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Dear Catholic School Families,

A majority of our schools are entering their second month of instruction for the 2020/2021 school year. I continue to be impressed by the hard work and dedication of our Catholic school students, families, teachers and staff.

As you may recall, we have been distributing regular surveys to parents/guardians and employees to measure knowledge and understanding of and comfort with our health and safety practices. Having just completed our second survey, overall feedback indicates that school families remain very supportive of in-person learning and generally comfortable with health and safety protocols.

Given that we are living through an unprecedented public health crisis it is completely understandable and anticipated that some parents would like to see even stricter protocols and some who would like some existing protocols relaxed. The Archdiocese continues to work with health care professionals and departments of public health to ensure the safety of everyone in our parish and school communities. We also conduct close monitoring of each school through site visits, increased observation and analysis of local school information.

Also noted in the survey was a desire for increased communication around quarantines and other matters related to COVID-19 (please see below regarding close contact letters). And many parents commented on the dedication of individual teachers, principals and staff members.

We will assess the results of these surveys to inform our practices.

If you didn’t have a chance to complete the most recent pulse survey, our next survey will be open
in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to share your questions, concerns and ideas with your principal or send them to ReopenSchools@archchicago.org.

Thank you for your partnership in Catholic education!

Yours in Christ,
Jim Rigg, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Catholic Schools
Close Contact and Exposure Letters

We know you are concerned about your student, other students and staff when they are absent or sent home. Please know that we are committed to protecting the health and well-being of everyone in our schools. We adhere to specific procedures and protocols that align with guidance from local departments of public health. At times, out of an abundance of caution, students or staff members will be absent for a short period of time while we diligently work through the necessary guidelines and protocols. Be assured, if your child is a possible close contact of an infected person or there is any identified risk of exposure, you will be contacted by your school’s principal immediately. 
Congratulations to Blue Ribbon Schools!

Seven Archdiocese of Chicago schools have been recognized this year by the U.S. Department of Education with Blue Ribbon Awards! Those schools are:

  • St. Andrew School (Chicago)
  • St. Clement School (Chicago)
  • St. Francis Xavier School (La Grange)
  • St. James School (Arlington Heights)
  • St. John of the Cross School (Western Springs)
  • St. Paul of the Cross School (Park Ridge)
  • School of St. Mary (Lake Forest)

The National Blue Ribbon Award is presented to schools based on its overall academic excellence or progress in closing student achievement gaps. All seven schools were recognized under the category of “Exemplary High Performing Schools,” meaning the schools are among the state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.

In addition, Woodlands Academy (Lake Forest), an independent Catholic school was recognized with a 2020 National Blue Ribbon. Catholic schools in the Archdiocese have received a total of 117 Blue Ribbon Awards.

Our Catholic schools do a tremendous job of teaching children intellectually, physically and spiritually, and it is gratifying to receive such recognition. Congratulations to students, teachers, administrators and families at these schools!
Good News Stories

We all want good news. Our Catholic faith is centered on THE Good News of Jesus Christ. Over the past several months, the importance of hope-filled and joyful stories has become even greater for our mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. That’s why we want to share the good news stories happening in your school community. If your student’s class/cohort or school is doing something you know others would find creative, inspiring, or simply fun, please send us an email to schoolmarketing@archchicago.org and we’ll share your story.
Have questions? Your principal is the best first contact about operations, safety procedures and academics as they will be addressed at the school level. Next, please send your questions to Reopenschools@archchicago.org.
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Archdiocese of Chicago, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
835 N. Rush St.
Chicago, IL 60611

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