As Cuyahoga County continues to hover in the red alert level -- the second-highest level of the state’s health advisory system -- Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Cleveland remain committed to providing a safe educational environment for students, faculty and staff throughout the coronavirus pandemic, said Frank O’Linn, diocesan superintendent of schools.
“As it has been since the start of the pandemic, our position as Catholic schools remains one of local decision making, in consultation with local experts,” he said. “Decisions about the operations of each school – in person, hybrid, simultaneous or remote – are best made at the school level. We anticipate schools that are open and operating successfully will continue to remain so unless there is an outbreak in the local school community that would require a change.”
Gov. Mike DeWine said schools are not a significant source of COVID-19 spread. O’Linn echoed that, and said statistics in the diocesan schools also bear that out. Only 33 COVID-19 cases were reported in schools throughout the eight-county diocese during the first seven weeks of instruction. Contact tracing identified most of those transmissions as happening outside of classrooms and day school activities, O’Linn said.
“Catholic schools follow all laws and health orders,” he added.
O’Linn said he anticipates that Catholic schools in the eight-county diocese will continue to do what is working, remind the community of what is working well and they will continue monitoring, adjusting and collaborating as they partner with local health departments.
“We empower parents with options to decide how best to protect their children and families,” O’Linn said. But he acknowledged that as long as COVID-19 is present in the broader community without a vaccine, there is risk of transmission.
“We are cautious when upholding our most sacred responsibility to the safety of everyone in our communities – students, parents and educators alike – our greatest gift from God. When in doubt, schools have erred on the side of caution for the safety and common good of our communities,” he said.
Parents should contact their child’s school for the most up-to-date information on how the school will continue operations during the pandemic.