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CDC recommends masks for students, 3 Monroe school districts say they are optional

Pocono Record - 8/1/2021

Aug. 1—Monroe County schools are all gearing up for a full five-day return to school experience.

Most schools are aiming for the most 'normal' opening they can in a mask-optional environment, meanwhile the Delta variant spread is growing daily in the county.

Masks will be required on school buses due to a CDC order that requires masks on all forms of public transportation.

All school districts have posted their health and safety plans as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

These plans address how schools will maintain the health and safety of students, educators and other staff.

Pocono Mountain School District

According the Wendy Frable, Director of Public Relations, PMSD is prepared to adjust their educational programs if needed, adding that they have the resources, capability and capacity to do so.

"I think our district proved last school year that we can adjust our educational programming as needed and we can do that very quickly and effectively for our students and school community," she said.

"As it stands right now, PMSD hopes to open their schools with masks as optional," said Frable "But we certainly will continue to evaluate the new CDC masking guidelines, recommendations from our local healthcare infectious disease experts, and the current COVID-19 impact in our county and school community as we get closer to the first day of school. We had masks as optional for our summer school program and that has worked well for us."

Frable said PMSD will continue to follow a layered mitigation approach for COVID-19. This includes the same cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting protocol followed last school year that kept their schools open for learning.

PMSD will also continue to utilize social distancing of 3 feet or more when possible in their classrooms and schools. In addition, the maintenance department will continue to monitor the HVAC and ventilation systems to ensure they are working properly.

PMSD encourages parents to screen their children for any symptoms of possible illness prior to sending them to school and to keep sick children home from school. Their Human Resources Department will continue contact tracing and faculty, staff and students will have to follow quarantining rules if they are a close contact to anyone who has contracted COVID-19 or if they test positive for COVID-19.

"Our health and safety plans are flexible so like last year, if something changes we can change or increase the preventative measures in our school," said Frable. "It's important to note that we have the ability to increase our mitigation efforts at any time and at any of our schools if needed."

Info: https://bit.ly/3zSK7kh

Pleasant Valley School District plans to open schools by offering the 5-day in-person traditional school day schedule and their full time PV Cyber Academy for students. A flexible transition between the two can happen between marking periods.

"Our first priority is five days, how we are facing the school year and doing everything to stay open the five days," says Acting Superintendent Charlene Brennan. "At this point in time, today... masks are optional, except on the buses, per the CDC order. We are watching all of the data, we are watching our school district data first and what is happening within the PVSD, followed by Monroe County and then monitoring recommendations coming from the Department of Education, as well as the PA Department of Health. Those are our primary data points. This doesn't mean we will mask, unless there is another state mandate."

Brennan said the curriculum department and building principals are working on learning loss and accelerated learning opportunities for children.

"We are opening normally, we have mental health programs in place with St Luke's Health Network and we have our guidance counselors and principals for those students that might need some additional support, but we are not doing anything unusual or different. We are just planning to start the school year as close to normal as we can possibly get."

Brennan said that their in-house cyber school numbers have been greatly reduced to pre-pandemic enrollment numbers of 160 students compared to over 700 students last year. "Quite a few students that had left for outside cyber/charter schools are also returning, we are working on those numbers and don't have them yet."

"We are prepared for any changes necessary, but we are focused on every option to stay open five days," said Brennan. "For example, another six foot social distancing mandate could force us to consider a hybrid option, but our solid focus is staying open five days a week all year and how we do it."

Info: https://bit.ly/3A6h3WP

East Stroudsburg Area School District will offer the 5-day in-person and their full-time cyber academy 'ESACA'. They will also have a remote synchronous option for grades 3-10.

Students have the flexibility make a switch between programs, although the remote option is limited to 200 students at this time and has a waiting list.

"Our school year is going to start off non-traditional, we are really going to focus on the wellness of our students, right out of the gates building relationships with our kids, getting them used to coming back to school, making sure they are comfortable coming back to school, and addressing non-academic needs" said William Vitulli, Assistant Superintendent. "Along with that we are going to be doing assessments to find out where our students are and where they may have deficiencies so that we can adjust our learning and teaching to ensure that they can move forward through the year and be successful.

Vitulli said he intends to make the first two weeks to school very non-traditional, filled with fun, social and emotional learning events, activities of various types and team building exercises. The activities will then be incorporated into 'Wellness Wednesdays' which will continue throughout the year to maintain a focus on mental health and building relationships with children.

"It's a very unique start to the year and we are very excited about it," said Vitulli.

"We've given our principals a lot of flexibility in that area to get creative and they are currently working on it. We recognize the importance of the students emotional and social state."

The remote option has students getting up and going to class at the same time as their in-person peers. Students then follow their teachers throughout the day, going from one class to another.

"Our cyber academy, ESACA is different in that, you will sign into your classes at your leisure, do the work and have access to our teachers through email, said Vitulli. "But to supplement our cyber students, we have what's called our blended building where students come and go throughout the day.

"...students needing help or [that] aren't performing well will come there throughout the week to get assistance. It could be short term for few hours or for the day or for a couple of days a week or even up to a week, it all depends on students and their performance. While it is an asynchronous program, it is supported by a large number of individuals here at our blended building."

Vitulli said ESASD will be opening mask-optional unless a mandate or order says otherwise. "We will continue to contact trace. We will continue to clean and disinfect as we always have when children are in the building. We will continue to have daily announcements for students as reminder of good hygiene practice. We will not be social distancing at this time. Schools have contributed very little to community spread. Cases are normally brought in from contacts outside of school and we mitigate them quickly."

Info: https://bit.ly/3fcFJ7Z

Stroudsburg Area School District will offer the 5-day in-person and their full-time cyber academy 'SACA'. They will also offer a very limited remote option for students in grades 1-4 that have already signed up for it.

"At this time, we are requiring everyone wear a mask regardless of vaccination status given that we are in substantial spread," said Cosmus Curry, Superintendent. "We will be following the most up-to-date guidance from the CDC for the reopening and operation of school facilities in order to continuously and safely open and operate schools for in-person learning."

SASD students and families have access to a variety of support that includes social workers, guidance counselors, school psychologists and a school based mental health committees.

Info: https://bit.ly/3rGYZ2t

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