Since the conclusion of the 2019-20 school year, the ELCO Administrative Team has been busy planning for the Fall 2020 re-opening of school.  There are many variables to consider and processes to develop to ensure a safe and healthy return for our students and staff.  Throughout this planning process we will continue to gather information, review provided guidelines, and collect feedback from our stakeholders.  This “Reopening ELCO” page has been created to serve as the central hub for sharing information with our school community and will be updated frequently.  We thank you for your continued support of our planning efforts! 

Frequently Asked Questions

April 30, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families, 

I am reaching out today to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases reported in the ELCO School District. Since Tuesday, two positive COVID-19 cases were reported, one at ELCO Middle School and one at ELCO High School.  The individuals are currently isolating, and all others identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Friday, April 30, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 1 case, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 0 cases, Intermediate School
• 1 case, Middle School
• 2 cases, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.   

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

April 27, 2021

Good Afternoon ELCO Families, 

I am reaching out this afternoon to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  Four positive COVID-19 cases have been reported, one at the ELCO High School, one at Jackson Elementary, and two at Fort Zeller Elementary. These individuals are currently isolating, and all others identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days. 

As a result of the increased positive cases and number of quarantined students this week and following the recommendations from the PA Department of Health following the identification of positive COVID-19 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary will temporarily shift to remote learning from Wednesday April 28 through Thursday, April 29, 2021. During this time instruction will be delivered synchronously by teachers.  In-person instruction will resume at Fort Zeller on Friday, April 30, 2021. In addition, one Kindergarten classroom at Fort Zeller has temporarily shifted to remote learning through April 30, 2021, returning to in-person instruction on Monday, May 3, 2021.  Mr. Lin has directly communicated additional details about the temporary shift to remote learning with Fort Zeller families.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of today, April 27, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DOH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14-day period, follows:

• 1 case, Jackson Elementary 
• 2 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary* 
• 0 cases, Intermediate School 
• 0 cases, Middle School 
• 1 case, High School 
• 0 cases, District Staff  

*When the temporary shift to remote learning at Fort Zeller Elementary ends and in-person instruction resumes on Friday, April 30, the ‘case count’ for the building will reset to ‘0’ which follows PA DoH recommendations.

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.   

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

April 23, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out today to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases reported in the ELCO School District. Two positive COVID-19 cases have been reported, one each at the ELCO High School and ELCO Middle School.  The individuals are currently isolating, and all others identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports, or extracurricular activities.  As of Friday, April 23, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14-day period, follows:

• 1 case, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 0 cases, Intermediate School
• 2 cases, Middle School
• 3 cases, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

**Note that the case count for each building will reset to “0” on Monday, April 26, 2021; all district buildings were deep cleaned on Friday, April 23, 2021.

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

April 21, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding a positive COVID-19 case reported in the ELCO School District.  One positive COVID-19 case has been reported at Jackson Elementary.  The individual is currently isolating, and all others identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individual has been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

Following the recommendations from the PA Department of Health, a first-grade classroom at Jackson Elementary has temporarily shifted to remote learning through April 29, 2021. During this time instruction will be delivered synchronously.  Mrs. Hower has directly communicated additional details about the temporary shift to remote learning with the impacted families.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports, or extracurricular activities.  As of Wednesday, April 21, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14-day period, follows:

• 1 case, Jackson Elementary 
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary 
• 0 cases, Intermediate School 
• 2 cases, Middle School 
• 2 cases, High School 
• 0 cases, District Staff 

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.   

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

April 16, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out today to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases reported in the ELCO School District. This week, two positive COVID-19 cases were reported at ELCO Middle School, and today, two positive cases were reported at ELCO High School.  The individuals are currently isolating, and all others identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Friday, April 16, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 0 cases, Intermediate School
• 2 cases, Middle School
• 2 cases, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

April 12, 2021

Good Afternoon ELCO Families, 

I am reaching out this afternoon to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  Today, two probable cases and one positive case were reported at ELCO High School.  These individuals are currently isolating, and all others identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days. 

As a result of the increased positive cases and number of quarantined students this week and following the recommendations from the PA Department of Health following the identification of positive COVID-19 cases, the ELCO High School will temporarily shift to remote learning from Tuesday, April 13 through Thursday, April 15, 2021. During this time instruction will be delivered synchronously by teachers.  In-person instruction will resume in the High School on Friday, April 16, 2021.  Ms. Haas has directly communicated additional details about the temporary shift to remote learning with High School families.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of today, April 12, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DOH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 0 cases, Intermediate School
• 0 cases, Middle School
• 5 cases, High School*
• 0 cases, District Staff 

*When the temporary shift to remote learning at the High School ends and in-person instruction resumes on Friday, April 16, the ‘case count’ for the High School will reset to ‘0’ which follows PA DoH recommendations.

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.   

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

April 9, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases reported in the ELCO School District. This week two positive COVID-19 cases were reported at ELCO High School.  The individuals are currently isolating, and all others identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Friday, April 9, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 0 cases, Intermediate School
• 0 cases, Middle School
• 2 cases, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

April 1, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding a positive COVID-19 case reported in the ELCO School District. This week one positive COVID-19 case was reported at ELCO Middle School.  The individual is currently isolating, and all others identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individual have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Thursday, April 1, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 1 case, Intermediate School
• 1 case, Middle School
• 0 cases, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

**Please note that the case count for each building will reset to “0” following Spring Break which is scheduled from April 2, 2021 through April 5, 2021. This break will allow for the deep cleaning of each building.

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

March 26, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out today to provide an update regarding a positive COVID-19 case reported in the ELCO School District. This week one positive COVID-19 case has been reported at ELCO Intermediate School.  The individual is currently isolating, and all others identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individual have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Friday, March 26, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 1 case, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 2 cases, Intermediate School
• 0 cases, Middle School
• 0 cases, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community in the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

March 19, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out today to provide an update regarding a positive COVID-19 case reported in the ELCO School District. Since Tuesday one positive COVID-19 case has been reported at Jackson Elementary School.  The individual is currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individual have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports, or extracurricular activities.  As of Friday, March 19, 2021, and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 2 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 1 case, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 1 case, Intermediate School
• 0 cases, Middle School
• 1 case, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remain our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

March 13, 2021

Good Afternoon ELCO Families,

I am reaching out today to provide an update regarding a positive COVID-19 case reported in the ELCO School District. Since Wednesday, one positive COVID-19 case has been reported at ELCO High School.  The individual is currently isolating, and all others identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individual have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Saturday, March 13, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 1 case, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 0 cases, Intermediate School
• 0 cases, Middle School
• 1 case, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

March 10, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding a positive COVID-19 case reported in the ELCO School District. Since Friday, one positive COVID-19 case has been reported at Jackson Elementary  The individual is currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

Following the recommendations from the PA Department of Health, a PM Kindergarten classroom at Jackson Elementary has temporarily shifted to remote learning through March 18, 2021. During this time instruction will be delivered synchronously.  Mrs. Hower has directly communicated additional details about the temporary shift to remote learning with the impacted families.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Wednesday, March 10, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 2 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 0 cases, Intermediate School
• 0 cases, Middle School
• 0 cases, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

March 6, 2021

Good Afternoon ELCO Families,

I am reaching out today to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases reported in the ELCO School District. Since Tuesday, two positive COVID-19 cases have been reported, one each at ELCO High School and Jackson Elementary  The individuals are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Friday, March 5, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 2 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 1 case, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 1 case, Intermediate School
• 0 cases, Middle School
• 2 cases, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

March 4, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

While this school year has been like no other, our students, staff, and families have come together to provide learning options both in person and online.  As a result of vigilant mitigation strategies, we were able to provide the option of in-person instruction to all students since the beginning of the school year, five days per week for elementary students and two days per week for middle and high school students.  It has been our hope that the number of days of in-person instruction for our secondary students could be increased, and as the fourth marking period approaches, we are excited to provide that opportunity for our students!

ELCO Middle and High School students have attended school within the hybrid model (two days in-person) or via the online synchronous learning option throughout the school year. A small group of students have been attending school in-person four days per week. A recent survey of both parents and students demonstrated that the majority of families support an option to increase the number of in-person instructional days for students.

Beginning in January, we have witnessed a steady decline in the number of COVID-19 cases within the County and the District. That data, in conjunction with the knowledge that students learn best when participating in their education in-person, the Administration recommended, and the School Board approved, a plan (which can be accessed HERE) to increase the number of days that MS and HS students attend school in-person.  In the proposed plan, students will begin to transition by grade level, to four days of in-person instruction per week beginning March 22, 2021.  By April 6, 2021 all students choosing the in-person learning option will be attending school in-person four days per week and the hybrid option (two days a week) will no longer be available.  The online synchronous learning option will continue to be offered for the fourth quarter. Those students currently enrolled in the ELCO Virtual Academy will complete their school year in that learning model.

Elementary (K-5) students have had the opportunity to attend school in-person five days a week or via the online synchronous learning option throughout the school year. Families were able to decide each marking period which option was best for their home and family circumstances.  These learning options will again be made available for Elementary students for the fourth marking period.  Those students currently enrolled in the ELCO Virtual Academy will complete their school year in that learning model.

Parents should expect to receive the fourth quarter learning commitment surveys on Friday, March 5 via email. The Middle and High School principals will also provide more detailed information about the gradual shift to four day in-person instruction.

While we are planning to increase the number of students learning in-person in the Middle and High schools, this is not a time to relax any of our mitigation efforts.  Safety in our schools remains our top priority. The District will continue to implement all mitigation measures currently in place including daily cleaning and disinfection of buildings, strict enforcement of the universal face covering order, social distancing, the use of physical barriers and guides, and hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. Contact tracing and quarantine of close contacts and individuals displaying COVID-19 symptoms will also continue to take place, and you will continue to receive regular updates regarding the number of positive COVID-19 cases reported in the District.

We will continue to follow the Department of Health (DoH) Recommendations Following the Identification of Case(s) of COVID-19 in our district.  Based on the DoH guidance, shifts to remote learning may continue to be necessary.  Furthermore, we will continue to monitor the community spread data and may need to take additional action which could include shifting back to a hybrid learning model on the secondary level should we experience a spike in positive cases in the community.  Should this occur, families will be notified of any changes. As a reminder, please refer to the ELCO Moving Forward webpage for additional information.

Thank you for all that you are doing daily to support your children as they learn, connect with their teachers, and continue important daily routines.  This has been a school year of numerous changes, and your patience, understanding and collaboration is greatly appreciated. We are a resilient community, and we are grateful to our students, families, staff and community for working together for our students’ success.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

March 2, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases reported in the ELCO School District. Since Friday, two positive COVID-19 cases have been reported, one each at ELCO High School and Jackson Elementary  The individuals are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Tuesday, March 2, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 1 case, Jackson Elementary
• 1 case, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 1 case, Intermediate School
• 1 case, Middle School
• 1 case, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

February 27, 2021

Dear ELCO Families,

I am reaching out to provide an update regarding a positive COVID-19 case reported in the ELCO School District. Since Wednesday, one positive COVID-19 case has been reported at ELCO Middle School.  The individual is currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individual have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Friday, February 26, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 1 case, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 1 case, Intermediate School
• 1 case, Middle School
• 0 cases, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

February 24, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases reported in the ELCO School District. Two COVID-19 cases have been reported today, one at Fort Zeller Elementary and one at ELCO Intermediate School.  These individuals are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

Following the recommendations from the PA Department of Health, a first grade classroom at Fort Zeller Elementary and a fifth grade classroom at ELCO Intermediate will temporarily shift to remote learning beginning Thursday, February 25, 2021. During this time instruction will be delivered synchronously.  Mr. Lin and Dr. Gerhart have directly communicated additional details about the temporary shift to remote learning with the impacted families.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Wednesday, February 24, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 1 case, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 1 case, Intermediate School
• 0 cases, Middle School
• 0 cases, High School
• 0 cases District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

February 18, 2021

Good Evening,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  One positive COVID-19 case has been reported at Fort Zeller Elementary School.  The individual who tested positive for COVID is currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

As a result of the number of positive cases and following the recommendations from the PA Department of Health following the identification of positive COVID-19 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary School will temporarily shift to remote learning on Friday, February 19, 2021.  During this time instruction will be delivered synchronously by teachers.  In-person instruction will resume at Fort Zeller on Monday, February 22, 2021.  Mr. Lin has directly communicated additional details about the temporary shift to remote learning with Fort Zeller families.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Thursday, February 18, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary 
• 2 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary* 
• 1 case, Intermediate School 
• 0 cases, Middle School 
• 0 cases, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

*When the temporary shift to remote learning at the Fort Zeller Elementary School ends and in-person instruction resumes, the ‘case count’ for the Fort Zeller will reset to ‘0’ which follows PA DoH recommendations.

The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.   Thank you all for your continued support and for maintaining open lines of communication with us.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

February 16, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases reported in the ELCO School District. Two positive COVID-19 cases have been reported, one at Fort Zeller Elementary and one at ELCO Intermediate School.  These individuals are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days. 

Following the recommendations from the PA Department of Health, a fifth grade classroom will temporarily shift to remote learning beginning Wednesday, February 17, 2021 through Friday, February 19, 2021.  During this time instruction will be delivered synchronously.  In-person instruction will resume for this classroom on Monday, February 22, 2021.  Dr. Gerhart has directly communicated additional details about the temporary shift to remote learning with the impacted families.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Tuesday, February 16, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary 
• 1 case, Fort Zeller Elementary 
• 2 cases, Intermediate School 
• 0 cases, Middle School 
• 1 case,  High School 
• 0 cases, District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.   

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely, 

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

February 9, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases reported in the ELCO School District. Since Friday, one positive COVID-19 case has been reported at ELCO High School.  The individual is currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individual have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Tuesday, February 9, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 2 cases, Intermediate School
• 2 cases, Middle School
• 2 cases, High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

February 5, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases reported in the ELCO School District. Since Thursday, five positive COVID-19 cases have been reported, one at ELCO High School, two at ELCO Middle School, and two at ELCO Intermediate School.  These individuals are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

Following the recommendations from the PA Department of Health, a fifth grade classroom will temporarily shift to remote learning beginning Monday, February 8, 2021 through Friday, February 12, 2021.  During this time instruction will be delivered synchronously.  In-person instruction will resume for this classroom on Tuesday, February 16, 2021.  This evening, Dr. Gerhart directly communicated additional details about the temporary shift to remote learning with the impacted families.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Friday, February 5, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 2 cases, Intermediate School
• 2 cases, Middle School
• 1 case,  High School
• 0 cases, District Staff

*Note that the case count for each building was reset to “0” following the District closure on February 1 and February 2. This temporary closure allowed for deep cleaning of each building.

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

January 29, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases reported in the ELCO School District. Since Tuesday, three positive COVID-19 cases have been reported, one each at Fort Zeller Elementary, ELCO Middle School, and District Staff.  These individuals are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Friday, January 29, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 1 case, Jackson Elementary
• 1 case, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 0 cases, Intermediate School
• 1 case, Middle School
• 0 cases, High School
• 1 case, District Staff

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

January 26, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases reported in the ELCO School District. Today, one positive COVID-19 case was reported in Jackson Elementary School.  This individual is currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individual have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

Following the recommendations from the PA Department of Health for small school buildings, a first grade classroom will temporarily shift to remote learning beginning Wednesday, January 27 through Friday, January 29, 2021.  During this time instruction will be delivered synchronously.  In-person instruction will resume for this classroom on Monday, February 1, 2021.  This evening, Mrs. Hower directly communicated additional details about the temporary shift to remote learning with the impacted families.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Tuesday, January 26, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 1 case, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 0 cases, Intermediate School
• 0 cases, Middle School
• 0 cases, High School

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

January 22, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  Since Tuesday, one positive case was reported at Fort Zeller Elementary School.  This individual is currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individual have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of Monday, January 25, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 1 case, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 0 cases, Intermediate School
• 2 cases, Middle School
• 1 case, High School

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront. 

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

January 19, 2021

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  Today, one positive case was reported to the District.  This individual is currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individual have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of January 20, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DoH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 0 cases, Intermediate School*
• 3 cases, Middle School
• 3 cases, High School
• 1 case, District Staff 

*In person instruction resumes at the Intermediate School on Wednesday, January 20 after two days of remote instruction.  Following PA DoH recommendations and after a temporary closure to allow for deep cleaning, the case count for the Intermediate School resets to ‘0’.

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

January 15, 2021

Good Afternoon ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this afternoon to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  Since Tuesday, one probable case and seven positive cases were reported to the District.  These individuals are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

As a result of the increased positive cases and number of quarantined students this week and following the recommendations from the PA Department of Health following the identification of positive COVID-19 cases, the Intermediate School, grades 3-5, will temporarily shift to remote learning on Monday, January 18 and Tuesday, January 19, 2021.  During this time instruction will be delivered synchronously by teachers.  In-person instruction will resume in the Intermediate School on Wednesday, January 20, 2021.  Dr. Gerhart will directly communicate additional details about the temporary shift to remote learning with the IS families later today.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of today, January 15, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DOH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 4 cases, Intermediate School*
• 2 case, Middle School
• 3 cases, High School
• 1 case, District Staff 

*When the temporary shift to remote learning at the Intermediate School ends next week and in person instruction resumes on Wednesday, January 20, the ‘case count’ for the Intermediate School will reset to ‘0’ which follows PA DoH recommendations.

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The end of the first semester is quickly approaching which provides an opportunity to change the learning model for your child/ren for the third quarter. If you are making a change to your child’s current learning model for the third quarter, we ask that you please complete the 3^rd Quarter Learning Model Commitment Form which can be found here.

All changes will be made effective on January 27, 2021 which is the first day of the third quarter. Please note, there will not be a 2-week drop/add period during the third quarter which means that any changes made through the submission of this form will be locked in until the end of the third quarter, which is scheduled to conclude on Wednesday, March 31, 2021.  Again, this form should only be completed if you are requesting a change in the learning model for your child/ren.  All changes must be requested by Tuesday, January 19, 2021.

Please contact your child’s principal with any questions.

Thank you,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

January 11, 2021

Good Afternoon ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this afternoon to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  Two probable cases and one positive case were reported to the District since Friday.  These individuals are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA Department of Health (PA DoH) definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of today, January 11, 2021 and following the CDC and PA DOH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 0 cases, Intermediate School
• 1 case, Middle School
• 2 cases, High School 

Please keep in mind that individuals who test positive, as well as those individuals who are quarantined, return to school after the appropriate isolation or quarantine time period has passed as long as they are symptom free, and they are removed from the current count upon their return to school.

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

December 18, 2020

Good Evening,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  Additional positive cases were reported to the district today.  Those individuals who tested positive for COVID are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA DOH definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  Additionally with the past day and a half closure due to the weather, buildings were thoroughly cleaned and therefore the rolling 14-day period reset.   As of today, December 18, and following the CDC and PA DOH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 1 case, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 0 cases, Intermediate School
• 0 cases, Middle School
• 1 case, High School 

Please keep in mind that individuals who test positive as well as those individuals who are quarantined return to school after the appropriate isolation or quarantine time period has passed as long as they are symptom free; they are removed from the current count upon their return to school.

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

December 15, 2020

Good Afternoon,

This email is a follow up to the Global Connect call sent earlier this afternoon announcing an early dismissal for Wednesday, December 16, 2020.  We have some significant snow headed our way … so the weather folks say!  If the forecasts hold true, the next couple days could be very snow-filled!  When dealing with weather, our plans are weather-dependent and may change quickly based on either deteriorating OR improving conditions.

Please find important details for Wednesday, December 16, 2020, below:

• On Wednesday, December 16, the ELCO School District will dismiss students beginning at 10:45am.  Please note there will be NO AM or PM Kindergarten classes on Wednesday;
• Elementary students who attend school tomorrow will receive a bagged lunch to take home with them;
• Full-day and AM CTC students will attend the CTC for the morning session, only, and will dismiss from the CTC at 10:15am to return to ELCO by 10:30am;
  • Bus transportation will be provided to/from ELCO and the CTC, but students will need to provide their own transportation to/from ELCO in the morning and at 10:30am. 
  • The special Wednesday bus will NOT operate. 
  • If students are unable to provide their own transportation to/from ELCO, a note must be submitted to Mr. Mentzer the next school day indicating that transportation was not available;
• Due to ELCO’s early dismissal, there will be NO PM CTC on Wednesday; and
• The ELCO School District will close at noon on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 due to the predicted inclement weather.

Please stay tuned for additional information; plans for Thursday, December 17, will be announced on Wednesday, December 16 as appropriate, once we are closer to the start of the predicted storm. 

Take good care,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

December 14, 2020

Good Evening,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  Over the past couple days, a total of five positive COVID-19 cases were reported in the District, one case each at the High School, the Middle School, and the Intermediate School and two positive cases were reported among district staff.  The individuals who tested positive for COVID are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA DOH definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  As of tomorrow, Tuesday, December 15, and following the CDC and PA DOH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 1 case, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 3 cases, Intermediate School
• 2 cases, Middle School
• 2 cases, High School 

Please keep in mind that individuals who test positive as well as those individuals who are quarantined return to school after the appropriate isolation or quarantine time period has passed as long as they are symptom free; they are removed from the current count upon their return to school.

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

December 11, 2020

Dear ELCO Families,

On Thursday afternoon, December 10, Governor Wolf announced a Limited Time Mitigation Order which goes into effect at midnight December 12 and ends on Monday, January 4, 2021.   While the majority of the announced mitigation measures further limit operations of businesses, the entertainment industry, and restaurants, there are two items which are of significance to our District listed below: 

1. All extracurricular activities are temporarily suspended until January 4, 2021.  This includes all practices, competitions, performances, rehearsals, and meetings related to activities including athletic teams, musical groups, theatre groups, and clubs.   Advisors, coaches, and directors have been advised that activities may not be scheduled in-person, either on or off campus, during the duration of the limited time mitigation order. Activities which can be conducted virtually may continue.  Furthermore, academic and instructional activities, such as tutoring, testing, and supplemental or remedial instructional programs are not considered extracurricular activities for the purpose of this order; and
2. Indoor gatherings of more than 10 individuals and outdoor gatherings of more than 50 individuals are temporarily suspended until January 4, 2021.   As part of our ongoing mitigation practices, the District has already limited gatherings of students and staff. Assemblies and class meetings have been held virtually, as have been faculty/staff meetings and professional development.  Careful review of the released Frequently Asked Questions indicates that the orders do not apply to classroom instruction, school cafeterias, and school buses.  While there are no scheduled School Board meetings prior to January 4, 2021, Committee meetings will be held virtually and the link will be posted HERE.

While we understand that our student athletes, musicians, and club members are disappointed about the suspension of their activities for the next three weeks, it is imperative that each individual follows this order so that extracurricular activities can safely resume on January 4, 2021.

Additionally, due to new definitions of face coverings, we must now alter the face covering guidelines under which we have been operating.  Of most significance are the definitions of and the situations in which a face shield may be utilized in place of a cloth face covering.  Face coverings will no longer be allowed based solely on convenience or comfort. Please note the following revised guidelines for face shields:

1. Upon return from the Winter Break, face shields will no longer be permitted unless there is an exemption which is based on a disability or pre-existing medical condition. Parents who believe their child qualifies for a medical exemption must provide documentation from a physician. Please complete this form and you will be contacted.  No further documentation is required for students who already have an exemption on file;
2. Individuals who are communicating or seeking to communicate with someone who is hearing impaired or who has another disability, where the ability to see the mouth is essential to communication, may utilize a face shield while communicating with that individual. For example a speech therapist may temporarily utilize a face shield when working on articulation skills; and
3. When a face shield is utilized as an approved alternative to a cloth face covering or for means of communicating as per above, the plastic face shield must be one which “covers the nose and mouth, extends below the chin and to the ears, and leaves no exposed gap between the forehead and the shield’s headpiece”.  Face shields that rest on the chest or chin and go upwards and open at the top are no longer permitted as these face shields do not comply with the universal face covering definition.  The District has secured a supply of face shields that meet the universal face covering requirements and will be available for staff and students who have an approved medical exemption.

We thank you for your continued support of our efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

December 9, 2020

Good Afternoon,

I am reaching out this afternoon to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  Over the past two days a total of three positive COVID-19 cases were reported in the District, one case each in Jackson Elementary, Fort Zeller Elementary, and ELCO Middle School.  The individuals who tested positive for COVID are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days, following the recently revised quarantine guidance as of December 4, 2020 from the PA Department of Health (PA DOH).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA DOH definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  Following the CDC and PA DOH definitions, our current case count, reported within a rolling 14 day period, follows:

• 2 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 1 case, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 2 cases, Intermediate School
• 3 cases, Middle School
• 2 cases, High School

Following the revised DOH guidance when positive COVID-19 cases are identified in schools, we immediately consulted with the PA Department of Health.  Following their guidance the decision was made to temporarily pivot to remote learning for Jackson Elementary School only for the remainder of this week, beginning on Thursday, December 10 and including Friday, December 11.  Jackson Elementary School will reopen on Monday, December 14, 2020.  Mrs. Hower will be in direct contact with Jackson families regarding this temporary shift to remote learning later today to provide additional information.

Whenever a temporary closure is considered, the unique circumstances surrounding the situation are carefully reviewed. We evaluate each and every case individually and take into consideration factors such as the number of positive cases in each building and across the District, the number of close contacts required to quarantine in each case, the timing of the cases, and whether or not transmission is occurring in our schools.

If your child is in need of technology support while learning from home you may enter a web help ticket HERE or call the help desk phone number, 717-306-3257.

The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.   Thank you all for your continued support and for maintaining open lines of communication with us.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

December 7, 2020

Good Afternoon,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  Over the weekend and today, a total of six new positive COVID-19 cases were reported in the District, one case each in Jackson Elementary and Fort Zeller Elementary, and two cases each in the Intermediate School and the Middle School.  The individuals who tested positive for COVID are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 10 days, following the recently revised quarantine guidance as of December 4, 2020 from the PA Department of Health (PA DOH).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the PA DOH definitions for a positive COVID-19 case include both confirmed and probable cases when a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 was physically present in the school setting while infectious.  This includes but is not limited to being physically present for instruction, work, sports or extracurricular activities.  Following the CDC and PA DOH definitions, our current case count follows:

• 1 case, Jackson Elementary
• 2 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 3 cases, Intermediate School
• 2 case, Middle School
• 1 case, High School

Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, we immediately consulted with the PA Department of Health, and the decision was made to temporarily pivot to remote learning for two 4^th grade classrooms in the Intermediate School only for the remainder of this week, beginning on Tuesday, December 8 and including Friday, December 11. The two impacted classrooms will reopen on Monday, December 14, 2020.  Dr. Gerhart will be in direct contact with those families impacted by this temporary shift to remote learning later today to provide additional information.

Whenever a temporary closure is considered, the unique circumstances surrounding the situation are carefully reviewed. We evaluate each and every case individually and take into consideration factors such as the number of positive cases in each building and across the District, the number of close contacts required to quarantine in each case, the timing of the cases, and whether or not transmission is occurring in our schools.

As a reminder, if you signed up for meals for your child while they are learning from home, meal pick up will take place at the Middle School between 12:00pm and 2:00pm on Wednesday, December 9, 2020; All meals will be provided at no cost, and registration is required.  Please email jhimmelreich@elcosd.org with any questions.  If your child is in need of technology support while learning from home you may enter a web help ticket HERE or call the help desk phone number, 717-306-3257.

The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.   Thank you all for your continued support and for maintaining open lines of communication with us.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

December 5, 2020

Dear ELCO Families:

Good evening, and I hope this email finds you well.  The purpose of this email is to make you aware of recent modifications to the COVID-19 procedures that the District will be implementing effective immediately.  As you may have read, the PA Department of Health recently revised and updated the quarantine guidelines for individuals who have been determined to be a close contact to a COVID-19 positive person. The new guidelines were released and made effective on the evening of Friday, December 4, 2020.

These new guidelines shorten the length of quarantine for close contacts who remain asymptomatic or without symptoms following exposure.  Close contacts are now required to quarantine for 10 days following exposure, a decrease from 14 days.  When testing is available, the quarantine may be decreased further to 7 days if the close contact is tested on day 5 or thereafter and the result is negative. The updated ELCO Home Isolation and Quarantine Guidance can be found HERE. 

The primary symptoms of COVID-19 include shortness of breath, coughing, and fever or chills. Other symptoms include congestion, sore throat, diarrhea, abdominal pain, body aches, and loss of taste or smell. Anyone who needs medical care should call their health care provider to report an illness or exposure to COVID-19 prior to seeking care. We ask that you notify the school office if your student begins to experience symptoms.  Please continue to refer to the ELCO Symptom Screening Tool if your child begins to show COVID-like symptoms. 

This weekend the ELCO Administration team will place telephone calls to the family of every student and each staff member who is currently quarantined as a close contact and is able to return to school on Monday, December 7 following the new quarantine guidelines.  Additional calls will be made in the coming week if your child’s/ren’s return date to school has changed under the revised quarantine guidelines.  It is important that close contacts do not return to school until they have spoken with an ELCO representative.

Attached to this letter, please find the Revised Quarantine Guidelines, December 2020, document which will also post to the ELCO Moving Forward webpage.  This document contains a summary of the new guidelines along with a side-by-side section which compares the original quarantine guidelines alongside the revised guidelines.

We sincerely thank our families and community for their continued support of our efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within the ELCO School District.

May you enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

December 4, 2020

Good Evening,

I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  Over the past couple days, a total of four positive COVID-19 cases were reported in the District, one at Fort Zeller and one at the Middle School and two at the High School.  The individuals who tested positive for COVID are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.

As of Friday, December 4, current active cases in the District are as follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 1 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 1 cases, Intermediate School
• 1 case, Middle School
• 2 cases, High School

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority.  The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data and will follow sound protocols aligned with PA DoH guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect students’ and staff members’ health.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

November 30, 2020

Good Evening,

I hope you enjoyed a peaceful holiday and found time to rest amidst this challenging time we are facing. Despite the difficult time, we continue to move forward together as a school community, and we are grateful for your support.  I am reaching out this evening to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  Over the past couple days, a total of three positive COVID-19 cases were reported in the District, one case each in the Intermediate School, the Middle School and the High School.  The individuals who tested positive for COVID are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.

As of our return to instruction tomorrow, current active cases in the District are as follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 2 cases, Intermediate School
• 1 case, Middle School
• 4 cases, High School

As I shared in my letter dated November, 24, based on the increased number of positive cases in the High School combined with the increased number of students and staff members quarantined, the PA Department of Health and the PA Department of Education recommend a temporary school closure.  Therefore, we will transition to remote learning in the ELCO High School only, December 1 through December 4, 2020.  Students on the Blue team will return to in-person instruction on Monday, December 7, 2020, and students on the Gold team will return to in-person learning on Thursday, December 10, 2020.  (Wednesday, December 9, 2020 will remain an asynchronous learning day for all High School students.)  During the temporary transition to remote learning, we will continue to monitor the cases within the High School and will communicate with families if an extension of remote learning is required.

During the temporary remote learning for High School students, please note the following important points:

• Attendance for all students during this time continues to be mandatory;
• Students will follow their regular bell schedule to attend their courses synchronously from home; 
• CTC students will report to the CTC on their regular schedule.  Detailed information about procedures specific to CTC students will be communicated through a Blackboard Connect email to ELCO CTC families;
• In addition to our daily cleaning protocols, the High School will be thoroughly disinfected and cleaned over the holiday break;
• As a reminder, if you signed up for meals for your child(ren) while they are learning from home, meal pick up will take place at the Middle School between 12:00pm and 2:00pm on Wednesday, December 2, 2020; All meals will be provided at no cost, and registration is required. Please email jhimmelreich@elcosd.org with any questions; and
• If your child is in need of technology support while learning from home you may enter a web help ticket HERE or call the help desk phone number, 717-306-3257.

As a reminder, whenever a temporary closure is considered, the unique circumstances surrounding the situation are carefully reviewed. We evaluate each and every case individually and take into consideration factors such as the number of positive cases in each building and across the District, the number of close contacts required to quarantine in each case, the timing of the cases, and whether or not transmission is occurring in our schools.  All of these factors are considered against the backdrop of knowing that our students learn best in person with their teachers in an environment that is safe and healthy. 

The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

November 24, 2020

Good Afternoon,

I am reaching out this afternoon to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases recently reported in the ELCO School District.  Over the past two days, nine positive cases were reported in the District, six in the High School and three in the Intermediate School.  The individuals are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.

As of this afternoon, Tuesday, November 24, our current active cases in the District are as follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 3 cases, Intermediate School
• 1 case, Middle School
• 6 cases, High School

Based on the increased number of positive cases in the High School combined with the increased number of students and staff members quarantined, the PA Department of Health and the PA Department of Education recommend a temporary school closure.  Therefore, we will transition to remote learning in the ELCO High School only, December 1 through December 4, 2020.  Students on the Blue team will return to in-person instruction on Monday, December 7, 2020, and students on the Gold team will return to in-person learning on Thursday, December 10, 2020.  (Wednesday, December 9, 2020 will remain an asynchronous learning day for all High School students.)  During the temporary transition to remote learning, we will continue to monitor the cases within the High School and will communicate with families if an extension of remote learning is required.

During the temporary remote learning for High School students, please note the following important points:

• Attendance for all students during this time continues to be mandatory;
• Students will follow their regular bell schedule to attend their courses synchronously from home; 
• CTC students will report to the CTC on their regular schedule.  Detailed information about procedures specific to CTC students will be communicated through a Blackboard Connect email to ELCO CTC families;
• In addition to our daily cleaning protocols, the High School will be thoroughly disinfected and cleaned over the holiday break;
• If you are interested in meals for your child(ren) while they are learning from home, please click HERE for more information and to register your child. All meals will be provided at no cost. Please email jhimmelreich@elcosd.orgwith any questions.  The deadline to register is Friday, November 27, 2020 at Noon. Meal pick up will take place at the Middle School between 12:00pm and 2:00pm on Wednesday, December 2, 2020; and
• If your child is in need of technology support while learning from home you may enter a web help ticket HERE or call the help desk phone number, 717-306-3257.

As was shared previously, whenever a temporary closure is considered, the unique circumstances surrounding the situation are carefully reviewed. We evaluate each and every case individually and take into consideration factors such as the number of positive cases in each building and across the District, the number of close contacts required to quarantine in each case, the timing of the cases, and whether or not transmission is occurring in our schools.  All of these factors are considered against the backdrop of knowing that our students learn best in person with their teachers in an environment that is safe and healthy. 

The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.  

We hope that you all have an enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday, and we thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community. 

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

November 20, 2020

Dear ELCO Families:

As part of our continued commitment to informing our families in a timely and transparent manner of the impact of COVID-19 on our District, I am reaching out with a notice of two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our school community, one at the Middle School and one at the High School.

Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, the PA Department of Health was consulted, and the appropriate actions were taken to limit exposure of others to the virus. The individuals who tested positive are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 consecutive minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.  Due to privacy requirements, I cannot release the names of the individuals nor any details that may identify them. However, the individuals who tested positive have not been in the buildings for several days.  Furthermore, there is no evidence that either case was contracted in the school district.

The District continues to carefully monitor the data that we are receiving from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data. All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.

The administrative team continues to thank and commend our families and staff for the attention they are paying to the Symptom Screening Tool. Many have reached out to our nurses to report symptoms and to ask questions. It is important that we maintain these open lines of communication as we move into cold and flu season.

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community!

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

November 16, 2020

Dear ELCO Families:

As part of our continued commitment to informing our families in a timely and transparent manner of the impact of COVID-19 on our District, I am reaching out with a notice of two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our school community, one at Fort Zeller Elementary and one at the High School.

Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, the PA Department of Health was consulted, and the appropriate actions were taken to limit exposure of others to the virus. The individuals who tested positive are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 consecutive minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.  Due to privacy requirements, I cannot release the names of the individuals nor any details that may identify them. However, the individuals who tested positive have not been in the buildings for several days.  Furthermore, there is no evidence that either case was contracted in the school district.

The District continues to carefully monitor the data that we are receiving from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data. All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.

The administrative team continues to thank and commend our families and staff for the attention they are paying to the Symptom Screening Tool. Many have reached out to our nurses to report symptoms and to ask questions. It is important that we maintain these open lines of communication as we move into cold and flu season.

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community!

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintenden

_____________________________________________________________

November 13, 2020

 Good Morning, 

I am reaching out this morning to provide an update regarding positive COVID-19 cases reported in the ELCO School District.  Four more positive cases were reported in the district, one in the High School and three in the Intermediate School.  The individuals are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.  Due to privacy requirements, we cannot release the names of the individuals nor any details that may identify them.  Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, we immediately consulted with the PA Department of Health. 

As of this morning, Friday, November 13, our current active cases in the district are as follows:

• 0 cases, Jackson Elementary
• 0 cases, Fort Zeller Elementary
• 1 case, Middle School
• 3 cases, High School
• 5 cases, Intermediate School

Based on the increased number of positive cases in the Intermediate School combined with the increased number of students and staff members quarantined and the number of classrooms which have already shifted temporarily to remote learning in the Intermediate School, the PA Department of Health and the PA Department of Education recommend a temporary school closure for a period of 5 to 7 days.  Therefore, we will transition to remote learning in the Intermediate School, only, at the close of the school day, today, Friday, November 13, 2020 through and including Friday, November 20, 2020.  Students will return to in person instruction on Tuesday, December 1, 2020, after the holiday break. 

During the temporary remote learning for Intermediate School students, please note the following important points:

• Attendance for all students during this time continues to be mandatory;
• Students will follow their regular bell schedule to attend their courses synchronously from home; 
• Students will remain in their regularly scheduled homeroom in 3rd grade or partner teachers homeroom in 4th and 5th grade;  
• Students who are currently on temporary quarantine will return to their permanent classrooms/teachers during the pivot to remote learning;
• Students will finish the school day in the building on Friday, November 13 in order to complete existing schoolwork and collect any materials they may need for the upcoming week;
• The Zoom links to join classes are found in each teacher's Schoology folder and will be reviewed with the students before they leave school;
• In addition to our daily cleaning protocols, the Intermediate School will be thoroughly disinfected and cleaned after dismissal today and over the weekend;
• Picture retake day has been rescheduled until Wednesday, December 2;
• If you are interested in meals for your child(ren) while they are learning from home during the temporary pivot at the IS to remote learning, please click Sign Up For Week of Nov 16th  for more information and to register your child. All meals will be provided at no cost. Please email jhimmelreich@elcosd.org with any questions.  Due to the change for the IS next week, the deadline to register for meals has been extended until Sunday, November 15.  Meal pick up will take place at the Middle School between 12:00pm and 2:00pm on Wednesday, November 18, 2020; and
• If your child is in need of technology support while learning from home you may enter a web help ticket HERE, call the help desk phone number, 717-306-3257 or call the Intermediate School at 717-866-4521. 

Whenever a temporary closure is considered, the unique circumstances surrounding the situation are carefully evaluated; a decision for a temporary pivot to remote instruction is not made lightly.  Furthermore, there are no hard and fast rules for making these decisions. While the Department of Health offers recommendations, their recommendations are not mandates. We evaluate each and every case individually and take into consideration factors such as the number of positive cases in each building and across the district, the number of close contacts required to quarantine in each case, the timing of the cases, and whether or not transmission is occurring in our schools.  All of these factors are considered against the backdrop of knowing that our students learn best in person with their teacher in an environment that is safe and healthy.  

I recognize with the notification of the week long temporary closure that childcare may be a concern for some.  It is our intent to share this message as early as possible in the day to allow the greatest amount of time possible to make necessary arrangements, as appropriate. 

The District will continue to carefully monitor the data that we receive from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data.  All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.   

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community. 

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

_____________________________________________________

November 10, 2020

Dear ELCO Families:

As part of our continued commitment to informing our families in a timely and transparent manner of the impact of COVID-19 on our District, I am reaching out with a notice of two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our school community, one at the Intermediate School and one at the High School.

Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, the PA Department of Health was consulted, and the appropriate actions were taken to limit exposure of others to the virus. The individuals who tested positive are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 consecutive minutes or more) with the individuals have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.  Due to privacy requirements, I cannot release the names of the individuals nor any details that may identify them. However, the individuals who tested positive have not been in the buildings for several days.  Furthermore, there is no evidence that either case was contracted in the school district.

The District continues to carefully monitor the data that we are receiving from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data. All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront.

The administrative team continues to thank and commend our families and staff for the attention they are paying to the Symptom Screening Tool. Many have reached out to our nurses to report symptoms and to ask questions. It is important that we maintain these open lines of communication as we move into cold and flu season.

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community!

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

________________________________________________________________________________

November 8, 2020

Good Evening,

I am reaching out to inform you that three positive COVID-19 cases have been reported, one in the High School, one in the Middle School, and one in the Intermediate School.  The individuals who tested positive are currently isolating, and all individuals who were identified as close contacts (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.  Due to privacy requirements, we cannot release the names of the individuals nor any details that may identify them. 

Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, we immediately consulted with the PA Department of Health, and the decision was made to temporarily close one 3^rd grade classroom in the Intermediate School only.  We are following the Department of Health’s recommendation to temporarily pivot to remote learning in the one impacted classroom in the IS only for the full 14 day incubation period to help mitigate any spread of COVID-19.  The classroom will reopen on Thursday, November 19, 2020.   Families of the students in the affected class have been individually contacted today regarding plans for online learning during the temporary closure. Many factors were taken into consideration regarding the temporary closure of this classroom and pivot to remote learning.  We know our students learn best when they are in person.  However, due to the factors surrounding the current situation, it is prudent for a temporary pivot to remote learning to mitigate any potential additional exposure.

We realize that the frequency of notification letters has increased over the last couple weeks, and we recognize that some learning situations change very quickly. Please know your flexibility, cooperation and open lines of communication are greatly appreciated.  In keeping with our commitment to full transparency, we will continue to notify our school community of positive COVID-19 cases following the communication protocol attached to this correspondence. 

Thank you all for your continued support and for maintaining open lines of communication with us.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

_______________________________________________________________________

November 5, 2020

Good Afternoon,

I am reaching out this afternoon to inform you that three positive COVID-19 cases were reported this morning, two in the Intermediate School and one in the High School.  The individuals who tested positive are currently isolating, and all individuals who were identified as close contacts (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.  Due to privacy requirements, we cannot release the names of the individuals nor any details that may identify them.

Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, we immediately consulted with the PA Department of Health, and the decision was made to temporarily close two 4^th grade classrooms in the Intermediate School only.  We are following the Department of Health’s recommendation to temporarily pivot to remote learning in the two impacted classrooms only for the full 14 day incubation period to help mitigate any spread of COVID-19.  The classrooms will reopen on Tuesday, November 17, 2020.   Families of the students in the affected classes have been individually contacted regarding plans for online learning during the temporary closure. Please keep in mind that individuals who test positive as well as those individuals who are quarantined return to school after the appropriate isolation or quarantine time period has passed as long as they are symptom free.

We realize that the frequency of notification letters has increased over the last couple weeks, and we recognize that some learning situations change very quickly. Please know your flexibility, cooperation and open lines of communication are greatly appreciated.  In keeping with our commitment to full transparency, we will continue to notify our school community of positive COVID-19 cases following the communication protocol attached to this correspondence.

As a reminder, tomorrow, Friday, November 6, 2020 is a regularly scheduled in service day for teachers, and students will not attend school in person anywhere across the district.

Thank you all for your continued support and for maintaining open lines of communication with us. 

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

_________________________________________________

November 3, 2020

Good Morning,

I am reaching out this morning to inform you that two positive COVID-19 cases were reported yesterday, one from the High School and one from the Middle School.  The individuals who have tested positive are currently isolating, and all individuals who were identified as close contacts (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.  Due to privacy requirements, we cannot release the names of the individuals nor any details that may identify them. 

Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, we immediately consulted with the PA Department of Health and the decision was made to temporarily close one Middle School Special Education class.  Families of the students in the affected class have been individually contacted regarding plans for online learning during the temporary closure. The classroom will reopen on Thursday, November 12, 2020. The ELCO Middle School will remain open, and the ELCO High School will reopen, as planned, on Wednesday, November 4, 2020.

The administrative team would like to thank and commend our families and staff for the attention they are paying to the Symptom Screening Tool. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the nurse in your child’s building regarding any questions that you may have about COVID-19 symptoms or your child’s health.

The District will continue to carefully monitor the data daily that we are receiving from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data. All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront. 

Thank you all for your continued support and for maintaining open lines of communication with us.

Sincerely,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

November 1, 2020

Dear ELCO Families:

As part of our continued commitment to informing our families in a timely and transparent manner of the impact of COVID-19 on our District, I am reaching out with a notice of two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our school community. Both reports were made this weekend to the district.

Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, the PA Department of Health was consulted, and the appropriate actions were taken to limit exposure of others to the virus. The individuals who tested positive are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days. 

One confirmed case was at Jackson Elementary School, and one case was at Fort Zeller Elementary School.  Due to privacy requirements, I cannot release the names of the individuals nor any details that may identify them. I can share with you that in both cases, the individuals who tested positive have not been in the building for several days.  Furthermore, I have no evidence that either case was contracted within the school district.

The District continues to carefully monitor the data that we are receiving from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data. All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront. 

The administrative team continues to thank and commend our families and staff for the attention they are paying to the Symptom Screening Tool. Many have reached out to our nurses to report symptoms and to ask questions. It is important that we maintain these open lines of communication as we move into cold and flu season.

As a reminder, the current plan at the High School will remain unchanged as explained on Wednesday, October 28, 2020 (Please see the parent/guardian communication posted to the ELCO Reopening webpage.)  Students will return to in-person/hybrid learning on Wednesday, November 4, 2020.

Thank you for your assistance to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our school community!

Sincerely, 

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

October 28, 2020

Good Evening ELCO Families,

I am reaching out this evening to inform you that one positive and two probable COVID-19 cases were reported today from the High School.  The individuals are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.  Due to privacy requirements, we cannot release the names of the individuals nor any details that may identify them.  Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, we immediately consulted with the PA Department of Health.  Based on the increased number of positive cases, the PA Department of Health and the PA Department of Education recommend a temporary school closure for a period of 5 to 7 days.

After conducting our own internal investigation and consulting with our district physician and the Department of Health, we will transition to online learning for all students in the ELCO HIGH SCHOOL beginning Thursday, October 29, 2020 through Tuesday, November 3, 2020.  This will include one gold team rotation and one blue team rotation.  Students on the gold team will return to school on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, and students on the blue team will return on Monday, November 9, 2020 according to the published schedule. (NOTE:  Due to a scheduled Act 80 day and no school for students on Friday, November 6, there is no asynchronous learning day on Wednesday.)

Attendance for all students during this time continues to be mandatory.  Students will follow their regular bell schedule to attend their courses synchronously from home.  The Zoom links to join classes are found in each course’s Schoology folder.  CTC students are not to attend CTC during the temporary closure.  Student-athletes who are quarantined may not practice or participate in games.  However, scheduled competitions will continue.  Student-athletes are reminded to monitor their health and should report any symptoms to school officials.

Please do not become complacent in your diligence toward COVID-19 as we must continue to follow the mitigation guidelines which include:

• Frequent hand washing or using hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available;
• Consistent wearing of face coverings;
• Maintain social distancing;
• Avoid large gatherings, especially those where participants are not socially distanced and not wearing face coverings;
• Conduct a daily symptom screening and remain home if multiple COVID-19 symptoms are evident.

The District will continue to carefully monitor the data daily that we are receiving from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data. All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront. 

Thank you all for your continued support and for maintaining open lines of communication with us. 

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

October 25, 2020

Dear ELCO Families:

I was informed over the weekend that three individuals within our school community have tested positive for COVID-19.  Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, I immediately consulted with the PA Department of Health, and we have taken the appropriate actions to limit exposure of others to the virus. The individuals who tested positive are currently isolating, and all individuals identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days. 

One confirmed case was at ELCO High School, one at ELCO Middle School, and one at ELCO Intermediate School. Due to privacy requirements, I cannot release the names of the individuals nor any details that may identify them. However, I can share with you that in each instance, the individual who tested positive was not in any of the school buildings for several days.  Furthermore, we have no evidence that any of these cases were contracted within the school district.

At this time, ALL ELCO SCHOOLS will remain open. This decision was made in consultation with and guidance from the PA Department of Health as well as a DoH epidemiologist with whom I spoke today.  The District continues to carefully monitor the data that we are receiving from the Department of Health, PA Department of Education, as well as our local community data. All decisions will continue to be made with the health and safety of our school community at the forefront. 

The administrative team would like to thank and commend our families and staff for the attention they are paying to the Symptom Screening Tool. Many have reached out to our nurses to report symptoms and to ask questions. It is important that we maintain these open lines of communication as we move into cold and flu season.

Together we can minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our school community!

Sincerely, 

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

_____________________________

October 24, 2020

Dear ELCO Families:

I was informed today, Saturday, October 24, 2020, that an individual employed by the District has tested positive for COVID-19.  While this individual has no contact with students as part of assigned job functions, this communication is provided in the spirit of transparency to our ELCO families. Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, we immediately consulted with the PA Department of Health and have taken the appropriate actions to limit exposure of others to the virus. The individual who tested positive is currently isolating and staff who have been identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.

At this time, all school buildings will remain open.

Due to privacy requirements, we cannot release the name of the individual or details that may identify the individual.  However, the individual will not return to work for at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms. All potentially exposed spaces have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. We will continue to take the necessary steps to protect the health of our students and staff through our strict cleaning protocols.  

We remind parents/guardians to review the Symptom Screening Tool prior to the start of each school day. If the tool indicates that your child should not attend school due to COVID-19 symptoms, please keep your child home and contact your primary care provider for further guidance. We would also appreciate a call or email to your child’s building nurse so that we can provide you with guidance regarding your child’s return to school. If a student begins to show symptoms during school, you will be contacted to pick him/her up immediately with a recommendation to contact your child’s primary care provider.

Thank you to our ELCO families for your continued support and for maintaining open lines of communication with us. Together we can minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

As always, please contact me if you have any questions. 

Sincerely, 

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

October 23, 2020

Dear ELCO Families:

We were informed today, October 23, 2020, that an individual in the High School has tested positive for COVID-19.  Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, we immediately consulted with the PA Department of Health and have taken the appropriate actions to limit exposure of others to the virus. The individual who tested positive is currently isolating.  Students and staff who have been identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with the individual have been contacted and instructed to quarantine for 14 days.

At this time, the ELCO High School will remain open.

Due to privacy requirements, we cannot release the name of the individual or details that may identify the individual. All potentially exposed spaces and classrooms have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. We will continue to take the necessary steps to protect the health of our students and staff through our strict cleaning protocols. 

We remind parents to review the Symptom Screening Tool prior to each school day. If the tool indicates that your child should not attend school due to COVID-19 symptoms, please keep them home and contact your primary care provider for further guidance. We would also appreciate a call or email to your child’s building nurse so that we can provide you with guidance regarding your child’s return to school. If a student begins to show symptoms during school, you will be contacted to pick them up immediately with a recommendation to contact your child’s primary care provider.

Thank you to our ELCO families for your continued support and for maintaining open lines of communication with us. Together we can minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

As always, please contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely, 

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

__________________________________________________

October 2, 2020

Dear ELCO Families:

We were informed today, Friday, October 2, 2020, that an individual employed by the District has tested positive for COVID-19.  While this individual has no contact with students as part of assigned job functions, this communication is provided in the spirit of transparency to our ELCO families. Following our approved Health and Safety Plan, we immediately consulted with the PA Department of Health and our school physician and have taken the appropriate actions to limit exposure of others to the virus. The individual who tested positive is currently isolating and staff who have been identified as having close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) with them have been instructed to quarantine for 14 days.

 Due to privacy requirements, we cannot release the name of the individual or details that may identify the individual.  However, the individual will not return to work for at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms. All potentially exposed spaces have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. We will continue to take the necessary steps to protect the health of our students and staff through our strict cleaning protocols.  

 We remind parents/guardians to review the Symptom Screening Tool prior to the start of each school day. If the tool indicates that your child should not attend school due to COVID-19 symptoms, please keep your child home and contact your primary care provider for further guidance. We would also appreciate a call or email to your child’s building nurse so that we can provide you with guidance regarding your child’s return to school. If a student begins to show symptoms during school, you will be contacted to pick him/her up immediately with a recommendation to contact your child’s primary care provider.

Thank you to our ELCO families for your continued support and for maintaining open lines of communication with us. Together we can minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our school community.

As always, please contact me if you have any questions. 

 Sincerely,  

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 September 4, 2020

Good Afternoon ELCO Families!

Week one to the 2020-2021 school year is in the books!  Above anything else, I want to THANK YOU for the encouragement you showed your child/ren as they returned to school, for your patience when ‘hiccups’ occurred this week, and for your support of our teachers as they began instructing in both in-person and live streaming modes.  Whether your child/ren joined us in person or online, THANK YOU for your support as we entered the new school year TOGETHER!

Below are three important information items which I am introducing to you in my message today.  More information will be shared with you in the coming days from either your principal or me.

REMINDER:  Learning Option Commitment due Friday, September 11

As we enter into the second week of school, we want to thank our families as you have helped your child/ren transition into various learning environments. We appreciate the support you have provided for our students as they navigated the changes. The comments and suggestions that you continue to provide to us about these learning options will allow us to make changes that support our students.

At this time, we are asking all families to finalize any changes to the selected learning options for each child. The deadline to submit a change to your child’s learning model is Friday, September 11, 2020. After this date, students will be expected to remain in the In-Person/Hybrid or Online Synchronous models until the end of the first marking period (November 4). For students in the Virtual Academy, students will be expected to remain as part of the Virtual Academy until the end of the first semester (January 26).

If you wish to request a change to your child’s learning model, please contact the school building in which your child would attend. If you do not wish to make a change and want to remain in the current learning option, you do not need to take any further action.

Of course, we will continue to constantly monitor conditions in our community and county and will proceed accordingly based on guidance from the county and state.  Any changes to our instructional plans will be communicated with you.

*NEW* USDA Waiver:  FREE MEALS for ALL ELCO Students through December

The District received news this week that thanks to a waiver extension by the US Department of Agriculture, all students will receive free meals through the ELCO cafeteria until the end of December. Effective immediately, students who purchase a school breakfast or lunch will not be charged for the meal. Student accounts will continue to be charged for ala carte items.

Additionally, beginning the week of September 14, the District will be offering meals to students learning at home via the Online Synchronous and Virtual Academy learning options. Middle and High School students in the hybrid learning model will continue to have the opportunity to take meals home for days they are not in school.  For more information about these opportunities and registration information please go to the Announcement section of the ELCO Nutrition/Food Services site HERE.

September 2:  Updated Guidance from the Governor Regarding Sports/Athletic Events

It has been great to see our students preparing to enter the fall season, and we look forward to scrimmages, games and performances starting very soon!  Thankfully, our student-athletes and marching band will have the opportunity to play and perform this fall!

Earlier this week, Governor Wolf released updated guidance surrounding athletic events which can be found HERE.  The Governor’s latest guidance states, “all sports-related activities must adhere to the gathering limitations which includes 25 or fewer people for indoor activity and 250 or fewer people for outdoor activity, and the facility as a whole may not exceed 50 percent of total occupancy otherwise permitted by law.  All individuals present at the facility at which such activities are held count toward gathering limitation (25 indoor/250 outdoor) and must comply with the face covering order and social distancing guidelines.”

To adhere to the Governor’s Plan for indoor events for no more than 25 attendees, our volleyball games will take place in our gym with no spectators in order to accommodate the players from both teams, the coaches, game workers, and the officials.

To adhere to the Governor’s Plan for outdoor events for no more than 250 attendees, we are working on a plan to accommodate as many attendees while remaining compliant to the Governor’s Plan.  More information outlining our procedures will be shared in the coming days in time for the scheduled scrimmages, games and performances.

Keeping the Governor’s Plan for restricted attendance in mind, we are finalizing how we will livestream and/or record both indoor and outdoor events/performances for posting on the website.  While we are finalizing that process, I respectfully ask for your patience.  We want to ensure that we are considering all options and maximizing viewership of events in the best way possible. The details on how to access the livestreamed event and/or the recording will be shared in a future correspondence.

While these are not the ideal conditions we had hoped for as we begin the fall season, we are thrilled that our student athletes and marching band will have the opportunity to play and perform!  However, in order for the games and performances to continue, we must comply with Governor Wolf’s orders.  Failure to do so puts us at risk of having our students’ seasons end and/or having sanctions levied against the school district.  As we have seen over the past six months, orders have changed; this is the most up-to-date information available at this time.  We appreciate the community’s cooperation and understanding as we move forward.

May you enjoy the long holiday weekend!

We remain #ELCOstrong and #ELCOtogether!

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

August 4, 2020

Dear ELCO Families:

In my last communication to you, I indicated that the Instructional Plan would be presented to the School Board on August 3, 2020 for approval. I am happy to report that the Instructional Plan was approved and the 2020-21 learning options for students were finalized. We now turn to our families to provide us with a final decision regarding the instructional choice they are making for each of their children.

We ask that you take the time to review the Learning Options Overview. This document outlines each of the learning options available to students for the 2020-21 school year. The ELCO options include In- Person/Hybrid Learning, Online Synchronous Learning, and ELCO Virtual Academy.  Each of these options are detailed in the Learning Options Overview document.  Elementary students who participate in the In-Person/Hybrid option will attend school in person five days a week. Secondary students who participate in the In-Person/Hybrid option will attend school in person two days a week. Please note that students in grades 6^ththrough 12^th who have IEPs will be provided the option and are encouraged to physically attend school on all in-person student days (every day except Wednesday).  Parents of a student with an IEP will receive a separate communication in the coming week to indicate their preference.

When you have made a decision on which learning option is right for your child, please indicate your choice by completing the 2020 Reopening Commitment Form by August 12, 2020. (Important note:  the date in the mailed letter requests information by August 10; this was changed to provide two more days since the letter was just sent in the US Mail on Tuesday. We are aware it is taking a couple extra days for mail to be received.)  This form, as well as others, are now easily completed within PowerSchool.  While you are strongly encouraged to complete these forms on PowerSchool a hard copy has been mailed via US Mail as well. If you do not currently have a PowerSchool parent account for your child, access codes are included in the mailing which you will receive this week. PowerSchool forms are not accessible via the PowerSchool app and must be completed via a web browser.

Review the directions HERE to complete the following forms:

1. 2020 Reopening Commitment Form: After reviewing the available instructional options, please complete this form. You will be asked to choose one of the outlined instructional options for your child, provide information on your internet connection, and indicate your intention regarding transportation needs.  Please complete this form for each child as soon as possible but no later than Wednesday, August 12, 2020.
2. Mass Notification Updates­: Please update this form with your most current contact information so that you will continue to receive District and building updates via phone, email, and text.  You may update this form at any time during the school year if your contact information changes.
3. Yearly Student Updates: This section includes several forms to update regarding student demographics, emergency contacts, and medical information. Please take the time to update them prior to the start of the school year.

As previously mentioned, you will also receive this information via US Mail in the event that you are unable to complete the forms via PowerSchool. We do ask that they are completed via PowerSchool if at all possible.

If you have additional questions, please refer to the Reopening ELCO webpage which provides resources for families and staff.  As we develop District-wide plans and procedures, that information will be posted to this page and it will be continually updated with additional resources, fact sheets, and a list of Frequently Asked Questions. Additional questions can be addressed to the following email: elcoreopening@elcosd.org.

Thank you for your continued support as we move toward the start of the 2020-21 school year, #ELCOtogether.

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

August 2, 2020

Good Afternoon ELCO Families!

I hope you’re enjoying a great weekend and continue to be safe and healthy!  As we continue to work on our plans for a safe return to in person learning, below are a few updates:

New Video:  A new video posted to the Reopening ELCO webpage.  The video which can be accessed HERE provides a general overview to the Instructional Plan for the reopening of school.  Next week, three separate video segments will post to the website; the videos will explain each learning option in more detail to assist you as you decide on the best option for your child/ren.

Instructional Plan:  On Monday night, August 3, the Instructional Plan will be presented to the School Board for their approval.  The presentation will give much more detail to what was shared in the Instructional Plan video on the Reopening ELCO webpage.  Please note that under the Governor’s Mitigation Order, school activities and gatherings not related to education instruction that are held indoors are limited to no more than 25 people.  This Order applies to School Board meetings, and the ELCO School Board is following this Order.  The public is welcome to join the School Board meeting by using the zoom link found on the District webpage or the link can be accessed here:  https://elcosd.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NRoxrJquQWyAnpaOC4NaKQ

Letter/Email:  Early in the week you will receive an email from me and a hard copy of that information will be sent via the US postal service.  The information sent will contain details for each learning option, a chart with questions to help you decide which is the best learning option for your child/ren, a form regarding reliable internet access, information for a parent Power School log in if you do not have one, and a demographic form for each of your children.  You will have the choice to complete the paper copies of the forms OR you can complete them electronically.  You will be asked to commit to one of the learning options and indicate your final decision about using bussing transportation.  If you have questions about any of the options, please contact your child’s principal; we will work with you to help you identify the best learning option for your child/ren.

Finally, with the first day of school happening later this month, you will begin to receive an increased amount of communication from your child’s/ren’s principal/s to assist you with your plans for the reopening of school.  We have received questions about what the reopening will specifically look like in each building such as entry into the building, where will students go upon arrival to school each day, how will breakfast and lunch time be handled and other questions such as this. Our principals are working on those plans to share with you.  We know it will be very important for you to have that information before the start of school for you to share with your children.

As we move forward toward the opening of the new school year we will remain #ELCOtogether.

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

July 17, 2020

Dear ELCO Families,

Earlier this week, I shared that a second survey would be sent to our ELCO families today.  This survey which can be found here https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H8QJRS7 contains specific questions about your current intentions for your child’s/children’s return to school in the fall based on your thinking right now.  The survey will remain open until Sunday, July 26.  Please know, the answers you provide will NOT lock you into your final decisions for the 2020-2021 school year.  However, your answers to the survey questions will be a tremendous help to our continued planning for the reopening of school, and I encourage you to complete the survey.

Another survey will be sent in early August which will provide explanations of the instructional options available to your child/ren; we will ask for your intentions at that time for your child’s/ren’s return to school.   We are currently working on the instructional plan and will present an overview of the instructional plan during the August 3, 2020 School Board meeting.

On Wednesday, July 15, the Draft Health and Safety Plan was presented to the School Board.  That plan along with the power point presentation can be found on the Reopening ELCO web page.  The Draft Health and Safety Plan provides an overview of the plans for our return to school and includes guidelines for cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting and ventilating learning areas/buildings, social distancing, monitoring student and staff health, as well as the use of face coverings and more.  More specific building-based procedures will be sent to you from your child’s principal/s in August and closer to the beginning of the school year so you and your child/ren know what to expect upon our return.  Of course, all of our plans are subject to any changes in directives from state officials.

If you have questions or feedback after reviewing the Draft Health and Safety Plan, please send your comments/questions to elcoreopening@elcosd.org.  We will use feedback and questions received to revise the Plan.  On August 3, a revised Health and Safety Plan will be presented to the School Board for their approval consideration.  If new orders are issued by the Governor, the Department of Health and/or the Pennsylvania Department of Education which warrants revisions to the Health and Safety Plan, the Plan will be revised and presented again to the School Board for their approval consideration; in essence, the Plan is a ‘living document’ which will change in accordance to guidance from state officials.  Finally, the latest overview of the new Public Health Guidance Regarding COVID-19 for the Phased Reopening of Schools is posted to the Reopening ELCO webpage; this guidance was released on Thursday, July 16, 2020.

Thank you for your continued support and patience as we move through this time.  I hope you have a relaxing weekend!

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

July 13, 2020

Good Afternoon,

I trust this finds you well and enjoying the summertime!  I’m reaching out today with three important information updates regarding the Reopening of school in the fall for the 2020-2021 school year.

Reopening ELCO Video Updates

Today marks the beginning of using video messaging to provide updates on the Reopening of School for the 2020-2021 school year.  Approximately each week for the next six weeks, until the opening of school, video segments will be shared with you and posted to our new Reopening ELCO webpage on the School District website. 

The Reopening ELCO webpage will serve as the ‘hub’ of all of our communication regarding the reopening.  All of the videos will post there along with approved plans for reopening, announcements and resources.  As there are many variables and aspects to the Reopening Plan, we are committed to providing clear and regularly scheduled updates to inform you of our processes and next steps.  We want to make sure you have the important details that will help you plan and make the best decisions for your children and family. I know the thought of opening school is unsettling…  if not scary… for some and having up to date and accurate information is critical.

You can view the video either on the Reopening ELCO webpage or by clicking the following link:  https://www.elcosd.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&ModuleInstanceID=2093&ViewID=94B66785-F3F0-41A8-8414-1E55691D3E9E&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=5989&PageID=1461

Family Survey

Later this week, another survey will be sent to our ELCO families.  This survey will include specific questions about instructional preferences, transportation, food service, childcare and comfort levels about returning to school.  The information you provide is based on your situation right now and will not commit you to anything going forward.  Your responses will be a great help as we continue to plan for reopening schools and instructional plans.  Another survey will be sent in early August after the instructional plan is finalized and will detail the instructional options for the 2020-2021 school year.

Lebanon County School Districts’ Guiding Principles for Reopening School

Below please find a co-authored letter, written by the six Lebanon County School District Superintendents with guidance from state and local health officials, which outlines twelve guiding principles that will apply to the reopening of all of our six county schools. 

Lebanon County Reopening Letter

The superintendents of the six public school districts in Lebanon County have been working collaboratively throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As we continue to prepare for the reopening of school for in person instruction, the six county school districts remain committed to protecting the health and safety of our students, staff, and our school communities as we provide exceptional learning opportunities for our students.

After reviewing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization , the Pennsylvania Departments of Health and Education, information from the American Association of Pediatrics and other relevant information, the superintendents have created a list of guiding principles that apply to the reopening of our schools.  These general guiding principles have been developed in consultation with Mr. Bob Dowd from Lebanon County Department of Emergency Services and Dr. Jun Chon from WellSpan Health and represent our best thinking at this time.  Please note:  individual school district health and safety plans will address the fine details of local plans which reflect local context, and all plans are subject to change as guidance changes. 

1.     Symptom screening of children will be conducted by all parents/guardians at home each morning before the school day. No children with symptoms shall be sent on a bus or brought to school; 

2.     All district staff will perform a symptom screen on themselves prior to leaving for work, and will stay home if ill; 

3.     Temperature screening will not be required upon entrance to school for students or staff;

4.     Students and staff will consistently be made aware of the signs and symptoms of COVID-19;

5.     Students and staff will go to the nurse immediately if feeling symptomatic; 

6.     As per the order of July 1, 2020 from the Department of Health, face coverings are required of students with certain specific exemptions when social distancing cannot be maintained. The details of the order and exemptions can be found at the following links:  July 1 PA Department of Health Order; July 6  PA Department of Education; 

7.     Social distancing, to the maximum extent possible, will be used in all learning spaces;  

8.     All high-touch surfaces will be cleaned regularly, including water filling stations, door handles, light switches, and student desks. Students and staff will be encouraged to use individual water bottles from home;

9.     All individuals in school will sanitize or wash their hands on a frequent basis. Hand sanitizer will be made available in all common areas, hallways, and/or in classrooms where sinks for hand washing are not available; 

10.  Classrooms and common areas will be ventilated with additional circulation of outdoor air when possible;

11.  High-traffic hallway use will be limited, when feasible; and

12.  In cafeterias, seating arrangements will be reviewed to avoid overcrowding at tables. Individuals will be required to sanitize or wash their hands prior to, and after, eating.

These guiding principles are based on information that we currently have and are subject to change.  We firmly believe that the best educational model is one that includes face-to-face instruction. Returning to school is vitally important and doing so responsibly and safely is paramount.

Dr. Arthur Abrom, Superintendent, Lebanon School District

Dr. Krista Antonis, Superintendent Annville-Cleona School District

Dr. Philip Domencic, Superintendent, Cornwall Lebanon School District

Dr. Bernie Kepler, Superintendent, Palmyra School District

Dr. Gary Messinger, Superintendent, Northern Lebanon School District

Mrs. Julia Vicente, Superintendent, ELCO School District

I hope that you will continue to enjoy the summer days.  Please look for the next Reopening ELCO Video next week.  Director of Buildings and Grounds, Doug Dresch, will join me, and we will provide information on our safety and social distancing protocols as well as cleaning and disinfecting procedures. We will also show you supplies that we have on hand that will be used in our schools for safe and healthy practices.

Take good care!

#ELCOtogether

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent

July 2, 2020

Dear ELCO Families,

As the 2019-2020 school year has come to a close, I want to personally thank you and your children once again for your flexibility and adaptability as we quickly transitioned to remote learning and instruction in March and continued through the end of the school year. 

The question on minds now is what will the fall look like?  The answer right now is, we are not 100% certain what it will look like … yet.  However, what we do know now, based on the guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, is that we need to be ready for a range of scenarios.  In response to PDE guidance, we have been focused on the creation of plans to reopen ELCO schools for the 2020-2021 school year. 

On June 17, 2020, the School Board approved the PK-12 Athletics Health and Safety Plan, and on July 15, 2020, the Phased School Reopening Health and Safety Plan will be presented to the School Board for their approval consideration.  As directed from PDE, both plans reflect guidance from multiple sources which include but is not limited to the Centers for Disease Control, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the World Health Organization.  Furthermore, the plans are tailored to the unique needs in our own ELCO School District and include survey results, and input from stakeholder groups, staff, community members and health officials.  Finally, an Instructional Plan for the 2020-2021 school year will also be created and School Board approved prior to the start of the new school year.

As we continue to prepare for the reopening of school, the ELCO School District remains committed to protecting the health and safety of our students, staff and the entire school community as we provide exceptional learning opportunities for our students.  Getting back to school is vitally important and doing so responsibly and safely is paramount.

Over the past months, we have seen how quickly information can change.  Employing a consistent communication approach moving forward is essential so you are kept informed of the plans and expectations for reopening.  Over the remaining summer weeks, we will communicate with our ELCO families and staff regularly through the following methods:

• Reopening ELCO Webpage:  The COVID-19 webpage will be replaced with a Reopening ELCO Webpage.  This page will serve as the main hub of information for the reopening.  Superintendent messages, School Board approved plans, web resources, announcements, and more will be included.  This page will be continually updated.
• ELCO Family and Staff Surveys:  We want to continue to hear from you!  Additional surveys will be sent to ELCO families and Staff asking for input and feedback regarding the reopening.
• Email Updates:  Administrators will share important building-specific information about the reopening process through emails and newsletters with students and families.
• ELCO School District Facebook Page:  The ELCO SD Facebook Page will continue to be used to share progress updates with the community on the reopening process.
• *New* Fact Sheets:  One page fact sheets will be created on key issues and procedures that ELCO will implement when reopening in the fall.  These fact sheets will be available to download on the Reopening ELCO Webpage.
• *New* Video Updates:  Brief recorded video updates on how the district is preparing to welcome students and staff back along with reopening updates will post to the ELCO Reopening Webpage each week.

Once again, thank you for your continued partnership in helping us keep our schools and our children safe and healthy as we navigate a reality none of us could have ever imagined.  Please take care of yourselves and each other, stay healthy and enjoy the summer months as we remain #ELCOtogether!

Respectfully,

Julia R. Vicente, ELCO Superintendent