St. Francis Xavier and St. Joseph Schools are both eager to welcome students this fall for learning and growth back together on campus! Questions regarding the reopening process may be directed to reopening@sfx-school.org. Guidance, updates and reflections regarding our safe return are added to this page as new information becomes available. Please check here periodically for updates on questions you may have regarding our return to school and the important work we are doing to keep our students and teachers safe.
ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO REOPENING PLAN ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO CASE FOR IN PERSON LEARNING ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING MESSAGE ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO REOPENING FAQ'S FOR PARENTS EFFICACY OF WEARING MASKS COHORT MODEL EXPLAINEDST. FRANCIS XAVIER SCHOOL FALL REOPENING FAQ’S
HOW MANY STUDENTS WILL BE HOUSED IN A COHORT/CLASS?
The Archdiocese has shared that each cohort should be the size of a typical homeroom, with 25 or fewer students. For SFX and SJ, cohorts in Preschool through 6th Grade will not exceed 20 (and Preschool classes are typically smaller, between 12-20). Homerooms in 7th and 8th grades on the SFX campus will not exceed 21 students during the 2020-2021 school year. The Archdiocese has indicated that an entire grade level could form a cohort, which may be helpful with differentiated Middle School math groups that would cross cohorts during math class.
WILL SOCIAL DISTANCING (E.G., 6 FEET OF DISTANCE BETWEEN STUDENTS AND TEACHERS) BE MAINTAINED WHILE STUDENTS ARE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS WITH COHORTS?
The Archdiocesan cohort model is set up intentionally so that students spend the entire school day with their cohort in their assigned classroom and without interaction with other cohorts. With this cohort model in place, the Archdiocesan guidelines do not require a full 6 feet of distance between students unless they are passing students/teachers outside of their cohort. In Saints JFX schools, student desk will be situated with 3-6 feet of distance, with the majority placed a full 6 feet apart from one another. This spacing is being thoughtfully planning to protect our teachers’ and students’ time together in our classrooms.
ARE SFX AND SJ CURRENTLY ACCEPTING NEW STUDENTS, OR HAVE WE REACHED ENROLLMENT CAPACITY?
We are still accepting new students at SFX and SJ as space allows in Preschool through 6th grades, with no classroom to exceed 20/21 students. Enrollment is currently closed in our 7th and 8th grades. We are managing enrollment thoughtfully and purposefully with respect to each cohort and the availability of safe space they allow.
WILL THERE BE A PLATFORM TO CONNECT LIVE TEACHING WITH STUDENTS AT HOME (IF ILL OR QUARANTINED) SUCH A SWIVL? IS THIS AN OPTION, OR MUST STUDENTS BE ON CAMPUS/IN PERSON TO EXPERIENCE “LIVE” TEACHING?
Currently the Archdiocese does not allow for live streaming from our classrooms using tools such as “Swivl.” While students must attend in person to take part in a “live” classroom experience, our faculty is committed to ensuring that all students’ learning needs are met while at home during a quarantine period or due to illness. SFX and SJ parents are asked to please complete the Learning Preference Survey to indicate whether they are opting for in person or remote learning options during the 2020-2021 school year.
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT GRADES OTHER THAN PRESCHOOL AND JR KINDERGARTEN MIGHT MOVE TO THE ST. JOSEPH CAMPUS?
At this time, we plan for only SFX 2 Year Old Preschool, 3 Year Old Preschool, and Jr Kindergarten classrooms to move to the St. Joseph campus. In addition, Kindergarten families on the SFX campus have been given the option to shift their K students to the SJ campus. Moves incremental to Preschool and Jr Kindergarten may still be a possibility only if they advance the interests of safety and health during the 2020-20201 academic year. As we finalize plans and match each grade level to classroom spaces, should health/wellness needs warrant more space on the SFX campus, additional grade levels could shift to SJ on a temporary basis.
