COVID-19 Updates

Feast of St. Joseph the Worker

Dear Catholic School Community,

Our Catholic schools have successfully adapted and overcome every obstacle the coronavirus crisis has put in our path. Staying true to our faith-based and future-focused education, we strive to provide each student entrusted to our care an academically excellent program. Teachers have been teaching, and students have been learning, coming together each day to pray, study, laugh and love. Our parents have contributed immeasurably to this success. Each of us is indeed blessed to be part of this larger family of faith, and we will continue to support one other as we continue to walk through this struggle together.

As directed by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's executive order, our Catholic schools will remain closed through the end of June, thus making home-based learning our format as we close the academic year. The Health and Safety Task Force of the Office of the Superintendent of Schools will remain proactive, we continue to adapt, and we will absolutely overcome this challenge. We along with our principals and teachers will ensure for those celebrating stepping up milestones, graduations, and other achievements are honored and recognized.
We continue to assemble resources for our families as we all confront this challenge:

Offering our counseling program, ADAPP, which continues to be available to you and our students. You will be hearing more from them directly in the coming week with many additional resources. We must ensure we take advantage of these resources.

• Ensuring all students have access to meals, linked here are distribution sites throughout theArchdiocese.
• Expanding extended year summer learning options, both remote and in person, if feasible, will continue to be explored and offered to the widest audience possible.
• Working to ensure that if a family needs a device for learning and cannot afford one we secure one through loan by the school, donors or through government resources.
• Partnering with Catholic Charities NY myriad of offerings, download its FindHelp App today!

• Ofreciendo nuestro programa de asesoramiento ADAPP (Programa sobre Prevención del Abuso de Drogas), el cual continúa estando disponible para ustedes y para nuestros alumnos. Ustedes recibirán más información sobre ellos directamente la próxima semana con muchos recursos adicionales. Debemos asegurarnos de aprovechar estosrecursos.
• Garantizando que todos nuestros alumnos puedan acceder a comidas, en este enlace están los sitios de distribución en toda la Arquidiócesis.
• Ampliando las opciones de aprendizaje durante el verano (extensión del año escolar), tanto de forma remota como presencial, si es posible; ello será explorado y ofrecido al mayor públicoposible.
• Trabajando para garantizar que, en caso de que una familia necesite un dispositivo para el aprendizaje y no pueda solventar su costo, nosotros podamos conseguirle uno mediante un préstamo de la escuela, una donación o recursosgubernamentales.
• Asociándonos con Catholic Charities NY (Caridades Católicas NY) en innumerables proposiciones y ofrecimientos;¡los invitamos a descargar su aplicación FindHelp App hoy!

Mr. Michael J. Deegan
Superintendent of Schools
Archdiocese of New York

April 9, 2020  Holy Thursday

Dear Catholic School Community,

Happy Easter!

If ever there has been a time to take comfort in being part of something greater
 than ourselves, no doubt the time is now. All of us - administrators, principals,
teachers, staff, students, parents and benefactors- are connected through this sacred
bond of Catholic education. The cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic brings some form
of loss, uncertainty and fatigue with every passing day; however, our faith - indeed
the very miracle upon which our faith rests - tells us every passing day in the
darkness brings us closer to the light. Good Friday always has an Easter Sunday.
 Whether it is the light of day, the comfort of healing or the glory of eternal
life, light is coming, and it will be here soon.

As he has done so regularly throughout this crisis, Timothy Cardinal Dolan has taken
a moment to deliver a video greeting to our entire Catholic school family.   Please
enjoy this Easter message from His Eminence, which serves as yet another embrace
 from our wise and joyful shepherd in these troubling times, by clicking here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjpPfYFntbY

We are also very pleased to tell you that our friends at the Sheen Center for Thought
and Culture are providing a gift to all of us for Holy Week as they stream a performance
of the critically-acclaimed play, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, beginning Saturday, April
11 at 4p.m. The play will be available for viewing by clicking here through Monday, April 13, free of charge:

https://www.sheencenter.org/shows/gospelofjohn/

This production weds prayer and theater in a profoundly intimate retelling of the life of Christ through the timeless voice of the disciple John, true to the scriptural text and masterfully performed by Ken Jennings.

We hope you will join Cardinal Dolan for Easter Sunday Mass at 10 a.m. from America's
Parish Church, St. Patrick's Cathedral, televised live on PIX11, with the audio
available on The Catholic Channel, Sirius XM 129.

Please know for every prayer you make, our sisters and brothers in Christ are praying
for you and your family. One day soon, we will find ourselves walking through the
familiar doors of our schools and churches, we will see friendly faces in person and we shall embrace one another in long-awaited reunions of family and loved ones. We will get there one day at a time, leaning on our faith and knowing miracles do happen, as taught to us by the greatest teacher, Jesus Christ, who rose again, turning the darkness into light.

Wishes for a Blessed and Happy Easter!

Sincerely yours,

Mr. Michael J. Deegan
Superintendent of Schools
Archdiocese of New York

April 9, 2020 Jueves Santo

Querida comunidad de escuelas católicas:

¡Felices Pascuas!

Si alguna vez hubo un momento en el que pudiéramos encontrar consuelo por ser parte
de algo que está por encima de nosotros, sin duda es este. Todos nosotros, administradores,
directores de escuelas, docentes, personal, alumnos, padres y benefactores, estamos
unidos por este vínculo sagrado que es la educación católica. La sombra de la pandemia
del COVID-19 trae consigo cierta forma de pérdida, incertidumbre y fatiga con cada
día que transcurre; sin embargo, nuestra fe y ciertamente el milagro mismo sobre
 el que descansa nuestra fe, nos dicen que cada día que transcurre en las tinieblas
nos acerca un poco más a la luz. El Viernes Santo siempre tiene un Domingo de Pascua.
Ya sea la luz del día, el consuelo de la reparación o la gloria de la vida eterna,
la luz se está acercando y pronto estará con nosotros.

Como lo ha hecho con frecuencia en toda esta crisis, el Cardenal Timothy Dolan ha
dedicado un rato a transmitir un video de bienvenida a toda nuestra familia de escuelas
católicas. Podrán disfrutar este mensaje de Pascua de su Eminencia, que también es un abrazo más de nuestro sabio y jovial pastor en estos momentos perturbadores.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjpPfYFntbY

También nos sentimos muy complacidos de hacerle saber que nuestros amigos del Sheen
Center for Thought and Culture (Centro Sheen de Pensamiento y Cultura) nos han donado
para Semana Santa la transmisión de una representación teatral aclamada por la crítica,
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN (Evangelio de Juan) a partir del sábado 11 de abril a las 4 p.m.
La obra estará disponible para ver gratis en

https://www.sheencenter.org/shows/gospelofjohn/

hasta el lunes 13 de abril. Esta producción combina la oración con el teatro en
una adaptación profundamente íntima de la vida de Cristo, relatada con la voz atemporal
de su discípulo, Juan. Esta obra es fiel al texto de las Escrituras y está magistralmente
interpretada por Ken Jennings.

Esperamos que también puedan acompañar al Cardenal Dolan en la Misa del Domingo
de Pascua a las 10 a.m. que se celebrará en la iglesia parroquial estadounidense,
la Catedral de San Patricio, y será televisada en vivo por PIX11 y el audio también
estará disponible en The Catholic Channel, Sirius XM 129.

Por cada oración que recen ustedes, nuestras hermanas y hermanos en Cristo rezan
por usted y su familia. Un día, muy pronto, nos encontraremos caminando por las
puertas conocidas de nuestras escuelas e iglesias, veremos rostros cordiales en
persona y nos abrazaremos en anheladas reuniones con nuestra familia y seres queridos.
Llegaremos a esos momentos paso a paso, un día a la vez, apoyándonos en nuestra
fe y con la convicción de que, efectivamente, los milagros suceden, como nos lo
enseñó el maestro más grande de todos, Jesucristo, que resucitó para ser luz en
las tinieblas.

Con nuestros mejores deseos de una bienaventurada y feliz Pascua,

Cordialmente,

Michael J. Deegan
Superintendente de Escuelas
Arquidiócesis de Nueva York

Dear Parents,

The health and safety of students and staff Saint Raymond Elementary School and all students across the Archdiocese is our top priority. We are committed to ensuring school communities have the information they need on COVID-19 (coronavirus).

As noted, in the Superintendent of Schools, March 6th letter, “We will provide information on school operations as well as, coronavirus related guidance from government agency. However, it would be in violation of privacy laws to provide information about specific individuals and their circumstances.”

 We are writing to inform you that a member of the St. Raymond’s Elementary School community today self-reported a positive test result for COVID-19. We are handling this situation with the utmost seriousness.  At this time, it is important to listen to facts and not respond to fear or rumor. I would encourage you to visit the CDC website www.CDC.Gov  for additional factual information and resources and the attached NYC DOH FAQ.

We are following protocols from the CDC, NYS DOH, and NYC DOH. We have contracted with qualified, licensed cleaning professionals who will conduct deep cleaning and sanitization following CDC Guidelines using approved disinfectants. 

NYC Department of Health has advised us: “Currently, there is generalized community transmission of COVID-19 in New York City, meaning there are cases that have no known link to travel or to another confirmed case. The school or workplace environment having a positive case does not put others at higher risk than anywhere else in the city, given that there is generalized transmission in the city.” 

Students and Staff should self monitor for symptoms if you have fever or symptoms, call the NYC Health Department at 347-396-7990, in addition you can call 311 and your medical provider.”

During times like this, the safety and well-being of our Catholic schools families and staff, as well as those in the broader community around us, are our primary concern.

We will continue to deliver as much information as possible in a timely manner. For regularly updated information on COVID-19 (coronavirus) related issues in our schools, the best resource will always be www.CatholicSchoolsNY.org 

Mr. Eugene Scanlon
Principal


 

Mr. Michael J. Coppotelli
Associate Superintendent of Schools
Public Policy & Student Services
 
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
 
(Thursday, March 12, 2020) Superintendent of Catholic Schools Mr. Michael J. Deegan has announced Catholic Schools within the Archdiocese of New York will close all elementary schools in our system effective Monday, March 16, 2020 until Friday March 20, 2020, with the possibility of a lengthier closure.  Informed by expert health officials and the Health and Safety Task Force of the Office of the Superintendent of Schools, this decision was made out of an abundance of caution. The health and safety of our students, staff and families is of the utmost importance.
 
Additionally, after consultation with the leadership of the Catholic Youth Organizations and the Catholic High School Athletic Associations, all activities and all sporting events and practices have been cancelled indefinitely.
 
We are continuing to monitor the situation surrounding COVID-19 (Coronavirus). It is rapidly changing and we are closely following the advice of city, state and federal health officials   We will keep you informed.
 
We truly understand that taking this action may cause some disruption to our families, but we strongly believe that these measures taken now will have the greatest success of decreasing risk to the whole community.
 
Over recent days our dedicated principals and teachers have been preparing educational materials for ongoing home-based learning to ensure our students continue to be academically engaged
 
Please refer to our website www.CatholicSchoolsNY.org<http://www.CatholicSchoolsNY.org>   for updates and links to best practices for staying healthy as well as links to the U.S. State Department, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization and other resources.
 
 For more than two centuries, Catholic schools within the Archdiocese of New York have taught and nurtured children from diverse backgrounds and successfully provided students with the life-changing opportunities that are inherent in a Catholic education. Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York currently serve more than 62,000 students from PreK through 12th grade at more than 200 schools across nine counties and three boroughs throughout New York. That includes Manhattan, Staten Island, Bronx, and seven counties including Westchester, Orange, Dutchess, Rockland, Sullivan, Putnam and Ulster.
 
High Schools and Private Independent Catholic Schools closures are made independently of the Superintendent of Schools Office.
 
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 See the home page for the latest information from the Superintendent of Schools.