“We are still here to educate and serve”

Catholic Schools in the archdiocese continue educating students during the COVID-19 pandemic

“Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed.” The theme for Catholic Schools Week 2020 has an even deeper meaning now than it did when schools throughout the archdiocese celebrated the annual event in January.
 
By mid-March, Superintendent of Catholic Schools Diane Floyd was facing a rapidly changing situation full of unknowns. Schools were closing and she urgently needed to implement a learning plan designed to serve the needs of every student.
 
Floyd, along with Associate Superintendent Rachel Dowell and Allyson Helm, immediately began drafting a framework and assisting schools in assessing the needs of their students and staff.
 
“The first thing we had to ask was ‘What are the needs of our students?’” Floyd said. “What kind of professional development do our teachers need to do this, and how can we provide that given the limitations?”
 
Efforts focused on creating plans for the most self-sufficient learners – high school students.
 
“Mount Saint Mary and Cristo Rey students already use Chromebooks, and Bishop McGuiness students use tablets, so we knew we already had devices available,” Floyd explained.
 
Following spring break, high school students immediately returned to their work, having the advantage of being exempt from the two-week cessation that public schools in Oklahoma were bound to.
 
“Cristo Rey was actually already further along at this point because they are part of a network and were able to model their plan from schools in other states that had already started,” she said.
 
Taking only a week-long break from the curriculum, Floyd worked quickly with school administrators to determine the best way to serve the youngest students in the archdiocese.
 
“For Pre-K through 2 ^nd grade students, we asked ourselves what does learning look like for these age groups?” she said. “These teachers know what’s best for their students.”
 
Many schools opted for a blended option, combining work packets with online activities using an early childhood learning program called Seesaw. Parents submit pictures and videos of activities their children have completed, creating a more interactive experience.
 
“It's a really great platform that our teachers learned to use on the fly,” Floyd said. “And it has been a great way for parents and teachers to communicate with each other.”
 
Many students in 3 ^rd grade through 8 ^th grade already were proficient in online platforms such as Google Classroom, Kahn Academy and IXL. Additionally, a majority of students have been able to continue interacting with teachers and classmates using Google meet and Zoom.
 
Melissa Hooper’s daughter Bradleigh, a 5th-grader at All Saints Catholic School in Norman, enjoys getting to see her classmates every morning during their daily Zoom call.
 
“I didn't realize how much they missed their time together in class, so that's been good for her,” Hooper said.
 
As a working parent, Hooper appreciated how hard administrators, teachers and staff worked to make the process smooth for families.
 
“The school implemented everything very well,” she said. “They have kept us so informed, we have our specific assignments, and Mrs. Wade has been great about putting the plan together for us. We haven’t had any problems.”
 
At Saint Philip Neri Catholic School in Midwest City, Director of Communications Joy Murphy explained how embracing technology has allowed teachers to stay connected to their students and keep them engaged. Virtual class meetings on Zoom and online resources keep the learning experience interactive and fun. Art teacher Amanda Herron created a website for students to find activities and upload artwork to share with classmates.
 
“We are not giving up,” Murphy said. “We are still here to educate and serve.”   
 
Good Shepherd at Mercy, a school that serves children with autism and other neurological disorders, is providing as much support to parents as possible in an effort to minimize regression.
 
Creating materials and videos to help parents provide therapy in the home and regular check-ins with families allow teachers to maintain those personal connections with their students.
Floyd praised all school staff on their efforts, and proudly described how beneficial the conversations, ideas and creativity have been for the students.
 
“This has allowed us to think differently about our mission,” Floyd said. “We've discovered that it's not easy! But, we are staying true to our mission to form young people with God's love and mercy – and there has to be some mercy in all of this, it's not going to be perfect. We are all learning as we go along, and we all will come out better for what we've been through.”
 
Sally Linhart is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.