Return to Learn Gettysburg Area School District Select a Site District Home Translate Menu Resources & Documents Board Approved Health and Safey Plan 2021-2022 GASD FAQs GASD Covid Chart 2020-2021 Return To Learn Archive Return to Learn 2021-2022 September 21, 2021 Dear Gettysburg Area School District Community: This message is intended to provide a brief update on district procedures as we continue to navigate our current environment while providing daily in person instruction to our K-12 students. As shared in my communication on September 8th, we continue to follow the order of the Secretary of Health. At this time, our expectation is that everyone is following this order or processed an exception available under section 3 of the order through their building principal. As the period for processing exceptions has ended, buildings will approach compliance with the order similar to how we approached compliance during the 20-21 school year. Please assist us in this effort, so that we may continue to remain open for daily in-person instruction. The district continues to report our positive Covid cases to the PA Department of Health (DOH) as required. We will also continue to notify parents of students who were possible “close contacts” through contact tracing to the degree feasible. As a reminder, close contacts are defined as anyone who is within 6ft (of an infected individual) for 15 minutes or more. Individuals are not considered close contacts if both they and the infected individual are both masked. This notification to parents will continue to be completed through our automated phone network with accompanying email. The updated template of the notification can be found at the bottom of this letter. This template will be used starting on Thursday, September 23rd. Please ensure your contact information is updated in Skyward. If questions arise, please continue to direct them to your school nurse. As a reminder, all communications are archived on the district’s Return To Learn page. Along with these communications, you can access the GASD Covid Chart and a list of FAQs that are updated as information changes or becomes available. Thank you for your continued cooperation and support of our schools. Regards, Jason Perrin, D.Ed. September 8, 2021 This note is a follow up reminder of information shared in my communication on Friday, September 3rd. As shared previously, the PA Secretary of Health issued an order regarding mandatory masking in schools. The order can be found here. Allowable exceptions to the order are outlined in Section 3. During this first week of implementation, we have taken an educational approach to re-acclimation of our students to mandatory masking in our schools. This has mostly been done through reminders and support. Principals are also in the process of working with families on the process for exceptions outlined in Section 3 of the order. Following this order will help further reduce the number of students that miss in-person learning and will assist us in maintaining “in-person instruction for all students on a daily basis”. As a reminder, our most significant mitigation strategy for all school buildings is for symptomatic or ill students to remain home. Your cooperation in keeping children home that are experiencing illness is greatly appreciated. As we move into next week, the expectation for mask compliance will increase. Starting on Monday, September 13, we expect for students to be wearing a mask to school; or engaged in the exception process. To support this effort, we are requesting that all parents seeking an exception under Section 3 of the order, to please make that request by 3:30PM on Friday, September 10th. All exceptions are being processed at the building level, through the building principal(s). They will share procedures for those exceptions that they receive and are equipped to answer questions regarding this process. Thank you for your continued patience and support as we continue to provide education in our current environment. Your efforts are key to assisting us in keeping our schools open for daily instruction. Regards, Jason Perrin, D.Ed. Superintendent Address , , Phone 717-334-6254 Footer Link One | Footer Link Two | Footer Link Three | Site Map You can add a copyright statement or legal disclaimer in this area if necessary Questions or Feedback? Terms of Use Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated) Copyright © 2002-2021 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. Gettysburg Area School District prohibits discrimination, including sexual harassment, on the basis of race, color, age, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, marital status, parenting status, pregnancy or handicap/disability in its activities, programs or employment practices. More information regarding the complaint process and complaint forms can be found below. Click here.