Yesterday, Bishop Gregory Parkes announced that Catholic Schools in the Diocese of St. Petersburg will be closed for in-person learning on Tuesday, August 29 and Wednesday, August 30 due to tropical storm Idalia. This includes Catholic schools in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus Counties. This is being done to allow school families and employees ample time to prepare their homes or leave the area in preparation for the storm. The safety of our families is the most important concern for CCC and the DOSP.
Diocesan high schools, including CCC, will switch to asynchronous online learning for these two days. Students will be required to check Canvas for updated lesson plans for their classes, which will include one virtual assignment per course.
We are planning on asynchronous learning to document student learning. We cannot promise or assume that we will not have to make these days up in the future as we are early in the year, and we are unsure of state and diocesan attendance requirements. We will provide further information as it becomes available. The following questions and answers provide references to specific situations:
- What if my family loses power or evacuates this week and my child is unable to log in for online learning?
We understand that students may have limited access to power and technology these days. We are also aware that depending on their living situations, some families may need to do more preparations or evacuations during these days. Therefore, we will prioritize flexibility and support for our students, faculty, and families over this period.
Some teachers may offer optional assistance this week through zoom sessions; if so, they will notify students through CANVAS and record those sessions as additional support for those unable to attend.
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Will schools be closed on Thursday and Friday?
Currently, we plan to return to school on Thursday, August 31. -
When will we know if schools will close on Thursday?
Please assume school will be in session on Thursday. If this status changes, CCC will send a communication ASAP announcing the closure. Please note that your children will have excused absences if they miss school through the entire duration of this weather event. - Are after-school activities cancelled for today, Monday, August 28?
- MARS is cancelled today, to allow teachers time to prepare online lessons for the week. The Peer Ministers meeting this afternoon is also cancelled.
- All athletic activity as well as co-curricular activity will be suspended as of 4:00 p.m. on Monday August 28.
- Will there be any school-related activities on Tuesday and/or Wednesday?
No, while Diocesan school facilities are closed, there will be no athletic or co-curricular activities held, including any practices or competitions. - Will Back-to-School Night (BSN) be rescheduled?
Yes, BSN will take place on Wednesday, September 6 at 6:00 p.m.
If you have any questions or are dealing with any personal challenges you need the school to be aware of, beginning today and for the duration of this weather event, please contact [email protected].
Using this email address will help ensure that your message is received by a member of CCC's Administration and Storm Response Team, regardless of unpredictable power or connectivity concerns.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
[Previous message posted at 10:45 p.m. on Sunday, August 27]
Good evening CCC community,
As of the time of this email, the entire Tampa Bay area is in the southern portion of the cone of TS Idalia and all DOSP counties are under a state of emergency. The storm is expected to become a hurricane by early morning Tuesday. As we saw with Hurricane Ian last year, the intensity and paths of these storms can often shift quickly, severely limiting a family’s ability to evacuate. In addition, there is always a potential for flying debris, downed power lines, and localized flooding.
Due to the impending threat of Tropical Storm Idalia, Bishop Gregory Parkes has decided that Catholic School buildings in the Diocese of St. Petersburg will be closed on Tuesday, August 29 and Wednesday, August 30. This includes Catholic schools and Early Childhood Centers in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus Counties. We anticipate that schools will be open on Thursday, August 31.
All athletic activities as well as co-curricular activities will be suspended as of 4:00 p.m. on Monday (August 28) afternoon. Sadly, CCC's “Back to School Night” will be cancelled for this coming Wednesday evening. Our leadership team will be meeting first thing Monday morning to discuss rescheduling.
I want to stress that the Office of Catholic Schools does not follow the lead of the Pinellas public schools for closings and reopening to avoid confusion. We will follow up with communication about the opening of in-person learning on campus ASAP. We want to encourage students to monitor Canvas for ongoing communication from their teachers for potential distance learning opportunities to maintain a continuity of instructional progress during this lapse of in-person learning.
With the level of frustration and inconvenience of our daily lives interrupted with this impending storm, I pray that we all choose gratitude for the blessing of any casualty of lives or property that are avoided because of this precaution. May we all pray for continued safety and peace in preparation of this storm. God bless.
In peace,
James W. Deputy
Principal