Teamwork helps schools in diocese weather COVID-19 storm

A collaborative effort by the diocesan Office of Schools and the faculties, staff and parents of students at the 27 Catholic institutions of learning have not only helped maintain high academic standards despite the nearly two-year challenges of the COVID-19 or coronavirus, but caused some to flourish.
 

Because of an influx of students mainly from public schools, enrollment at schools in the diocese has increased by 311 students (6,866 to 7,127) from June 2021 to September 2021, according to the 2021-2022 National Catholic Education Association Enrollment Form.
 

At St. James School, Basking Ridge, which offers pre-k3, pre-k4, kindergarten and grades one to eight, enrollment has increased from 207 at the start of the 2019-2020 school year to 320 as of early January, said principal Sue Florendo. The school boasted a 92 percent retention rate from last year, she added.
 

As for what challenges the school has faced and met, Florendo said one of them was not technological because of the availability of laptop computers to every student who needed one when virtual learning was required.
 

“Our biggest success has been the dedication of our teachers,” Florendo said. “They have the dedication, the love in their hearts necessary to have said, ‘Yes, we will open five full days starting in September 2020.’ And that dedication continues.”
 

Classes are St. James are taught in a synchronous model, which allows students who are quarantined at home to join students in the classroom by computer on the Internet, Florendo said.
 

St. James went to virtual learning in March 2020 and stayed that way until the end of the school year. The school opened five full days in September 2020 and have been open five full days since then It went virtual for a week after Thanksgiving last school year and a week after Christmas to mitigate COVID-19 cases being brought to the school. This year, the school was virtual for three days before Christmas and three days after.
 

Msgr. Sylvester Cronin, pastor, St. James Parish, who makes up the school’s administration team with Florendo, said he is impressed by the faculty for getting the school opened and the dedication of the parents.
 

“The children have all cooperated so beautifully,” he added. “It has been an amazing year and a half. “
 

For Msgr. Cronin, who is often invited to teach religion at the school, said speaking with a mask is a challenge. “You have to talk louder,” he added with a laugh.
 

Connie Fortunato, principal, Immaculate Conception School, Annandale, oversees 342 children in pre-school to eighth grade, an increase of about 160 compared to the start of the previous school year.
 

Fortunato said teachers there used a hybrid model of teaching for the first half of 2000-2021, then resumed full-day learning in January 2021.
 

“This school year, we started full time in September and we have every intention of staying the course,” Fortunato said.

“A lot of good has come out of this,” she continued. “It does have its challenging days, but it has its positives. It has really forced us to update how our building works, our Wi-Fi connections, our technology equipment because we really need to be prepared for virtual [learning].
 

“We have learned how to teach using a synchronous and asynchronous model, so whether we are in person or virtual, teachers learned how to do both.

“We have learned how to use different applications so we could reinvent the wheel when we have to.”
 

The biggest challenge caused by the coronavirus, Fortunato said, is finding a substitute teacher when one of St. James’ calls out sick.
 

“If a teacher is not able to come to school and has a child on virtual, the substitute may not know how to use the virtual equipment, how to connect,” she said.
 

In addition, the faculty and staff has had to “come up with creative ways to continue to host community events because it is important to bridge the relationship with our parents.”
 

Modifications had to made to hold Back to School night, teacher-parent conferences, open houses and the Christmas concert.
 

Like every school in the diocese, students at Immaculate Conception are required to wear masks and sit at least three feet apart.
 

“We do not at this point encourage students to meet in small groups with each other or the teacher,” she said.
 

Although the school’s basketball season was postponed, after school clubs such as chorus, archery and art are being held for their mental health.

“Our students are very happy to be back in school, so that is the good news,” she said.
 

“I feel very blessed to be in a Catholic school, to be working with Ellen [Ayoub, superintendent, diocesan Office for Schools] and Barbara [Stevens, assistant superintendent]. They really take into account a school’s individuality. Our mission is to blanket these children in God’s love, work for the greater good as well as provide academic excellence.”
 

Joan Marie Silo, head of school, Immaculata High School, Somerville, oversees 482 students in grades nine through 12, about 30 more than were enrolled in June 202
 

Silo said she noticed how happy the students were when they returned to the campus for in-person learning. Sports teams and clubs are also once again active.
 

She believes that one of the things that Catholic schools have been able to do is reduce the mental health impact on students.

“The social-emotional effects of not being in school have been great and we have greatly reduced it being here” she said. “We have stayed committed to our mission, which is to develop the whole child. We saw what it did to our students. Kids get depressed when they can’t see their friends or whatever.
 

“When you have to tell a student they have to quarantine because of close contact, we have had so few this year, but we had kids leaving in tears last year. It was heartwrenching.”

Teachers are also happy to be back in school, she said.
 

“It is easier to teach the students in person than virtually. The teachers are the heroes. They have to bear the brunt of it. If some students are virtual, it is extra work for the teachers…
 

Silo also cited the strong support of parents to meet the challenges posed by the coronavirus and their gratitude for Immaculata operating “like a traditional school.”.

“They have shown that gratitude in e-mail and letter after e-mail and letter,” Silo said.
 

“Our Spartan Parent Club kind of represents the parents and it has been has been very generous by providing special breakfasts or lunches for staff.

“They [parents] havs lost a little, too, because they can’t attend everything so we try to have video. They have lost out on their kids lives, too.”