. Please pray for all of our leaders, decision makers, and most importantly each other. 

A message very similar to this just went out to your parents. I wanted to send something specific to you as students though.  Please know that we will do everything in our power to make the end of the year memorable for our seniors and to hold fast to our traditions and identity while we are apart.  Remember that you have the technology and wherewithal to be more engaged with your peers in this time than any other generation before you.  Don’t forget that.  Continue to be a community and show your love and unity toward your classmates and others.  Reach out and engage with one another even if you can’t be in physical proximity. 

sending you virtual hugs and high fives from my office (yep I’m working today! I was able to clean my office and catch up on emails!)   Yours in Christ, Mrs. Coppens, Mr. Baker and team 

HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN?

ell we know the governor has mandated until April 6th.  As we are updated weekly on the conditions, we will keep you informed as soon as we are updated.  

We know with certainty we are off these three weeks; but our return is uncertain. We could be back on the 6th or we could be off most of April; we do not know. Nor will we know in any immediate time.  We will do our best to support our families and staff in whatever situation we find ourselves come mid-April.  This is a fluid situation and it is prudent for all of us to think ahead not only these three weeks but also 5, 6 and even 8 weeks out.   

WHAT ABOUT SPECIAL EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS:

At this time no major events are cancelled. Our Administration and Leadership teams are meeting to discuss our plans for not only continued instruction but also contingencies for special events and celebrations such as Prom, Graduation, New Student Orientation, PSAT testing, KAIROS retreat, etc. We will continue to evaluate the situation based upon facts and information obtained.  As we develop our plans, we will share them with you. Hang tight and know that we are looking at every angle. 

WILL AUSTIN STUDENTS STILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE WORK?

Yes, Austin is requiring all students to engage in instruction, learning, and work while we are off.         Austin was already in the process of developing policy and protocol that staff and students to follow, we just had to modify with the quickness things occurred. We want to provide the best academic environment for students, and we know how important loss of instructional time can be. We hope this plan is one that provides some progression in learning yet is non-intrusive to students and families with special circumstances.  

________________________________________________________

AUSTIN DISTANCE LEARNING PLAN 

HOW LONG/HOW MUCH WORK WILL BE ASSIGNED?

For the weeks March 23-27 and 30-April 3 and thereafter as necessary **NO assignments or instruction should occur this week (March 16-20th) except for MiVirtual online or A.P. classes. you may get reminders about previously assigned work, and get new due dates and process for submitting the previously assigned work.  

Each course/teacher will assign approximately 2 hours of work each week.   A.P. courses can plan up to 3 hours.   Some of you may take more time to complete the work, some more.  But on average you should have about 16 hours of work total if you have a full 8-course schedule.   If you feel you need more work or less; please communicate with your teacher directly. 

We recognize that many of our students will be babysitting younger siblings or relatives, traveling, and/or may have poor or no internet and have asked faculty to remember this in their planning.  

WHAT TYPE OF WORK WILL STUDENTS BE DOING?

Each faculty member has the control over his/her course; however, it is best practice not to introduce new content that is too difficult to instruct or teach without face to face interaction.  With approximately 2 hours a week to work with, teachers will be focusing on content that students can complete with little to no support.  Many teachers will take this opportunity to assign a project while others may focus on reading with vocabulary and questions, watching a video clip and completing questions, khan academy, etc.   In general, think approximately 4-5 questions or 1-2 extended response with reading will take students about 2 hours to complete.   

WILL ATTENDANCE BE TAKEN?

YES!  We are requesting that students and teachers engage in once weekly 1:1 two-way communication.  This is to prove that each student did in fact communicate or interact with their teacher during the week. We know this will suffice for any state requirement for attendance as this is the method we use for our current online system.   

We will be using email communications to record this.  Students — you must log in and check email daily.  Please make sure to respond to teachers and send emails asking questions, clarifying assignments, or just emailing to chat as if you were sharing something in class.  When we can show direct two-way communication that is 1 on 1 we show collaboration and progress. Submission of assignments and accessing documents via SIS Portal will also count as attendance and can be time stamped.  

WHAT IF I NEED HELP?

Teachers are also asked to set up a once weekly “office hour” when students can either chat room, zoom video conference, call using google voice, call at the school, etc.   It is up to each teacher to decide on the method for each class.   

As always please email teachers with classroom questions, email Mr. Baker with general school questions, email Dcn. Tim with campus ministry /theology questions, and email Mr. Juday with counseling questions 

WHERE WILL ASSIGNMENTS & INFORMATION BE POSTED?

By end of day WEDNESDAY 3/18 all Austin faculty will have the following in each classroom page in FACTS SIS: 
• Distance Learning Expectations for the class posted in Announcements

      o When assignments are due (Friday of the week, midnight, see calendar, etc.)

      o How turn in work (email, email attachment, homework drop)

      o When and How the class will 1:1 / 2-way communicate each week  

      o Office hour days, times, and method

      o How students can ask for help during this time.

• All assignments and Due dates into Calendar

• Resources linked; documents uploaded

• Homework & Assignments also in grade book with date assigned and date due.

WHAT IF I DON’T KNOW HOW TO USE MY SIS PORTAL?

Mr. Baker will send some support documents around to help you, but one of the best ways to learn the system is to begin poking around and seeing where things are and how to use them.  Everything is pretty simple or even can be googled.  When in doubt, ask a classmate.  Many teachers will be using the Web Tests and Homework drop capabilities so please know how to use these functions. 

WILL THERE BE ACCESS TO BUILDING?

We will not be allowing any students, families, non-essential staff, or guests/visitors into the building during these three weeks unless things change at the state/federal level.   We are also limiting faculty and staff access to small windows of time weekly to contain traffic and areas that need extreme cleaning.  

WHAT EXTRA THINGS CAN I DO WHILE HOME?

• First, SAT practice is always a smart thing for students to do. Use Khan academy accounts (all 10,11,12 graders already have accounts) or SAT online practice tests or your practice books.

• Pick a topic and research it because you want to, not because you have to. Challenge others in your family to a trivia night.

• Watch documentaries and not popular movies. Use the time to learn something new.  

• Learn to cook, bake, do basic home repairs, sew, etc.  Baking and basic home repairs take math and reading skills!!    

• Read, read, read! Overwhelming research points to reading having the greatest single factor to improve student performance in school.  Even reading to little siblings can count!  

• Do service!  Yes, in times of such panic and uncertainty these are the times to be our best and help others. But what can you do when stuck inside or quarantined?  How about writing letters or cards for service men/women?   What about sending cards to nursing home residents as they are especially affected by this not being allowed any visitors?  Can you do yard clean-up for an elderly neighbor? What about grocery shopping for those sick and leaving items on their porch?  Babysit for free for local parents who have no options? There is so much you can do if you just put your minds to it.  

• Find interactive “learning” games.  There are language learning games, math games, trivia games. One of my favorites is the game STACK the STATES – great way to learn the nations states, capitals, landmarks, etc. • Take a virtual museum tour!  

• Have you ever planned a fake vacation?  This is a great lesson in planning travel and budgeting. Pick a destination and then shop for travel, accommodations/lodging, local transportation, things to do, etc. Create a spreadsheet of a budget and itinerary in powerpoint or word.   

WILL WE HAVE TO GO LONGER IN JUNE?

At this time, I do not have the exact answer for this. We believe we will not as this is a national crisis and state ordered shut down therefore the days should be forgiven; however only time will tell.   We hope that in taking the steps to provide distance learning and instruction with attendance tracking, that we will not have to should we be required to.  Some districts are doing little or nothing, some are requiring daily log-ins. We felt our policy allows for some freedom in the face of this crisis and specific family needs/situations, while projecting multiple scenarios that may arise come May and June.   Again, we will continue to monitor and update you as we trudge along.   

March 16, 2020 

Austin Parents & Guardians, 

I hope this message finds each of you staying healthy in the midst of everything that is being thrown at us.  I know there is a lot of anxiety out there; I know I am feeling it daily. This is uncharted territory for all of us and we are learning just how flexible we can be. A fellow school leader said it best:  “in the end, it will be impossible to know if we overreacted or did too much, but it will be quite apparent if we under reacted or did too little.”  We leaders in every single industry and facet of society are facing something that there are no guidelines for or precedent to go from. Along the way I know we are all going to make some mistakes, so please bear with all of us as we muddle through this together. Please pray for all of our leaders, decision makers, and most importantly each other. 

As you read in the letter from the AOD Office of Catholic Schools on Friday, The Archdiocese of Detroit has asked all Catholic schools to follow specific guidelines during this time.  There are a few items the Administration at Austin would like to clarify and share after having a chance to engage in conversations with other school leaders across the country.  I apologize for the length of this email but there is a lot to cover.  I also know that even as I write this email, new policies, rules, and gov’t requirements are being sent and updated so with that I promise to keep you informed and updated as soon as I know, and our team can digest it.     

Please do not hesitate to contact us during this time. We are still working with you in the education of your student and will support you in any way we can.  

Yours in Christ, Mrs. Coppens, Mr. Baker and team 

HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN?

Well, we know the governor has mandated until April 6th.  As we are updated weekly on the conditions, we will keep you informed as soon as we are updated.  

We know with certainty we are off these three weeks; but our return is uncertain. We could be back on the 6th or we could be off most of April; we do not know. Nor will we know in any immediate time.  We will do our best to support our families and staff in whatever situation we find ourselves come midApril.  This is a fluid situation and it is prudent for all of us to think ahead not only these three weeks but also 5, 6 and even 8 weeks out.   

SPRING BREAK:

The AOD has urged us to ask all staff and families to change plans for travel to fall within the next three weeks. We are currently asked to observe this week as Spring Break and upon return on the 6th will then grant Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Monday off.    While we know this is frustrating, the message/request comes with the best intentions for all.   We do not know if we will be traveling or not today, tomorrow or 2 weeks from now, so I leave the decisions in your hands as parents.   

We ask that all families please take the survey in Parent Portal regarding spring/Easter break plans no later than Wednesday 3/18 so we may continue to prepare and plan.  

WHAT ABOUT SPECIAL EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS:

At this time no major events are canceled. Our Administration and Leadership teams are meeting to discuss our plans for not only continued instruction but also contingencies for special events and celebrations such as Prom, Graduation, New Student Orientation, PSAT testing, KAIROS retreat, etc. We will continue to evaluate the situation based upon facts and information obtained from the CDC, MDE, AOD and federal government.  As we develop our plans, we will share them with you. Hang tight and know that we are looking at every angle. 

WHO CAN I CONTACT ABOUT TUITION AND MY CONCERNS RIGHT NOW?

We understand the strain everyone is on currently.  We will work with each family, as we always have to provide the flexibility you need.  Options are available and will be considered on a case by case basis.   Please contact Mrs. Coppens regarding tuition concerns. 

WILL AUSTIN STUDENTS STILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE WORK?

Yes, Austin is requiring all students to engage in instruction, learning, and work while we are off.  Austin was already in the process of developing policy and protocol that staff and students to follow, we just had to modify with the quickness things occurred. We want to provide the best academic environment for students, and we know how important loss of instructional time can be. We hope this plan is one that provides some progression in learning yet is non-intrusive to students and families with special circumstances.   

________________________________________________________

AUSTIN DISTANCE LEARNING PLAN 

HOW LONG/HOW MUCH WORK WILL BE ASSIGNED?

For the weeks March 23-27 and 30-April 3 and thereafter as necessary **NO assignments or instruction should occur next week (March 16-20th) except for MiVirtual online or A.P. classes. Teachers may send reminders about previously assigned work, however, and let students know a new due date and process for submitting the previously assigned work.  

In the event we are off further into April, Austin faculty will have materials planned. 

Each course/teacher will assign approximately 2 hours of work each week.   A.P. courses can plan up to 3 hours.   Each student should have no more than 16 hours of work total if he/she has a full 8-course schedule.  

We recognize that many of our students will be babysitting younger siblings or relatives, traveling, and/or may have poor or no internet and have asked faculty to remember this in their planning.  

***for continued support and planning for all students please email Mr. Baker ASAP if your student does not have consistent internet access.  

WHAT TYPE OF WORK WILL STUDENTS BE DOING?

Each faculty member has the control over his/her course; however, it is best practice not to introduce new content that is too difficult to instruct or teach without face to face interaction.  With approximately 2 hours a week to work with, teachers will be focusing on content that students can complete with little to no support.  Many teachers will take this opportunity to assign a project while others may focus on reading with vocabulary and questions, watching a video clip and completing questions, khan academy, etc.   In general, think approximately 4-5 questions or 1-2 extended response with reading will take students about 2 hours to complete.   

WILL ATTENDANCE BE TAKEN?

Austin is asking faculty and students to engage in once weekly 1:1 two-way communication.  This is to prove that each student did in fact communicate or interact with their teacher during the week. We know this will suffice for any state requirement for attendance as this is the method we use for our current online system.   

We will be using email communications to record this.  Please make sure your student is logging in and checking his/her email daily.  This requires students to respond, ask questions, and generally engage with the teacher to show communication.   Submission of assignments and accessing documents via SIS Portal will also count as attendance and can be time stamped.  

WHAT IF I OR MY STUDENT NEEDS HELP?

Teachers are also asked to set up a once weekly “office hour” when students can either chat room, zoom video conference, call using google voice, call at the school, etc.   It is up to each teacher to decide on the method for each class.   

As always please encourage students and yourself to email teachers with classroom questions, email Mr. Baker with general school questions, email Dcn. Tim with campus ministry /theology questions, and email Mr. Juday with counseling questions.

WHERE WILL ASSIGNMENTS & INFORMATION BE POSTED?

By end of day WEDNESDAY 3/18 all Austin faculty will have the following in each classroom page in FACTS SIS: 
• Distance Learning Expectations for the class posted in Announcements

      o When assignments are due (Friday of the week, midnight, see calendar, etc.)

      o How turn in work (email, email attachment, homework drop)

      o When and How the class will 1:1 / 2-way communicate each week  

      o Office hour days, times, and method o How students can ask for help during this time.

• All assignments and Due dates into Calendar

• Resources linked; documents uploaded

• Homework & Assignments also in grade book with date assigned and date due 

WILL THERE BE ACCESS TO BUILDING?

We will not be allowing any students, families, non-essential staff, or guests/visitors into the building during these three weeks unless things change at the state/federal level.   We are also limiting faculty and staff access to small windows of time weekly to contain traffic and areas that need extreme cleaning.  

WHAT EXTRA THINGS CAN MY STUDENT DO WHILE THEY ARE HOME?

First, SAT practice is always a smart thing for students to do. Use Khan academy accounts (all 10,11,12 graders already have accounts) or SAT online practice tests or your practice books. 

Pick a topic and research it because you want to, not because you must. Challenge others in your family to a trivia night. 

Watch documentaries and not popular movies. Use the time to learn something new.  

Learn to cook, bake, do basic home repairs, sew, etc.  Baking and basic home repairs take math and reading skills!!    

Read, read, read! Overwhelming research points to reading having the greatest single factor to improve student performance in school.  Even reading to little siblings can count!  

Do service!  Yes, in times of such panic and uncertainty these are the times to be our best and help others. But what can you do when stuck inside or quarantined?  How about writing letters or cards for service men/women?   What about sending cards to nursing home residents as they are especially affected by this not being allowed any visitors?  Can you do yard clean-up for an elderly neighbor? Babysit for free for local parents who have no options? There is so much you can do if you just put your minds to it.  

Find interactive “learning” games.  There are language learning games, math games, trivia games. One of my favorites is the game STACK the STATES – great way to learn the nations states, capitals, landmarks, etc. 

Take a virtual museum tour!  

Have you ever planned a fake vacation?  This is a great lesson in planning travel and budgeting. Pick a destination and then shop for travel, accommodations/lodging, local transportation, things to do, etc. Create a spreadsheet of a budget and itinerary in powerpoint or word.   

WILL WE HAVE TO GO LONGER IN JUNE?

At this time, I do not have the exact answer for this. We believe we will not as this is a national crisis and state ordered shut down therefore the days should be forgiven; however only time will tell.   We hope that in taking the steps to provide distance learning and instruction with attendance tracking, that we will not have to should we be required to.  We also feel this upholds our strong academic standards and commitment to our students and families.  Some districts are doing little or nothing, some are requiring daily log-ins. We felt our policy allows for some freedom in the face of this crisis and specific family needs/situations, while projecting multiple scenarios that may arise come May and June.   Again, we will continue to monitor and update you as we trudge along.   

March 13th, 2020 

Good Morning Students,  

We received the following message from the Catholic League this morning regarding Spring sports: 

All spring sport scheduled athletic contests through April 5 are canceled. As a reminder from the email sent yesterday, there are to be no practices while school is not in session. 

The CHSL office staff is in regular communication with MHSAA staff regarding the future of spring sports.  CHSL office staff will follow up with you in the coming days regarding our plans after April 5.  Our goal is share with you information as soon as it becomes available.  We plan to have a conference call in the middle part of next week.  Details to follow. 

If coaches would like to send out individual practices plans to our athletes, they will do so in the next couple of days. Thanks. 

Mr. Baker 

March 12th, 2020 

Dear Parents and Students, 

Per our announcement at dismissal today, the Archdiocese of Detroit has requested that all schools in the Diocese will be closed Friday, March 13 and Monday, March 16th to permit school staff time to prepare for 1) possible extended closures and 2) allow for deep cleaning of all facilities. 

Austin was already in the process of discussing our plans for a possible extended closure and we are blessed to have the capability through FACTS to complete online assignments, communications and more.  Below are some items for you to please consider and also a letter from the AOD office of Catholic schools. 

1. This weekend closure does not mean that we will be closed for an extended period of time. This is merely a formal way to unify all Catholic schools and provide for adequate planning among school leaders and government organizations to make the best decisions for your student, our staff, and families.  

2. In the event we have extended closures we will communicate a plan for online-hybrid instruction. Students were asked today to take home all books, notebooks and computers in the event they are off for more than a few days.  If your student does not have a FACTS portal account, hasn’t logged in for a while and/or does not have an updated email address in the system — we need them to log-in and update ASAP. Mr Baker and front office staff will be available to assist tomorrow between the hours of 8am and 11am.  If a student needs to access locker because he/she was absent today, the building will be open between 8am and 11am only tomorrow.  

3. Please continue good hygiene and hand washing as you would normally do. Please report any suspected or known cases within your family AND/OR if you or someone in your family has come in contact with someone ASAP.  We are required to report.  

4. Sports practices are suspended until further notice. The MHSAA is currently reviewing spring sports seasons entirely and we will update you as soon as we know more. 

5. Building will not be open on Monday as we are  having it deep cleaned Friday into Monday. 

6. Conferences for next Thur and Fri will not be held. If you need to discuss your student(s) with a teacher/teachers we will will conduct virtual conferences. Please see message from Mr. Baker coming out sometime Monday once we know a bit more. 

7. Kairos retreat was just suspended until further notice by the Capuchin center. More info to follow as we proceed. 

8. We will be cancelling the Casino Bus trip scheduled for next Friday for parents and alumni.  We will look to reschedule for a later date. 

All of this is unfortunate and we are just as frustrated as you may be. We will continue to update you with information as soon as we can and are able.  

God Bless you all. Stay healthy — and enjoy having your teens home for an extended weekend!  That chore list/honey do list is looking pretty good with some extra hands. LoL!!! 

Yours in Christ, 

Mrs. Coppens and your Austin faculty and staff