Letter from the Principal - March 2020

March 11, 2020

It always seems to me that third trimester sneaks up on us. I believe as we near the end of the school year, it’s good for us to step back and re-evaluate our priorities and share them with our community.

Our first priority is always to provide the best experience possible for our current students--spiritually, academically, emotionally and physically. Teachers consistently make academic excellence and the well-being of their students a top priority. Our counselors, administrators and other staff members are working diligently to create a successful end to the school year including activities, athletics, celebrations, prayer, prom, graduation, and more.

We are also busy preparing for next school year. We welcomed the majority of the CDH Class of 2024 at registration last Wednesday evening. Our Admissions Office has also hosted virtual tours for our prospective Amerigo students. Our faculty and staff are busy preparing for our new schedule next yea­­­­r. While it is certainly quite a bit of work, it’s also an energizing process to re-evaluate and make improvements to our curriculum, instruction and student wellness. Most of our professional development time on March 16 and 17 will be dedicated to next year’s schedule. Because of the hard work of so many last fall, we are also prepared to launch the implementation phase of our strategic plan next year.

Finally, we are faced with the unexpected priority to plan and prepare for any possible impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in our school community. We are monitoring the MDH and CDC recommendations daily. We cannot control the overall spread or impact of the virus, but we do have a responsibility to protect our students and staff to the best of our ability and to continue providing education for our students in case we are faced with a possible campus closure. Our Department Chairs, including Director of Technology Carole Loufek, have outlined a plan for online school. We will gather more input and provide training for faculty at our upcoming in-service. Our goal is to provide meaningful learning experiences for students without infringing on health and family responsibilities if local communities need to isolate. In addition, our maintenance staff, along with our contracted night cleaning service, is following the new health recommendations for cleaning our spaces.

I do have one last plea. We know that students are often reluctant to miss school and activities, but it’s imperative that you keep your students home if they are sick. Also, please remind your students of good hygiene including washing their hands thoroughly and frequently. While we can’t control the outbreak, we can all have an impact on the health and safety of our students, families, and communities.