July 27, 2020
Hello families!
Both the district and building administration realize that this a difficult time for families and have been diligently working to put together a re-opening plan that takes into account the health and safety of staff and students. We know this can be a difficult time for parents and families to determine what route to take when considering sending children to school in the fall. That being said, I wanted to share more detailed information about our reopening plan.
At this time, if the county is operating in the green phase, all students will return to the building. Students will be spread out in classrooms as much as is feasibly possible to conduct instruction. Students in 5th and 6th grade will utilize the cafeteria for lunch, while students in Pre-K through 4th grade will eat lunch in their classrooms. Students will be offered specials on a 5-day rotation and take part in daily recess activities as directed by the specials teachers. Due to the mask mandate issued by the governor on July 1st, all students will be required to wear a mask during the school day. We are working diligently to determine the best way to build in outdoor mask breaks for students during the school day. Modified arrival and dismissal procedures will be used to ensure that student safety is considered throughout the school day. If you plan to utilize school district transportation, the district is moving to a model where each family will be given one pick-up location in the morning and one drop-off location in the afternoon. If you have questions regarding your transportation, please contact Brenda Tombaugh at (814) 899-7643 x2001 or btombaugh@iroquois.iu5.org.
In the yellow phase, class numbers in Pre-K through 4th grade will be reduced and students in 5th and 6th grade will follow a modified hybrid schedule to allow for increased social distancing. In this phase all students will eat lunch in classrooms and the specials schedule may be modified to accommodate health and safety requirements. If we are required to move to the red phase, all learning will be remote and delivered by the grade level teachers to whom your child is assigned. The district will utilize one unified platform for delivery of remote learning.
If you are interested in a virtual learning option for your child this school year, please contact Veronica Will at (814) 899-7643 x2002 or vwill@iroquois.iu5.org regarding the Iroquois Cyber Academy.
To aid in our planning process, please make sure to take the survey issued by the school district to let us know what enrollment option you have chosen for your child. The survey link is: http://bit.ly/iroquoisparentsurvey . Please know that we are providing you the most up-to-date information as it stands today. In an effort to maintain optimal safety for staff and students, any part of this plan may need to change to follow the recommendations and guidelines proposed by the Department of Health, the CDC, and/or the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
At this time, we are excited to welcome students back to the greatest elementary school on the planet on August 25, 2020 and look forward to watching them learn and grow as we provide them with the amazing educational opportunities that we are known for. If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Foutz at (814) 899-7643 x2002 or jfoutz@iroquois.iu5.org. In addition, you may reach out to our pandemic coordinator, Karen Barringer at (814) 899-7643 x6109 or kbarringer@iroquois.iu5.org.
Thank you,
Jennifer Foutz Veronica Will
Principal Assistant Principal