End of School Year Plans

 

Dear Families, Faculty, and Staff of Pinecrest Academy,

 

Greetings midway through Holy Week and Spring Break. How fitting that we are spending the holiest week of the year detached from the routine of our world and attached squarely to our home life and family. What an opportunity to live Holy Week with contemplation and purpose! 

 

The official closure of all schools by the Governor’s office last Thursday is a profound disappointment to the many students who have worked so hard this year and will miss the final celebrations that accompany the conclusion of school; this is especially true for our seniors and their families. Pinecrest Academy teachers and administrators always look forward to the various moments of student recognition in these last months of school, and now, for the present time, we must live this particularly special sense of community celebration—this solidarity—virtually. 

 

To conclude the current academic year appropriately and offer opportunities for the achievements of our students to shine, Pinecrest Academy has arranged the following schedule. Our intention is to adapt what we can in the short term, and to reclaim a few important in-person celebrations when the shelter-in-place order is lifted. For now, this forced separation from each other and our school community is an extraordinary time of sacrifice, mirroring Holy Week in many ways. Please keep lifting those eyes up. The joy of the resurrection is on the horizon, and with it comes hope!

 

Please know that we are dedicated to helping our students finish the school year with a sense of academic, personal, and spiritual accomplishment. We commend their ongoing efforts, and yours, and we sincerely look forward to commemorating their achievements as best we can under the circumstances.  While we are hopeful that our new plans are feasible, the possibility remains that ongoing COVID-19 guidelines could require additional postponement or cancellation. We will certainly keep you updated.

 

I sincerely hope that this week is restful and renewing for you and your family. May the miracle of Easter infuse you with great hope and joy. We are an Easter people! 

 

In Christ,

 

Beth 

 

 

The last 24 instructional days of the 2019-2020 Academic year (upon return from Spring Break and Easter). We will continue with our online learning platform during this time.

 

May 13 - PreK-K

May 14 - Grades 1-5

May 15 - Grades 6-12

Last day for seniors May 8, with the possible exception of some AP classes, because the College Board has delayed exams by one week. 

 

After consultation with faculty, the principals have determined that grading will proceed as normal. In lieu of timed final exams to determine mastery of material in grades 6-12, teachers will create alternative final assessments, such as minor projects and papers, etc. These alternative assessments will allow greater flexibility for students and families during the last weeks of school, while ensuring curricular goals have been met.

 

All Awards Ceremonies will be virtual and live streamed. Certificates and medals will be mailed. Specific times and instructions for live streaming will be sent by the principals and posted in the portal and the Paladin Press. 

            The Week of May 4--High School (including Senior Scholarship Awards)

            May 13 - PreK-K

            May 14 - Grades 1-5

            May 15 - Middle School 

 

The 8th Grade Passage Ceremony will be virtual and live streamed on May 15, at the conclusion of the Middle School Awards Ceremony. Every effort will be made to ensure that the traditional Eighth Grade Dance is held once the shelter-in-place order is lifted. Details are forthcoming from the principal and in the portal and Paladin Press. 

 

Graduation will be virtual and live streamed on May 16. Diplomas will be mailed.

On July 17, there will be a Senior Mass, Parade, and Cookout beginning at 10 am; and an abbreviated Ceremony and Family Celebration beginning at 6 pm.

A parent-organized off-campus Senior Celebration (in lieu of Prom) will be held on July 18.

 

Additional details on Graduation and Senior activities will be communicated directly to senior families by Mr. Bauersfeld. We greatly appreciate the support and assistance of our Senior Parent Committee!

 

Yearbooks are at the printer; however, due to stay-at-home orders in Kansas, where the printing plant is, the publication and delivery date of our yearbooks is to be determined. We will keep you updated.

 

Pinecrest Administration is currently working on refunds for families who paid spring sports fees and for unused team meal fees. Should you wish to donate those funds to the school or Athletic program, please contact Joanie McCabe at jmccabe@pinecrestacademy.org. Otherwise, you will hear from her shortly regarding your refund.

 

Uniform returns will be scheduled after the shelter-in-place order is lifted by the Governor, likely late May or early June.

 

For more details, please refer to Coach Kane’s letter to the Paladin Nation sent on April 6, 2020.

 

The Fine Arts department is creating avenues for showcasing the artistic talents of our students to the Pinecrest Academy community. There are several exciting initiatives in progress, and further information will come from the Fine Arts department directly.

 

This event takes a tremendous amount of organization and planning. We are so sorry that this year’s kindergarten families will miss this joyful spring tradition. We are looking at ways to re-imagine this event next year, possibly including these students in our fall Comeback Celebration (see below), or next year’s Circus, or finding another time for them to perform after we return to school in the fall.

 

A celebration of First Communicants will be held on campus in the fall. The sacrament must first be completed in the parishes, and then Pinecrest Academy will hold its traditional family mass and celebration once those are finished.

 

Our buildings and campus will remain locked until the shelter-in-place order is lifted. Once we are permitted on campus, Pinecrest Academy will have a systematic plan for allowing families and faculty on campus to gather belongings. (Shrek musical theater participants will also need to visit the gym to pick up remaining show items left behind in March. Thank you for an amazing one-night run. It was wonderful!)

 

Mark your calendars for the rescheduled Gala--September 12, 2020! Details to follow. While we had a strong start to the car raffle for the 2020 Gala, it has now been converted to a 50/50 raffle. Families with tickets and/or proceeds are encouraged to drop them off on the day that you pick up your student’s personal items after the shelter-in-place order is lifted. Specific instructions for drop-off will be forthcoming. Contact Susan Lockhart at slockhart@pinecrestacademy.org if you need more information. 

 

Summer camps are still under consideration, should the shelter-in-place order be lifted in time. Families with children enrolled in summer camps will be notified of camp status as June nears. Please continue to check the website for updates.

 

A pandemic is no match for Paladin Pride! Plans are in the works for a giant Welcome Back Paladin Family celebration to coincide with the start of the new school year. Activities will include Mass, field-day type games, food, fun and music. Look for details in June.