• November 19, 2020

    Dear Methacton Parents/Guardians,

    Please see the information below as a follow up to my communication on November 12, 2020.

    On Friday, November 13, 2020, the Montgomery County Department of Health issued a requirement for all public and private K-12 schools to revert to all online instruction beginning November 23, 2020 through at least December 6, 2020. As per the order, county public and private schools can return to in person/hybrid instruction beginning on December 7, 2020. This same order placed restrictions on athletics, putting these in person activities on hold for this same two-week period.

    The Methacton School District will remain in contact with the Montgomery County Department of Health during this period. We will continue to monitor the county COVID-19 rates of incidence and positivity and those in the Methacton Community (Lower Providence and Worcester townships) against the PDE chart outlined in our approved Health and Safety plan. We will reevaluate our overall situation and communicate with families as early as possible regarding a potential return to in person/hybrid instruction on December 7, 2020.

    In terms of the current status of our community (Lower Providence and Worcester townships):

    Methacton Community Positivity Rate:

    14 Day Period Ending 11/5/2020

    8.29 (Highest among all Montco School District communities)

    14 Day Period Ending 11/12/2020

    9.69 (Second highest among all Montco School District communities)

    Methacton Community Incidence Rate:

    Period Ending 11/5/2020

    114.16 (7th Highest among all Montco School District communities)

    Period Ending 11/12/2020

    190.26 (7th Highest among all Montco School District communities)

    In addition, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DoH) issued two official orders that substantially impacts our school community: Travel Restrictions order and Universal Masking order.

    Travel Restrictions - The PA DoH made SIGNIFICANT changes to the current travel restrictions effective Friday, November 20th for both those coming into Pennsylvania, as well as those who leave Pennsylvania to go to another state or country and then return to Pennsylvania.   This order states the following:

      • It requires anyone who visits from another state to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to entering Pennsylvania.  If someone cannot get a test or chooses not to, they must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Pennsylvania. If an individual has taken a test and is awaiting results, they must quarantine until such results come back negative.
      • Pennsylvanians visiting other states are required to have a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to their return to Pennsylvania, or to quarantine for 14 days upon return to Pennsylvania. This does NOT apply to people who commute to and from another state for work or medical treatment.

    We are informing Methacton Families that this order takes the place of the student travel restriction outlined in the District’s approved Health and Safety Plan. It could have further implications on your child’s ability to return to hybrid in-person instruction, targeted for December 7, 2020, if you decide to travel prior to that date.

    Universal Face Covering -  The PA DoH also put forward an order that significantly reinforces and expands on the requirement for universal face coverings (masks). This order includes a requirement that everyone must wear a face covering when indoors, irrespective of physical distance.  This is consistent with our current Health and Safety Plan.

    In closing, please know that we are doing all that we can to prepare for a return to hybrid instruction when allowed under the law and within our Health and Safety Plan. We are taking measures to ensure more coverage for staff, including the expansion of our Guest Teacher Program. For members of the Methacton Community who are interested in becoming a Guest Teacher, you can find more information by visiting www.methacton.org/GuestTeacherProgram.

    Sincerely,

    Dr. David Zerbe

    Superintendent of Schools