Dear Pallotti family,
I would like to thank everyone in the community for your cooperation and support during the first semester of hybrid learning. We have been blessed to make it through the first semester with just a few individuals attending school in-person testing positive for the covid virus. Of note is that we have experienced no spread within the school community that has required the shutdown of in-person classes or mass quarantines. Most importantly, none of those who have tested positive has experienced serious symptoms.
Since our return to school after the Thanksgiving holiday, we have had several families inform us that a student was exposed over the break to someone who tested positive. While none of these situations presented a risk to our in-person community, they did cause me to rethink our approach to the coming Christmas break. We will have two major changes to our current plans.
In order for our faculty and students to have time to isolate before spending time with family over the holiday break, we will hold classes totally online on Thursday, December 17th and Friday, December 18th. There will be no in-person instruction on these days. All classes will be online and synchronous. The Christmas Break will begin on after classes on December 18th. With classes already asynchronous on Wednesday, December 16th this will give everyone ten full days from Tuesday, December 15th until Christmas Day to be sure that they have not been exposed to anything at school.
After the Christmas break, we will resume classes on January 4th. Pallotti will hold all classes online from Monday, January 4th through Friday, January 8th. We will return to our hybrid Blue/White schedule on Monday, January 11th. This will give everyone an extra week to determine if there has been any unexpected exposure to the virus before we return to school for in-person classes. Returning to school on the 11th is important because it will enable in-person students to be in school with their teachers for the last full week before the end of the semester.
While we are confident that the protocols we have initiated are preventing the spread of the virus, I think that these schedule changes are reasonable and will help everyone to feel more comfortable about enjoying family time through the holidays and returning to in-person classes after the break.
I am proud of the way that we have handled our in-person classes over the course of the semester. Our students and faculty have been diligent in following the safety protocols. As we head into the second semester, I encourage all of our families to consider returning for in-person classes to start the second semester.
St. Vincent Pallotti High School
Schedule for December 2020 and January of 2021
Changes are in Bold Type
Tuesday, Dec 15th Last day of in-person Blue/White hybrid schedule before break.
Wednesday, Dec 16th Asynchronous instruction as usual.
Thursday, Dec 17 All students online per normal schedule 7:30 am -2:45 pm.
No in-person classes.
Friday, Dec 18th All students online per normal schedule 7:30 am -2:45 pm.
No in-person classes.
Dec 19th – Jan 3rd Christmas Break
Monday Jan 4th Return to classes.
Mon., Jan 4th – Fri., Jan 8th All students online per normal schedule.
No in-person classes.
Monday Jan 11th Return to in-person Blue/White hybrid classes.
Friday Jan 15th Last day of second quarter and first semester.
Monday Jan 18th Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday NO SCHOOL
Tuesday Jan 19th First day of third quarter and second semester.
Thank you again for your support and cooperation. Have a blessed Advent season.
Jeffrey A. Palumbo
Principal/President
St. Vincent Pallotti High School
(301) 725-3228 x2211
