June 19, 2020

Good afternoon,

It’s has been one week since we said our year-end goodbyes to our current students and the Haverford High School Class of 2020. The week was full of celebration, sadness, hope, and joy! Today our teachers are completing a week full of professional development to ready themselves for the upcoming school year, working with technology and tools that will be utilized across the district. Our administrative team members have been engaged in the analysis and planning for the re-opening of school and we will be communicating throughout the summer with you about the progress. 

Today is Juneteenth (short for “June Nineteenth”), it marks the day when federal troops arrived in Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people were freed. Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. 

See these resources where you and your children can learn more about Juneteenth:

History.com - What is Juneteenth?

Teaching Tolerance - Teaching Juneteenth

The Root - This Is Why Juneteenth is Important for America

17 Ways to Celebrate Juneteenth with Kids

African American Museum in Philadelphia - Juneteenth 2020 Virtual Festival

National Archives - The Emancipation Proclamation

School Re-opening Planning Process
At last night’s School Board meeting we had the opportunity to have Dr. David Rubin, MD from CHOP PolicyLab speak with us in regard to Recommendations for Safely Reopening School Buildings.  The meeting included a review of our current planning process for the opening of the 2020-2021 school year.  Please continue to check for emails from the District throughout the summer for additional surveys and communication regarding the opening of schools.  You can view the conversation with Dr. Rubin and the remarks I made immediately following here.

At the July 9th School Board meeting, we will present our Health & Safety Plan for Athletics and on July 23rd we will present our Health & Safety Plan for the Opening of School.

Survey Responses
Thank you to all the parents/guardians who responded to our June - Parent/Guardian Flexible Learning Feedback and Future Planning Survey. We received 4,628 responses from our parents/guardians.  We are presently surveying the parents/guardians of newly registered students.  Look for another survey (shorter) in July.  Questions will pertain specifically to the logistics around the opening of schools.

School Building Grounds and Offices
Our administrative and support staff will be working split schedules and remotely throughout the month of July.  Unfortunately, the offices in our schools and Oakmont will not be open for the public to enter the building.  You can contact the offices if you need information. 

As our area moves from yellow to green we will be reviewing requests for use of our fields.  Our playground equipment remains unavailable for use as of this communication.  We will continue to follow the guidelines that accompany each color phase designation from Governor Wolf.  

Work at the track is underway and the track is closed to the public, as it is a construction site.  

We appreciate the support and watchful eye of those living in proximity to the track.  We’ve recently experienced some vandalism at the site.

    

Reimbursement for school activities
Thank you for your patience as we are processing refunds to families for their school activities. We are currently waiting for vendors to return deposits to our schools, such as the transportation company to Camp Canadensis and many others. These businesses have also been closed, as they are just opening up, the refunds will be coming in. The Business Office plans to send refund checks by building once they have all the deposits for that particular building have been received. 

Resources
We are aware of the ever-changing needs of families. Once again we want to remind you of the services available to our community. If your family has a need for food and/or other resources during this pandemic, please reach out to either of our district social workers. You can email Jocelyn Drucis at jdrucis@haverfordsd.net  or Kathleen McAndrews at kmcandrews@haverfordsd.net for assistance. Families can find applications for additional services during this pandemic on the Food/Internet/Housing and Unemployment page on our website. 

Safe to Say Something
The “Safe2Say Something” (S2SS) anonymous reporting system is available all summer. Safe2Say Something” (S2SS) is a life-saving and life-changing school safety program that is available to anonymously report individuals who may be a threat to themselves or threatening to others through the S2SS app, website, or 24/7 Crisis Center Hotline at 1-844-SAF2SAY.

Congratulations to the Class of 2020! 
Our 443 High School graduates will be attending 79 different colleges and universities in 23 states and 4 countries, they will be joining our workforce and serving our country in the military.  They have inspired us with their courage and resilience. We truly cannot wait to see what incredible things they do next! 

*Pictures are still coming in from all the celebrations across the District and we will be sharing them on the website and on social media with everyone. 

The show of support for our students at every school throughout the quarantine just proves the Haverford pride that is ingrained in our community. Whether it was driving through a car line to celebrate, decorating neighborhoods to applaud our students, or joining the June 7th Walk organizers; either in person or with positive messaging, our students have witnessed many remarkable examples of HPride.

Happy Fathers Day to all those who care, teach, listen, and love us! 

Sincerely,
Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Good evening,

As we conclude week 11 of the closure of our buildings, we remain appreciative of the efforts put forth by all on behalf of our students. Our thinking and planning have already shifted to the 2020-21 school year. You will note below that we have received our preliminary guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Education this week. I anticipate communicating with you several times over the next eight weeks. Our updates for this week are below:

Our Approach to Planning for Next Year:
On June 3rd, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) released Preliminary Guidance for Phased Reopening of Pre-K to 12 Schools.  This guidance summarizes recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and the Pennsylvania Department of Health and serves as a starting point for school leaders to consider in preparations for the upcoming year. 

At this time our administrative team is engaged in the process of reading, synthesizing, and analyzing the elements of that guidance.  Our initial task is to identify that which we can do and at the same time identify questions.  While this document can inform our planning, it will not cause us to pause any of the planning discussions in which we have already been engaging.  As we learn more, receive the next version of the PDE guidance in addition to another set of guidelines forthcoming from a number of professional associations across the state, we will continue to develop our plans for the next school year. 

Feedback
The District is sending surveys today to our students in grades five through twelve for their feedback regarding their experiences during flexible learning. Parent/Guardian surveys will be emailed next week. Principals have also been conducting interviews and discussion groups with students and parents/guardians to learn about their Flexible Learning experiences. We look forward to seeing your reflections and using your feedback to shape any future programs.

Social Justice Resources for Parents/Guardians:
To continue to assist parents/guardians in supporting their children, our staff has added these social justice resources and upcoming programming for your use. 

Specifically for our younger students, CNN and 'Sesame Street' to host a town hall addressing racism: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/02/us/cnn-sesame-street-standing-up-to-racism/index.html

Beyond the Golden Rule: A Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Responding to Prejudice
A Family Guide to Talking About Race
How to Talk to Your Children About Protests and Racism
Your Age-by-Age Guide to Talking About Race
A Parent’s Guide to Talking About Race
How White Parents Can Use Media to Raise Anti-Racist Kids
Talking to Kids About Race
How to Talk About Race With Your Kids
Talking to Children After Racial Incidents
Talking to Children About Hate Incidents
Video: Talking to Kids about Racism

Summer School/ESY:
All of our summer programming (summer school and ESY - Extended School Year) will be provided in a virtual environment. Ms. Jen Saksa presented information about these summer programs at the June 4th School Board Meeting, the presentation slides can be viewed here.
Summer reading and math resources are available for all students who would like to reinforce and maintain skills over the summer.  The summer resources, including the summer reading assignments, are posted on our website, you can find the link here. 

Budget Publication:
At last night’s School Board Meeting, the 2020-21 School year budget was approved. We have developed a Budget publication to explain our financial considerations for the 2020-21 school year and the critical choices that were made with future challenges in mind.

Calendar:
The last day of school for students is Thursday, June 11th. 

Graduation Celebration: 
Thursday, June 11th has been declared a day of celebration in Haverford!  We will celebrate our High School seniors with a virtual graduation ceremony beginning at 6:00 PM and live deliveries of diplomas to students outside their homes immediately following. The link for viewing the ceremony will be available on our website and YouTube and we hope that you will be safely supporting the seniors in your neighborhood and join in the community celebration when the District busses travel your street!  

This upcoming week we are preparing to celebrate important milestones for our students across the district. I want to recognize and thank our students, staff, parents/guardians, and community members who have developed creative and safe celebrations to honor their accomplishments. 

Sincerely,
Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

May 22, 2020

Good afternoon,

As our teachers, principals, and building teams are focusing on these remaining weeks of the school year and redesigning activities to enable students to celebrate important milestone events, district administrators are focusing our planning on the 20-21 school year.  Those departments include among others:

• Facilities

• Transportation

• Food Services

• Curriculum

• Technology

So much remains uncertain and these departments will explore various options to address the potential scenarios for opening schools.  We are fortunate to work with surrounding counties and to participate in county-level meetings where we can collaborate and brainstorm the opening scenarios for the fall. In addition, a state-level task force is expected to issue a report in mid-June identifying recommendations for opening schools in the Fall. 

This will be a busy summer for all of us and I expect our communication with you to be ongoing.  You can anticipate receipt of an update from the District every two weeks.

A few updates and some reminders:

Lesson Planning for the Week of 05/26/20:

Next week, teachers will share lessons that can be experienced over each of the four school days. As always, please determine what pace works for your family and reach out to your child's teacher if any support is needed.

Facilities: 

• On March 27, 2020, all district facilities including the turf field and track were closed to try to slow the spread of COVID-19. We cannot accept requests at this time for facility or field usage from outside organizations. We will continue to follow the guidelines that accompany each color phase designation from Governor Wolf. 

• The track will become a “construction” site beginning May 26th and work will continue through to the end of July as part of the track replacement project. This project was committed to and approved at an earlier School Board Meeting this year.

June 11th has been declared a day of celebration in our township:

We are deeply appreciative of the recognition of the Township Commissioners who issued two Proclamations at their May 11th meeting: 

• Applauding all students in those milestone years (Elementary, Middle and High School) and thanking all of their teachers

• Declaring June 11th as a Celebratory Day for all graduating seniors

On June 11th, we will celebrate our seniors with a virtual graduation ceremony and live deliveries of diplomas to students outside their homes. The link for viewing the ceremony will be available on our website and we hope that you will be safely supporting the seniors in your neighborhood and join in the community celebration when the District busses travel your street!   

All of this would not be possible without our graduation committee which includes students, parents/guardians, teachers, and administration who meet weekly to plan these year-end celebratory events. Their creativity and passion to honor the seniors in a responsible but joyous manner is commendable. They are working together to plan events for June and in the future that fit the FORD community which is like no other in Delaware County! 

Attached is a letter from Principal Donaghy which outlines the senior upcoming events. 

Haverford Responds: 

Haverford is such a giving community! Please see a new “Haverford Strong” which relays the work our district is engaged in to support the community.

Summer School/ESY:
All of our summer programming (summer school and ESY - Extended School Year) will be provided in a virtual environment.  At the June 4th School Board Meeting, Ms. Jenn Saksa will be presenting information about these summer programs and the planned teacher in-service scheduled to occur in June. 

Resources:
Needs are changing on a weekly basis. Once again we want to make you aware of the services available to our community. If your family has a need for food and/or other resources during this pandemic, please reach out to either of our district social workers. You can email Jocelyn Drucis at jdrucis@haverfordsd.net  or Kathleen McAndrews at kmcandrews@haverfordsd.net for assistance. Families can find applications for additional services during this pandemic on the Food/Internet/Housing and Unemployment page on our website. 

HTSD Education Foundation:
The Haverford Township School District Education Foundation Helping Neighbors Covid-19 Relief Fund has raised $18,000 to support district families with immediate help. 100% of what is raised for this appeal will be distributed to those in need. If you would like to make a donation, you can find more information here: https://haverfordedfoundation.org/  

Sincerely,
Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

May 8, 2020

This week we have a few updates to share with you. 

Calendar:
At last night’s meeting, the School Board approved a calendar revision that changes the last day of school for students to June 11, 2020. This change allows our educators to engage in training and adjust curriculum in order to ensure that students are fully supported as we begin the 20-21 school year, in whatever form that may take. 

School District Budget:
The board meeting also included a review of the 2020-21 School Year Budget. We want to bring to your attention the proposed reductions we will experience in the coming year. Our priority remains the classroom and all of the vital experiences that are important throughout a student’s academic career.  Thus far, we have not made any reductions impacting those areas. As we learn more about legislation and funding at both the state and federal level, we will provide additional communications about our budget process.

You can review both the calendar update and budget presentation on BoardDocs. 

Celebrating our Students:

• June 11th is graduation day for our Seniors! We hope everyone will share in the virtual and social-distancing celebrations of our students; particularly if you are the neighbor of a graduating senior. Perhaps you can consider decorating the exterior of your home to show your HPride for our Seniors. Mr. Donaghy will share the end of year events next week. 

• Our students continue to achieve! 23 students from Chestnutwold Elementary and the Middle School will have their poetry published in the book "A Celebration of Poets” and 26 Middle School Latin students received accolades, including Best in Show, for their participation in the Philadelphia Classical Society Competition. 

• HHS Senior, Lily Pollock on trumpet, and HHS Junior, Amelia Lint on Double Bass, have been selected to be members of the 2020 PMEA All-State Orchestra.

Obtaining personal belongings from school:
All schools are communicating the dates and times regarding student materials pick-up. If you have any questions, please email your building principal.

Resources:
If your family has a need for food and/or other resources during this pandemic, please reach out to either of our district social workers. You can email Jocelyn Drucis at jdrucis@haverfordsd.net  or Kathleen McAndrews at kmcandrews@haverfordsd.net for assistance. Families can find applications for additional services during this pandemic on the Food/Internet/Housing and Unemployment page on our website. 

The HTSD Education Foundation launched the Helping Neighbors Covid-19 Relief Fund to support district students and their families with immediate help. The need is great, more funds are absolutely needed and 100% of what is raised for this appeal will be distributed to those in need. You can find more information here: https://haverfordedfoundation.org/  

Summer Maintenance and Enrichment Activities:
We are planning various ways students can engage in activities designed to maintain, reinforce, and enrich their academic skills over the summer. All summer offerings will be virtual. Planning is also underway to adjust curriculum and supports so that students can experience intervention, reinforcement, and/or enrichment as a part of our regular school programs this fall. 

Although we always encourage students to engage in learning, thinking, and creative pursuits in the summer, there is no expectation that students must engage in summer maintenance and enrichment. Please rest assured that students and families will not be “left behind” if they do not participate. Further information regarding how we will support students next year will be shared at an upcoming board meeting. 

Appreciation
We want to extend our sincere thanks to our all parents/guardians for their continued support of our teachers and students! Happy Teacher Appreciation Week and Happy Nurses Day! Please watch this video of a Day in the Life of our Teachers. 

Sincerely,
Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

April 30, 2020

Good evening,

We hope all continues to be well in your household and throughout your entire family.

A few updates this week:. 

Please Take Action: Tell your members of Congress to provide more federal funding to school districts

The economic downturn has the potential to bring about a substantial loss of both local and state revenue for school districts.  Additional federal funding is necessary to avoid cuts to programs and services.  Please communicate with our members of Congress asking them to support additional, robust federal aid to school districts in the next phase of emergency COVID-19 legislation.  Click HERE to tell Congress to provide more federal funding to school districts.

Resources:
If your family has a need for food and/or other resources during this pandemic, please reach out to either of our district social workers. You can email Jocelyn Drucis at jdrucis@haverfordsd.net  or Kathleen McAndrews at kmcandrews@haverfordsd.net for assistance. Families can find applications for additional services during this pandemic on the Food/Internet/Housing and Unemployment page on our website.  We thank the Education Foundation for their generous donation of $5,000 to assist the district in providing for the needs of our students

Elementary Google Classroom and Live Interactions:
This week our elementary schools began using Google Classroom as their communication hub. Students and families are still able to use the apps and programs they’ve grown accustomed to. They will now be able to access these and other information through Google Classroom. Please click here for video tutorials, directions, and helpful tips from our technology department. Next week, we will begin Live Interactions at the elementary level. If you have not done so already, please complete and submit this permission form in order for your child/ren to attend. More information regarding Live Interactions will be coming from your child’s school and teachers. 

We love our teachers:
Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week!  A loud shout out to all of our wonderful teachers for the phenomenal job they do each and every day. Would you like to express appreciation to a teacher? We encourage you to send a quick note, email, or use this form to share your sentiments. Many thanks to our amazing teachers for their dedication to our students and their growth. 

Office Hours:
Middle and high school students are encouraged to attend Live Open Office Hours throughout each week. These sessions are designed to provide students the chance to connect with their teachers and peers, ask questions, and receive and provide feedback. While these sessions are not required for students, there are many valuable learning experiences for those who can attend. If your child would like to attend but is unable to do so, please reach out to the teachers to arrange support.

Obtaining personal belongings from school:

Look for communication from your respective elementary schools regarding student materials pick-up. Please be aware that all the elementary schools are arranging drive-up contact-free distribution at their buildings.

Website:
The COVID19 Updates and Flexible Learning page on the website has been updated to centralize all COVID19 information and the Continuity of Education Plan as well as resources for families. 

Parent Survey results:

At the April 23rd School Board Meeting, Ms. Jen Saksa presented an Overview of the Flexible Parent/Guardian survey results. The presentation and meeting video are available on our online portal. Click here to access BoardDocs. 

 

Calendar:

• The last day of school for students will be finalized and communicated next week.

• Per the Governor’s order, construction projects are permitted to resume.  Construction at Lynnewood may resume next week.

• The committee of students, administrators, and teachers continue to meet to plan out graduation and end of year recognition ceremonies. Mr. Donaghy will be communicating these plans the week of May 10th.

 

Reimbursements:

• Families of seniors whose food accounts have a balance will be issued a reimbursement. 

• The business office is currently working in conjunction with our schools to issue reimbursements for canceled trips and activities.

 

Student Work Permit (Working Papers):
Students in need of working papers can check the website for new online procedures. We will be able to distribute working papers after the electronic verification of student information. You can find instructions here. 

 

Sincerely,

Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

 

Congrats to our Seniors! 
A picture of Places Haverford Will Go was created, manufactured, and assembled by our BLAST parents!  You can’t miss it as you pass our High School.  

April 23, 2020

Good evening,

We continue our flexible learning journey with some exciting additions. Parents/guardians can access more information about flexible learning here. 

• High School began Live Open Office Hours last week

• Middle School began Live Open Office Hours this week

• Elementary Schools will begin to use Google Classroom for all students next week and opportunities for live interactions the following week. Please see your email for information about accessing Google Classroom.

We encourage our students and parents/guardians to reach out to their teachers, counselors, and principals if they need support or assistance. 

A few updates for you this week:

Resources:
If your family has a need for food and/or other resources during this pandemic, please reach out to either of our district social workers. You can email Jocelyn Drucis at jdrucis@haverfordsd.net  or Kathleen McAndrews at kmcandrews@haverfordsd.net for assistance.  

Calendar:
Tuesday, April 28 will remain a professional development day as scheduled in our 2019-20 calendar. There will be no student work required for that day. Teachers will be engaged in professional development and will respond to any emails on Wednesday. As we continue with our instructional calendar through May, there are two dates in particular that we want to note: There will be no school on Friday, May 22nd, and Monday, May 25th. 

Year-end celebratory events:
During this ever-changing situation, we want to remain flexible in the planning and the postponing of events that celebrate our students’ academic experiences. We are actively planning a variety of options for celebrations with the understanding that the circumstances may change therefore we continue to explore all of our options. We appreciate your understanding and patience as we balance the needs of our school community with this planning during the coming weeks. 

At the High School, Principal Donaghy has formed a group consisting of students, staff, and administrators to meet weekly and collaboratively consider and plan for a variety of senior year-end events. 

Reimbursement for school trip/activities:
Our Business Office is putting together a process that will involve communication with the school offices and ultimately result in the issuance of a check to parents/guardians to return funds paid for those trips etc, which we can not undertake (Camp Canadensis, Hershey Park trip, etc.)

Obtaining personal belongings from school:
With the extended stay at home order date and rules on social distancing on public gatherings of no more than 10 people, the school district administration is finalizing a process to allow for retrieval of personal belongings sometime after May 8th. Guidelines and specific instructions, and schedules will be communicated for each building. 

Kindergarten registration
District staff members have reached out to families to complete registration for those appointments that have been canceled due to the closure. Families who have not yet completed the “in-person” portion of the registration process were sent an email last evening with information regarding the next steps. Our immediate focus is upon the current year and 2020-2021 kindergarten registrations.  

Flexible Learning Information for Parents/Guardians of Elementary Students
Please see this link for information regarding

• District-wide Lesson Resources

• Google Classroom as the Elementary Online Platform

• Maintaining Classroom Community Through Video and Live Interaction

Hoping you and yours are well and finding at least one reason to smile each day,

Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

April 16, 2020

Good Evening,

We started planning for the longer-term of teaching and learning prior to Governor Wolf’s order to close all public schools through the end of the 2019-2020 academic year, and we have much information to share with you in this update. 

Thank you to everyone who completed our survey last week.  We received over 3,100 responses and used those responses as part of our longer-term planning. An overview of the parent/guardian survey will be presented during the April 23rd School Board Meeting.

When asked to rate the following question on a scale of one to five, “How is flexible learning working for your family?” 85% of respondents selected three or above. The majority rated the amount of work, level of challenge, and frequency of communication “just right” for all subjects. While we are pleased with these general results, the comments also included constructive feedback. We are currently planning how to respond to this feedback, particularly in the following three categories.

• The timeframe between the identification of student work and the date/time for submission is a struggle for some of our families

• A request for a consistent platform from which parents can access assignments etc.

• A strong desire and request for some level of interaction between teachers and students

Moving Forward
In some cases, we have already begun to address these needs/requests and in others, we are about to make some revisions.  As this situation evolves, so does our response. Remember, we embody continuous improvement and any good design process involves: Plan, Do, Check, Act.  We will continue to “check” every action of our plan and make revisions as necessary. Our priority remains the academic, social, and emotional well-being of our children. 

Updates
The Continuity of Education Plan (Flexible Learning Guide) for families has been updated. See below for summary information and links to more details in the updated material.

Live Open Office Hours
Today the High School started live open office hours for students. Live office hours are designed to enable students to ask questions, clarify, receive feedback, and maintain relationships with their teachers through human connection. 

Parents/Guardians must submit the Video Consent Form for students to participate in live office hours. If you have not already done so, please complete the form.  This link provides a quick guide to using Google Meet, which will assist your student(s) in participating in office hours with their teacher. Google Meet for Students & Parents

The Middle School will follow with live open office hours beginning Monday, 4/21. Our Elementary school principals are working on a plan that is mindful of the additional requirements live interactions need at this level.

Changed Timeframe for Assignments
Survey results indicate parents/guardians would like to be able to access student assignments at a time when they can determine if they have any clarifying questions and send those questions to the teacher.  A Friday posting of assignments will provide parents/guardians the weekend to review and submit questions. Teachers will be able to begin the day Monday addressing the questions.

This change will begin on Friday, 4/24 when assignments for 4/27-4/30 will be posted. The submission date for those assignments will be Sunday, 5/3. Teachers may still accept work earlier, but students cannot be penalized if they are unable to submit work at an earlier date. 

Monday through Thursday Learning Assignments & Friday “Catch Up”
The Flexible Learning Plan now includes engaging experiences for students Monday through Thursday. Friday mornings will serve as a time for students to “catch up” on the week’s work. We encourage students who accomplish the assigned tasks and are looking for additional interesting activities to visit our website for ideas. As always, we encourage students to read, write and engage in activities that spark their interest. 

Attendance
Attendance procedures have been updated. Please see the detailed update at this link. A student is considered present in a class for the week when participation occurs in either of the following ways

• communication with the teacher 
• submitting assignments 

If your child is unable to participate in flexible learning, you must provide a valid excuse for the absence. Absences can be reported by emailing the building (elementary), grade-level (HMS), or attendance (HHS) secretary. If your child is experiencing attendance difficulties, please reach out to your child’s teacher and/or counselor.

Grading
All students are expected to complete assignments and feedback will be provided weekly as well as at the end of the year.  Students in kindergarten through grade eight will not be receiving grades. Students in high school will be assigned a grade of pass or fail. Please see the detailed update at this link.

Use of Google Classroom
Beginning on 4/27/20, all students in kindergarten through 8th-grade will use Google Classroom as their technology platform. Student logins and training videos will be sent to families on Thursday, 4/24. Further information will be provided by principals. 

Events
The end of year culminating events are important for students and adults, for this reason, we are looking at each level of celebratory events and how some version may occur. 

For the Class of 2020, we will celebrate your accomplishments and your graduation! The High School administration has initiated a planning process and while the location will depend on what CDC restrictions are in place, a graduation will occur somewhere, somehow on Thursday, June 11th at 6:00 PM

Sincerely,

Maureen Reusche Ed.D.
Superintendent

April 9, 2020

Dear Haverford Community,

This morning, Governor Tom Wolf issued an order to close all public schools through the end of the 2019-2020 academic year.  We understand this raises even more questions and is disappointing for all of us.

As mentioned in my earlier communication, long-range planning has already begun in the District. More specifics about moving forward will be included in my weekly communication next week.  

We remain “Haverford Strong” and we will rely upon and support one other through this time.

Sincerely,
Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Please click the image below for a Coronavirus video message update from Dr. Reusche and a survey request. 

Dear Parents/Guardians, 

We are eager to hear from you! Please use this survey to provide feedback regarding Flexible Learning. You are welcome to complete one survey per child or one survey for all of the children in your family. 

We are looking into ways to improve this experience for students and their families while still meeting the requirements set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In order to be able to analyze the data in a timely manner, we ask that you complete the survey by Saturday, April 11. 

Survey Link: https://forms.gle/ih16jDaCtZ1LnAEh6

With appreciation, 

The School District of Haverford Township Educators

March 31, 2020

Good evening, 

These past three weeks have been filled with so many adjustments for all members of our Haverford community as we each try to adapt to the varied aspects of this closure:

• The separation we are all experiencing.

• The level of discomfort we experience when we need to work outside of our comfort zone.

• The uncertainty of when we will return to that which makes us more comfortable.

I want to assure you that we keep all of the above in mind as we process the governor's announcement yesterday to close schools until further notice and maintain social distancing until at least April 30th.  The announcement is cause for us to examine where we are, and I want to update you on some of the District’s plans moving forward. 

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has given us guidelines for planned Instruction as a part of our educational continuity plan. “Planned instruction is formal teaching and learning similar to that which occurs in a classroom setting. Within this process, teachers use planned courses of instruction of new concepts/skills aligned to grade-level standards.”  Our approach has been and will continue to be one that attempts to anticipate as many needs as possible and to carefully roll out the resources for which we know we can provide support to our students, their families, and our staff.

We will continue to build upon our Flexible Learning plan, the program in which we are engaging from March 30 through April 10. We will use what we learn from this time period to make any necessary improvements and shift our focus to how best to provide educational experiences for students during this extended period of time. We will need to continue to balance the multitude of demands on our families with our charge to provide grade-appropriate and standards-based planned instruction. We will continue to expand our use of a variety of resources; technology-based or otherwise. In order to inform the decisions we will make moving forward, we will be asking for feedback from our students and families regarding your first set of learning assignments and experiences.  This feedback will be gathered next week. 

We know that the Pennsylvania Department of Education has an expectation that our students attend and participate in the educational program throughout the school closure.  Our Administrative team is working with our teachers to determine how to best take attendance for our students and to do so in a way that is not burdensome. More information regarding procedures will be sent at a later date. 

In the meantime, we have created an Extended Closure Resources page on the website so that our Nurses,  Guidance Counselors, and Food Services departments can post helpful information to aid students, parents/guardians and the community. We’ve also included articles such as  Handling Your Kid's Disappointment When Everything Is Canceled (nytimes.com).

Our Food Services and Transportation departments have been delivering breakfast and lunches in the community to our students and will continue to do so throughout the closure. Families can apply for the free/reduced lunch program at any time. Click here for application and qualifying guidelines. 

We are also continuing our community partnerships and have posted a message on our website for the Township Library and the virtual services and programming they are providing to the community.

Thursday, April 2, 2020, at 7:30 PM we will have our first Virtual School Board Meeting. The agenda and login instructions will be posted on our website.

I want to extend our sincerest thanks to all who play a critical part in the health and well being of our community and our children.  We are grateful for your service and dedication to this community. 

Sincerely,
Maureen Reusche Ed.D.
Superintendent

March 30, 2020

Good afternoon,

This afternoon, Governor Tom Wolf announced that all stay-at-home orders are now extended through April 30th and all schools statewide will remain closed until further notice to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

The District will move forward with a plan that was already in place to send a general update to our Haverford community tomorrow evening. In light of today’s announcement, that communication will now provide additional information about the extended closure. 

Kind regards,
Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

March 23, 2020

Dear Haverford Community,

This afternoon, Governor Tom Wolf announced that all K-12 Pennsylvania schools will remain closed for the next two weeks.

I will provide further communication and guidance about what to expect throughout the additional time on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.

This week we will continue our Flexible Learning Review and Practice activities as planned Monday through Wednesday.  Information regarding the distribution of breakfast and lunch has been communicated to qualifying families and will proceed as described. 

Outstanding technology needs were identified in our second survey. A zero-contact equipment distribution is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. Families who indicated a need were provided a scheduled appointment time and location via a phone call and an email.  

Please know that the people who care for your children every day when they are in school, still care deeply about them and look forward to the time when we together fill the classrooms and hallways of our schools with sounds of learning and laughter.

Sincerely,

Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

As a point of clarification from today's email, under these circumstances, textbooks are not considered essential items. Essential items would be glasses, medication, dental retainers, etc. items that your child can not do without for a two week period of time.

Thank you for your understanding.

March 16, 2020

Dear School District of Haverford Township Families, 

For the prevention of the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Governor of Pennsylvania has mandated the closure of all PA schools until March 30th. This decision is significant as it means that our school buildings and grounds will be closed at this time and we ask that families respect this direction. The equipment on our playgrounds is not being disinfected during this time. 

In this email, you find information regarding 

• One-time essential item pick-up
• Food insecurity resources 
• Flexible Learning Review and Practice
• Limited Technology distribution and access 

 
One-time Essential Item and Medication Pick-up 
This should only take 5-10 minutes per student to enter the building and retrieve essential items. 

March 17, 2020
9:00 AM - 12:15 PM
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

• High School: Students, please enter through the front entrance and follow the directives of the administrators. 
• Middle School: 
  • Students, please use the main entrance to retrieve essential items.
  • Parents, please use the main entrance for medication pickup.
  • Parents, please use Gym D for Technology pickup. 
• Elementary Schools: Enter through the front entrance.
• The number of students admitted to the building at one time will be limited. 
• Only students will be admitted into the middle school and high school to pick up necessary belongings.  Parents should wait outside the building.

Food Insecurity Resources 
Lunch and Breakfast Grab and Go bags will be available on a daily basis for families who qualify:
Beginning: Tuesday, March 17th, 11:15 - 12:15 PM

• Families can go to the High School or Manoa Elementary to pick up these items. Please go to the main entrance.
• Please mail our Interim Food Services Director, Diane Dowling, for additional questions at ddowling@haverfordsd.net

There are a number of food pantries in the community.  A complete listing with hours can be found on our district website. Food Pantry Information link.

Flexible Learning Review and Practice
Our educators have been preparing Flexible Learning Review and Practice activities, which provide opportunities for our students to engage in review and practice in order to maintain their skills. 

Flexible Learning Review and Practice activities will begin on Thursday, March 19, 2020. Please check the teacher pages on our website for resources that your student(s) can access in order to continue to practice their academic skills beginning on this date. During this closure, our educators will be available to answer questions via email. They will be checking their email once each morning and once each afternoon. 

As always we encourage students to spend time reading, practicing their math skills and engaging in activities that foster thinking and spark interest. 

Students who have internet access are also welcome to use the online resources already available to them such as Study Island, Reflex Math, and RAZ Kids. Other interesting ideas are available at sites like those listed below.

• Project-based learning ideas https://www.teachthought.com/project-based-learning/a-better-list-of-ideas-for-project-based-learning/

• All subjects in grades K-8 https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/teaching-tools/articles/resources/scholastic-learn-at-home--free-resources-for-school-closures.html#

• Science all grades https://interestingengineering.com/11-of-the-best-science-websites-for-interactive-learning

• Social Studies all grades
  https://www.loc.gov/education/

Limited Technology Distribution and Access 
The district recognizes that some families may need a device to access online practice and reinforcement opportunities. Please note, students will not be expected to use a device to complete practice and reinforcement activities for the same amount of time they typically are in school. 

We used the technology survey results and are prepared to distribute devices for families. Given our present inventory, one device per household can be signed out by an adult living in that household. All High School students were provided with a chrome book at the beginning of the school year. 

Technology Pick-Up Information
Tuesday, March 17, 2020 
9:00 AM-12:15 PM and 5:00-6:00 PM

• ONE Parent/Guardian (no students) should report to their youngest child’s school to sign out the household device. Please bring a driver’s license or state ID. At that time, you will be asked to sign the Chromebook agreement document.
• The Agreement covers that you must return the device within 48 hours of school reopening.
• This agreement will be logged in the student’s PowerSchool profile  
• Chromebook also includes directions for connecting to your Wifi, access to technical assistance and cleaning instructions.
• We can loan 1 Chromebook per family 
• At-home technology assistance:
  Email: ITHelpdesk@haverfordsd.net
  Call:  610-853-5951 and leave a message 

Cleaning of Devices

• Devices can be wiped down with a semi-moist Clorox wipe. Wipes should be rung out so they are not too damp. 
• In the absence of a wipe, a paper towel can be sprayed with a disinfectant and then used to wipe the device, again, making sure that the towel is not too moist. 
• Nothing should be sprayed directly onto devices.

The District will be sending future communication as updates become available. You may email your principals with questions or concerns, they will be checking email. Please note that all IEP and GIEP meetings will be rescheduled.

As always, we appreciate your patience and understanding as navigate this new terrain together. 

Sincerely,
Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

March 13, 2020

Dear Haverford Community,

This afternoon, Governor Tom Wolf announced that all K-12 Pennsylvania schools will be closed for 10 business days effective Monday, March 16, 2020.

Further communication and guidance around what to expect over the next two weeks are forthcoming.

We recognize that this closure means a number of families are scrambling for childcare and trying to balance their jobs with the many other issues associated with this situation. Therefore flexible learning activities for students will not be immediately initiated.

We thank you for your patience, the trust you place in us, and your partnership. 

Sincerely,

Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

March 12, 2020

Dear Haverford Community,

We continue to pay close attention to the developments regarding COVID-19. Our administrative team meets daily to learn and respond to new developments as it concerns our students, their activities and learning. Earlier this week we shared the Delaware County Pandemic Action Plan with its four stages.   

We are now moving from “Monitoring” to the “Limiting” phase of the pandemic plan and on the border of “Postponing”. These restrictions are being enacted in an effort to reduce potential exposure of COVID-19 to our staff and students. We understand the disappointment and frustration they will cause especially for student groups whose events and programs will be impacted. These decisions are never easy.  

For now, please be aware of the following:

• The Family and Community Equity workshop scheduled to take place this evening at HMS has been rescheduled to April 20th.

• The play at the High School will run this evening only and will not be open to the public.  We will record the production and make that recording available to students and their families (at no charge). Ticket purchases will be refunded for all shows.  

• Any events scheduled in our schools for Friday evening, Saturday or Sunday will have to be rescheduled. In those cases, someone from the school will be in touch at a later date with respect to a rescheduled date.

• SAT’s scheduled for Saturday, March 14th have been rescheduled to March 28th.  Those registered will hear directly from SAT about registering for the 28th. 

• Our facilities will not be available for use by any outside group/organization until further notice. Before and aftercare providers will remain operating in our buildings when schools are open.

I am involved in another important meeting tomorrow which will include the participation of the Pennsylvania Department of Education as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Health.  I anticipate I will be able to provide a more structured response and further guidance tomorrow afternoon.

We also continue to update the website with COVID-19 related information if parents/guardians or the community need to refer to previous communications or documents.

As always, we appreciate your cooperation and support during these unusual circumstances. 

Sincerely,

Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

March 10, 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

The purpose of this communication is to provide you with another update regarding our work to be as well prepared as possible for any impact due to COVID-19. 

It is important to point out again that we have not received any notification that there has been exposure to confirmed cases in our attendance boundaries.

Yesterday, March 9, 2020, I attended another meeting of local Superintendents, the Delaware County Intermediate Unit, Delaware County Council, Delaware County Intercommunity Health and Delaware County Emergency Services to receive an update from county officials and to begin collaborative planning with agencies in attendance as well as my colleague Superintendents.

The first outcome of the meeting is a Pandemic Action Plan (attached) developed with the input of all in attendance. Four stages are identified in the action plan. At this time our district is in the first stage, Monitoring.  Should the need arise to move into the Limiting phase, communication will be provided and information will be posted on our website.

In order to be proactive and plan for the possibility of an extended closure of schools,  Delaware County Districts plan to hold an in-service (March 13 or March 16) for staff to discuss, learn more about and plan flexible learning opportunities. Our District will hold this day on Friday, March 13, 2020. Students will not report to school on Friday, March 13, 2020.

Flexible learning means that the students do not need to be present in the classroom to engage in learning activities. This can include anything from reading a text and responding to questions, watching a video and trying some problems, practicing an instrument, or creating a how-to video. 

In the event of a prolonged school closure, the District will combine the use of inclement weather days and flexible learning opportunities to keep students engaged.  

The District is not canceling student or building activities that have been scheduled after 1:00 pm on March 13, 2020. The HHS play, athletic events, as well as any building-based events, will continue as planned. 

The elementary and middle school parent/guardian conferences are canceled for Friday, March 13th. Teachers will be contacting parents/guardians to reschedule and as a convenience will be providing the option to participate in a phone conference. 

The elementary and middle school parent/guardian conferences will continue as planned on March 11th and 12th. You may request to speak with your child’s teacher by phone if you wish to do so instead of coming into the school on Wednesday or Thursday as scheduled. Your conference time (on Wednesday and Thursday) will remain the same. Please contact your child’s teacher if you would like that option. Due to the nature of middle school student-led conferences, Mr. Horan will be sending a communication to middle school parents/guardians.

The community workshop "How to Talk about Equity & Inclusion: A Conversation for Parents/Families", scheduled for the evening of Thursday, March 12 is moving forward as planned. You may attend virtually via live stream. Instructions will be provided on the main page of the website. 

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time. Our district team will continue to meet daily, monitor the situation and communicate all relevant information. 

Sincerely,

Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Delaware County Pandemic Action Plan

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

The purpose of this communication is to provide our community with updates regarding our response to the coronavirus. We have not received any notification that there has been exposure to confirmed cases in our attendance boundaries. There is currently no plan to close any of our buildings. 

On Friday, March 6, 2020, I participated in a COVID-19 conference call with Delaware County health and school district officials (see press release below). The message is consistent: we all must continue to be extra-diligent in our hygiene habits and aware of and responsive to signs and symptoms of illness. Health officials also reminded us that we are facing a particularly bad flu season and that preventive measures for the flu and COVID-19 are very similar. Schools were advised to conduct business as usual, albeit with high attentiveness to hygiene and proper cleaning.  

In our District, we continue to review information from the CDC and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.  Both agencies recommend schools develop plans with local health officials to help protect the school community, inclusive of those with special health needs.  Earlier today, Monday, March 9, 2020, district administrators and I met with Chief of Police John Viola, Township Manager David Burman, and Director of Emergency Medical Services Jim McCann to review our approach to monitoring.

I believe it is important to note that we have not utilized any inclement weather days (snow days) this year.  This provides us with a viable option in the event we need to close schools. Our administrative team is compiling curricular information/resources for families in the event of a prolonged school closure. 

Age-appropriate posters and information about the prevention and the spreading of germs were distributed to schools. Teachers will be discussing age-appropriate information about handwashing and the coronavirus with our students tomorrow. 

Our custodial staff continues to be vigilant in the cleaning of high touchpoint surfaces in schools which includes the use of electrostatic disinfecting machines. The District is monitoring all health-related absences daily and all bus drivers are being provided with an environmentally friendly and effective agent to be used daily.

To prevent the spread of the coronavirus and influenza the PA Department of Health continues to encourage students and staff to practice everyday preventive actions. 

• Stay home when sick. 

  • Is Your Child Too Sick for School? How do you know when to keep your child home from school?

• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue.

• If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.

• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing

This is undoubtedly a rapidly changing situation that will be evaluated in the immediate future. Our district team will continue to meet, monitor the situation and communicate all relevant information. 

Sincerely,
Maureen Reusche, Ed.D.
Superintendent

 

Parent Resources: 

Link to the District website: Coronavirus Updates/Resources

What You Need to Know About the Coronavirus Virus (CDC Factsheet)

Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus) A Parent Resource  (National Association of School Psychologists)

PIAA Press release (03/03/20 for HHS Athletes)

Press Releases from Delaware County:

One Presumptive Positive Case of COVID-19 Confirmed in Delaware County

Delaware County Holds March 8 Update to Brief Residents on COVID-19

March 6, 2020

Message in Haverford Happenings:
The District has composed a Frequently Asked Question section on the website where we will answer as best we can the questions parents/guardians have asked. As, an item of interest, the District does monitor student absence percentages. In February 2020, our absence percentages were lower than February 2019 and February 2018. We will continue to monitor each week. The FAQ can be found here.

February 27, 2020,

Dear Parents/Guardians,
As many news agencies have reported, the CDC is closely monitoring the coronavirus. It is normal to be concerned when news agencies report on trending health-related events. It is an important topic and we want to share with you some information as it pertains to the School District of Haverford Township:

• There is a precedence for these types of situations in schools (most notably, the “H1N1” flu virus response in 2009-10).  
• Schools closely follow the advice and direction of health organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the Department of Public Safety. 
• The daily cleaning process for our buildings (classrooms, bathrooms, common areas, etc.) includes disinfection. 
• Every day, common-sense preventative actions that are recommended every flu season, such as washing hands or staying home when sick, are still the most common recommendations for responding to this virus and any other flu virus.
• Children should be fever-free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school.
• The CDC has issued a number of recommendations, which can be found here: CDC: Coronavirus Prevention & Treatment
• We will regularly share information given to us by county, state and federal health experts.  
   

Please know that the district is firmly committed to protecting the health and welfare of our students and staff. 
Regards,
Dr. Maureen Reusche
Superintendent