COVID-19 Update: November 17, 2020

11:30 am • Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Neshannock Township School District received notification today, Tuesday, November 17, that a Junior-Senior High student tested positive for COVID-19. The individual is in quarantine and has not been in the building since Friday, October 23; therefore, no contact tracing will need to be conducted in the building.  Any contact tracing regarding potential non-school related exposure will be conducted by the Department of Health through cooperation and communication with the family.

Per prior approval of Neshannock Township School District’s Board of School Directors, the Junior-Senior High School is continuing virtual learning through the Thanksgiving holiday.  Effective December 1, Jr./Sr. High School students will return to hybrid learning unless COVID-19 cases in the District warrant otherwise.

At this point in time, Neshannock Memorial Elementary School continues to remain open. Temporary virtual learning remains an option for all students in grades K-6 through their grade level Google Classroom Extensions.  Students utilizing the Google Classroom Extension on a temporary basis will continue to be marked present as long as they are meeting the educational requirements of the teacher.  Please direct any questions regarding temporary virtual learning to your child’s homeroom teacher.  Neshannock Memorial Elementary School also continues to offer full-virtual instruction — cyber school — for all students in grades K-6.

It is our goal to be able to schedule in-person learning for students at all grade levels; however, we cannot do that without the help of our community.  If you, your child, or anyone in your household is in quarantine, it is absolutely imperative that you follow all guidelines. We implore our families to keep their children socially distanced as much as possible in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

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 child’s building principal:

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


Recovered 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 – Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Out of an abundance of caution and after careful consideration, the Board of School Directors voted to approve the continuation of virtual learning at the Jr./Sr. High School through the Thanksgiving holiday.  Effective December 1, Jr./Sr. High School students will return to hybrid learning unless COVID-19 cases in the District warrant otherwise.

  • 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 each school day.
  • 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.
  • Effective November 11, teachers will be live instruction for students in grades 7-12.
    • These live sessions will be held during regularly scheduled class periods.
    • Specific directions for live meetings can be found on each teacher’s Schoology page.


What is Contact Tracing?

The Pennsylvania Department of Health collaborates with the District to conduct any 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.


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.

Pennsylvania Department of Education Recommendations for Schools Following Identification of a Case of COVID-19


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.

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