Good morning Spring-Ford,
As you know, there have been ongoing changes in our understanding of COVID-19 and its impact on school district operations. State and local guidance has changed a number of times and will continue to evolve as we learn more about working during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last week, PDE released an updated metric for school districts to follow when considering the spread of COVID-19 and its impact on school operations. We will use this metric, along with guidance from the Montgomery County Office of Public Health, to monitor positive cases in our school to determine if/when a specific school needs to close for a period of time. This will impact each school on an individual basis rather than the entire district. Moving to all virtual instruction will be based upon the number of students and staff who have tested positive within a rolling 14-day average.
Should a move to virtual learning be necessary, all extra-curricular activities would also cease for the duration of the building closure. Please click here to review the updated metric with Spring-Ford’s schools broken out into Small, Medium, and Large.
As well, last week Wolf Administration identified new mitigation efforts, including an attestation process for public school entities that elect to continue in-person instruction for students in counties designated as exhibiting “Substantial” transmission of COVID-19 for two or more consecutive weeks. Spring-Ford signed and submitted one of two attestation forms that will allow us to continue to offer in-person instruction while the county is identified as “Substantial” community spread. The first form is specific to this week, while Spring-Ford remains virtual. The second form will be submitted on Friday, December 4, 2020, and identifies procedures for returning to in-person learning starting December 7, 2020. Two key factors to signing these forms are:
- Following the updated Universal Face Coverings order
- Following the Recommendations for Pre-K to 12 Schools Following Identification of a Case(s) of COVID-19
Before returning to school, please take time to review the information below:
I appreciate your flexibility as we navigate this ever-changing information.
Best,
Dr. Goodin
COVID-19 Information for Travelers
- The Secretary of Health issued an order requiring travelers over age 11 entering Pennsylvania from locations outside the Commonwealth, including Pennsylvanians who are returning home from locations outside the Commonwealth, to produce evidence of a negative COVID-19 test or place themselves in travel quarantine for 14 days upon entering, unless they receive a negative test result during the 14-day travel quarantine period.
- If someone cannot get a test or chooses not to, they must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Pennsylvania.
- This does NOT apply to:
- Individuals traveling to and from the Commonwealth for the purposes of work.
- Individuals who are returning to the Commonwealth after traveling outside the Commonwealth for less than 24 hours.
- Individuals traveling to and from the Commonwealth for medical reasons, including individuals providing comfort and support to a patient.
- Military personnel traveling to the Commonwealth by order or directive of a state or Federal military authority.
- Individuals in transit through the Commonwealth to another destination, provided that the time spent in the Commonwealth is only the amount of time necessary to complete the transit, make use of travel services, such as a highway rest stop, or make necessary travel connections.
- Individuals traveling to comply with a court order, such as child custody, or other exemptions issued by guidance.
- This order took effect on Wednesday, November 25.
Click here for more information.
Reorganization Meeting
The next scheduled meeting will be Monday, December 7, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. for the annual Reorganization Meeting. All School Boards in Pennsylvania reorganize during the first week of December each year to:
- elect a president and vice president
- adopt a meeting calendar for the following year
- appoint committees and other board positions
- swear in newly elected members (during election years or as needed)
Participation at the Reorganization Meeting shall be virtual via Zoom or YouTube, and in-person. In-person attendees must wear masks at all times. As always, Board Meetings shall be recorded to allow those members of the public that cannot participate to review at a later time.
WHEN: Monday, December 7, 2020 at 7:30 p.m.
DETAILS: Meetings are filmed by RCTV and available to watch online. Individuals who plan on watching the meeting and do not plan on making Public Comment should watch using the live YouTube link.
Individuals who plan on watching online and would like to make Public Comment should click here to participate using Zoom.
Student Attendance Reporting
Students that are quarantined or have self-quarantined due to presenting with potential COVID-19 symptoms will be marked present if they are scheduled to attend in-person but, instead, attend virtually. Parents should notify the school's attendance office either by phone OR by email if your student is absent. If you choose to send an email, please be sure that it is sent from a Skyward associated parent/guardian email address.
Food Service Update
The Food Service Depot schedule for December will change. Distribution will be weekly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 4:15 to 6 p.m. at Limerick Elementary School and the 5/6/7 Building.
Click here for the monthly menu.
Weekly COVID Update – Week Ending November 27, 2020
Under the guidance of the Montgomery County Office of Public Health, Spring-Ford’s COVID Liaisons will aid in contact tracing when a student or staff member reports a positive COVID-19 diagnosis or test to the district.
All students and staff members who came into close contact with a positive individual will be notified by a COVID Liaison. "Close contact" is defined by the Pennsylvania Department of Health as being within approximately 6 feet of an infected individual for 15 or more minutes.
Daily updates will be added to the COVID Dashboard on the district website.
As you know, the purpose of contact tracing is to reduce or stop the spread of COVID-19 by notifying close contacts of their exposure and asking them to self-quarantine. It is important that individuals provide as much information as possible to Contact Tracers, whether they are employed by the school district or by the Montgomery County Office of Public Health.
As always, please monitor your family members daily for any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 as listed here, and consult with a medical professional should any symptoms or complications arise.
PDE Level of Community Transmission Table Update: For ease of use, once per week, the Department of Education will publish a list identifying the level of community transmission in each county over the most recent 7-day reporting period. Click the section called: Level of Community Transmission Table to view this week’s update.
Chester County Community Transmission Level: Substantial
Montgomery County Community Transmission Level: Substantial
Number of Confirmed Cases in SFASD: Through these weekly updates, SFASD will share COVID related information and educational resources. This 7-day update includes all numbers of confirmed cases of COVID in the Spring-Ford schools.
Spring-Ford Area School District – New Confirmed Cases: 9
As a reminder, our schools are thoroughly cleaned each evening. SFASD utilizes the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved disinfectants against COVID-19.
- All frequently touched surfaces will be cleaned, sanitized & disinfected at least 1x/day 5 days per week per CDC Guidance.
- All classrooms will be cleaned, sanitized & disinfected at least 1x/day 5 days per week per CDC Guidance.
- All bathrooms and locker rooms will be cleaned, sanitized & disinfected at least 1x/day 5 days per week per CDC Guidance.
- Day custodians will sanitize high touch areas at least once during the school day.
- Disinfecting wipes will be provided to all occupied areas in each building.
- Hand sanitizing stations will be installed in every classroom, building primary entrances and office areas.
- All drinking fountains will shut off. Bottle fillers will be in use where applicable.
- HVAC operation will follow ASHRAE Reopening of Schools recommendations 2020 where attainable
Please click here to familiarize yourself with the Spring-Ford Reopening Plan.
COVID Information from the CDC: People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. The CDC will continue to update this list as we learn more about COVID-19. Click here for more information about COVID symptoms.
Click here for information about preventing the spread of COVID.
Montgomery and Chester County COVID Dashboard Trends: Montgomery and Chester County officials are committed to the health and safety of all of the county residents. The Counties has compiled data pertaining to COVID-19 into easy to use dashboards. On these dashboards, you can explore a collection of maps, data and charts that show the number of cases related to COVID-19. There is also information on age, gender and race. The information only pertains to those individuals that have been verified as county residents and received a positive test.
Click here to view the full Montgomery County dashboard.
Click here to view the full Chester County dashboard.