Kiski Area School District approves guidelines for sports, band to resume

Kiski Area School Board on Wednesday approved a health and safety plan for student-athletes and band members to resume practice during the summer.

The guidelines, outlined on the district’s website, include restrictions and safety measures aimed at preventing the spread of covid-19.

“We wanted to do it in a way that would protect the health and safety (of students and staff) but also not become a sideshow that wouldn’t allow it to be enjoyable for anyone,” said Superintendent Tim Scott.

The plan comes two weeks after Gov. Tom Wolf announced that in-person instruction could resume in school buildings starting July 1. Before that can happen, districts are required to create their own health and safety plans and get them approved by their respective boards.

Under the guidelines, the district will implement three phases of reopening athletics and student activities. The first two phases will each last two weeks, and the third phase will last the remainder of the off-season. During the first phase, groups will be limited to 10 students, travel is restricted, equipment will be sanitized regularly and other safety measures will be in place. Restrictions will be gradually eased through the phases.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Athletic Director John Peterman said district coaches have been working on plans for several weeks. Coaches have been planning new ways for athletes to workout, and some booster groups are thinking about buying face masks, he said.

The health and safety plan supplies guidelines for the weeks between June 18 and August 16. Superintendent Tim Scott said the “limited scope” allows room for adjustment as the district continues to receive more guidance from the state.

“We don’t want to come up with a plan today of how we’re going to seat fans in the stadium if we then find out we can’t seat fans in the stadium,” Scott explained.

Another key aspect of the guidelines is a release form to be signed by all student-athletes and their parents, acknowledging the risk to gathering in public places amid a pandemic, while no vaccine has been developed. Coaches will be responsible for collecting the waivers from the athletes on their teams.

Board member Deborah Williamson said she appreciated all of the effort that’s gone into developing the waiver and the rest of the health and safety guidelines, but said the effect could potentially be moot. If a student is exposed to covid-19, she said, there would be no way to prove it was at an athletic practice or at some other gathering.

Williamson said many of the restrictions schools are discussing to limit the spread of the virus feel pointless, especially as new and sometimes conflicting information continues to be shared.

Regarding spending on preventive measures ranging from classroom alterations to busing protocols, Williamson said, “We’re talking millions of dollars, and how is this going to affect our students, our teachers, our families, our community, our taxpayers? And we don’t even have proof. There are no concrete facts of anything.”

Scott explained the waiver is a “necessary starting point” for the district. While it doesn’t necessarily alleviate liability or responsibility for preventing the virus, he said it is one small measure Kiski Area can take as it waits for more specifics from the governor.

Under the new guidelines, board members also emphasized, parents won’t be allowed to stay on campus during practice to watch from the sidelines. Practices will be restricted to athletes, coaches and staff. Scott said that would make it contact tracing easier should a student get sick.

In the event one does, Scott said the district would ideally be able to notify every other student and staff member who was exposed. If there are parents and spectators on the premises, the district wouldn’t be able to keep track of them.

“I don’t know how we’re going to police that,” said board member Mark Flemm.

The board decided to add more language to the plan explaining the restrictions on parents, and decided to notify parents directly. Overall, board members were grateful that the plan would restore some sense of normalcy into the routines of students.

“I really would like to see some people, like our legislators, have some guts,” Williamson said near the end of the board meeting. “We can’t live the rest of our lives being herded around like a bunch of cattle.”