July 3, 2020

Dear WSSD Community,

I hope this message finds you and your family well and perhaps enjoying some fun and safe outdoor activities this weekend.    

The purpose of today’s communication is to provide you with a comprehensive overview of our planning for the 2020-2021 school year.  Not a day goes by where our team of administrators, teachers, nurses, and behavioral health staff members are not working on some aspect of planning for our students’ safe return to school on Monday, August 31.

2020 Reopening Committees and Teams  

To facilitate all of the planning necessary for our 2020 reopening, we have organized ourselves into teams and committees.  The WSSD Pandemic Team is comprised of Lisa Palmer, Superintendent; Ferg Abbott, Director of Human Resources and Operations; Gina Ross, Director of Student Services; and Mary Figura, Assistant to the Superintendent.  We have three overarching committees to support out planning:  Education Committee led by Denise Citarelli Jones, Director of Education; Planning Committee led by Ferg Abbott; and Infection Prevention Committee led by Gina Ross.  These committees are comprised of administrators, teachers from all levels, nurses, behavioral health staff members, and local medical professionals.  Our planning is guided by Governor Wolf, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Pennsylvania Department of Health, Chester County Department of Health, the CDC, the World Health Organization, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, American Academy of Pediatrics, Mid-Atlantic Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) “Considerations for Reopening Pennsylvania Schools,” and our service provider Environmental Control Systems. 

In addition, I am fortunate to be included in various groups within Delaware County and the state, one of which is the Delaware County Reopening Committee.  The Committee includes leading medical officials, Tim Boyce – Director of Delaware County Emergency Services, members of Delaware County Council, and a few superintendents.  The work within the committee is timely and very informative to our overall planning. 

Guidelines for Reopening Schools for 2020-2021

The Wallingford-Swarthmore School District is planning to open schools for in-person instruction this fall.  We are very excited at the thought of seeing all of our students and staff again, however, we know school must look different in order to ensure everyone’s safety.  Based on recommendations from local health experts, we have focused our planning on four main components:  screening, distancing, hygiene, and masking. 

Screening:  Our ability to keep our schools open means we all have to work together to keep each other safe.  It is our plan for parents and staff to conduct daily symptom screening of children and themselves at home prior to arriving at the bus stop or school.  Students and staff who do not feel well must stay home.  Our teams are determining the best way to collect this information (e.g., app- or web-based), and we will communicate more information throughout the summer.  In addition, our teams are considering the merits of temperature screenings and may recommend that we include these screenings in our Health and Safety Plan.

Distancing:  Classroom configurations will be altered for maximum physical distancing as feasible.  Although six foot distancing is optimal, we will be able to meet the World Health Organization’s recommendation of three foot distancing in every classroom in the District.  In fact, we will be able to meet four foot distancing in the majority of our classrooms.  Per the approval of the Chester County Health Department, buses can operate with a maximum of two students per seat, with the understanding that masks will be required of those riding the bus.  Our teams are working on the logistics associated with arrival at school, lunches, recess, changing of classes, use of lockers, etc. 

Hygiene:  We have purchased signage and EPA-approved disinfectants and equipment to strengthen hygiene practices in our buildings.  We will embed time within the day for faculty, staff, and students to wash hands, and for our custodial staff to clean and disinfect high touch areas.  Fogging machines, plexiglass dividers, and a large supply of hand sanitizer have been purchased to promote hygienic conditions in all of our school buildings. 

Masking:  We understand that masking is a topic of discussion among members of our community.  Please know that we will follow the recommendations of our health and medical experts and/or a directive of our Governor.  As of Wednesday, Governor Wolf issued an Order for everyone over the age of two to wear a face mask when they leave their home.  This Order remains in effect until further notice.  Today’s guidance from PDE says:  “For the safety of students, staff and families, and to avoid community spread of COVID-19, students and staff are considered to be members of the public who are congregating in indoor locations. As such, they are required to adhere to this Order.  Schools may allow students to remove their face coverings when students are: 1) eating or drinking when spaced at least six feet apart; 2) seated at desks or assigned work spaces at least six feet apart; or, 3) engaged in any activity at least six feet apart (e.g., face covering breaks, recess, etc.).”  Our Health and Safety Plan is a document that must contemplate future changes in conditions so it will reflect masking requirements under this Order as well as requirements for students after the Order is lifted. 

Timeline for the Completion of Health and Safety Plans

Each school district is required to submit a Health and Safety Plan to the Pennsylvania Department of Education prior to reopening for in-person instruction.  This Plan will provide parents with a much clearer picture of what school will look like when we reopen.  We anticipate presenting our plan to the School Board at the July 20 School Board meeting.  We had hoped to share this information with everyone at the July 6 special School Board meeting, but it is not ready as our guidance keeps evolving.  Therefore, the July 6 School Board meeting is canceled. 

Preliminary Information on Instructional Options for 2020-2021

The Wallingford-Swarthmore School District is planning to open schools for in-person instruction this fall. 

We want all of our children back in our schools; however, we know that social distancing guidelines may not allow all students to be in classes at the same time.  To support that possibility, our teams are working on plans that would have half of our students attending in-person classes two days of the week (e.g., Monday/Tuesday or Monday/Wednesday) and the other half attending in-person classes two days a week (e.g., Wednesday/Thursday or Tuesday/Thursday).  Schools could undergo enhanced cleanings on Friday while remote learning could be provided to students at home.  Our teams are also considering whether a day other than Friday might be better, such as Wednesday.  Please know our teams are working on plans that will provide high quality synchronous and asynchronous instruction.

We are also working on plans to support a student who may be or become sick or needs to stay home because of a compromised family member.  We are developing a blended learning delivery option whereby students can stay home while still accessing their education. 

For those families that want or need a fully online experience, we are in the process of finalizing plans with VLN Partners to provide an online option to support your needs. 

We will provide a more detailed overview of our instructional options for next year in the weeks ahead. 

Survey Feedback

Thank you for taking the time to complete our WSSD School Reopening Survey.  Your responses provided us with important feedback.  As we finalize our plans, we will survey you again – particularly in the following areas:

• Intent to use transportation 
• Intent to send child/ren to school

We are continuing to develop our 2020 reopening plans and will continue to keep you informed throughout the summer.  In the meantime, should you have any questions, concerns, and/or suggestions regarding our reopening, please contact us at 2020ReopeningComments@wssd.org.  As always, thank you for your support. 

Very truly yours,

Lisa Palmer
Superintendent of Schools

June 23, 2020

Hello,

Thank you to everyone who responded to the recent School Board calendar survey.  Your responses were very helpful to the School Board as we considered various options for the 2020-2021 academic year. 

At last evening’s meeting, the School Board approved a revised 2020-2021 school year calendar (click here).  The approved calendar reflects the following: 

• Student first day of August 31st
• Extended November break for students
• Extended December break for students and staff
   

Thank you again for your assistance with our planning.

 

Best,
Lisa Palmer, Superintendent of Schools

On behalf of all of us at the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District, and in particular Strath Haven High School, thank you for braving the rain yesterday and coming out to support the members of the Class of 2020 in such a heartfelt way during our parade.  It meant the world to our Seniors … and us.

We’re sending this message to all of our parents and guardians but we know there many more in our community who supported our graduates.  Since we don’t have contact information for everyone in our community, would you please share our gratitude with your friends and neighbors as well.  We are very fortunate to be part of such a wonderful community, and we want to thank everyone for their support. 

Thank you again,

Lisa Palmer
Superintendent of Schools

May 8, 2020

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Good evening!  As our week comes to an end, we want to share a few items of interest with you. 

2019-2020 School Calendar Revision

The Administration has recommended that the Board of School Directors approve a revised 2019-2020 school year calendar at their meeting on Monday evening.  Please click here for a copy of the recommended calendar. 

The recommended calendar includes the following highlights:

• Teacher In-Service Day on Friday, May 15^th
• Strath Haven High School (Virtual) Graduation Day – June 5^th
• Last Day for Students Grades K-11 – June 11^th
• Teacher In-Service Days – June 12^th – June 19^th

The change to the last day for school for students to June 11^th allows our educators to engage in training and adjust curriculum in order to ensure that students are fully supported as we begin the 2020-2021 school year, in whatever form that may take. 

We are hopeful that the School Board will approve our recommendation. 

 

School Board Meetings

Please consider joining us for our virtual Board meeting on Monday evening.  Here’s how you can participate.

PUBLIC NOTICE:  Due to the current emergency declared by Governor Wolf and in consideration of the health and safety of the school community, notice is hereby given that the regular meeting of the Board of School Directors of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District previously scheduled for Monday, May 11, 2020, at 7:00 PM, shall take place as previously scheduled, but will convene utilizing the procedures set forth below for virtual meeting attendance. Specifically, public attendance shall be limited to remote viewing by means of the District’s YouTube Channel, which can be found here.

Public participation by residents and taxpayers of the District will occur through phone messages which may be submitted before, during, and up until the end of the meeting. Phoned comments may be left, subject to a 3-minute limit, at 610-892-3470, ext. 1102, and will be transcribed. Phoned comments must include the commenter’s name, full address, and phone number, and will be provided to Board members in writing for consideration.

 

WSSD Student Meal Program

On March 29^th, the Pennsylvania Department of Education received approval from the USDA for a waiver to grant flexibility to the eligibility requirements to qualify as a food service open site – where all children 18 and under in the community receive free meals. Under this waiver, WSSD is eligible to participate in this program.  Breakfast and lunch meals are available for all children – not just WSSD students.  Children are able to receive 14 meals per week.

MEALS

Meals include reheat at home options, including pulled pork, pizza, chicken drumsticks, and chicken tenders, as an example. Additionally, sandwiches will come deconstructed so you can put them together at home at your convenience. 

PICK-UP LOCATION

Strath Haven High School (205 S. Providence Rd., Wallingford - please use the Brookhaven Road entrance and drive into the loop that goes past the main doors)

SCHEDULE

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m. - 12 noon

On Monday, children will receive:

• Monday Lunch
• Tuesday Breakfast & Lunch
• Wednesday Breakfast

On Wednesday, children will receive:

• Wednesday lunch
• Thursday Breakfast & Lunch
• Friday Breakfast

On Friday, children will receive:

• Friday Lunch
• Saturday Breakfast & Lunch
• Sunday Breakfast & Lunch
• Monday Breakfast

PICKUP PROCEDURE

Drive into the loop that goes up to the main doors with the Strath Haven High School sign, identify the number of children you are picking up for, and pop the trunk of your car while remaining inside.

Our food service staff will place all meals in the trunk of the car to ensure we are limiting contact and practicing safe social distancing.

 

Appreciation

We want to extend our sincere thanks to all of our parents/guardians for their continued support of our teachers and students!  Happy Teacher Appreciation Week and Happy Nurses Day!

 

We hope you have a restful and enjoyable weekend.

 

Very truly yours,

Lisa A. Palmer, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

April 28, 2020

Good evening,

We hope that you and your families are well. We are writing today to update you on WSSD educational programing during Flexible Instruction.  

At last evening’s School Board meeting, Dr. Citarelli Jones, Director of Education, presented updates related to the next phase of our education plan.  They answer our most immediate questions, but we are fully aware that there are still more questions that need answers.  We are discussing them as well and will provide more answers in the future. 

As part of Dr. Citarelli Jones education update, she spoke about:

• Grades & Report Cards
• Upcoming Interactive Zoom Sessions with Students
• Data from the Parent Surveys

We invite you to hear her presentation which can be found in its entirety on our website within BoardDocs (April 27^th Board Meeting).  In the meantime, we’re attaching Frequently Asked Questions so you can have this important information at your fingertips. 

We appreciate the feedback you have provided to us through your e-mails, phone call conversations, and survey responses.  We truly value the perspectives you have shared and use that feedback to shape and improve our Flexible Instruction Plan so we can better serve our students. 

We will keep you updated as we have more information to share.

Take care,

Lisa Palmer, Superintendent of Schools 

April 9, 2020

Dear Wallingford-Swarthmore Community,

I am sure by now you have heard that Governor Wolf has closed schools through the end of the school year. Like so many of our WSSD families, I am profoundly saddened for the loss of the last months of the school year for our students and families. These are the precious times when students begin to prepare for their next year and say good-bye to teachers, classmates, and in some cases, buildings as they move into the summer months and onto the next phase of their education. Our vibrant learning community is more than just academics, especially at the end of the school year when we hold field days, music ensemble performances, spring sports, class trips, yearbook signing, and awards ceremonies.

I am especially heartbroken for our seniors and their families who have been waiting for 12 years for these final months when the Class of 2020 enjoys the rewards of all their hard work: senior award nights, senior prom, Commemoration, and a graduation ceremony that no student should ever have to miss. As a School District, we are determined to do our very best to find alternate ways to celebrate these milestones for our seniors.  We have been considering many ideas along the way; however, now that the Governor has made the determination to close schools, we are forming an immediate committee to begin specific planning. No option is off the table to commemorate our seniors as they leave WSSD for bright and promising futures. This amazing group of students deserves to be honored in special ways, and we intend to do just that.

There are many questions that continue to evolve through a pandemic that has taken away so much from our school community. Our virtual learning is ever evolving in scope and philosophy, and as we continue to improve on this new version of student learning, we will work together to answer the questions as they come. Your responses to the feedback survey will help us greatly as we consider in more depth student progress, expectations of work, support for student health and well-being, the continuation of meals to families, the school calendar, and many more considerations.

These incredible circumstances are not in our control, but we want you to be confident that our team will continue to work toward creative solutions and to provide you with updates and information as soon as they become available. Every student, parent, educator, staff member, and administrator makes a difference in how we respond to this next phase of our work together. I believe our community ideals will be reflected in all we do to provide safe, caring, compassionate, and quality interactions for our kids.

In our community, there are those who may be caring for sick family members and who have suffered many types of losses in this pandemic. Our hearts go out to all of our WSSD families in crisis. Know that we are with you in hope and communion.  As we take a deep breath and ready ourselves for the next few weeks, please remember: our WSSD spirit is what makes us the community we are and always have been, and I have no doubt we will show our enduring spirit even in this.

Sincerely,

Lisa A. Palmer, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

April 8, 2020

Good morning parents/guardians:

We hope that you are doing well and taking precautions to ensure the well being of your family.  We also hope that your children are enjoying their online lessons and opportunities to reconnect with their teachers. 

My purpose for writing to you today is to thank you for your patience and cooperation as we continue flexible instruction for our students and to ask for your assistance.  Since we are now in the second week of instruction, we want to learn more about your child/ren’s experience.  When we initially shared our Flexible Instruction Plan with you, we noted that it would continue to be a work in progress over time.  Your feedback is an important component in refining our Plan.  As such, please complete the following short survey about your child/ren’s experience so far.  We encourage you to take the survey for each of your children so that we can disaggregate the data for better planning. 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FlexibleInstructionFeedback

Have a lovely day, and as always, thank you for your continued support.

Very truly yours,

Lisa A. Palmer, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear WSSD Families:

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented levels of disruption and uncertainty to all of our lives.  Despite this, we have seen our community come together in remarkable ways to help those in need.  It is important to remember through all of this, that we need to rely on one another for support.  We are writing this weekend for a few reasons. 

First, we want to thank our teachers, staff and administration for working so hard to launch online, flexible instruction this past week.  Many worked exhausting hours to make this happen while juggling their own family needs.  We are not a District that had online instruction in place prior to the pandemic, so the progress over a short period of time has been impressive. This is new to all of us, and we will continue to make improvements as we go. 

Second, we know there is uncertainty about whether the kids will be able to return to school this year.  It is impossible to predict at the moment.  What we do know is that we will continue with online instruction through at least the end of April in accordance with the Governor’s order.  We hope that there will be a chance to return to school before the end of the year, but it is simply too soon to know.  We hope your kids are finding ways to stay connected with classmates by phone, video or other remote means.  It is important that our kids stay socially connected and not feel isolated while continuing social distancing.

Third, we plan to hold our regularly scheduled Board meeting on April 13^th remotely using video technology.  We will have information on the WSSD website about how you can watch the meeting online or comment if you wish.  Though we had to cancel the last Board meeting, we also want to assure you that the administration has been in regular communication with the two of us and has provided information to the full Board along the way. 

Finally, as you hopefully know, the District began distributing free meals this week to children 18 and under.  This was made possible by a new waiver from the USDA to Pennsylvania earlier this week.  More details are available on the WSSD website: https://www.wssd.org/domain/963.  Do not hesitate to take advantage of this program if you have a need.  All leftover food is being donated to local food banks.

We thank all of you for your patience and support as we work through these unprecedented times.  We will face more challenges as we move forward, but we are confident we will continue to find ways to overcome them.  Your kids and families are in our thoughts and your health and safety are always on our minds.  We wish you the very best and will be in touch again soon.

Sincerely,

David Grande – Board President
Kelly Wachtman – Board Vice President

Good evening:

Today was the first day of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District (WSSD) open food service program.  Meals were distributed from the Strath Haven Middle School from 10 AM until Noon.

Today’s turnout was amazing and we thank everyone for their patience while we worked through the line and the few delays while preparing for the large turnout.  This program was brought up within four days and we are working to make it better as we proceed.

In order to accommodate a few of the issues that we dealt with today, we are going to make a few adjustments.  First we are moving the program distribution to the Brookhaven entrance at the Strath Haven High School (SHHS).

Next, we are changing the meal distribution to three days per week.  Due to the COVID-19 environment, we are dealing with issues with suppliers and product availability.

Please note: next week, April 10 is Spring Break.  For next week only, we will be distributing Monday, Wednesday, and THURSDAY.  After next week (starting the week of 4/13), distribution will be Monday Wednesday and Friday each week.

As we proceed, we will be making changes to the food offerings.  We will be serving more reheat at home options, including pulled pork, pizza, chicken drumsticks, and chicken tenders, as an example. Additionally, sandwiches will come deconstructed so you can put them together at home at your convenience.

Meals will be prepackaged and distributed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.*

On Monday, children will receive:

• Monday Lunch
• Tuesday Breakfast & Lunch
• Wednesday Breakfast

On Wednesday, children will receive:

• Wednesday lunch
• Thursday Breakfast & Lunch
• Friday Breakfast

On Friday, children will receive:*(but the week for 04/06, distribution will be Thursday 04/09)

• Friday Lunch
• Saturday Breakfast & Lunch
• Sunday Breakfast & Lunch
• Monday Breakfast

Drive into the loop from the SHHS Brookhaven entrance parking lot, identify the number of children you are picking up for, and pop the trunk of your car while remaining inside.

Our staff will place all meals in the trunk of the car to ensure we are limiting contact and practicing safe social distancing.

In an effort to more accurately assess the number of meals that the Food Service Department will need to prepare, please pre-register by clicking the link here https://forms.gle/7kC43UuKgx7M6qss8  If you have previously registered, please do NOT register again; we have your count information.  However, if you have not registered yet, please access the link and complete the registration.

Thank you for you cooperation and flexibility as we work to minimize contact and maintain the health of our staff and community members.

We want to thank everyone who worked so hard to get this program up and running so quickly.  It was a very quick turnaround and while this first day was not error free, we were able to serve more than 340 children.  Also, thank you for your patience and understanding on our first day of this new service.

Stay Calm, Stay Home, and Stay Safe

Take care and stay well

Martha Kew

Business Administrator

Dear Parents/Guardians:

I hope today’s message finds you and your family well and adjusting to the restart of our 2019-2020 school year.  WSSD online, flexible instruction began today, and I hope your children enjoyed reconnecting with their teachers as much as their teachers enjoyed reconnecting with them.  

I have three important items to share with you today. 

SCHOOL CLOSURES

During today’s press conference, Governor Wolf extended his stay-at-home order through April 30^th.  Further, he stated that all Pennsylvania schools will remain closed until further notice.  This means that our schools, playgrounds, and King Field will be closed until further notice.

PA CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (CHIP)

The CHIP Community Outreach Coordinator asked us to remind everyone that the CHIP program is available should families need health insurance coverage for their children.  The CHIP program does not have a contract period.  It can be used as stop gap coverage between employment.

Here is the link to CHIP information:

CHIP information flyer 

CHIP coverage 

CHIP income requirements 

WSSD FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM

Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Department of Education received approval from the USDA for a waiver to grant flexibility to the eligibility requirements to qualify as a food service open site – where all children 18 and under in the community receive free meals.  Under this waiver, WSSD now will be eligible to participate in this program. 

Starting on Thursday, April 2nd, breakfast and lunch meals will be available for all children.  Meals will be prepackaged and available for pick up at Strath Haven Middle School (200 S. Providence Rd., Wallingford), between 10 AM to 12 Noon on Mondays and Thursdays.  Children will be able to receive 14 meals per week.

Here is how the program will work:

On Mondays, children will receive:

Monday lunch; Tuesday breakfast and lunch; Wednesday breakfast and lunch; Thursday breakfast

On Thursdays, children will receive:

Thursday lunch; Friday breakfast and lunch; Saturday breakfast and lunch; Sunday breakfast and lunch; Monday breakfast

Drive into the loop in the SHMS upper parking lot, identify the number of children you are picking up for, and pop the trunk of your car while remaining inside.

Our food service staff will place all meals in the trunk of the car to ensure we are limiting contact and practicing safe social distancing.

In an effort to more accurately assess the number of meals that the Food Service Department will need to prepare, please pre-register by clicking the link here   https://forms.gle/7kC43UuKgx7M6qss8

Thank you for you cooperation and flexibility as we work to minimize contact and maintain the health of our staff and community members.

We’ll continue to be in touch as we have more information to share. 

Very truly yours,

Lisa A. Palmer, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools    

 

                 

This is a reminder that in addition to our schools being closed, our outdoor areas where close physical contact may occur are closed as well. It is very important that we practice the social distancing necessary, and, therefore, please remember that basketball courts and playgrounds are closed. This closure is in close coordination with the Nether Providence Township that has very similar restrictions as well.

Food Donations

Attention community members wishing to make donations to support families facing food insecurity during school closures:

 

Giant and Acme gift cards in any denomination can be dropped off at the secure Tax Drop Box located outside of the WSSD administrative offices located at 200 S. Providence Road, Wallingford. Gift cards will be provided directly to families in need 

 

We ask that you clearly write the amount of the gift card on each card and put in a sealed Ziploc bag.

 

Also, please consider making a food or monetary donations to the Foundry Church or Media Food Center. 

 

The Foundry Church

Address: 25 Cedar Rd, Wallingford, PA 19086

Phone: (484) 326-5362

 

Donations accepted Fridays 3:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. and Tuesdays 5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. 

(currently in need of canned fruit, vegetables and meat, and breakfast foods)

 

Media Food Bank - First United Methodist Church

350 W. State St, Media, PA 19063

Phone: 610-566-3172

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Media.Food.Bank/

 

Donations accepted Thursdays 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the back door on Baker Street.

(currently in need of canned fruit, vegetables and meat, feminine products, pet food, breakfast foods, and empty boxes)

 

Thank you for your generosity during this challenging and unprecedented time.

Last evening, I sent a video message to you regarding our extended school closure. 

Some key points to remember:

• The Governor has closed schools to students through at least April 9th.  That closure order may be extended by the Governor beyond April 9th, if necessary. 
  WSSD will be closed through Friday, April 10th.
   
• We will begin online, flexible instruction on Monday, March 30th.  A copy of the WSSD Flexible Instruction Plan is attached so you can readily locate it. 
   
• We will continue flexible instruction through the previously planned spring break except for Friday, April 10th. 
   
• Elementary parent conferences previously planned for next week will be postponed.

As we learn more about duration of school closures, we will keep you updated.

Very truly yours,

Lisa A. Palmer, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

WSSD Flexible Instruction Plan