Hello from the Springfield School District.

All schools and administrative offices in the Springfield School District will have a two-hour delay on Friday, January 7, 2022 due to poor weather conditions. 

The modified kindergarten schedule is: morning 11am-12:30pm / afternoon 2pm-3:30pm.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, SSD families.

As we stated in yesterday’s communication, COVID is an ever-changing, ever-challenging landscape.  And with changes that seem to emerge daily, we continue to recognize and appreciate the cooperation and support of our parents, students and staff, knowing the different viewpoints that exist in our school community.

With that being said, at the regularly scheduled DE County Superintendents’ meeting today, our medical experts shared their own updated guidance to help school communities manage during periods of widespread community transmission, as the pandemic transitions to an endemic (when the disease is prevalent to such a degree that we are all basically considered close contacts). This information will be posted to the CHOP Policy Lab Blog in the next 24-48 hours.

Therefore, in accordance with the guidance of our medical experts, we will be implementing the following modifications:

• Masking - SSD has been asked directly by our medical experts to require universal masking indoors for all staff and students. Their request arises from the pressure medical personnel are feeling to keep pace with the rising demands placed on hospitals trying to serve patients with high medical needs and with the compounded staffing issues associated with holiday exposures.
  • As good community members, we will offer our support to our hospitals by requiring universal masking of all starting Wednesday, January 5, 2022 until January 28, 2022.
  • This requirement also addresses the need for potential close contacts to wear a mask, while keeping students in school.
  • We understand masking has been politicized; however, we are making this decision with the intention of supporting the very medical staff and health professionals that tend to the health and wellness needs within our community.

• All asymptomatic people that remain negative for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, will be allowed to attend school full time.
   
• If you are sick, stay home. We will continue to send symptomatic students home. 
   
• Based on the previous two bullets, SSD will shift away from school-based contact tracing, because, according to our medical experts, COVID infection in our area is moving to a phase where it is considered "endemic" rather than a "pandemic".  We will continue to comply with all state and local contact tracing requests.
   
• As a reminder, per new CDC guidance released on 1.3.22, persons who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for 5 days. After 5 days from the date symptoms began, or the date of testing -if asymptomatic- the student may return to school.  Student return is contingent upon remaining asymptomatic or have resolving symptoms (fever-free for 24-hours).

We will continue to update you as information becomes available. Again, thank you for your continued support and cooperation. 

The SSD Team

Happy New Year! We hope you and your family are happy, healthy, and safe. We will be welcoming back our students tomorrow, January 4, 2022, for in-person learning.

We continue to rely on our guiding principles to plan our course of action accordingly. These principles have not wavered:

·         We believe safety matters, and we believe there has to be a focus on our children’s social, emotional, and mental well-being as well.

·         We believe in-person learning is key to quality instruction.

·         We believe vaccines matter.

So where does this leave us?

·         Masking at this time is recommended for grades 7-12 and required for grades K-6. To review all of the district’s mitigation efforts, we encourage you to read our Health and Safety Plan found on our website.

·         We are continuing to offer the Test-to-Stay program to maintain in-person learning opportunities.

·         We will continue to follow our contact tracing protocols and notify each school community via email with daily positive case counts. For weekly case counts, please see the SSD COVID Tracker webpage.

·         We have modified our quarantining and isolating protocols based on newly-revised PA Department of Health/CDC guidance. To review this information, please visit our Reopening Schools webpage.

·         If you have any questions, please reach out to your building level administrator.

Should we be unable to offer a safe, in-person learning environment due to staffing or other circumstances, we do have the capability to pivot to virtual learning should the need arise. Your building administration will communicate those details, if necessary.

We recognize and respect that there are different perspectives within our school community and the community at large, as we continue to do our best to navigate this ever-changing, ever-challenging landscape.

Thank you again for your cooperation and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

The SSD Team

SSD Snow Day for Monday, January 3, 2022

Although accumulation totals for today’s snow do not appear to be dramatic, the timing and unpredictability of this weather track is less than desirable.

SSD will be closing schools today due to the anticipated weather.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause families. Hopefully, our children can get outside and play a little bit if the scenario allows for it.

And… If I am wrong in making this decision, please know it was done in earnest.

See you all bright and early Tuesday morning, my friends.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Tony 

Dear Colleagues,

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) are aware of numerous messages circulating on social media, primarily TikTok, regarding school shootings and bomb threats to schools across the nation for tomorrow, December 17.

These social media posts warn of threats but are not specific to Pennsylvania and do not contain specific threats, schools, actors, or locations.

However, law enforcement and school officials should, as always, remain vigilant and report any suspicious behavior to Safe2Say at (844) 723-2729, or info@safe2saypa.org, or online at www.safe2saypa.org. In the event of an emergency, please call 911.

PDE and PSP encourages schools to share this message with their staff, parents, and students to spread awareness of these social media posts and to remind the community to be aware of and report any suspicious activity or threats.
 

Sincerely, Noe

Noe Ortega, Ph.D. | Secretary of Education Pennsylvania Department of Education | Executive Office 333 Market Street | Harrisburg, PA 17126

717.783.9780 | www.education.pa.gov twitter.com/PADeptofEd | facebook.com/PADepartmentofEducation pinterest.com/PADeptOfEd | youtube.com/PADeptOfEd

• Information Regarding Non-School Specific, Nationally Reported Social Media TikTok Threat

Dear Springfield School District Community,

• SSD administration has been alerted to a social media post on TikTok that appears to be a vague, generalized threat against all schools in the US. The TikTok post threatens violence at schools on Friday, December 17^th.
   
• NO students in the Springfield School District were connected to this post, and none have made any threats.

The post stated verbatim, “For anyone wondering on the the 17th, there will a massive school shooting threat across america not 100% sure but there’s a possibili.” Another part of the story read, “on friday there is supposed to be a massive school sh00ting threat across america.” Although we take all school safety issues seriously, the social media post did not indicate a direct threat against any particular school district, nor was there evidence that linked Springfield School District students to the social media activity. As a precaution, we have notified the Springfield Police. They will maintain a stronger presence within the community during school hours, especially on the 17th. 

Our team will continue to partner with other districts and law enforcement entities to uncover all who are responsible. Threats of this nature often lead to “copycat” behavior, as some may believe it will trigger a day off from school or provide the guilty parties attention or notoriety. News outlets are reporting this across the country. Click here as an example.

Please reinforce with your children that threats, whether serious or not, are a crime and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Students engaged in such activity can also expect severe, school-based disciplinary action separate from criminal prosecution.

As we know, keeping our community safe is everyone’s responsibility, and we appreciate the support and cooperation of our SSD community.  

Sincerely,

The SSD Team