3:00 pm • Tuesday, November 3, 2020
Maintaining clear, consistent communication to all stakeholders continues to be a top priority for Neshannock Township School District. As positive COVID-19 cases are on the rise across Pennsylvania, District officials are having regular correspondences with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Education, as well as local school officials across Lawrence County.
Neshannock Township School District received notification today, Tuesday, November 4, that an elementary student tested positive for COVID-19. The individual is in quarantine and has not been in the building since Thursday, October 29, 2020. All individuals identified as having been in close contact — at the school — with the positive COVID-19 case while infectious have been contacted and are in quarantine. We currently have one additional active, confirmed COVID-19 case within the District. This Jr./Sr. High student has not been in the building since Tuesday, October 23.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health has collaborated with the District to conduct contact tracing. Contact tracing is the process of identifying, notifying, and monitoring anyone who came in close contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19 while they were infectious (2 days before onset of symptoms until the end of the person’s isolation period). Close contact is defined as someone who was within six feet of an infected person for at least fifteen minutes. A total of 22 individuals are currently in quarantine as a result of fitting the definition of a close contact from the current confirmed COVID-19 case. Any contact tracing regarding potential non-school related exposure is being conducted by the Department of Health through cooperation and communication with the family.
At this point in time, Neshannock Memorial Elementary School continues to remain open.
We remain committed to keeping all stakeholders informed in order to ensure a safe, secure environment for all. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Julie Morrone or your student’s building principal:
- Mr. Luca Passarelli, Grades 10-12
- Mrs. Alicia Measel, Grades 7-9
- Mr. Matt Heasley, Grades K-6
- Mrs. Jenny Flannery, Cyber Grades K-6
Thank you for your continued patience, support, and commitment to mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
Dr. Terence P. Meehan
Superintendent, Neshannock Township School District
November 3, 2020
* Previous cases are those of individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 and have fulfilled their required isolation period.
Virtual Learning (Grades 7-12)
October 26 – November 6, 2020
The health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff remains paramount, and out of an abundance of caution, as previously announced on Thursday, October 29, all hybrid students in grades 7-12 will remain at home and receive virtual instruction through Friday, November 6, 2020. We encourage our families to keep their children socially distanced as much as possible in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. It is our hope that this temporary adjustment will permit a safe reopening of the Jr./Sr. High School. Should the District need to extend full virtual instruction and/or hybrid instruction, an announcement will be made after consultation with the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
- Students currently enrolled in virtual/cyber learning will experience no changes at all. They are to log in to their online learning platform — Schoology — as they have been doing since the start of the school year.
- Hybrid students are not to report to the building. They must log in to Schoology daily — Monday through Friday (October 26-November 6).
- Students are to follow individual teacher guidance and instruction on submission deadlines for all coursework.
- In order to be marked as present for each day of virtual instruction, students must submit their attendance forms — via Schoology — no later than 10:15 am daily.
- Joining Live Classroom Meetings: Click Here
Resources
Should your student or anyone in your family experience symptoms of COVID-19, please contact your healthcare provider and notify Mrs. Julie Morrone by email or by phone 724-658-5513, ext. 5117. Please visit our website to review our COVID-19 procedures, as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s website for more information regarding COVID-19, exposure, contact tracing, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Cleaning Products and Procedures
Our maintenance department continues to sanitize and sterilize all classrooms, common areas, and school buses on a daily basis. Throughout the District we are using all Green Seal Certified products. In addition, one product has the Eco Logo designation which is USDA approved. The Green Seal certification is attained through strict analysis of the chemicals makeup and its use. This not only protects the students through the day, but also the teachers and custodians who come in contact with these products on a daily basis.
We are currently utilizing a disinfectant product that has seven capable solutions in one. VitalOxide is used for the following:
- EPA Registered hospital disinfectant cleaner
- NSF Registered no rinse required food surface sanitizer
- Mold and mildew killer
- Allergen eliminator
- Odor eliminator
- HVAC antimicrobial control
- Soft surface sanitizer
- VitalOxide is one of the leading products in terms of safety and effectiveness.
We are also utilizing several Purell products including hand sanitizer, surface sanitizer, and disinfectant spray.