CLEARFIELD – In light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Clearfield Area School District Superintendent Terry Struble addressed a number of concerns, such as the academic calendar, continuity of education, grade level advancement and graduation, in a letter to parents on Friday.
Academic Calendar
Struble said per information from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, districts will not have to adjust 2019-20 academic calendars to make up days missed during the mandatory school closure as part of statewide mitigation efforts to prevent the spread of the virus.
He said the extended school closure is effective through Monday, April 6, and state guidance indicates current plans are for teachers and support staff to use Tuesday and Wednesday, April 7-8 to prepare for school to resume.
“This brings us to our Easter holiday,” Struble said, adding the district plans to use Thursday, April 9 as an extra day of cleaning and preparation with students to return Monday, April 13.
Struble said the last scheduled school day would be Wednesday, June 3, providing almost nine weeks of school without lost time for PSSA and Keystone exams, both of which have been cancelled.
“… This could get our students back … to a somewhat normal school year,” he said, emphasizing that these plans are only in place if school can resume on Monday, April 13.
Continuity of Education
Struble said for the time being, PDE has given districts a few options for continuity of education, and Clearfield area has selected an activity and enrichment format.
He said work is meant as a review and to strengthen content that’s already been taught. Currently, he said there’s no plans for it to be graded, but it will be the base when classes resume.
For students at New Story and Soaring Heights, Struble said those schools will also provide a path for continuity of education and will reach out to affected families.
Elementary Level
Struble said at the elementary level, each student will be provided with a packet of work designed by their grade level teachers with input from various specialized support staff as well.
He said packets may be picked up during the PTO’s distribution of fundraiser orders (but at a separation location). Any packets that aren’t picked up Tuesday, March 31 will be delivered:
- by school staff at the child’s bus stop the morning of Wednesday, April 1. The district asks that someone be present at the child’s normal bus pick-up time.
- by school staff at the child’s home sometime Wednesday, April 1 for those who normally travel to school by van.
Secondary Level
Struble said secondary students will have work posted online for their classes through their Sapphire class pages.
He said teachers may also continue to use other resources as well to communicate the work to the students that they may have already been using at this point in the school year.
He said postings will be spread out over the week, but students in AP courses or dual enrollment courses could expect work more frequently in order to meet the obligations of those courses.
Struble said that students should start checking their Sapphire Community Portal on a regular basis, starting on Monday.
“For those students who may not have a device at home, we will provide a limited opportunity to borrow from the school,” he said.
Parents will need to call the Technology Department at 814-765-5511, Ext. 7000, and should leave a detailed message that includes the student’s name, grade level and phone number.
Struble said the district is currently working to establish “hot spots” in the parking areas of both schools and possibly other places within the community.
He said currently, there’s Internet service available in the front oval area at the junior-senior high school, and there’s some signal strength present in front of the elementary school.
Struble said signals can also be reached from outside the Joseph & Elizabeth Shaw Public Library, and the Bigler YMCA staff are working to extend the reach of its signal.
If Internet service isn’t available in any of these formats, he said parents should contact one of the secondary principals.
Also, he said any student who needs a password reset for their Sapphire account or other log-in assistance should e-mail a secondary principal.
“… Please understand our teachers left school on March 13 [and] were not expected to become teachers through a virtual platform,” Struble said.
“… They’re working hard to learn how to bring more content and instruction to your child in a [new] way … I am confident that if the closures continue, work will become more targeted to your child.”
Graduation and Grade Level Advancement
Struble said a number of parents have had questions about grade level advancement and graduation, in the event the school closure remains in effect for the duration of the current school year.
“The process has started to review our local and state graduation requirements, and to identify individual students who may have concerns due to credit issues from previous years,” he said.
“Our senior counselor has been working to review each student’s transcript and to work though the concerns that may be present for some.
“The ceremony associated with graduation, commencement, we are still planning to celebrate on June 3, if we are permitted to be together at that time.”
So far as grade level advancement, Struble said a student going from third grade to fourth grade, for example, will continue and students will advance to the next grade level.
“There may be some individual considerations based on student needs, as occurs each year,” he said “but the answer as a whole is yes, students will move forward a grade level.”
Meal Delivery
On March 17, Struble said the district started a lunch delivery program serving 10 different locations within the school district. He said it’s also received permission to provide breakfast.
He said any child in the district can receive these meals from birth through school age; however, the child does need to be present to receive the meal.
More information can be found on the district’s Web site.
PTO Fundraiser
As of Friday, Struble said the PTO’s fundraiser pick-up is still scheduled for Tuesday, March 31. This, he said, includes items from the Gardner’s Candies and Altoona Curve fundraisers only.
Weather permitting, he said distribution of fundraiser items will occur in the parking lot at the bus pick-up/drop-off at Clearfield Area Elementary School.
He said PTO volunteers will have the items sorted and ready between the hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Parents are asked not to arrive early for everyone’s safety.
Struble said when parents pull in, they will be asked for their child’s name, and a PTO volunteer will bring out the order, set it outside their vehicle and then they may pick it up.
In event of inclement weather, parents will park, provide their child’s name at the school entrance and their order will be brought to the door.
“At this point, we would ask that you practice the appropriate social distancing,” Struble said.
He said parents will be provided a contact e-mail for the PTO in case there would be a problem with any order after it’s been taken home.
Struble noted that Marianna’s has temporarily postponed any delivery of the pizzas and hoagies until employees can safely return to work.
Communications
Struble said the school phones and e-mails are still being monitored remotely, and people can expect a response.
Clearfield Area Elementary School:
- Phone Number: 814-765-5511, Ext. 1000
- Mr. Veihdeffer: ken.veihdeffer@clearfield.org
- Mrs. Gaston: jgaston@clearfield.org
Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School
- Phone Number: 814-765-5511, Ext. 2000
- Mrs. Prestash: hprestash@clearfield.org
- Mr. Brickley: abrickley@clearfield.org
- Mr. Scaife: escaife@clearfield.org
District Administration
- Phone Number: 814-765-5511, Ext. 6000
In addition to regularly monitoring its phone system, Struble said the district’s staff have been updating its Web site, www.clearfield.org, and Facebook pages: “Clearfield Area School District” and “Clearfield Area Elementary School.”
Click here to read the district’s complete letter to school parents.