April 9, 2021
Dear Shaler Area families,
Welcome back! We are so excited to have transitioned all of our buildings to 4-day in-person instruction this week. It is energizing to have so many of our students back in our schools. As we look forward to the coming months, we are incorporating some additional changes to our safety and mitigation strategies to align with state recommendations and talking about preparations for next school year. In this week’s communication, please note the following important information:
- Updated social distancing recommendations;
- Updated school closure recommendations;
- A.W. Beattie’s transition to 4-day in-person instruction;
- Planning for the 2021-2022 school year;
- A summary of COVID-19 cases in SASD for the weeks of March 29 and April 5.
Updated Social Distancing Recommendations
The state Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Education (PDE) recently updated its social distancing recommendations for K-12 schools to align with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We will adjust the district’s safety and mitigation strategies according to these recommendations.
In classrooms and instructional spaces:
- Elementary school students should be at least 3 feet apart.
- Middle and high school students should be at least 3 feet apart in counties with low and moderate community transmission. In substantial counties, middle and high school students should be 6 feet apart to the maximum extent feasible, if cohorting is not possible.
Maintain 6 feet of distance to the maximum extent feasible in all settings outside of the classroom and other instructional spaces including:
- Between adults in the school building (teachers and staff), and between adults and students.
- When masks can’t be worn, such as when eating.
- During activities when increased exhalation occurs, such as singing, shouting, band, or sports and exercise.
- In common areas such as school lobbies and auditoriums.
Updated School Closure Recommendations
The DOH and PDE also updated its recommendations on how school entities should handle confirmed cases of COVID-19 in school buildings. The recommendations consider the level of community transmission in each county, the number of cases among students and staff in each school building during the past 14 days, and the size of the school building. Most notably, the recommendation for school closures has been reduced to 1-2 or 2-3 days from 3-7 days and 5 days from 14 days. To see a full chart outlining the DOH and PDE recommendations based on the size of a school, please visit
the PDE website.
A.W. Beattie Transitions to 4-Day In-Person
Starting on Monday, April 12, A.W. Beattie Career Center will transition to 4-day in-person instruction. Wednesdays will continue to be remote, distance learning days. Students who attend A.W. Beattie should follow the instructional plan outlined by the school for their program. Additional information is available on
the A.W. Beattie website. Transportation will continue to be provided by Shaler Area School District for all days of in-person instruction.
Planning for the 2021-2022 School Year
While we make plans for the coming months and end of the 2020-2021 school year, the district administrative team also has been working to finalize our plan for the 2021-2022 school year. In next week’s communication, we will outline in greater detail the instructional options that will be available to students and families for next school year.
COVID-19 Summary
Below is a summary of the additional positive COVID-19 cases in our district since our communication on March 25:
- One student at Shaler Area High School tested positive on March 13.*
- Two students at Scott Primary School tested positive on March 29.*
- One student at Shaler Area High School tested positive on March 31.
- One employee at Marzolf Primary School tested positive on March 31.*
*Indicates the positive case was not in school during their infectious period, therefore, the case will not appear on the dashboard nor be included in the 14-day rolling totals.
We thank you all for your support this school year and for your commitment to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at home and in our schools. We look forward to a strong finish to an unusual school year.
Sincerely,
Sean C. Aiken, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Bryan E. O’Black, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent