• Stay home when you are sick.
• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and help young children do the same. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve (not your hands).
• All faculty and staff will be trained in specific COVID-19 protocols and procedures.

Per the Diocese of Dallas, face coverings will be worn by everyone while inside the building, including students, faculty, staff, and essential 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. Any individual who is unwilling or unable to wear a face covering will move to distance learning until masks are not needed. Face shields are not considered masks and will not be allowed as the only face covering. 

The Diocese 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 Diocese is committed to reviewing and revising these requirements when appropriate.

The Diocese has mandated no face shields.  The recommendations from their medical experts  is that it is not known if face shields provide any benefit as source control to protect others from the spray of respiratory particles. The CDC does not recommend face shields for normal everyday activities or as a substitute for cloth face coverings.

Currently, the Texas Education Agency mandates that all teachers and staff self-screen every morning before coming to campus. Families will be asked to self-screen using a list of symptoms to screen their child(ren). STA will follow The Diocese of Dallas Catholic Schools Office guidelines for checking symptoms. Students will be sent to the clinic if symptoms arise during the day.

Although class size will not be reduced because of the physical space and staff limitations. Excess furniture and unnecessary items have been removed from classrooms to allow for additional space. Some classes will have fewer students due to families choosing the Distance Learning STA@Home model.

In the case of an individual testing positive for COVID-19 and it is determined that the school has been exposed, during Phase One, the school will implement the following protocol:

• The individual who tests positive must quarantine for a minimum of 14 days.
• The school will move that cohort/homeroom class, along with any people the individual has been in close contact with for more than a five to ten minute period, to distance learning for a ten-day period. 
• Any testing for COVID-19 should be delayed until five days after the initial exposure.
• Following a ten-day period, all cohort/homeroom class individuals will be allowed back on campus provided they do not display any symptoms.
• Individuals will not need to provide a negative test to be allowed back on campus.
• In terms of siblings, all households that have a positive case will be asked to self-isolate for a 2-week period.  Sibling cohorts/homeroom classes will not be sent home unless a positive case in that class has been determined.

If it is not possible to definitively know with whom the individual has been in contact, the school will presume that maximum exposure has taken place and move anyone who could have come into contact with the individual to distance learning, up to and including the entire school.

The Diocese of Dallas Catholic Schools Office is working on the protocol for returning to school after a positive COVID-19 test.

Students and teachers sent home from a cohort/homeroom will be asked to stay home for 10 days. A negative COVID-19 test is not necessary to return if no symptoms appear during the 10 day period.

The traditional water fountains will not be available for use. Water bottle filling stations are available on both campuses.

All students are asked to bring a non-sweating or double-insulated labeled water bottle filled with water to school each day and to take it home to clean each afternoon.

The school calendar has been revise to account for the 180 days of the school year. See new calendar below to meet the academic school day requirement.

REVISED SCHOOL CALENDAR

In order for us to welcome students back to campus this fall, we have to meet guidelines that keep classes (cohort groups) separate. This makes Lower School morning recess with students from 12 cohort groups an impossibility at this time. During Phase One of the reopening plan, we are not able to accept students in the building prior to 7:30 AM since we do not have the personnel capacity to staff it.  

Teachers on both campuses are working to include outdoor learning, extra recess time, and additional "brain breaks" for students to relax, get fresh air, and play. There will be many opportunities throughout the day to move around as a class inside and outside the classroom.

Although we pivoted to distance learning immediately after spring break, we recognize that some students may have learning gaps with new material. Our plan at the start of school is to use academic assessments to determine where each student is, and then use that information to tailor instruction. We’ll meet them where they are and get them to where they need to be.

At the Upper School, students in 3rd-8th grade will remain in their homerooms for Spanish and art.  PE and music will be outside, weather permitting.  Each student will have individual supply that will remain in their lockers when not in use. Any common used materials will be disinfected and sanitized between use.

At the Lower School, students will have art in the art room, homeroom, or outdoors, depending on the lesson. The art teacher will conduct all art lessons. 

Yes, all our Reading Specialists and Learning Specialists will still work with the students needing help with diagnosed learning differences. Those students will work with the specialists at scheduled times.

At the Lower School parents may walk their children up to the school during drop-off, but we ask that all parents use the carpool for pick-up to ensure social distancing and to keep cohort groups seperate. At the Upper School, there are no pick-ups or drop-offs outside of carpool. Walkers will be released after carpool is well underway. Please be prepared for later than usual walker release due to social distancing.

We understand that social emotional well-being of our students is an important part of their overall health. Both counselors are working on plans to address needs that arise from the abrupt disruption of the normal school day. Although things may look a little different, the teachers and staff at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School are ready to welcome our students back to a loving and nurturing learning environment.

The Upper School has adopted a new Social Emotional Learning program called Second Steps Guidance Program and the Lower School uses Paths Guidance Program to help our PK-2nd grade students learn more about their emotions and build healthy relationships with others. Learn more on our SEL page.

Both campuses are aware that the school community might have anxiety about all the changes happening at school. Both Padmini Dayal at the Lower School and Amy Miller at the Upper School will work with students individually, and in the classroom in coping with these changes. We will also continue to provide Social-Emotional Support resources on the website and in the Week at a Glance.

There will be opportunities for the students learning from home to interact through TEAMS with on-campus learners during core classes. All safe environment protocols will be followed.

Remote learners will follow a regular daily schedule. This schedule will include synchronous (live) instruction in core subjects (religion, math, language arts, science, and social studies) and follow the same schedule as if your child was in class. They will participate in the instruction through Microsoft Teams.

Special Area classes including PE, art, music, and Spanish will be asynchronous instruction (videos, practice) to balance screen time and independent work time. Students will have access to computer and technology skills throughout the school day.

You will receive your child’s daily class schedule at the beginning of the school year. You will receive a weekly calendar of assignments and homework and directions on how to turn in your child's work.

Students will turn in work through Seesaw, Teams, Moodle, or in a secure drop box located on campus depending on the assignment. Teachers will make it clear on how to turn in work in the weekly instructions.

Students in PK-2nd will have a dedicated homeroom teacher and a teacher-facilitator. Students in 3rd – 8th will have subject area teachers, a core subjects teacher-facilitator, and a specials area teacher-facilitator.

Remote learners will be assigned to homeroom teacher classrooms in each grade, and a grade-level teacher-facilitators will serve as a liaison/partner/collaborator working with the teachers/students/parents/tech department to deliver the highest level of education.

All lead teachers and facilitators are being trained on Teams and Seesaw as well as in online teaching techniques.

Students have online access to the library, learning specialists, and counselors on both campuses.

In order to adequately prepare for the start of the school year, we are asking you to make a decision on where your child will start school by August 14.

You will be given the opportunity to switch models at the end of the grading period. The first quarter ends November 9. If there is a family circumstance that requires immediate change, you can contact Principal Roberts or Principal Watts.

Remote Synchronous Instruction is two-way, real-time/live, virtual instruction between teachers and students when students are not on campus. In this method, the required amount of instructional time is scheduled each day. Synchronous instruction is provided through a computer or other electronic device or over the phone. The instructional method must address the required curriculum, per TEC, §28.002. 

Remote Asynchronous Instruction is instruction that does not require having the instructor and student engaged at the same time. In this method, students learn from instruction that is not necessarily being delivered in-person or in real time. This type of instruction may include various forms of digital and online learning, such as prerecorded video lessons or game-based learning tasks that students complete on their own, and pre-assigned work and formative assessments made available to students on paper. The instructional method must also address the required curriculum.

• Students may withdraw for any reason and will have records transferred appropriately. These students will give up their space in that class/grade.
• Students interested in returning to St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School after withdrawing must apply for admission as a new student, per our admissions policy.
• All documents, fees, and records will be required, as for any new student.
• Students will be admitted at the beginning of each semester if space is available. Families moving into the area from out of state will be admitted in accordance with their moving date, rather than the quarter/semester timeline.
• Please note that many of our grade levels are full and space is limited.

STA is committed to providing the best remote learning model possible for our families who chose to stay home or need to stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic. If the school is forced to close, we are prepared to provide distance learning for all of our students. Teachers will continue to work and teach from their own homes. Your tuition payments will continue to pay for the faculty’s delivery of online instruction and associated costs, and will not be refunded.

St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School has always provided affordable tuition for our families. For the 2020-2021 school year, 80% of tuition revenue is allocated to teacher and staff salaries/benefits and 20% is allocated to supplies and maintenance of our facilities. Expenses have increased due to the COVID pandemic situation through purchasing PPE, technology updates, storage space for furniture, cleaning needs, etc. School revenue (not tuition) was lost as a result of Extended Day care being cancelled in the spring and mandatory GAP fund donations being waived. 

 We appreciate everyone’s patience as we navigate these uncertain times — it is the only with continued support of our parental community that we can continue to serve our children with the best possible education. 

STA has limited funds to help our families enrolled at STA affected by the economic fallout from COVID-19. You can apply for tuition assistance by logging in to FACTS Family Portal and clicking the Financial tab. Follow the prompts under Apply for Grant and Aid and note COVID-19 in the notes section. The financial aid committee will contact you after you submit your application. 

The Catholic Schools Office and the Dallas Parochial League have decided to postpone sports until the spring of 2021. More information will be sent out to families about what sports will be offered later in the school year.

Yes, all student-athletes will need to have a current physical on file with the Athletic Director before they register for sports. This can be done before school starts.

Athletic Physical Form