COVID-19 UPDATES
- SAT and ACT test dates: Please refer to your MSW message or the FB and IG post. (5.1.20)
- Distance learning will continue through the end of the school year.
- Distance Learning Begins March 23
Dear HCA Parents and Students,
Our staff has been working very hard this week preparing for student distance learning. Please refer to your MSW message that was sent at 9:44 PM March 19.
- The deadline to complete the technology questionnaire is March 20 (see link above).
- Make note of the important dates, times, meetings, and form requirements indicated in the MSW message.
We are praying for all of you. Please keep our staff in prayer as well.
God bless.
Mr. Denmark
COVID-19 UPDATE
March 17, 2020
Dear HCA Parents,
Department of Education Update:
In light of the most recent mandate from the Governor of the State of Florida, the Commissioner of the Department of Education has taken the following action:
- All public, private, and career/technical schools will be closed through April 15, 2020.
Step Up for Students (scholarships) has stated on their website they are "working with the Department of Education and will share information as soon as it is available."
HCA :
- We will follow the DOE's mandate and close our school for K5-12th through April 15th.
- At this time, Early Education remains open in the current status through April 15th.
- We have spoken with the DOE this week regarding our in-class/on-campus requirements and as they pertain to scholarships. We will speak to them further tomorrow to determine what affect the new mandate will have in this area.
- Up to this point, there has been no confirmation we would be permitted to offer distance learning, but the DOE mandate published late today may provide a bridge as indicated by the Step Up website statement.
- We are making plans to offer distance learning as permitted.
- Keep watching for HCA updates via MSW, our website www.myhopechristianacademy.org, or linked on our FB at Hope Christian Academy (Starke, FL).
Let's keep praying as GOD IS IN CONTROL!
Terry Denmark, Director of Operations
COVID-19 UPDATE
March 14, 2020
Dear Parents,
Hope Christian Academy has NOT experienced any cases of COVID-19. We have diligently read CDC updates and news reports; shared preventative care information with our parents, students and staff; and daily sanitized our classrooms and common campus areas. We began planning for a public statement on Thursday and Friday, but - as we all know - this is a fluid situation, and matters changed late Friday afternoon (see below). We have always maintained that the health and safety of our students and staff are of great importance, therefore we have considered information from many sources and have decided to close the academy (only grades K5-12) on March 16-20. (SEE MORE details below.)
PUBLIC SCHOOL CLOSINGS/SPRING BREAK: Late Friday afternoon, Florida Commissioner of Education, Richard Corcoran "strongly recommended" public schools to close for an additional week associated with their spring breaks. The closure will be marked as "spring break" and an "extra week" so that March 16 - 27 are the common closure dates. Some schools, though, have already taken spring break (like HCA), therefore they are closing for one additional week (16-20). According to a Tampa Bay Times article dated March 13, Corcoran also stated, "Hopefully it will be a short-term thing and we will get right back to work and kids close out the year in a fantastic fashion."
THE ACADEMY (K5-12), has decided to close the "extra week" on March 16-20 for teacher/admin planning and additional cleaning of the academy. We know that a school closure for our parents can be an extreme hardship, and so we have not made this decision without research and prayer. We have informed you of this change as soon as possible since the recommendation was made late Friday, and private schools have some accountability and associations with agencies that public schools do/may not. BELOW is additional information for you regarding next week.
EARLY EDUCATION (infants - K4) will remain open for parents who choose to send their children for care. Parents choosing to keep their children home will not be responsible for paying the regular fee required to maintain the child's Early Ed spot.
MORE IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
- PLEASE PRAY with us God will turn the tide of this disease, so everyone can be safe, and we can complete the school year in a timely manner.
- We will inform you later about how these days must be made up during the school year.
- Please do not travel and put yourself where crowds have gathered. We strongly recommend you remain local.
- We plan to open the school Monday, March 23.
- Be certain to CONNECT with your MSW account for updates.
- Stay healthy. Please see your doctor if you have symptoms of Covid-19. If you have any doubt, please do not return to school before seeing your doctor. Each of us must be accountable for our healthy environment.
- All school-related events scheduled for next week have been cancelled or postponed.
Praying for everyone!
Terry Denmark, Director of Operations