Aimé Blankenship, a first-grader in Abby Brancaleon’s class at St. Patrick School in Washington, practices the skills she’ll need for e-learning before all Catholic schools in the Diocese of Peoria closed at the end of the day on March 13. The schools will remain closed through Easter Monday, with online learning beginning March 31. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, has directed that all Catholic schools in the Diocese of Peoria remain closed through Easter Monday, April 13. The announcement was made March 23 in conjunction with a letter from the bishop informing the faithful that public Masses would continue to be suspended through Easter Sunday.

The schools are scheduled to reopen April 14, pending approval of the Office of the Bishop, updates from Gov. JB Pritzker, the Illinois State Board of Education, and the progression of COVID-19, according to the Office of Catholic Schools.

Dr. Sharon Weiss, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Peoria, has informed the principals that e-learning or online instruction must begin by March 31. While attendance will be taken, the schools are not expected to be in session on Good Friday, April 10, or Easter Monday, April 13.

Originally, the schools were to remain closed March 16-20 for deep cleaning and disinfecting to prevent the spread of COVID-19. That was extended to March 30.

In the meantime, the Office of Catholic Schools had set March 18 as a trial run for schools to implement their e-learning plan and assess the results. The schools that were on spring break at that time were asked to test their plans the following week.

In addition to working on methods of instruction to see what is most effective, the schools surveyed parents to make certain they had enough devices for each child and the proper internet access. In some cases, the schools loaned laptops or Chromebooks to the families.

“CONTINUITY OF LEARNING”

The last two weeks had been considered “Act of God” days by the Illinois State Board of Education, where e-learning was encouraged although attendance was not taken. While some grading took place, it could not negatively impact the student’s academic standing, Weiss explained.

The idea was to maintain “continuity of learning,” she said.

Students leave St. Patrick School in Washington on March 13, the last day Catholic schools were open before closing because of coronavirus precautions. (The Catholic Post/Jennifer Willems)

Diocesan schools have been working on e-learning plans this year and were to have those filed with the Office of Catholic Schools by March 15. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, having those plans ready to go was considered optional this year and mandatory next year.

“The bishop was really the driver on this,” Weiss said. “He said, ‘What are the schools doing?’”

She noted that Policy E111, which can be found at cdop.org by clicking on “Catholic Education” and “Policies,” outlines what the e-learning plans are expected to include. Addressing the learning needs of all students and all age levels, how the instruction will be delivered, and how schools will monitor and verify student participation are among the items each plan should have.

“Perhaps in English and language arts in the middle grades and high school they could ‘interview’ an author and pretend they’re trying to ask the author about their lives and some of their works,” Weiss suggested. “Or do research papers so it’s not a quick one-off lesson, but can extend over a period of time, as you would with a project.”

SUBJECTS INCLUDE PE

Justin Cody, the father of three students at St. Patrick School in Washington and chair of its Commission on Education, said the e-learning day went “fairly smooth” for his family with just a few “hiccups” in technology.

“We were able to get into everything the teachers had for them,” he said.

Shannon Hughes, the teacher for his preschooler, Gus, read a story online, for example. His second-grader, Jude, watched a short film about Jesus feeding the multitude and then drew a picture, which they photographed on their smartphone and sent to the Franciscan Apostolic Sisters who teach religion. Fourth-grader Mary did an assignment in her math book, took a picture and sent it to her teacher, Tammy Aurit.

Weiss shared other success stories from the schools, including:

• Holy Family, Oglesby: Principal Jyll Jasiek reported that the kindergarten teacher scheduled 15-minute FaceTime calls with each student.
• Holy Cross, Mendota: The children enjoyed their work, so the teachers sent “mini-lessons” every day. Principal Anita Kobilsek said the students worked on one lesson, if not two, per day.
• St. Paul, Odell: Principal Dick Morehouse reported that one his teachers held a video chat on Google Classroom with her students.
• St. Michael the Archangel, Streator: Principal Emily Blumenshine said the school website now features an E-Learning Help Desk with videos to guide students and parents through areas they may have found challenging during the trial run.

There was even PE class, with some asking the children to run laps around the house, while other teachers had them doing specific exercises, such as the Lobster Crawl.

As they move forward the real challenge will be how to replicate hands-on subjects like science labs, music, band and art in an online format, said Sister Sara Kowal, SCTJM, principal at Peoria Notre Dame High School.

“It’s easy to give one day’s work that supplements what I’m already doing in class, but it’s a whole different thing to replace what I’m doing in class with online learning,” she said, noting they are working on long-term instruction.

For a list of helpful websites, visit cdop.org/coronavirus and scroll down to “Online Resources for Schools and Catechetics.”