Philadelphia School District Return-to-School COVID-19 guidance

by Kate Dolan
Posted 8/18/21

For students and their families who attend the city’s public schools, like Houston, Jenks and Henry in northwest Philly, COVID-19 policies and protocols have been established.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Philadelphia School District Return-to-School COVID-19 guidance

Posted

For students and their families who attend the city’s public schools, like Houston, Jenks and Henry in northwest Philly, COVID-19 policies and protocols have been established.

“Every school will have multiple layers of safety in place to protect everyone’s health involved,” said school district Superintendent Dr. William R. Hite Jr., Ed.D., in a Facebook Live district update on August 11. “These layers go above and beyond recently issued guidance by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.”

Masks are required for all students, teachers and staff while indoors at schools, regardless of vaccination status.

School is in-person and operating on a five day per week schedule. The district is running the Philadelphia Virtual Academy, an option that is fully virtual with participating students doing independent work. Enrollment for the academy wrapped up on August 13.

All teachers and staff, vaccinated or not, will take mandatory weekly COVID-19 tests.

Each school will be cleaned and sanitized extensively before students return on the 31st, and these practices will continue through the year, with buildings being sanitized every day after school. Air purification systems will be installed in classrooms, gyms and cafeterias by the end of the month.

Hand sanitizing and washing stations will be set up to promote heathy habits. Although efforts will be made to maintain three feet of distance, Dr. Hite.

Schools will also institute different strategies to help students make the shift to in-person learning. The Healing Initiative and daily classroom-based community meetings aim to help students who are suffering from trauma and experiencing difficult emotions as they return to school.

Additional staffing is planned, specifically psychologists and occupational and speech therapists to assist with special needs students and bilingual counselors to engage the city’s greater student body.

Dr. Hite encouraged all students and parents to check on the condition and function of the student’s laptop before school begins. If families require technical help, there are three locations where a laptop can be maintenance.

“We are excited and we are ready,” said Dr. Hite.