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Letter from Superintendent, Mr. Deegan - January 18, 2022
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January 18, 2022
Month of the Holy Name of Jesus
Dear Parents,
So many of us have been affected by the newest variant of COVID-19, Omicron. However, we have remained resilient and steadfast in our efforts to keep every member of our Catholic school community safe. Our pastors, principals, teachers, and students have again risen above the confusion which surrounds us and kept our Catholic schools open safely for in-person learning. The Catholic schools of the Archdiocese have no plans to transition our school system to remote learning. Teaching and learning have continued without interruption, and preliminary Winter NWEA MAP testing results show growth for our students.
Since my communication to you on January 2, New York State has updated its guidance. The experts of the Health and Safety Task Force of the Office of the Superintendent of Schools are evaluating all of the new guidance and information received this past Friday for quarantines, isolation, close contacts, testing, and the associated timelines for each. We will leave behind the chaos of government and press releases and, in the coming weeks, revisions to our policies and protocols will be made, recognizing; however, if some warrant implementation sooner, we will do so. While we understand that some want the policies implemented immediately, as we have always done, our response will be thoughtful, intentional, and always made in the best interest of all of those in our school communities.
Important Information:- Transmission within our Catholic schools remains almost non-existent. We can count single-digit occurrences where we suspect the in-school spread of the virus, and we immediately responded and stopped the spread.
- As required by Governor Hochul’s Executive Order, mask usage remains an effective way to curb the spread of the virus. In particular, surgical masks, appropriate double masking, and KN95 and N95 masks are most effective.
- Staying home and testing if you have symptoms are also key to stopping the spread. We have requested additional information on the frequency of future deliveries of at-home test kits from New York State to distribute to our school communities. While we have received an initial allotment, we are waiting for further details on additional deliveries. We have made it clear to the government and our elected officials that our families are entitled to the same protections and services provided to public school students.
- The Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York will NOT mandate a COVID Vaccine for students; however, we encourage parents to consider what is best for their children. Being fully vaccinated and boosted remains the best defense against COVID-19 and the surest way to protect your child safely and remain in school should they be a close contact. Much of the newly updated guidance is predicated on vaccinated and boosted adults and students.
Lastly, let us not forget Catholic Schools Week (January 31 – February 4), a celebration of Catholic schools across the country. It is a perfect time to re-register your child and a wonderful opportunity to invite others to consider our safe, nurturing, and academically excellent Catholic schools. As Pope Francis characterized Catholic education - it gives soul to our globalized world and radiates the promise of Christian salvation. I can think of no better way to celebrate Catholic Schools week than to bear witness to that promise.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Deegan
Superintendent of Schools
Archdiocese of New York