September 15, 2021

Dear Families,

Over the past year, we have undoubtedly struggled as a nation in our battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, our communities and country have also experienced significant social, racial, and political turmoil. The divisions within our society seem to be growing at time when we need to focus on loving and supporting our neighbor. When watching the news or reading the paper, it is evident that the spread of hate within our communities is on the rise. 

Our Catholic faith calls us not only to be messengers, spreading the Good News of the Gospel, but also to act upon these teachings and truly live the Gospel message. It has become increasingly apparent our attention must focus on the way our students perceive their communities and the world, through the vision and mission of our faith. Our priority in helping students know and love Christ must also be to manifest this love in their interactions with others. 

The tenets of Catholicism have a strong basis in the fundamental understanding of the value and dignity of each person. As we see polarization and discord within our society, it is important for students to discuss and understand the world through the lens of Catholic Social Justice.  This is why Catholic Academies and Parish Schools are continuing the process of strengthening our incorporation of Catholic Social Justice into their religion curriculum. Catholic Academy and Parish School leaders have already engaged in professional learning over the summer on leading school communities in difficult conversations focused on equity, justice, race, and tolerance. Our leaders are the starting point for changes within the school community and are the foundation with which we will be able to support staff as well as student development

The Catholic Social Justice Curriculum focuses on living the Gospel message, to create a just society considering the trials of modern times. There are several focuses of Catholic Social Teaching including the principles of solidarity, the rights of workers, life, and dignity of the human person, call to family and community, rights and responsibilities, and options for the poor and vulnerable. Each of these themes is rooted in the value of human life and the need to pursue justice and peace throughout the world. Catholic Social Teaching addresses issues of inequality and injustice, by helping students learn about the problem at hand, yet encourages them to consider their role and impact on the world.  

To encourage conversations within the classroom, teachers will be provided with suggested texts and activities, which introduce topics in an age-appropriate manner. These lessons will tie into religion, social studies, and language arts standards. The following are example from various grade levels describing the types of lessons that will be incorporated as well as cross-curricular ties.

• Kindergarten students will learn about how holidays are celebrated in other cultures. This theme, based on the teaching of solidarity encourages students to embrace other cultures, identifying similarities across the globe, as well as tying into a social studies standard of learning about other cultures. 
• Grade 2 students will read a story about a young boy with different physical abilities and discuss what makes them unique. This theme reinforces the social studies standard that describes how communities are strengthened by the diversity of its members.  
• Grade 4 students, in a study of the rights of workers, will investigate the importance of farms on food supply as well as the workers that contribute to this.  Discussions of farming and farm workers has strong ties to the grade 4 social studies standard which looks at the impact of the farming industry on New York State. 
• Grade 6 students will be building on their understanding of world religions by studying the function of holidays for different religious groups, the connections between celebrations, and the historical context of religious development. This will emphasize the social studies curriculum of origins of world religions. 
• Grade 8 students study the Reconstruction era in the context of challenges freed African Americans faced as part of their social studies curriculum. In continuation of the conversations of injustice, students will also look at slavery through reading and interpreting an African folktale.

Catholic Social Teaching is already a strong part of religion classes and will continue to encourage students to focus on caring for others through their faith. When we consider Catholic education, our goal must be the formation of saints and scholars, in that order. As such, faith development and living the Gospel message must be at the forefront of all that we do.

It is our hope to engage students at all grade levels with the intent of developing deeper conversations as students mature. Students may explore the same topic over the years, gaining a greater understanding and appreciation, as they get older with the overarching goal of developing a generation of servant leaders. We strive to graduate students who are globally focused, community oriented, and civically responsible. We want our graduates to be prepared to bring the words of the Gospel into the world, sharing the message of Christ in their words and actions.

Through the strengthening of our religion curriculum, we are committed to encouraging our students to grow in their faith. I pray for your continued support and commitment to helping your child along their journey of faith.

In Christ,

Thomas Chadzutko

Thomas Chadzutko, Ed.D.

Superintendent ~ Catholic School Support Services

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The Catholic Academies and Parish Schools of the Diocese of Brooklyn remain committed to opening the academic year on time, in person, for every student. The Administration, Faculty and Staff of our Catholic Academies and Parish Schools are committed to doing everything possible to support the education, faith formation and health and safety of every member of our school communities.

The New York City Department of Health’s (NYC DOH) “Core Four” and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended layering of preventive strategies at this time is an effective way to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and the Delta variant. Everyone is reminded of the following in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19 and the Delta variant.

NYC DOH “Core Four”

CDC Layered Approach of Preventive Strategies:

COVID-19 Vaccinations: Office of the Superintendent ~ Catholic School Support Services strongly encourages all eligible individuals to get vaccinated except for individuals with documented medical exemptions. For individuals with documented medical exemptions layered preventive strategies will be implemented. Due to privacy concerns individual vaccination status is not made public. At this time there is no New York State Vaccine Mandate for school faculty or staff. If or when New York State issues a vaccine mandate, updated information will be shared with the school communities.

The COVID-19 vaccination does not guarantee that avaccinated individual will not get COVID-19 or spread the virus it is however a critical tool in protecting you and your school community from severe COVID-19 illness, hospitalization, and death. COVID-19 vaccines are proven safe and are now protecting millions of vaccinated New Yorkers from COVID-19.

We appreciate your support and cooperation with thesehealth and safety guidelines intended to ensure in person instruction and protect our school communities. These guidelines will be monitored and updated as city and stateguidance continue to evolve.

May God continue to bless all our Catholic Academy and Parish School communities!

Thank you.

BROOKLYN AND QUEENS CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ANNOUNCE BACK TO SCHOOL COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS

            The Office of the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes 69 elementary schools in Brooklyn and Queens, today has announced the COVID-19 safety protocols that will be in place when school opens on Wednesday, September 8, 2021.

            In the absence of a mandate, the New York State Department of Health recommends school districts adopt universal indoor masking for all based on guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Therefore, Catholic Academies and Parish Schools in Brooklyn and Queens will require all students, faculty, and staff members to wear masks beginning on the first day of school.

            In addition, school officials will continue to encourage vaccinations, social distancing, hand washing and hand hygiene, while maintaining the rigorous daily cleaning and sanitizing of facilities as well as enhanced ventilation. Parents will be reminded to keep their child home from school if they are sick, and their child will be required to receive medical clearance from a healthcare provider that they can safely return to in person instruction.  

The Catholic Academies and Parish Schools will also continue to follow city and state guidelines regarding contact tracing, quarantine and isolation protocols.

            “As the numbers of Coronavirus cases continue to spike in children, and the overall numbers of hospitalizations in New York City are on the rise, this is the most responsible approach to take when we begin the new school year. I know the return to these safety measures is not the situation parents, teachers or students were hoping to be the case in the 2021-2022 school year, but we cannot ignore the trends,” said Superintendent Dr. Thomas Chadzutko.

“Let us do our part from day one to prevent further increase of cases. If we are successful, as this academic year moves along, we will revisit these guidelines and adjust them accordingly. As much as we want a return to normalcy in our classrooms, we want our students, faculty, and staff to be safe,” continued Dr. Chadzutko.

“Looking at the trajectory of past pandemics, it seems that a virus such as this one does linger for some time even with the vaccination. I have received my vaccination and continue to encourage others to do so as well. It is our hope that the COVID-19 vaccines will help bring an end to this terrible virus that has controlled our lives for much of the past year and a half,” said The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn.

Catholic schools in Brooklyn and Queens, in adherence to strict guidelines, opened on time for the 2020-2021 school year, and were able to offer five day a week instruction. Enrollment increased in nearly 40% of the schools last year in grades K-8. To learn more about Catholic Schools in Brooklyn and Queens, visit catholicschoolsbq.org.