Sewickley Academy to have staff, students back in buildings Sept. 2

Sewickley Academy officials plan to welcome students and staff back to school during the covid-19 pandemic on Sept. 2.

Reopening plans call for a full range of programming to be available on campus for the estimated 600 pre-kindergatern through 12th-grade students.

“The academy has a framework to support the health, safety and welfare of all members of our community while delivering an outstanding educational experience for our students,” Sewickley Academy spokeswoman Brittnea Turner said Thursday. “Our plans have been informed by guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (and Prevention), the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Allegheny County Health Department.”

Plans were released Monday, Aug. 3.

Kolia O’Conor, head of school at Sewickley Academy, said the hope is to maintain the current reopening plan, but it could change should there be another spike in coronavirus cases.

“The administration of the school is very carefully monitoring covid-19 levels, test positivity rates and other metrics for both Allegheny County and the state of Pennsylvania,” O’Connor said. “We’ll be looking at those very closely before we make a final determination.

“While the plan is to open on campus, the final decision to do that has not been made. We hope to make that within the next week to 10 days based on what the science tells us is prudent in terms of ensuring the health, safety and welfare of all of our students, faculty and staff.”

Officials said remote learning will be available to families with concerns about their child’s ability to participate in on-campus instruction safely.

Director of Support Services Christine Herring, along with the school nurse, will work with those families who may need accommodations.

“As an educational institution, the goal is always to have our students learn in the best environment possible,” Turner said. “Whether that’s on campus or online, education is the goal. We’re really taking into consideration what the guiding agencies have to say.”

The pandemic rules

Faculty, staff and students will be required to self-screen, including temperature checks, each morning prior to coming to campus.

A nurse will be on-hand the first two weeks of school to assist students who were not screened. Those who do not pass the screening will be sent home immediately.

Students who do not screen prior to arrival after those two weeks will not be permitted to remain on campus.

The nurse is a full-time employee and is on campus every day school is open.

All faculty, staff and students will be required to wear face coverings on campus. Masks will be provided and can be removed during recess or outdoor classes while maintaining social distancing.

Bandannas and masks with inappropriate text or graphics are not permitted.

Each grade at the Lower School will have an assigned entrance and exit. Middle and high school will have staggered entry and exit from common spaces to avoid congregation of crowds.

Students should expect to carry their personal items with them throughout the day. Each school will determine how and when students may be able to use lockers.

Field trips for all schools will be limited and overnight field trips are suspended for the year.

Water fountains will be closed, but water filling stations will remain open. Sharing food is prohibited.

No visitors, lunch eaten in classroom

Visitors will not be allowed on the private academy’s campus. Cubbies will be located in the vestibule of each school for families who need to drop off something for their children.

Students are encouraged to bring their own water bottle, snacks and lunch from home. A cold boxed lunch menu will be available through the academy’s dining service provider, Metz and Associates.

The boxed lunches will be delivered to the schools and distributed to classrooms where students will eat lunch. The cafeterias will not be open to serve breakfast, lunch or snacks.

Turner said the academy also has plans for online-only learning should the state or other officials shutdown the campus.

More information about the reopening plan is available at the academy’s website, sewickley.org.