PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Due to the pandemic most Northeast Ohio schools started out the 2020-2021 school year in remote or hybrid learning; however, Holy Name High School made the decision to provide students with five-day in-person instruction.
So far Principal Karen L. Carter said that move has proven to be a success at the Parma Heights school.
“Everybody has been absolutely phenomenal,” Carter said. "I’m better about not getting too emotional when I talk about it, but I still do. Our parents, students and staff have been tremendous.
“We really haven’t had any push back, any issues about the mitigating strategies, in particular the mask wearing. It’s not an option. It’s not something we battle. We let our students and parents know right off the bat it was non-negotiable.”
Other COVID-related safety protocols employed at Holy Name High School include social distancing, one-direction stairwells and constant sanitizing of desks. Students, who must have their temperatures taken at home, can’t arrive at the building until 7 a.m. and must be out by 3:30 p.m.
The principal noted lunch periods have been split with half the students eating in the cafeteria while the others use the auxiliary gym. Both areas limit the number of people who can sit at each table.
“A lot of schools we’re dealing with whether to allow the kids to go use their lockers,” Carter said "Those were all tough decisions. We were concerned about not letting the kids go to their lockers because that would mean their backpacks would be so loaded all day long. Obviously, this isn’t good for their backs.
“So our kids are limited when they can go to their lockers. We’re also limiting interaction in the hallway.”
While Holy Name High School has 570 students enrolled for the 2020-2021 school year, 11 percent of pupils chose to start the year in remote learning.
“Providing our families the opportunity to choose eLearning was important for us,” Carter said. "Every family structure is different when it comes to various medical concerns and issues.
“We really wanted to provide our families the opportunity to remain a Holy Name student, but also allow them to be as safe as they could.”
Since the school year started, Holy Name students have tested positive for COVID-19, which led to quarantines. However, there have been no positive tests since the middle of September. Also, no staff members have tested positive.
Considering Cuyahoga County is currently spiking with new COVID-19 positive tests, Carter said she continues to remind students, along with the 60 teachers and staff members, to remain diligent during these uncertain times.
“We have to trust that when the students are out of the building they’re still practicing all of those mitigating strategies,” Carter said. "We can’t let our guard down. In fact, we have to be more stringent than we’ve been in a while, even in our personal lives.
“That goes for adults as well. This isn’t about blaming the kids or their families for not being responsible. People might be practicing every single mitigating strategy out there and still might come down with the virus. All we can do is the best we can all of the time and truly hope and pray these numbers go down not up.”
Read more news from the Parma Sun Post here.
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October 22, 2020 at 06:19PM
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