List of 29 frequently asked questions.

• Why did Regis Jesuit choose its Hybrid scenario over other options? 

  While there are many considerations for the full development of our students: academically, spiritually, socially and emotionally, we must start with a baseline of ensuring the physical health and safety of our community: students, faculty and staff.
  
  Of the scenarios truly available to us today, we believe this decision gives our students and teachers the best opportunity to present and sustain a continuity of learning while also giving our students access to our wonderful campus and to renewed in-person relationships with their teachers and with their peers. It will also support the delivery of the full depth of our curriculum.

• What prevents Regis Jesuit from making a full return to on-campus operations?

  Regis Jesuit relied heavily on guidance from public health authorities to inform its decision-making. Specific resources include COVID-19 Strategies for Schools, Reopening Schools: Health Guidance by COVID-19 Phase and Cases and Outbreaks in Schools. Guidance related to social distancing in particular limits the number of people Regis Jesuit can safely accommodate on campus.

• Several schools are going back to school full-time. Why not RJ?

  Every school and school facility has unique considerations in its ability to provide a safe environment in the context of COVID-19. Regis Jesuit is following the guidance of local public health authorities and the guidance on social distancing in particular has informed Regis Jesuit’s decision on the number of students it can safely accommodate on campus at one time. Factors such as overall enrollment, facility square-footage, classroom sizes and available staffing above and beyond what a school might typically use are considerations that vary from one school to another.
  
  We believe the hybrid model provides the best opportunity to ensure the safety of our community while preserving our programs. 
  
  The physical health and safety of our students, faculty and staff is our primary concern. We are relying on guidance from multiple state and local public health officials including the CDPHE, Tri-County Health, the Metro Denver Partnership for Health and others.
  
  Given the number of students and faculty and staff (approximately 2000 people) and the size limitations of appropriate learning spaces our campus, we cannot safely return to fully on-campus learning for all students at this point.

• Why haven’t you added other spaces to campus to allow a return to full in-person learning? 

  We explored multiple options for adding capacity such as mobile classrooms since we do not have the square footage on campus to satisfy social distancing guidelines. Unfortunately, these don’t address the limitations in common areas like hallways, restrooms or dining facilities. In addition, adding spaces requires adding staffing, meaningful additional costs related to infrastructure which would necessitate more tuition. Therefore, we concluded that this was not a safe or feasible option.

• Why can’t the in-person schedule be offered in the online/hybrid mode? 

  We believe our program design gives our faculty the best opportunity to provide excellent instruction to our students, and therefore the best educational opportunity possible for our students.
  
  Even in fully on-campus mode, most teachers do not provide direct instruction for the full period. Learning activities often include individual work time, small group time, discussion, group and/or one-on-one check-ins, writing/reflection exercises and research. These are activities that can be scheduled outside of the direct-instruction time identified by the hybrid and online schedules.
  
  Online and hybrid modes contain opportunities for synchronous (students and teachers together at the same time either in person or online) and asynchronous learning (students engaging with class materials and completing work at their own pace outside of scheduled class times). When executed effectively, both provide equitable benefits to our students and our faculty. In both modes, we expect to deliver the full depth of our curriculum.
  
  For students, it offers flexibility for them to complete work and meet one-on-one with teachers. So that time in class is not disrupted, students will able to meet with counselors in the afternoons after class time is complete and on Fridays. Students will also be able to meet with teachers and engage with clubs, leadership opportunities, tutoring, affective curriculum and Masses during these times. The schedule is built with focused time for academic instruction during the morning and time in the afternoon for the formational and support pieces of RJ programming. The school day is more than just the time outlined for students to be in class.
  
  For teachers, the schedule gives them additional time to prep their week-long modules and grade student work. Preparation of work to deliver instruction both in-person and online simultaneously requires significant planning and is much more time-intensive especially as our teachers are new to this approach. It takes a lot longer to prepare videos, resources and assessments to be delivered simultaneously to students both in the classroom and learning online.

• What is Regis Jesuit doing to ensure the health and safety of students, faculty and staff on campus?

  While we cannot reduce the risk to zero, we have implemented a multilayered mitigation approach that we are confident will help ensure the safety of everyone who visits our campus. These measures will also allow us to offer retreats, sports and activities that are integral to the RJ experience.
  
  Specific measures include:
  

  • Daily screening protocol – including temperature and symptom checks utilizing apps and innovative technology that we have invested in to ensure the process is effective and streamlined so time remains focused on education
  • Masks are required to be worn on campus both indoors and outside at all times
  • Efforts to maintain six-foot distance between people with the understanding that three feet of space also provides substantial benefits, especially with a multilayered approach like ours
  • Enhanced air ventilation
  • Cleaning of high touch areas throughout the day and overnight
  • Hand sanitizer and disinfectants in all classrooms, office and hallways

• How is the school supporting students who are high-risk or have safety and health concerns? 

  All Regis Jesuit students have the option to attend school fully online at any time during this school year.

• What were the results of the parent survey?

  The majority (about 70%) of the 869 parents who provided input regarding our scenario options expressed a strong desire for fully on-campus learning. While we all want to get back to what we know and love about the Regis Jesuit educational experience, our ultimate decision had to be contextualized in what we believe we can accomplish safely.

• What is the purpose of Welcome Week and the non-traditional start to the school year? 

  The root of cura personalis stems from the relationships between teachers and students and among the students themselves and is key to our educational and formational success. Our approach for the first week of the school year is focused on helping to forge and solidify those relationships, build rapport, set expectations, and acclimate to safety protocols and wearing a mask for extended periods.

• Why are students learning online only from August 24-31, prior to moving into the hybrid model?

  Having two weeks of online learning only will allow us to complete installation and test new technology, fine-tune protocols we establish during Welcome Week and train our teachers and give them time to be fully ready to teach in the hybrid model.

• Why are the classes so much shorter in the Online and Hybrid scenarios?

  Even in fully on-campus mode, most teachers do not provide direct instruction for the full 80-minute class period. Learning activities often include individual work time, small group time, discussion, group and/or one-on-one check-ins, writing/reflection exercises and research. These are activities that can be scheduled outside of the direct-instruction time identified by the hybrid and online schedules.

• Why are there no classes scheduled on Fridays in the Online and Hybrid scenarios?

  Both modes contain opportunities for synchronous and asynchronous learning, and, when executed effectively, both provide equitable benefits to our students and our faculty. In both modes, we expect to deliver the full depth of our curriculum.
  
  

  For students, having dedicated periods of time outside of class offers flexibility for them to complete asynchronous work and meet one-on-one with teachers. In addition, since counselors will not be pulling kids out of synchronous classes, students will able to meet with counselors on Fridays. Students will also be able to engage with their clubs, leadership opportunities, affective curriculum and Masses.
  
  

  For teachers, it gives them additional time to prep their week-long modules and grade submitted work. Prepping week-long modules is a huge undertaking for our teachers as they are new to this. It takes a lot longer to prepare videos, resources, assessments in a new way to ensure the same level of academic excellence and continuity of learning. 

• What happens if the campus has to transition to online learning again?

  Due to the uncertain nature of COVID-19, it may become necessary to close the campus and operate in either the hybrid or online learning model for periods of time during the upcoming year. Please refer to the Online Learning or Hybrid Learning roadmaps for details on the synchronous learning day schedules as well as our attendance, grading and assignment expectations if operating these models.

• When will students return to being back on campus full-time?

  Our desire is to return to fully on-campus learning; however, until safety guidance changes from public health agencies around social distancing recommendations for schools, our opportunity to move to this mode is limited.

• Will you be discounting tuition for the hybrid model or if students have to return to online learning only? 

  We have developed comprehensive plans for both online and hybrid modes if conditions with the pandemic require a change in operational approach for various periods throughout the year. Regardless of scenario, our students will continue to receive the fulsome experience of a Regis Jesuit education for the 2020-21 school year; therefore, the tuition rate will be the same for all scenarios.
  
  

  On July 13, we announced the decision by our Board of Trustees’decision to rescind the tuition increase it had passed for the 2020-21 school year. We are refunding families or applying credits to families depending on their tuition payment plans.
  
  We have chosen to reduce tuition, even though the school has had to make significant investments in safety, technology and training to ensure our faculty and staff are prepared to deliver the full depth of our curriculum, no matter the model.
  
  The call of Jesuit education is to define education by the signs of the times, and now more than ever we’re leaning into our 140+-year history of an adaptive, innovative approach to learning to offer the best educational experience for RJ students and their families.

• What happens if there is a confirmed case of COVID on campus?

  If a student or employee has a confirmed case of COVID-19, Regis Jesuit will work closely with Tri-County Health to determine appropriate action.
  
  The school has designated spaces in each building to isolate anyone who becomes ill or presents with symptoms during the day. Contact tracing will take place to help identify those who may have come in contact with the ill or infected person. Those who are ill or with a known exposure must self-quarantine for 14 days before returning to campus.

• Will parents be notified if there is a confirmed case on campus?

  Parents and employees will be notified, when appropriate and while maintaining HIPAA regulations and confidentiality, if there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 on campus. Regis Jesuit will provide resources and next steps based on guidance from the Tri-County Health Department.

• Will visitors and volunteers be allowed on campus?

  At this time, visitors and volunteers will not be permitted on campus to help us ensure we can maintain social distancing and contact-tracing protocols. Visitors who must come to campus in the case of an emergency must follow the established health screening and safety protocols.

• Are students required to wear a mask?

  Yes! All students and employees will be required to wear a mask while on campus both in and outside the buildings. Governor Polis, along with Tri-County Health, has mandated mask-wearing because research and science show that wearing a mask is critical to slowing the spread of the virus, especially in indoor spaces. Students with existing medical conditions that prevent him/her from wearing a mask will be required to provide medical documentation to the nurse’s clinic. Students will be encouraged to have multiple masks with them on a daily basis should one break.

• Will health checks be completed daily?

  Students and employees will be prompted daily to answer a set of health screening questions prior to arriving to school that day. We ask that temperature checks are a part of this screening. Upon entry into the building, they will be required to show on their phone or iPad a daily code to identify that they have completed the health screening questions. Students and employees will then proceed through one of several temperature screening areas located in all three of our campus buildings. On any day they do not “pass” the health check or do not have proof they have passed it, they will not be allowed in school.

• Will sports still take place this school year?

  As a member of the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA). we continue to follow all their guidelines and directives regarding high school athletics and activities. These include all practices, games, tournaments, meetings and all other associated activities.
  
  CHSAA has announced a change to the timing of this year's athletics seasons. See their announcement of those changes here. You can also visit their website to understand the changes to this school year’s sports schedules.

• Will students still be able to participate in field trips, retreats and service trips?

  A robust pastoral and service experiences are a hallmark of Jesuit education and will not be compromised. All Masses, prayer services, retreats, and service experiences will take place in compliance with health and safety guidelines. However, at this time, field trips will be suspended for the 2020-21 school year to limit exposure and potential transmission.

• Will students be allowed to eat in the cafeterias? Will seniors continue to have off-campus lunch privileges?

  To ensure the health and safety of our students, we have had to reimagine our food service program. Breakfast will not be served in the cafeterias. Lunch will be served by class with students visiting the cafeteria, then either eating lunch outside weather permitting or returning to their classroom. Daily food and drink options will be limited to prepackaged grab and go items and lunch accounts should be replenished either before or after school or via PayforIt online lunch account; we will not accept payments of cash or check during the day. Senior off-campus lunch privileges are suspended for the 2020-21 school year to limit exposure and potential transmission. In addition, the Steele Center Café is closed indefinitely.

• Will students still use a locker and store athletic gear during the school day?

  To help maintain social distancing, hallway lockers, locker rooms and athletic bag storage rooms will not be available to students. Students are asked to carry their backpacks at all times. More details will follow as we know more about our mode of operation for the fall.
  

• Will RJ still host social events for students this year?

  At this time, events, such as Compass and Check-In Day, are still scheduled. We will consider whether or not other events can be held safely based on current guidelines in place. Ensuring the health and well-being of our community members will remain our key guiding principle. 

• What health safety precautions will be required for students riding the bus? Will they have to wear a mask?

  Yes! Based on guidance from Tri-County Health, students are required to wear a mask to board an RJHS school bus and must continue to wear it while on the bus. Drivers will have extra masks should a student arrive without one. Students should sit one to a row and alternate individuals seated on the aisle and window within a row when feasible. MV Transportation will be responsible for cleaning and following health and safety protocols for school buses.

• How will RJ encourage social distancing on campus?

  All people on campus will be required to social distance (six feet apart when feasible but at least three feet apart) from others while on school property. Signage, floor markings and other strategies will be utilized to help reinforce social distancing throughout the building including in halls and stairways. Transition schedules will be in place to help minimize the number of students and staff in common spaces including hallways, cafeteria, etc.
  Visual cues (floor markings), including one-way traffic patterns for hallways and staircases, along with other strategies will be utilized to help reinforce social distancing.
  Transition schedules will be created to help minimize the number of students and staff in common spaces including hallways, cafeteria, etc. Only every other bathroom stall and sink will be in use and we will be locking the unused stalls and blocking unused sinks. Lockers will not be used while social distancing is required. We will increase space between desks wherever feasible. Additionally, physical barriers are being installed in commonly frequented offices where social distancing is not possible.

• What is the plan for cleaning and disinfecting classrooms and buildings?

  To promote the safest possible conditions on campus, we are continuing to provide enhanced cleaning overnight throughout campus with increased attention to frequently touched surfaces and high traffic areas. All classrooms and offices will be equipped with hand sanitizer and disinfecting supplies to be used in between classes. In addition, we will use electrostatic foggers to help disinfect surfaces throughout campus.

• How is the school improving ventilation in campus buildings to protect students and staff from COVID?

  We have increased our fresh-air exchange to levels beyond the ASHRAE recommended standard for schools. We have also upgraded our HVAC filters to MERV-13, which will be replaced quarterly.