With concerns about the spread of coronavirus, please be aware that West Catholic and diocesan administrators are in close contact with our local (county), state and federal (CDC) public health organizations and we are following their recommendations carefully. Please continue to monitor this page for the latest information.
Reminders
- Stay at least 6 feet from other people.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
- When in public, wear a face mask covering your nose and mouth.
- Do not touch your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
West Catholic News
2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR
After Gov. Whitmer unveiled her MI Safe Schools: Michigan’s 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap (link is external), we were able to finalize our plans for re-opening West Catholic on August 19 and submit them to the State Superintendent prior to the start of the school year. We will continue to follow the necessary requirements and work with the Kent County Health Department to form sensible policy, making sure our students, staff and community remain safe. And we will continue to provide our students with a cutting-edge, dynamic, excellence-driven education.
Our plans center around the knowledge that there is no substitute for in-class instruction and human interaction. Yet during this pandemic, we recognize the need to provide flexibility and choice so we can offer an excellent education while protecting the health of each and every student and staff member. We can get through this together! Here's how we're going to do it:
Recent Updates
- Attendance Policy Updates & Clarification (In-Person and Synchronous/Asynchronous Online Learning)
Other important information
According to MI Safe Schools: Michigan’s 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap, “it is required for schools to cooperate with the local public health department regarding implementing protocols for screening students and staff for COVID-19” (page 24). West Catholic and The Kent County Health Department are collaborating to provide an efficient and reliable tool to screen students and school personnel prior to entering our building. This tool, which is an electronic screener, is designed to quickly and accurately identify anyone that should not enter the school. If you would prefer a non-electronic option, please contact West Catholic’s Main Office at 233-5900.
Each morning, a text and/or email will be sent using the contact information that we have in our records. A parent or guardian will need to answer two simple questions every morning for each of their West Catholic students before the start of the school day. One is a symptom check and the other asks about recent close contact with a known case of COVID-19. If the answer is NO to both of the questions, the student or staff person is cleared to enter the school. If the answer is YES to one or both of these questions, the parent or staff person should call the school for further instructions. They should not enter the building.
Please be aware that the screener locks each morning at 8:30 a.m. If you are unable to fill out your student's screener in time and your student still plans to come to school that day, please contact the Main Office.
The information from the screener will be used by the school and the Kent County Health Department to protect public health and prevent the spread of COVID-19. This tool is HIPAA compliant. You will need your student’s ID number in order to complete the screener each day. This number was provided to students on an index card during orientation and is the same number they use as a lunch code.
Fall ACT registration is open to all students at www.act.org. For more on upcoming test dates, registration deadlines, etc., click HERE.
Fall SAT registration is open to all students at www.sat.org. For more on upcoming test dates, registration deadlines, etc., click HERE.
NACAC College Admission Status Update 2.0
As a service to students and families, the National Association for College Admission Counseling is providing this online tool as a central resource for information about changes in college admission events, deposit dates, and more as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Enrollment Deposit Waiver
The Enrollment Deposit Waiver Form is available for students & counselors to request that a college waive (or defer) their enrollment deposit based on income and need. It's modeled after the NACAC Application Fee Waiver Form. This was developed so that students can enroll in college without the burden of coming up with $200, $400, $600+ in short order - something that can easily derail low-income students from enrolling in college. NACAC Enrollment Deposit Fee Waiver can be completed without having to print it. Students should download the form on their computers, fill out the form, add a signature using the “Fill & Sign” button on the top right of the PDF, and save it on their computers. Applicants who are not eligible for a Pell Grant but whose annual family income falls within the form's alternate income eligibility guidelines (link is external) may self-certify their eligibility.
College-bound student-athletes
The 2020-21 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete is available! This is a great resource for questions on registration and academic requirements. Click HERE for more information.
Please note that for all classes, there is a three-week drop policy.
- From Aug. 21-28, students can make changes if there is room in a class.
- From Aug. 21-Sept. 11, students must complete a drop/add request form in order to change a class. Forms are found in the Counseling Office and must be signed by your teacher, a parent and the department head.
- After Sept. 11, class schedule changes can only be made with admin approval.
If you have any questions about classes/scheduling, please reach out to your student's guidance counselor.
Resources can be found on the Personal/Social Resources page on our website. School Counselors will continue to check email regularly. We are here for all of you!
Coronavirus Resources:
- Coping with Coronavirus Anxiety (Harvard Medical School)
- 7 Science-Based Strategies to Cope with Coronavirus Anxiety (The Conversation)
- What You Need to Know About COVID-19 (CDC)
- Complete Mental Health Guide During COVID-19 Pandemic (Peak Resilience)
- Manage Anxiety and Stress (CDC)
- Coronavirus: 8 Ways to Look After Your Mental Health (MHE)
School Sports
For updates from the MHSAA, please visit mhsaa.com/coronavirus.
2020-2021 Sports Physicals & Health Questionnaires
For the 2020-21 school year, the MHSAA pre-participation sports physical requirement will be waived for students in any grade who received a valid physical for sports during the 2019-20 school year (one completed on or after April 15, 2019). These students and their parents/guardians will be required to complete the two-page MHSAA Sports Health Questionnaire. These must be signed by the student and parent/guardian and kept on file in the school.
MHSAA Sports Health Questionnaire
Students who did not receive a sports physical in the 2019-20 school year or later must have a valid physical examination form on file. If a student is discovered to have participated without a valid physical on file, the student shall not be eligible to participate until a valid physical is on file. This includes tryouts for any sport.
TeamSnap
Athletics has implemented TeamSnap so each sport and every coach can communicate with their teams. This platform also gives the coaches the ability to enter their practice/game schedules. If your student will be participating in athletics this year, please download the app on your phone! You will be receiving an invite soon if you haven't already!
COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENT-ATHLETES
The 2020-21 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete is available! This is a great resource for questions on registration and academic requirements. Click HERE for more information.
Updates for 2020-2021 School Year
Students can put money into their lunch accounts using RevTrak or by dropping off cash or checks to the main office. Kitchen personnel will not be handling cash or checks directly from the students this year.
Menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner can be found at grwestcatholic.org/student-life/dining-services under "Current Menus."
Feel free to contact Food Services Director Mary Jo Jones (maryjojones@grwestcatholic.org; 233-5923) with any food service questions.
Breakfast
Breakfast will be served from 7-7:55 a.m. from the kitchen area and is FREE for all students.
Lunch
There will be one main entree with adapted options for vegetarians and gluten-free students. A yogurt parfait and hummus combo will be available as alternate entrees. The lunch combo price remains $3. Students can choose an extra entree portion for an additional $2 charge. We will also have some a la carte items available for purchase.
Dinner
We will be offering dinner for 30 minutes after school is dismissed. Like breakfast, dinner is FREE for all students. We will be adapting the entree for our vegetarian and gluten-free students. We will also have our "to-go" sack dinners for any teams, student groups, etc. that will be leaving prior to school being dismissed. Please contact Food Services Director Mary Jo Jones at maryjojones@grwestcatholic.org for instructions and to order team meals.
Virtual Learners
Virtual learners can arrange to pick up breakfast, lunch and dinner (breakfast and dinner are free; you can use your account for lunch). The ordering procedure is still being created but you may contact Food Services Director Mary Jo Jones at maryjojones@grwestcatholic.org or 233-5923 for more information.
Free & Reduced Food Service Benefits
The income guidelines for being eligible for free and reduced food benefits have changed. We encourage all families to check out the application for these benefits. You can email the completed application and Info Sharing Form to Dining Services Director Mary Jo Jones at maryjojones@grwestcatholic.org or you can drop it off in the Main Office in a sealed envelope. Please include all pages of the application.
If your family qualifies, it supports our food service program as well as other funding for our school from the federal and state government. If you qualified for free and/or reduced lunch last year, it automatically carries over until October 1, 2020. You will need to complete a new application to be eligible after that date.
Current decisions regarding programming changes are listed below. We will continue to update this information as final decisions regarding each event are made. Please check back regularly to stay up to date.
- Falcon Awards Night - This year's Falcon Awards Night has been moved to May 19, 2021. Please join us on this new date at the Kindel Room in the Goei Center as we celebrate a number of individuals who have made a positive impact on the West Catholic community. That evening we will be honoring Joe Maggini, Tom Wesholski, Fr. Tom Simons and Sandy Golembiewski. For more information or to register, click HERE.