Coronavirus Update
(Monday - 06/01/2020, 4:00 PM)
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
We hope that everyone is staying safe during this turbulent time in the Philadelphia region and throughout our nation. Our anxieties are eased a bit, given no students are on campus. Nonetheless, we want to let you know how the School fared through the weekend.
NEW ISSUES
Safety and Security On OSB’s Campus: OSB’s Security Department is taking all possible measures to keep our essential staff and campus grounds safe and secure, most especially these last few days and nights. We remain attentive and responsive, continually monitoring activity on and around campus. To date, the School has not experienced any security incidents on or around campus. Over the weekend, a few local strip malls sustained damage to storefronts.
State Funding for 2020-21: The School receives significant state funding and COVID-19 has created a significant revenue shortfall for the Commonwealth. The School’s funding for next year has not been finalized, but we can anticipate sharing in the substantial budget challenges other schools will experience in the coming months. As such, we will work to reduce expenses with limited impact to student programming.
Parent Resources from Rhonda Davis, Parent Liaison: New Resource:
Starting Friday, June 5th, Philabundance will hold a free, drive-through emergency food distribution in the parking lot of Citizens Bank Park from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and each Friday thereafter until June 26. They plan to give out 35 pounds of food per vehicle every Friday. Anyone showing up for food will not be asked for identification or to document income.
Reminder of continually updating resource links:
For resources throughout the region, go to Community Resource Connects at https://communityresourceconnects.org/ where you can enter your zip code for the most relevant information.
For resources specifically for Philadelphia residents, go to the Children's Advocacy Project of Philadelphia (Cap4Kids) at https://cap4kids.org where you can find information related to the current crisis, or on many other important topics.
CONTINUING ISSUES - NO UPDATES
Extended School Year (ESY)/Early Childhood Summer Program:
Thanks to all of you that participated in our ESY survey. We greatly appreciate your input. Although we have tried to leave open options for both distance learning and on-campus services for ESY, it has come to a point that a decision is necessary so we can prepare adequately, less we risk being unprepared to deliver either service to the best of our ability. The results are not just useful for determining the format for ESY and summer services, but also in improving the distance learning format in the months ahead.
The ESY Survey revealed that both staff and parents desired an on-campus program but expressed concerns that COVID-19 mitigation efforts may be too extensive to implement safely. Moreover, the Governor's current rating system for re-opening counties reflects RED status for Philadelphia, meaning reopening the county is not allowed. We are hopeful that our area will be moving to the YELLOW phase on June 5, however, this still does not allow for schools to reopen. For ESY to operate on-campus, Philadelphia county would have to achieve GREEN status. The expectation that this will occur requires substantial speculation.
These results, along with the unpredictability of the Governor's allowing schools to open in Philadelphia county, and the greater availability of TVI staff for distance learning were primary factors in making this difficult decision.
For these reasons, we have determined that we cannot offer programs on our campus this summer. This summer ESY and Early Childhood Services will occur through distance learning, as the continuity of education is occurring to conclude our school year.
We know that this decision presents you with concerns for childcare, implementing distance learning in the home, and the loss of face to face instruction that your child may need. We will continue to work with you to do all that we can to support your child and you during this time. Thank you again for your input and for all that you are doing to help us provide distance learning during this extremely challenging time.
Graduation: We will hold a virtual graduation ceremony on Thursday, June 11 at 10:00. This event will be pre-recorded to ensure that everyone will be able to view it in an accessible format. The Program Coordinators are working with our graduates and their families to record information, deliver the caps and gowns and make arrangements for Denise to take their senior picture in their cap and gown. Additional information, including a link to the graduation, will be sent as we get closer to this event.
Last Day of School: The last day of the school year will be June 12, as listed on our school calendar. Continuity of education through distance learning will also end on June 12th for the academic year. In consultation with the Instruction Committee of the Board of Trustees, it was decided there will be no continuity of education services provided on the Snow Days listed for June 13, 14th and 15th on our calendar.
GoFundMe Pages: We received a question asking if OSB can host a GoFundMe page for anyone in need as a result of the pandemic. We know there are many with mounting financial struggles due to the pandemic. Although we cannot host a site, we can let people know of GoFundMe pages to spread the word to others wishing to donate.
Early Intervention (EI) Services: The pandemic has significantly disrupted EI services because our teachers and O&M Specialist typically drive to the homes of the young children we serve. We want parents to know that although we cannot provide services in the home at this time, that services can be arranged online, much like the “continuity of education” services our enrolled students receive. Currently, our EIO staff are providing this service to all families who have requested it. Please look for a pamphlet posted to our website entitled, “Early Intervention Services During COVID-19”.
Upcoming Virtual Events (Save the dates, more information will be provided in the future)
Sports Awards June 3, 1:00 PM
Graduation June 11, 10:00 AM
*****
Once again, thank you again for your continued support. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me at todd.reeves@obs.org or Jackie Brennan at jackie@obs.org.
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves Executive Director
Jackie Brennan, Superintendent
|
Coronavirus Update
(Wednesday - 05/27/2020, 2:00 PM)
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
We hope everyone had a meaningful Memorial Day weekend. Probably at no other time in recent memory is it more appropriate to remember people who made the greatest of sacrifices. Our sacrifices today are historic and we can draw inspiration and comfort from those who made the greatest of all sacrifices. The challenge that confronts us in the short-term is how we will conduct our ESY program. Today we share that decision with you.
Through End of School Year (and Beyond):
CONTINUING ISSUES - UPDATES
Extended School Year (ESY)/Early Childhood Summer Program:
Thanks to all of you that participated in our ESY survey. We greatly appreciate your input. Although we have tried to leave open options for both distance learning and on-campus services for ESY, it has come to a point that a decision is necessary so we can prepare adequately, less we risk being unprepared to deliver either service to the best of our ability. The results are not just useful for determining the format for ESY and summer services, but also in improving the distance learning format in the months ahead.
The ESY Survey revealed that both staff and parents desired an on-campus program but expressed concerns that COVID-19 mitigation efforts may be too extensive to implement safely. Moreover, the Governor's current rating system for re-opening counties reflects RED status for Philadelphia, meaning reopening the county is not allowed. We are hopeful that our area will be moving to the YELLOW phase on June 5, however, this still does not allow for schools to reopen. For ESY to operate on-campus, Philadelphia county would have to achieve GREEN status. The expectation that this will occur requires substantial speculation.
These results, along with the unpredictability of the Governor's allowing schools to open in Philadelphia county, and the greater availability of TVI staff for distance learning were primary factors in making this difficult decision.
For these reasons, we have determined that we cannot offer programs on our campus this summer. This summer ESY and Early Childhood Services will occur through distance learning, as the continuity of education is occurring to conclude our school year.
We know that this decision presents you with concerns for childcare, implementing distance learning in the home, and the loss of face to face instruction that your child may need. We will continue to work with you to do all that we can to support your child and you during this time. Thank you again for your input and for all that you are doing to help us provide distance learning during this extremely challenging time.
-
Graduation: We will hold a virtual graduation ceremony on Thursday, June 11 at 10:00. This event will be pre-recorded to ensure that everyone will be able to view it in an accessible format. The Program Coordinators are working with our graduates and their families to record information, deliver the caps and gowns and make arrangements for Denise to take their senior picture in their cap and gown. Additional information, including a link to the graduation, will be sent as we get closer to this event.
CONTINUING ISSUES - NO UPDATES
-
Last Day of School: The last day of the school year will be June 12, as listed on our school calendar. Continuity of education through distance learning will also end on June 12th for the academic year. In consultation with the Instruction Committee of the Board of Trustees, it was decided there will be no continuity of education services provided on the Snow Days listed for June 13, 14th, and 15th on our calendar.
-
GoFundMe Pages: We received a question asking if OSB can host a GoFundMe page for anyone in need as a result of the pandemic. We know there are many with mounting financial struggles due to the pandemic. Although we cannot host a site, we can let people know of GoFundMe pages to spread the word to others wishing to donate.
-
Early Intervention (EI) Services: The pandemic has significantly disrupted EI services because our teachers and O&M Specialist typically drive to the homes of the young children we serve. We want parents to know that although we cannot provide services in the home at this time, that services can be arranged online, much like the “continuity of education” services our enrolled students receive. Currently, our EIO staff are providing this service to all families who have requested it. Please look for a pamphlet posted to our website entitled, “Early Intervention Services During COVID-19”.
Upcoming Virtual Events (Save the dates, more information will be provided in the future)
Prom for High School and School to Work Students May 29, 7:00-8:30 PM
Sports Awards June 3, 1:00 PM
Graduation June 11, 10:00 AM
*****
Once again, thank you again for your continued support. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me at todd.reeves@obs.org or Jackie Brennan at jackie@obs.org.
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves Jackie Brennan
Executive Director Superintendent
|
Coronavirus Update
(Monday - 05/18/2020, 5:30 PM)
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
Thank you to everyone for your time and effort in completing the ESY Survey that Jackie Brennan and the Education Coordinators, Verhonda Credle and Kathy Bannan were instrumental in creating and making available. As is the norm, the feedback we received included comments and perspectives that hadn’t been considered, which aids us in not only making a decision but also in making necessary adjustments to whatever format is used for our Summer services to children and students.
Through End of School Year (and Beyond):
CONTINUING ISSUES - UPDATES
Extended School Year (ESY)/Early Childhood Summer Program:
With the aid of survey results that are currently being reviewed, we anticipate making a decision regarding summer programming by the end of this current week. Please be aware that any decision we make at this time may be modified at any time by directives from the state or local Departments of Health, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, or the Governor’s Office.
Graduation: We will hold a virtual graduation ceremony on Thursday, June 11 at 10:00. This event will be pre-recorded to ensure that everyone will be able to view it in an accessible format. The Program Coordinators are working with our graduates and their families to record information, deliver the caps and gowns and make arrangements for Denise to take their senior picture in their cap and gown. Additional information, including a link to the graduation, will be sent as we get closer to this event.
Mobile Testing Unit at OSB: We’ve had no response to our inquiries and now presume a site for the mobile testing has been located elsewhere.
CONTINUING ISSUES - NO UPDATES
Last Day of School: The last day of the school year will be June 12, as listed on our school calendar. Continuity of education through distance learning will also end on June 12th for the academic year. In consultation with the Instruction Committee of the Board of Trustees, it was decided there will be no continuity of education services provided on the Snow Days listed for June 13, 14th, and 15th on our calendar.
GoFundMe Pages: We received a question asking if OSB can host a GoFundMe page for anyone in need as a result of the pandemic. We know there are many with mounting financial struggles due to the pandemic. Although we cannot host a site, we can let people know of GoFundMe pages to spread the word to others wishing to donate.
Early Intervention (EI) Services: The pandemic has significantly disrupted EI services because our teachers and O&M Specialist typically drive to the homes of the young children we serve. We want parents to know that although we cannot provide services in the home at this time, that services can be arranged online, much like the “continuity of education” services our enrolled students receive. Currently our EIO staff are providing this service to all families who have requested it. Please look for a pamphlet posted to our website entitled, “Early Intervention Services During COVID-19”.Parent Resources from Rhonda Davis, Parent Liaison: Emergency Assistance Program: https://www.obs.org/parents/enrolled-families.cfm
Help for Families Experiencing Financial Hardship: "Department of Human Services (DHS) announced an Emergency Assistance Program (EAP) to help low-income families who lost wages experiencing financial challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Families who qualify will be eligible for a one-time payment to assist them in meeting basic needs...To qualify, families must have at least one person in the household who was employed as of March 11, 2020 and experienced an hour or wage reduction of at least 50 percent for two weeks or more or lost employment entirely due to the public health crisis." More info. To apply, go to: https://www.compass.state.pa.us/COMPASS.Web/AFS/EmergencyCashAssistance
Help for Families Experiencing Food Insecurity: "The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) plan will allow for DHS to provide SNAP funds to households with children who have lost access to free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program due to pandemic-related school closures. P-EBT benefits will be issued through EBT cards issued to qualifying families. More info. Apply for the P-EBT, or for new SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits if needed here: https://www.compass.state.pa.us/compass.web/Public/CMPHome
If you need help applying for these programs or accessing other resources, please email Rhonda Davis at rhonda.davis@obs.org. Rhonda and our team also have good news to share and will update the Huskies@home periodically to give you a glimpse into what's happening on and off-campus. There is so much to be proud of and we want to share our successes with you as well.
Upcoming Virtual Events (Save the dates, more information will be provided in the future)
- Achievement Day May 22, 10:00 AM
- Prom for High School and School to Work Students May 29, 7:00-8:30 PM
- Sports Awards June 3, 1:00 PM
- Graduation June 11, 10:00 AM
*****
Thank you again for your continued support. We know we are fortunate to have an incredible group of students, parents, and staff. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me at todd.reeves@obs.org or Jackie Brennan at jackie@obs.org.
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves, Executive Director
Jackie Brennan, Superintendent
|
Coronavirus Update
(Monday - 05/11/2020, 4:00 PM)
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
I hope everyone is happy, healthy and enjoyed a nice Mother’s Day weekend. We are hoping to decide the structure of our ESY program this year amidst the uncertainty of the COVID-19 discussions. But we don’t want to make a decision without your input. We know that reasonable people differ and we expect that many parents and staff are anxious to return to campus while others are very hesitant. Nonetheless, we want as many different perspectives as possible to inform how we provide ESY this year. Please see the survey link in the ESY/Early childhood Summer Program section.
******
Issues Related to School Closure through End of School Year (and Beyond):
CONTINUING ISSUES - UPDATES
Extended School Year (ESY)/Early Childhood Summer Program:
We continue to follow the guidance of the Governor, the PA Department of Education and the PA Department of Health as we move ahead to plan for our ESY and Early Childhood Programs. Since it is still unclear as to what level of restrictions may be in place during the summer, we are currently planning for the two possible service delivery models: continuing through distance learning or having our programs on campus.
We want to be prepared for either outcome. In order to help us plan for both possibilities, we are asking you to complete a survey.
Please take a few minutes to complete this survey. There are only a few questions, so it will only take a few minutes to complete. This information will help guide us in our planning. https://forms.gle/PWQPnYTBoXmS45jc9
Last Day of School: The last day of the school year will be June 12, as listed on our school calendar. Continuity of education through distance learning will also end on June 12th for the academic year. In consultation with the Instruction Committee of the Board of Trustees, it was decided there will be no continuity of education services provided on the Snow Days listed for June 13, 14th and 15th on our calendar. ESY will begin as regularly scheduled, though we await your survey results before finalizing plans.
Mobile Testing Unit at OSB: We conveyed our interest in partnering with UPenn Medicine for providing a site for their mobile testing station to Rep. Cephus and she relayed our willingness to UPenn Medicine. We await action by UPenn Medicine. They may have already found a site for their mobile testing station.
Parent Resources from Rhonda Davis, Parent Liaison: Emergency Assistance Program:
Help for Families Experiencing Financial Hardship: "Department of Human Services (DHS) announced an Emergency Assistance Program (EAP) to help low-income families who lost wages experiencing financial challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Families who qualify will be eligible for a one-time payment to assist them in meeting basic needs...To qualify, families must have at least one person in the household who was employed as of March 11, 2020 and experienced an hour or wage reduction of at least 50 percent for two weeks or more or lost employment entirely due to the public health crisis." More info.
To apply, go to: https://www.compass.state.pa.us/COMPASS.Web/AFS/EmergencyCashAssistance
Help for Families Experiencing Food Insecurity: " The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) plan will allow for DHS to provide SNAP funds to households with children who have lost access to free or reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program due to pandemic-related school closures. P-EBT benefits will be issued through EBT cards issued to qualifying families. More info. Apply for the P-EBT, or for new SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits if needed here: https://www.compass.state.pa.us/compass.web/Public/CMPHome
If you need help applying for these programs or accessing other resources, please email Rhonda Davis at rhonda.davis@obs.org.
CONTINUING ISSUES - NO UPDATES
Media Request for Interviews/Comments from Families: Thank you to those who have volunteered to be interviewed by a reporter to discuss: how OSB students have progressed despite the school closure, and the creative and resilient ways our parent-staff-student teams are working together. We are waiting to hear back from the reporter’s editor to hear about the next steps.
GoFundMe Pages: We received a question asking if OSB can host a GoFundMe page for anyone in need as a result of the pandemic. We know there are many with mounting financial struggles due to the pandemic. Although we cannot host a site, we can let people know of GoFundMe pages to spread the word to others wishing to donate.
White Hall Program: Bob Ashbridge and Tasha Green are working with the families of students in the White Hall Program to pack and pick up their belongings. There are a few students who have their belongings packed and awaiting pick-up. Both Bob and Tasha are available to help the families and students with this process.
Early Intervention (EI) Services: The pandemic has significantly disrupted EI services because our teachers and O&M Specialist typically drive to the homes of the young children we serve. We want parents to know that although we cannot provide services in the home at this time, that services can be arranged online, much like the “continuity of education” services our enrolled students receive. Currently, our EIO staff are providing this service to all families who have requested it. Please look for a pamphlet posted to our website entitled, “Early Intervention Services During COVID-19”.
Graduation: We will be investigating the options available to us for conducting graduation ceremonies. We only know at this point that graduation ceremonies will not be held on campus as previously scheduled. We are in the process of planning virtual graduation for June 11 at 10:00. As we get further in our plans we will share this with you.
Upcoming Virtual Events (Save the dates, more information will be provided in the future)
- Achievement Day May 22, 10:00 AM
- Prom for High School and School to Work Students May 29, 7:00-8:30 PM
- Sports Awards June 3, 1:00 PM
- Graduation June 11, 10:00 AM
*****
Thank you again for your continued support during increasingly difficult and frustrating times. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me at todd.reeves@obs.org or Jackie Brennan at jackie@obs.org. Thank you so much for your continuous support.
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves, Executive Director
Jackie Brennan, Superintendent
|
Coronavirus Update
(Monday - 05/04/2020, 4:00 PM)
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
We’ve entered the month of May and the most important week in May, which is Educator Appreciation Week. I’ve never felt teachers, therapists, and others typically expect much from me during this week other than simple expressions of appreciation. But the complexity of their work during this time make simple statements of appreciation seem even smaller. I know that parents expressing their appreciation are never small statements -- the impact is always big. And as an Executive Director, I can’t think of a better group of parents who’ve supported a school where I worked throughout my career.
******
Issues Related to School Closure through End of School Year (and Beyond):
CONTINUING ISSUES - UPDATES
-
Continuity of Education: Rather than just provide updates about the distance learning process, I’d like to join the effort by observing a few, at least. In a school environment, joining a classroom for “drop-in” observation is pretty straightforward. But in a distance format, I feel I’m also entering the homes of our students, so I want to make certain parents feel comfortable with me observing the session. I’ll seek permission before “jumping in”.
-
Extended School Year (ESY): While our school year will remain closed for the remainder of the year, we do not yet know if this will continue into the summer. We are moving ahead to plan for our Early Childhood and ESY programs to either continue through distance learning or on campus so that we are prepared for either outcome.
-
Media Request for Interviews/Comments from Families: Thank you to those who have volunteered to be interviewed by a reporter to discuss: how OSB students have progressed despite the school closure and the creative and resilient ways our parent-staff-student teams are working together. We are waiting to hear back from the reporter’s editor to hear about the next steps.
-
More Legislative Interest/Request: I had a phone conversation with State Representative Morgan Cephus, who was instrumental in OSB receiving a $425,000 grant for safety and security upgrades. You may be aware that grants awarded to museums have been frozen due to the impact of the pandemic on the state budget. I wanted to ensure our grant monies were not frozen. Rep. Cephus said she will check on this with the Governor’s office.
-
Rep. Cephus also made a request that we consider hosting a mobile testing site in partnership with UPenn Medicine. As I understand it, UPenn would have a testing vehicle parked in the large parking lot adjacent to the Field House. I think it is great that Rep. Cephus thought of us and it is a meaningful opportunity to show once again that Overbrook contributes in important ways to the broader community. Our School and its students are not dependent on the community; rather, we are all interdependent. We all give to each other.
-
GoFundMe Pages: We received a question asking if OSB can host a GoFundMe page for anyone in need as a result of the pandemic. We know there are many with mounting financial struggles due to the pandemic. Although we cannot host a site, we can let people know of GoFundMe pages to spread the word to others wishing to donate.
-
White Hall Program: Bob Ashbridge and Tasha Green are working with the families of students in the White Hall Program to pack and pick up their belongings. There are a few students who have their belongings packed and awaiting pick-up. Both Bob and Tasha are available to help the families and students with this process.
-
Early Intervention (EI) Services: The pandemic has significantly disrupted EI services because our teachers and O&M Specialist typically drive to the homes of the young children we serve. We want parents to know that although we cannot provide services in the home at this time, that services can be arranged online, much like the “continuity of education” services our enrolled students receive. Currently, our EIO staff are providing this service to all families who have requested it. Please look for a pamphlet posted to our website entitled, “Early Intervention Services During COVID-19”.
-
Graduation: We will be investigating the options available to us for conducting graduation ceremonies. We only know at this point that graduation ceremonies will not be held on campus as previously scheduled. We are in the process of planning a virtual graduation ceremony for June 11 at 10:00 am. As planning moves forward, we will share them with you.
-
Upcoming Virtual Events (Save the dates, more information will be provided in the future)
- Achievement Day May 22, 10:00 AM
- Prom for High School and School to Work Students May 29, 7:00-8:30 PM
- Sports Awards June 3, 1:00 PM
- Graduation June 11, 10:00 AM
*****
Thank you again for your continued support during increasingly difficult and frustrating times. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me at todd.reeves@obs.org or Jackie Brennan at jackie@obs.org. Thank you so much for your continuous support.
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves, Executive Director
Jackie Brennan, Superintendent
|
Coronavirus Update
(Monday - 04/27/2020, 3:00 PM)
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
As you are probably already aware, since our last Update, Governor Wolf announced a staged re-opening of the Commonwealth beginning next week. The relaxing of the stay-at-home orders will occur in stages in different parts of the Commonwealth and use a red-yellow-green coding system to reflect the stage of re-opening for each county. We certainly hope the pandemic eases here in Philadelphia as soon as possible, though it is still unknown if the Department of Health and/or the Pennsylvania Department of Health will permit Extended School Year to occur on-campus beginning as it normally does in early July and extending into August.
******
Issues Related to School Closure through End of School Year (and Beyond):
CONTINUING ISSUES - UPDATES
Extended School Year (ESY): Because of the uncertainty of holding ESY on campus, we are preparing for two different scenarios: 1) Conducting ESY on campus as we normally do, if the stay-at-home orders are lifted; and 2) Providing ESY services through a distance learning format in a similar way to how continuity of education is provided now. If we are permitted to hold ESY on campus, we will do so. We hope the re-opening of the Commonwealth proceeds in a manner that allows PDE and DOH to quickly announce their support of normal school operations by July 1.
Early Intervention (EI) Services: The pandemic has significantly disrupted EI services because our teachers and O&M Specialist typically drive to the homes of the young children we serve. We want parents to know that although we cannot provide services in the home at this time, that services can be arranged online, much like the “continuity of education” services our enrolled students receive. Please look for a pamphlet posted to our website entitled, “Early Intervention Services During COVID-19”.
Media Request for Interviews/Comments from Families: We seek volunteers to discuss with a reporter how our students have progressed despite the incredible challenges of the extended school closure. Gloria Yoshioka assists our School with media relations and is a big reason why OSB is prominent in Philadelphia media. Ms. Yoshioka informs us that a local reporter would like to interview staff, parents and students, so readers can learn more how our students are progressing in spite of the extended school closure. If you’re interested in participating in some way, please contact either Jackie Brennan or myself. We’d love to highlight the incredible creativity and resilience of our parent-staff-student teams.
Legislative Interest in How We Are Doing: Last week I participated in a teleconference with State Representative George Dunbar, who attended our graduation ceremonies last year. He voiced his interest in knowing how the pandemic has impacted students, staffing, families and the School’s finances. He voiced his support and admiration of both staff and families and I said that I would relay the information.
New Parent Resources from Rhonda Davis, Parent Liaison: Please view the full list of Parent Resources on the COVID-19 page of the School’s website, which includes all resources listed in past Updates: https://www.obs.org/parents/enrolled-families.cfm.
Two new resources are worth highlighting:
Face Masks Available to Anyone: Anyone in need of cloth masks for essential outings can email rhonda.davis@obs.org to receive them (by mail) free of charge.
Plastic Face Shields for Healthcare or Public Transportation Staff: For parents/staff/family members who work in any sort of healthcare or public transportation setting, you can request plastic face shields at no cost. The shields will be delivered free of charge after filling out the request form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd-U1Pcy-WjXCQQg82YSJZt9zGfhB9lu6ZR2tFpPAvpfSpZtA/viewform
As always, please feel free to contact Rhonda Davis at rhonda.davis@obs.org for help locating resources.
CONTINUING - UNCHANGED
White Hall Program: Bob Ashbridge and Tasha Green are working with the families of students in the White Hall Program to pack and pick up their belongings. Both Bob and Tasha are available to help the families and students with this process.
Continuity of Education: The provision of continuity of education through distance learning will continue on May 4th, which is listed as a “Snow Make-Up Day” on our school calendar. Snow Make-Up Days typically are no-school days unless school was closed due to snow or other conditions such as no heat or electricity. Though we didn’t have any snow days during the winter, school closure due to the pandemic resulted in some days of no school before distance learning activities began. Please know that if a distance learning schedule has been established between families, students and staff doesn’t involve Mondays, it’s not necessary to connect via distance learning on Monday, May 4th. All scheduled sessions should be held as planned for a typical distance learning school week.
Graduation: We will be investigating the options available to us for conducting graduation ceremonies. We only know at this point that graduation ceremonies will not be held on campus as previously scheduled.
******
Clearly, during the most stressing times, there are reporters and legislators and community members interested to know how our students are doing. That is always redeeming. And it’s even more redeeming when we can use these opportunities to spotlight the “true grit” that our students show us each day but the world doesn’t expect to see.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me at todd.reeves@obs.org. Thank you so much for your continuous support.
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves
Executive Director
|
Coronavirus Update
(Monday - 04/20/2020, 12:11 PM)
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
I hope everyone is doing well and enjoyed a nice weekend together. We hope you’re enjoying the positive things that are happening with students and staff reflected in our social media feeds. It’s clear that continuity of education through distance learning is very challenging. But it’s also clear that families, teachers, therapists and students are working together in difficult circumstances to squeeze out every positive outcome possible. Thank you for finding the best in each of us as we work together to continue making positive steps forward.
******
Issues Related to School Closure through End of School Year:
CONTINUING ISSUES - UPDATES
White Hall Program: Bob Ashbridge and Tasha Green are working with the families of students in the White Hall Program to pack and pick up their belongings. Both Bob and Tasha are available to help the families and students with this process.
Continuity of Education: The provision of continuity of education through distance learning will continue on May 4th, which is listed as a “Snow Make-Up Day” on our school calendar. Snow Make-Up Days typically are no-school days unless school was closed due to snow or other conditions such as no heat or electricity. Though we didn’t have any snow days during the winter, school closure due to the pandemic resulted in some days of no school before distance learning activities began. Please know that if a distance learning schedule has been established between families, students and staff doesn’t involve Mondays, it’s not necessary to connect via distance learning on Monday, May 4th. All scheduled sessions should be held as planned for a typical distance learning school week.
Parent Resources from Parent Liaison, Rhonda Davis: There are several updated resources recently added to cap4kids.org/Philadelphia under the COVID-19 section.
As always, please feel free to contact Rhonda Davis at rhonda.davis@obs.org for help locating resources.
CONTINUING - UNCHANGED
Graduation: We will be investigating the options available to us for conducting graduation ceremonies. We only know at this point that graduation ceremonies will not be held on campus as previously scheduled.
Extended School Year/Summer Programs: We will consult the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning to determine when summer programming should begin. It is unknown if a stay-at-home order will be in effect after our school year is scheduled to end.
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I hope my expressions of appreciation … to families for your flexibility and support; teachers, therapists and others for working in an environment nobody imagined; and essential staff for keeping the School in its best shape to someday welcome back students … are not so repetitive that they lose meaning.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me at todd.reeves@obs.org. Thank you so much.
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves
Executive Director
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Coronavirus Update
(Monday - 04/13/2020, 4:15 PM)
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
I hope everyone is enjoying the last bit of Spring Vacation. As you can imagine, there is not much to update you on since our last posting this past Thursday. However, one of the items below is listed because one of our students asked about the White Hall Program. It is wonderful that students are advocating for themselves during a time when it is so important!
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Issues Related to School Closure through End of School Year: NEW
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White Hall Program: A student asked when and how they might be able to pick up items from White Hall that they need at home. The administrative team will discuss this tomorrow and reply with a solution as soon as possible.
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Continuity of Education: With Spring Vacation ending today, we anticipate that services to students and families will resume beginning tomorrow.
CONTINUING - UNCHANGED
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Graduation: We will be investigating the options available to us for conducting graduation ceremonies. We only know at this point that graduation ceremonies will not be held on campus as previously scheduled.
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Extended School Year/Summer Programs: We will consult the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning to determine when summer programming should begin. It is unknown if a stay-at-home order will be in effect after our school year is scheduled to end.
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Thank you to the students who have emailed me. It is great to keep communicating through email when we can. Have a great week and keep the Overbrook spirit alive in your home!
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves
Executive Director
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Coronavirus Update
(Thursday - 04/09/2020, 4:15 PM)
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
You probably are aware that the Governor and the Secretary of Education announced the closure of all schools through the end of the academic year. This is truly a historic announcement that brings with it both clarity for us in the short-term, but additional questions for which we have few answers once the academic year ends. You have our pledge that we will address each question as it arises and report to you any decision made. We’ll also report to you any questions requiring more information before making a decision. Below are some issues connected to the Governor’s announcement today that we will be focusing on. Please send us your questions -- we want to be your best resource for information and support.
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Issues Related to School Closure through End of School Year :
Continuity of Education: The services being provided by Overbrook staff to your child will continue through the end of the school year. The School is currently in the process of being deep cleaned. Once that is completed and Spring Vacation ends, staff who have a need to collect materials from their classrooms to continue their continuity of education efforts will have an opportunity to access the School briefly.
Graduation: We will be investigating the options available to us for conducting graduation ceremonies. We only know at this point that graduation ceremonies will not be held on campus as previously scheduled.
Extended School Year/Summer Programs: We will consult the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and the Office of Child Development and Early Learning to determine when summer programming should begin. It is unknown if a stay-at-home order will be in effect after our school year is scheduled to end.
Wynnewood Apartment Quarantine -- UPDATE:
We continue to work with the Philadelphia Department of Health to monitor the OFP staff and the men and women they support. We have been able to release one of the two apartments on campus from quarantine and staff have returned to working their regular schedule. The other apartment remains under quarantine, but the staff and individuals there are all doing well. Out of an abundance of caution, this apartment will remain under quarantine for the remainder of the 14 days. As cleared by the Philadelphia Department of Health, staff will be permitted on the school campus to get educational supplies to continue distance learning after spring break and to complete essential work on campus.
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Although today’s announcement was not a surprise, it is still disheartening to know our students will not be in our classrooms and hallways for several more weeks. But unlike most schools in Pennsylvania, we’ve been operating for 188 years and overcoming challenges in our DNA. There are positives to reinforce and cherish, and your support is one of the most important.
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves, Executive Director
Jackie Brennan, Superintendent
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Coronavirus Update
(4/06/2020, 3:30 PM)
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
For those of you who may not know, for decades the Overbrook School for the Blind has proudly hosted a day and residential adult program on its campus, operated by the Overbrook Friedlander Program. The particular program that is housed on OSB’s campus is an Intermediate Care Facility (ICF), where the residents live in apartments. We typically refer to it as the “Wynnewood Apartments” because it is located near the Guard House and borders Wynnewood Road. If you’re a parent or guardian and you’ve dropped your child off at the bus turnaround, you’ve driven past the Wynnewood Apartments before arriving at the turnaround. Its sidewalks are separated from the rest of campus by fencing.
Wynnewood Apartment Quarantined:
Over this past weekend, we learned about a possible COVID-19 exposure of two staff who worked in the Wynnewood Apartments. The staff persons did not enter OSB’s main campus; they parked in front of the Wynnewood Apartments and entered only the Wynnewood Apartments. Both individuals were tested for COVID-19; the results of their tests are pending. Although a diagnosis of COVID-19 has not been confirmed, out of an abundance of caution, Wynnewood Apartments is under quarantine until further notice. We will collaborate with the Department of Health to determine our next course of action once the test results are received. The Department of Health gave clearance for OSB to continue all operations so long as OSB’s essential employees do not enter the Wynnewood Apartments. We will keep you updated as the situation evolves.
Community Resources:
Here are some resources available to parents and staff we want you to be aware of. Please email Rhonda Davis at rhonda.davis@obs.org if you need any assistance navigating these websites or contacting resource providers.
For Philadelphia resources that are updated on a daily basis, visit Community Resource Connects at https://communityresourceconnects.org/ and enter your zip code.
Or visit Senator Bob Casey's list of resources for Pennsylvanians at https://www.casey.senate.gov/coronavirus
Thank you to Rhonda Davis for sending along resources that our parents, staff and students might benefit from during this extended school closure. We will continue to provide you as many resources as we can, while at the same time our thoughts are with our friends in the Overbrook Friedlander Program and their staff quarantined in the Wynnewood Apartments. Their mission is monumental in the lives of their residents and our support of them is just as strong.
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Sincerely,
Todd Reeves
Executive Director
Angie Williams
Director of Health and Safety
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Coronavirus Update
(3/30/2020, 3:30 PM)
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
Below is the most current information regarding a press release issued by the Governor less than an hour ago:
School Closure
Governor Wolf announced today, the “Stay at Home” orders are extended until April 30, in compliance with the federal government's latest announcement. “All PA schools will remain closed until further notice”.
From this announcement, we can presume schools will remain closed through April 30th, and it is unknown when School will re-open after that date. Please see the Governor’s press release, below
https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/gov-wolf-and-sec-of-health-expand-stay-at-home-order-to-carbon-cumberland-dauphin-and-schuylkill-counties-extend-school-closures-indefinitely/
We have also have a resource available to parents and staff we want you to be aware of:
Food Assistance Program
March 30, 2020, Philadelphia is starting a new FREE Nutritious Meal Program.
If you “Do not live in Philadelphia” and need assistance with finding food resources, please email Rhonda Davis at rhonda.davis@obs.org.
Snow Days
Due to the COVID-19 school closure, all days on the school calendar marked as “Snow Make-Up Days” will become school days. More information will be provided as the first Make-Up day approaches.
Thank you for your understanding and support during these challenging times. Our goal is to keep you updated as the situation continues to evolve.
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves
Executive Director
Angie Williams
Director of Health and Safety
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Coronavirus Update
(3/27/2020, 3:30 PM)
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, and Staff,
We hope you and your family are healthy and well during this difficult time. We know there are many difficult questions that families, students, and staff are facing during COVID-19. We will try to provide you with answers to any questions you have as quickly as possible if the information is available. This update provides more information regarding Spring Vacation, the distance learning process, and the deep cleaning and asbestos abatement occurring at the School.
Last night the Executive Director and Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees met and decided that Spring Vacation will not be canceled. We will plan for students to return to school as scheduled on Tuesday, April 14th. Plans that families and staff had for Spring Vacation do not have to be changed. We have learned that we can’t predict everything that will happen in the coming weeks. But we do believe that returning to our normal schedule as soon as possible is good for us all. Things you should also know about Spring Vacation:
- The distance learning provided by teachers and therapists will not occur during Spring Vacation. Like any Spring Vacation, both students and staff are provided a break. The past few weeks have been difficult for everyone and giving both staff and students a normal vacation increases the chance that everyone will have good energy when we can welcome everyone back to Overbrook.
- There is a chance Governor Wolf will extend the school closure order through our scheduled Spring Vacation. If that occurs, we would still treat that week as Spring Vacation. That means distance learning would not occur. We would resume distance learning on April 14.
- The “Deep Cleaning” of the School began as scheduled on Monday, March 23rd. We previously thought this round of deep cleaning would end on Wednesday, March 25th. But the contractor believed spending more time during one deep cleaning was more beneficial than having two shorter deep cleanings. Keeping a safe social distance for the workers was also an important reason. Deep cleaning will continue through April 3rd and possibly into the week of April 6.
- The asbestos abatement process is proceeding more quickly than we estimated. The contractor was able to have two teams of workers at OSB instead of just one. Again, the presence of asbestos on the campus has not been unsafe for staff and students. But, it is important that we remove asbestos when we have the opportunity.
Thank you again for your support during such difficult times for students, families and staff. We are all in this together and we appreciate how much effort everyone has shown in making an incredibly challenging time as positive as possible.
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves, Executive Director
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Cornavirus Update
(3/23/2020, 4:00 PM)
Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff and Students,
We’ve learned recently that students are using the website to receive updates, which is wonderful. Therefore, we are changing the format a little.
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Today Governor Wolf extended the school closure through at least April 6th, with a possibility of extending the closure even longer, if needed.
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April 6th is the first day of OSB’s Spring Vacation. If we follow our school calendar, students would not return to school until Tuesday, April 14. We do not know if the closure mandated by the State will alter our current Spring Vacation schedule. We will obtain clarification from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and confirm the first day students can return from the extended school closure.
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Please see the full text of today’s statement from the PDE below. You can also visit the PDE website as well.
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School staff is discussing how students would continue receiving educational services if school closure extends beyond April 14th.
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Today, March 23rd, 2020, the asbestos abatement and deep cleaning proceeded. AR Building Services started the “Deep Cleaning Process” that will continue through Wednesday, March 25, 2020. Each area will be cleaned and disinfected with products appropriate for use in schools.
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Governor Wolf’s mandate allows only essential personnel to be on school grounds during the school closure. This means our Security and Maintenance personnel are generally the only non-administrative staff allowed on campus.
Thank you for your understanding and support during these challenging times. Our goal is to keep you updated as the situation continues to evolve.
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves,
Executive Director
Angie Williams.
Director of Health and Safety
PDE Statement
Pennsylvania Department of Education Extends School Closures through at least April 6
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced today that all schools in the commonwealth will remain closed through at least April 6 as a result of the COVID-19 response efforts. The closure order could be extended beyond April 6 if necessary to save lives and stop the spread of COVID-19. When it’s determined that students can return to school, administrators, teachers and other staff will be given two days to prepare classrooms, set up cafeterias, schedule transportation and arrange other business operations. Students would return on the third day.
Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera said his decision to close all schools for the additional period aligns with the governor’s stay-at-home directive announced today for seven counties – Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Monroe, Montgomery and Philadelphia.
“Protecting the health and safety of students, families, teachers and all employees who work in our schools is paramount during this national health crisis and we must continue our efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus,” he said. “The number of positive cases increases daily and we’re seeing it spread to more counties. We must adhere to the social distancing guidelines. Extending the closure will help every community in its efforts to mitigate the spread.”
Today’s additional school closure will be for 14 days, beginning Tuesday, March 24.
To assist schools during the extended closure, Secretary Rivera said the state’s 29 intermediate units are ready to provide technical assistance to help develop continuity of education plans for all students.
“We know students are eager to engage with their teachers and return to learning,” he said. “Beginning tomorrow, all schools will be able to work with their local intermediate unit to develop instructional plans for all students, including those with disabilities and English language learners.”
Also today, Secretary Rivera cancelled standardized testing for students in career and technical education (CTE) programs for the 2019-20 school year. These include exams from the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) and National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS).
Last Thursday the department cancelled all PSSA testing and Keystone exams for the 2019-20 school year, as well as the Pennsylvania Alternate System of Assessment (PASA). The U.S. Department of Education approved Pennsylvania’s waiver request the following day, and further waived accountability and reporting requirements for the 2019-20 school year.
The department has been providing ongoing guidance to school communities in the form of FAQs. The guidance information is available at education.pa.gov/COVID19.
For more information about Pennsylvania’s education policies and programs please visit the Department of Education’s website or follow PDE on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.
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OSB’s Coronavirus Updates
(March 20th, 2020 - 3 PM)
Dear Parents, Guardians and Staff;
Once again, our world turned slightly on its axis yesterday evening when Governor Wolf issued an order to close all non-essential businesses. This Update seeks to apprise you of the impact that Governor Wolf’s mandate to close all non-essential businesses will have on the School’s plans through the next week.
Although the School was already closed, activities on campus in preparation for the students’ return on March 30th were underway in an attempt to construct some semblance of a silver lining during a time when it’s difficult to find the positive. Several staff continue meeting remotely on a daily basis to determine the best path forward during these uncertain times.
You may have more questions than are contained in these Updates and to the extent we can answer them, we will endeavor to do so. Please feel use the contact information below to pose your question, as we’re sure other parents and staff have similar ones.
Presence On Campus: Governor Wolf’s mandate of March 19th prohibits anyone other than essential personnel from being on campus. If a parent or staff needs anything retrieved from campus, please use the contact information below to describe the item and we will do our best to ensure you receive it or determine an appropriate alternative.
New Info: - Temporary Distance Education Format: First and foremost, the yeoman efforts of Parents, Education Teams, Program Coordinators and others to construct a distance learning format with little time and fewer resources. It’s laudable when concerned people work through the improbable to eek out whatever might benefit our students. You probably already know that some school districts have prohibited implementing distance learning on equity grounds. Because school districts actually oversee the Individualized Education Program for our students, we respect their decisions regarding the delivery of services and supports during this time.
UPDATE - Deep Cleaning Scheduled: Governor Wolf’s most recent mandate prohibited most businesses from operating but our understanding from our cleaning contractor is that they are currently authorized to implement the planned deep cleaning, on an expedited schedule. The Update dated this past Monday stated the first deep cleaning would begin on Wednesday, March 25th. The date has been moved up to Monday, March 23rd. No staff other than essential staff (primarily, Maintenance and Security staff and a few others) will be allowed on campus during the effective time period of the Governor’s order.
Likelihood of Returning to School as Scheduled on March 30th: Many of you have no doubt heard predictions of extended closure well beyond this next week. Nonetheless, the best information we have at present is that schools will resume on March 30th.
But, as we craft this short Update, we’re reminded that the speed of change has nullified one or more responses we’ve given to various people within hours of sending the response. We’ll see if that proves true once this Update is posted to the website.
Thank you: Your support during the last weeks has been felt and is deeply appreciated. We will try to return it to you in full measure.
Specific Questions or Concerns: If you have any healthcare questions or concerns specific to your child, please contact the Health Services Coordinator, Swazi Watson, at 215-877-0313 Ext: 231 or the Director of Health and Safety, Angie Williams, at 215-877-0313 Ext: 203. Please also feel free to contact Todd Reeves, Executive Director, at 215-877-0313, Ext: 267 or via email at todd.reeves@obs.org.
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OSB’s Coronavirus Updates
(March 16th, 2020, 3:25 PM)
Dear Parents, Guardians and Staff;
As you’re aware, the Overbrook School for the Blind announced the closure of school for the next two weeks (March 16th through March 27th) this past Friday only hours before Governor Wolf mandated school closures statewide for the same time period. We continue preparing to support students and staff through the next two weeks and are seeking direction from relevant federal and state agencies to address issues ranging from health and safety to providing education and therapeutic services in a distance learning format. We appreciate the very challenging logistics in front of each of us and are striving to lessen the burdens everyone will bear. '
Temporary Distance Education Format: The teachers will be contacting their families to discuss the supports needed while their child is home and to develop an individual plan with the families to provide services. We are asking each teacher to keep a log of all family contacts. We will do all that we can to share information electronically but understand that this does not always work for everyone. For many of our students, we will share resources and activities that can be done in the home.
Our teachers have been instructed to maintain contact with our families as often as a family prefers and, in the format, that the family prefers. Additionally, as directed by your school district or Intermediate Unit, IEP meetings will be done by conference call. Your Program Coordinator will contact you to provide you with a call-in number. If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to contact your Program Coordinator
Deep Cleaning Scheduled: Deep cleaning is scheduled with AR Building Services (AR) starting Wednesday, March 25 through Friday, March 27. Certain Housekeeping staff will be on hand those days to familiarize AR with the areas to be cleaned. A second deep cleaning by AR will be done the week of Spring Break, April 6-9.
Closure/Cancellation of All Non-Essential School Business: We, unfortunately, must cancel all non-essential meetings and gathering of community members and partners who typically utilize our facilities for gathering and meeting spaces. However, essential services necessary to:
1) prepare the School for opening its doors once the pandemic has passed; or,
2) implementing environmental improvements to ensure the ongoing health and safety of our students will go on through the next two weeks. One such improvement is both plumbing repair and asbestos abatement that are necessary but typically very difficult to schedule when students are not present. Please know that asbestos abatement work is preventative in nature and there is and has never been the danger of asbestos fibers free in the air.
Adoption of Social Distancing Recommendations and IEP Meetings: The Governor has identified “aggressive social distancing” as necessary to stem the spread of the virus in several surrounding counties. OSB is adopting the same course of action to the extent possible while staff are collecting materials to implement both telework and distance learning from home. To that end, whatever meetings occur on campus are occurring through telephone and/or video conferencing. Likewise, we anticipate that parent and school district participation in IEP and other meetings will occur through telephone conferencing until further notice.
International Travel During the Coming Weeks: The CDC recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to specified countries in Europe (See: What countries are included in this notice), Iran, South Korea, China, United Kingdom and Ireland. If you or your child travel to any of these areas over the next two weeks, please contact your healthcare provider for recommendations for keeping your child home prior to School re-entry. Currently, the CDC recommends travelers returning from these areas stay home 14-days after returning from travel, monitor their health, and practice social distancing.
MODIFICATION - Communication Plan: We plan to provide updates and post them to the website every Monday or more frequently, if necessary, until the Coronavirus has subsided. To reduce the number of non-emergency SchoolMessenger notifications being sent, please know that a Coronavirus Update will be posted every Monday by the end of the business day until the pandemic has passed. If any urgent information must be posted to the website prior to the upcoming Monday, we will alert you to that via SchoolMessenger.
Continued Emphasis on Universal Precautions and Preventative Care Specific to Blindness: You likely have read the following dozens of times already, but the basic premise holds true that the most important safeguards against contracting COVID-19 is frequent handwashing and surface cleaning common areas. What you likely haven’t read dozens of times is what we conveyed in the last update: Covering your mouth when sneezing or coughing is an infection control measure that should be specially adapted for children who are visually impaired.
Specific Questions or Concerns: If you have any healthcare questions or concerns specific to your child, please contact the Health Services Coordinator, Swazi Watson, at 215-877-0313 Ext: 231 or the Director of Health and Safety, Angie Williams, at 215-877-0313 Ext: 203. Please also feel free to contact Todd Reeves, Executive Director, at 215-877-0313, Ext: 267 or via email at todd.reeves@obs.org.
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UPDATE 3/13/2020 12:22PM
School Closure Until Monday, March 30, 2020
Dear Parents, Guardians and Staff,
Considering that the rapidly changing circumstances and impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have required near constant adjustments to school operations, I believe the best course of action to protect the health, safety and welfare of our students, parents, staff and community members is to close OSB until Monday, March 30, 2020. This decision essentially mirrors Governor Wolf’s mandate to close the school districts in Montgomery County and, in part, reflects the “down-stream” impact of staff residing in Montgomery County and in other affected school districts being unable to report to work, as well as the proximity of OSB to Montgomery County itself.
I hope you know this decision is not made without awareness of the burdens parents carry during school closures. I and the staff are constantly amazed and humbled by the strength and resilience our students possess, and no less so this past week. We realize parents nurtured these student strengths and our staff reinforces them. This only elevates our commitment to keeping our students safe.
During the initial week of the closure, Superintendent Jackie Brennan will be working with her staff to develop and deploy distance learning materials and strategies. We recognize there are services that cannot be replicated through distance learning effectively, but we believe each student can receive benefit. Once students return to school, we will work to address service needs that couldn’t be provided remotely. We will be in consultation with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).
Beginning the second week of closure, you can expect a distance learning plan for your child is in place, while the School is being deep cleaned and then completely vacated. Limited staff including maintenance, security, technology, the administration will work throughout the closure until the deep cleaning and then work from home to the extent practicable, to preserve the full benefit of the deep cleaning. Deep cleaning will also be done during the later part of Spring Break week (April 8-9) and as needed throughout the rest of the school year.
You no doubt have questions regarding how this school closure the likelihood of the school year extending into the summer. The snow make-up days scheduled in May will be converted to school days. The extension of school beyond the scheduled last day can’t be determined until the full number of days missed is tallied and further guidance from PDE is received. We will update you on these and other issues as soon as we can. Your support is greatly appreciated. If you have concerns or questions, feel free to contact me at todd.reeves@obs.org.
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves, Executive Director
OVERBROOK SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND IS CLOSED 3/13/2020
Current & Previous COVID-19 Communications
Coronavirus Update
(3/12/2020, 7:15 PM)
Regarding Governor Wolf’s Montgomery County School Closure
Dear Staff, Parents, and Guardians,
As you are likely aware, this afternoon Governor Wolf announced a two-week closure of all schools in Montgomery County. For the time being, the Overbrook School for the Blind will remain open, believing we have sufficient staff to continue operations.
Nonetheless, student attendance will be significantly reduced because students residing in Montgomery County will not be transported by their school districts to OSB. We ask parents and guardians residing in Montgomery County to refrain from privately transporting their child to OSB during Governor Wolf’s two-week closure period.
Thank you very much for your understanding and support during a challenging time for us all. We will strive to keep you updated as the situation continues to evolve.
Sincerely,
Todd Reeves, Executive Director
Angie Williams, Director of Health and Safety
MaRch 9, 2020: CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE - LETTER TO PARENTS (PDF)
PREVIOUS, MARCH 3, 2020
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) UPDATE - LETTER TO PARENTS (PDF)
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