Superintendent's Parent and Family Update

Keeping PPS Families Engaged and Informed

Thursday, September 2, 2021

A Message from Superintendent Hamlet

Dear PPS Families,

The first day of the 2021-2022 school year is almost here! We look forward to seeing your student(s) tomorrow, Friday, September 3. Please view my Back to School message below. Visit www.pghschools.org/backtoschool as your one-stop shop for back-to-school information.

Yours in education,

Anthony D. Hamlet, Ed. D.

Superintendent of Schools

Getting Your Child Ready for the First Day of School

In addition to school-ready clothes and school supplies, this year, please prepare your child with these additional steps:

Have 2 to 5 masks that fit correctly and cover your child’s mouth and nose.
Discuss the importance of keeping a mask on during the school day and practice in advance.
Please help your child understand how to maintain 3-feet from their peers and teachers when in school.
Supply a reusable water bottle filled with water only.
Practice good hygiene by frequently having your child wash their hands.
Keep your child home if they are sick, have been exposed, or tests positive for COVID-19.
Update all household and emergency contact information with your child’s school.
Make sure your child has all of their immunizations.
If your child is 12 years or older, make sure they are vaccinated.

Universal Masking in all PPS Buildings

Pittsburgh Public Schools was among the first school districts in the state to mandate universal masking for staff and students, regardless of vaccination status. Now, a new mask order from the state supports masking as a key mitigation strategy. Beginning on Tuesday, September 7, a mask order goes into effect at all K-12 public schools and child care centers. The Order applies to all children/students, teachers, staff, and visitors ages two years or older while indoors working, attending, or visiting a school entity, regardless of vaccination status.

Per the PPS Masking Protocol, all students must wear a face covering (i.e., mask) that covers their nose and mouth inside the school. Students are required to wear a mask unless they have a medical or mental health condition or disability, documented by a licensed healthcare provider that prevents mask wearing in school.

Steps for Universal Masking

PPS staff will take the following steps to ensure all children are masked at school:

Explicit instruction for all students so that there is a collective understanding of the importance of properly wearing a mask in order to maintain a safe and healthy school environment.
Post masking rules building-wide and reinforce masking expectations with students daily and/or as needed. Particularly for elementary aged students, staff will provide positive reinforcement for mask wearing.
Make sure all students are wearing masks correctly upon entry to school and throughout the day.
Students with forgotten, lost, broken, or improper masks will be given a school-supplied mask.
Issue at least two (2) verbal reminders for the student to mask.
Student conference with staff (teacher, principal, counselor/social worker) to reemphasize safety protocol.
Students who do not mask will be directed to an area with adequate social distancing (minimum 6 feet).
Student’s parent/guardian will be contacted by principal.

Students who do not mask after the above interventions occur will be sent home. This response is necessary for continued operation of the school and education of all students. The student and parent/guardian will receive a letter advising them of the next steps, including the expectation that the student returns to school wearing a mask. Students who have a mental or physical health condition, or whose parent/guardian has reported such a condition, must not be sent home for failure to mask. They will be physically distanced from other students while the parent/guardian works to provide documentation of the condition and necessary accommodations.

If you have questions or concerns about the masking protocol, please reach out to your child’s school.

PPS Staying Informed

There are many ways PPS families can stay informed beyond the bi-monthly Parent Update. Follow the District on social media or connect with your child’s teachers through the app Talking Points. We have a Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram account. Learn how to use the Talking Points app at www.pghschools.org/talkingpoints.

The PPS Board of Directors holds public meetings each month. Each meeting is streamed live on our website. In September, the schedule is:

Tuesday, September 14 – Committee Meeting – 5:30 PM

Wednesday, September 22 – Agenda Review – 6:00 PM

Monday, September 27 – Public Hearing – 5:30 PM

Wednesday, September 29 – Legislative Session – 6:00 PM

Student Transportation Update

Seat Gap Numbers Declining Daily

The District’s transportation strategies to address the seat gap caused by a national driver shortage are rapidly taking hold. Each day the seat gap continues to decline. As of today, 294 students need transportation.

Families with students who fall within the seat gap received notification via robocall on Monday, August 30. Families can receive daily reimbursements if they can transport their child to and from school each day. Additionally, Port Authority ConnecTix is available to families. Families unable to transport their child with their vehicle or through Port Authority should contact the Transportation Department at 412-529-8125 to identify additional solutions.

Reimbursement is only available to families in the seat gap, who the District cannot currently transport. The mileage reimbursement rate will be $10 per day roundtrip for less than 12 miles or $20 per day roundtrip for less than 24 miles. Parents/guardians are required to provide a valid driver's license, car registration, and insurance documentation with each monthly reimbursement request.

To inquire about Port Authority ConnecTix or the process of receiving daily reimbursements, please visit www.pghschools.org/releaseyourseat, submit a Let's Talk ticket www.pghschools.org/letstalk, or call the Transportation Department at (412) 529-8125.

If you are unable to transport your child for seat reimbursement or Port Authority ConnecTix, please contact our Transportation Department at (412) 529-8125.

Spin Scooters – Only Available to Adults 18 Years and Older

The Pittsburgh Public Schools strongly discourages Spin Scooter use by school-aged children under the age of 18. Per Spin Scooter, all users of their product must be at least eighteen (18) years of age. Please ensure your student is not using a Spin Scooter to get to and from school.

Back and Vaxxed

Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is a key step to keeping our schools open and all of us safe and healthy.

When you’re vaxxed, you can get back to doing what you like to do.

Get vaxxed and get back to in-person learning.
Get vaxxed and get back to playing sports.
Get vaxxed and get back to performances and live shows.
Get vaxxed and get back to hanging out with friends.

To learn more visit www.pghschools.org/backandvaxxed.

We’re Here to Support Safe & Healthy Schools

On Tuesday, August 30, the District held a webinar for families on COVID-19 mitigation strategies. The webinar is available online at https://vimeo.com/pghschools

Special Olympics Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh Public Schools Launch a New Initiative

Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) and the Pittsburgh Public Schools are expanding their partnership as part of Special Olympics North America’s new initiative, Unified Champion City Schools (UCCS). The goal of UCCS is to bring Interscholastic Unified Sports® (where students with and without disabilities train and compete as teammates), Inclusive Youth Leadership and Whole-School Engagement into all Pittsburgh Public schools with a special education population over the next three years.

For the past seven years, SOPA and the Pittsburgh Public Schools have been strong partners, conducting Interscholastic Unified Track and Field and inclusive youth leadership in eight high schools. The new UCCS initiative will grow this partnership and amplify the Unified Champion School programming that is already in place.

Pirates All Star Teachers

Three PPS teachers, Justin Collinger (Pittsburgh Obama), Tara Maddex (Pittsburgh Arsenal 6-8), and Maria Paul (Pittsburgh Pioneer), were recognized as All-Star teachers! Congratulations!

The Pittsburgh Pirates, Pirates Charities, PNC and The Grable Foundation teamed up with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Intermediate Unit One, and Kidsburgh to recognize outstanding teachers in our region and give them the thanks and acknowledgement that they deserve for their contributions to our community. These educators will receive a grant of $1,000 to be used in their classroom, tickets to a Pirates game, special recognition on the field, and much more!

Pittsburgh Online Academy – An Online Option for Students in Grades 4-12

Families with students in grades 4-12 interested in an online option for their child for the 2021-2022 school year should consider the Pittsburgh Online Academy (POA). POA offers a wide range of interactive and engaging asynchronous lessons so students can learn at their own pace. Academic offerings include advanced placement, honors, world language, and STEAM-focused classes. To apply, families must contact their child's current school principal. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, September 15.

POA Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a full-time remote option available?

Families of students in grades 4-12, seeking a remote option, may enroll in the Pittsburgh Online Academy by speaking with their school's principal. The District is currently examining the potential of an online option for a limited number of students in grades K-3, based on criteria to be determined. There is no online option for PreK students.

Is the Pittsburgh Online Academy (POA) Asynchronous or Synchronous?

Pittsburgh Online Academy is 100% asynchronous. Asynchronous learning is when a student is learning and completing work independently without teacher-led instruction.

What is the deadline for applying to Pittsburgh Online Academy?

The deadline to apply is Wednesday, September 15.

Will my student lose their magnet school status if they attend Pittsburgh Online Academy?

No. For the 2021-2022 school year, families who select to attend the Pittsburgh Online Academy (POA) will maintain their spot in their current magnet school/program for the start of the 2022-2023 school year.

Students are expected to matriculate to the next grade level on schedule. In other words, a student who attends POA for 9th grade would be a 10th grader in their magnet program the next school year. Students may need to make up missed courses based on their magnet program. Families are encouraged to speak with their magnet school/program principal to understand the potential impacts to magnet coursework before enrolling in POA.

Families may only hold their spot within their magnet program for the 2021-2022 school year. Families seeking to attend a different magnet program for the 2022-2023 school year must apply through the magnet application process.

Can my students transition back to their neighborhood or magnet school at any time during the 2021-2022 school year?

It is recommended that students remain at the Pittsburgh Online Academy for the entire year to complete the full year of coursework and maintain program continuity. The POA curriculum is designed to be over a whole school year. However, students may transition back to their neighborhood school or magnet school at the end of the first semester. The end of the first semester is Tuesday, February 1.

How will my child participate in athletics or extracurricular activities?

Students attending the Pittsburgh Online Academy can continue participating in athletic and extracurricular offerings at the magnet or neighborhood school of assignment for the 2021-2022 school year.

Will my child be eligible to receive transportation when they transition back to their neighborhood or magnet school from POA?

The District is currently managing a bus driver shortage. At this time, transportation cannot be guaranteed for students that transition back to their neighborhood or magnet school from POA at the beginning of the second semester (Wednesday, February 2). Parents/guardians should plan to transport their children daily.

Will my student lose their magnet status if I enroll my child at a Non-PPS School?

Any student who leaves the District to attend a cyber-charter school, brick and mortar charter school, private or parochial school, or withdraws from the District to homeschool will lose their magnet status.

How can I learn more about the Pittsburgh Online Academy?

Families can learn more about the Pittsburgh Online Academy by visiting pghschools.org/onlineacademy or by viewing an informational presentation.

I am undecided about what is best for my child. What do you advise?

Any family considering a full asynchronous learning model through the Pittsburgh Online Academy should consult with their child's school principal.

What is the difference between synchronous and asynchronous learning?

Synchronous learning is when the instruction is led by a teacher virtually. Asynchronous learning is when a student is learning and completing work independently without teacher-led instruction.

PPS Parent Feedback

We’re Making Improvements to Our Website and Want Your Feedback

To help us make improvements to our website, we are seeking feedback from PPS families. Please visit www.pghschools.org/websitesurvey to help inform us how we can better serve the PPS community with our website. The survey takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.

Family and Parent Engagement Policy

The District's updated Family and Parent Engagement Policy is available online at www.pghschools.org/parentfamilypolicy.

For more information about reopening schools, please visit:

www.pghschools.org/reopeningourschools