For 65 years, Fontbonne has been educating and inspiring girls; teaching them how to be leaders in scholarship, spirituality and community. When it was time to transition to Distance Learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Fontbonne did not miss a beat. An emergency virtual learning plan was enacted and faculty, staff and students collaborated to ensure its success.
“It was the Administration’s top priority to have a plan in place in the event campus needed to be closed due to the pandemic,” said Maura Spignesi, Head of School. “In the days before the closure happened our Director of Technology worked closely with our Adult Learning Community to train them on how their lesson plans could continue virtually. This thorough preparation allowed us to transition smoothly into distance learning without any hesitation, without wasting any time.”
Extra measures were taken to ensure no student was left behind. The Administration reached out to all families who did not have WiFi access at home and took steps to provide them with it. “As students without sufficient internet access have been identified our administration approved the purchase of monthly hotspots to provide them with consistent access to distance learning for the coming weeks and months, to ensure the shortest downtime for students, we have even been able to deliver these hotspots to students in their home communities,” said Michelle Shaw, Director of Technology.
Fontbonne is now beginning the third week of Distance Learning. Week one was filled with many firsts and challenges, but the strong, mission-driven community has not faltered. The faculty, staff, students and their families have all been working together; sharing tips for success and creative ways to keep academics on track. One parent commented in an email to Administration, “Fontbonne had a well-executed plan which the students and parents can follow. The process went very smooth and my daughter has commented that it seems the workload has even been stepped up a notch (which is ok with me.)”
Students have been provided with a daily schedule they must follow. Attendance is taken in every virtual class. If a student cannot take part in the day’s learning, a parent must inform the Main Office that they will be absent. Sessions with School Counselors continue to take place and the Academic Success Center is open virtually for tutoring.
“Our Adult Learning Community is working everyday to improve our best practices in distance learning and spending countless hours on prepping their courses. This dedication to our students is admirable,” adds Spignesi. And the lines of communication are fully open. Teachers are quick to respond to emails and the school’s website has a page dedicated to the COVID-19 pandemic. It details all of the important information families need to know.
Fontbonne is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. “Relationship is at the heart of our mission,” said Lisa Simmons, Director of Communications and Marketing. “So during this time of not being physically together in the building, it is crucial for us to maintain our close-knit community; proving that our love and commitment to each other knows no boundaries.”
How is Fontbonne managing to do that? The community starts their virtual day with daily prayer and announcements. The Student Council officers create an entertaining video that is posted internally and externally for the community to take part in. Teachers and administration have been holding special sessions in Google Hangouts or Zoom. Some examples are “Meditation with School Counselor Mrs. Myers,” and “Positivi-TEA” with the Administrative Dean and Health & Wellness Coordinator. Our senior leaders reached out to the community and are working on a schoolwide lip sync dub of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough!”
The Fontbonne social media channels are filled with photos of staff and students during this uncertain time. “No one could have predicted the challenging times that the world is in right now. But surprisingly, it is in these moments that I remember just why I chose to come to Fontbonne,” says Christie Louis ‘20. “In moments of uncertainty and sadness, there is no stronger community than Fontbonne. While we are no longer able to be together in our physical establishment, we’ve come to realize that Fontbonne was never just a building but rather the community and family that we’ve built around us. Whether it be a text to check up on a friend or a classroom Google Meet’s video call, we’ve done what we do best here at Fontbonne, we’ve turned to one another and offered one another guidance, support, and most of all, love.”
