School Reopening Information

As we approach the beginning of the school year I want to thank you for your patience and understanding as our Pandemic Team worked on the safety and health plans that allow our schools to reopen consistent with the standards established by the PA Department of Health, PA Department of Education, and the Centers for Disease Control.

The health and well-being of your children remain our focused priority. We are confident that returning to the traditional school setting will provide students with the skills that allow them to flourish both academically and emotionally. Simply stated we are ready to welcome students back into the classroom.

Please read the entire newsletter for details pertaining to the reopening of our schools.

Yours in education,

Dr. Jason M. Bottiglieri

Superintendent of Schools

All parents/guardians are strongly encouraged to contact the district registration office at 570-746-1600 x3000 to verify that your contact information is correct in our system, this is extremely important.

• Students will be required to wear a face-covering at the bus stop and on the school bus.
• Students will be required to sit with their siblings or other household members but may not necessarily be excluded from sitting with other students on the bus.
• Students will begin loading the bus from the back to the front.
• A variety of entrances will be provided at both school buildings for student arrival.
• Transportation will be provided to and from the home bus stop and/or approved childcare locations with a set schedule provided by the parent/guardian the week prior (ex: daycare or babysitter).
• Additional transportation guidelines and updates to be shared in the coming days.

• Students who pack lunch will eat in classrooms and other areas where they can maintain social distancing without a face covering while eating.
• Students who purchase lunch will eat in the cafeteria and maintain social distancing without a face covering while eating.
• Students and parents will be encouraged to limit cash transactions at the register. More details will be released about payment options for cafeteria meal purchases in the coming weeks.

• Parents will be required to conduct daily COVID-19 screenings and temperature checks* at home prior to boarding the school bus or arriving at school.

*The daily screening is simply a check and confirmation that your child does not exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sore throat, runny nose/congestion, chills, new lack of smell or taste, muscle pain, nausea/vomiting, headache, diarrhea, or a temperature in excess of 100 degrees).

• Students who exhibit symptoms or are sick are required to stay home.

• Proper hygiene that includes hand washing and use of hand sanitizer will be promoted.

• Students are encouraged to bring refillable water bottles to school. Traditional water fountains have been replaced with contactless bottle filling stations.

• Students and staff will be required to wear a face-covering consistent with the requirements of the PA Department of Health anytime 6’ of distance is not able to be consistently maintained. Some classrooms depending upon course enrollment will be able to achieve 6’ of distance. Face covering breaks will become part of the daily routine as needed.

• Face-covering requirements have several options that allow for student comfort. The school district will have some face-covering options available however, parents are encouraged to provide a face covering that is comfortable for your child.

• Face-covering options include but are not limited to: masks, neck gaiters, scarfs, face shields, and shields that attach to hats. Hats will be allowed this year when used in conjunction with a shield that attaches to the hat. Some examples are shown here.

• The first student day is scheduled for Wednesday, August 26th.
• The three-hour delayed start student days have been removed from the calendar. Delayed starts will only be used if needed for emergency purposes, such as weather.

• The student day has been adjusted to meet the necessary requirements of the health and safety plan:

Elementary students will arrive at the same time as in the past and dismiss at 2:00 PM each day.
High School students will arrive at the same time as in the past and dismiss at 2:15 PM each day.

• Northern Tier Career Center (NTCC) students will maintain their traditional schedule and will be transported home directly upon dismissal from the NTCC.

• This school year we will utilize a learning management system that is different from what you experienced in April and May last school year. This system has been specifically designed with the complexity of learning during the pandemic in mind.

• All students will utilize their 1-World Chromebook devices (grades 2-12) and tablet devices (grades K-1) to access curriculum resources and instructional content. These devices will continue to play a supporting role for teachers as they conduct in-person instruction in the traditional classroom setting and for students who choose online learning.

• Parents and guardians who have safety concerns with their child returning to the school building will have the opportunity to select the remote learning option through RVS (Ram Virtual School).

• Parents and guardians who have safety concerns with their child returning to the school building will have the opportunity to select the remote learning option through RVS (Ram Virtual School).

• It is extremely important to note that learning in a remote setting or learning at home is challenging and is not the answer for every student. This family decision should be made carefully with health and education serving as the foundation of this important decision.

• RVS courses will be managed and supported by Wyalusing teachers, and in most cases, the course schedule will mirror the schedule of students attending in person.

• Students or parents who choose the RVS model must understand that this platform for learning is different than a traditional school setting. Some of the requirements to ensure student success include but are not limited to:

• *Increased parent or guardian involvement,
• *Strong attendance policy compliance,
• *Dedication to learning independently,
• *High levels of student motivation,
• *High levels of parental supervision to ensure time on task and daily learning progress is achieved,
• *Strong reliable internet service.

Additional information about RVS can be found by clicking here.

If you believe that your child can consistently maintain the requirements listed above to be successful in RVS and you are willing to commit for a minimum of one quarter (45 school days), Ram Virtual School is available for you. By completing the electronic enrollment form you are making the commitment to RVS. Your final decision to enroll in RVS must be made by August 10th.

Adjustments and changes appear inevitable over the course of the next few weeks and months as new information and requirements are constantly being released from state and federal agencies. We will communicate as often as necessary to keep you informed of pertinent changes and other important information.

Please check our website often for updates.

Website: www.wyalusingrams.com
Phone: 570-746-1600