York Academy Regional Charter School Community:
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Department of Education extended school closures through at least April 6, 2020. In addition, they cancelled all PSSA testing and Keystone exams for the 2019-20 school year. The Department of Education approved Pennsylvania’s waiver request and further waived accountability and reporting requirements for the 2019-20 school year.
As one of the few schools in York County to immediately implement distance learning, friends and acquaintances from surrounding schools and districts may have questions for you regarding the very different message they received from their school district leadership. As a parent with students participating in distance learning, you may also have questions. Here are some FAQs to address a variety of questions that we have received since March 13, 2020:
Since Governor Wolf ordered the closure of all public schools in Pennsylvania, are schools allowed to provide distance education?
In
a communication on March 15, 2020
, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education, Pedro Rivera, reiterated his previous message that although not required, many schools have plans, or are creating plans, to provide continuity of education. York Academy leadership began working with teachers on
March 11
, 2020 to implement a distance learning model in the event of a closure. We launched our distance learning plan on March 16, 2020 and are reviewing and refining our plans daily. From passing out Chromebooks to making personal phone calls, all York Academy staff members are supporting the effort to keep students engaged in learning.
Don't the federal laws regulating Special Education and English Language Learners make it impossible for schools to offer distance learning?
As a school leader in Houston, Texas during Hurricane Harvey, I learned that it is better to act with courage and serve who you can than to act in fear and serve no one. Our Special Education teachers have connected with experienced teachers from cyber charters to learn best practices for remote learning. In addition, all of our teachers who support special populations are actively monitoring students' participation and providing a wide variety of support to ensure that all students have equitable access to activities. On March 21, 2020, the
United States Department of Education provided guidance
for all public schools, which included the following information:
We remind schools they should not opt to close or decline to provide distance instruction, at the expense of students, to address matters pertaining to services for students with disabilities. Rather, school systems must make local decisions that take into consideration the health, safety, and well-being of all their students and staff. To be clear: ensuring compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act should not prevent any school from offering educational programs through distance instruction.
My friends with kids in other districts are unhappy that they are not receiving any type of instruction. Can they enroll at York Academy?
While we are not enrolling students for the 2019-2020 school year, interested parents can
apply online for the 2020-2021 school year
. The deadline to be included in the lottery is
March 27, 2020
. The lottery will be held on April 6, 2020 at 6:00 p.m.
How will students’ work be graded while participating in distance learning?
York Academy teachers are committed to providing a continuity of education for all students. We recognize that none of our parents chose cyber school, and we know issues will arise as we negotiate this unprecedented situation. While teachers will provide grades on assignments, they are solely intended as feedback for the student. Our intention is to hold students harmless during the closure, which means that students can improve their grade, but their grade will not be reduced. Since it is too early to forecast how the school year will end, the decision to retain a student in the same grade next year will be made in concert with parents, on a case by case basis.
My child is having a hard time learning online. What is going to happen if they are behind when we go back to school?
We are already planning interventions to ensure that all York Academy students are on track. These plans include a review of staffing and resources for the 2020-2021 school year, as well as the possibility of offering additional summer enrichment opportunities for any students who struggled academically before or during the closure. We are committed to limiting the negative impact of this closure while also working to provide meaningful academic opportunities for learning while schools are closed.
Is the school calendar going to change?
We do not plan to add any days to the calendar or require students to participate in school activities during previously scheduled school holidays. This means that teachers and students are off on March 27, April 10, April 13 and May 25.
We will continue to monitor the situation and provide you with regular updates. Thank you for your patience and support as we navigate this unprecedented event.
Stay healthy and safe,
Angela Sugarek
Chief Executive Officer
