Tomorrow, Palm Sunday, begins our journey into Holy Week. The symbolism of palms recollects Jesus’ triumphant return to Jerusalem where he is greeted as a hero. Unbeknownst to his followers, this return marks the beginning of his Passion.
The Lord GOD has given me
a well-trained tongue,
that I might know how to speak to the weary
a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
he opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.
The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
~Isaiah 50:4-7
A CUP WITH THE PRINCIPAL | Recap
I’m grateful to those families who tuned in for the first Zoom town hall version of “A Cup with the Principal”. It was a great opportunity to articulate all the good things going on in the virtual classrooms and to clarify some of the messaging surrounding Shelter in Place directives and its impact on our school.
Here are few highlights:
We started off by establishing the norms for the forum and prayed together to recognize that we all have different gifts from the Spirit that work towards one common goal: to honor and glorify God.
Many parents expressed their gratitude for how quickly and how well the Home Learning @ St. Clare's distance learning program got off the ground. There was deep appreciation for the role of the teacher. It was also acknowledged that the change has really had a great impact on all of us: students, teachers, parents and caregivers. We now must work together to communicate frequently and openly to benefit our students.
More importantly, despite news from the Governor and the CA Superintendent of Public Schools that they are recommending public schools remain closed for the rest of the school year, the Diocese of San Jose elementary schools follow the directives of the health department. As you have seen, our “return back to school” messaging is always followed by Shelter in Place directives. As of today, the earliest we could return to school would be May 4, with the understanding that this date might change based on directives from the health department. One thing we can be certain is that we will hear from them again before May 4 and we will, as we have done, take appropriate action then.
Home Learning Principles | More evidence of synchronous learning in the days to come:
Live (via Zoom) explicit (direct) instruction as well as pre-recorded lessons from teachers
Opportunities for differentiation and individualized instruction (pacing, speed)
Continued refinement of core instructional practices
Focus on pacing of content: identifying key standards (power standards)
Focus on social emotional learning and compassionate encounters
Focus on executive functioning skills: organization, prioritization, time management, self regulation, shifting (transitions), flexible thinking, accessing working memory
HOME LEARNING RESOURCES | Available on Home Learning @ St. Clare Drive
Stewardship and Sustainability | We also spoke about the stewardship and sustainability of our resources remembering the following:
St. Clare School is a tuition-based institution, which depends on enrollment to provide a quality program to meet the needs of all students.
More and more families are going to need accommodations as a result of reduction in positions and hours, as well as loss or decrease of revenue for independent contractors and entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, it is our new reality.
We are looking at ways to be more responsible stewards of the resources we currently have.
Some have asked/suggested about the CARE Act and stimulus programs. We are a part of the Roman Catholic Bishop of San Jose, an employer of greater than 500 persons. As such we do not qualify for some of the grants available to religious organizations. In addition, we are not able to take advantage of stimulus money as the language does not allow religious organizations to retain their exemptions.
As always, I encourage you to reach out to me directly with any questions or concerns regarding tuition. You can reach me by phone at 408-246-6797 x 102 between 8A and 5P, or via email at cecile.mantecon@dsj.org.
SOME WAYS TO GIVE | Please share with friends and family
Support families struggling with tuition. Give to the Brian Hegarty Scholarship Fund which can be found in the School Store.
Support the Annual Fund to help with operational costs, which can also be found in the School Store.
Purchase a gift card for gas or groceries. (We have limited inventory of gas cards.) Send an email to office@stclareschool or call the school office at 408-246-6797.
Soon, you will hear about an Easter Meal Kit prepared by Modern Fine Catering (Gereld and Eloisa Angeles) that will be made available to purchase by our families. More importantly, there will be an opportunity to sponsor a family’s meal. More information will come directly from the Angeleses. They and Kevin Farmer will help coordinate the communications and pick up. Stay tuned for this exciting opportunity to stay connected!
Stay tuned for the next “A Cup with the Principal” opportunity when we return from Easter break.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENCOUNTER THIS WEEK
Look for a ParentSquare post from Ms. Teresea, Ms. Valerye or Ms. Cherell for the next Insta-Live session. They are looking forward to more people joining them to say HI and What’s Up?
ZOOM LIVE: Morning Assembly and Silver Box: HomeLearning Edition and Middle School Honors Assembly | Wednesday, 4/7 at 8:10A
ZOOM LIVE: Holy Thursday Prayer Service: Stations of the Cross led by the 8th Grade | Thursday, 4/8 at 11A
Math Club continues to connect and have some great activities planned.
Parents continue to enjoy one another via Zoom “Happy Hours”!
See the Easter Meal Kit opportunity above.
We hope to plan an Easter break “car-go-’round” event where you can drive through our parking lot and Washington street to wave to our faculty and staff. Stay tuned for more information to come this week or next.
HOME LEARNING
As we become more and more adept at using technology, we discover some great tips and tricks as well as vulnerabilities. One key thing to remember is to always supervise students when they are on Zoom. Here are some best practices:
Make sure students know NOT to accept invitations from other Zoom users unless they know who they are. For our purposes, our teachers share Meeting IDs and passwords via Google Classroom or ParentSquare directly to their students and families.
Make sure your students use handles that are easily identifiable to the teacher (John Smith v. JS1122 or lemur3)
Teachers use and communicate passwords and often use the Waiting Room function to allow only those known to the class (students, parents, other teachers/administrators).
Follow directions and use Zoom functions (whiteboard, breakout rooms, chat) as directed by teachers.
As always, parents should advocate for the needs of their younger students by contacting the classroom teacher directly. Students in middle grades should feel comfortable and welcome to contact their teachers directly if they have any questions or concerns. Take advantage of office hours, class meetings and 1:1 check ins with teachers (student:teacher, parent:teacher). We share the responsibility to form every child, every day.
HOLY WEEK BEGINS TOMORROW | April 5, 2020
Here are some resources to prepare for Holy Week and the Triduum:
Pope’s Video Message in Anticipation Holy Week
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMJDCnmdhRg
The Sacrament of Reconciliation in the Current Pandemic | Bishop Cantú
https://vimeo.com/401384808
Examination of Conscience
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FvvHvgPUghhkotyEbBZq2Rc13uUGUkJyhPf1hEkrt_U/edit?usp=sharing
Join our diocesan community for Palm Sunday and Holy Week services: Diocese of San Jose Holy Week Live Stream Schedule
https://www.dsj.org/diocese-of-san-jose-sets-holy-week-livestream-schedule-adapts-liturgical-celebrations-during-pandemic/
My husband and I will be attending the 9:30A mass at Holy Spirit Church with Fr. Brendan McGuire live streamed via Facebook @HSParish. Fr. Brendan has asked that we bring with us a branch from our yard or garden that will be blessed as part of the Palm Sunday service.
There are many beautiful celebrations going on throughout our diocese being celebrated with diverse communities. My hope is that you and your family are gathering around your devices tomorrow to welcome our Savior with open arms. Hosanna!
May you be blessed during this Holiest of Weeks!
With gratitude and thanksgiving for your generous and unwavering support,
Cecile Mantecon, Principal
