Written by MaryBeth Peabody
Schools in the Diocese of Camden are preparing to open in person, full-time on Tuesday, Sept. 8. A remote learning option will be available for families who are not ready to return to the classroom but want to remain part of their school community.
Since the early days of summer, schools have been collaborating with each other and with the Office of Catholic Schools to develop guidelines for reopening. Now, they are working with task forces at their individual schools to customize plans that will meet their unique needs.
“So much creativity and expertise is being unleashed in every one of our schools,” said Catholic Schools Superintendent Dr. Bill Watson. “That’s what happens when you include community members in the process. You invite talents, skills and gifts that benefit the unique needs of every school community.”
School administrators, teachers, parents, board members, parishioners, local community leaders, clergy and students are among the task force members at various schools. Task force responsibilities include understanding government, diocesan and health department guidelines; exploring technology options; researching and purchasing supplies (for example cleaning and sanitizing products, desk separators, face shields and technology equipment); recommending best use of space to comply with social distancing requirements; and creating instructions, signage, and communication plans. Members share one ultimate goal — to bring students back to school full-time, safely.
After a recent meeting of the task force at Saint Teresa Regional School in Runnemede, Home and School Association President Vincent Mancuso acknowledged the “dedication of volunteers who are working hard to make sure our school is ready to be opened up and keeping kids healthy.”
“Saint Teresa School is putting some really strong guidelines into place,” said fellow task force member Katie Welsh, a school parent. “I am completely confident that we can get our children back into their classrooms in September, safely.”
Watson, who attended the meeting, said he was impressed by the work being done at Saint Teresa and in schools throughout the diocese.
“The level of detail, the things they’re planning, the questions they have, the way they are representing what parents are thinking and feeling, is outstanding,” he said. “Our schools are in good hands.”
Getting the right technology resources in place is a task force priority at all schools, especially with an option for students to learn remotely.
Vin Spinelli, board member and technology committee chair at Our Lady of Hope Regional School in Blackwood, recently spoke about the school’s technology plans, which include training for all parents. Principal Liz Martino reinforced the school’s commitment to a technology platform that will serve students in and out of the classroom.
“We know kids learn best when they’re connected with their teachers, and there’s nothing like that face-to-face interaction.” said Martino.
For remote learning, “We’re trying to replicate, as best we can, those opportunities that are live, simultaneous, happening in real time … that connect the student with their teachers,” she said.
School parents Ryan and Kelly Shepperd took great comfort in what they heard.
“It shows that a lot of the concerns we’ve been bringing up … are being facilitated across multiple levels to ensure a successful delivery of the education content,” said Ryan.
“We’ve always wanted for the kids to be as comfortable at school as they are at home with their learning,” said Kelly. She added that hearing about upcoming plans “really gives me faith that they can transition from being in school to potentially learning at home if they have to.”
Ryan, who works a long, full day from home, agreed. “The [school’s] vision for a seamless transition is a key piece to keeping everything moving at home well for both the students and the families,” he said.
Watson said all schools must have more fully integrated technology in and out of the classroom. Live streaming and a unified Learning Management System are among the expectations for every school.
“We built expertise in the spring, and we’re moving forward with that,” he said. “The future is now, and we’re going to keep improving.”