Dear Knights,
My name is DJ Mara. I am a junior here at Saint Paul, and am serving as the first Editor in Chief of the Saint Paul Gazette. I would like to sincerely thank you for reading our inaugural issue. Additionally, I would like to thank our club moderator, Mr. St. John, and our entire newspaper staff, for the immense amount of work that was put into this publication.
To get to this point in time was no easy task, whether a member of the student body or faculty at Saint Paul. Not only were we moving through the complicated stages of the merger of St. Peter-Marian and Holy Name, but we were doing so while being enthralled in the COVID-19 pandemic and remote/hybrid learning models.
On December 18th, 2019, it was announced that St. Peter-Marian was to merge with Holy Name. It caught so many (including myself) off guard, as it was a complete shock, and was not a heavy rumor at the time. There were also many uncertain factors regarding the merger—location, name, colors, mascot, faculty, administration, etc. However, by putting our complete trust in each other, the administration, the process, and God, we have been able to better navigate the initial stages of the merger. We certainly have a long way to go until it feels “complete”, but we will get there in due time.
In addition to the merger, we have felt the aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic to a great extent. On March 13th, 2020, it was announced that the diocesan schools in Worcester would go through a routine closure for two weeks. Those two weeks then turned into two months, which then led to school moving to a fully remote model for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. In a two-week timespan, both St. Peter-Marian and Holy Name were preparing to put on their school plays, but were then adjusting to remote learning. No matter how old you were or what grade you were in, the pandemic took a toll on us all. Whether sports cancellations, the transition to learning through independent study and through Zoom sessions, or attending virtual club meetings, we all have had to sacrifice a great deal.
Even this school year, we have been under many restrictions to successfully learn under a hybrid model, including wearing masks, only being in-person two days a week, and distanced classrooms. These restrictions have brought out many feelings, including frustration, agitation, and confusion. However, these restrictions are what allows us to be in-person for those two days a week. They are what allow Saint Paul to make positive strides towards a full in-person learning model.
If we were told a year ago that these events were to take place this year, we would have dismissed them as impossible and inflammatory statements. But here we are, a year later, as better versions of ourselves. However, I know that everyone’s grit, persistence, and patience are what have gotten us through this past year.
In order to get back to what used to be normal, we must follow the restrictions put before us. We must apply the same grit, persistence, and patience, to get where we want to be.
Good luck with the rest of the first semester!
DJ Mara
Class of 2022
Editor in Chief
The Saint Paul Gazette
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