HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf is ordering the closure of all schools in Pennsylvania for two weeks, as the state takes sweeping measures aimed at slowing the spread of the new coronavirus.
The order affecting more than 1.7 million school children, in public and private schools, came as confirmed cases in the state leaped to 33 from 22, including the first patient under 18. He said schools won’t be penalized if they are unable to reach the 180 days of instruction required under state law.
Wolf said in a statement his administration would evaluate the decision at the end of the 10 days and decide whether to extend it.
It comes a day after Wolf ordered all schools, day cares and other facilities closed in hard-hit Montgomery County, a Philadelphia suburb of more than 800,000 people.
Meanwhile, a wave of school closings was already planned across Pennsylvania for next week.
Numerous schools were already closed in at least 10 counties Friday, although Montgomery County was the only one where all schools were closed following Wolf’s Thursday order. He also discouraged large gatherings of people statewide and canceled prison visits.
On Friday, the governor of Pennsylvania shut down all schools in the commonwealth for the next ten days.
Less than an hour later, the president addressed the nation on the crisis.
“We will overcome,” President Donald Trump said during a press conference on coronavirus at the White House on Friday afternoon. On Wednesday, he suspended travel from Europe to America in an attempt to mitigate the crisis. England is exempt from the one-month travel ban.
“I am officially declaring a national emergency,” the president said, adding that by doing so it opens up $50 billion in fiscal aid to help Americans in need.
Gov. Wolf wrote about school lunches.
“The Pennsylvania Department of Education announced today that it received a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow eligible schools to serve meals to low income students in a non-congregate setting, such as a drive-through or grab and go, during this closure,” according to the governor. “We will also work with schools to assist them with those plans.
“We appreciate your collaboration as we work together to deal with this difficult issue.”
West Chester Area School District Superintendent Dr. Jim Scanlon notified staff, parents and students via email: “We will provide some learning activities and assignments during this two-week period on four designated days (March 18, 19, 20, and 23.) The plans vary according to grade level. We anticipate that some middle and high school assignments may be graded, but no assignments/activities will count toward grades for elementary students. This material is not meant to replace in-person classroom instruction.
“This is an unprecedented situation, and we appreciate your patience and cooperation. As the father of two elementary-aged students in this district, I do understand the stress and anxiety surrounding this situation. Keep your kids safe, and keep them reading. Please let us know if you have questions.”
In the WCASD teachers will spend the first two school days of the break preparing lessons. Students will learn through the Internet and some students may be graded on that work.
Many districts, like WCASD, have four snow days built into the schedule and will need to make up a week or so if the school stoppage lasts only two weeks.
Superintendent Rick Dunlap at Coatesville Area School District said that students were off Friday. He also said that several teachers live in Montgomery County which has been impacted more than Chester County.
“It’s a good thing to let things settle down and to prevent the spread of the virus,” Dunlap said. ”I’m not shocked at all.
“I thought it was coming after what happened in Montgomery County. It was just a matter of time.”
Tredyffrin Easttown School District had made the decision to close on Thursday.
Sen. Bob Casey made the following statement: “I commend Governor Wolf for his leadership in closing Pennsylvania’s schools today, and I stand in support of the state and local leaders and public health experts across our Commonwealth who have taken similar decisive action to protect their communities from the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. This is a difficult time for our state and our Nation. In order to effectively combat this virus, we need the government, the private sector, health care providers and citizens all working together during this pandemic.
“I will continue to press the Trump Administration to ensure that communities in Pennsylvania have the resources and support they need. This includes healthy food for all students who depend upon free or reduced meals. I will also push Congress to quickly pass legislation to aid workers and businesses impacted by these extreme, but necessary, measures. At this time, it’s vital that all of our communities listen to the guidance of public health experts and state and local officials to help limit the spread of this virus.”
Said State Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19th, of West Whiteland: “I applaud Governor Wolf’s decision to shut down the schools. COVID-19 does not stop at school district, county, or state borders,” Dinniman, who serves as the Minority Chair of the Senate Education Committee, said. “We have received calls from parents, teachers, and Superintendents across our district and the state. The time to act is now, and I am glad the governor did so.”
Dinniman has also put forward two bills, SB1094 and SB1095, to aid school districts across Pennsylvania in response to the growing closures due to COVID-19 and which expand upon Governor Wolf’s 10-day measure. These bills will be available by Monday, March 16 for the senate to consider.
Dinniman’s first bill would allow school districts which must stay closed past the 10 days due to COVID-19 to move ahead with online learning or alternate methods of education. These schools would not have to request a waiver to do so from the PDE. Consideration of a waiver would likely delay the action of the school district to make fast and effective decisions in regard to closure and alternate education.
Dinniman’s second bill calls for the cancellation of the state PSSA and Keystone exams for this school year and requires the PDE to ask the federal government for a waiver of federal accountability regulations.
“The time to end 10 days of testing is now, so that school districts can focus on instruction,” Dinniman said. “Any test results which come from schools that face long periods of closure may well be invalid and not an adequate measure of student growth.”
Several key educational associations, including the Pennsylvania State Education Association, released a joint statement: “The spread of coronavirus across Pennsylvania, the United States, and the globe is unprecedented and has required difficult decisions to be made. The immense challenges presented by this virus have forced difficult and necessary decisions to ensure the health and welfare of the commonwealth’s citizens.
“Together, our organizations present unified support and appreciation for the governor’s leadership and actions in safeguarding the health and well-being of Pennsylvania’s students, school staffs and their families and communities.”
Unionville Chadds Ford School District Super John Sanville said the district will utilize remote learning.
“Beginning March 16, 2020, students are expected to participate in distance learning as directed by their teachers – this will be an A day in our learning cycle,” Sanville said. “Specifics regarding online learning at the secondary level will be shared with students and parents through email and Canvas.
“Elementary parents will receive information via email regarding the K-5 distance learning plan. We have a system in place to deliver learning materials to our K-5 families through the help of our transportation team. Principals will be sending out more specifics following this message about their school’s distance learning plans and how students and parents will receive assignments and materials.
“No one expected the school year to look like this – we find ourselves in uncharted waters.”
Oxford Area School District Super David A. Woods wrote the graduation will “be on time.”
“Given this is a fluid situation, the information will be disseminated via BlackBoard Messenger and our web page,” he wrote. “Enrichment for all students will be provided by their teachers using the teacher web pages and learning management system. We wish that students engage in the enrichment from their teachers; however, this enrichment will not be graded.
“We realize that shuttering our programming makes a significant impact on our daily lives; however, we feel this is most necessary to ensure the safety of all of our stakeholders is placed above all else. The impact on our calendar will be minimized and graduation, as well as the final day of school, will be on time.”
Emilie M. Lonardi, superintendent of the Downingtown Area School District, said all teachers will be paid.
“All athletics, extracurricular activities, events, meetings, etc. will be postponed or cancelled,” Lonardi wrote parents, students and the community. “I understand you will likely have many questions,
“Professional staff will receive an email in the coming days that will include more details related to expectations during this closure.
“Given the Governor’s announcement forgiving the 180 day minimum, the district’s plan will include optional academic activities to support education during the closure.”
“The closing of the school buildings automatically takes a volume of traffic off the roads,” said Chuck Freese, emergency management coordinator for Southern Chester County, a position of gubernatorial appointment. “And automatically takes people that are exposed out-of-the picture to a degree.”
He continued, “That eases the burden of emergency management because it kind of clears the highways a little bit. All you have to do is look out on the roads now and see reduced volume in traffic. That’s a good thing on our end.”
Freese oversees emergency management in Southern Chester County including in West Grove and the townships of Penn, Londonderry, Upper Oxford and London Britain. He further coordinates emergency management operations for Avon Grove Regional Emergency Management, Oxford Regional Emergency Management and Octorara Regional Emergency Management.
