Dear Parents,

When the school year begins for our PreK-Grade 12 students on Monday, August 31, the COVID-19 task force and I anticipate the state will be in Phase 4 of the MI Safe Start Plan, and that our building will be open for daily, in-person instruction. Our small size, and abundant space make this possible in ways that are otherwise impossible for larger schools and districts.

The situation remains fluid, and we are closely monitoring key developments and data. I am confident we are prepared, and ready to pivot quickly if required. The task force and school leadership have focused on the structures for our Re-entry Plan, which we initially shared in June. Today we are sharing our Preparedness Plan, which details health and safety protocols during Phases 1-5 of the MI Safe Start Plan, and a set of Frequently Asked Questions ahead of Monday’s town hall at 4 p.m. Please plan to attend; you may register here.

Thank you for your quick responses to our recent survey on remote learning. Parent feedback guided expanding eligibility for flexible remote learning (Scenario 3 in the Re-Entry Plan) during Phase 4 of the MI Safe Start Plan. Please note that the flexible remote learning option would run parallel to, and be an alternative for parents who aren’t comfortable with sending their children in-person, as well as those families with a medical need. Let me reiterate that while flexible remote learning will have the key components of a Sacred Heart education, it will be a modified version of the on-campus curriculum and experience. Flexible remote learning will support the continuation of instruction and help ease students’ transition back to campus in Phase 5.

Please review this information ahead of the town hall on Monday. In addition, I ask you to mark your calendars for learning community-specific town halls as follows:

During these town halls, learning community leaders will also discuss their remote learning plans, should the state move back to Phase 3. The exception is our Early Childhood Program; in Phase 3, we expect the ECP to remain open unless otherwise directed by the state, Oakland County Health Division or our licensing agencies.

We know this is a lot of information to process. Please click here to view a short video overview and explanation from Dr. Visocchi. And remember, we will address many questions during Monday’s town hall.

Finally, you may have heard about the recent Executive Order, effective Monday, August 10, which applies to childcare centers and camps. Beginning Monday, everyone on campus, age 4 and above, will be required to wear a mask. Children ages 2-3 are strongly encouraged to wear face masks in common spaces, for example, throughout the daily entrance/screening process and in the hallways, until they reach their classrooms.

From this point forward, I’m urging you to take additional precautions to ensure your family’s health. I trust you to pare down your outings and activities, wear your masks with fidelity, and make wise choices for the benefit of our entire community. Our plan to return to school in-person relies on our collective effort as a Sacred Heart family. Unnecessary exposure and subsequent outbreaks amongst our community, compromise the hard work and sacrifices being made to ensure an in-person start to the 2020-2021 academic year.

With gratitude,

Damian Hermann
Head of School