St. Augustine High School
Covid-19 update – 4/6/2020
From the Principal – Mr. James Horne
Saintsmen and families,
We need hope as much as ever. And Easter and the resurrection offer us a message of hope in the darkest of hours. We wish you the blessings of Easter in a time when all of us need it most. Hang in there, stay focused on your schoolwork, hug the ones you are with and keep the faith.
Join us this week for Wednesday Mass and Stations of the Cross.
“You have made us for yourself O’ Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”
From the office of the President – Mr. Edwin Hearn
TASTE of SAINTS is our largest fundraiser of the year. However, it is about more than the money we raise for our endowment. It is an evening of connecting with former classmates, catching up with friends we do not see enough and making new friends. Taste of Saints would not be the same any other way.
With that in mind, we have made the decision to reschedule for this summer. Our tentative date is Saturday, August 15, 2020.
If you have already purchased tickets, we can hold on to your registration or we can refund you. Please email ccallery@sahs.org if you prefer to receive a refund.
We look forward to seeing you at Taste of Saints this summer. Stay well
From the Director of Finance and Facilities – Mr. Kevin DeRieux
At this time of financial difficulty for many, Saints has pushed back the re-enrollment and registration deadline to April 30th. We hope this extension alleviates any stress at this time of uncertainty.
From the Assistant Principal for Academics – Mr. Gregory Hecht
As we enter week four of our online learning and prepare for Easter break, please be sure to note the following:
- To all our Saintsmen –We pray this communication finds you healthy and safe during these unique and truly unprecedented times. The St. Augustine High School administration, in consultation with the Academic Council, has determined that spring final examinations, whether online or on the ground at St. Augustine High School, WILL NOT TAKE PLACE. Conducting final exams in the online environment could be fraught with a host of challenges including, but not limited to, logistics and exam security. These factors, coupled with the uncertainty of when and if we would be allowed to return to face-to-face instruction, prompted this decision. There was substantial deliberation on this matter and not a decision that was undertaken lightly. Teachers will be basing final grades on the assignments and assessments given up to and including the final day of instruction, be it online or face-to-face. Thus, it becomes all the more important that Saintsmen continue to remain focused and engaged in their coursework for the balance of the school year.
The final day of instruction for seniors will be Friday, May 22.
The final day of instruction for all freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will be Friday, May 29.
- To all Advanced Placement Students -The College Board has issued a MAJOR update on the upcoming Advanced Placement examinations. Please visit the Advanced Placement corona virus update website (see link below) and carefully review ALL documents concerning the format and implementation of this year’s AP exams. The link also includes the revised exam schedules. Students will be testing from home.
https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/students
It is imperative that ALL AP STUDENTS review the details of the new examination protocols. AP students MUST know their AP account Username and Password and verify that they are able to sign into to their account BEFORE the date of their examination (s). This is a VITAL step as St. Augustine High School DOES NOT have access to ANY student Usernames or Passwords and WILL NOT be able to assist students during the examination days.
- To all Juniors and Seniors – Mrs. Oliwa has made your current transcript available on your SOTW account, in the same place as your Report Card. Remember that when you print out or email this copy of the transcript that it is an “unofficial copy” that can be used for planning purposes or for sending to college reps or coaches that are willing to take an unofficial copy from you. If you need an “official transcript” you must contact your counselor or Mrs. Oliwa to request that it be sent.
- St. Augustine Spring Break will be April 9 through April 19.
From the Assistant Principal for Student Services – Mr. John O’Beirne
- For those parents who paid for an event online and that event is canceled, we will be processing a refund. The refund will be made to the card or account used to book the event. There is no need to contact the school for the refund.
- Although we are in the process of remote learning it is important that we remember the work we turn in is our own. There have been instances where the work that was turned in as the students was actually from an internet source, came from another students IP address, or copied from another student. We would like to remind you of our Academic Integrity Policy, our Saintsman’s Pledge and your own personal integrity to do the right thing in these challenging times.
Academic Dishonesty/Cheating
Copying any part of someone else’s homework, quiz, test, or any assignment designated as individual work and/or knowingly allowing another student/s to copy answers on a quiz, test, or homework assignment.
- Using any sources, materials, or equipment not authorized by the teacher.
- Allowing another student to submit your work in their name.
- Stealing tests, quizzes, answer keys, or any other assignment belonging to a student and/or teacher.
- Attempted cheating (e.g. intent to use unauthorized notes on a test or quiz).
- Violating a teacher’s stated policy, instruction, or expectation on an assignment, quiz, or exam.
- Allowing yourself and/or another person to achieve an academic advantage by, but not limited to, the following means: talking, gestures, signs, texting, notes, photos, etc.
- Collaborating on an assignment without prior permission from your teacher.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism means using someone else’s ideas or words as if they are your own. A passage, an interpretation, or a finding in research that is not your own must be properly documented.
Plagiarism can be any of the following:
- Copying another’s work verbatim (word for word without acknowledgement).
- Paraphrasing another’s work without acknowledgement.
- Patching together a paper using different sources without acknowledgement of all those sources.
- Using someone else’s idea or information that is not public domain or commonly known as your own idea.
- Presenting as one’s own photographs and/or artwork and not giving proper credit to the original artist.
- Submitting work previously done (or simultaneously done) for another course for credit without prior permission from your teacher.
From the Assistant Principal for Auxiliary Services and the Athletic Director – Mr. Michael Haupt and Mr. Matthew Linville
CIF Executive Director, Ron Nocetti
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – Based on the recent statements issued by Governor Newsom and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, regarding schools turning to distance learning for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) does not see an avenue for the spring sports season to continue. As such, in consultation today with the 10 Section Commissioners, the decision has been made to cancel spring Section, Regional, and State Championship events.
We understand this is disappointing for everyone involved in education-based athletics and empathize with our student-athletes and all who are impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. As always, our top priority is everyone’s ongoing health and safety during this challenging time, and we all look forward to the day when education-based athletics resumes.
From the Director of Counseling Services – Dr. Jerry Rey
Today’s update applies mainly to graduating seniors who have been accepted to a UC or CSU school, and to juniors who will be applying to UC or CSU schools for Fall of 2021.
Both the UC System and the CSU System have announced that they have temporarily relaxed their admissions standards for both newly admitted students and prospective high school and community college students to account for issues related to the COVID-19 disruptions.
For Seniors: At UC campuses, the deadline for students to accept their admissions offers remains May 1 for freshmen and June 1 for transfer students. However, the university has asked campuses to provide maximum flexibility for students who request extensions. Students should contact campus admissions offices directly with these requests. And, despite changes to the format and content of AP exams this term, the university will continue to award credit for exams with scores of 3, 4 or 5.
CSU campuses are prepared to be as flexible as possible with students who need may need more time to meet intent to enroll, and transcript deadlines. And regarding AP Exams, the CSU will honor all existing transferable credit articulation for spring 2020 AP exams on which scores of 3, 4, or 5 are earned.
For Juniors: UC will suspend the standardized test requirement (SAT and ACT) for students applying for fall 2021 freshman admission. This modification is not intended as an admissions policy shift but is rather a temporary accommodation driven by the current extraordinary circumstances.
For the UC Response on Admissions to the COVID-19 outbreak you can go to https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/response-covid-19.html
For the CSU schools you can go to the specific website for the schools you are interested in.
From the Associated Student Body President – Mr. Jeffrey Walsh
Saintsmen – Thank you all for continuing to work diligently and treat these circumstances as regular school. I apologize for the end of the year activities that will be missed as a result of the Coronavirus. We, as an ASB, had many events planned for our student body and are very sorry that we will be unable to put them on. I can promise you that the ASB will have the same enthusiasm next year and hold events that make up for those that we couldn’t have this year.
Please also take some time to thank your families for making the necessary adjustments at home for you to continue your schooling online. These times aren’t easy for anyone and it is important that we acknowledge the sacrifices that everyone has to make.
I hope to see you all soon!
Events Update
The following is a list of events that, as of March 16, have been cancelled or postponed:
April 5 – Mother Son Brunch-CANCELLED
April 7 – Border Days-CANCELLED
April 8 – Stations of the Cross-CANCELLED
April 23 – Spring Concert-CANCELLED
April 28 – Sophomore Retreat-CANCELLED
May 9 – Prom-CANCELLED
May 21 – Underclass Awards Ceremony-CANCELLED
May 22 – Senior Class Awards Ceremony -CANCELLED
May 25 – Memorial Day – No classes
May 29 – Baccalaureate and Graduation – TBD
Questions? – email us …. The Faculty and Staff email directory can be found here https://www.sahs.org/faculty/
We will continue to be diligent in communicating facts and changes to school plans/activities and push notifications to the community using CANVAS, social media sites, and the website.
Thanks … pray for us and know we are praying for you.
