Catholic schools across the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis are readying their own, unique COVID-19 plans, with broad guidance from archdiocesan school officials, as they prepare to open their doors to a new school year.

They are using experience gained from a year of pandemic precautions while offering in-person learning, and buoyed by high vaccination rates in Minnesota. At the same time, schools are carefully monitoring spread of the highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19, and they are prepared to do what is necessary to keep students, teachers and staff safe.

“You know what, St. Agnes did a great job last year, and we expect you to do the same this year,” Kevin Ferdinandt, headmaster of St. Agnes School in St. Paul, said of the vibe he has picked up from parents, teachers and staff as they get ready for an Aug. 30 school start.

None of the more than 90 Catholic elementary and high schools in the archdiocese had to close their campus last school year due to the pandemic, though some classes were quarantined at home when individual cases of COVID-19 were reported.

That followed the March 2020 shutdown by the state of Minnesota of all public and nonpublic campuses and the use of distance learning as the novel coronavirus first gained a foothold in the state. The next fall, many public-school campuses remained closed even as Catholic schools successfully opened, and all schools were ordered by state officials to require face masks.

The state-imposed face mask mandate is not in effect this school year, and many Catholic schools are not requiring them, even as they support students, faculty and staff who wish to wear them and encourage the unvaccinated to wear them.

The first line of defense, school officials say, is staying healthy — and staying home when ill.

“We’re encouraging people to stay home when they are ill,” said Kelly Refsnider, director of marketing and communications at Totino-Grace High School in Fridley. “That can be hard, but it is in your best interest, and in the best interest of others.”

Ferdinandt said staying home when ill is one of the most important lessons the school learned last year. Other aids in remaining healthy at home and in school are washing hands, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and increasing ventilation in buildings, he said.

Face coverings will not be required at St. Agnes, but the school will work to ensure that anyone wishing to wear a face mask will be treated with respect, he said.

Archdiocesan school officials are weighing in where it is helpful.

“Consistent with archdiocesan guidance, Catholic schools are developing health and safety plans that they will communicate to families and they are eager to welcome students back for another year of in-person learning,” school officials with the archdiocese said.

Jane Bona, principal of Immaculate Conception School in Columbia Heights, said she and other administrators are monitoring advice from the archdiocese, the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control as they prepare for the school year.

Administrators at Immaculate Conception are encouraging parents to watch for updates every two to three weeks, and to know that the situation can change, Bona said. “At this time, Aug. 10, wearing a face covering is optional,” Bona said. “But we are aware that some (public) schools around us are requiring face masks.”

Students will be encouraged to bring a face mask to school, Bona said, and all public transportation, including school buses, now require face masks.

In addition, proper social distancing and increased sanitary measures are being used at Immaculate Conception to protect against the novel coronavirus — and many other illnesses, such as the flu, Bona said. “We stayed pretty healthy this last school year,” she said. “It did help to increase our health and safety protocols.”

Totino-Grace will hold its school orientation Aug. 27 and begin classes Aug. 30, Refsnider said. Masks will not be required but the unvaccinated are encouraged to wear them.

The high school is ready to pivot to hybrid online-in-person learning if that becomes necessary, but it is preparing to open with in-person learning as the go-to model, she said.

“It’s so important for people to learn in the classroom,” Refsnider said.

Totino-Grace also is taking the best of what it learned about online and outdoor options when indoor, in-person events could not be held — such as major fundraisers, high school graduation ceremonies and student play and concert performances — to mix, match and combine those alternatives and broaden its audience, she said.

“A lot of time and effort went into redesigning and refocusing events,” she said. “It was fun and different to have some events outdoors. We are considering across the board what was a success and a good experience. It’s important going forward to adapt some ways to make events more memorable.”