Return to School

First and foremost, we are incredibly grateful to all of you for your continued support of St. Pius X High School and our mission and commitment to a Dominican education: Prayer, Study, Community and Preaching. We thank you for your efforts that contributed to the success of the distance learning program last semester. Of the 166 families who responded to our school-wide survey, 142 were satisfied to very satisfied with their student's experience of distance learning. Thank you for working with us through a new, unexpected and challenging situation that developed quickly.  We are indebted to our faculty and staff for pivoting and creating new ways of teaching so that SPX students could continue learning. We are genuinely thankful for the continued support and involvement of you, our parents, alumni and friends! You are the people who made the spring of 2020 work for our kids! 

It is now time to move forward and optimistically look toward the 2020-2021 school year. Our plans are to safely welcome your sons and daughters back to campus for in-person, on-campus learning. We hope to welcome them back to campus for sports, theater, choir, band, and all of the activities that engage your students in the SPX community. 

And, as we say this, we are fully aware that there are many factors beyond our control that will force us again to be called upon to find different ways of successfully teaching, meeting the myriad needs of our students, and building the SPX community. A team of administrators, teachers, and staff members have worked tirelessly to determine valuable and viable scenarios, which will meet the needs of our students setting priorities for their health, safety and learning for the 2020-2021 school year. 

Return to School Task Force

Immediately following graduation, a task force was created to collect information and make recommendations regarding the continued success of your students' educational experiences. The teams are made up of administrators, faculty and staff members with specific expertise and knowledge. They are collaborating with public health experts and other educators, and utilizing guidelines from the state, other government and health official organizations, and TEA to form plans for the 2020-2021 school year. The teams and their responsibilities are below. 

• Academic Continuity Team – Evaluate the past three months of instruction and delivery, assess physical needs based on educational, local and state guidelines, and prepare academic instructional models.
• IT Continuity Team – Evaluate how the Information Technology systems responded to off-campus learning and prepare systems for various instructional models to begin in August.
• Plant Continuity Team – Evaluate the health and safety needs moving forward based on educational, local and state guidelines establishing protocols and policies for faculty, staff and students to safely and productively return to campus.
• Community Integration Team – Evaluate how SPX maintains the feeling of community and continues to communicate and live our mission with our faculty, staff and students. This team specifically looks at community life (athletics, activities and overall sense of belonging) and how to ensure students feel a continued sense of belonging and engagement

Five Tiers of Interaction

We anticipate five tiers of interaction that students may cycle through during the 2020-2021 school year:

Tier 1: Your child and all faculty and staff are on campus with minimal safety precautions
Tier 2: Your child and all faculty and staff are on campus with moderate safety precautions
Tier 3: Your child and all faculty and staff are on campus with maximum safety precautions
Tier 4: Your child and all faculty and staff are partially on campus with maximum safety precautions in small-group cohorts rotating between in-person and distance learning
Tier 5: Your child is engaged fully in remote learning with only essential staff allowed on campus

Returning to School: Three Models  

The administration with the Return to School Task Force, is working to create a school calendar and daily class schedule that will allow for full flexibility and engagement. We do not anticipate major changes to our published date for the beginning of the school year, the end of the school year, and scheduled breaks, but these plans are subject to change as health needs change in our world. We do anticipate looking to three different models for school in 2020-2021 and are building the capability to switch quickly from one model to another, as needed and required.

Model A: All Students, Faculty and Staff (Tiers 1-3)

In Model  A, all students, faculty and staff return to campus in August. Specific health precautions will likely be in place in accordance with local, state and federal requirements and could include:

• Daily temperature checks for all faculty, staff and students
• Wearing masks that cover the mouth and nose, except when eating and drinking
• Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting procedures
• Procedures for moving through hallways and stairwells to maintain effective physical distancing
• Reducing or eliminating shared materials and high-touch surfaces
• Redesigning large community gatherings such as assemblies and all-school Masses
• Volunteers and visitors welcomed back on campus, as conditions allow

Model B: Hybrid Learning (Tier 4)

In Model B, a portion of our community will be on campus while others learn remotely from home for reasons that may include:

• Limiting the number of people allowed on campus at one time to reduce COVID-19 transmission factors 
• Students, faculty and staff uncomfortable returning to campus due to personal risk factors
• Students, faculty and staff in quarantine or isolation for reasons associated with COVID-19

Model B is characterized by hybrid learning through an interactive block schedule that focuses on synchronous learning for all students. Some students will physically be in the classroom, while others learn from home. In this model, students at home and in the classroom will receive the same lessons at the same time; students will have the capacity to interact with each other and the teacher through the use of technology. Students who are at home will be expected to log-in and participate during real class time. In Model B, students who are on campus will be expected to follow the same safety precautions listed in Model A, including wearing masks that cover the mouth and nose, except when eating and drinking.

Model C: Campus Closed, Distance Learning (Tier 5)

It is possible that there will be times during the school year when campus must be closed because of public health recommendations and forced closures. We are fully prepared to transition to distance learning when necessary. We have reflected and analyzed the feedback from students, faculty, and parents from the spring semester and are instituting improved technology, lesson planning, and community engagement, to make future distance learning an exciting and viable experience for your sons and daughters. 

Commitments

While our plans for the 2020-2021 school year may evolve as conditions and guidelines in our community change, our commitment to our St. Pius X community remains steadfast. 

• The health and safety of our community is our highest priority.
• We will optimize our resources to provide your child with the best possible learning experience without interruption of the college preparatory education you can and should expect from SPX.
• We will continue to provide timely communication as conditions evolve in our city, county, and state. 

We sincerely thank you for partnering with St. Pius X High School in the education and formation of your sons and daughters.

May you always be abundantly blessed,  

The SPX Leadership Team

Dear St. Pius X Families,

In response to COVID-19, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and The Center for Disease Control (CDC) have provided specific guidelines for Texas schools. While St. Pius X High School, a private, faith-based school, is not directly guided by TEA, we are expected to develop and follow plans that are "similar" as per Governor Greg Abbott. In an effort to create a school where we can provide an excellent academic environment, we must take measures that will reduce exposure to illness for our students, faculty and staff.

After careful consideration, deliberation, and prayer, St. Pius X High School leadership determined to start classes on August 17 in a distance learning model. During distance learning, SPX leadership will continue to assess the situation using the guidance of local and state health officials. It is our intention and hope to return to in-person learning in a hybrid model on September 8. 

Guiding Principles

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented health crisis for schools in our city, state, country, and world. As we plan for the 2020-2021 school year, the health and safety of our students at St. Pius X High School is our top priority. We are committed to bringing students back to our campus and providing a safe place for them to grow spiritually, academically, and emotionally. The uncertainty of these times does not change the mission of St. Pius X High School.

OUR MISSION:

Prayer, Study, Community, Preaching - this is a Dominican education at St. Pius X High School. Inspired by Veritas, young men and women embrace academic excellence and integrity, celebrate the community's diverse gifts and heritage, and embody social justice and service.

OUR GOALS:

• Prioritize the health and safety of students, faculty, staff and school community
• Use research-based data to develop, implement, and enforce best practices in the area of health and education
• Promote campus practices and policies that reduce the risk of virus transmission and provide flexibility as we respond to unknown variables
• Respect and follow the authority of local and state guidelines and orders

Models of Learning

It is important that we find a way to gather with our students in the safest way possible and begin building relationships that are integral to student success. We will host in-person orientations and re-orientations for each grade level. While remaining physically distant, these sessions will encourage our students to connect and reconnect with faculty, staff, advisors and friends. We will celebrate a new year and a new way of being SPX strong.
 
Below are the scheduled days for each grade level orientation. More details will be released, including the option to attend orientation virtually, as we draw closer to the dates.

August 11 - Senior Class

August 12 - Junior Class

August 13 - Sophomore Class

August 14 - Freshman Class

Beginning August 17, all SPX students will participate in synchronous, distance learning. We have invested in cutting-edge technology that enables more engaging and interactive instruction and learning. The entire SPX community will be on campus meeting the needs of our students, their families and supporting one another.

Distance Learning Schedule

Monday/Thursday

Odd Block Classes

Synchronous Learning

Community Time

Tuesday/Friday

Even Block Classes

Synchronous Learning

Advisory

Wednesdays

All Classes

Asynchronous Learning

Community Time

Students will be able to schedule tutorials with faculty members by appointment.

Please click on the graphic below for a more detailed view of the distance learning schedule.

Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning

Synchronous Learning - Whether on campus or in the virtual classroom, students are in class at the same time and experiencing the same lessons together. Students will be able to interact with their teachers and each other through Microsoft Teams throughout the class period. 
 
Asynchronous Learning - Students will review posted lessons in all classes, working at their own pace to complete assignments.

Student Expectations During Distance Learning

• All students must have an approved device as defined by the BYOD guidelines
• Students must be logged into their classes by the start of class.
• Cameras and microphones must be on and functioning.
• Students must wear an SPX uniform shirt or approved SPX t-shirt.
• Students must actively participate in class with their classmates and teachers.
• More detailed information and guidelines will be distributed with the Student/Parent/Guardian handbooks during orientation.

Technology 

Using Microsoft Teams as a platform with our new technology, Swivl, every classroom will be equipped with video and audio capabilities to create a synchronous learning experience. During distance learning, all students will log into their Microsoft Teams account and interact with their teacher, teaching from the classroom, in "real time." 

When moving to hybrid learning, students not on campus, will log into their Microsoft Teams account and share an identical experience with those in the classroom. Teachers will be able to see both students in the classroom and learning remotely. Students not on campus will experience and interact with everything happening inside the classroom.

Dear SPX Families,

As we move forward in the 2020-2021 school year, there are many considerations that will require the full attention of all parents/guardians. As a school, it is imperative for us to communicate with you in a timely manner regarding these important decisions.

In the next few days, we will send out a link to a declaration of intent (declaring if your student will continue the first quarter at SPX through the hybrid or virtual mode) and a COVID-19 waiver that must be signed by all parents/guardians of each student. In order to facilitate the COVID-19 waiver, we are working with DocuSign, but need to ensure we have the correct email for each individual parent/guardian associated with an SPX student. Below, you will find a link to a form that requests the email address for all legal decision makers for your SPX student(s); please fill it out completely and accurately.

Please note: the email addresses listed on this form are the addresses that will be used for the COVID-19 waiver being sent through DocuSign. You will continue to receive regular SPX emails at the email address you provided through the SPX Community.

After this form is completed, you will be sent the declaration of intent as well as the COVID-19 waiver (to the email addresses you provide on the form). Both of these documents need to be carefully reviewed prior to submission.

Email Request Form

Dear SPX Families, 

It has been so wonderful to see your students' smiling faces as we've started the 2020-2021 school year! We hope that you and your student have enjoyed the first few days just as much as our faculty and staff have. We believe that our faculty have met this new and unique start of school with their usual fervor and passion for teaching and proven that distance learning - when necessary - is just as much a viable option at SPX as in-classroom learning.
 
We recognize the importance of in-person learning and the impact it can have on the emotional, social, physical and mental well being of SPX students. As St. Pius X High School leadership prepares to transition students to hybrid learning we look to the people who know these young Veritas Men and Women the best - you, their parents/guardians. 
 
As we navigate COVID-19, we recognize that every family is different. While one learning model may be a good fit for one family, it may not be the best for another. With this in mind, we are asking parents/guardians to complete a declaration of intent for the first quarter of the 2020-2021 school year. This decision will commit your student to complete the first quarter in either "distance learning only" or "hybrid learning". We ask that you make your final declaration by Tuesday, August 25.

Transition to Hybrid Learning Information

For those intending to proceed with “hybrid learning”, final planning efforts will include the creation of our cohorts, or groups, Leaders and Scholars. Each cohort will be made up of approximately half of our student body, which will move through the hybrid schedule as a cohesive group. The two cohorts will be created using an alpha split, course rosters, and the number of socially distanced students permitted per classroom/ meeting space.  
 
For those selecting hybrid learning, know that the following will be considered when assigning cohorts:

• Siblings in the same household will be put in the same cohort
• Other cohort requests (such as students sharing carpool) will be considered but cannot be guaranteed. Any requests must be submitted through the form - even if you have already contacted SPX regarding considerations, please be sure to include it in the form.
• This decision will stand for the first quarter to help create stability for students and allow the school to manage the logistics needed for students to have a high-quality learning experience

SPX transportation services will resume once SPX moves into the hybrid learning model. More information will be provided soon.

We anticipate cohort assignments to be released the week of August 31.

COVID-19 Waiver

In addition, all SPX students' parents/guardians are required to complete a COVID-19 waiver which will be administered via DocuSign. The waiver must be reviewed and signed no later than September 4. We recommend you read and review the wavier before making your final declaration/decision. 

Families with multiple students at SPX will receive and must complete a DocuSign email/form for each student. 

If you have not already received your DocuSign email, you will receive it today.

Please submit your response before 5 pm on Tuesday, August 25.

Declaration of Intent Form

Since the start of COVID-19, St. Pius X High School has taken seriously the responsibility to support students in continued academic, spiritual, and social growth. Our goals remain steadfast:

• Prioritize the health and safety of students, faculty, staff and school community
• Use research-based data to develop, implement, and enforce best practices in the area of health and education
• Promote campus practices and policies that reduce the risk of virus transmission and provide flexibility as we respond to unknown variables
• Realize the St. Pius X High School mission
• Respect the authority of local and state guidelines and orders

These are not goals that are taken lightly, and they remain the number one focus in every decision that is made during this very fluid time.

Using the most up-to-date information available to us from the health and educational communities, the SPX Leadership Team has made the decision to delay in-personlearning at this time. We have determined that it is in our community's best interest to postpone our hybrid transition to Monday, September 14. 

You will be invited to participate in virtual Panther Parent Orientations prior to moving into the hybrid mode. More information about these sessions is forthcoming.

We miss our Panthers and know they are just as excited to return to campus as our faculty and staff are to welcome them back.  

In preparation of transitioning to hybrid learning, we want encourage everyone to stay healthy and continue to mask up and practice physical distancing. We hope to see everyone very soon! 

Dear SPX Families:

As we all prepare for the start of in-person classes on Sept. 14, please review some important information for both you and your students. Included in this letter is information outlining details for the 2020-2021 school year. Some of the information will simply be reminders, but some will be new as we roll out new safety and health policies and procedures - please read all announcements carefully. 

Thank you for giving your attention to the information below. It is an honor for us to serve such a loyal and faith-filled community. We look forward to safely being on campus and will continue to update you in the weeks ahead.

Student/Parent/Guardian Handbook

In the Student/Parent/Guardian Handbook, you will find the expectations of each St. Pius X High School student. As some of these guidelines have been revised, we ask that each of you—parents and students—read the Handbook and keep it handy for your review during the year. Enrolling in SPX and acknowledging these policies means you understand and will support these policies. Acknowledgement forms should have already been submitted.

Cohort Assignments

Cohort assignments will be available on each student's profile and emailed to students and parents/guardians on Thursday, September 10. 

To view your cohort assignment through your profile:

• Login to the Community
• Click under your picture/silhouette on "profile"
• Refer to the "Cohort" field

Reminders:

Leaders Cohort: in-person - Monday, Tuesday; distance - Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Scholars Cohort: distance - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday; in-person - Thursday, Friday

2020-2021 Attendance

Regular school attendance is expected of all students. Attendance policies and procedures are noted in the Handbook. 

If your student is ill, please keep him/her home. Parents/guardians (not the student) are asked to notify the school attendance officebetween 7 and 9 am in the event of a student's absence regardless of student's learning method. Communications regarding attendance should be directed to Jo McBride (713)-692-3581 X107.

Absences will not count against exemptions for fall finals. All other exemption criteria stated in the handbook remain. 

Please reference the Return to School page FAQs or Instructional Continuity Plan to see attendance polices for COVID-19.

Daily Health Screening

Students, faculty and staff members will be required to complete a daily health screening questionnaire and have their temperatures confirmed prior to entering the school building. If you are dropping your student off, please do not leave before they enter the building.
 
The health screening questionnaire will be texted and/or emailed to students each morning they are scheduled to be on campus through Ruvna. Upon completion of the questionnaire, the screening tool will display an approval QR code that must be scanned at the time of entry. If a student does not receive a clearance approval, he/she should not report to school. Parents should contact the attendance office with pertinent information.
 
Anyone entering the building, must wear a mask and have their temperature scanned. 

As previously communicated, each student will be issued two (2) SPX reusable masks. Masks will be issued during Advisory on Tuesday, September 15 and Thursday, September 17. Until students have received their SPX masks, they should wear an approved mask (solid black, or white cloth masks or solid blue, white or pink disposable masks) when they are on campus.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up

The school building is open from 7 am to 6 pm. Official classroom supervision is provided only from 7:55 am to 3:00 pm, unless the student is participating in a regularly scheduled school activity.

Between 7:30 and 8 a students should be dropped off at the Brinkman Street or Donovan Student parking lot entrances. Please use right turns when entering or exiting from those drop-off points. Students who arrive on campus between 7 and 7:40 am must enter the east or west entrance of the main building. After validating the self-screening and confirming temperature,  students should report to the Commons. Students arriving between 7:40 and 8 am may enter the main entrance to the White Family Center for Science and Media, in addition to the east or west entrance of the main building. Students arriving after 8 am must report to the attendance office before attending class.

From 3 to 4 pm students should be picked up at the Brinkman Street entrance to the school. Use only right hand turns when entering or exiting. Students who are not picked up from campus by 4 pm must wait for their ride in the Commons.

For safety reasons, students are never to be picked up or dropped off at the back entrance near the Commons at the rear of the school or at the circle drive off Donovan. 

Parents or other drivers dropping off or picking up students should remain in their cars while on campus. Students must put on their masks before entering the building. Students must maintain six feet of distance while in the parking lot.

SPX transportation will continue to offer services from the Bellaire/West U area. SPX bus riders will already have completed the temperature check and health screening questionnaire and walk right into the school building through the Fast Track lane.

Leaving Campus for Appointments

If a student must leave campus for any reason, his/her parent/guardian should schedule the early departure in writing with the attendance office by 8a.m. At the departure time, the student must sign out at the attendance office. Any parent picking up his/her student for an appointment should use the intercom at the gated entrance off of West Donovan to notify the attendance office of his/her arrival.

Flow of Movement & Map

In order to ensure adequate physical distancing, hallways and staircases will have specific foot traffic flows. Signage will be posted around campus to assist students as they navigate between classes. Students may find it helpful to print this map and bring it with them on their first day back to campus.

Please view the maps below for flow of movement on each floor of the two buildings.

First Floor

Second Floor

Visitors on Campus

No outside visitors will be allowed in the building at this time without prior appointment and a health screening, including temperature check.

Dress Code

Freshmen and sophomore students are required to wear the uniform adopted in the 2019-2020 school year, and juniors and seniors may wear the newly adopted or former styles. Once the current stock of the former style is sold out, Mills will no longer offer those options. Therefore, any items that need replacing will be purchased from the new, updated uniform collection. Contact us with uniform related questions. We are happy to work with families, and we will contact Mills Uniform Company should we need to sort out any questions or concerns.

Any outer garment worn on campus should come from Mills Uniform Company and display the school Veritas insignia. Outer garments issued by St. Pius X or an approved vendor are also permitted. Apparel purchased from non SPX affiliated vendors may not be worn. Please be aware, not all advertisements for SPX merchandise are approved vendors. Contact the Dean of Student Life with uniform related questions.

Students participating in distance learning will continue to wear an SPX t-shirt or uniform shirt. 

Grooming

Grooming guidelines are noted in the Handbook. Long hair is not permitted for male students. Male students are expected to wear hair that does not touch the collar of the uniform shirt. No matter the style, hair must clear the collar and be free of hair fasteners such as rubber bands or barrettes. Male students are to be cleanly shaven, yet may grow a mustache. Students, please take measures to meet the grooming requirements prior to the first day of on-campus instruction.

For more detailed information regarding the uniform, dress code, or grooming policies please refer to the Handbook.

Bring Your Own Device

All students should continue to use the device they used for distance learning while on campus. Devices may be used in the classrooms only when permitted by the classroom teacher. Devices may not be used during passing periods. Cell phones may be brought to school, but students may not use them during class time.

Medication

Medication, including over the counter medications, will only be administered to a student with the appropriate documentation. New documentation must be provided at the beginning of each school year and any time an update is required as a result of a change in the student's medical needs. Documentation and medication should be turned in to the attendance office. Students needing medications will see the attendance office at the appropriate time to receive them.

Parking Spots

Students who have purchased a parking space, must park in the space designated on the parking tag. For students who have not picked up a parking tag, it will be provided on the first day of in-person instruction. Parking spaces are available to purchase throughout the year based on availability.

Lunch Account

Eating on campus will be permitted only at designated dining tables, supervised classroom, or outdoors. Students must continue to physically distance during lunch and other community gathering times.  Students may continue to bring lunch from home. Lexington Independents' has launched a Safe Café initiative to ensure the health and safety of our school community and their staff.

Students purchasing lunch must use pre-loaded funds to pay in a touch-free manner. Cash will not be accepted.

Co-Curricular Activities

Parents/guardians will have the option to allow their sons/daughters to participate in on-campus co-curricular activities or not.
 
In the hybrid learning model, students in an off-campus cohort who wish to participate in on-campus activities after school must report to the Hutson Gymnasium or Fine Arts entrance for check-in. Check-in will include a verbal health screening and temperature scan. Students must use the external doors nearest the main student entrance to enter either space. Students in an off-campus cohort may not come to campus after school unless they have a scheduled, supervised on-campus event.
 
Anyone who participates in activities on campus, must have a COVID-19 waiver on file regardless of his/her choice of in-person or distance learning model.

Dear SPX Families,

On March 5, 2020, the COVID Response Team met for the first time. Little did we realize that within two weeks of that meeting, we would be pivoting to an online learning platform that would remain in place for more than 7 months – to date. Life has changed; education has changed. St Pius X High School has responded to these changes creating a dynamic process of learning intent on fostering and celebrating our mission.  

Daily we face the almost impossible task of building those all-important relationships necessary to teach and form the young people you have entrusted to our care, while at the same time maintaining physical distancing and limiting access to our campus.

There is nothing that we would like more than to bring all of our students back to campus together five days per week. And, this is genuinely what we are moving toward. Much of our time is spent planning and considering how we can accommodate having students on campus in greater numbers more often, while continuing with the health and safety protocols that have helped to keep us at zero reported cases of COVID-19 – so far.

One of the most daunting challenges that we face is limited interior space. While TEA, CDC, and other health agencies have not published any constraints regarding occupancy numbers, they have continued to stress that students and faculty/staff should be in spaces where there is 6 feet of physical distance separating individuals. Most of our classrooms can accommodate 12 or 13 students at most to accomplish the recommended physical distancing guidelines. With 100% participation in the hybrid model most of our core classes (English, math, science, theology, and history) will be at capacity.

It is our hope that the numbers in Houston continue to trend in a positive direction and that our families practice good safety and health protocols at home so that SPX is able to continue reporting zero cases of COVID-19. If that happens, I believe that we will be able to return to a full schedule with all of our students on campus in the near future. We are constantly evaluating the situation and looking at better ways of delivering the rigorous college preparatory education that you expect while keeping more than 600 people safe and healthy!

May God keep you and bless you,

Carmen Garrett Armistead
Head of School

Important News

Campus is open and students need to be in the classrooms. Learning is best when done in person, even in a shortened on-campus schedule. Students did not have the choice of on-campus learning last spring; that is no longer the case. Students who are currently enrolled in an on-campus cohort, should continue in that cohort as we move confidently toward a full campus return. We encourage those students who chose a distance learning model for quarter one to consider the transition to hybrid learning at this time.

Please note, beginning in the second quarter (October 13), students not enrolled in on-campus learning will not be eligible to participate in after school co-curricular sports and activities.

Students are expected to be in class on their assigned cohort days. If a student is ill and unable to be in school on their scheduled cohort day, his or her parent or guardian must notify the attendance office of the illness and virtual participation by 8 am. Absences without proper communication will not be excused. Students who do not attend in-person classes on their cohort learning days are not eligible for co-curricular activities scheduled for that day.

Should your family have special circumstances requiring your son or daughter to stay quarantined from school and co-curriculars, please complete this form.