May 8, 2020

Dear STM Parents and Families,

As we wind down to the end of what has been a challenging year for us, we wanted to reach out to all Preschool – 7th grade families with some information that we believe will be helpful in as we move into the coming months, in alleviating some worries, and help put your minds at ease.

We are all dealing with a current reality that is changing from day to day, week to week, and I empathize with the hesitation some are facing with committing to pay tuition for your child’s education when we cannot guarantee that we will be back to school with full time class participation this coming fall.  This being said, Monsignor and I have been working hard with members of the STM school and parish staff to make a plan that is flexible, yet realistic for the coming months.

Historically, our tuition contract and policy regarding tuition at STM has stated that, after June 15, we cannot guarantee 100% tuition refund if you choose to withdraw your child.  However, given the circumstances, we are pushing that date back to August 15, 2020.  This means that any tuition you pay from June 1 – August 15, 2020 will be fully refunded if you decide by then to withdraw your child from STM Catholic School.

Additionally, I wanted to share with you what the Leadership Team and I have been working on in regards to the 2020-2021 school year.   At this time, the Office of Catholic Schools has outlined 4 different options or scenarios as potential realities for next year.  These are as follows:

Option 1 – Traditional Model - We return to school as normal.

Option 2 – Hybrid Model – We incorporate a combination of in-person learning and distance learning. 

Option 3 – Temporary Distance Learning Model – We start the year with all distance learning and resume in-person learning in January 2021 or sooner if possible.

Option 4 – Distance Learning Model – We continue distance learning for the entire 2020-2021 academic year.

At this time, there is not one school, public or private, that can guarantee Option 1. Obviously, that is everyone’s preference and I pray that comes to fruition.   That being said, it is looking like Option 2 would be the most likely reality if social distancing and people per room regulations remain in place.  Options 3 and 4 would be our worst-case scenario options at this time.

What Option 2 will look like for STM is still in the development stages.  As you can imagine, many different factors go into play when trying to plan for a shift in the traditional way we know education.  This planning will take some time and we are asking your patience as we figure the plan out.  We will let you know as soon as we have more clarity as to what is transpiring.  

I also want to mention that STM Catholic is not alone, but we ARE at an advantage!  Many public schools will be facing incredible hurdles as they navigate how to resume school, even if is it a hybrid model.  Since we are a smaller community, have a beautiful, spacious campus, and have been blessed with first class teachers we can be more flexible and creative with our planning!  We do not have to worry about large class sizes and how to get students to and from school on a bus.  I would ask that you keep our public school counterparts in your prayers as they navigate this incredibly arduous task of planning for their upcoming school year.

I also want to mention to you that the students of STM are in a really great place academically!  Many public schools have made assigned work optional, which will impact their students greatly.  Those schools will be faced with the problem of families who had their children work and learn daily versus those families that did not.  I am speculating that there will be a significant educational gap between those students, and the amount of intervention that will be needed to narrow that gap could be substantial.  STM students have been working hard and doing a fantastic job of meeting our curriculum standards.  Kudos to you all for your huge part in their success.

We want to end by thanking you all for your patience and support of STM Catholic School!  We know that the fact you send your child/ren to STM Catholic is a reflection of your care for them, your investment in their future, and your love of the faith you wish them to be encountering on a daily basis.  We take seriously the fact that the world around us, and the circumstances that have altered our lives this year, are not to be seen, or understood outside that very faith dimension.  How do we seek out the Lord’s path in the midst of this new “normal” that we are adapting to?  What would He wish us to see in the daily experiences we are having and the challenges we are facing?

We pray daily for you and your family.  May the grace of God see us forward and keep us at peace knowing that He has not abandoned us, will not forsake us, and in fact is present to us even now.  May our Blessed Mother wrap you in her maternal mantle and protect you from harm and despair.  God be with you always.  We look forward to moving forward in accord with His will.  

Peace and blessings,

Mrs. Gretchen DeWolfe                                            Monsignor Tom Fryar

Principal                                                                      Pastor