The SPIRIT of SKS

God of Love,

Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us.
He is a sign of your love.
Help us walk in that love during the weeks of Advent,
As we wait and prepare for his coming.
We pray in the name of Jesus, our Savior.
Amen.

Happy First Week of Advent Saint Kateri School ~

I hope that everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving break with their family ~ it was nice to be able to take a breathe and shift our minds and spirit to the upcoming season of Christmas. We are blessed to be able to look forward to the celebration of the birth of Jesus as it fills us with HOPE as we end this year of 2020.

We have now successfully moved all of our school Daily Health Certifications to Pick Up Patrol. Thank you to everyone who has been logging on each morning and showing your child's green "All Clear" at arrival. It was necessary to change the time that health checks need to be completed so that Car Line teachers are prepared by 8:00am. It would help our Car Line teachers if you had the All Clear screen pulled up on your device before they are at your car window to check.

Today, Kindergarten - Grade 5 students will find in their child's Everyday folder copies of the Distance Learning Plan for Saint Kateri School. It includes three parts:

• Letter with a detachable signature requirement
• Distance Learning expectations for your child's grade level
• Student and family expectations for your child's learning platform and LIVE learning with their teachers

Please read it thoroughly and carefully, sign the acknowledgement that you have received the Distance Learning plan and understand it and send the signature slip back into school by Friday, December 4th. Preschool families will receive their specific information on Friday, December 4th.

As was stated in our Reopening Plan this summer, long-term changes to either in-person learning or distance learning can be made on a case by case basis, after contacting the principal. However, if a student is out for an extended amount of time (i.e. quarantine, isolation, etc.) temporary arrangements can be made to move to Distance Learning until they are able to return to school. Please contact me directly and I will work with you and your child's teacher to put a temporary DL plan in place. If your child is sick but you would like to pick up any work they are missing, contact your child's teacher to make arrangements to pick up from the Main Office.

Have a blessed Advent season ~

Mrs. Terri L. Morgan, Principal

Email: Terri.Morgan@dor.org

Phone: (585) 467-8730

• PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE: Student Daily Health Checks should be done through Pick Up Patrol PRIOR TO 7:30am. Be sure you have your information updated in PickUp Patrol. You can show your child's Green All Clear certification on your hand held device or in paper form. Please let any family members dropping off your child(ren) know about this procedure prior to coming to school. If you have any questions regarding getting PickUp Patrol set up you can contact Carrie.Pellegrino@dor.org OR Terri.Morgan@dor.org.
• Please remember to show your Car Tag each day during dismissal ~ this helps tremendously with making sure dismissal runs smoothly, especially when we have staff helping out that are not as familiar with the children and their families as the regular car line teachers.

NOVEMBER:

• 11/30: Light the Candle of Hope (purple)

DECEMBER:

• 12/1: Hot Lunch begins
• 12/1: Quiet Mass at 9:00am: 3rd/K
• 12/2: Parent's Association Meeting 6:00-7:30pm (Zoom meeting)
• 12/4: Celebrating St. Nicholas Day
• 12/7: Light the Candle of Love (purple)
• 12/8: School Mass: Feast of the Immaculate Conception (5th grade)
• 12/10: DOR Marketing Meeting
• 12/14: Light the Candle of Joy (pink)
• 12/15: Quiet Mass at 9:00am: 4th/1st
• 12/21: Light the Candle of Peace (purple)
• 12/22: Quiet Mass at 9:00am: 5th/2nd
• 12/23: Advent Prayer Service

The Feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated on December 6th but at Saint Kateri School we will be celebrating it on Friday, December 4th. (Tuesday/Thursday preschoolers will celebrate on Thursday, December 3rd) In honor of St. Nicholas' work with the poor and giving back to people in need, we are asking students to bring in items to donate to Bethany House.

• children's shampoo
• baby bath wash
• diapers
• conditioner
• woman's body wash
• baby lotion
• baby wipes
• toothpaste
• tissues
• soap
• woman's shampoo
• deodorant

Thank you!

LOVE in ACTION to support Seniors in our Community ~ Please bring items to school by Friday, December 11th

*This year we will also be asking for cash donations (any denominations) to purchase the supplies to make our Senior Tea a traveling event

In addition:

*Notecards

*Lotions

*Playing Card

*Books

*Blankets

*Word Search books

*Warm Fuzzy Socks

*Chocolates

*Mints

*Scarves

*Stationary

*OTHER – any other items you think the Seniors might need, want or enjoy!

On Monday, November 30th Governor Cuomo implemented a change to how schools will be handling Yellow, Orange and Red Zone designations. I am including the most current information below from the NYSDOH website for you to review. At this time we are current on our required testing and have no limitations on in-person learning or further testing requirements. Updates or changes will be shared as becomes necessary ~

From the NYSDOH website:

Strategy 3 - Keep Schools Open Safely

One of the most critical aspects of managing the COVID-19 pandemic for governments and parents alike has been answering the question of how and when schools should remain open. On that point, experts from around the globe have determined that as long as a school's infection rate is under control and remains under the infection rate of the community at large, schools should remain open, particularly for students in K-8. Not only does school provide parents with support in terms of childcare, it provides a regularity to life which has been missing for so many children throughout this pandemic.

Under New York's Winter Plan, efforts will be focused on keeping K-8 and Special Education schools open as long as it can be done safely. The first step will be to establish sustainable, ongoing testing in schools so that they can continue operating in the long term. As part of this, schools located in Orange and Red zones will be required to conduct weekly testing. Schools in Orange Zones will be required to test 20 percent of in person students, faculty, and staff over the course of a month and schools in Red Zones will be required to test 30 percent of in person students, faculty, and staff over a month. Pool testing will be allowed as well.

These protocols represent the minimum standard required for schools to stay open and the state may adjust requirements for specific districts based on any special circumstances which may arise. While local districts are able to close at levels under the state's mandatory closure rule, they are urged to keep K-8 schools open whenever it is safe.

We are available for 5 full days in-person instruction! Registration paperwork can be found on our website, https://www.saintkaterischool.org/

Want to get $500 off your tuition? Click the link below to find out how ~

Ambassador Program

Please contact us with any questions you may have regarding the Registration or Financial Aid process.

Email: sksdcs@dor.org
Website: www.saintkaterischool.org
Location: 445 Kings Highway South, Rochester, NY, USA
Phone: (585) 467-8730
Facebook: facebook.com/St.KateriSchoolIrondequoit
Twitter: @StKateriSchool