Dear Catholic School Administrators, Teachers, and Parents,

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) recently issued a memorandum indicating that online instruction will not count toward instructional hours for public schools. While this is true for public schools, please know this MDE instruction is not applicable to our 87 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit.

The administrators and teachers in our Catholic schools have been working diligently and tirelessly this week to prepare and implement distance learning plans for students to be implemented next week. We believe that it is in our students’ best interest to continue learning and developing skills remotely, even though they are unable to attend school in person. As Superintendent of Schools, please know our schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit will continue with our distance learning plans and this instructional time will count toward our instructional hours.

I thank all of our teachers, parents, and students for their resiliency and dedication given this developing situation, as they begin distance learning next week with the same dedication and rigor found in the classroom. Any necessary adjustments to our plans will be communicated proactively and timely. Please also know the Department of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Detroit will continue to support our school communities during this exceptional time.

Please join Archbishop Vigneron and me in praying for all those impacted by this current crisis and for the protection of all of our communities.

Sincerely,
Kevin D. Kijewski, J.D.
Superintendent of Schools