We have all had to make significant behavioral changes to reduce the spread of COVID-19. To remain open, we will need to continue these practices:

• Staying home when sick
• Social distancing (specifically, staying six feet away from others when feasible)
• Frequently washing hands or using hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available
• Wearing face coverings
• Avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth
• Medical self-screening and reporting
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces
• Providing instruction to students on the appropriate hygiene practices consistent with mitigating the spread of COVID-19

Extensive informational signage on both campuses and other regular reminders will support these protocols.

All students, faculty, staff, and volunteers will self-screen daily to ensure they are free of the COVID-19 symptoms listed below:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle aches
• Sore throat
• Loss of taste or smell
• Diarrhea
• Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit
• Known close contact with a person who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19

Anyone experiencing any of the COVID-19 symptoms listed above should stay home. Contact Nikki Ramos at the Lower School and Renee Pinkston at the Upper School if your child or anyone in your household has become symptomatic after your daily survey.

• If your child is experiencing any of the above symptoms, the school will contact you to come pick up your child.
• Parents are asked to come immediately when called by the school to pick up their child.
• Students with these symptoms will be immediately separated and isolated until a parent or emergency contact can pick them up.

While maintaining confidentiality, the School is required to notify the local health department, teachers, staff, and families of all students if a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among students, teachers, or staff who participate in any on-campus activities.

• There will almost certainly be situations that necessitate temporary school closure due to positive COVID-19 cases at the school. Parents should be prepared for this in the event that it occurs.
• While actively working to prevent positive cases through mitigation practices, in the event that STA will need to transition to a Distance Learning Model for all students, we are prepared.

Custodial employees will be trained on COVID-19 safety protocols.

• The school contracts with an outside cleaning company for cleaning and disinfecting occuring nightly in every classroom, restrooms, common areas, and on high-touch surfaces.
• Students will have the opportunity to clean their own spaces before and after they are used in ways that are safe and developmentally appropriate.

• Students and staff will be trained in proper handwashing protocols to prevent COVID-19 and the spread of germs.
• Teachers will be encouraged to supervise student handwashing for 20 seconds at least two times each day. In addition, all students will be encouraged to wash hands after using the restroom and before eating.
• Handwashing stations are available in restrooms and some classrooms.
• Hand sanitizer will continue to be used in each classroom, and hand sanitizer stations have been added to common areas. 
• All paper towel dispensers and faucets will be touchless in all school restrooms.
• Tissues will be provided in classrooms and common areas to encourage students and staff to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, and if not available, to cover with their elbows. Used tissues will be thrown in the trash and hands washed immediately with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or hand sanitizer will be used.

With the start of school, masks will be worn by everyone while inside the building, including students, faculty, staff, and visitors.  If there is a valid medical reason for not wearing a face covering, within the context of COVID-19, this would also mean that attending school in person with such a condition is too dangerous to allow. Face shields are not considered masks and will not be allowed as the only face covering. Masks with valves will not be permitted.

We will continue to monitor the situation, including observing districts and schools that do not require masks for all ages, to see if a less restrictive environment keeps students from getting sick. If that is the case, the we are committed to reviewing and revising these requirements when appropriate.

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School will foster a culture where wearing face coverings and social distancing are a regular part of the school day. We will adapt quickly and make you aware if circumstances or guidelines change.

Each of us has learned to adapt to the pandemic in individual ways. We recognize that returning to campus and learning new protocols and procedures may be an additional stressor for some students. Please know that both Padmini Dayal at the Lower School and Amy Miller at the Upper School are aware of these stressors, will be visiting classrooms, and are available for support.

The school building will not open until 7:30 AM for students this school year. Students will go directly to their classrooms after being dropped off. 

Lower School Hours:
8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
On Fridays the Lower School releases at 1:45 PM

Upper School Hours:
7:55 AM – 3:15 PM
On Fridays, the Upper School releases at 2:00 PM

Both campuses will be closed at 6 PM after Extended Day is over.

• All students may wear tennis shoes instead of uniform shoes this year (velcro for PK students).
• Sixth through eighth grade students will have the option to change clothes for PE.
• All students should bring a coat, STA fleece, or STA sweatshirt for in the classroom and outside.
• Please label all personal belongings (including clothing, water bottles, and personal masks) clearly.

Per Texas Education Code (TEC), §25.092, students must attend 90% of a course in order to be awarded credit for the course and/or to be promoted to the next grade. This requirement remains in force during the 2020-21 school year. Whether learning on campus or at home, attendance will be required of all students.

In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic and in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, Texas Education Association, Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops Education Department, and the Diocese of Dallas, we are taking precautionary measures to ensure the safety of the students, faculty, and staff on our campus for the 2021-22 academic year. It is important to note that we will continue to respond to guidance from the Bishop, the governor, and state and local governments, so all of this planning is based on the best information that we have today. 

• Masses will resume on both campuses.
• School Masses may also be live-streamed in the classroom.

• Increased air circulation and ventilation in all classrooms, including increased outside air to the HVAC system, air purification in the classrooms, and improved filtration systems have been added.
• Opportunities to go outside for study, lunch, specials, and recess will be maximized when weather permits. (Currently, per diocesan policy, if the heat index is over 100 degrees or the windchill is under 32 degrees, students may not go outside.)

• Specials are PE, Spanish, computer, music, library, and art. All specials may be taught outside or in specials' classrooms , based on the ability to meet spacing and cleaning protocols.
• PE will be scheduled outside, without masks, when weather permits.

• Students in all grades may also bring a daily healthy snack. Snacks will no longer be brought bulk-style to the school.
• Students will bring a labeled, full, non-sweating, insulated water bottle to school each day as water fountains will not be available for use.

• Students will eat in the cafeteria or outside as a grade. 
• Lunch menus will be on the website the first week of August.

• Recess will resume as normal by grade-level not by cohorts.

• DPL sports will be offered to all 5th - 8th grade students.
• Fall: football, flag football, cheer, volleyball, and cross country
• Winter: basketball
• Spring: track and field, baseball, softball, soccer and futsal.

There will be significant carpool procedure changes to spread out the students entering and exiting the buildings during the busy drop-off and pick-up times. Details and illustrations will be in the Back to School Guide.

Upper School Drop Off:  

• 3rd and 4th grade and older siblings will be dropped off and picked up in the south (back) parking lot.
• 5th and 7th grade and older siblings will be dropped off and picked up in the north (front) parking lot.
• 6th and 8th grade may be dropped off and picked up in either the north or south parking lot.
• Information regarding designated entrances will be provided in the Back to School Guide.

Upper School Pick Up:

• Students will leave the building the same way they entered at drop off.
• Please be prepared for afternoon carpool at the Upper School to look more like our rainy-day procedures. Students will come out of the building one at a time.
• If your child is a walker, be prepared for their release to be delayed as much as 30 minutes. We highly recommend using the carpool system in order to pick up your child in a timely manner.

Lower School Drop Off:

• Parents of students in K-2 using carpool will enter the parking lot near the soccer field. Lower School students will be directed by teachers to enter the following doors:
  • Kindergarten students will enter the kindergarten hallway through the soccer field gate/playground doors.
  • 1st grade students will enter through the main school entrance.
  • 2nd grade students will enter through the secondary set of doors facing the 2nd grade hallway.
• PK students will enter through the doors at the circle drive on Alderson. Parents with multiple children at the Lower School will drop off K-2 students first then pull to the PK circle to drop off.
• Parents may park at Luby’s and walk their child to the sidewalk in front of the school using social distancing.

Lower School Pick Up: 

• For the safety of our teachers and community, all Lower School families will use the carpool line this year for pick-up. You will not be able to park at Luby’s and use our walk-up system at dismissal time. 
• Families with PK children and older siblings are asked to pick up their K-2 children first, then turn right into the circle drive to pick up their PK child.

• School supplies for each child in PK-8th grade will be distributed the first day of school.
• We suggest you purchase the following for your child’s backpack:
  • Small umbrella/rain jacket
  • Non-sweating, insulated water bottle
  • A couple of masks your child is comfortable wearing
  • Personal-sized hand sanitizer

• Extended Day will begin on Tuesday, August 17
• Extended Day will follow all the school safety and health protocols.
• Phase Three will co-mingle Extended Day students on each campus.