November 2020 To the Saint Joseph Academy Community, March seems like a long time ago. Before COVID-19 hit Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley, Saint Joseph Academy was crafting and implementing our vision for the future. Building on strengths long established, we were charting new directions, innovating and evolving to provide our students the education they need to seize opportunities and meet challenges. Then everything changed. We acted decisively to change our calendar and move our spring break earlier. We were the first school in Brownsville to announce that we would not be returning to in-person instruction. We transitioned to virtual learning and while we focused on completing the spring semester, we were already planning for the fall. When we decided to start the semester virtually on August 31, we were the very first school to lay out a detailed plan for returning to school. Along with being the very first middle/high school in the area to resume in-person instruction, we were also the very first school in the area to resume athletic competitions. Thankfully, in just a few weeks we are approaching the completion of the fall semester in its entirety. In doing so, we’ve achieved what many schools in our community did not even attempt — an on-campus, in-person fall semester of teaching and learning. We faced hardships, hit unexpected bumps, and persevered through conversations that seemed, at times, to render little clarity. But all of this work — the persistence, the determination, the belief – paid off. In the face of COVID-19, our policies and procedures were tested – and they worked. Our campus and our classrooms remained safe places to learn and compete. One of the most rewarding comments I heard last week came from a student who shared her gratitude for having an opportunity to learn on campus and in-person while many of her friends from other schools were at home. While we have been absorbed by the reemergence of the pandemic, we have also witnessed the worrying economic plight of fellow Catholic and private schools across the state and the country. Although we have managed to navigate the immediate challenges in our path while also ensuring Saint Joseph Academy remains accessible to our families affected by the pandemic, we are not immune from the pressures that afflict Catholic and private schools. We will continue to monitor our finances carefully and carry on the work that needs to be done to persevere and flourish.
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