According to a press release from Dr. Gregory Koons, Executive Director of the Intermediate Unit 29, twelve Schuylkill County Superintendents met with Schuylkill Emergency Management and representatives from Lehigh Valley Health Network to discuss school reopening options on Wednesday.
The goal of the meeting was to develop a cohesive list of guiding principles that each school will utilize to develop their individualized district Health and Safety Plans, which each district is required to prepare as per Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) guidelines. PDE requires individual Health and Safety Plans to be school board approved and submitted to the state.
The guiding principles for the reopening of Schuylkill County Schools were developed after reviewing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Education, the American Association of Pediatrics, Schuylkill County Emergency Management and Health Care Providers.
The guiding principles for the reopening of Schuylkill County Schools were developed after reviewing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Education, the American Association of Pediatrics, Schuylkill County Emergency Management and Health Care Providers.
The conversation was facilitated by Dr. Gregory Koons, Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 Executive Director and Shannon Brennan, Director of Schuylkill Technology Center in cooperation with John Matz, EMA Director of Schuylkill Emergency Management Association, and John Brobst, Director of Security and Safety for Lehigh Valley Health Network, Schuylkill Center.
The guiding principles include:
1. We believe in the daily screening of students, staff and faculty as a mitigation effort with shared responsibility that is further defined in the individual health and safety plans.
2. We believe in disinfecting our Schools; including high touch surfaces as well as common areas regularly.
3. We believe in the benefits of social distancing to the maximum extent possible.
4. We believe in our responsibility to continuously educate our students, parents, staff and faculty of the signs of symptoms of COVID-19.
5. We believe that face coverings should be worn by students, staff and faculty within our school buildings as per July 1, 2020 guidance from the Department of Health.
6. We believe that virtual education may be a preference for some students and families and we are working diligently to make those options more rigorous and reflective of in-person instruction.
7. We believe students, staff, faculty and visitors should wash hands frequently and utilize hand sanitizers as needed, particularly before and after lunch and upon entering our buildings.
8. We believe in the need to isolate symptomatic students to mitigate the spread of disease.
9. We believe in the revision of cafeteria schedules and seating to avoid overcrowding.
A second Health and Safety Planning work session is scheduled for Wednesday, July 22, 2020 at Schuylkill Technology Center to further define plans for the new school year and share resources.
The guiding principles include:
1. We believe in the daily screening of students, staff and faculty as a mitigation effort with shared responsibility that is further defined in the individual health and safety plans.
2. We believe in disinfecting our Schools; including high touch surfaces as well as common areas regularly.
3. We believe in the benefits of social distancing to the maximum extent possible.
4. We believe in our responsibility to continuously educate our students, parents, staff and faculty of the signs of symptoms of COVID-19.
5. We believe that face coverings should be worn by students, staff and faculty within our school buildings as per July 1, 2020 guidance from the Department of Health.
6. We believe that virtual education may be a preference for some students and families and we are working diligently to make those options more rigorous and reflective of in-person instruction.
7. We believe students, staff, faculty and visitors should wash hands frequently and utilize hand sanitizers as needed, particularly before and after lunch and upon entering our buildings.
8. We believe in the need to isolate symptomatic students to mitigate the spread of disease.
9. We believe in the revision of cafeteria schedules and seating to avoid overcrowding.
A second Health and Safety Planning work session is scheduled for Wednesday, July 22, 2020 at Schuylkill Technology Center to further define plans for the new school year and share resources.