Greater Latrobe leases classroom, enrolls kindergartners as online lessons continue

Greater Latrobe School Board is making plans for a potential return to physical classrooms in the fall of 2020 while completing the current school year with remote operations.

Switching to a virtual format for its meeting Tuesday , the board voted to lease a classroom at Latrobe Elementary to the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit for a monthly payment of $750. The room will house an early intervention program, meant to help children challenged with developmental delays or disabilities.

School directors also authorized the facilities department to seek bids or proposals for several capital improvement projects slated to begin this summer. With a combined estimated cost of about $650,000, the proposed work includes replacing bleachers and a kitchen refrigeration condenser unit at the senior high; replacing cafeteria flooring at the junior high; upgrading fire alarms at both schools; replacing hot water heaters and tanks at the senior high and at Mountain View Elementary; repairing and upgrading concrete walkways at Baggaley Elementary and at the high schools.

The board also awarded bids totaling $110,773 for custodial, electrical and fall athletic equipment and supplies.

Assistant Superintendent Michael Porembka reported 180 incoming students have signed up to attend kindergarten in the fall, while registration remains open through the district website for children who will be age 5 on or before Aug. 15.

“What we have put somewhat on hold is our kindergarten screening process,” Porembka said. While schools remain under a state-ordered closure for the remainder of the spring semester to help contain the coronavirus pandemic, the school nurse and school guidance counselor will contact the families of enrolled kindergartners electronically to begin the screening.

Greater Latrobe is continuing online distance learning that began March 19, as a result of the school closure, said Superintendent Georgia Teppert.

The board approved a revised school calendar that replaces a previously scheduled day off for students with a day of distance learning, on May 8. Otherwise, she said, “We will not have missed one day of instruction.”

As announced earlier, June 25 and July 23 are back-up dates for holding commencement ceremonies for graduating seniors. In place of the canceled prom, a seniors-only Senior Spectacular is tentatively slated for June 19 at Giannilli’s II restaurant in Unity; July 16 is the back-up date for that event.