Superintendent's Parent and Family Update

Keeping PPS Families Engaged and Informed

Monday, August 23, 2021

A Message from Superintendent Hamlet

Dear PPS Families,

I am happy to report The Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers (PFT) approved our tentative collective bargaining agreement, which allows us to move forward with changes to our school start and end times to add three-tiered bussing. The Board of Directors will vote on the tentative agreement at its August 25th Legislative Meeting. Tiered bussing allows one driver to run three bus routes in the morning and three in the afternoon. Aligning school start times by type of school ensures the tiering can work efficiently. To find your child’s school’s start and end time, click here.

The national bus driver shortage is a complication requiring out-of-the-box thinking and multiple strategies to address. In addition to tiered bussing and a change to school start and end times, the District has taken the following steps to address the shortage and reduce the seat gap:

Increasing walk zones;
Expanding the use of Port Authority transportation;
Supporting local transportation carriers to recruit drivers through paid advertising and job fairs;
Adding additional bus carriers;
Offering sign-on bonuses to attract new drivers; and
Asking eligible families to release their child's seat on a yellow bus if they can transport their child to and from school. To learn how you can be reimbursed to Release Your Seat and drive your child to and from school, click here.

All schools and early childhood centers will start 5-days a week for all students beginning on Friday, September 3. View the revised 2021-2022 calendar here. Families will be receiving the 12-month flip calendar in the mail in the next few weeks.

Student schedules will be available in the Home Access Center (HAC) online this Friday, August 27. To access the HAC, visit www.pghschools.org/HAC. Beginning next week, families will receive a personalized mailer for each child within their household attending PPS. The mailer will include each student’s assigned school and grade, school start and end time, lunch pin, ID#, email, username, and password. The mailer will also include one primary parent/guardian’s Home Access Center credentials.

Please review the information below and tune into our back-to-school webinars on Tuesday, August 24, and August 31 at 5:30 PM.

On behalf of the staff at PPS, we are looking forward to welcoming your child(ren) back to school for in-person learning 5-days a week on Friday, September 3.

Yours in education,

Anthony D. Hamlet, Ed. D.

Superintendent of Schools

Safe & Reliable Care Options – August 25 to September 2

We understand that the delay of the start of school has put a wrinkle in some of our families’ plans. The District's Out of School Time Office has partnered with out-of-school time providers across the city to support families that need a safe and reliable place for their child during the day on August 25 through September 2. For a complete list of options and how to apply, visit www.pghschools.org/learninghubs.

Preparing for the First Day of School – Friday, September 3

Back-to-School Webinars

On Tuesday, August 24, and Tuesday, August 31, the District will host back-to-school webinars. The webinars will provide up-to-date information on critical topics to help you prepare your child for in-person learning.

• Technology – August 24 at 5:30 PM (https://vimeo.com/event/1226637)

• COVID Mitigation Strategies – August 31 at 5:30 PM (https://vimeo.com/event/1226650)

Participating is easy. Visit www.pghschools.org on the date and time of the meeting, and click on the button to enter the live event. Each webinar is additionally streamed live on the District’s Facebook page.

COVID-19 Protocols

Our number one priority as we continue to face an uphill battle with COVID-19 is to keep your students safe. That is why we have mandated mask use, regardless of a student or staff member's vaccination status. We will also ensure that students are socially distanced by 3-feet, when feasible, in classrooms and large spaces such as the cafeteria and gym, and hallways. All schools will have social distancing signage, and teachers and staff will help students remember how to stay safe and healthy.

We ask every family to screen their child for COVID-19 symptoms before they leave for school each day. We can keep our school communities safe and open when everyone does their part.

Check Immunization Requirements

In addition to the preventive COVID-19 vaccine, students must be up-to-date on their immunizations each school year. A complete list of required immunizations is available online at www.pghschools.org/immunizations.

What to Expect When a Positive Case Occurs

When a positive case occurs in a school building, the District’s COVID-19 Response Team will work with the school principal to conduct contract tracing, clean the impacted areas and notify the school community. Any school community member that is considered a close contact, defined as within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more, will be personally contacted.

Caring for a Sick Child

If your child becomes sick in school, they will be escorted to the nurse's office and evaluated in our CARES room. The school nurse will contact a family member requesting your child be picked up from school. Please do your best to pick up your child promptly when called. If you experience difficulties, please alert the school for alternatives. Schools rely on the contact information provided to reach you. If your contact information has changed, please update your information with the school.

To eliminate the spread of the flu, respiratory illnesses, and COVID-19, please take every precaution to keep your child home from school when sick and not feeling well. The best place for your child when they are sick or not feeling well is at home under your care.

Please make sure your home and cell phone numbers and emergency contact information are updated.

Come Back Vaxxed!

Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is the best thing students ages 12+ and adults can do to keep our schools open and all of us safe and healthy. Visit www.pghschools.org/backvaxxed to learn more.

Student Technology

The District continues to collect student devices distributed last year. If you have a child that did not return their device, please drop it off Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the District’s Service Center located on the Southside at 1305 Muriel Street Pittsburgh PA 15203. Drop off is also available on Saturday, August 28. Students may also bring their old devices to school. Students will receive an updated device upon their return to school.

Families are encouraged to turn in their device early so it can it can be updated and returned the first week of school.

Caring for a District Device

A student is responsible for the care of their District device and is required, along with their parent/guardian, to sign the District's Acceptable Use Form before receiving their device. When a student device is damaged, the District will cover parts and repairs up to two (2) times per school year. A $100 service fee will be charged for a replacement device when a device is damaged a third time. The school year runs from August 1 – to July 31. If a student loses a device, the cost for replacement is $200. The District will fully cover a stolen device with a copy of a police report. Lost chargers are $47 for Dell laptops, $28 for iPads, and $79 for MacBook laptops.

Student Passwords

This year, as an added layer of security, all student passwords have been updated. Each student password will be a combination of a three-letter word + a two-digit number + a three-letter word. An example password is dog45cat. Passwords are randomly generated. Student username and password are needed to log in to district devices and to access digital resources on Clever and Schoology. Student passwords will be mailed by Friday, August 27.

Choosing a Virtual Option for the 2021-2022 School Year

PPS has an online option for students in grades 4-12. A K-3 option is under review with the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers. To learn more about the Pittsburgh Online Academy offerings for students in grades 4-12 and how to apply, visit: https://www.pghschools.org/onlineacademy. A list of frequently asked questions is available online (www.pghschools.org/backtoschool).

Student Transportation Update

Release Your Seat

Reimbursing Families To Release Their Yellow Bus Seat & Drive Their Child(ren)

The Board of Directors approved mileage reimbursement to families eligible to drive their child to and from school for the 21-22 school year. Eligible families will receive communications asking them to release their seats. 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. Families who can transport their child to and from school can sign up at www.pghschools.org/releaseyourseat. Bus passes will be provided to eligible parents/guardians that can give up their child's yellow bus seat but does not have a car or a driver's license.

Transportation Mailers

The Pupil Transportation Department will mail student information early next week to all students eligible to receive transportation. Eligible students include those receiving door-to-door transportation, assigned to ride yellow busses, and those who ride Port Authority. Yellow bus riders will receive the:

• location of their bus stop;

• bus pick-up and drop-off time;

• bus number; and

• contact information for the bus company.

Port Authority riders will receive information about the Port Authority bus stop closest to their home and their assigned school. Students will receive a student photo ID on the first few days of school, beginning on Friday, September 3. The Student Photo ID will serve as their Port Authority daily pass. Families are encouraged to visit the Port Authority website and use one or more of the following apps to support their child's commute to and from school.

Visit www.portauthority.org to review route information and health and safety protocols. At this time, the Port Authority requires all riders to wear masks.
Download one or more of the following apps to a Smartphone for route information in real-time. These apps are all free and provide students with the time and location of their desired bus route.

Transit

PGH Transit

Moovit

Tips for Walking Safely To and From School

To help your child prepare to walk to and from school each day, we suggest the following tips for a safe walk:

Take time to practice walking your child to and from school during the hours they would be walking without you.
Discuss the meaning of street signs and lights.
Identify safe walking paths and areas to cross a street safely.
Determine if there are other children in your neighborhood your child can join to walk to and from school each day.
Talk to your child about ways they can stay safe such as:
Keep their head up when walking.
Don't use headphones or cell phones as they can distract a child from hearing or seeing roadblocks, cars, sirens, etc.
Avoid engaging with strangers. Identify a family safety word that only you and your child know.
Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
Walk or stand in pairs or groups in well lite or highly-traveled areas.
Avoid shortcuts, alleys, the woods, and other questionable areas when walking to school.
IMMEDIATELY report all suspicious activity to parents, school police, and school adults.

Questions about Transportation?

Call Pupil Transportation at (412) 529-8125
Visit the Pupil Transportation website at www.pghschools.org/transportation
For videos to share with students sharing safety tips for riding the school bus and port authority visit www.pghschools.org/gettingkidstoschool.
Specialized Transportation Services: (412) 529-3132

For more information about reopening schools, please visit:

www.pghschools.org/reopeningourschools