Central schools staying remote

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press 

Due to concerns about the coronavirus, the diocese’s two central Catholic schools are to continue remote learning at least until Jan. 25, instead of returning to school Jan. 11 as originally planned, according to David Perda, superintendent of schools. 

St. Paul Diocesan Catholic Junior/Senior High and St. Peter Central Catholic Elementary, both in Worcester, had all-remote learning Dec. 21-23 and Jan. 4-8 (before and after Christmas break) to give teachers a break.  

In mid-January the situation will be reassessed, to give people notice about whether in-person learning will resume Jan. 25, he said. 

In reference to other Catholic schools his office works with, the superintendent said he left the decision about whether to have all-remote learning – around Christmas and now – up to them. All the schools have a relationship with their local health officials, he said. 

Superintendent Perda said he heard about a remote-learning recommendation for Worcester Public Schools, so he talked with Worcester Medical Director Dr. Michael P. Hirsh on Jan. 8. 

The Department of Public Health did not mandate remote learning for Catholic schools. The superintendent suggested it for the central Catholic schools and Bishop McManus accepted his recommendation.  

The superintendent said he communicated with the heads of school at the two schools, who informed their school communities of the decision. 

“This decision wasn’t based on in-school transmission,” the superintendent said. Rather, he said, it stemmed from rising COVID-19 rates in the region, Dr. Hirsh’s concerns about health care professionals being overwhelmed, a sense of community responsibility and the problem of offering in-person learning with increasing numbers of school staff quarantining because of close contact with the virus.  

“If people can’t come in ... that puts an extra burden on the school,” he said. Even if a teacher is teaching remotely to students at school “there still needs to be an adult in the classroom, and it’s hard to find those adults.” 

He said parents may have to adjust schedules, but he thinks most are prepared to deal with such realities now. 

“I appreciate the flexibility that parents have shown,” he said. 

He also expressed hope. 

“We’ve got the vaccine coming up in February, and educators should be able to get that,” he said. “I think once educators are vaccinated ... it’ll take a little bit of the worry away. We want things to get back to normal.” He said in-person learning has been his preference all along.