Dear Parents,

The start of the 2020-2021 school year is here! After closing the book on a school year unlike any other, school leadership has spent months working hard to prepare to return to school for what we know will be a “new normal.” I know you are eager for answers about what your children’s routines will look like as our community continues to deal with the many challenges of the corona virus pandemic. After months of listening to our staff coupled with guidance from educational and medical experts, we are pleased to share Prevailing Faith Christian Academy’s Plan for Reopening. Please rest assured that the Prevailing Faith Christian Academy System is prepared to welcome your children back with virtual learning. We will remain flexible in our planning efforts so that we may be able to adapt to any changes caused by the health pandemic.

Because of current local health trends and COVID-19 statistical data for our parish, the district will begin with a deferred approach, with a 100 % virtual option for the first nine weeks grading period of the school year. However, our top priority is to safely reopen schools tentatively on August 26 and provide your children with the best education possible. During the 100% virtual period, we may permit 1 on 1 sessions with specific needs requiring face-to-face instruction. PFCA will distribute Chromebooks to each student, and MiFi devices to provide internet services to each household as needed. We have partnered with the Monroe City School Board and the Ouachita Parish School Board. They will also provide MiFi devices to households in their developments with students who attend PFCA.

If local conditions allow, starting January 8, 2020, we will move from all virtual instruction. Parents will then have a choice of two models based on the initial feedback collected in our Back-to-School Parent Survey, we have outlined several possible school return models: 100% Virtual PFCA Model, and a hybrid Two-Day Rotation model (a blend of face-to-face and virtual learning). A modified 100% Face- to- Face instruction model may be implemented for the third semester starting March 2021, only if local conditions allow. These plans were designed with the most recent guidance from local and national education and health officials in mind.

As a community, we must work together to mitigate risks to our students and teachers as we return to school. Everyone will be required to wear face coverings, schools will perform temperature checks upon arrival, social distancing measures of six feet will be enforced to the greatest extent possible, and enhanced cleaning will take place at all schools, facilities, and buses daily. We will also ask everyone to stay at home if they are sick, exhibiting symptoms, or have close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19.

We are aware that preparing for reopening in this “new normal” will not be an easy task. The school closures have tremendously disrupted the lives of families. Educators have been required to adapt to a new way of delivering instruction. Our educators are essential to helping our community move forward in the face of this crisis, and we are committed to doing all we can at PFCA to support them this coming school year.

There is no doubt that this 2020-21 school year will be different, but we must be prepared to adjust and respond as needed at any given moment. We know we are asking more of our educators and families, however with our community’s support, cooperation, and shared sacrifice, together we will help our children thrive.