PPS Parent and Family Update

Keeping PPS Families Engaged and Informed

Friday, September 24, 2021

Roberto Clemente Day at

Pittsburgh Brashear

The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to honor the life and legacy of the great Roberto Clemente, by joining Major League Baseball for the 20th annual Roberto Clemente Day. On Wednesday, September 15, not only did the MLB announce that September 15 – the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month will be celebrated as Roberto Clemente Day in perpetuity - the Pirates honored “The Great One” with a day of giving, which included a field renovation and winterization event at Pittsburgh Brashear High School.

The Pirates front office staff assisted with some much-needed improvements to the school’s baseball and softball diamonds. The work included upgrades to the infield, rebuilding the pitching mounds, painting of the dugouts and more. We want to send a huge thank you to the Pirates for their continued support of the students, families and staff of Pittsburgh Public Schools.

Device Distribution & Acceptable Use Policy

Student devices PreK-12 are expected to be delivered to all schools no later than Friday, October 1. All students must have a signed acceptable use policy on file before a district device can be distributed.

The Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is available for review and signing online at www.pghschools.org/techform. Please have your child’s student ID handy to complete the AUP. Student personalized mailers, including student IDs, are anticipated to arrive this weekend. Signing the policy acknowledges parent/guardian understanding of expectations regarding student internet and email use, security, network use, proper handling of equipment and fees when a device is damaged . The online Acceptable Use Policy is available in Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Uzbek, Arabic, Nepali and Japanese.

A parent/guardian must sign the Acceptable Use form as soon as possible so their student may begin using their device in school. It will also ensure your child has a device to use at home. Please contact the school with any questions.

Haven’t turned in your Child’s Device?

We appreciate how hectic life can get and understand that some families were unable to turn in their child’s device over the summer. Now that school is back in session, please make sure to return your child’s device from the 2020-2021 school year so they may receive an updated one. Devices should be turned in even if they are broken. To report a lost or stolen device, please contact your child’s school.

Student Device Damage

When a student device is damaged, the District will cover parts and repairs for up to two (2) times per school year. After a device is damaged a third time, a $100 service fee will be charged for replacement. A school year is defined as 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.

Personalized Student Mailer

By now, all families with students PreK-12 should have received their child’s personalized mailer containing student password, email, and primary parent/guardian login information. Families that have not received a mailer should contact their child’s school. Student username and password are needed to log in to district devices and to access digital resources on Clever and Schoology. Each password was randomly generated and is a combination of a three-letter word + a two-digit number + a three-letter word. An example password is: dog45cat.

Menu Options Impacted by Supply Chain

As a result of the pandemic, supply chain issues are impacting school breakfast and lunch menu options. Students may notice a decrease in the variety of foods offered and have some items offered multiple times in the same week. The Food Services team is working to make menu adjustments due to last-minute deliveries and update the website more frequently so families can stay informed of the substitutes.

Welcome Event For New Families

Are you new to Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS)? If so, the Stakeholder Engagement and Family Recruitment team will be holding a virtual welcome to PPS event on September 30. This event will provide an overview of the School District and allow parents, guardians and family members to learn about many of the services offered internally and by our partner organizations and meet key staff members who can help your child achieve success. Topics will include the structure of the school system, Academics, Athletics, Student Support Services, Enrichment opportunities, and Testing and Assessments. If this is your first year as a member of the PPS family, please join us for this event, especially for you! Please RSVP by Tuesday, September 28 at www.pghschools.org/newfamilyRSVP. We hope you can join us!

Get Vaxxed!

Any adult or student over the age of 12 may receive their COVID-19 vaccination at a local pharmacy across the city. To find a location near you, visit www.pghschools.org/backandvaxxed.

Board Education Committee Meeting Recap

On Tuesday, September 14, the Board of Directors held an Education Committee meeting. The meeting covered two very important topics.

Changes in Academic Achievement in PPS During Remote Instruction in the COVID-19 Pandemic and a Back-to-School Update covering the following topics:

Teaching, Learning, Testing, and Device Distribution Updates
National Issues in Food Services
Social-Emotional Learning
Update on Transportation
COVID-19 Mitigation Updates

To view each presentation, please visit www.pghschools.org/backtoschool

When To Notify The School

When Your Child Is Sick

It is always concerning when a child is not feeling well and now, even more alarming with COVID-19. The best course of action when your child is not feeling well, and you are unsure what to do, is to contact your child’s primary care physician and keep your child home from school. Based on your child’s symptoms, a physician may recommend a COVID-19 test.

Open communication with your child’s school is also important. Please notify your child’s school and keep your child home if and when your:

child or household member tests positive for COVID-19
child or household member is considered presumed positive
child is identified as a close contact to a positive person
child was tested for COVID-19

COVID-19 Student Quarantine Guidance

Now that students and staff are back in school, we want to make sure families understand the guidelines for student quarantines when a student tests positive for COVID-19 or is exposed to a positive individual within school, the community, or the home. Please visit www.pghschools.org/closureguidelines for building closure guidelines based on the number of student and staff COVID cases within the building.

Doing Our Part to Mitigate

the Spread of COVID-19

As part of our efforts to prioritize in-person learning and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within our PPS community, the District’s Human Resources Department and Office of Student Support Services are working to implement employee and student on-site COVID-19 testing.

On-site testing will begin for unvaccinated PPS employees in late September 2021.

The Board of Directors supported employee testing efforts by approving a resolution on August 25, 2021, which mandates that all District employees participate in regular COVID-19 testing unless they produce evidence that they have been fully vaccinated.

The District will work with Concentric (Ginkgo) to provide on-site COVID-19 testing at no charge due to the partnership announced on August 16, 2021, by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Details will be shared regarding the on-site student testing program once finalized.

Important Dates

Monday, September 27 – Public Hearing – 6:00 PM

Wednesday, September 29 – Legislative Meeting – 7:00 PM

Monday, October 4 – Budget Workshop – 5:30 PM

Tuesday, October 5 – Committee Meeting – 5:30 PM

Bolstering Community Schools

Since 2018, the District has designated nine community schools regionally throughout the city to foster connections between educators and community stakeholders to eliminate barriers to student academic success. Designated Community Schools promote student achievement, positive conditions for learning, and the well-being of families and the community. Now, guided by needs assessments conducted at each school, PPS seeks to begin the transition to a full-service community schools model. Full-service community schools serve as a hub in the community, partnering with resources to offer programs focusing on Academics, Enrichment, Health and Social Supports, Youth and Community Development, and Family Engagement.

On Thursday, September 23, representatives from PPS, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers and SMART Clinics held a webinar to share the District's progress with community schools and plans currently under development to bolster supports.