Return to School FAQ

The first day of school for Mt. Lebanon students Grades 1-12 is August 31, 2020.  The first day for Kindergarten students is September 2, 2020.

At the August 13, 2020 School Board meeting, the Board unanimously approved the recommendation of Dr. Tim Steinhauer for a phased reopening of schools, beginning with a fully remote mode of instruction for the first 9 weeks of the year starting on August 31. 

In order to ensure that all students are prepared for the changes in returning to the school buildings, we will implement a gradual return according to the schedule below. Cyber Academy classes will begin on Oct. 13 for elementary and October 5 for secondary. For more information about the Hybrid and Cyber modalities of instruction, please review the Reopening Education Plan. 

Elementary

Tuesday, October 13 -  Grades K (cohort 1) and 4  

Wednesday, October 14- Grades 1 and 3

Thursday, October 15 -  Grades 2 and 5

Friday, October 16 - Grades K (cohort 2), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 

Grades 1-5 Hybrid Weekly Schedule

 

Kindergarten Hybrid Weekly Schedule

 

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For more information see the Secondary Hybrid/Cyber (Remote) FAQ.

Middle Schools

10 am  Start bell schedule on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday

• Hybrid (in-person) students would report at 8 am for orientation and join classmates for instruction using the 10 am bell schedule

• Hybrid (at-home) & Cyber Learning Academy would follow the 10 am bell schedule

Monday, October 5:

• 8 am - Student Group A-1 - 6th, 7th, & 8th grade students (¼ of student body)

• 10 am - Student Group A-2, B-1, B-2

Tuesday, October 6:

• 8 am - Student Group A-2 - 6th, 7th, & 8th grade students (¼ of student body)

• 10 am - Student Group A-1, B-1, B-2

Wednesday, October 7:

• Remote Instruction for All Students

Thursday, October 8:

• 8 am - Student Group B-1 - 6th, 7th, & 8th grade students (¼ of student body)

• 10 am - Student A-1, A-2, B-2

Friday, October 9:

• 8 am - Student Group B-2 - 6th, 7th, & 8th grade students (¼ of student body)

• 10 am - Student Group A-1, A-2, B-1

*Student groups will be defined by alphabet.  

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High School

10 am  Start bell schedule on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday

• Hybrid (in-person) students would report at 8 am for orientation and join classmates for instruction using the 10 am bell schedule

• Hybrid (at-home) & Cyber Learning Academy would follow the 10 am bell schedule

Monday, October 5:

• 8 am - Student Group A-1 - Grades 9-12 students (¼ of student body)

• 10 am - Student Group A-2, B-1, B-2

Wednesday, October 7

• Remote Instruction for All Students

Tuesday, October 6:

• 8 am - Student Group A-2 - Grades 9-12 students (¼ of student body)

• 10 am - Student Group A-1, B-1, B-2

Thursday, October 8:

• 8 am - Student Group B-1 - Grades 9-12 students (¼ of student body)

• 10 am - Student A-1, A-2, B-2

Friday, October 9:

• 8 am - Student Group B-2 - Grades 9-12 students (¼ of student body)

• 10 am - Student Group A-1, A-2, B-1

*Student groups will be defined by alphabet.  

Secondary Hybrid Schedule

 

• The MTLSD Health and Safety Plan is a framework provided by the PA Department of Education to define strategies for in-person instruction if the Board decides to pursue an in-person mode of instruction. The Health & Safety Plan plan does not dictate the mode of instruction - meaning it does not commit to in-person instruction, cyber instruction, or any option in between. The Health & Safety Plan must respond to specific criteria as established by PDE. It is the framework under which we would operate under various scenarios and is required to be fully adaptable to changing conditions.The Health and Safety Plan was created with guidance from the Allegheny County Health Department, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the MTLSD Recovery Steering Committee. 

• The MTLSD Reopening School Plan outlines the instructional options available for teaching and learning in the fall. The District will make data informed decisions about what instructional options are appropriate given the current conditions in our community.  These decisions will also be predicated on the District’s ability to adhere to protocols outlined in our Health & Safety Plan. 

The first table below provides information from the PA Department of Health COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System DashBoard specifically for Allegheny County. The second table provides the PA Department of Education and the PA Department of Health metrics to determine Instructional Models for schools. This information will be updated as new data becomes available. 

Allegheny County Data from the  PA DOH COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring System DashBoard

 

 

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PDE and PA DOH Metrics to Determine Instructional Models

 

In-Person - Students will attend their brick and mortar school building 5 days per week.

Hybrid - A replacement for In-Person whereby students will attend their brick and mortar school building 2 days per week and receive online instruction the remaining 3. 

Remote - A decision made by the school district to have all students fully participate in online learning 5 days per week.

Cyber Learning Academy - A selection made by families for their student(s) to participate in online instruction 5 days per week.

The District will be delivering our curriculum in all of the instructional options, so all students will have access to the same core instructional resources as in brick and mortar.  This includes textbooks, workbooks, online tools, student materials and other materials. Where possible, specialized supply items may be made available (for example, art and science supplies.) 

A student who is required to quarantine while enrolled in a brick and mortar school setting will utilize the online platform to receive instruction delivered by their classroom teacher until such a time they are medically capable of returning to the school building.

The master schedule for each building will be designed to maximize space, including outdoor space, to the greatest extent feasible; 6’ of physical distancing will be accomplished where feasible. Additionally, UltraBoard Barriers will be utilized where 6’ of physical distancing can not be maintained between students.  

• Elementary Schools - Students will remain in cohorts for instruction with minimizing movement as much as possible.  
• Middle Schools - Student class changes will occur by team to reduce the number of students in the hallway, and where possible, students will be cohorted to allow teachers to move instead of the students. Physical distancing in the hallways will be encouraged. Modifications to locker visits/usage may be employed to promote physical distancing. 
• High School - Student dismissal from class will be staggered to reduce the number of students in the hallway, and where possible, grade level classes will be cohorted to minimize travel throughout the building.  Physical distancing in the hallways will be encouraged. Modifications to locker visits/usage may be employed to promote physical distancing.

For the secondary level during Hybrid, cafeterias will be utilized for food service and consumption. Additional spaces such as auditoriums, gymnasiums, Large Group Instruction (LGI) rooms, and classrooms will be utilized where feasible to reduce student density during lunch periods.

Students and employees are to wash their hands before and after lunch periods and to wear masks/face coverings when not eating or drinking. Meal menus will be revised and limited to support more Grab & Go meals.  Individually plated meals will be served to students. Buffet style service will not be utilized until further notice.

For Elementary students, because of the half day schedule, students will not have a lunch period.

School buses will load by filling seats from back to front to limit students walking past students to find a seat. Students will not sit in the front row of the bus. Students will be assigned seats by cohort (same students sit together each day or by family). Students and drivers will wear face coverings or masks.

CDC Guidelines on Face Coverings will be provided to students and employees. CDC Guidance on Handwashing will be provided to students and employees. CDC Guidelines on How to Stop the Spread of Germs will be provided to students and employees.  Restrooms (soap/water) and hand-sanitizer dispensers are strategically placed at high traffic areas in each building for student and employee use. 

 

Mt. Lebanon School District’s Athletics and Activities’ Health and Safety Plan was approved by the Board of School Directors on June 22, 2020.  The Mt. Lebanon School District will take the necessary precautions and recommendations from the Center for Disease Control, Allegheny County Health Department, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association to adjust procedures as necessary. All participants are required to sign a participation waiver. 

Gatherings, events, and extracurricular activities will be encouraged to meet virtually where possible. Concerts, sporting events, school activities, and other in-person activities will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.  These events may be limited to those which maintain physical distancing guidelines established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and/or other governing bodies. Field trips may be limited.  

Face coverings are required to be worn by students and employees in accordance with the Order of the Secretary of the PA Department of Health Requiring Universal Face Coverings and the Public Health Guidance Regarding COVID-19 for Phased Reopening of Pre-K to 12 Schools.

All students are expected to wear face coverings per Governor Wolf’s state mandate, unless the nurse has an order from the student’s licensed healthcare provider.

The use of face coverings is one of the important ways to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.  

Face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly affected but does not have symptoms.  Face coverings are not Personal Protective Equipment.  

CDC does not currently recommend use of face shields as a substitute for masks.

• Face Covering must over your face and nose

• Must be secured on face

• Be worn inside and outside of the school setting

• Only be removed to eat or drink 

  • If removed - must maintain 6 foot of physical distancing - while mask is off

• Mask breaks MUST be limited to:

  • NO longer than 10 minutes in duration

  • Physical distancing of 6 feet must be maintained if on mask break

• Change face covering if current one soiled

• Do NOT share a face covering

• Do Not touch the front of your face covering

• Do NOT put around your neck or on your forehead

Properly Wearing and Replacing Face Coverings

Wear your Mask Correctly

• Wash your hands before putting on your mask

• Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin

• Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face

• Make sure you can breathe easily

 

 

 

 

Removing Masks

• Take Off Your Mask Carefully - ONLY to Eat- Drink - for mask Break or when soiled
• Untie the strings behind your head or stretch the ear loops
• Handle only by the ear loops or ties
• Fold outside corners together
• Place mask in your paper bag or baggie - carefully
• Be careful not to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth when removing 
• Wash hands immediately after removing.
• To Replace mask - follow How to wear mask above

We will follow the PDE and PA DOH Guidelines that schools should provide face covering breaks throughout the day and maintain a distance of at least 6 feet during these face covering breaks. 

Schools may allow students to remove face coverings when students are:

• Eating or drinking when spaced at least 6 feet apart; or
• When wearing a face covering creates an unsafe condition in which to operate equipment or execute a task; or
• At least 6 feet apart during “face-covering breaks” to last no longer than 10 minutes.

Disposable masks will be available to visitors. They will be expected to wear the mask properly by covering their nose and mouth.

Employees and students should not come to school and are to notify school officials if they become sick with COVID-19 symptoms, test positive for COVID-19, or are exposed to someone with COVID-19 symptoms or to someone with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19. 

Prior to Coming to School
According to the CDC, people with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

• Fever or chills

• Cough

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

• Fatigue

• Muscle or body aches

• Headache

• New loss of taste or smell

• Sore throat

• Congestion or runny nose

• Nausea or vomiting

• Diarrhea

Employees and children should not come to school and are to notify school officials if they become sick with COVID-19 symptoms, test positive for COVID-19, or are exposed to someone with COVID-19 symptoms or to someone with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19.  

All employees and students are to daily self-assess at home for signs/symptoms of COVID-19 prior to reporting to school.

• Should an individual student, employee, or visitor display COVID-19 symptoms, he/she should not enter the school building, and/or be placed into an isolation room, and/or be immediately removed from the school building and masked if not already.  The parent or guardian, if a student, will be notified immediately. Testing for COVID-19 will be recommended to the staff member or student.  
• The Chairperson of Health Services for the District, or designee, will contact the Allegheny County Health Department, make a joint determination about isolation or quarantine needs, and comply with their recommendations. 
• Employees or students who demonstrate COVID-19 symptoms will be required to have a release from their healthcare provider prior to being permitted to return, which will be reviewed by the District Chairperson for Health Services and the Allegheny County Health Department. 
   

To address school leaders’ need for additional guidance in responding to COVID-19 cases in a school setting, the Pennsylvania Departments of Health (DOH) and Education (PDE) are providing recommendations to Pre-K to 12 schools for use in consultation with public health staff when making decisions related to school procedures following a case of COVID-19 in a school. 

PA DOH Recommendations for Pre-K to 12 Schools Following Identification of a Case(s) of COVID-19

 

 

Mt. Lebanon School District will align its practices with the guidance provided in the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Preliminary Guidance for Phased Reopening of Pre-K to 12 Schools and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Considerations for Schools guidelines. Specifically, 

The Mt. Lebanon School District custodial staff will clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects within the school and on school busses at least daily, including desks, door handles and sinks, using Peroxide Multi-Surface Cleaner & Disinfectant (or similar product).  Additionally, they will increase routine cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces and other areas used by students to include the use of the Clorox Total 360 System, or comparable system, to include an electrostatic discharge. And, they will clean and disinfect restrooms throughout the day.

Disinfecting wipes, or a comparable cleaning solution/paper towels, will be available for shared use items for cleaning in between use as needed.

Students will not have access to communal water fountains but will have access to water bottle filling stations. 

The Mt. Lebanon School District will increase the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV Rating) in our classroom univent air filters from 5 to 8, which is the maximum size that can fit into those systems. Additionally, the District will increase the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV Rating) in the High School rooftop unit air filters to 13, and increase the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV Rating) in every building rooftop unit air filter that conditions the air in designated, larger spaces to 13. Also in addition to opening doors and windows when possible, Mt. Lebanon School District will increase the amount of fresh air as part of the ventilation system from 10% to 30%.

Should an individual student, employee, or visitor display COVID-19 symptoms, he/she should not enter the school building, and/or be placed into an isolation room, and/or be immediately removed from the school building and masked if not already.  The parent or guardian, if a student, will be notified immediately. Testing for COVID-19 will be recommended to the staff member or student. 

The Chairperson of Nursing Services for the District, or designee, will contact the Allegheny County Health Department, make a joint determination about isolation or quarantine needs, and comply with their recommendations. 

Confidentiality of the individual involved in a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case will be protected. 

A District communication (email and posting on the District web-site) would occur to the community should an employee or student be confirmed with COVID-19; any relevant school closure information or subsequent adjustments to the Health and Safety Plan would be included in that communication. These communications can also be found on the COVID - 19 District Communications on the website.

Employees or students who demonstrate COVID-19 symptoms will be required to have a release from their health care provider, which will be reviewed by the  District Chairperson for Nursing Services and the Allegheny County Health Department.

Mt. Lebanon School District is a leader in the area of Social and Emotional Well-Being.  As part of the District’s Recovery Steering Committee, a team of experts in the field developed a tiered approach for the District to respond to student and employee needs.

• Create a system of social, emotional, behavioral, and physical health supports to allow for students to successfully re-engage in the learning process and actively participate in their education throughout the course of the school year after a crisis.

• Create a system of social, emotional, behavioral, and physical health supports to mitigate barriers which impact effective work performance and which support employees to successfully work throughout the course of the school year.

 

Here are other long-standing resources are in place for students and staff.  For example,

• Student Assistance Program - The Pennsylvania Student Assistance Program (SAP) is a systematic team process used to mobilize school resources to remove barriers to learning. SAP is designed to assist in identifying issues including alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, and mental health issues that pose a barrier to a student's success.

• Employee Assistance Program - An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a voluntary, work-based program that offers free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services to employees who have personal and/or work-related problems.

In anticipation of the challenges opening the 2020-2021 school year, the Mt. Lebanon School District provided Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Mental Health Literacy (MHL) training for nurses, counselors, and psychologists.

Visitors, volunteers, presenters, and family visitors will be restricted when feasible.  Group meetings, like parent-teacher conferences and staff meetings, will be held virtually.  Only in emergency circumstances should forgotten items be brought to the school building by family.

Essential visitors will have to follow all screening protocols prior to entering a school building and adhere to the face covering requirements once inside.

The timeline to commit to the Mt. Lebanon Cyber Learning Academy will remain open until the School Board has confirmed a decision on the return to school. Once that decision is publicly voted on, the process will close at 4 pm the following day.  Here is the link to register for the Mt. Lebanon Cyber Learning Academy.

The Mt. Lebanon Cyber Learning Academy is a 5 day per week, online educational option selected by parents for their student. Remote Instruction is a 5 day per week, online educational option declared by the District for all students.  So, If we start back In Person or Hybrid, parents will CHOOSE the Cyber Academy if needed.  Or, If we start back in Remote Instruction, all students will be in their regularly assigned classes.  Should the District be in Remote and then switch to In Person or Hybrid, parents could then CHOOSE the Cyber Academy.

If you have signed up your child for the Cyber Learning Academy and now wish to disenroll, please email your request to Lynn Proie at Lproie@mtlsd.net. 

If you enroll your child in the Cyber Academy, we request that you make a commitment for the Quarter (9 weeks).  

Yes, a parent may ask to have their child moved from the Cyber Academy to a brick and mortar option at the Quarter ( 9 week break). 

K-5 Accelerate Ed and 6-12 Edgenuity are online tools that support the delivery of the Mt. Lebanon curriculum.  Students will also utilize textbooks, workbooks, online resources, and other materials in their learning.

Elementary: Elementary classroom teachers will be assigned as full time teachers to the Cyber Academy.  Encore teachers, counselors and teaching staff will be assigned to teach certain online classes in addition to their brick and mortar teaching responsibilities. Support staff will be assigned Cyber Academy responsibilities as needed. 

Secondary: Due to the subject matter certification of secondary teachers and the specialized nature of a number of courses, the design of who taught a course accounted for multiple contingencies (In-Person, Hybrid, Remote, Cyber Learning Academy); secondary students will be assigned to their teacher, as if they were in the brick and mortar school.  The added benefit of secondary students having their teacher is it allows us the capacity to adjust between modes of instruction should circumstances change and allows the students to remain with their original teacher.

Yes.  If the school district begins the 2020-2021 school year in Remote Instruction, all students will begin in Remote Instruction and the opening of the Cyber Learning Academy will be delayed until a decision is made to resume In-Person or Hybrid instruction.