Purchase Line School District

June 23, 2021 Dear Red Dragon Community, As we close the door this school year, I want to take the opportunity to thank everyone for their outstanding work in having a successful school year in spite of the many obstacles we encountered over the past year. Earlier this month was a very special time for PLSD as we awarded diplomas to our graduating seniors of the Purchase Line High School Class of 2021. This was a wonderful accomplishment for a very special group of graduates that overcame many barriers and persevered in the midst of a pandemic. For our administrators, teachers, and staff, this has been a very challenging year. Just as you may have struggled with changing schedules, worries, quarantines, and temporary closures, they struggled as well. Yet, they showed up, demonstrating the true frontline heroes they are. As their leader, I can attest to the work they put in during the pandemic to transform their instructional practice and provide the care and love that our students needed during this challenging time. Thank you PLSD team for a job well done. To our parents and students, thank you for your flexibility, patience, and partnership over the past year. We realize the sacrifices you have had to make to deal with hybrid schedules, quarantines, and closures. The School Board of Directors and I are blessed to lead a school district in a community that greatly supported us during the pandemic. We truly thank you for your backing and look forward to moving into a post-COVID era in the future. Our success as a school district is a direct result of the dedication of our PLSD team, along with a partnership with our parents, and the support of our board of education and the entire Red Dragon community. I truly thank everyone for the positive difference you make in the lives of the students we serve at PLSD. COVID-19 Mitigation Updates and 2021-22 School Year Planning ● As stated above, the School Board and District Administration appreciated the cooperation and support of faculty and staff, students and their families, and the community this past school year in complying with the District’s state mandated Health and Safety Plan and Athletic Health and Safety Plan. I am proud of how we as a district and community navigated the uncharted waters this past year and provided our students the education and support they needed during this time. ● On May 27th, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) announced that the state mandated face covering order will expire either on June 28th or when 70% of Pennsylvania adults are fully vaccinated, whichever occurs first. That is welcome news and strongly suggests the COVID-19 mandated mitigation measures for public schools in Pennsylvania appear to be drawing to a close. ● On June 28th, or unless we are notified earlier, all face covering requirements for visitors, students, and district employees will be lifted in accordance with the announcement from the PA DOH. However, those individuals who are not vaccinated, under the age of 12, or are at a high risk are not required, but should continue to wear masks per CDC guidance. ● With the attestation order having expired at the end of May and the face covering order soon to expire, the School Board and District Administration look forward to the 2021-22 school year and are confident that it will be different from this past school year. Based upon current information, the School Board and District Administration are planning to open school for the 2021-22 school year with the following expectations: ○ Our schools will be open for in-person instruction for the full five days per week. ○ We will offer Purchase Line Cyber Academy options for those district families who choose to follow this path and for those who may be currently enrolled in outside cyber-charter schools who wish to participate in the Purchase Line educational experience. ○ Faculty, staff, students, and visitors will not be required to wear face masks while in our buildings but may do so, if they so choose. ○ Staff and students will not be required to be vaccinated in order to work or attend school. ● The bottom line is that we are planning on a traditional school year and want to make clear to the community our expectations. The 2021-22 school year calendar is available on the PLSD website. Sincerely, Shawn L. Ford Superintendent

May 27, 2021 Dear PLSD Families: I am writing to inform you that there is one positive COVID-19 case at the junior/senior high school. Through the PA Department of Health contact tracing protocol, those exposed have been notified and quarantined. Please understand that we must wait for positive confirmation from the PA Department of Health and work with them on contact tracing before issuing any communication. The district will follow PA Department of Health protocols and have a short term closure at the junior/senior high school from Sunday, May 30, 2021, through Monday, May 31, 2021. There will be no tutoring, extra-curricular activities, or athletics during the closure. The junior/senior high school will reopen on Tuesday, June 1, 2021. The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remain our top priority. We are following sound protocols aligned with expert health guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect the health of our students and staff. We also want to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of wearing masks, staying six feet apart from others, regularly washing your hands, and staying home when sick. All members of our school community are encouraged to continue monitoring for the symptoms of COVID-19 and communicate any concerns with your health care professional and school nurse. We are closely monitoring this situation and will provide you with updates if any further steps are necessary. In the meantime, I want to thank everyone for following the protocols we have established to minimize risks this school year. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Shawn L. Ford Superintendent

Dear PLSD Families: I am writing to inform you that there are two positive COVID-19 cases at the elementary school and one positive COVID-19 case at the junior/senior high school. Through the PA Department of Health contact tracing protocol, those exposed have been notified and quarantined. Please understand that we must wait for positive confirmation from the PA Department of Health and work with them on contact tracing before issuing any communication. The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remain our top priority. We are following sound protocols aligned with expert health guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect the health of our students and staff. We also want to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of wearing masks, staying three to six feet apart from others, regularly washing your hands, and staying home when sick. All members of our school community are encouraged to continue monitoring for the symptoms of COVID-19 and communicate any concerns with your health care professional and school nurse. We are closely monitoring this situation and will provide you with updates if any further steps are necessary. In the meantime, I want to thank everyone for following the protocols we have established to minimize risks this school year. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Shawn L. Ford Superintendent