BROOKLYN AND QUEENS CATHOLIC SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES TO CONTINUE IN-PERSON LEARNING

Dr. Thomas Chadzutko, the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for Brooklyn and Queens, has announced that all 69 schools and academies will remain open and continue to provide in-person learning, in spite of the decision made to close New York City public schools indefinitely starting tomorrow.

“I am frustrated that the Mayor’s announcement was made as Catholic schools and academies throughout Brooklyn and Queens were dismissing our students. I want to make it clear to parents, teachers, staff, and students that the Mayor’s announcement only pertains to New York City public schools, and our schools will be open tomorrow. We have worked tirelessly to ensure that our school community remains safe for everyone, and we will continue to ensure strict compliance with all health and safety protocols,” said Dr. Thomas Chadzutko, Superintendent of Catholic Schools ~ Office of Support Services.

Catholic schools in the Diocese in Brooklyn and Queens have provided safe, five days a week in-person learning since beginning this school year, as scheduled, on September 9. The Superintendent, along with the Superintendent of the Archdiocese of New York, has received confirmation from the New York City Department of Education’s Office of Non-Public Schools that they will maintain entitled services for Catholic school students, including school nurses, transportation, and food.

         Catholic Academies and Parish Schools within the Diocese of Brooklyn have successfully operated for more than two months due to the strict adherence to the important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission, including maintaining physical distance, wearing a face covering, practicing healthy hand hygiene, and staying home if sick. The schools and academies of the Diocese of Brooklyn continue to work with New York State and City Department of Health officials on a regular basis to maintain the safety of all of our students, faculty, and staff.

         For a listing and more information about Catholic Schools in Brooklyn and Queens, please visit catholicschoolsbq.org.

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I know many of you are trying to plan for September.  I assure you Midwood Catholic Academy faculty and staff have been hard at work to devise a plan that meets NYS, Diocese of Brooklyn, and just general safety measures to ensure a safe environment for your child to learn.  We also compiled the results to our survey we sent out a few weeks ago and took those results into consideration as well.  A general synopsis of what September will look like is as follows:

Grades: PreK3 – 4^th:  In-School 100%

1. All teachers in school 5 days per week
2. All students in school 5 days per week

Grades: 5^th – 8^th:  Hybrid Learning

1. All teachers in school 5 days per week
2. Students will be broken up into 2 cohorts (groups) and will be on the following schedule:

WEEK A

WEEK B

For those parents that do not want to send their child back to the school building yet, the Diocese has created an online academy called “St. Thomas Aquinas Online Academy.”  Your child will still be enrolled at MCA and pay tuition through us; however you would log on to their learning platform daily.  If you choose the St. Thomas Aquinas online academy, you will be making at least a 1-trimester commitment to 100% online learning with their faculty.  Unfortunately, it will not be the MCA teachers that will be teaching your children if you decide to go this route. 

Below are links to our detailed reopening plans for Midwood Catholic Academy AND a letter from the Diocese regarding the St. Thomas Aquinas online academy.  Unfortunately, all academies must offer this as their 100% remote learning option and cannot do it themselves.  If you are set on going 100% remote learning and plan to have your child learn through the St. Thomas Aquinas platform, I ask that you please respond to this email letting us know your plans.

MCA REOPENING PLAN

St. Thomas Aquinas Online Academy Family Letter

St. Thomas Aquinas Online Academy Frequently Asked Questions

Registration is on-going.  Please make an appointment for more information!

Click to Make An Appointment

After you make an appointment, please fill out this information sheet:

Information Sheet

As we know the fast-growing pandemic of the Novel Coronavirus has left us questioning plans from day-to-day.  As of this moment, all schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens will be closed on Monday March 16 – Friday March 20^th 2020 for students.  Please be sure to follow the directions below to begin the remote learning process.

JUST TO CLARIFY IN THE LINE IN THIS LETTER:

 After hour Academy gatherings canceled until further notice.

o   For this reason, we will be canceling the social studies fair previously scheduled for Wed. March 11.  However, we will have an in-school fair amongst students and teachers only.

This means any academy activity planned that included large crowds of families and the community are unfortunately put on hold.  

****HOWEVER, regularly scheduled after school (from 3PM-6PM) weekly clubs (3PM -4PM), State Test Prep classes (3PM – 4 PM) and detention (3PM – 4PM) will still be in effect.  If there are any questions, please feel to respond to contact us directly at 718-377-1800.

Congratulations to Kenny G in the 7th Grade who represented MCA in the Regional Upper Grade Mathematics Bee. He placed in today’s competition, which has now earned him a spot in the Diocesan Upper Grade Mathematics Bee on February 25. We are so proud of his accomplishments and wish him the best of luck in the next round!

Come join us!

Reminder: 

There is no school for students on Friday 1/17 and Monday 1/20.

On Wednesday December 18, we will have our annual Tree Lighting at 6:30 PM and our Christmas Show where Kindergarten, 2, 4, 6, 8, Band, Dance, and ASL Club will perform beginning promptly at 7 PM.  Tickets are on sale now for $5 if purchased in advance and $7 at the door. (Children 4 and younger are free.)