

Below you will find the re-entry plan document that was released to families via Constant Contact on July 15, 2020 (*updated July 29th) with a video presentation. A Gesu Parent PTO Session was scheduled for July 15, 2020. A Zoom Town Hall with the Gesu Administration took place on July 22, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. (the archived recording is below) in order to answer additional questions. A follow up ZoomTown Hall took place on August 6,2020 (the archived recording is below). Please submit your questions via email: Communications@gesu.com.
Gesu Catholic School’s first Virtual Town Hall about the Re-Entry Plan.
Gesu Catholic School’s second Virtual Town Hall on the Re-Entry Plan.
County Board of Health has and continues to be most beneficial in helping us navigate our path. Many of you have already seen the recommendation made by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. Essentially, all schools were advised to begin our school year in a remote manner. It is a recommendation, not a mandate.
Sincerely,
- Yesterday morning our Re-Entry team met with two advisors from PSI and University Hospital. They toured our building and gave us commendations as well as further guidance on a number of topics. We will continue to make adjustments to maximize the safety of each child, parent, teacher, and staff member. It was a positive and productive meeting for all.
- As you have seen in Mr. Culkar’s communications, at this time, CYO is going forward with both their volleyball and cross country programs. They are waiting for more guidance on how to handle football and soccer since both sports involve more direct contact between athletes. Mr. Culkar will be joining us for the Town Hall meeting to field any questions you may have about CYO and its programs as they relate to Gesu athletics.
- Thank you to all who responded so promptly to our Re-Entry document. We now have been able to finalize the class lists for the coming school year. Within the next week your child will receive a letter from their new homeroom teacher because we know how important these relationships will be in the coming year.
- At this time, it is no longer possible to request adjustments to our class
lists. We need to move forward with scheduling, planning, etc. and we ask your cooperation with this policy. However, we will be able to make a change from campus learning to remote learning (or opposite way) if you need to do so.
- A link to our second Town Hall Meeting scheduled for tomorrow evening at 7 PM will be sent to you on Thursday morning. Fr. Kiser, school administrators, PTO presidents and Mr. Matt Culkar will be present to answer your questions. Please email any questions regarding both our academic and athletic programs to communications@gesu.com prior to the Town Hall.
Principal
Updated Re-Entry Plan
The following changes have been made to the Gesu Re-Entry Plan:
- If Cuyahoga County is declared a level 4 or purple designation in the state-wide COVID System Gesu Catholic School will transition to full remote learning.
- Students who have selected remote-learning will have the same teacher
if/when they return to the classroom. - There will be a remote learner agreement that all students must sign, even if they have elected in person learning. This agreement will then be in place if the whole school goes remote.
- Any activities will be done with safety in mind and will often be in a virtual format. Students will remain in their cohort groups.
- Any face covering worn must be school appropriate, there are no color/design restrictions.
- A plain navy blue polo shirt has been added to all grade levels as a uniform option. Ties will be optional this year. There are also some changes to the physical education uniforms. Please look for all details to be released in the updated handbook in early August.
- Staggered Entry of Students:
August 31 Remote Learners on Campus (remote learning with your grade level for the remainder of
the week)
September 1 First day for Grades 7 & 8 (remote learning the remainder of the week)
September 2 First day for Grades 5 & 6 (remote learning the remainder of the week)
September 3 First day for Grades 3 & 4
September 4 First day for Grades 1 & 2
The full plan is available at the following link: Updated Re-Entry Plan
Please submit any questions you may have via the following email:
communications@gesu.com.
Questions Related to the Gesu Re-Entry Plan.
This document is a compilation of all of the questions we have received from the PTO parent meeting from
July 15, 2020 and any emailed question submitted to communications@gesu.com prior to July 21, 2020.
Gesu’s responses are in red.
Gesu Re-Entry Plan
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All Families Must Complete This Form
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Gesu PTO Virtual Parent Meeting Tonight
Wednesday July 15, 2020, at 7:00 pm
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Virtual Town Hall
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All Shaker Heights Families
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Website Update
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- All faculty and staff will be required to wear masks/face coverings. Students in grades 3-8 will be required to wear masks and face coverings are recommended for grades K-2. All students and staff will be required to have masks for use in areas where social distancing may be challenging, including entering and exiting, traveling in halls, restroom use, etc.
- PPE resources will be available for faculty and staff and a back up supply for students who forgot items or need items replaced while on site.
- Visitors and volunteers will be limited in their access to the building. Temperature checks and health assessments will be preformed on all visitors and will be completed daily by all faculty and staff.
- Classrooms have been reconfigured to allow for physical distancing.
- A designated isolation area where anyone developing symptoms concerning for Covid-19 can be isolated while waiting for pick-up to leave the building. This room will be thoroughly disinfected and not used again for two hours.
- Water filling stations have replaced several traditional water fountains throughout the building and traditional fountains have been disconnected.
- A temperature check and health assessment are to be completed at home. Temperature checks will be preformed at the start of each day when students enter the classroom. Anyone with a fever will be immediately isolated.
- Surfaces in the classroom will be sanitized at the end of each day, before and after a snack break, and whenever a new set of students enters a room.
- Staff and students will take necessary steps for continued good hygiene practice including regular and routine hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, the use of hand sanitizer prior to eating.
- Keep students who are ill with either suspect or confirmed Covid-19 home until fever and symptom free for 3 days.
- Be of the understanding that Home Learning may occur at any point should state officials deem necessary or in the event of a local resurgence. Parents may elect virtual learning for their children for an entire quarter. Once selected, cannot waver between the two options.
Gesu School is also planning for an improved distance based learning model if there is a need to transition fully to this model during the coming school year. More details will be released in our return to school plan that will be published in the coming weeks.The results of the following survey will help the Gesu Task Force better prepare for the coming school year. Please complete this survey by July 3, 2020.
Thank You,
Gesu School is also planning for an improved distance based learning model if there is a need to transition fully to this model during the coming school year. More details will be released in our return to school plan that will be published in the coming weeks.The results of the following survey will help the Gesu Task Force better prepare for the coming school year. Please complete this survey by July 3, 2020.
Access the survey by clicking here.
Thank You,
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Miss Natalie Bourlas Miss Bourlas taught Enriched Reading in the younger grades. She will be moving to Columbus and preparing for her upcoming wedding!
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Miss Caroline Corsones Miss Corsones has moved home to New Hampshire and is beginning her doctoral studies. She was a wonderful addition to the Junior High staff and dearly loved by her students.
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Mrs. Alice Elliott Mrs. Elliott is retiring after serving 26 years at Gesu School. She has taught both second and fourth grade. She has also been active in a variety of extracurricular activities.
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Mrs. Marjorie Gessner Mrs. Gessner is retiring after serving 22 years at Gesu School. She most recently served as our first STREAM Director and she also taught fifth grade for a number of years. Mrs. Gessner also coached some very successful DI teams and she has also worked on many other enrichment projects at Gesu.
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Mr. Jake Halusker Mr. Halusker built a tremendous Latin program for our students. He has accepted a full time position at Incarnate Word Academy.
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Mrs. Claire McGann Mrs. McGann has moved to Hudson with her family and accepted a position at Seton School for the upcoming school year.
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Mr. Eric Vaiksnoras We thank Mr. V. for sharing his kind and gentle spirit with us the past year. Due to a change in our elective schedules, this full time position has been reduced.
Regan Kazel