Belen Jesuit Preparatory School

School Reopening Update

Fr. Willie ‘87 and José E. Roca ‘84
(This information was emailed to parents on September 9, 2020. Up-to-date information and frequently asked questions are posted on our COVID-19 Information webpage.)
 
It has been two weeks since the academic year began, and with it distance learning. As you know, that decision was made with great care, focusing on the well-being of your sons. You will remember that in last week’s update, we expressed the conditions necessary for us to consider bringing the students back on campus. Over the last 18 days, the positivity rate in Miami- Dade County has consistently been under 10%, trending down to 5%. We believe this decline makes it possible for us to begin our hybrid model for education. The return to campus with a hybrid model will begin slowly in order to get our students, parents, faculty, and staff accustomed to the new health and safety requirements. 
 
As stated in the Reopening Plan, students whose last names begin with the letters A - J are members of the Blue Cohort. Students whose last names begin with the letters K - Z are members of the Gold Cohort. 
 
  • Monday, September 14: The Sixth Grade Blue Cohort will come on campus following an A Day schedule. All other students will continue distance learning from home. 
  • Tuesday, September 15: The Sixth Grade Gold Cohort will come on campus following a B Day schedule. All other students will continue distance learning from home. 
  • Wednesday, September 16: All Day Schedule- students will be required to work on their assignments independently; there will be no Zoom classes. Teachers will be available during their office hours. Middle School parents are reminded their sons have Picture Day. Please refer to the email sent last week for details. Additionally, there is an optional orientation session for new 7th, 8th, and 9th-grade students to help them become familiar with our campus and classroom locations before their first full day. Information on this event will be emailed to these families tomorrow.
  • Thursday, September 17: Sixth through Twelfth Grade Blue Cohorts will come on campus following an A Day schedule. All students in the Gold Cohorts will continue distance learning from home.
  • Friday, September 18: Sixth through Twelfth Grade Gold Cohorts will come on campus following a B Day schedule. All students in the Blue Cohorts will continue distance learning from home.
 
This first week of hybrid instruction will allow students to get a feel for the new safety protocols described in our Reopening Plan (wearing masks at all times, modified lunch periods, etc.). It will also give parents the opportunity to get accustomed to the new morning drop off locations, filling out the Ruvna health screenings for their sons in the morning, and using the PikMyKid App for afternoon dismissal (more information to follow regarding the Ruvna and PikMyKid apps). Faculty and staff will also use this opportunity to ensure all safety initiatives are followed without exception.
 
The first full week of the hybrid model will begin on Monday, September 21, and will continue until further notice.
  • The Blue Cohorts will attend classes on campus Mondays and Tuesdays, while the Gold Cohorts will learn from home virtually. 
  • The Gold Cohorts will attend classes on campus Thursdays and Fridays, while the Blue Cohorts will learn from home virtually. 
  • Wednesdays students will continue to follow an All Day schedule from home until further notice. High School parents are reminded their sons have Picture Day on Wednesday, September 23. Please refer to the email sent last week for details. 
 
Further information regarding new procedures implemented for this semester will be emailed by the end of the week. The campus is ready. The faculty and staff are ready. Now, there’s only one thing missing… our students. The Band of Brothers will be complete once we welcome them back on campus. 
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BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba by Queen Isabel II of Spain.  The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline.  In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the School property and expelled the Jesuit faculty.  The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow.  Today, Belen Jesuit sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.