Diocese schools make plans for new year

By GEOFF STOUTE
gstoute@daily-review.com
Students in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux will return to school for in-class instruction next month, five days a week, with those in grades 3-12 using masks.
Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Schools Suzanne Troxclair said in the first of a series of videos that will be posted on Youtube by the diocese to discuss topics for the school year that those in grades 3-12 will be required to wear face coverings along with all staff. Parents have the option of providing face coverings for students below third grade.
“This is guidance that we are getting from our health professionals, from our Louisiana Department of Education,” she said in the video.
Central Catholic Elementary will resume school Aug. 6, while Central Catholic High School will return to the classroom Aug. 8.
The students will be in class five days a week with a regular school day.
“We know, in reality, there could be a change from the governor in what the phase may turn to,” Troxclair said.
She commended the work that students, faculty and parents did to continue learning once a stay-at-home order was issued in March.
“We were able to continue that instruction, continue that Christ-centered instruction, as well within our students from their homes, not in our buildings, so in that case, if that were to happen again, we are prepared for that as well,” Troxclair said. “We’ve learned a lot. We learned a lot this past spring. Our teachers and our schools had to move very quickly to prepare for that distance learning.”
While the diocese is prepared to continue learning if another closing arises, Troxclair said schools are continuing to improve their digital learning in the classroom.
“Throughout these last several weeks, our teachers and our administrators are working together so that they’re improving their abilities to promote … digital learning in their classrooms as well as if we needed this for a stay-at-home order where we would unfortunately be pulled from our brick and mortar buildings,” she said.
When students arrive at school, they will have their temperatures checked daily, while Troxclair stressed that staff or students who feel ill should not come to school.
To the maximum extent possible, everyone will be kept at a 6-foot distance from one another.
“Schools are diligently working right now to remove excess furniture, for example, from their classrooms, to maximize the spacing within their classrooms,” Troxclair said. “I’ve seen schools that have already mapped out in their halls the 6-feet spaces between students when they’re entering, so getting those students used to that 6-feet distance, that’s our goal all of the time.”
She said face coverings and social distancing will give the diocese “that stronger net, that stronger barrier to work, so that we are keeping our students safe.”
Students, especially on the elementary level, will be kept in place when possible during the day and teachers will do the moving to the different classrooms instead.
“The least movement that we have with our classes, the better for the overall protection of the entire school family,” Troxclair said.
Visitors also will be prohibited from visiting school in the current phase.
“Our hope is that, of course, this is temporary,” Troxclair said. “It is something that is going to be a challenge. Like many of these things, it’s not always going to be easy, but it’s something that’s going to be necessary for our commitment to in-class learning.”