First State Times

All Saints Catholic School issued the following announcement on April 24

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The Diocese of Wilmington will close all school buildings for the remainder of the school year in both Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland effective today. However, distance learning for students will continue through the end of the academic term. Governor Carney announced today that school buildings in Delaware will be closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. As of yet, no announcement regarding school buildings in Maryland has been made by Governor Hogan.

We realize that this decision creates a number of questions for you. Some of these questions can be answered at the diocesan level and others require a local level response from your parish and/or school. First and foremost, we shall continue quality Catholic education adhering to the diocesan school calendar through the end of the 2019-2020 school year. Continuation of distance learning is important so that our students are prepared for the next school year. Our final day for school on the Official School Calendar is Friday, June 12. At your local school you will hear from your school principal if a change in the calendar different from the diocesan calendar was previously approved.

Questions regarding graduation, closing exercises, and end-of-year activities will be addressed by your local school. Since all schools have different contexts and traditions, these plans will be individualized by school. We shall ask schools to share their plans with you by Friday, May 15.

When permitted, we shall work with schools to provide families limited access to school buildings, respecting the requirements of social distancing, masks, gloves, and other expectations, to retrieve students’ belongings. More information about this process will follow in communication with you from your local school at the appropriate time. We ask your patience in awaiting an approved protocol for this procedure to occur. 

We thank you for your continued engagement and support of your child’s(ren’s) school through your participation and encouragement. You have been tasked with additional responsibilities as your child(ren) learn at home. Our administrators and teachers, who are also expending many hours in preparation and teaching in this very different environment, are grateful for your understanding and attention to this work. Together, we shall provide your child(ren) with the best experience possible under the circumstances.

We are also grateful for your timeliness in meeting financial obligations as the end of the school year approaches. We are obligated to honor our commitments to our employees and our vendors. As tuition-based institutions, your continued fiscal support is critical. If you experience any hardship, please arrange a private conversation with your school principal.

Lastly, please continue to share in the faith formation of your child(ren) through daily prayer, weekly Mass, devotional time as a family, and other ways that keep your family close to the Lord. Know that Bishop Malooly, clergy, administrators, teachers, and staff hold you in prayer each day. We wish to assist you to the best of our ability in fulfilling your responsibilities as parents and guardians. Let us go forward encouraged by the words found in Saint Paul’s letter to the Philippians “I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me. (4:13)”

Sincerely,

Louis P. De Angelo

Louis P. De Angelo, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools

Original source can be found here.