A collection of communication from central administration
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Penn-Delco will continuously stay connected with its families in the 2021-2022 academic year. You can find a communication history from your school principal at every school website under the Families tab of your website. Mass communication from central administration including Dr. Steinhoff, Technology, Health and Safety and others can be found here.
From our mass notification system
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January 14: PDSD survey on Federal Grant Fund
January 14, 2022
A Message to Penn-Delco Community Stakeholders:
In response to the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has caused over the past two years, school districts throughout the country have been awarded emergency relief funding from the federal government. While some of those funds have been spent on costs previously incurred (for example, the purchase of 1:1 Chromebooks, PPE/health safety items, and academic interventionists, etc.), Penn-Delco has also been awarded separate funds through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 that may be used in the next two school years. Funds are designated for one-time or short-term expenditures.
Key purposes of the ARP funds are to address potential student learning loss, academic acceleration and recovery, improvements to facilities and safety, mental health needs of students, and additional operational and instructional supports for schools. ARP funds may not be used to defray the cost of existing expenses (like staffing).
I write to ask for your help in providing feedback on the preferred, best uses of these funds. The district will give significant consideration to stakeholder input from staff, parents, and residents. Kindly respond to this short survey so we may make the most informed decisions on the future expenditure of this limited federal grant.
Click here to complete the brief survey.
Gratefully Yours,
Dr. George Steinhoff, PDSD Superintendent
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December 31, 2021: COVID-19 Update
December 31, 2021
Dear Penn Delco Parents and Guardians,
With the Penn-Delco Winter Break nearing an end, I am reaching out to wish you and your family a very Happy and Healthy New Year, and also to provide an update on CDC revisions to quarantine and isolation periods. The CDC has recently updated its guidance on COVID cases and close contacts by reducing the recommended times spent in isolation or quarantine, from 10 to 5 days, dependent upon individual circumstances. With the PA Department of Health endorsing these changes, the Penn-Delco School District will be following the revised guidance upon our return to school on Monday, January 3rd.
A link to the CDC guidance is available here. A short-form summary sheet for Penn-Delco School District Health and Safety has been posted to our COVID information page and is also attached to this email. The PDSD summary sheet can help parents of children who may have tested positive or been a close contact during break determine when they can return to school. For the vast majority of our students, we look forward to seeing them again in school on Monday, January 3rd, provided they are symptom free.
Our first week back
Given the significant increases in COVID cases throughout the region, there may be some delay in the immediate response to emails or calls to/from our nursing staff on their first day back from break. They have had few moments to spare since the start of this school year and we aren’t yet out of the woods. Aligned with the PA Department of Health, our district continues to recommend that students wear a mask while at school. This is the easiest way to keep your child from acquiring the virus. I encourage parents to remind your children of the mask recommendation. Our teachers have entire classrooms of students to supervise and cannot guarantee that they can always remind individual children of specific parental mask preferences.
The PDSD Test-to-Stay program will only be operational for staff during the first week of January. The district plans to restart the Test-to-Stay program for students the second week of January when we expect to have a refreshed inventory of rapid tests, and additional nursing personnel to assist with testing.
Our ability to continue to provide in-person learning by keeping our schools open is in many ways dependent upon the efforts of everyone. Students who have COVID symptoms should not come to school.Students who have been exposed to the virus should only come to school if they are asymptomatic, have had 5 days pass since their known exposure, and can wear a mask for 5 days in accordance with the CDC guidance.
Thank you parents and guardians for your continued understanding and cooperation as we strive to keep our staff and students safe, productive and engaged in school amidst a pandemic that has lasted longer than anyone would have expected. I am optimistic that 2022 will finally bring much-needed relief from the effects of COVID.
I wish you a Healthy and Happy New Year.
Sincerely,
Dr. George Steinhoff
