Coronavirus (COVID-19)

COVID-19 Information

The following message was sent to all families and staff on Friday, March 13:

Like you, the South Park School District Board of Directors, administrators, faculty, and staff have been closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We have relied on the guidance from local, state, and national public health experts to make the most informed decisions to ensure the health and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, and community.

Public educators are facing an unprecedented scenario. We must act to minimize the risk to our entire community. Therefore, the South Park School District, after careful consideration, is taking the following actions:

The South Park School District will be closed to students beginning on Monday, March 16, 2020 through Monday, March 30. (Monday, March 30 is a previously scheduled off-day for students.) We hope to resume normal operations on Tuesday, March 31. Prior to that date, we will re-evaluate and communicate based on the information we have available at that time.

The school buildings will be open during normal school hours on Monday, March 16 in the event students need to retrieve belongings or materials they did not bring home today.

Based on Governor Tom Wolf’s announcement that no school will be penalized if it fails to meet the 180-day or school-hours requirements, the district does not plan to use any flexible instructional days during this closure unless directed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

All extra-curricular activities (including athletics) and all events in all South Park School District buildings will be suspended, canceled or postponed beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2020 through, tentatively, Monday, March 30, 2020. The district will notify its stakeholders when district-sponsored events and activities are rescheduled. The district will notify external organizations using South Park School District facilities of this decision. Those organizations are responsible for notifying their stakeholders.

Extended Day Services will remain open on Friday, March 13 until 6 p.m. However, EDS will be closed from Monday, March 16 through Monday, March 30.

District faculty and staff will be notified of their reporting status by their immediate supervisor.

Please expect additional communication in the coming days and weeks as we continue to work through this unique and fluid situation.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation throughout the past two weeks and in the weeks to come.



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News of a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has dominated national and international headlines in recent weeks. The South Park School District wishes to share information from the Allegheny County Health Department, Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the coronavirus.

PREVENTION

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has encouraged families to use these preventative measures to protect you and your children from illnesses such as the common cold, flu and also the coronavirus:

Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, do not use your hands!

Clean surfaces frequently, such as countertops, light switches, cell phones and other frequently touched areas. 

Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

Contain - if you are sick, stay home until you are feeling better.


To help ensure the health and well-being of our students, we want to remind you of these guidelines from the Allegheny County Health Department when deciding whether to send your child to school after an infectious illness:

Children with a temperature above 100 degrees must be fever-free without the use of a fever-reducing medication for 24 hours before returning to school. While taking medications such as Tylenol or ibuprofen will bring down a fever, it doesn’t necessarily mean the child is healthy enough to return to school.

Children with the flu should not return to school until they are symptom-free for at least 24 hours.

Children with vomiting or diarrhea should not return to school until they are free of symptoms for 24 hours.

DISTRICT'S PRECAUTIONS

We work very hard to ensure the cleanliness of our classrooms and school buildings. Our buildings are cleaned and sanitized every day. Students are encouraged to wash their hands often, and hand sanitizer is available throughout our buildings.

District administrators and school nurses are in regular communication with the Allegheny County Health Department, and receive information almost daily from the Allegheny County Health Department and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Regular meetings and webinars with local, county, and state health experts provide us with up-to-date developments about the virus. As in every cold and flu season, the South Park School District has implemented preventative measures including the thorough and frequent cleaning and disinfecting of touch surfaces, like desks, tables, doorknobs, and light switches. These measures are in line with recommendations from the Allegheny County Health Department, Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The district’s cleaning supplies are well-stocked and meet all CDC requirements. Additionally, we have been in contact with our transportation provider, First Student, about the cleaning and sanitizing procedures it follows. The buses and vehicles used to transport South Park students to and from school are disinfected multiple times daily.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

We have put together several links to helpful information about the coronavirus. Please be sure to only seek information from trusted sources like official public health agencies.

Allegheny County Health Department’s information about the coronavirus

Pennsylvania Department of Health’s coronavirus information

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information about the coronavirus

Additional resources can be found on our Coronavirus Resource Page.

We encourage you to contact your child’s school nurse if you have additional questions.
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