LG’s Sacred Heart To Lead the Way as Schools Set to Open in Fayette County

Sacred Heart Catholic School in La Grange will be one of the first schools in Fayette County to resume fall classes, when their students return to the classroom Thursday Aug. 13.

“We like to be first,” said Principal LaDonna Voelkel.

Most of the other schools in the county will resume classes much later in August (though St. Rose in Schulenburg will actually beat Sacred Heart by one day, resuming Wednesday Aug. 12). La Grange ISD starts Aug. 20.

All Fayette County schools’ spring semesters were abruptly changed from in-person instruction back in March because of pandemic precautions.

Voelkel is excited about welcoming the students back and excited about her school’s plan for keeping them safe.

“We sent out a draft plan to parents two weeks ago and it was pretty comprehensive,” Voelkel.

That plan was crafted taking into account minimum standards for safety handed down from the Austin Diocese but then each private school in the diocese built upon those standards to fit their own situations. Voelkel said Sacred Heart was also studying public school standards as they built their return plan.

Voelkel said both teachers and parents are excited about the safety measures the school is taking and excited about returning. She said less than onepercent of parents have chosen not to send their students back to the campus for instruction this fall, and they are getting “lots of inquires” from new families interested in the school. Pre-Kthrough second grade enrollment is full and has a waiting list, she said.

Among the safety measures she said the school will be implementing are:

• Disinfecting areas throughout the day.

• Grouping students into “cohorts” that stay together throughout the day to limit the number of other students they are exposed to.

• Students will request library books online instead of visiting the library.

• Lunches will be delivered to classrooms.

• Specialty teachers (like music and religion teachers) will move from class to class, instead of students departing to other rooms – another way to limit student exposure in the school.

• Masks and face shields will be worn by students (sometimes both, Voelkel said). Parents are being asked to provide masks, and the school is providing the face shields, which can be affixed to visors or caps that the students will be allowed to wear.

“We are so happy to be getting the kids back,” Voelkel said. “School is like a second home for kids.”