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Health and Safety
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Our Executive Cabinet is monitoring and taking necessary precautions to prevent the spread and impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) at Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy.
This website provides reliable information and resources regarding the Coronavirus pandemic, as well as timely information specific to Notre Dame’s response and planning efforts.
March 16, 2020
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Our senior administration has been meeting on a regular basis to respond to the rapidly changing environment. We are confident that we will be able to provide a strong learning environment for your children during these unprecedented times.
We know that there are many questions and concerns from parents, students, faculty and staff. We are also working to be predictive in anticipating likely scenarios, including preparing for the possibility that school may be shut down longer than anticipated.
Today, we made the following decisions:
- Online learning will officially begin tomorrow, March 17. Lessons and assignments will be posted on PowerSchool by 9 a.m. each day.
- The school building will be closed to students and visitors from today, March 16, at 2 p.m. through April 19.
- Remote learning will continue through April 8.
- School will be closed from Holy Thursday – Easter Sunday (April 9-12) in observance of the Easter holiday.
- Spring break will take place as previously scheduled (April 13-17).
- Normal in-school classes (or offline learning) will resume on April 20.
Good practical advice for your students is to encourage them to get into a regular routine of checking for assignments, keeping up with coursework, practicing good hygiene and getting proper rest. We will need your help to make sure that your students regularly check their email for updates from their teachers. It is also good to manage expectations. Remote learning is not a perfect educational scenario and will take some time for faculty and students to adjust. IT support will be available to students during all normal school hours at itsupport@ndpma.org.
Patience, flexibility and empathy by all will be critical during this period. A FAQ document is being prepared and should be available to parents within the coming days.
This also is an ideal time to discuss with your children the importance of the greater humanitarian good that is taking place while we all work together to address the coronavirus. It is part of our mission to work with God to form good Christian people, upright citizens and academic scholars.
Below is an excellent prayer from St. Francis de Sales to share with your children:
Do not fear what may happen tomorrow.
The same loving Father who cares for you today, will care for you tomorrow and every day.
Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace then and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings.
Kindly,
Andrew J. Guest
Head of School
Academics
NDP and Middle School
March 13, 2020
Dear Middle and Upper School Families,
Following up on the most recent NDPMA school communication, we would like to share with you our plan for continued online learning through the PowerSchool platform. As an NDPMA middle and upper school team, we confirmed our plan to move forward with the virtual learning environment during the mandated school closure:
- Beginning Tuesday, March 17, students will need to check PowerSchool Learning each day after 9 a.m. for an updated assignment list. We have created teacher/student expectations for our virtual learning environment (see below). The learning expectations are also posted on PowerSchool and on our NDPMA Health and Safety webpage.
- Teachers will be establishing online office hours for students that may need academic support.
- Comcast is offering free internet for families that qualify. Click here for information.
- Please send all IT-related issues and questions to ITSupport@ndpma.org – this email reaches all IT personnel and they will respond as quickly as possible.
NDPMA Teacher and Student Virtual Learning Expectations
(Upper and Middle Schools)
Teacher Expectations
- Teachers will be expected to post assignments on PowerSchool for each school day before 9 a.m.
- Please set due dates, however, try to be flexible and understanding. Expect that some students may have technical issues, illnesses or other logistical issues beyond their control.
- All assignments for the week must be posted on PowerSchool and must include a clear task list. External links may be included.
- The number of lessons or assignments posted should correspond to the cycle and number of meetings that the class meets that week.
- Teachers who ask their classes to meet online, may only do so during scheduled class time (high school only; middle school will not be asked to meet at a designated time).
- Teachers will establish and post online office hours.
Student Expectations
- Students will be expected to log in to PowerSchool each school day after 9 a.m. to check assignments.
- Students will visit each class page where they will find a simple task list for their classes.
- Assignments with general instructions will be provided by all teachers.
- Students who may have limited internet or no computer access at home are asked to let us know. Please respond to Mrs. Anderson (upper school) kanderson@ndpma.org or Mrs. Patterson (middle school) kpatterson@ndpma.org if this situation applies so we can take steps to assist you.
- In some cases, students will be asked to take part in an online discussion board or audio/video conference.
- Assignments and assessments will be delivered online with expected due dates.
- For specific academic questions, students should contact teachers via school email or PowerSchool online office hours.
Keep in mind the importance of keeping a daily schedule for all students. Set a time to wake up, eat lunch, work on school work, and set regular breaks. Staying on a healthy routine will help students to maintain some feeling of normalcy.
If you would like to speak with your child’s school, parents may call the main NDPMA office at 248-373-5300 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
During these next few weeks, we hope you will pray together as a family. As we approach Easter, as a school community, we ask Mary’s help to maintain and to help us practice our faith by living with patience, humor, and humility. Let us remember our Marist theme for this year: Union with God.
With prayers for your family,
Fr. Joe Hindelang, s.m.
Principal, Notre Dame Prep
Kimberly Anderson
Vice Principal, Notre Dame Prep
Brandon Jezdimir
Principal, Notre Dame Middle School
Kelly Patterson
Vice Principal, Notre Dame Middle School
Oakland County Health Division Resources
Helpful Links
Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus
Coronavirus Information (U.S. Centers for Disease Control)
Coronavirus Q&A (World Health Organization)
Travel Advisories (U.S. Department of State)
Coronavirus Updates in Michigan (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services)
Explaining Coronavirus to Kids (NPR)
Coronavirus Resource Center (Johns Hopkins University)
Resources for parents with young children (Children's National)
Campus Safety
At Notre Dame, safety and security are our top priorities. We want you not only to feel safe while you are here, but to be safe at our school.
Our administrators work closely with facilities personnel to secure our buildings and grounds in countless ways. Below are some important safety measures in place.
- Oakland County sheriff’s deputies on site during school day
- Security staff on site beginning at 7 a.m., and finishing after the day’s last event
- Security cameras
- Emergency notification system
- Active shooter training for faculty and staff
- Intruder locks on classroom doors
- SafetyShield shatterproof glass on all lower school windows
- Fire suppression system
- Seven AED defibrillators
- Adherence to state and federal inspection mandates
- Adherence to state fire, tornado and lockdown drill mandates
Emergency Drill Schedules
The following fire and emergency drills have been conducted at Notre Dame since the beginning of the 2019-20 school year:
Notre Dame Preparatory and Middle schools:
August 27, 2019 (fire drill)
August 29, 2019 (fire drill)
September 5, 2019 (fire drill)
October 2, 2019 (shelter in place drill)
March 5, 2020 (shelter in place drill)
Lower school:
August 28, 2019 (fire drill)
September 4, 2019 (fire drill)
October 9, 2019 (fire drill)
October 15, 2019 (shelter in place drill)
January 8, 2020 (shelter in place drill)
In the News
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Archived Updates
The senior administration met this morning in response to Gov. Whitmer’s executive order to close K-12 public, private and boarding schools in the state of Michigan. They reviewed best practices and recommendations from multiple sources and have made decisions to protect the health and well-being of our entire community.
In accordance with Gov. Whitmer’s executive order to close all Michigan school buildings, public and private as the state continues to mitigate the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19), Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy will be closed on Monday, March 16 through Sunday, April 5.