Kennedy’s Consiglio: Engaging Students to Promote Safety

Alyse Consiglio, principal at John F. Kennedy Catholic School in Warren, is coming back strong. You can learn more about Kennedy at its website.

What are some ways your school is dealing with the effects of COVID-19?
John F. Kennedy Catholic School began in-person classes five days a week for grades K-12 on Aug. 17. All families had the option of choosing a full-time online curriculum monitored and graded by Kennedy staff for core content. Religion and theology class is taught by our theology department through Google Classroom for our virtual students.

Administration thoughtfully designed more socially-distanced classrooms by expanding learning spaces and adjusting schedules to allow for the most students to safely attend in-person classes. Our Upper Campus used our Entrepreneurship Class to its advantage by having students design, print and install signage at both buildings. The signage will help students follow directions, as well as remind them to wash their hands and to stay socially distant. Using our state-of-the-art “Think Lab,” Kennedy is able to generate all of these materials and give students practical, hands-on experience while also serving the needs of our students and staff. We also launched a grassroots campaign to raise funds for a four-sided handwashing station in our dining hall. Our dining hall has amended its services to best serve our in-person students and continues to provide for our students currently attending online school.

All students and staff are required to wear masks and have temperature checks each morning. Hand sanitizers have been installed in every room and high-traffic areas. Upper Campus staff sanitizes every desk between class changes and SERVPRO sprays every surface nightly with hospital-grade disinfectant. At our Lower Campus, three-sided plexiglass dividers have been placed on each desk.

What’s been the reaction from students and parents so far?

Student and parent support has been critical to our success. We are incredibly proud of our students, from seniors to kindergarteners, who understand and follow all of the new rules with great consideration. Kids are resilient and overall their sentiment is that they are OK with wearing a mask all day if that is what it takes to be in school. Parents have been a source of support by adhering to new drop-off and pick-up methods, adjusted schedules, and the fluid changes and updates leading up to our opening. Parents who work in the medical field have been a great resource during the development and implementation of our new policies as well.

What impact has the outbreak had on you personally?

Since March 11, when we started to hear rumblings about a possible shutdown, I have poured myself into creating the best remote learning experience possible. Whether that was ensuring direct instruction was still happening in classes, communicating to our stakeholders through short videos called “Coffee with Consiglio” or virtually celebrating Signing Day, Stations of the Cross, National Honor Society Induction and Graduation, I did not rest until I felt we did the very best for our students. Graduation involved more than 13 hours of filming personal diploma presentations, student speeches and reflections from administration. I oversaw all filming and personally edited the entire one-hour graduation. We found a way to have seniors still paint the spirit rock and even had Baccalaureate Mass when Catholic churches reopened for public worship at the end of July.

Since time is finite, working so much meant that my own family learned to live with my make-shift desk in the living room and working all day and into the evening hours. Personally, I am exhausted — but I feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Together with my talented staff and fellow amazing administrators, I think we have the very best plan possible to keep students safe and healthy — physically, mentally and spiritually.

What advice are you sharing with the people you love?

Don’t settle for “good enough” because it isn’t good enough. Keep working. Be relentless like Alexander Hamilton, dream like Walt Disney, and have confidence like Tina Fey. And if you think something is impossible remember: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

What changes or improvements are you most proud of?

The administration and faculty have worked tirelessly to provide the most seamless return to school for our students. We are proud of the efforts of our athletic department which has worked hard to make varsity-level competition available to students. We are hosting varsity and junior high football, cheerleading, girls tennis and volleyball, as well as girls and boys soccer and golf. We continue to innovate by offering new classes including the Nature Lab, where students have the opportunity to research and spend time outdoors and then use the information they compile to develop ideas and think critically. We are also proud to share that we are welcoming our largest freshman class in recent school history — a direct reflection on the first-rate academic, athletic and spiritual programming we offer.