Updated: April 22, 2020 10:00 a.m.
COVID-19 Update - End of 2019-2020 Academic School Year
First, we would like to express our gratitude for all our students, parents, teachers, and staff for their flexibility in the face of this unprecedented situation. We want to thank our teachers who worked tirelessly on creating content for their curriculum and continuing on with as much continuity as they could in the current situation. We want to thank our students who rose to the occasion and worked with determination and grit - we are very proud of you, Falcons. We want to thank our parents, we know that this was not what you, or anyone, expected when we started in August, but we are grateful for the outpouring of support and flexibility you afforded us as we created a "new normal" in accordance with your own. Our community stepped up to the challenge for the benefit of all our students. This is what being part of the Falcon Family is.
After careful consideration, and under the guidance and direction of the provisions granted by the Archdiocese of Detroit, Divine Child High School will be ending the 2019-2020 academic year on Friday, May 29 for Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors.
Distance learning and instruction will continue through May 29, the following week will be allocated to teachers to close out their courses and finalize grades on June 5. The week of June 8 will be used for internal record-keeping, and final Quarter 4 and Semester 2 grades will be posted on Friday, June 12.
We know that many of our Falcons left behind belongings in their lockers at school. Once we have additional information regarding a safe and systematic return to the building that allows for continued social distancing, we will communicate a schedule for retrieval of those items.
We would like to thank each and every one of you for your patience, kindness, and feedback as we have navigated the distance learning journey. If character is indeed forged during hardship, the Divine Child High School community has proved once again to be in a class of its own.
Updated: April 1, 2020 3:00 p.m.
COVID-19 Update - End of 2019-2020 Academic School Year
After careful consideration, in conjunction with Governor Whitmer's anticipated announcement about the 2019-2020 school year, we wanted to update parents and students about the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.
If Governor Whitmer closes school for the remainder of the year or pushes the return time to a later date, Divine Child High School will continue with online instruction through May 8 for Seniors and the week of June 5 for the rest of the student body.
Given that we expect students in Advanced Placement classes will continue on and take their AP tests, depending on the course, some Seniors will continue to work on AP coursework during the week of May 11. This means that instruction and course work should continue as planned through the end of the year. Per previous communication from the Superintendent for Catholic Schools, this distance learning will continue to count toward our instructional hours, and it is our expectation that students continue to work through their digital instruction and coursework with the same diligence and commitment that they had during their time in our classrooms.
We will take a brief recess to observe Easter beginning on Holy Thursday, April 9 and back to classwork on Tuesday, April 14. There will be no instruction or work scheduled during this time.
Moving forward, we will be waiving final exams for all students, including seniors. Semester grades will be calculated to reflect 50/50 for Q3 and Q4. Students will need to get a semester average above a 60% to pass any given course.
We sincerely appreciate the energy and positive outlook that parents, teachers, and students alike have put forth in this unprecedented and continually developing situation. We recognize that this is not the school year anyone could have envisioned and that this has posed challenges for everyone in various ways - however, we are committed to supporting the academic, spiritual, social, and emotional needs for each and every one of our students at Divine Child High School. For Seniors especially, we are working on planning graduation, Prom, and hopefully some other events as proper send-offs for their time at DCHS.
As further information becomes available regarding previously planned events, end of year processes, and continued updates from Governor Whitmer and the Archdiocese of Detroit, we will remain steadfast in passing that information along to you.
Updated: March 13, 2020 1:00 p.m.
A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS REGARDING COVID-19:
To comply with Governor Gretchen Whitmer's Executive Order issued the evening of March 12 regarding coronavirus and to ensure the safety, health, and welfare of all students, staff, and faculty the Archdiocese of Detroit has closed all Catholic Schools from March 13 through April 6.
Please click the link below to read the letter from the Superintendent of Catholic Schools regarding school closures and modifications to our existing calendars.
Important details from the Superintendent's letter:
- Schools will move their customary Easter Break (April 13 - 17) to the week of March 16 - 20. Students will not need to report physically or virtually to school at this time.
- Provided that there is no extension or modification of Governor Whitmer's order, students will return to schools on April 6 - 8 followed by two days off for Holy Thursday and Good Friday (April 9 and 10).
- Students and instructional staff will return on April 13 for their first full week of school.
- For additional updated from the Archdiocese, please click here.
We will continue to communicate and keep you updated as needed. We appreciate your cooperation with this fluid situation!
Thank you,
Divine Child High School & Elementary School Administrations