Communications

Dear Parents/Guardians,

On February 25, 2022, the CDC announced that the wearing of face coverings on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems is no longer a CDC requirement. The CDC is making this change to align with updated guidance. Currently, the York County COVID-19 Community Level is ‘Low’ and updated recommendations for areas with a low or medium COVID-19 Community Level may be accessed here. Additionally, the COVID-19 positive cases within the District have been trending down significantly.

Please note, this guidance does not change the current DASD Health and Safety Plan, as face coverings are optional. All individuals may, but will not be required to wear a face covering while indoors on DASD campuses or when on district transportation. We thank you for your continued support and understanding.

Sincerely,

Erin M. Heffler

Assistant Superintendent

Dear Parent/Guardian,

As we enter 2022, we would like to thank our families and faculty for a successful start to the new year as we continue to also address the pandemic. While our dashboard numbers may show a decline due to the new 5 day return, the District will likely be processing a higher number of positive cases. Therefore, to efficiently utilize staff and school resources, the District will no longer be sending COVID-19 potential exposure notification emails as there is always the potential for exposure to COVID-19 wherever we are in our community. With that said, families are encouraged to utilize the daily symptom screening tool before reporting to school each day.

The district will continue to honor and respect all individuals' choices regarding face coverings; however, face coverings are strongly encouraged as a first line of defense against potential exposure. The District’s goal is to continue with in-person instruction and face coverings serve as a basic mitigation strategy in an effort to achieve this goal.

In order to expedite and streamline communications for positive COVID-19 students:

• All confirmed positive students should be reported using the District’s Self-Reporting Form

  • This form should be completed for each positive student in your household and provides the school with all the information they need to process cases.

  • School nurse’s will follow up with families only if further information is needed.

• Parents/Guardians should login to the Skyward Family Access Center to enter their child’s absence(s).

• Families are encouraged to visit the DASD COVID-19 Website to access information regarding COVID-19.

• Positive students with resolving symptoms (and are fever free without fever-reducing medication for 24 hours) can return to school on Day 6 (Day 0 being the first date of symptoms/date of positive test collection).

Please know that the health and well being of our students, staff, and families is of the utmost importance and we will continue to monitor our COVID-19 data closely. We thank you for your understanding and patience.

Thank you,

Erin M. Heffler, Ed.D.

Assistant Superintendent of Schools

Dear Parents/Guardians,

This letter is to provide you with an update on modifications to isolation and quarantine periods for COVID-19 for the general population following the CDC announcement on December 27, 2021.

Effective immediately, the following changes will occur regarding isolation and quarantine periods:

Positive Persons

• Persons who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for 5 days. (Day 0 being the date of symptom onset, or the date the test was collected if the positive person was asymptomatic.)

• If after 5 days the positive person is asymptomatic or has improved symptoms (and does not have a fever of 100.0 or greater/not taking fever-reducing medication for 24 hours prior) the person may return to school. *Student athletes are still required to obtain a note from a healthcare provider to return to athletics.

• All persons who test positive for COVID-19 are recommended to wear a mask while around other people during Days 6 through 10.

• Positive student cases should be reported to the District using the DASD Self-Reporting Form.

Exposed Persons

• Persons who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, are recommended to wear a mask around others for 10 days. Exposed persons do not need to quarantine from school unless they display symptoms of COVID-19, are pending test results, or are positive for COVID-19.

• All exposed persons, regardless of vaccination status, are recommended to test on Day 5 if possible.

  • Household exposure testing dates may vary. It is recommended to contact your school nurse for clarification on testing dates.

• Families that elect voluntary quarantine due to exposure will be excused from in-person school attendance during the recommended 5 day quarantine period. When choosing to quarantine, please communicate with your child’s building office and teachers to coordinate learning assignments for the duration of your child’s quarantine.

Any positive students who are currently in isolation will receive a personalized email communication should their return to school date be modified based on this new recommendation.

As a reminder, please continue to monitor for potential COVID-19 symptoms with our daily screening tool found HERE. Please note, the District COVID-19 Website is currently being updated to reflect these changes.

Keeping students and staff in school is our highest priority. We are grateful for everyone’s cooperation as we continue to navigate the CDC and Pennsylvania Department of Health recommendations.

Sincerely,

Dallastown Area School District

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Earlier today the PA Supreme Court issued a ruling which keeps the face covering stay in place - requiring all schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to maintain face covering guidelines. This outcome overturns the recent Commonwealth Court’s decision to lift face coverings effective December 4, 2021.

Based on the revised DASD Health and Safety Plan that was approved by the Board on November 18, 2021, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s ruling today means that the District will continue to comply with mandatory face coverings at this time. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on the matter on December 8, 2021 and the District will continue to communicate any updates regarding face covering guidelines.

We understand the angst this may cause, and we thank you for your continued patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

Joshua A. Doll, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Last evening, the revised DASD Health and Safety Plan was approved by the DASD Board of School Directors. We recognize that the topic of face coverings remains extremely polarizing and we are appreciative of our community's feedback and public comments.

At this time, face coverings are required for all individuals while indoors on DASD campuses in accordance with the Pennsylvania DOH Face Covering in School Entities Order, effective September 7, 2021, until:

• Pennsylvania Department of Health lifts the September 7, 2021 Order; or,

• Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court removes the stay on the appeal; or,

• Pennsylvania Supreme Court removes the stay on the appeal or rules the September 7, 2021 Order is unconstitutional.

As of now, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court’s decision to remove the stay would tentatively allow the District to return to optional face coverings on December 4, 2021. However, as we have often seen, further legal updates could ultimately change the course of future expectations related to face coverings and the District would communicate as appropriate. As a reminder, regardless of face covering status in DASD buildings, face coverings are still required on all District transportation per federal guidelines.

The District's primary focus remains the continuity of instruction with as little disruption to our students and staff as possible. We sincerely appreciate your support with the various fluctuations we continue to navigate.

Sincerely,

Joshua A. Doll, Ed.D.

Superintendent

DASD:

This afternoon, we were informed that the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania issued a decision invalidating the Face Covering Order issued by the PA Acting Secretary of Health. Today's decision immediately voided the Department of Health (DOH) issued mask mandate, which has required masking in school buildings since September. Decisions regarding masking in schools are now returned to local school boards.

However, following that decision, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) notified all school districts that the state has filed an appeal of the Court’s ruling. The appeal has triggered a stay of the Court’s ruling, which means the order issued in September 2021 remains in effect. In addition, PDE has advised that the current mask order should be followed throughout the duration of the court’s proceedings.

Based on the rapidly changing – and conflicting – directives and guidance regarding masking, we will continue to follow the masking order in place since September 2021 until we receive additional guidance.

We are monitoring this developing legal situation so that we can provide our faculty, staff, students and families with accurate information and clear direction. We will continue to share any updates as they become available.​​​​​​​

Thank you for your continued support.

Joshua A. Doll, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Dear Parent/Guardian,

This letter is to provide you with an update on a significant change to how quarantines will be handled in all buildings while the K-12 Universal Face Covering Order and while face coverings are required by the District.

Effective immediately, quarantining will only be required if:

An individual has tested positive for COVID-19

OR

An individual is experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19

All students who are currently quarantined AND are symptom-free, may return to school tomorrow, Thursday, September 9.

Moving forward, all individuals who share a classroom or transportation with a probable or confirmed positive person will be notified of their possible close-contact status. However, they will not be required to quarantine, provided they properly wore masks during the close-contact period AND do not exhibit symptoms of COVID-19. Individuals exposed to a household COVID-19 positive case are advised to monitor symptoms and may return to school if symptom-free, unless advised otherwise by the PA Department of Health.

In summary, quarantines are shifting from required in all cases to optional in most cases for those identified as possible close contacts. Families that elect voluntary quarantine will be excused from in-person school attendance during the quarantine period. When choosing to quarantine, please communicate with your child’s building office and teachers to coordinate learning assignments for the duration of your child’s quarantine.

As a reminder, families should continue to help all students monitor for potential COVID-19 symptoms. The daily screening tool may be reviewed at this link.

Keeping students in school is our highest priority. We are grateful for everyone’s cooperation as it relates to the K-12 universal masking order and other safety protocols put in place.

Thank you for understanding and flexibility as we adjust to the evolving nature of the pandemic. Please stay safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Dallastown Area School District

Dear Parent/Guardian,

On Tuesday, Governor Wolf and the PA Department of Health Acting Secretary, Allison Beam reinstated a universal face covering order for all students, staff, and visitors in public schools, regardless of vaccination status. This order is effective Tuesday, September 7, 2021.

The District will be adhering to the universal face covering order which imposes a legal obligation on the Dallastown Area School District to require all students, teachers, staff and visitors to wear masks inside District school buildings and facilities.

We understand that this order brings up various emotions and opinions in our schools and in the broader community. As we move forward, it is important to remember that we are all in this together.

We recognize that there are many questions regarding the order, additional information regarding the universal face covering order, including exceptions, spectator information, and more, please visit the DASD COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions.

In addition to the update regarding the order, we also have made available a DASD COVID-19 Community Dashboard, found on the homepage of the DASD COVID-19 Information website. This dashboard provides an overview of all current active cases of COVID within our school community. It is important to note that this is a cumulative total of all cases whether the individual has been in school or not.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation with the K-12 Universal Face Covering order.

Sincerely,
Joshua A. Doll, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Greetings Wildcat Families,

The 2021-22 school year is quickly approaching and we are excited to welcome our students back to our buildings.

Back to School Information

To prepare for the start of the new school year, you will begin receiving building-specific back to school information, as well as classroom assignments and transportation information via the Skyward Family Access Center.

We have also created the Back to School Information webpage to answer some of the most frequently asked questions.

Health & Safety Plan Information

As we begin the 2021-22 school year, our plan is to educate our students while applying guidance and mitigation strategies to keep students and staff safe. In doing so we will prioritize the educational, emotional, and social needs of our students.

Although highly recommended by the CDC, face coverings will be optional for students and staff while in school, on buses, and during extracurricular activities. We will welcome and respect each person’s individual decision to wear a face covering.

The DASD Health & Safety Plan was previously approved at the June DASD Board of Directors meeting and will not be an agenda item during the in-person DASD Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, August 12. For those unable to attend this meeting, you may submit a written public comment to be visible to all board members and the public by clicking here.

If the District would receive PA Department of Health mandates, based on CDC guidance in response to changes in local conditions, the District would then review and consider revisions to the DASD Health & Safety Plan. We thank you for your understanding and ongoing flexibility as we navigate the ongoing pandemic.

Please enjoy the remainder of your summer and we look forward to welcoming all of our students on Thursday, August 26.

Sincerely,
Joshua A. Doll, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Dear Dallastown Community,

I sincerely hope you are enjoying your first week of summer. Tomorrow evening, the District administration will be recommending a Health and Safety Plan for the 2021-22 school year to the DASD Board of Directors.

This plan includes:

Optional face coverings for staff and students on DASD property. Throughout the school year the District will review and assess CDC and PA Commonwealth guidance and will comply with any lawfully issued directives.

Social distancing, as practicable, in classrooms, large group spaces, hallways, and stairways.

The District will offer five days of in-person learning for all students K-12. This eliminates Wildcat Wednesdays for the secondary campus and the previously built in early dismissals for grades K-6.

Tomorrow night’s DASD Board of Directors meeting will also be the final virtual meeting of the year. While, at this time, a meeting will not be held in July, we are excited to return to in-person DASD School Board of Directors business and committee meetings on August 12, 2021.

If you would like to attend the virtual board meeting tomorrow, Thursday, June 17, please pre-register by clicking here.

Thanks,
Joshua A. Doll, Ed.D
Superintendent

Dear Dallastown Families,

As the close to the 2020-21 school year approaches, Dallastown is pleased to experience a consistent decline in the number of COVID-19 cases within our schools. With this decline, and in accordance with the latest CDC guidance and currently revised PA state-wide mitigation measures, Dallastown Area School District will be modifying their Health and Safety Plan, as follows:

Beginning June 7, 2021

Face coverings will be optional for students and staff when engaging in outdoor activities and events. This includes outdoor recess, physical education classes, end of the year celebrations, and graduation. Any individuals who wish to wear a face covering are welcome to do so.

Please note: Face coverings will still be required in buildings and while traveling in district transportation.

Beginning June 14, 2021

Face coverings are optional for vaccinated individuals when indoors.

Face coverings are required indoors for individuals who are not fully vaccinated.

Face coverings are required on district transportation for all individuals.

*The District will not require proof of vaccination.

Beginning June 28, 2021

Face coverings will be optional for all individuals in alignment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and PA Department of Health.

In addition, the District will begin a phased return to normalcy in preparation for the 2021-22 school year. While the challenges of the pandemic have been extraordinary, we remain confident in successfully closing out the school year, and look forward to reopening schools in the fall of 2021.

Sincerely,

Joshua A. Doll, Ed.D.

Superintendent