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PUCS Post

COVID-19 UPDATE

March 23, 2020 4:41 PM

Fellow PUCS Parents, Staff and Board,

Thank you for your patience as we enter Week 2 of “PUCS Virtual.”  The PUCS community has been incredibly supportive and encouraging.  Please let your students know that we miss them!

Here’s a few important updates:

1. Governor Wolf has now ordered Pennsylvania schools closed until at least April 6th.  Here is our new schedule:

• This week (March 23-27), we work.
• Next week (March 30-April 3), we work.
• April 4th through 13th: Spring Break.  We’re honoring that break.
• After that, we work, hopefully in our buildings.

2. We’re assessing how we will handle events like Spring Production and Serve-a-Thon, but a lot will depend on when we can get back together.  Stay tuned.
3. I want to let you know that Kathryn Griffin, our Financial Secretary, has resigned, and we wish her well.  For the time being, please send any financial questions to me (dave.moore@pucs.org).  I’ll be monitoring her email and managing tuition and financial aid with families.

Thanks, and stay sane,

Dave

March 13, 2020 4:17 PM

PUCS will be joining other Pennsylvania schools and following the Governor’s order to close for the next two weeks.  The earliest possible date we will reopen is Monday, March 30th.

Teachers will be in regular daily communication with students about assignments and expectations.  PUCS will be communicating with families as we receive further instructions.  We’ve been assured that there will be no penalty for the missed school days.

One additional detail for now: Spring Break will not be affected by this closure.  Our teachers will be working during these two weeks, and they expect that students will be working during these two weeks.  We will honor everyone’s break, especially through Easter, in early April.

We’re praying for health for our entire community.  I know these weeks will be difficult for many of you, but we’re going to be looking for ways to appreciate this time with our own kids, and embrace the act of service to help keep others healthy.

Thanks for entrusting your kids to PUCS,

Dave Moore
Executive Director

March 13, 2020 4:17 PM

We’re letting all of our friends know that the annual Spring Production will be postponed, and will not be held April 2nd & 3rd. We are still solidifying new dates near the end of April, and will send out another notice when details are finalized. We’re joining the cascade of church services, assemblies, and sporting events throughout the region that are taking this precaution.

Also, PUCS will be joining all Pennsylvania schools by cancelling classes for the next two weeks. Thank you for your prayers as we navigate these waters.

Dave Moore
Executive Director

March 13, 2020 1:38 PM

Fellow PUCS Parents,

By the end of the day, your students will have received two important pieces of information.  Please consider talking about them this evening.

1. The Spring Production will be postponed; it has been rescheduled for either April 23-24 or April 30-May 1.  We will inform you when a firm date is established.  With many churches closing and public events being cancelled, it makes sense to preemptively move this as well.  Rehearsals will pause and resume after Spring Break.  I know this is a big deal, and we’ve promised students to do everything in our power to make sure the show happens.
2. Your students are bringing home what they’ll need in the event of an extended break. As of Wednesday afternoon, we were hoping to make it through Spring break.  By Thursday afternoon, a whole lot had changed.  Today, some districts are closing, and we’re not sure if the whole county or state will be shut down.  We’re planning to have school on Monday, but teachers have been instructed to prepare students for an extended absence, during which we will do our best to provide instruction.  Any additional take-home work is not due if we have school on Monday!  These are not extra assignments!

Our goal is to remain open, but a decision to close might become necessary if conditions in our region or the medical community change.  If there is an extended break, our staff will be working hard to ensure the learning will continue.  We’ve been working on delivery methods and possibilities for each age group.  We’ll also be evaluating the calendar for the rest of the school year.

Now, I ask for your help: please direct your questions about these matters to me or Mrs. Wauzzinski.  The teachers are not only working with students all day, but are preparing for both the next day and the next three weeks.  They are not equipped to handle questions about the coronavirus response.  Please pray for them and offer them your encouragement.

Thanks for entrusting your kids to PUCS,

Dave Moore

March 12, 2020 2:54 PM

Fellow PUCS Parents,

All winter we’ve been keeping an eye on the movement of coronavirus across the world, and have been in regular contact with experts in the medical community. Thanks to their advice and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, we’ve elevated a few concerns to top priorities:

– Due to current data that risks increase with age, we have invited our older staff members to voluntarily self-quarantine for an extended period of time, in order to hopefully avoid catching the virus.  For this reason, Mrs. Wauzzinski, Mr. Rhodes, and Mrs. Roberts will all be out of the building for the foreseeable future.  We will be staffing with substitutes where possible and Mrs. Wauzzinski will be working from home.  We’ll update you if any additional members of the school community will be away for an extended period.

– We are evaluating the situation and reviewing our Spring Production schedule.  There are a lot of moving parts to this, so we’ll follow up with you within the next few days.

– We’re, of course, cleaning surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, and other contact points on a more regular basis throughout the day.

Here’s what we’re keeping an eye on:

– As we watch universities, businesses, and schools close throughout the region, we’ll be determining when/if this is the right move for us based on the best advice from the medical community and Department of Education.  It is also possible that this decision will be taken out of our hands by state or local authorities.  For more information, please read the CDC’s advice to schools regarding closure: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/guidance-for-schools.html.

– In the event of a long-term closure, our teachers have been working on plans for how to continue instruction.  The implementation of these plans will depend on the timing and length of such a closure.

Here’s what we need you to do:

– Please make sure your children wash their hands regularly and learn to cough and sneeze into their sleeves.

– Stay home when you are sick. If you have a fever, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone without having used fever-reducing medicines.

– If any member of your family has a fever, combined with a cough or respiratory issues, please notify the school and consider getting them tested for the coronavirus.

– If a PUCS student tests positive for the disease, the school must be notified as soon as possible.

– Please pray that our school staff, students, and families are kept safe through this time.

We’ll be providing updates as the situation warrants.  If you have any questions or concerns, please give me a call.

Thanks for entrusting your kids to PUCS,

Dave Moore
Executive Director

PUCS Post

The PUCS Post is our regular newsletter designed to keep families up-to-date on the activities at PUCS. It is updated each Monday during the school year.