Dear Brother Martin Family,

I hope you and your family had a blessed Easter, one that was “safe” but uplifting and hope-filled at the same time. As I watched and listened to Archbishop Aymond’s Easter Mass from St. Louis Cathedral, I took special note of his words describing the “light” of Jesus that reclaims the “darkness” of the tomb. Even though we are not physically together, we are all together as one community of faith. We pray, collaborate, encourage, and support one another, even remotely. We welcome the “light of the world” as we move forward!

To help you understand how Brother Martin is working through this crisis, I would like to share  some updates based on the information we have at the time of this letter regarding our school year and upcoming events.

School Calendar

As you know, Governor John Bel Edwards has officially announced that public schools will not resume classroom instruction for the remainder of the school year. The Archdiocese of New Orleans is currently in consultation with the Office of Catholic Schools to determine the course of the city’s Catholic schools. With our safety uppermost in mind, we are certainly anticipating that our school building will remain closed to students for the remainder of this school year, with “remote learning” continuing to be the way we handle instruction and assessment so that our Crusaders will officially complete their spring semester. Please look for more specific information regarding the school’s academic calendar, including details about senior and underclassmen exams and final grades, from our Principal, Ryan Gallagher.

Regarding school events, all events scheduled for May, including summer trips that begin in May--the College Run and the 8th-grade trip--have been canceled. Expect specifics from the directors of those trips shortly with more details. As of right now, we anticipate that summer programs--summer enrichment, summer camps--will be either canceled or postponed/reconfigured to later summer dates. Our school administration is discussing plans for Credit Recovery, which may also include a “remote learning” component. Please know that we will provide you with the necessary details and information as it becomes available.

And, as sad as it is, especially for our senior athletes, all spring sports have been canceled. These seasons will not be rescheduled, per the Louisiana High School Athletic Association.

Senior Events

With the information we have now, we have tentatively scheduled our graduation for Friday, July 31st at the University of New Orleans Lakefront Arena. The other two major senior events--the Leadership Celebration and the Graduation Mass--will be scheduled during the week leading to this Friday graduation. Our school administration and leadership team are discussing other creative ways we can try to recreate some of our usual senior experiences once it is safe for us to gather again.

Assistance for Students and Families

Please know that if your son is struggling either academically or emotionally at this time, our Formation Center, under Jill Gomez’s leadership, and our Guidance Department are ready to help. Please communicate to your son’s counselor or Mrs. Gomez at jgomez@brothermartin.com.

We are also aware that the stay-at-home order has caused great interruptions to businesses and employment. For any assistance with financial aid applications and tuition questions, please contact our Director of Finance, Mr. Carroll Bourlet, at cbourlet@brothermartin.com.

We are facing an unprecedented event in our world’s history, and part of our challenge is not being able to draw from history on how best to navigate all aspects of this pandemic, from medical issues to economic and family struggles. The Brothers of the Sacred Heart and their lay partners have a history of perseverance in times of struggle, starting with the chaos following the French Revolution. We are here with the same determination and pray that we can weather this challenge and help you do the same.

Let us continue to pray for our world to heal. May we have hope-filled hearts as we navigate the light in each day of uncertainty.

Ametur Cor Jesu… Ametur Cor Mariae!

Sincerely,

Greg Rando '77
President