Lancaster Catholic High School Crusader Connection December 15, 2020
December 16-17 Snow Event Planning Lancaster Catholic will be operating under a Flexible Asynchronous Learning Instruction day on Wednesday, December 16th, and be closed for a Snow Day on Thursday, December 17th On Wednesday, December 16th, students will learn asynchronously or at their own convenience following their B-Day schedule. • Class lessons and assignments will be posted on Google Classroom and will be due by 8 PM. • Teachers, who will be at home, will be available to answer questions via email. Teacher availability will not exceed a 2-hour block. For more details about Wednesday’s asynchronous learning schedule, see page 3. Lancaster Catholic will not be holding academic instruction on Thursday, December 17th in anticipation of significant snowfall. No assignments will be collected. Enjoy your snow day, Crusaders!
Upcoming Events at Lancaster Catholic High School Dec. 23rd Dec. 24th - Jan. 6th Jan. 18th Jan. 20th Early Dismissal Epiphany Mass ML King Day Jan. 22nd Jan. 4th No School Christmas Break
Midterm Exams
What is the difference between synchronous & asynchronous instruction? Both of these learning styles can take place when Lancaster Catholic goes virtual. Synchronous Instruction will be used if Lancaster Catholic goes virtual due to COVID-19 related concerns. This teaching style will reflect a typical 8 AM-3 PM school day. Teachers will be present at Lancaster Catholic High School using their virtual technology. Students are expected to attend each class by following their current schedule. For more information about synchronous instruction, click here. Asynchronous Instruction will be used in the event of weather-related closings. In this teaching style, students will have the entire day to complete their classroom assignments. Assignments will be due by 8 PM. Teachers, who will be at home, will be available to answer questions via email. For more information about asynchronous instruction, turn to page 3 or click here.
Coats Galore! Civitas LCHS would like to thank all those who generously donated coats for our Coat Drive. We collected 115 coats plus large bagfuls of scarves, hats and gloves. You are indeed a generous community, and many people will be warmer this winter thanks to you!
Weather Related Flexible Instruction Days (asynchronous) When the Flexible Instruction Day is announced “A” or “B” day will be designated. • If snow is predicted for the next day, teachers will have an assignment posted by 3:30PM before leaving the building. If an unexpected weather event causes the cancellation of school, all assignments will be posted by 10:00AM. • When a weather-related Flexible Instruction Day is called, an alert will be posted on the school website and included in the recorded phone message informing families of the cancellation. Guidelines on weather related Flexible Instruction Days will be included in the weekly Crusader Connection periodically beginning mid-November to parents and students so they are informed prior to the 1st “snow” day. • Lessons and assignments will be posted on Google Classroom. • Expectations are to be provided as to how the students are to complete and turnin the assignment(s). • Assignment(s) are to be turned in electronically by the students no later than 8:00PM that day. Turn-in options include electronically on Google Classroom, Google Docs, Rediker or Turn-it In. • The entire lesson and accompanying assignments should take a minimum of 35 minutes and a maximum of 45 minutes. • Teachers will notify students of their availability to answer questions via email. Teacher availability will not exceed a 2-hour block. Teachers will take class “attendance” based on submission of work. This attendance will be forwarded to the Attendance Officer. • If a student is legitimately sick on a Flexible Learning Day, parents will be expected to follow normal procedures for reporting illness; an excuse card for the Flexible Learning Day must be submitted by the student upon returning to school. Students will be expected to make-up the assignment per the teacher’s make-up policy. • Students who have reported no home Internet connection may opt to use a smart phone to complete assignments. If this alternative is not an option, all assignments are to be submitted by 3:00PM the 2nd school day after the return to school. • If there is a loss of power due to the weather, this will be taken into consideration for both students and teachers. This will be monitored and adjusted upon return to school.
Poetry Out Loud This past Friday, December 11th, Lancaster Catholic hosted it’s annual Poetry Out Loud competition. Poetry Out Loud helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Placing third in this year’s LCHS competition is Annalise Kauffman with her rendition of “Caged Bird.” Coming in second place is Kathryn Lyle, who performed “Dawn Chorus.” The first place winner who is moving on to the regional competition is 2019 LCHS Poetry Out Loud Champion, Natalie Knox with the poem “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.”
Toys for Tots Varsity Club’s annual Toys for Tots campaign kicked-off on December 4th. This year, Lancaster Catholic High School collected over 200 toys to be donated to less fortunate children in our community. The last day to donate toys is for Lancaster Catholic’s Toys for Tots campaign is Monday, December 21st. Thank you!
LCHS Midterm Exam Information - January 20-22, 2021 In order to maintain our COVID-19 protocols, 2020-2021 mid-term exams will be administered following our Collegiate Schedule below. Exams will be proctored by the class teacher, and students will report to their regular classroom and sit in their assigned daily seats. Students must be in uniform for all mid-term exams. Collegiate Mid-Term Schedule 8:00 a.m. – Students with an 8:15 exam must report to their classroom by 8:00 for prayer, attendance and announcements. Students who arrive after 8:00 a.m. are considered late. Late students will not be permitted into the exam room without an admission slip from the Attendance Office between 8:00 and 8:15. Students not taking the first exam at 8:00 a.m. must enter the building through the Main Office doors. For the second and third exams, please report to your assigned testing room 5 minutes prior to the test time, so that the exams may begin promptly. Wednesday January 20, 2021 Day 1 1A Classes (8:15- 9:15) 15 – minute intermission 2A Classes (9:30-10:30) 15 – minute intermission 3A Classes (10:45 – 11:45) 11:45 – Dismissal
Thursday January 21, 2021 Day 2
4A Classes (8:15 - 9:15) 15 – minute intermission 1B Classes (9:30-10:30) 15 – minute intermission 2B Classes (10:45 – 11:45) 11:45 – Dismissal
Friday January 22, 2021 Day 3
3B Classes (8:15 - 9:15) 15 – minute intermission 4B Classes (9:30-10:30) 10:30 – Dismissal
Study Hall will be held in the Cafeteria throughout the exam period. The Library will be used all 3 days for IS testing and will not be available for students or faculty use during exams.
LCHS Midterm Exam Expectations & Notes • Students taking a first period exam must report to their assigned testing room by 8 a.m. , just as any other normal school day. • Once an exam begins, late students will not be permitted into the exam room. If late, you will need to reschedule your midterm exam with your teacher. • The use of cell phones and bathroom breaks are not permitted during the exam period. • Smart and Fitbit watches are prohibited in the classroom during exams. • Talking is prohibited, until all exams are collected. Once an exam is completed, students may silently study/read. Students may not use electronics until the bell rings to signal the end of the exam period. • Students will not be dismissed early from an exam period. • There will be no extended time provided on mid-term exams unless a student was previously approved by the Instructional Support team. Those students who are approved for extended time will be dismissed to the Library for exam completion, as needed. • Students with a first and third period exam time, but no second period exam, must report to the cafeteria for study hall during the 2nd exam period. Wandering in the halls is not permitted. Leaving and re-entering the building is not permitted. • Students must leave the building immediately after their last exam each day. If you need to wait for a bus, please wait in the cafeteria. School district bus transportation will be provided per the regular 3:00 p.m. schedule. The Elizabethtown, Ephrata Walmart, & Holy Trinity buses will follow separate schedules, which will be provided by the drivers. • Note that testing may be in process throughout the building. It is important that a quiet environment be maintained, especially in lobby areas. • Once out of the building, students may not re-enter without a valid purpose. • Parents should note that supervision will not be provided between the end of the third final and end of the normal school day. Thanks for abiding by the above expectations for mid-term exams, which provide an organized and fair testing environment for all students. Study well and good luck!
School Counseling Corner Attention all Juniors & Sophomores The application for the Lancaster County Career and Technical Center (CTC) continues to be open for the 2021 - 2022 school year. Please contact Mrs. Maria Taormina, LCHS School Counselor, if you have any questions or you would like to start the application please email Mrs. Taormina (mtaormina@lchsyes.org). Seniors If you are planning to apply to college by January 1, 2021, please request transcripts and other documents to be sent No Later than December 21, 2020. Your School Counselors will not be sending out college related materials during Christmas Break. We appreciate your compliance! PSAT Score Reports Any student who took the PSAT in October, should have been emailed from the College Board which included a code to access your scores as well as information regarding the next steps to take. This link will assist you in recovering this information as well as making sure your student has a current College Board Account: https://youtu.be/1I6f51n3-dc Any parent who is interested may contact Jill Grosh (jgrosh@lchsyes.org) for a detailed download of understanding their child’s PSAT score. Young Adult & Virtual Caring Place Flyers are included in this publication. If you have a child who has lost a parent or other significant person in their life, please reach out for support. In addition to Highmark’s Caring Place, Hospice provides Coping with the Holidays (via Zoom). Please contact them at (717) 391-2413 or (800) 924-7610. A Few Thoughts on Remote Learning There are so many reasons why students are choosing to learn remotely: illness, vulnerability in the household, exposure to COVID, etc. That being said, we are finding that many students struggle when they are not in front of a teacher. Accountability also becomes an issue. The best way to navigate these uncertain times is log in to Rediker on a daily basis and continue to communicate with your child as well as their teachers and/or school counselor if you have any questions.