Governor Tom Wolf announced on April 9, 2020 that schools would remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Staff of schools within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, like St. Dominic, were well underway in planning how to teach remotely, and have consistently tapped into their creativity to adapt to the changes. 

We’ve highlighted how teachers and students have stayed connected in the last two months. From daily lessons to project presentations, our school community shows their resilience by taking each day in stride to get through the COVID-19 pandemic. We may not be able to be together in the traditional sense, but we are together while apart. 

As we continue through the month of May and near the end of the school year, our schools continue to get creative to keep some notion of normalcy for students. Many events and field trips were ultimately canceled to adhere to social distancing guidelines. However, thanks to modern technologies, some of these previously canceled events occurred virtually.

For instance, the second grade class at Mother Teresa Regional Catholic School virtually visited the Wyoming State Museum to learn about various different wild animals and artifacts. On Tuesday, May 19, 2020, the 5th and 6th grade classes at St. Michael the Archangel will virtually complete The Constitutional Walking Tour. These students were previously offered to take the trip normally, but will still get to learn about the formative American history that happened in their own backyard with a virtual tour. 

Additionally, many traditions to honor Mary, like May processions, have also been held virtually. Students drew pictures of Mary and decorated their homes to honor the Blessed Mother, and have shared with their classmates and teachers. 

Catholic school communities have taken this strange opportunity to support one another and continue to grow bonds that prove choosing a Catholic education for your child will benefit them in many ways outside of the high-quality education they receive.