Billings Central Catholic High School

Hybrid Learning Environment Schedule, November 16-December 18

November 9, 2020

BCCHS Parents, Staff and Students,

I hope you are having a good week and that you were able to engage in positive communication during parent teacher conferences last week despite the changed format. These crazy, uncertain times just seem to be getting crazier and more uncertain. One thing I do know is that we can get through anything together. Maybe even more fitting than when we introduced it, 2 Timothy 1:7 continues to guide us here at BCCHS. Please continue to keep our school community, local community, and world community in prayer as we work to overcome the ever-present challenges of this time period.

Our number one priority as we move through this pandemic has always been student and staff safety. Please know that will continue to be our top priority at all times. To that end, starting on Monday, November 16th, we will be transitioning to a hybrid learning model that will reduce the number of students on campus on any given day by 50%. We have been ‘practicing’ for this hybrid approach throughout the past few weeks with our students in activities, and that test run has helped us understand the advantages of a lower population on campus. Thankfully, the smaller population has allowed us to avoid large close contact quarantine numbers during the recent Covid surge. Click HERE to view the schedule for the hybrid learning model. Students will alternate being on campus three days/remote learning two days and on campus two days/remote learning three days every other week. At the end of Christmas break we will reevaluate what is happening around us with the hope of having a majority of students back on campus on January 4, 2021.

This decision was considered at length by myself and our staff over the past few weeks. Covid has forced us to look at things from many unusual and unique angles. The technology infrastructure that we have, along with a world class staff who consistently make student needs a top priority, give us options other schools may not have. It is challenging to know if what we are doing is wrong or right. If we can do our part to limit contact by increased distancing it will be well worth the effort in a year where no one knows what is coming next. This plan becomes especially valid as college students begin to come home for the long break and families gather in celebration of upcoming holidays. Our teachers are in full support of making this work as long as students remain engaged in the remote learning environment. I appreciate the willingness of this incredible group of educators to consistently go above and beyond what was previously accepted as a typical school day. I also appreciate the open-mindedness and ‘go with the flow’ attitude of our amazing students. If we were missing one or the other of those components, or the support of our parents and families, we simply couldn’t make this work.

The hybrid learning model schedule outlines the next five weeks including related details. If you have questions or would like to request an adjustment to the schedule because of any challenges it may pose within your household, please communicate as soon as possible. As always I appreciate everyone’s willingness to be flexible. We are so blessed – great teachers, great students, and great parents allow us to responsibly focus on safety while maintaining a high level of relevant learning and academic success. I have never been more proud to be a BCCHS alum than I am now during these challenging times. Thank you to everyone for the role that you play in making all of this a success.

Good luck to volleyball and football this week. Take care and God Bless.

SH

Shel Hanser, Principal
Billings Central Catholic High School
O-406.245.6651 C-406.698.7834