KCSD Provides Parents Update on Approaching School Year

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – The Keystone Central School District has provided parents within the district updated plans for the reopening of schools in August. The information came Friday from Superintendent Jacquelyn Martin and is reprinted below:
June 26, 2020

Dear KCSD Families and Community,

While I am proud of our efforts during the forced school closure on March 13, 2020, I know that remote teaching and learning was not a substitute for face to face learning experiences for most of our students. Balancing the top priority of the health, safety, and well-being of our students and staff with the goal of quality education has been the greatest challenge of my thirty-year career in education. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we have been planning for a viable response to this unprecedented situation.

On June 3, 2020, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) issued Preliminary Guidance for Phased Reopening of Pre-K to 12 Schools. Each school entity must create a Health and Safety Plan which will serve as the local school district guidelines for all school reopening activities. The reopening of our schools is dependent on Clinton County and Centre County (portions of Centre County are in the KCSD attendance area) staying in the currently assigned Green Phase designations.

Your feedback, along with staff and student feedback, has been so valuable as our administrative team has begun to develop a detailed plan to welcome our students and staff back into our schools. From the most recent PDE Document on Reopening PA Schools, there is evidence that practices such as physical distancing, masking, ventilation, cleaning, and hygiene have the potential to lessen the severity of the spread of COVID-19, including in school settings. According to the research and information provided by PDE, “the virus presents a relatively low risk to children, but schools might nonetheless be vectors of community transmission, posing larger risks to the adults with whom infected children come into contact”. We will have three different school environments that give our families a voice and choice in the most appropriate learning experience for their children.

Based on advice for schools from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the following options will be available for KCSD students for the 2020-2021 school year::

● Learning at Home. This environment offers the lowest risk for contracting or spreading COVID-19. There are two different options for remote learning in the home:
○ KCSD curriculum and KCSD teachers (synchronous with on-site classes). Each student will have their own Chromebook provided by the school district and use a standardized learning platform (Google Classroom or Schoology). Hygiene practices and limited interactions with people are monitored by parents and guardians.
○ KCSD Virtual Academy (asynchronous learning) with CIOLA Courses. Each student will have their own Chromebook provided by the school district and use a standardized learning platform (Canvas). Hygiene practices and limited interactions with people are monitored by parents and guardians. More information on this option can be found at https://oll.kcsd.k12.pa.us/ or you may contact the Virtual Academy Principal, Justin Evey at jevey@kcsd.us or by calling 570-892-4900 extension 4506. Enrollment is open to any KCSD student.

● Hybrid Learning – Students work on remote learning (KCSD curriculum or KCSD Virtual Academy) at school in a learning environment that follows increased safety precautions. In this environment, students will report to school via the bus, parent dropoff, walking or driving. Students who ride on district transportation will have an assigned seat (likely with another student) and be expected to wear masks during transport. Each student will have their own Chromebook provided by the school district and use a standardized learning platform (Google Classroom or Schoology). In this environment, teachers, staff, and students are required to wear masks or face shields, social distancing of six feet is maintained throughout the day and limited interactions with a smaller number of students and staff (approximately 20-30 each day). Buildings and classrooms will have proper ventilation and we will utilize outdoor spaces for lunch and learning when feasible. All of the facilities will be cleaned and sanitized daily. We will promote proper hygiene practices and provide hand sanitizer to students and staff.

● Learning at school with precautions in place. In this environment, students will report to school via the bus, parent dropoff, walking or driving. Students who ride on district transportation will have an assigned seat (likely with another student) and be expected to wear masks during transport. Each student will have their own Chromebook provided by the school district and use a standardized learning platform (Google Classroom or Schoology). All staff will be required to wear masks or face shields except in their classrooms/offices or when eating or drinking. It is strongly recommended that students wear masks when transitioning to and from classes, but it will not be required. All students and staff will have a health screening (temperature check) upon entering their school building. Social distancing (3 – 6 feet apart where possible) will be implemented when possible, large group areas will be used sparingly and hallway traffic will be limited when feasible. At the elementary level, student interactions will be limited to their homeroom and grade level where possible (approximately 30-60 each day). At the secondary level, the new block schedule will also limit interactions with a smaller number of students and staff (approximately 75 -100 each day). Buildings and classrooms will have proper ventilation and we will utilize outdoor spaces for lunch and learning when feasible. All of the facilities will be cleaned and sanitized daily. We will promote proper hygiene practices and provide hand sanitizer to students and staff.

Please know that this general plan is still developing into a detailed plan. We have six subcommittees working on details for the following areas:
● Leadership
● Instruction
● Safety & Facilities
● Wellness
● Partnerships & Activities
● Operations

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be provided for all staff members. We have ordered custom masks, protective shields, gowns, gloves and additional sanitizing products. Plexiglass barriers are also being installed in some areas across the district.

We may have to adjust the school calendar or begin/end times for employees to ensure that the safety precautions are in place daily. If there are any changes to the school calendar, they will be recommended to the school board for approval in July. You can expect a “soft reopening” for the first few days of the school year so that we can limit the number of students in each building to teach everyone the new procedures and tend to all technology needs. More information will be provided to you as soon as it becomes available.

Remember that these plans are contingent upon our community staying in the GREEN Phase. While I am confident that our efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community will help to mitigate the virus, the reality is that we cannot be sure that it will work. Therefore, we must also develop a contingency plan if we move to the YELLOW Phase or RED Phase. In the RED Phase schools are required to close and we will return to remote learning for all students. We need to be ready to make this with very little notice. Therefore, learning plans are being developed to assist our teachers with an instructional plan that can be utilized in either environment. If KCSD is forced to close and move to remote learning again, there will be structured learning expectations implemented for students.

This has been an incredibly challenging time for our entire school and community. Our plan for reopening schools will certainly impose some inconveniences to everyone. If each one of us do our part by following the recommendations every moment possible and exercise patience, I believe that we can balance quality education with safety during a national pandemic.

Warmly,

Jacque