Lycoming News

Clinton County issued the following announcement on July 23.

Keystone Central School District Superintendent Jacquelyn Martin released new details for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year. The first day of school in the district is Tuesday, Aug. 31.

In the letter addressed to families in the district, Martin went over the district's Health and Safety Plan update, which was approved by the school board on July 8.

The update includes:

- Masks and face coverings are not required but may be worn by choice in all district buildings.

- Masks and face coverings are currently required on school busses. Martin explained the measure was put in place by a Jan. 1 Executive Order by President Joe Biden, which requires masks be worn on public transportation. "Please note that as a public school, KCSD must follow all executive orders by state and federal officials," she said. "Parent transportation is an option for families who do not wish to use the school bus."

- The district will maintain three feet physical distancing when possible in schools.

- Temperatures will not longer be checked daily. Nurses at each school will be left to take temperatures as needed.

- Daily cleaning and sanitizing will continue.

- Contact tracing will continue to be conducted by district administrators if a known case of COVID-19 occurs. Martin noted that principals may require quarantine for known contacts.

The entire KCSD Health and Safety Plan can be reviewed by visiting https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cza0pQbD5WW-WWGOs1AW5FRuyorPJt4d/view.

In the letter, Martin also addressed learning options for students.

"Using survey input from parents, students and staff members along with academic growth and attendance data, we will be offering three choices for learning in the 2021-2022 school year," Martin said.

The district will offer traditional face-to-face instruction, online learning via KCSD's Virtual Academy, and a hybrid option.

"In addition to face-to-face learning in the traditional school setting, our Virtual Academy allows families to select an online curriculum to learn at home or at school," Martin said.

The deadline to register for the online curriculum is Aug. 1. Martin said those who wish to enroll must visit https://tinyurl.com/7ajhrrhp

In the event of a student quarantine, Martin said there are options in place.

"If a face-to-face learner needs to isolate, or quarantine, due to the pandemic or another unique health related reason, students may be assigned to synchronous remote learning for short periods of time such as 14 days or less," she said. "All synchronous remote learning options must be approved by the principal."

Beyond health and safety protocols, Martin also unveiled upcoming open house dates at all district schools coming in September.

"This fall, we will be holding an Open House in each of our schools in order to strengthen relationships with our families," she said.

Each open house will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. and include:

- All elementary schools on Sept. 13.

- Central Mountain Middle School and Bucktail High School on Sept. 14.

- Central Mountain High School and Career and Technical Center on Sept. 15.

Martin further announced adjustments to school schedules to accommodate the district's three-tier bus model.

The model will "allow each bus to make multiple runs twice each day, assign students to busses with students of similar age, eliminate shuttle bus runs, reduce the time students are on busses, increase instruction minutes for CTC, and provide additional time for elementary teachers to have a common Professional Learning Community time in addition to their personal planning time," Martin said.

Doors will open at Mill Hall, Liberty-Curtin, Robb, Renovo and Woodward elementary schools at 7:20 a.m. with homeroom/breakfast time beginning at 7:40 a.m. and an end of instructional day at 2:30 p.m.

Doors at Central Mountain Middle School will open at 8:05 a.m., homeroom/breakfast will begin at 8:15 a.m. and end of school day at 3:30 p.m.

Bucktail and Central Mountain high schools will open at 8 a.m. with homeroom/breakfast at 8:15 a.m. and end of day instruction at 3:40 a.m.

Martin encouraged parents or family with questions to contact their student's principal.

"More detailed information about the upcoming school year will be communicated in early August. Have a great rest of the summer and we look forward to a new school year with you," Martin concluded.

Original source can be found here.