Superintendent Message April 1, 2020

April 1, 2020 Dear Catholic School Families,   As we reach the midway point of our second full week of home-based learning, we continue to find inspiration in the focus and enthusiasm of our teachers and your children. Even though our buildings may be closed, school is in session; our classrooms and our hearts are open! We know this by the engagement of your sons and daughters with our teachers and principals, the witness of faith by supporting our first responders, and by the inspiring acts posted on social media. As part of our efforts to keep you informed, we would like to provide several updates about the school calendar, parent resources, and opportunities for us to come together as a community of faith. In accordance with state and federal guidelines all school buildings will remain closed, and home-based learning will continue through April 30, 2020. Catholic Elementary Schools in the Archdiocese of New York will be on Easter break commencing Holy Thursday through Friday, April 17 (Staten Island Catholic Elementary Schools in the Archdiocese of New York will be on Easter break commencing April 6 through Friday, April 17). Home-based classes will resume on Monday, April 20. The CatholicSchoolsNY.org web page had a redesign; it's now multi-dimensional! With frequently updated information and the ability to connect with our school community in real time, it will become the information superhighway for Catholic school families. You will also see new pages with helpful parent resources, counseling information and system-wide announcements as well as links to government-issued COVID-19 relating to our schools. Don't forget to visit CatholicSchoolsNY.org for real-time updates throughout the day! In keeping with health department mandates, the policy regarding notifications of new COVID-19 cases associated with our schools has been updated. Please see this recently posted notification for further information regarding the new notification protocols. As we approach the holiest of weeks for Catholics, and our next two "Catholic School Weekends of Prayer," Cardinal Dolan has invited you and your family to join him in celebrating Palm Sunday and Easter Mass from St. Patrick's Cathedral this and next Sunday April 5 & 12 at 10:00 a.m. We will come together as a Catholic Schools Community to pray together and view the televised Mass on PIX 11 or live stream on the St. Patrick's Cathedral website. They may also be heard on The Catholic Channel, Sirius XM 129.   For so many of us, these days may seem dark; however, in just a few short days, we are reminded, as St. Augustine tells us: "We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our Song!" Sincerely yours,   Mr. Michael J. Deegan Superintendent of Schools Archdiocese of New York