Penn Manor superintendent Mike Leichliter sent out an email this morning explaining how we will keep parents updated on what the 2020-2021 school year might look like. Here is the text of the letter:
Dear Penn Manor Families,
Today marks the end of the 2019-2020 school year, which presented more challenges than any year I can recall in my 29 years in public education. When Governor Wolf ordered all schools to close, effective March 16, it forced us to quickly move to an online platform to ensure the continuity of learning for all our students. I’d like to personally thank parents for the encouragement, patience, and grace you have exhibited in helping your child adapt to this new learning environment during very challenging circumstances.
As we look toward next school year, I want to keep you updated on plans to return students to our schools in as safe a manner as possible. The 2020-2021 school year is scheduled to begin on August 31, and while we don’t know exactly what that will look like, we have mapped out three possibilities: a full return of all students to school buildings, a hybrid onsite/online schedule with reduced building occupancy, and a full virtual schedule. We believe this last option is the least desirable of the three.
There are still many unknowns. We are awaiting definitive guidance from the Pennsylvania Departments of both Health and Education on the specific recommendations for keeping students and adults safe that will impact our plans. We hope that there will be some local decision-making permitted so that we can tailor the return to school to meet the unique needs of Penn Manor.
To guide our decision-making, we have assembled a planning group that includes our assistant director of student support services, the school physician, school nurses, the transportation and food services directors, and others to help plan a return to school that focuses on safety for students, faculty, and staff members.
To keep you informed, we will provide periodic updates throughout the summer as we learn more specifics about what the 2020-2021 school year will look like. You can expect to receive an update via email (also posted on the district website) on June 30, July 20, and August 3. If additional information comes to light that should be shared with families, we will provide more updates through the same methods. We are eager to share these details as soon as we have more clarity on the new school year.
Thank you again for all of your support during these challenging days. It is a privilege to work in Penn Manor with wonderful students, staff and families. We wish you the best for a safe and restful summer.
Sincerely,
Michael G. Leichliter, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
