Sacred Heart School shares ‘Return to Learn’ plan

     Sacred Heart Catholic School in Monticello, which serves preschool through sixth grade, recently released its Return to Learn plan for the start of the 2020-21 school year.

     “As we prepare top open Sacred Heart School on Aug. 24, we have considered many educational options,” the letter stated, which was sent out to all parents early last week.

     The Return to Learn/Building Leadership Team spent numerous months developing the Return to Learn plan, collecting information from parents, staff, and using guidance from the Department of Education, Iowa and Jones County Public Health, CDC, and the Archdiocese of Dubuque.

     “We continue to see the safety of our staff and students as out top priority and are confident that we can create a learning environment in which our staff and students can return and be successful.”

     Sacred Heart’s Board of Education met on Aug. 3 and approved the Return to Learn plan.

Here are some highlights:

     • Sacred Heart will follow the Monticello Community School District’s schedule for the first week of school, Aug. 24-28. This means there will be brick and mortar schoolwork in the morning from 8 a.m. to noon, and online coursework in the afternoon.

     “This schedule will help our students better understand the expectations of online learning and allow teachers to work with students to better understand the online environment.”

     Principal Laura Herbers elaborated on this topic by saying online learning would look different at different grade levels.

     “Students will be home practicing a skill the teacher covered that morning,” she said. “The goal is to start slow and progressively move to a deeper level of using the online platforms. Throughout the year, teachers will use their materials to teach, but will also infuse opportunities to use these platforms. This will allow students to also become comfortable with these platforms and be ready for whatever may happen this year.”

     • While the MCSD is using every Wednesday as required online learning days, Sacred Heart decided to modify its Wednesday schedule.

     Beginning Sept. 9, students will attend brick and mortar classes and continue to attend classes every other Wednesday. Online learning Wednesdays will be required learning days. Alternating Wednesdays will serve as PD (professional development) days for the teachers.

     “We recognize the importance of having this day where teachers can build their online platforms and students practice and reinforce their skills,” noted Herbers, “especially when we are unsure of what will happen in the world and what the year as a whole will look like.”

     This revised calendar allows Sacred Heart students 18 more days of in-class instruction versus online learning.

     “We see value in having the students in the building as much as and as safely as possible,” continued Herbers. “With opportunities to use hands-on materials to assist with instruction and to be able to have an immediate response to students’ needs while sharing the learning experience at the same time.”

     Herbers said the teachers and staff have been working together to prepare for a variety of learning possibilities for their families, beyond brick and mortar.

     For those Wednesdays in which the students will be in school, the school district buses will not be running. Sacred Heart parents will need to arrange transportation to and from school.

     • For those PD Wednesdays, students will not be required to virtually “check in.” These will be considered no-school days. However, homework assignments may be assigned for completion before school resumes on Thursday morning.

     • Scared Heart preschool and PreK will begin on Monday, Aug. 31. They will have brick and mortar classes on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

     • Sacred Heart is highly recommending face coverings for students and staff, but not required in all situations. Medical exceptions will be allowed.

     Face coverings will be required when riding the buses.

     Face coverings will be required for all Masses at the church.

     Face coverings will be required in small-group situations, passing in the hallways, and entering/exiting the school building.

     Face coverings will not be required in situations where social distancing is possible, P.E., lunch, and recess.

Additional Return to Learn items of note:

     • Entry into the school will be restricted to only students and staff. Parents, volunteers, and other visitors will not be allowed beyond the main entry.

     • Hand washing will be done multiple times throughout each day, including before snack, before lunch, after lunch, and after recess.

     • Additional cleaning and disinfecting procedures will be implemented.

     • Children and staff with a temperature of 100.3 degrees or above should not attend school. If a temperature is discovered while at school, that child or staff member will be isolated from others and expected to leave as soon as possible.

     • Two health office spaces will be utilized: one for illnesses and one for first aid/medication.

     • Sacred Heart will be purchasing face shields for the staff. The school will have facemasks available for students in the school office.

     • The school will continually look for guidance from Gov. Kim Reynolds, the Department of Education, the CDC, IDPH/JCPH, and the Archdiocese of Dubuque and make changes to the day-to-day operations as necessary.

     In terms of whether the school’s parents and staff are comfortable to the Return to Learn plan, Herbers said everyone was really just looking for direction.

     “Since mid-March, we’ve been living in a world where each day was quite unpredictable,” she said. “Now we have guidance to make decisions to begin the school year and we can also offer this direction to all involved. We can now move forward together in this process.”

     Herbers said everyone has been patient and understanding as the school worked through this process.

     “We’ve received many kind words and ‘thank yous’ along the way as we’ve been traveling these uncharted waters. This is another reason why our Sacred Heart families and community are such a blessing.”