Details for KCSD pandemic response announced

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP, PA – Keystone Central School District Superintendent Jacquelyn Martin Friday circulated new details on the district’s “Pandemic Response” for the new school year to begin on Aug. 31.
The superintendent details the district’s commitment to a “safe and supportive learning environment,” including a commitment to keeping district schools open for in-person learning, but it is noted full remote learning could return for “pandemic reasons.”

Additionally, the release says masks will be required on school buses and while the CDC recommends universal masking indoors, currently there is no masking mandate within the district. Instead, the superintendent writes, everyone should consult with their doctor or pediatrician before making a decision.

The complete release below:

KCSD Pandemic Response 21-22

The Keystone Central School District is committed to providing safe and supportive learning environments for all students and our entire staff. We are committed to keeping our schools open for in-person learning as we believe that this learning environment provides the best option for developing children academically, socially and emotionally. It also allows us to effectively deliver critical services for our students and families.

We are using layered prevention strategies to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in the school setting. We found that these layered strategies kept cases at a minimum last school year and definitely below the rate of community spread.

Throughout the summer months transmission in our student summer programs was zero known cases among staff and students. As community spread numbers are beginning to rise across the country as we prepare to open the new school year, I believe it is essential to communicate our pandemic response plans with our families and school community.

On July 8, 2021 our school board approved an updated health and safety plan to address the COVID-19 pandemic which includes the following strategies:

• Proper air ventilation
• Cleaning and sanitizing
• Personal Protective Equipment for staff and students including masks, gowns, gloves, plexiglass barriers, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes.
• Physical distancing when possible
• Promoting frequent hand washing and proper respiratory etiquette
• Strategic grouping of students in classes and within classes – seating charts required on busses and for classrooms
• Masks are currently required on school busses. Voluntary parent transportation is an option for families who do not wish to use the school bus.
• Masks & face coverings may be worn by choice on district property. Since the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is currently recommending universal masking indoors for all persons, we encourage everyone to consult with their doctor, or pediatrician, when making their personal decision. Currently there are no mask mandates other than on busses.
• Universal wearing of face masks may be implemented based on pandemic data and consultation with local and state health officials. KCSD will enforce any state mandated orders pertaining to face masks.
• We will maintain physical distancing of 3-6 feet when possible in our schools.
• Temperatures will no longer be taken daily for all, but rather as needed by the school nurse when screening for COVID-19 symptoms.
• Daily cleaning and sanitizing will continue in all buildings.
• KCSD administrators will continue to conduct contact tracing when known cases of Covid-19 have occurred. Principals may require quarantine for known contacts.

The entire KCSD Health and Safety Plan can be accessed on our website at this link.

Our team of administrators is closely monitoring the following data to inform our decisions regarding school safety and keeping schools open for in-person instruction:

• Levels of Community Transmission
• Local Vaccination Coverage
• Testing
• Outbreaks and Trends in our schools and community
• Strain on the local health care systems
• Adequate school staffing

KCSD schools may revert to full remote learning for pandemic reasons or in the case of poor weather. Individual students who are in quarantine or isolation may be approved for short term (less than 14 days) of remote learning with their classroom teacher but this is not a permanent learning option this school year. Remote snow days are new this year and I feel that it is better for our students to keep learning and moving along throughout the school year rather than adding instructional days in June. Principals and teachers will provide detailed expectations to students and parents when the school year gets underway.

Closures could happen again with single schools, or with all schools, therefore I strongly recommend that all families prepare emergency plans for remote learning.

Along with the pandemic data listed above, school closures could be implemented when the following thresholds are met:

When multiple cases of 5-10% of all students, teachers and staff in one school are known to be positive, or presumed positive within a 14-day period, and linked to the school setting or a school activity (including athletics) occurs, it is considered an outbreak. These thresholds are aligned with recommendations from the PA Department of Health and the National Office of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and will assist in guiding the decision to close schools.

At the present time, the rate of community spread is much lower than last spring when we were in school…but the bad news is that they are trending upward in the nation, the state and our local area. According to the CDC, vaccinations are effective in helping protect people from COVID-19. For more information on vaccines:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/keythingstoknow.html

Finally, I realize that the changes to the start and end times have created some challenges for many but the shortage of bus drivers was the primary reason for the time changes. I apologize for any inconveniences you may have experienced while we had to make this adjustment. Please contact your principals for any questions or concerns with the bell schedules.

Families who wish to enroll their children in the Virtual Academy should register as soon as possible or for more information on this learning option, you may contact Virtual Academy Principal Justin Evey at: jevey@kcsd.us

While mitigation efforts and school closures are not ideal for any of us, we know that we can implement them with success and we are better prepared than last school year. I look forward to welcoming our students and staff back this school year and I am confident that if we work together we will continue to achieve school success!

Respectfully,
Dr. Jacquelyn Martin
Superintendent