Leechburg Area opens school year, masks optional, with all but a handful of students attending classes in person

Leechburg Area High School Superintendent Tiffany Nix stood outside on campus Wednesday morning, greeting students on the first day of school.

“It’s so exciting,” Nix said. “Our students need to be face-to-face, and our teachers need to be with our students.”

The district enrolls about 750 students. Nix said only eight chose the virtual learning option this fall.

“We have a 99% return-to-campus rate,” Nix said.

Leechburg Area School Board unanimously voted in July to make it optional for students and staff to wear masks or face coverings.

Visitors to campus and students riding school transportation are required to wear masks.

“Masks are strongly encouraged,” Nix said.

In a back-to-school newsletter, Nix reminded students and parents that the district has a zero-tolerance position on what she called “mask bullying.”

“It’s currently a choice, which means no one is wrong or right. We understand this is a highly controversial topic and everyone has an opinion,” Nix wrote. “We’re going to respect those opinions, but the opinions will remain outside of our schools.

“Whatever a family decides, it will be supported and no justification is needed. Please encourage your children to be accepting of this choice.”

Nix said all unvaccinated staff members are required to wear a mask.

The newly renovated Leechburg Veterans Memorial Field is nearing completion, and Nix said a public ribbon-cutting ceremony will happen sometime next month.

“The field is 100 years old, and that field has hosted football for 75 years,” Nix said.

The field will open to the public after all safety issues are resolved. Once open, the gates will remain open from dawn to dusk.

Kindergarten parent Brittany Kubla of West Leechburg escorted her son Ryder, 6, to the school entrance to say her first-day goodbyes.

“This is emotional for me,” Kubla said while wiping away tears.

West Leechburg resident Melissa Cline has three students returning to in-person instruction this year. She said last year was hard on her as a mother because she’s not a teacher but had to navigate online learning.

“My children need the social interaction,” she said. “I was crying this morning putting my kindergartner on the bus, but I’m excited for them to be back in a teacher-led, traditional school environment.”

Nix said kindergarten enrollment has increased this year by about 20 students.

There’s a new teacher on campus. The district hired Ryan Lightcamp as secondary physical education teacher.

The district health and safety plan can be found here.