Updated following the release of the Governor’s Health Order

Following announcements from the state and diocese this week, the plans for the 2021-22 school year at Aquinas are as follows:

Masks: At this time, masks are required by the state and diocese for faculty, staff, and students and will be worn indoors at Aquinas. Face shields may be worn as an accommodation. Masks may have patterns, but masks designed to look like a nose or mouth should not be worn to school. Face shields should be clear, without designs.

Although required for health reasons, Aquinas recognizes that wearing masks all day is difficult and inhibits speaker-audience connection and the forming of relationships among teachers and students, a key component of the learning process. With prayer for those who are sick, including our own friends and loved ones, we will wear masks with some exceptions, as permitted by the new health order.

Distancing: Aquinas will not practice social distancing in classrooms, but will avoid all-school gatherings as we begin the school year. Arrival and dismissal will be directly to/from classrooms, to avoid a large gathering of students. All students will have their temperature taken and use hand sanitizer upon entry to school.

Cleaning: Restrooms will be sanitized twice daily and classrooms will be sanitized weekly.

Contact Tracing/Quarantine: The school will provide contact tracing using classroom seating charts and will notify persons who have had close contact with a positive COVID case of the need to quarantine. Families will be expected to quarantine after international travel and to notify the school nurse and administration any time there is COVID-related illness in the family. (School Nurse: aplanchak@aquinastars.org; Assistant Principal: jferguson@aquinastars.org)

Noon Dismissals on Wednesdays: Aquinas will dismiss at noon on Wednesdays, to allow for classroom sanitization and teacher collaboration.

Flexible Technology: Aquinas will provide 1:1 devices for students in grades 1-8 to allow for a smooth transition to eLearning via Zoom and Schoology in the event that this becomes necessary at any point during the year. See our 2021 Aquinas eLearning Schedule.

These protocols are subject to change as circumstances unfold.

Posted on July 23, 2021

Updated on August 13, 2021