New Student Support Days Provide Flexibility

December 7, 2020

In response to the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Cretin-Derham Hall has added a weekly Student Support Day to the schedule. Wednesday mornings are dedicated to providing students with additional support, holding study sessions, and allowing faculty and students to meet one-on-one. Afternoons provide teachers with essential planning time, so they can create lesson plans that meet the challenges of the hybrid model. Wednesdays may also be utilized for professional development.

“We hope that this will benefit students by giving them more opportunities to work individually or in small groups with teachers and give them access to help when they need it,” said Assistant Principal Amy Bellus ’90. "Right now, with teachers having to work with both in-person and online students at the same time, finding time for students to meet with teachers can be difficult. Mornings are devoted to working individually and in small groups with students. We are also hopeful that teachers will benefit from the afternoon time devoted to professional development and planning time. With the ever-changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to be ready to be flexible and navigate a number of possibilities that may come our way."

Student Support Days are not a day off - they’re an opportunity to engage in individualized learning. Students may be required to attend study sessions, and also have the opportunity to come to campus if they find they are more productive working here than at home. 

One of the things that makes a CDH education special is the connections built between our students and faculty. We know that the chance to work with a teacher one-on-one can take a student from confused to confident. These Student Support Days will make sure that every Raider has the chance to have their questions answered and build mastery of every subject. 

“We believe that one of the best things we do at CDH is to build relationships with students and offer them individualized instruction,” Bellus said. “Student Support Wednesdays, along with Flex and Community Time, allow teachers and students to deepen those relationships and allows teachers opportunities to work individually with students to ensure that our students are receiving a quality education even during these difficult times.”

For more details on Student Support Wednesdays, read the official announcement.