We have multiple families with children home due to the need to quarantine for COVID-19. If your child has two flu-like symptoms, please keep them home. If they continue to be sick it is advisable to have your child tested for COVID-19. Dr. Rudy Valentini, the husband of our PK 3 teacher Dr. Nancy Valentini, is in the Detroit Free Press today sharing COVID-19 information and ways to best stay safe. Open this post to view the complete newsletter and find a link to Dr. Valentini's article.

Please open this post to find the links to sign up for a time to meet with your child’s teacher. Note that all conferences will be limited to 10 minutes maximum. No students will be permitted to enter the building. All parents must wear masks, maintain social distancing in the hallways and the classrooms, and leave the building directly following their conference. If you are unable to attend in-person conferences, please contact your child’s teacher directly.

The Archdiocese of Detroit recognizes the extreme stress their employees and families have been under this school year still being in the pandemic. The Acting Superintendent shared that the AOD is giving employees and families two additional days off and suggested we take it over Thanksgiving Break. At this time, I believe we will add two days onto our break the week following Thanksgiving being Monday, November 29th and Tuesday, November 30th. We would return to school on December 1st.

I am reaching out to all of you as tardiness and drop off safety are of major concern. Your children need to be in their classrooms at 8:00, not arriving at 8:00. All children should be dropped off by 7:55 using the Drop Off line. The drop off procedures allowed all children to be on time last school year. Every four cars or so may drop children off. You do not need to wait for me to open your car doors though I do love seeing all of you. We are having the line back up now as it seems new families are parking and having children cross in front of cars trying to leave. Please get to school between 7:45 and 7:55.

We have made it through first quarter without a case of COVID-19 in our school building. It was at Halloween last year that one of our little ones tested positive for COVID. If you answer yes to either Question 1 or Question 2 you will need to keep your child home and call Ms. Crowley at 313-647-5129. We want to keep our children safe and face-to-face for second quarter too. I did sign our school up as a vaccine site once the vaccine becomes available for children five to twelve years old.

We welcomed Mrs. Jackie Martin as the full time teacher in Grade Two today. Hugs and thanks go out to Mrs. Reid and Ms. Taylor who taught the class first quarter. They will remain part of our school community in a variety of capacities though no longer on a daily basis. Please open this post to view the complete newsletter.

Every year, our 8th grade class hosts a wreath and poinsettia sale to raise funds for their graduation celebrations. Open this post to view the options available for purchase, and contact your favorite St. Clare student to place your order! If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Durham at jdurham313@gmail.com or 313-980-5059.

Families, we are wrapping up week 8 with no COVID-19 cases in our school. Thank you everyone for riding this out with the school. It is really a drag not letting anyone into this school building during the day. I am adamant about everyone being safe. Please open this post to view the complete newsletter.

We are blessed with an abundance of good news today. Our second grade class now has a full time teacher, Mrs. Jacqueline Martin. Ms. Taylor and Mrs. Reid will continue with the class until this quarter finishes. Mrs. Martin will visit during this time to team with the teachers and get to meet the students. Ms. Taylor will stay on to assist in the transition. Mrs. Reid will remain with the school as a substitute teacher. We also have a counselor who has signed a contract to be with us three days a week. Our vendor, GPS, is still working at onboarding Ms. Carly Cenit. Our art teacher, Ms. Nicole Pyles, began this week. Another parent, Mr. Brian Jackson, has stepped up to help at lunch time two days a week. Please open this post to view the complete newsletter.

A few important things to note: There will not be a Virtual Friday on October 8th. Students will have in person school. All money for Latchkey will now go directly to Mrs. Irvin-Stanley. The program is run separately from the school. She will take the payments directly from you as it will only go through her hands. Please open this post to view the complete newsletter.

Please know we want to make sure you are always aware of what is going on in your child's classroom. New families, please reach out to teachers if you have questions or concerns. You make us aware of information we think you know but actually do not know. All families should feel comfortable with knowing what your children are doing in the school every day. Teachers will send home schedules. The schedules will change again as we fill positions in our special subject areas with certified staff. We have excellent coverage by Mrs. Jody Corbett for Library and Art currently. A new art teacher from Cranbrook with experience at Barack Obama Leadership Academy will be joining us soon. The schedule will change according to Berkley Public Schools' placement of the teacher. Please open this post to view the complete newsletter.

Mother Nature has her way and we are respectful of this. Due to the unpredictable weather today, the outside Principal/Assistant Principal Summer Reading Celebration Activity will take place next week. We will surprise the students and call them outside to partake in the activity. We want to make sure all the children enjoy the event without being rained upon. Please open this post to view the complete newsletter.

We are having a great week. I need to share that last Thursday he Knights of Columbus provided a beautiful picnic lunch for all staff. We are deeply appreciative of their presence. This week the lower grades attended Mass in person. Ms. Harris’ and Ms. Tannheimer’s students led the readings, petitions, and prayers with the theme of Our Lady of Sorrows. Sr. Kathy guided this class as they performed the song, “Praise God.” Father Andrew was a wonderful teacher as he explained what he was doing to the little ones and new students throughout the mass.

Please open this post to find the links to our Zoom Meet and Greet for this evening. Please join me at 5:30, and after my greetings and a few updates I will guide you to your Zoom link to your child’s teacher. We are having two sessions with teachers so you may visit more than one teacher if you have multiple children. Preschool teachers had meet ups earlier with their parents so they will not have meet ups this evening.

Due to the uptick in COVID cases, the Parent Meet and Greet will take place via zoom Wednesday evening. Returning families, it will be very similar to our Zoom conferences. New families, it will be easy as you just need to connect via Zoom. You will receive the links you need Wednesday for the evening meet ups with me, the teachers, and then PTO. Please open this post to view the complete update.

Thank you families for your patience as we work out the kinks in dropping your children off in the morning. Today went much smoother. Tuesday I will stand at entrance to flag cars in from both lines. Parent input has been very helpful. Returning families you made it all work last year. We are almost there. Thank you PTO and Mrs. Beatrice Sanford for getting that expert to develop that safe drop off plan.

We had a lovely Back to School Gathering this past Sunday. It was so good to see all of you and enjoy the enthusiasm that radiated through the courtyard. Please look at the links and important dates and reminders. The SCM School Handbook has been updated. This summer a committed group of parents and staff thoroughly went through the handbook changing it where it needed changing. See the section on Dress Code for proper attire on Free Dress Days and for uniform standards. Please open this post to view the complete newsletter.

Apologies to any of you who tried to communicate with us this past week. We have had ongoing issues with our phones and internet. We are hoping that the issues have been resolved. This Newsletter is heavy with information. Please open this post and read carefully all the way through.

Due to the CDC recommendation of mask wearing in schools, St. Clare of Montefalco will now require all students and adults to wear masks during the school day. The COVID-19 Delta Variant is highly contagious and our young people are the most vulnerable population. The school puts the safety of all our community members first.

I hope you are all enjoying your last days of summer vacation. Please take the time to check your email from the school these next few weeks. Many updates are happening. Adjustments to schedules and requirements are occurring. The newsletter and eblasts are how the information is being sent to you. Please open this post to view the complete newsletter.