A New school year! All students to continue at-home learning

“I am excited to learn new things!” – Oscar, incoming kindergarten student

Dear GRACES Community,

Happy New Year! January in Guatemala not only brings the start of a new calendar year, but it also is the time of a new school year. Schools in Guatemala begin in January and continue through October, with November and December resembling “summer break.” Students at Escuela Integrada start school tomorrow, Thursday, January 14.

The new year brings excitement as we enroll a new group of kindergarten students and welcome students to the start of their next academic level.

With the current status of COVID-19 in Guatemala, the students will begin the school year learning from home. At-home learning will continue until June, and possibly longer.

We will be providing school supplies and cell phone data packages for students to be able to complete their learning from home. Our emergency nutrition support will also continue with food bag distribution once per month.

While we wish things were different—and the pandemic at its end—we still have a long road ahead. We will be reaching out in the coming months to ask for your financial support to provide school supplies and food for the children, and we will continue to keep you informed along the way.

For now, we invite you to celebrate the continuity of education for the families of Escuela Integrada with the blessing of a new school year. Please pray for our students, teachers and administrators this week.

May God bless the start of your new year and keep your families safe and healthy.

The GRACES Executive Team