Dear Parents of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic School,
Happy Tuesday! Today, we had Department meetings with all of our faculty and staff. A big focus of these meetings was implementing a consistent distance learning platform that we can use across campus for interactive lessons and help sessions. This will look different at different grade levels. We are incredibly grateful to Hal and Ana Brumfield for purchasing licenses for our teachers to use GoToMeeting to provide this opportunity for our students in a more secure way. This can be done on laptops, desktops, smartphones or iPads.
For those with iPads or iPhones, please go to the App Store and search for GoToMeeting. Please download the free app. Teachers will send students the information to join a meeting when that is scheduled. When you open the app, please sign into the meeting as a guest. If using your computer, some browsers will require you to download the app. Others will not. I have been using Chrome and then participating in these meetings through my browser. Student chromebooks will not allow the use of the camera. Middle school students can participate through audio on their chromebooks or may use another device. Teachers will send invitations to classes and/or help sessions as we get this rolling. It is very important that our families complete the consent if you have not yet done this: https://www.staopcs.org/virtual-learning-consent.
On Friday, we are still planning our Drop-Off/Pick-Up Day this Friday, March 27th. More information to come on this. We are asking families to come at these times:
Staff will not be outside at this time as we do our best to comply with all CDC recommendations. There will be two boxes per grade level: one to drop materials off and one to pick materials up. This is not mandatory. You may also opt to submit all material electronically to your teacher and print packets if you would prefer not to come to campus. There will also be a packet for Earth Day for each grade level availableon Friday. Next Friday, April 3rd, was the day we had set aside to celebrate our Earth. We will continue to have our Earth Day with no new assignments next Friday. I hope you enjoy these activities planned by Mrs. Koett, Mrs. Dueitt and our Auxiliary team as we treasure the beauty of the Earth God has given us.
Auxiliary teachers will be reaching out to you over the course of the next couple of weeks just to check in and make sure things are going well. If there is anything you need, please let them know. Our whole faculty/staff is here to help you.
Finally, we know that there are many things weighing on our hearts now. If you want to send in a prayer intention, please do so using this link: https://www.staopcs.org/prayers. Father Tom has said he will keep these intentions in his prayers as we continue to face this difficult time in our world and as we journey through these days of Lent.
If there is anything I can do to help, please reach out.
Only by His Grace,
Veronica Tucker
Principal