Since our mid-July email, the Covid task force has continued planning for the school year. The full school calendar and carpool directory will be accessible next week. For now, we can offer the following updates:

• To date, we have the following percentage that chose to learn hybrid, broken down by division. The following statistics are based on a 95% reporting rate; those who did not choose were presumed on-campus. If you would like to change to the Hybrid offering, please complete this form.
  Lower School - 11%
  Middle School - 16%
  High School - 13%
• For the first three days of school, August 19-21, we will run an extended drop off schedule by division. A detailed schedule is forthcoming, however please note Early Bird will be offered. Beginning Monday, August 24, we will resume standard drop-off procedures. Academy's drop-off is inherently staggered.
• Car line will open daily at 7:30 a.m. 
• As a reminder, there are no late-start Wednesdays this year.
• The Athletics Department is awaiting the FHSAA's decision and guidelines on resuming fall sports.
• Early Bird and Extended Day updates are noted in detail below.

On Monday, August 3rd, we will host a virtual parent Town Hall. So we may be respectful of your time and maintain order, we ask that you register and submit your question(s) by Sunday evening. An email with the meeting link will be sent to registrants Monday. We have decided to host three sessions so we may answer division-specific questions:

• High School (9th-12th): 6:00-6:30 p.m.
• Middle School (5th-8th): 6:45-7:15 p.m.
• Lower School (pre-K to 4th): 7:30-8:00 p.m.

There is one point I would like to leave you with. As an administration, we are working hard to offer as many mitigation protocols as we possibly can. We want nothing more than to keep our students and teachers healthy and safe. That being said, I do think it is important to point out that it's not a matter of if a student or teacher tests positive, but when. It is imperative that each of us--parents, students and staff--act safely and responsibly both on and off campus. As I have said since March, we are all in this together.

Sincerely,

Art Raimo
President

Elementary School

Early Bird
Early Bird will be offered daily from 7:00-7:30 a.m. We ask that it only be utilized by working parents who absolutely must drop off to ensure their timely arrival to work. This year, car line will open at 7:30 a.m.

• Students will be dropped off on the West Drive. Parents will not be able to walk their child(ren) in.
• Students will be seated socially distanced, by grade level. 
• Masks will be required.
• Students should arrive fed. They will not be allowed to eat.
• Students should bring their own non-technology-based activities.

So we may begin planning staff and spacing needs, we ask that you submit this form by August 5th if you plan to utilize Early Bird. Again, we respectfully ask that you only utilize the service if necessary.

Extended Day
Extended Day will look and feel different this year. Each child will be provided:

• time for homework
• one prepackaged snack per day
• shortened, social distanced play time
• mask breaks

We are researching fun, non-touch activities for the lower school. We ask that each child bring his/her own supplies for basic needs (pencils, erasers, crayons, scissors, glue stick). We will have a limited stock of these items that will be sanitized nightly.

Extended Day Pick-Up
This year, Extended Day staff will walk students to their cars; parents will not be allowed to enter to pick them up. To help facilitate pick up, we are utilizing a new app to alert staff of your arrival. Additional information and instructions are forthcoming. 

Extended Day RSVP
Families that did not register for a semester or annual Extended Day plan within their contract may still use drop-in care. If you are able, please provide us with 24 hours notice so we can offer as much social distancing as possible by grade level. To RSVP, please email both cfranks@holynamestpa.org and your child’s homeroom teacher.

If you did not register for daily Extended Day within your contract and would like your child to attend daily, please email Courtney Franks.

First, we would like to thank our families for taking the time to submit your fall learning choice. I know you had a lot of information to digest and consider in making the right choice for your family. Several people had questions about students’ access to extracurricular activities while in the hybrid learning model. You brought valid points to our attention that prompted us to reconsider our policy. We have made the decision to allow those students who selected hybrid learning to participate in extracurricular activities, with the exception of Extended Day care.

If you selected on-campus learning and this policy change impacts your decision, please use this form to indicate your intent to switch to the hybrid learning choice. I would also like to offer some clarity regarding movement between on-campus and hybrid learning, in case that impacts your decision. The six-week period goes into effect once you switch choices. For example, if you choose in-school learning for your child, and after a few days or a week (a trial period), you decide that is not the right choice for your family, you can go hybrid. Once you go hybrid, you would be committed to continuing in that learning model for six weeks. The same would be true in reverse. We also will allow you to switch models before the first day of school, should you wish to do so.

We appreciate each of you and value your input as we navigate these unprecedented times together.

Sincerely,

Art Raimo
President

We are making every effort to open our doors to students in August so we can continue to provide the quality education for which the Academy is known. This week, the COVID task force discussed in length the next iteration of our reopening plan. As you know, we are offering you the choice between on-campus learning and hybrid learning; an updated description of hybrid learning is online. Because we need to continue planning, we ask that you submit a Declaration of Intent by Sunday, July 19, so we know if your student will learn on campus or from home.

Please take some time to review our updated plans and protocols via the website or Executive Summary. A few key points that are new:

• This year, we are eliminating late-start Wednesdays to capture as much academic time as possible in the event that we have to move to virtual learning.
• We will take temperatures in the morning before students exit their cars. We will also check staff and visitors.
• We have updated the face covering FAQ. We ask that masks not have a valve or respirator. We’ve also updated the information about pre-K to 1st grade face shields, to add that students will now need a mask to use in conjunction with the shield.
• Because we anticipate spending more time outdoors, students in grades pre-K to 8 may wear PE uniforms the first two months of school. After that time, we will revisit the policy and consider extending it.

On Monday, August 3rd, at 6:00 p.m., we will host a virtual town hall for parents. I ask that you submit your questions ahead of time via the link on the reopening website so we are sure to address everyone’s concerns. Additional information will be shared ahead of the meeting.

This year will be extraordinary, but we are all in this together. Everyone in the building, including me, will take on new roles and responsibilities. While it may look different, I am excited to have our students on campus. I hope they are ready to get back to the Bayshore. I cannot thank you enough for trusting us with your most cherished gifts, your children. Because of you, our students, and our teachers, I feel confident saying we are the best school in Tampa Bay.

Sincerely,

Art Raimo
President

As the COVID task force works through policies and procedures that will allow the Academy to reopen our doors in August, we want to share with you that we have decided to mandate the use of cloth face coverings campus-wide, including students, staff and visitors. We have come to this decision after consulting with our medical advisory committee, who are also members of our parent community.

We understand this decision will be met with many questions, however face coverings are the number-one factor in being able to keep our building open this year. We have learned from our medical advisory committee that if everyone is wearing a face covering in the building, coming in contact with an individual who tests positive is considered low risk, and we can remain open. If we received notice of a positive case and we were not wearing face coverings, all individuals who came in contact with that person would be required to quarantine for 14 days. With the escalating community spread, a lack of face coverings could close down our building rapidly, and it could close it down often. Aside from the health and safety of our community, our top priority is to educate our students in person, at the Academy.

According to the CDC, “the purpose of wearing cloth face coverings in public is to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.” With studies showing that children are often asymptomatic carriers, we have a shared responsibility to keep each other safe. If for no other reason, we have to ensure a safe environment for our students and teachers who are considered high risk or who may have family members at home who are. The Academy is a community, and we will face this together.

We are giving you this advance notice to allow you time to find the face covering that suits your children best, and allows time for them to acclimate to it. Our reopening webpage has been updated with a list of Frequently Asked Questions; please take the time to look through those. If you still have questions regarding the policy, do not hesitate to reach out to myself or another member of the COVID task force. We remain on target to update you with additional plans and protocols in mid-July.

TWO PEOPLE WEARING MASKS DECREASES TRANSMISSION OF VIRUS BY MORE THAN 95 PERCENT, AND ONE PERSON WEARING A MASK AND THE OTHER PERSON NOT WEARING MASK OR WEARING IT INCORRECTLY STILL DECREASES TRANSMISSION BY 65 PERCENT.

As we prepare to return to campus in the fall, I have put together a task force with members of the administration that is meeting regularly to develop plans that will allow us to return to school as close to normal as possible. We have been in contact with medical professionals, other heads of school, the diocese, and are reviewing the CDC guidelines routinely. We have put together a high-level view with our current plans on reopening.

The task force will continue to meet over the summer and will send an update by mid-July, and announce final plans by the beginning of August. As always, our first priority is to ensure the health and safety of our faculty, staff and students. Rest assured that the Academy is preparing for whatever circumstances may arise so we can continue to provide the best possible education for your children.

You will see noted three reopening scenarios and the numerous safety precautions we are considering. We recognize that a huge part of the Academy experience exists beyond the classroom, and we are going to do our best to maintain the full Academy experience you expect in a safe and responsible way. No matter the physical appearance of our campus this year, the loving atmosphere centered on our mission and values will remain the same.

You will also see a form linked at the bottom of the website for you to submit questions. We encourage you to ask any questions you may have, as it will help the team determine any adjustments we may need to make moving forward. Please note that responses will be addressed in the mid-July update.

I hope you all remain healthy and are enjoying your summers as much as possible. We will be back in touch soon.

Sincerely,

Art Raimo
President

Task Force Members

• Art Raimo
• Bridgid Fishman
• Stephanie Nitchals
• John Donohoe
• Cori Welty
• Pam Doherty
• Kevin Vargas
• Emily Wise
• Maureen Martineau

Reopening Plan

The safety of our Academy community is at the forefront of our minds. To ensure a smooth arrival process, we will stagger arrival times for the first three days of school on August 19th, 20th and 21st. 

Please use the chart below to find your time and location for arrival. If you have multiple children, you will drop them all off at the youngest child’s location. Older siblings will then walk from this location to their homerooms. We need all families to adhere to the time frames posted below to set us up for success these first few days. Click here to view a campus map.

If you need to drop off before 8:00 a.m., Early Bird is available. Please click here to reserve a spot for your child(ren). Please note that this Early Bird registration link is only for the first three days of school. Early Bird drop off is on the West Drive. As a reminder, parents must remain in their cars. A staff member will walk students in following the temperature check.

This week, my focus shows ways we can greet each other while staying socially distance when we arrive. I hope you enjoy my special guest who helps me model them!

Lastly, orientation schedules for my new families and my families who have chosen the hybrid model will be sent next week.

Have a good weekend,

Bridgid Fishman
Elementary School Principal

I'm back in Tampa and getting used to our summer weather once again. As the start of school is quickly approaching, please remember to have your child practice wearing his/her masks. I'm working on campus and am wearing mine! Be on the lookout tomorrow for a communication about our town hall meeting next week.

Sincerely,

Bridgid Fishman
Elementary School Principal

This week I want to introduce you to Sister Lisa Perkowski, IHM, the Academy's new director of mission and ministry. While not new to our AHN community, this is a new role for Sister Lisa. As a Catholic school, we are so blessed to be able to help our students grow in their faith and find and develop their God-given talents. I can't wait for our students to get to know Sister Lisa this year!

See you next week,

Bridgid Fishman
Elementary School Principal

Happy Friday!

I hope you all have had a chance to review the communication that went home yesterday. I want to offer a clarification on moving between on-campus and Hybrid learning. The six-week timeframe goes into effect once you switch choices. For example, if you choose in-school learning for your child, and after a few days or a week (a trial period), you decide that is not the right choice for your family, you can go Hybrid. Once you go into Hybrid, you would stay there for six weeks. The same would be true in reverse. Additionally, if your child is in quarantine or home with a non-COVID illness, he or she can take advantage of the Hybrid model if up to it.

My video focus this week is masks. I'm new at this whole video thing and I say not to choose a mask with a filter, but I meant to say a respirator or valve. Here is a picture of the mask I refer to in the video! Take a minute to tune in.

Sincerely,

Bridgid Fishman
Elementary School Principal

Happy Thursday! As the Academy's Covid task force is planning for our return to school, I wanted to check in with you and say hello. I've prepared a quick video, above, with some updates. Note that the school supply list will be posted by early next week, and the Mothers Association is again offering one-stop orders through Yubbler.

Enjoy your weekend!

Bridgid Fishman
Elementary School Principal

It is hard to believe that school is only four weeks away. We have been very busy preparing over the summer to make your return to school as safe as it can possibly be. I want to give you some information on the return to school so you may prepare in the month ahead. We can’t wait to see you!

• First, don’t forget your summer reading and AP assignments that are posted on the school website (new families) and Veracross (returning families and students).
• All-School Orientation has been canceled. Freshmen Orientation will be divided over Monday, August 17th, and Tuesday, August 18th (more information on this next week). Transfer students will have orientation on Tuesday. The first day of school is Wednesday, August 19th, for everyone else.
• Your schedules will be available on Veracross at the end of next week. If you have received an email from the school letting you know that there is a conflict in your schedule, please let us know as soon as you can so we can fix them. Due to managing class sizes and social distancing, schedule changes will be limited once school starts. Please email Mrs. Wisniewski, Mrs. Krukar or me as soon as you can if you need a schedule change.
• As a reminder, you paid a flat fee for books. All books will be loaded to your devices this year.
• New students may pick up their technology devices August 3rd-August 7th in the Bailey Center, adjacent to the athletic fields. A representative from the technology office will be available daily from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. They will be available until 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 5th. If you are unable to pick up the device that week, please email Kent Smith. Students also need a Gen 7 iPad case. Please see the website for preferred cases.
• Everyone in the school will be required to wear a mask. Please shop now for a mask that fits snugly around your nose and mouth, but is still comfortable. Your mask must be appropriate, may not have any writing on it (other than the school logo) or be distracting. A solid blue color is preferred. Neck gaiters are not allowed. Masks can be a little hard to get used to, so please start practicing wearing it now. You will be required to wear it everywhere except for when you are eating your lunch.
• We have adjusted the schedule so that high school students can eat over two lunch periods. Advisory for juniors and seniors will be first, followed by lunch, while freshmen and sophomores eat lunch first and then go to advisory.
• Seniors, if you have last-set study hall, you can again leave at lunch on the days you have study hall.
• Due to the pandemic, we are also going to allow juniors who drive to leave campus if they have a study hall the last period of the day. Please be advised that we cannot change your schedule to accommodate a last-set study hall. We have looked at all schedules and already moved the ones that we could. 
• Likewise, on days juniors and seniors have study hall first set, you will be allowed to arrive to school late (juniors and seniors only).
• All students will have temperatures taken when they arrive. Drivers, we will meet you in your car at the parking garage to take your temp starting at 7:05 a.m. and until 7:50 a.m. If you have a fever of 100.4 or higher, you will be asked to go back home.
• The High School will close earlier this year. All students must be picked up from the Bayshore building by 5:00 p.m. We need the extra time for cleaning.

Look for additional updates as we approach the start of school!

See you soon,

Stephanie Nitchals
High School Principal