BACK TO
CAMPUS
PLAN
WHILE OUR CIRCUMSTANCES MAY LOOK DIFFERENT IN THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR, OUR MISSION REMAINS THE SAME
Gonzaga Preparatory School exists to support the life of the Catholic Church in the Inland Northwest by seeking to serve
all families who desire for their children Catholic education in the Jesuit tradition. Our pledge is to provide, in concert
BACK TO CAMPUS
We eagerly await the opportunity to welcome students back to campus to start the 2020-21 school year. We will continue to be guided by updates from the Spokane Regional Health District, the State of Washington, and the latest research. At this time, we plan to have students on campus for in-person instruction that will be supplemented by robust digital learning. We believe that in-person education allows us to live the magis, and provide a deeper, richer educational and formational experience for our students. We plan to have students on campus as much as possible.
We are committed to providing an excellent college preparatory education for our students while mitigating risk and supporting the health and wellness of everyone in our community. We will implement safety measures such as physical distancing, masks, staggered days on campus, staying home when sick, and diligent attention to hygiene and cleaning.
We are prioritizing high-quality education in the Jesuit tradition, which emphasizes a strong, college preparatory academic program and cura personalis — the care of each individual person — in mind, body, and spirit. We will focus on the physical, mental, and social health of our students, while providing opportunities for engagement and connections with fellow students and teachers.
We are grateful that for seven years, we have been a 1:1 computing school with a well-established iPad program. This summer, we are upgrading to the enterprise versions of Schoology, our learning management system, and the Google
Educational Suite. Our faculty will have opportunities for professional development and training in new programs for digital learning in August to complement the previous seven years of professional development in technology they have already received. Gonzaga Prep is well prepared to provide both in-person and digital learning for our students.
We seek to follow in St. Ignatius’s footsteps by approaching this year with imagination and steadfast determination, and we encourage our students and families to join us in this endeavor. As soon as possible, we will fully return to campus for in-person instruction.
Please keep in mind that this plan is meant to address the broad strokes as we move forward. In August, you will receive more communication that will add the necessary detail and refinement to each of the areas addressed.
HYBRID MODEL
We plan to begin the school year with a hybrid model where half of the students are on campus for in-person instruction, and the other half will be learning synchronously from home using video conferencing software. Students will be on campus two days a week, which will allow them to receive in-person instruction for each class twice a week. The students will then be home for three days during the week engaged in digital learning. Fridays will be designated Cura Personalis Days, where students will have opportunities to come to campus for student activities, retreats, tutoring, counseling, teacher office hours, and other possibilities. Students will all be assigned to either the “Aloysius” or “Gonzaga” group according to the first letter of their last name.
ALOYSIUS: A-L
GONZAGA: M-Z
Making the split alphabetically ensures that siblings will be in the same group, and that classes will be evenly divided. This split may be adjusted in August, based on enrollment, to accommodate the necessary safety protocols.
FAMILY CHOICE
We understand that some students will need to remain at home throughout the pandemic, or that families may choose to keep their students at home. Thanks to the hybrid model, all classes will be set up to support such needs. Further communication will be sent in August.
COURSE INSTRUCTION
Synchronous Instruction: Instruction will be set up so that students at home can live stream
.
TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTION:
To provide a better experience for our students, parents, and teachers, we have upgraded to the enterprise version of Schoology, and added the enterprise version of Google Suite for Education. The additional investment in software will support:
ORGANIZATION: Students will be automatically enrolled in Schoology classes, which is the virtual classroom component of each in-building class. Teachers will be posting upcoming course events, expectations,
and assignments.
PARENT ACCESS: Parents will have access to courses in Schoology to support their students by seeing upcoming events and grades.
GRADING: Grades will be automatically transferred from Schoology to Skyward to reduce the lag time between assessments being graded and Skyward being updated.
ASSESSMENT: Teachers will have additional assessment options to support online assessment.
LUNCH
There will be one lunch period, but lunch will be available in different locations throughout the campus. Students will be encouraged to eat outside while the weather is warm. The tables in the Barbieri Student Center will be arranged to allow for social distancing. Our food service is redesigning their menu selections to meet the health guidelines and continue to provide healthy food options for our students.
DAY-TO-DAY SCHEDULE
GROUP MON TUE WED THU FRI
IN-PERSON LEARNING Aloysius Gonzaga Aloysius Gonzaga DIGITAL LEARNING Gonzaga Aloysius Gonzaga Aloysius
CURA PERSONALIS DAY
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS: Spiritual formation
• Retreats • Masses
• Service Opportunities
Emotional support and social engagement
• Leadership opportunities • Activities
• Club meetings • Counseling
Academic support
• Teacher office hours • Academic Success Center
• Tutoring • Writing Lab
• Learning Resource Center
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FACULTY:
• Professional development specific to digital learning and our hybrid model
• Faculty and academic department meetings • Office hours for working with students
Cura Personalis
IMPROVED BUILDING VENTILATION
In mid-summer, we began work to upgrade our HVAC control systems with the most current hardware and technology. This work will be completed prior to the start of the school year. All of our buildings will be linked with central controls and the air exchange rate in classrooms is 6-16 times an hour—both numbers are well above recommendations. We are upgrading air filters to MERV-8, which will continue to be replaced quarterly.
CLEANING
All classrooms will be equipped with disinfecting supplies. Enhanced cleaning procedures will be in place throughout campus. The entirety of the campus will be cleaned and disinfected (with CDC/OSHA approved products) by Gonzaga Prep staff daily. High-touch and high-traffic areas will be cleaned and sanitized throughout the day.
HAND WASHING In addition to all of the sinks we have around campus and encouraging regular hand washing, we will provide hand sanitizer in each classroom, office and meeting space.
CLASSROOMS & SOCIAL DISTANCING
We have measured all classrooms and will arrange desks in a way that ensures proper social distancing between all students and the teacher. Students will be spread out as much as possible during the school day to ensure proper social distancing.
VISITORS
We are restricting non-essential visitors. Visitors who must come to campus will follow the health screening and safety protocols required of all students, faculty, and staff. We are closing campus to all outside groups, and therefore will be very limited in our ability to rent our facilities to groups outside of the Gonzaga Prep community.
PHYSICAL BARRIERS
Plexiglass barriers are being installed in areas where social distancing is not possible, such as the Finance Office, Security Office, attendance desk, kitchen registers, and other areas as needed.
SIGNAGE
We have purchased vinyl signage to use throughout the campus to remind our community about wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands, and other safety precautions.
ENTRANCE/DAILY SCREENING
Each day, all students will attest that they have reviewed the COVID-19 symptom checklist. If a student’s temperature is at or above 100.4 degrees or if any answer is “YES” to the questions on the checklist, they will be asked to stay home.
WELLNESS CHECK
Faculty and staff will periodically conduct student wellness checks throughout the day. If a student appears to be ill, their temperature will be taken, if above 100.4, they will be isolated and their parents will be contacted to pick them up.
HYGIENE
Students are asked to bring their own water bottles and school supplies each day and shall not share items with other students. Hand sanitizing stations will be available
in all classrooms.
One of the most common questions we receive is “What will happen
if someone who has been on campus tests positive for COVID-19?”
For now, know that we will be able to determine those who have come
in close contact with someone on campus who has been diagnosed, and,
in accordance with the Spokane Regional Health District, will contact all
of those who may have been exposed.
We will have a designated space on campus to isolate anyone who becomes
sick during the school day until they can be picked up.
Those who are ill will be required to remain home
—both staff and students.
Because we know that a number of students will stay home throughout the
year, we will be extremely well-equipped for sick students (if they are able)
to still attend class remotely and not fall behind.
CO-CURRICULARS
We know how important activities outside the classroom are to the Gonzaga Prep experience, and we are committed to providing as many meaningful experiences for students as we safely can.
We are in the process of reimagining retreats, as well as service and immersion opportunities for our students. While large group liturgies or gatherings will be limited, we will provide creative experiences or small group opportunities for our community.
Ultimately, while Gonzaga Prep will make its own decisions about athletics, we are also members of the Greater Spokane League, District 8, and the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), and these governing bodies will determine a path for athletics. The WIAA has announced an adjusted athletic calendar for the 2020-21 school year that can be found HERE. This calendar is adapted from the National Federation of High School Sports (NFHS) criteria which designates sports on a spectrum of low to high risk. It will allow for adjustments as athletics proceed when they are determined safe. Regardless, our coaches are committed to working with their student athletes to form meaningful bonds, stay healthy, and deepen friendships.
We will work with moderators of other co-curricular activities such as speech and debate, robotics, theater, performing arts, ASB, and all other student activities, to enable students to work with one another to the greatest extent possible. With an emphasis on meeting in-person as much as they safely can, these activities will provide great opportunities for students to take a break from their screens, develop friendships, and deepen their unique gifts. We will continue to encourage our students to join with like-minded peers to pursue their passions. Coaches and moderators will communicate with students regularly as plans become clearer over time.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PLAN? PLEASE CONTACT US:
• Cindy Reopelle, Principal, creopelle@gprep.com
• Derek Duchesne, Vice Principal of Academics, dduchesne@gprep.com • Paul Manfred, Vice Principal of Athletics & Facilities, pmanfred@gprep.com
