CATHOLIC Schools

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas and bid farewell to 2020, we take a moment to reflect. While 2020 has certainly been a tough year and as we enter another month of quarantine and social distancing, it can be encouraging to find things to celebrate. One thing that we can laud is the work of the Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Dubuque.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly affected Catholic schools in 2020. To protect students and staff, as well as to flatten the infection curve, in-person learning quickly pivoted to virtual learning in March. Although most parents, schools, and teachers were unprepared to handle the complexities of remote learning as well as the demands of the technology needed to support this sudden transition, all deserve high praise for their rapid response and quick recalibration.

Over the summer, schools developed plans and implemented strategies to safely return to school in the fall. They came up with a mask-wearing, social distancing and at times virtual approach to education. 

With the support of teachers and staff who pushed beyond countless obstacles to provide a safe and engaging educational environment for students, schools welcomed students back in August for the 2020-2021 school year. With new protocols and procedures, they ensured a positive, healthy and safe school experience for each of their students. 

While it may have looked different, schools remained committed to the four-fold purpose of Catholic education: message, community, service, and worship. Through creative approaches, students celebrated Mass together as a school community, exemplified the importance of living the message of Jesus Christ by serving those in need through various acts of service, and spread the Gospel message, even if done through Zoom.

We are blessed to have the opportunity to provide a faith-based education to students across the Archdiocese of Dubuque and look forward to 2021. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

In Matthew 7.7 Jesus taught his followers to ask, and they will receive. Recently, a group of
Beckman Catholic students thought of a creative way to help fellow students to foster a “big ask” of the Lord. They developed a prayer for an end to the coronavirus pandemic that would be shared with schools throughout the Archdiocese of Dubuque. This group, with the guidance of Fr. Tyler Raymond, Beckman Catholic Chaplain, and Mr. Kielkucki, Principal, completed their effort last week. The pandemic prayer campaign, titled #prayerdemicarchdbq will be distributed to each school within the Archdiocese of Dubuque prior to the first day of the 2020-21 school year.

Their idea is to engage 10,000+ students, grades K-12, teachers and administrators, to pause and pray the pandemic prayer at the same time each day - to flood the Lord with prayers asking for help in ending the Coronavirus and healing those who are ill. Prayer is an integral part of our Catholic schools. What better way to help students recognize that as Catholics, our first response in times of crisis is to turn to the Lord - to unite together as community and pray?

All Archdiocese of Dubuque Catholic Schools have been busy preparing to reopen schools safely and responsibly. Mitigation efforts may look different across the various school sites, but the health and safety of our students, staff, and families is of utmost importance. 

Schools will be following the Iowa Department of Education and Iowa Department of Public Health's Return to Learn Reopening Guidance to determine when to use each of the learning modules they have planned for during the 2020-2021 school year and how to handle potential and/or confirmed cases of COVID-19 in schools.