Thursday, November 12, 2020

PA Ed Policy Roundup for Nov. 12, 2020: Calls for schools to go fully virtual amid COVID surge

Started in November 2010, daily postings from the Keystone State Education Coalition now reach more than 4050 Pennsylvania education policymakers – school directors, administrators, legislators, legislative and congressional staffers, Governor's staff, current/former PA Secretaries of Education, superintendents, school solicitors, principals, charter school leaders, PTO/PTA officers, parent advocates, teacher leaders, business leaders, faith-based organizations, labor organizations, education professors, members of the press and a broad array of P-16 regulatory agencies, professional associations and education advocacy organizations via emails, website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

 

These daily emails are archived and searchable at http://keystonestateeducationcoalition.org

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If any of your colleagues would like to be added to the email list please have them send their name, title and affiliation to KeystoneStateEdCoalition@gmail.com

 

 

Keystone State Education Coalition

PA Ed Policy Roundup for Nov. 12, 2020

Calls for schools to go fully virtual amid COVID surge

 

 

Want some cliff notes on the school funding lawsuit currently in the Commonwealth Court? Check this out: https://fundourschoolspa.org/faq

 

 

School Funding Lawsuit Webinar Nov 19, 2020 07:00 PM

Public Interest Law Center and Education Law Center

Join attorneys from the Public Interest Law Center and Education Law Center to learn about Pennsylvania's school funding lawsuit. If you live in a plaintiff district--The School District of Lancaster, Johnstown Area, Wilkes-Barre Area, William Penn, Panther Valley and Shenandoah Valley--you will have an opportunity to hear directly from attorneys in the case about opportunities to support the lawsuit in your community. This webinar is open to anyone who would like to learn more about the lawsuit.

Register here: https://krc-pbpc-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0vf-qupzksG9aCbcMrzXxpN7nc2J68016m

 

Incredible data visualization by @ResearchPhilly tells a troubling story about how the wealthy few - in this case Jeff Yass - exert political influence on PA charter school policy.

Doing our best to model the millions of dollars flowing between PACs that are funded primarily by options trader/school privatization champion Jeff Yass – and fueling the Commonwealth Partners-affiliated PA Republican political spending juggernaut. Deep dive in the twitter thread below…

Philly Power Research Tweet October 29, 2020

https://twitter.com/ResearchPhilly/status/1321794857397047296

 

“DelRosso’s campaign was mostly financed by such labor unions, which contributed $201,000 of the $240,000 she raised between June and October this year. She was also aided by $159,000 in mailers from the Commonwealth Leaders Fund, a conservative group backed by a pro-school choice billionaire.”

After year of tough votes, Dermody loses reelection, clearing way for Democratic free-for-all

PA Capital Star By Stephen Caruso November 11, 2020

After three decades in Harrisburg, one of them spent managing an increasingly diverse Democratic caucus, and a number of electoral close calls, House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, D-Allegheny, will not be returning for a 16th term. In a concession statement issued Tuesday night, Dermody wished his GOP challenger, Oakmont Councilwoman Carrie DelRosso, luck in the future in addressing the “many issues facing our commonwealth that will require bipartisan cooperation.” DelRosso currently leads Dermody 51.5 to 48.5 in the 33rd House District, according to unofficial results on the Department of State website. But as early as last Thursday, he already appeared in trouble. Political observers say the job of minority leader is hard when you’re tasked with defending your own party’s governor, as Dermody was often called to do this year on such controversial topics as the coronavirus and climate change. He also faced a well-funded opponent aided by a traditional Democratic allies in organized labor and a big money Republican donor who spent liberally this year to help elect conservatives.

https://www.penncapital-star.com/government-politics/after-year-of-tough-votes-dermody-loses-reelection-clearing-way-for-democratic-free-for-all/

 

AP Explains: Election’s validity intact despite Trump claims

AP News By NOMAAN MERCHANT November 11, 2020

The U.S. presidential election was not tainted by widespread voter fraud or irregularities in how ballots were counted, despite a huge effort by President Donald Trump to prove otherwise. In refusing to concede the election, Trump claims that he would have won were it not for “illegal” votes counted in several states that he lost or where he is currently trailing. But Trump and his allies haven’t offered any proof, and their legal challenges have largely been rejected by the courts. Nonpartisan investigations of previous elections have found that voter fraud is exceedingly rare. State officials from both parties, as well as international observers, have also stated that the 2020 election went well. A look at the election and the allegations Trump has made:

https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-elections-courts-f67b847f656e08a6019dcb308f2b4451?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP_Politics&utm_campaign=SocialFlow

 

Pa. is getting hammered by new COVID cases. Can a new lockdown be far behind? | Thursday Morning Coffee

PA Capital Star Commentary By John L. Micek November 12, 2020

Good Thursday Morning, Fellow Seekers.

With Pennsylvania rocked by a fall surge in COVID-19 infections, a loud voice in the state’s medical community is speaking up. On Wednesday, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia recommended that schools across the metropolitan Philadelphia region revert to virtual instruction, as it warned of a “catastrophic situation”, the Inquirer reported. The news came even as the Philadelphia public schools nixed plans to stop hybrid instruction, our partners at the Philadelphia Tribune reported. Speaking to the Inquirer on Wednesday, David Rubin, the head of CHOP’s PolicyLab, said that while most infections of children and teachers appeared to be taking place away from the classroom, there was “increasing evidence” that the virus was being transmitted in schools around the Philly area. And there may be even more because contact tracers haven’t been able to keep pace with an exploding caseload, the newspaper also noted. “We are sort of at the collapse of these plans” for school reopenings, Rubin told the Inquirer, adding, “We are in a catastrophic situation in the Philadelphia region.”

Which begs the question: How long before the rest of Pennsylvania, which has seen skyrocketing increases in cases this week, faces the same scenario?

https://www.penncapital-star.com/commentary/pa-is-getting-hammered-by-new-covid-cases-how-long-until-a-new-lockdown-thursday-morning-coffee/

 

CHOP recommends Philly-area schools close amid coronavirus surge: ‘We are in a catastrophic situation’

Inquirer by Maddie Hanna, Posted: November 11, 2020- 12:04 PM

With coronavirus cases surging, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia PolicyLab is recommending that schools across the region revert to virtual programs. In an interview Wednesday, David Rubin, director of the PolicyLab, said that while most infections of children and teachers appear to be occurring out of school, there is “increasing evidence” that the virus is being transmitted in schools around the area. There may be even more in-school transmission occurring than is known, Rubin said, because contact tracers haven’t been able to keep up with the surging caseload as Philadelphia and Pennsylvania have tallied record-high infections. “We are sort of at the collapse of these plans” for school reopenings, Rubin said, adding, “We are in a catastrophic situation in the Philadelphia region.” The new recommendation from the research team comes a day after the School District of Philadelphia announced it would not return younger children to classrooms this month as planned. Other area districts have taken different approaches: Central Bucks, for instance, told elementary school families Wednesday morning that they would transition from hybrid in-person and online instruction to a fully in-person program by Dec. 7.

https://www.inquirer.com/education/schools-reopening-closed-coronavirus-philadelphia-pennsylvania-20201111.html

 

CHOP researchers call for all Philly-area schools to go fully virtual

WITF by Avi Wolfman-Arent/Keystone Crossroads  NOVEMBER 11, 2020 | 5:45 PM

A major local medical authority recommends that Philadelphia-area schools go fully virtual amid record spikes in COVID-19. The recommendation comes from the Children Hospital of Philadelphia’s PolicyLab, which has been advising state and local education officials since the pandemic began. Over the summer and fall, the PolicyLab released guidance to help schools reopen classrooms safely — but that was at a time when virus cases in the region had ebbed.

With cases surging across the region and country, PolicyLab said its epidemiological models call for more caution. Researchers now believe all schools — public, parochial, and private — should conduct classes remotely and stay remote through the winter holidays. PolicyLab recommends schools make the shift online by next Monday. “We have convincing evidence that this winter wave has moved in very quickly,” said David Rubin, the doctor who heads the PolicyLab. “This is about ensuring that we have enough capacity in our hospitals to get through the holiday season. I think the worst of the pandemic is upon us.” “This is about getting through the worst part of this crisis,” he said. Rubin added that shutting schools down before Thanksgiving and Christmas could help dampen an anticipated viral spike triggered by family gatherings. He’s hopeful that a break from in-person school can blunt the worst of the pandemic locally and set schools up to return once the new year begins.

https://www.witf.org/2020/11/11/chop-researchers-call-for-all-philly-area-schools-to-go-fully-virtual/

 

CHOP PolicyLab COVID-19 Outlook: Preparing for the Holidays

CHOP PolicyLab Blog DATE POSTED:  Nov 11, 2020

Starting this week, we are changing the format of our blog posts. We’ll now start with a brief highlight of the key findings from our weekly COVID-Lab county-level forecasts, then move on to discuss emerging questions and challenges that are before us. So here goes.

https://policylab.chop.edu/blog/covid-19-outlook-preparing-holidays

 

Delco hospitals are swamped by the coronavirus. Can suburban Philly schools stay open? | Maria Panaritis

Inquirer by Maria Panaritis @panaritism | mpanaritis@inquirer.com Updated: November 11, 2020 - 3:00 PM

As if last week’s elections weren’t exhausting enough, as if all of 2020 hasn’t been a relentless slugfest in which we, the people, are taking all the upper cuts and gut punches, now the monster known as the coronavirus again is rising from the swamp. A second pandemic wave is among us in the region nearly nine months after the first forced shutdowns from which we emerged, partially and gradually, over the summer. Philadelphia public schools and even those in Cherry Hill responded this week by halting plans to resume in-class instruction for their students. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia PolicyLab recommended Wednesday that all area schools revert to virtual learning. And as of this writing, there was no way of knowing whether anyone’s great intentions would hold for even another day. The COVID-19 surge is jockeying for top billing in the news cycle alongside the orgy of obstructionism by a Republican Party that refuses to accept the clear electoral win by Joe Biden over President Trump. It caught my tired mind’s attention enough to make some calls to gauge what we are facing. Just how dangerous, I wanted to know, is this second round, potentially? And what can we expect for public school students who have been so damaged by the total or partial loss of in-class learning for five and, in less-resourced districts, nine months? Here is just some of what I found out:

 

Montco health officials to vote on whether schools should go all virtual

KYW By Jim Melwert KYW Newsradio 1060 November 11, 2020

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) -- The Montgomery County Office of Public Health has a vote scheduled for Thursday that could have an impact on in-person schooling in the county.

At the meeting, the Office of Public Health will consider ordering schools to go to 100% virtual instruction for a two-week period beginning on Nov. 23. The vote comes just days after the School District of Philadelphia announced classes would remain virtual until further notice because of steep increases in COVID-19 infections. The vote also follows Bucks County officials saying that, while students and teachers have been infected outside of schools, they’ve had no documented spread in schools. They say they feel in-school instruction with strict mitigation efforts, wich as desks spaced 6 feet apart and mandatory mask-wearing, were safer than virtual classes, where children weren’t held to any rules. But Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Policy Lab, which has been a driving force in public policy, takes the position that, while schools are operating safely, there is “an upper threshold to safe school operation.” CHOP says they’re seeing positivity rates tick toward 9%, which they say shows the potential for “widespread and uncontrolled community transmission." They say the rise validates their recommendation for schools to transition back to all-virtual learning “to allow the height of this wave to pass.”

https://www.radio.com/kywnewsradio/news/local/montco-to-vote-on-whether-schools-should-go-all-virtual

 

Will Any More Schools Reopen in 2020?

Philadelphia, Minneapolis and other major cities have suspended reopening plans, as cases rise nationwide

New York Times By Amelia Nierenberg and Adam Pasick Nov. 11, 2020

On Tuesday, Philadelphia delayed plans to bring its youngest public school students back to classrooms for at least some in-person instruction on Nov. 30 as cases rise in the city. Remote learning will continue for all students “until further notice,” officials said. “We hope to see these children in school before the spring, but it’s all going to be based on the advice from the health community,” said William R. Hite Jr., the superintendent. A similar trend is playing out across the country, especially in big cities, as U.S. cases and hospitalizations reach a new high. Even though research has shown that children are not likely to spread the virus, many experts say that schools cannot safely reopen while community transmission is rampant — even though closing in-person school carries a heavy social and economic cost. “Most of the country, when you look at the map, a lot of them have case rates that I would say are too high to open schools,” said Benjamin Linas, an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Boston University. “It’s a crisis for public education.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/11/us/will-any-more-schools-reopen-in-2020.html

 

Teachers union: More Pennsylvania schools should go virtual

AP News By MICHAEL RUBINKAM November 11, 2020

With coronavirus running rampant, a suburban Philadelphia county said Wednesday that it will consider ordering schools to pause in-person instruction for two weeks. The state’s largest teachers union, meanwhile, demanded that school districts in nearly two dozen counties with the worst outbreaks tell students to temporarily learn from home. The state recommends virtual instruction in counties with a “substantial” level of community transmission — a number that has been rising rapidly as the virus surges statewide and across the nation. Twenty-three Pennsylvania counties were deemed to have substantial levels of community spread for two consecutive weeks in the state’s latest weekly survey. Some Pennsylvania districts have gone their own way in spite of the state guidance, offering classroom instruction five days a week or using a hybrid model in which students go to school part-time and learn from home part-time. Schools, to this point, have not been seen as significant sources of spread. But with colder weather about to set in and virus cases already skyrocketing, the Pennsylvania State Education Association said Wednesday that it’s time for schools to heed public health advice.

“We must follow these guidelines to the letter. It’s the best way for us to slow the spread of this virus and keep our students, staff, and their families safe,” said Rich Askey, the union president. He added: “It is absolutely unacceptable for any school district to disregard the advice of medical professionals and scientists during a pandemic and put the safety of students, staff, and their families at risk.” The state’s coronavirus guidelines for schools are not mandatory, and the administration of Gov. Tom Wolf has said it has no plans to reimpose a statewide shutdown order. Wolf closed schools last spring, and students spent the rest of the academic year learning virtually. The Pennsylvania School Boards Association said that schools should consult with state education and health officials, as well as local health officials, as they make decisions about whether to offer in-person or remote instruction. “We support local authority in the decision-making since no two communities or school districts are the same,” said the group’s spokesperson, Annette Stevenson.

https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-pennsylvania-philadelphia-897cf636176d6573ad061d0916110128

 

Blogger note: PDE is scheduled to hold the second of two public (virtual) hearings on new cyber charter school applications this week.

PA Department of Education Cyber Charter School Application (Virtual) Hearing Agenda for Thursday, November 12, 2020 9:00 A.M.

Executive Education Cyber Charter School

https://www.education.pa.gov/Documents/K-12/Charter%20Schools/Public%20Hearing%20Agendas/2020%20Public%20Hearings/Executive%20Education%20Charter%20School%20Hearing%20Agenda.pdf

 

TESTIMONY REGARDING THE EXECUTIVE EDUCATION CYBER CHARTER APPLICATION
Pennsylvania Department of Education November 5 and 12, 2020 Tomea Sippio-Smith K-12 Education Policy Director

Thank you for the opportunity to speak this morning. My name is Tomea Sippio-Smith. I am the K-12 Education Policy Director at Public Citizens for Children and Youth. I’m here today to ask that you consider the following information as you review the application for Executive Education Cyber Charter School. The Department should view this application cautiously as all 14 of Pennsylvania’s cyber charters scored below the statewide average in English and math assessments and all 14 have been identified as needing support under the states ESSA School Improvement and Accountability plan. Beyond this concerning track record, my testimony outlines three specific reasons why the submission and program outlined by the Executive Education Cyber Charter School application is inconsistent with the criteria in Pennsylvania’s charter school law (24 P.S. § 17-1745-A(f)(1)).

https://www.pccy.org/news/testimony-executive-education-cyber-charter-application/

 

Comments in opposition to the proposed authorization of additional cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania. Prepared for the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Division of Charter Schools, Hearings of November 5th and 12th by Lawrence A. Feinberg October 28, 2020

https://keystonestateeducationcoalition.blogspot.com/2020/11/comments-in-opposition-to-proposed.html

 

Montoursville Area School Board talks cyber school expenses

Williamsport Sun Gazette by MIKE REUTHER Reporter mreuther@sungazette.com NOV 12, 2020

The Montoursville Area School Board is months away from passing a spending plan for the next fiscal year, but one issue raised by business manager Brandy Smith concerns cyber school expenses. Smith reported to school directors Tuesday that total costs are expected to come to $1.4 million. The problem, she noted, is the cyber school budget is only projected for $545,000.

With student enrollment down, subsidies coming to the district have decreased.

https://www.sungazette.com/news/top-news/2020/11/montoursville-area-school-board-talks-cyber-school-expenses/

 

A new maxim for our pandemic era: Resolve is who you are when everyone is watching | Opinion

PA Capital Star By Joe Welch Capital-Star Op-Ed Contributor November 12, 2020

Joe Welch is an eighth grade social studies teacher at North Hills Middle School in Pittsburgh, and Pennsylvania’s 2020 Teacher of the Year. He is also the 2018 History Teacher of the Year, named by The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. You can follow him on Twitter @nhsdwelch.

A middle school English teacher introduced me to an important maxim: “Character is who you are when nobody else is watching.” We recited it each day in class, and it is a lesson that I have carried with me throughout my life and into my teaching career. Now, in 2020, I think it needs a slight modification: “Resolve is who you are when everyone is watching.” The eyes of the nation are on educators as we strive to meet the challenges presented by a global pandemic. And we’re delivering — by showing our resolve and making a difference in the lives of the young men and women who will be the leaders of tomorrow. COVID-19 has not made this easy. But it has motivated educators to find new ways to connect with our students. As we celebrate American Education Week this Nov. 16-20, I want to share a few ways that my colleagues and I are doing just that.

https://www.penncapital-star.com/commentary/a-new-maxim-for-our-pandemic-era-resolve-is-who-you-are-when-everyone-is-watching-opinion/

 

Mars, Keystone Oaks, Avonworth, Beaver, Pitt Central Catholic

COVID-19 cases lead to more school closures across region

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE NOV 11, 2020 1:09 PM

More school districts in the Pittsburgh region on Wednesday announced pandemic-related closures.

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2020/11/11/COVID-19-cases-allegheny-county-pittsburgh-more-school-closures-education/stories/202011110138

 

Penn-Trafford School District reports 7 new coronavirus cases

Trib Live by JACOB TIERNEY   | Wednesday, November 11, 2020 7:38 p.m.

Penn Trafford School District has reported seven new coronavirus cases among staff and students this week, bringing the total number of cases in the district this year to 41. Here’s a breakdown of the new cases:

• Two students at Penn Trafford High School;

• Two student and one staff member at Penn Middle School;

• A staff member at Penn Middle School;

• A staff member at McCullough Elementary School.

None of these cases have been attributed to the school, meaning it is not believed that they were contracted in a district facility, according to district officials.

https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/penn-trafford-school-district-reports-7-new-coronavirus-cases/

 

Mt. Pleasant, Franklin Regional schools register covid-19 cases

Trib Live by PATRICK VARINE   | Wednesday, November 11, 2020 5:28 p.m.

Norvelt Elementary students will return on Thursday and Franklin Regional Senior High will remain open after district officials were notified that a student in each building had tested positive for coronavirus. Mt. Pleasant Area School District officials were notified Nov. 9 that a Norvelt student had tested positive. The school was closed and students learning remotely will return tomorrow. The student was last in the building on Nov. 3. Franklin Regional officials notified parents Nov. 9 that a high-school student had tested positive. Superintendent Gennaro Piraino said the high school will remain open, and those deemed “close contacts” have been identified and asked to quarantine, school officials said.

https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/mt-pleasant-franklin-regional-schools-both-register-covid-19-cases/

 

Easton Area High School to close for remainder of week due to two more COVID cases

By KAYLA DWYER THE MORNING CALL | NOV 11, 2020 AT 9:25 PM

Easton Area High School will close for the remainder of the week due to two positive coronavirus results Wednesday. The two cases brings the total in the high school this week to three, all among students, according to the district’s COVID-19 dashboard. No students were in the building Wednesday, the day the district conducts deep cleaning, Superintendent David Piperato said. Throughout the district since October, 16 students and 11 staff have tested positive for the virus, according to the dashboard. Nine have been high school students.

https://www.mcall.com/coronavirus/mc-nws-coronavirus-easton-high-school-closure-20201112-pxgxk7tfrjgunjy7qu7dridifu-story.html

 

Owen J. Roberts School District expects to return to remote learning Nov. 23

Pottstown Mercury by Evan Brandt ebrandt@21st-centurymedia.com @PottstownNews on Twitter November 12, 2020

SOUTH COVENTRY — With the number of coronavirus cases rising, the Owen J. Roberts School District is preparing for the eventuality of halting its in-person hybrid instruction and returning to a virtual model on Nov. 23. The discussion about the possibility occurred during the Monday, Nov. 9 meeting, according to Superintendent Susan Lloyd, who issued a warning letter and explanatory video to parents the same night. In the letter, Lloyd wrote that "health department guidance indicates that if we remain at this level for three consecutive weeks, we will need all regular education students to return to virtual learning."

https://www.pottsmerc.com/news/owen-j-roberts-school-district-expects-to-return-to-remote-learning-nov-23/article_38437a5c-246a-11eb-9936-6f2719715191.html

 

Pennsbury superintendent: Spiking COVID-19 cases could force all-virtual learning

Anthony DiMattia Bucks County Courier Times November 11, 2020

As coronavirus cases rise, some school districts are grappling with the decision to move forward with in-person learning.  On Tuesday, the Neshaminy School District approved plans for students in grades kindergarten through four to have four days of in-person learning starting Nov. 30. However, the board can revisit the issue when it meets again Nov. 24. In Quakertown, Superintendent Bill Harner wrote in a message to parents that the district would move forward with plans for middle and high school students to return to classrooms full time starting next week.  Yet, in Pennsbury, officials are warning that a return to school may be put on pause if coronavirus cases continue to spike in Bucks County. And in Montgomery County, the Office of Public Health has called an emergency meeting Thursday to consider whether to order schools to go to 100% virtual instruction for a two-week period beginning Nov. 23, a county spokeswoman said. Bucks officials have not recommended that any district discontinue in-person instruction, but are allowing districts to make their own decisions, county spokesman Larry King said Wednesday.  While students and staff are among COVID cases, there has been no spread documented in schools and most have been infected at outside activities, King said. Of students who have tested positive, nearly 40% are attending classes virtually, he said.

https://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/story/news/2020/11/11/pennsbury-covid-19-cases-virtual-learning/6247954002/

 

Fulton Elementary School in Lancaster closes through Thanksgiving to prevent spread of COVID-19

Lancaster Online by ALEX GELI | Staff Writer November 11, 2020

Two weeks after it welcomed back students for in-person learning, Fulton Elementary School in Lancaster is closed again.  The 387-student school on West Orange Street will be closed through Thanksgiving break to prevent further spread of COVID-19 after a student tested positive. Students will learn remotely until Nov. 30, when students in prekindergarten to fifth grade return to a blended model of instruction. In an email to families Tuesday, the School District of Lancaster said two of the COVID-19-positive student's siblings are also presumed positive, so they are in quarantine. Other close contacts are being notified individually. 

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/fulton-elementary-school-in-lancaster-closes-through-thanksgiving-to-prevent-spread-of-covid-19/article_e1e5ca28-242a-11eb-9da9-fb8b104ce386.html

 

As COVID-19 cases rise, Elizabethtown high school and middle school shift to online learning for 2 days

LANCASTERONLINE | Staff November 11, 2020

Elizabethtown Area School District’s high school and middle school students are shifting to online learning Thursday and Friday as a precaution after one student tested positive for COVID-19 and six others are presumptive cases. Professional and instructional support staff will work remotely, the district said in a news release.  The district also cancelled all secondary-level extracurricular activities, including sporting events, activities and play practices through the weekend.

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/as-covid-19-cases-rise-elizabethtown-high-school-and-middle-school-shift-to-online-learning/article_87630886-247a-11eb-9c50-bfc1d37299c3.html

 

Northern Middle School moves to online learning due to positive COVID-19 cases

ABC27 by: Kate Sweigart Posted: Nov 11, 2020 / 04:18 PM EST 

DILLSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — On Wednesday, Northern Middle School announced the transition to online learning from Nov. 12 until Nov. 16 due to many confirmed cases of COVID-19. Earlier in the week Northern School District administrators received information regarding multiple COVID-19 cases at the middle school building, and due to the ongoing surge in coronavirus cases throughout Pennsylvania, decided it was in the district’s best interest to limit the spread.

https://www.abc27.com/news/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-pennsylvania/northern-middle-school-moves-to-online-learning-due-to-positive-covid-19-cases/

 

3 students test positive for covid-19 at Hempfield Area High School

Trib Live by MEGAN TOMASIC   | Wednesday, November 11, 2020 10:40 a.m.

Three Hempfield Area High School students tested positive for coronavirus over the past two days, according to Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. The new cases bring the district total to seven positive cases and three presumptive cases, when someone has been tested but is awaiting results, for the period between Oct. 28 and Nov. 10. That is a decrease from the 21 cases reported between Oct. 21 and Nov. 3.

https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/3-students-test-positive-for-covid-19-at-hempfield-area-high-school/

 

Mount Carmel Area School District suspends in-person learning after two positive COVID-19 cases

WBRE/WYOU Posted: Nov 11, 2020 / 02:12 PM EST / Updated: Nov 11, 2020 / 02:14 PM EST

MOUNT CARMEL, NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU-TV) — The Mount Carmel Area School District was notified of two staff members testing positive for COVID-19, leading them to move to an entirely remote model of learning. According to a release from Superintendent Pete Cheddar, both cases are related to the same household, and both work in the junior-senior high building. Cheddar says the two were last present at the school on November 10.

https://www.pahomepage.com/news/mount-carmel-area-school-district-suspends-in-person-learning-after-two-positive-covid-19-cases/

 

Avonworth schools closed due to rise in COVID-19 cases

WTAE OHIO TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Updated: 11:11 PM EST Nov 11, 2020

The Avonworth School District said all schools will be closed through Nov. 24, citing several COVID-19 cases in the district and current positivity rates throughout the community. Students will have virtual instruction while schools are closed. Athletics and activities are also canceled during the closure. In a letter posted Wednesday, Superintendent Thomas Ralston said the school district has five active cases and 98 people who are under "attendance restriction" (quarantine due to close contact with a positive case, symptomatic, positive COVID cases).

https://www.wtae.com/article/avonworth-school-district-covid-19/34647335

 

Tidioute Community Charter School Transitions to Remote Learning After Confirmed COVID-19 Case

Erie News Now Wednesday, November 11th 2020, 11:56 AM EST

Tidioute Community Charter School (TCCS) will close and transition to remote learning for three days after someone at the school tested positive for COVID-19, CEO Doug Allen announced on the TCCS website Wednesday.  The statement does not indicate if the positive case is from a student or a staff member.  Contact tracing is now underway, and Allen says if contact tracing determines a student has been identified as a close contact to someone at the school who has tested positive, that student will be required to quarantine at home for 14 calendar days and should not attend school. 

https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/42898376/tidioute-community-charter-school-transitions-to-remote-learning-after-confirmed-covid19-case

 

 

Adopt the resolution against racial inequity!

School boards are asked to adopt this resolution supporting the development of an anti-racist climate. Once adopted, share your resolution with your local community and submit a copy to PSBA. Learn more: http://ow.ly/yJWA50B2R72

 

Adopt the 2020 PSBA resolution for charter school funding reform

In this legislative session, PSBA has been leading the charge with the Senate, House of Representatives and the Governor’s Administration to push for positive charter reform. We’re now asking you to join the campaign: Adopt the resolution: We’re asking all school boards to adopt the 2020 resolution for charter school funding reform at your next board meeting and submit it to your legislators and to PSBA.

Resolution for charter funding reform (pdf)

Link to submit your adopted resolution to PSBA

 

320 PA school boards have adopted charter reform resolutions

Charter school funding reform continues to be a concern as over 300 school boards across the state have adopted a resolution calling for legislators to enact significant reforms to the Charter School Law to provide funding relief and ensure all schools are held to the same quality and ethics standards. Now more than ever, there is a growing momentum from school officials across the state to call for charter school funding reform. Legislators are hearing loud and clear that school districts need relief from the unfair funding system that results in school districts overpaying millions of dollars to charter schools.

The school boards from the following districts have adopted resolutions calling for charter funding reform. 

https://www.psba.org/2020/03/adopted-charter-reform-resolutions/

 

Know Your Facts on Funding and Charter Performance. Then Call for Charter Change!

PSBA Charter Change Website:

https://www.pacharterchange.org/

 

The Network for Public Education Action Conference has been rescheduled to April 24-25, 2021 at the Philadelphia Doubletree Hotel

 

Any comments contained herein are my comments, alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of any other person or organization that I may be affiliated with.

 


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