Written by Mary Beth Peabody
It’s the third week of remote learning in South Jersey Catholic Schools, and elementary school principals could not be more proud of the transition that has occurred in their communities. Across the board, they describe an environment where teachers are superheroes; parents are supportive and grateful; students are engaged and learning; the diocese is alive with technology; everyone misses the children; and God’s presence is constant in a time of great uncertainty.
“Our teachers are creative and forward thinking in bringing education to life in the confines of [people’s] homes,” said Anne Hartman, principal at Christ the King Regional School in Haddonfield.
Principals understand that not all homes are equally equipped to support students’ remote learning needs. Much of the school day relies on technology, and in many households siblings and parents are sharing, or without, needed devices. Schools have been able to help by loaning Chromebooks or other devices to make sure all students can succeed.
Even the youngest students are video conferencing real-time classes, where they see and talk with classmates and teachers. With no shortage of technology platforms, teachers are conducting class, assigning and assessing students’ work and offering supplemental tools for practice and review. Collaboration and planning have made way for a structured “new normal.”
“The response from parents has been so positive,” said Trish Mancuso, principal at Saint Mary School in Williamstown. “They see the structure and that children have to be responsible. They’ll say, ‘We are so grateful for the teachers and their hard work.’”
Mancuso said close, daily communication with families has been a top priority for her.
In Wildwood, principal Sister Sheila Murphy said she has received beautiful emails from parents at Cape Trinity Catholic School. “They can’t believe what teachers have been able to do,” she said. One parent commented their child wasn’t just reviewing, but was actually learning new material.
While their buildings may be empty, school communities have not lost their Catholic identity. The day begins and ends with prayer, often led by students, through Zoom or a recorded video. Religion class remains an integral part of the curriculum. Other actions are more subtle — like the way Sister Sheila now mails a holy card to students on their birthday, a gift she previously treasured delivering in person.
Principals predict the remote learning experience will have a profound positive impact on the future of education in the Diocese of Camden.
“We have been forced to master tools of technology,” said Joseph Safiotti, principal at Saint Peter School in Merchantville, adding that he could envision a market for parents who want the structure of Catholic education, but from the convenience of their own home. “Everything is in God’s hand,” he said. “Nothing is outside the scope of his plan.”