PHM School Board Adopts COVID-19 Board Resolutions

Tonight (Monday, January 11, 2021) the Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees passed two resolutions pertaining to COVID-19.

 

The first Board Resolution dealt with the length of quarantine time for students and staff identified as close contacts. After consulting with the St. Joseph County Department of Health, the Resolution for Reducing Quarantines from 14 to 10 days allows P-H-M Administration to reduce the quarantine period from 14 days to 10 days for staff and students consistent with the CDC’s revised recommendations for quarantine periods. 

 

The revised guidelines state close contacts who have been exposed should quarantine at home for a minimum of 10 days after the last date of exposure to the positive case. Effective January 12, 2021, P-H-M students or staff identified as close contacts may return after 10 days IF they meet the following criteria:

  • are symptom-free and they continue to self-monitor
  • wear a mask 100% of the time
  • follow ALL COVID safety protocols

Otherwise, the employee or student must quarantine for 14 days.

The Indiana Department of Health has provided these useful tools to help parents and staff figure out quarantine and isolation time periods:

For P-H-M employees or students who start a quarantine period beginning  January 12, 2021, the quarantine period will be 10 days, not 14 days.  Employees or students who started their quarantine period prior to January 12th and were told that the quarantine period was 14 days, and are still in their quarantine period, will be informed that they are now allowed to return to work or school any time after the expiration of the 10th day of quarantine if they are able. If they are not able to, they will be allowed to complete the 14-day quarantine period.

 

The second Board Resolution adopted at the Jan. 11 Board Meeting is an extension of the essential provisions of Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which was enacted by the U.S. Congress last Spring and expired December 31, 2020. Under FFCRA, employees who missed scheduled work days for certain specific reasons related to COVID-19, would be eligible to be paid up to 10 days, separate from the sick days that an employer might normally provide for its employees.  P-H-M called these COVID days. 

 

FFCRA and the federal requirement to provide this benefit expired at the end of the year 2020.  The Board Resolution for Additional Leave Due to COVID-19 will extend the time that P-H-M staff can receive up to a maximum of 10 COVID days from January 4, 2021 through the end 2020-21 school year.

P-H-M to Retrofit all District Buses with Stop-Arm Cameras

The Penn-Harris-Board of School Trustees on Monday night (December 14, 2020) unanimously approved the purchase of Stop-Arm Cameras Systems for all district school buses. Currently, 15 out of 135 P-H-M buses have this technology installed.

 

Since the spring of 2019, following the incident in Rochester in the fall of 2018, P-H-M installed equipment from the dealer on all new buses purchased by P-H-M. When future school buses are traded in, following the district’s bus replacement cycle, this technology will be moved over to the new buses. The total investment for the purchase and installation of these stop arm camera safety features is $363,739 (approximately $3,200 per school bus). P-H-M Administration anticipates the equipment will be received by the end of December and installation would begin in January 2021.

 

This past October P-H-M Administration met with representatives from the St. Joseph County Police, Mishawaka Police, and St. Joseph County Prosecutor Ken Cotter to address requirements and protocols for school bus stop-arm violations to be prosecuted. Following that meeting, P-H-M Administration worked with Kerlin Bus Sales and 24-7 Security to review the required specifications and the process for retrofitting P-H-M buses so they would be in compliance.

 

The 24-7 Security System generates a report with pictures of the violators’ car, license plate, and the location, all of which will be given to police after the violation is reported.

 

The installation of new equipment will provide completely new camera systems on all buses including higher resolution interior cameras, recorders, and hard drives. This will improve the quality and reliability of all bus videos. 

 

It is the district’s hope that having stop arm cameras installed on all P-H-M buses that it will raise public and increased compliance by drivers, and ultimately safer transportation environment for our students.

Penn students offering free eLearning Lessons to P-H-M Children, ages 1-10

During a normal school year, Penn High School students enrolled in Childhood Development classes would be offering two unique programs for preschoolers in our community,  Playschool and Toddler Time.
 

However due to COVID suspending these programs for the time being, Penn Child Development teachers Mrs. Kylee Wetzel and Ms. Rachael Meyers have created lessons that children can do in their own homes. 

 

The Penn High School Early Childhood Education Classes are offering free eLearning lessons to children in the P-H-M community within the age ranges of 1-10 years old.

 

Children can participate at home with a caregiver, or during the school day via Google Meet with the Penn student facilitating the lesson.

 

Please fill out the Enrollment Form by Friday, Jan. 15 in order to participate.

 

Please contact Kylee Wetzel at kwetzel@phm.k12.in.us for any further information.

COVID-19 SCHOOL ATTENDANCE QUICK REFERENCE

The Indiana State Department of Health last updated the COVID-19 School Attendance Quick Reference Guide for parents and schools on December 4, 2020.

 

PLEASE NOTE: For families who are not able to isolate from everyone else at home, the start date of quarantine is determined by last date of exposure to a positive or untested person; this may be after the ill person completes their 10 days of isolation.

 

Click the image below to download and print.

 

This resource is also provided in the District Overview Return to Learn Fall 2020 document, under “Important Links at the end of the document. 

Modifications to Penn & Middle School Winter Athletic Programs

On Wednesday, November 18, P-H-M announced that Penn High School and the district’s three middle schools (Discovery, Grissom and Schmucker) will return to 100% virtual learning beginning Monday, November 23, 2020 through the end of the first semester, Friday, January 15, 2021 (with the MLK holiday being Mon., Jan. 18, students would return to hybrid learning on Tues., Jan. 19, 2021). This change was brought about by the St. Joseph County Department of Health’s recommendations that came earlier in the afternoon of November 18.  Part of SJCDH recommendations to districts was to “Pause all extra curricular activities or conduct them remotely as feasible. In the event these activities cannot be paused or done remotely, limit spectators to parents/guardians/siblings until after winter break.”

 

Click to read SJCDH recommendations and click here to read Superintendent’s Dr. Jerry Thacker’s full letter to parents.

 

As a result, Penn High School and all P-H-M middle school winter athletic programs are implementing significant change to the winter athletic programs. Please see the modifications released Friday, November 20, 2020 that will be effective immediately. These modifications will be re-evaluated by Friday, December 18 (P-H-M School Corporation’s winter break runs Dec. 21, 2020 – Jan. 1, 2021).

 

PHM Athletic COVID Modifications for Winter Sports

 

2nd First Day of School for PreK – 3rd graders

On Monday, September 14, we welcomed back our youngest students, PreK – 3rd graders who opted to return to school. We could see the smiles under their masks, and we hope they could see ours! We visited four of our 11 elementary schools–Bittersweet Elementary School, Walt Disney Elementary School, Northpoint & Prairie Vista–to get a socially distanced look at students' 2nd First Day of School. Click to watch the video below …

 

 

On Tuesday, September 15, we visited dropped by Moran Elementary School to see how the PreK – 3rd graders whose parents choose to stay virtual to see how they are interacting with their teachers. Click to watch the video below …

 

Parents provided more details on 100% Virtual option

Monday, August 31 the P-H-M Board of School Trustees unanimously approved a “Return to Learn” plan to bring students back to the classroom in phases, for those families who want to return to in-person learning:

  • Mon., Sept. 14, In-Person Learning for Elementary grades, PreK – grade 3
  • Mon., Sept. 21, In-Person Learning for Elementary grades 4 & 5 
  • Mon., Sept. 21, Hybrid model, a blend of In-Person and Virtual, for Middle and High School students (grades 6-12) 
  • Parents at every grade level also have the option to keep their student(s) 100% Virtual.

 

Parents at every grade level expressed to have the Virtual option expanded. On Wednesday, September 9, principals sent parents more details and a breakdown of a student’s day who chose to stay 100% Virtual. Click below to see examples of each level:

 

Parents are now being asked to submit their “Intent to Return” questionnaires to their student(s)’ principals by Friday, September 11.

 

If parents have students at more than one P-H-M school, they will need to complete a form for each student at each school. Parents should reference the emails sent by their students’ principals on Wednesday, Sept. 9 or check their schools’ websites. If parents have questions, they should contact their student’s school directly.

 

 

Other important “Return to Learn” information shared with parents:

School Board passes Resolution to bring about systematic and structural change to ensure diversity, inclusion, and equality

 

On Wednesday, July 1, the P-H-M Board of School Trustees held a special Board Meeting to pass the Resolution listed below and to announce the creation of the new district position of Officer of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. This was in response to an open letter to the P-H-M Board of School Trustees and Administration from current and past Penn High School alumni (click here to read Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker’s June 25 email sent to P-H-M families concerning this matter).

 

RESOLUTION OF THE PENN-HARRIS-MADISON BOARD OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES TO BRING ABOUT SYSTEMATIC AND STRUCTURAL CHANGE TO ENSURE DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND EQUALITY.

 

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

 

WHEREAS, the unjust killing of Mr. George Floyd on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, along with the preceding and unjust deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and many others, has generated a much needed national discussion on the necessity of ensuring permanent racial equality and racial justice. The members of the Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees are saddened by and stand against these unjust deaths.

 

WHEREAS, as we prepare to celebrate the United States of America's 244th year of independence, the Penn-Harris-Madison School Board of School Trustees is guided by the wisdom of one of this country’s greatest leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."

 

WHEREAS, we the members of the Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees and Administration, acknowledge that we must urgently end acts motivated by racial animus and bias, remediate racial inequities, and end any form of racism in our schools.

 

WHEREAS, the Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees recognizes that working with the school community is a vital and necessary component of achieving the goals expressed in this Resolution.
 

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we, the members of the Penn-Harris-Madison Board of School Trustees shall implement all reforms necessary to eradicate racism and racial injustice within the Penn Harris Madison School Corporation. We recognize and will fulfill our duty to foster a safe, healthy, and inclusive learning environment; to ensure that all are treated with dignity and respect; and to do our part to bring about positive change, end discrimination and secure equality for all. 

P-H-M Return to Learn, Re-entry Plan for Fall 2020

​​This is your resource for all your Re-entry details and previously communicated information. This page was last updated on June 3, 2021.
 

Important “Return to Learn” information:

For those students who have returned to the classroom, P-H-M provides transparent communication of any students and staff positive COVID-19 cases shared with us. Statistical date on positive cases reported to us are posted to the P-H-M Dashboard. We also ask parents to follow all CDC, Indiana State Department of Health, and St. Joseph County Department of Health guidelines, recommendations and protocols. Some of them are outlined below:

  • ISDH & CDC guidelines have changed and repeat testing is NOT recommended for making decisions about when people can return to work or school. If the person remains symptom free, they will be allowed to return to school when they meet the above criteria. The ISDH has also produced a quick reference guide for (click here to access).
  • Parents and staff are asked to continue to monitor their health and their child’s health every day using the ISDH screening tool. If staff or students experience any of the symptoms below, we ask that they do not report to school:
    • fever or chills
    • sore throat,
    • uncontrollable or new cough or shortness of breath or difficulty breathing (especially new onset)
    • diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain
    • headache (especially new onset of severe headache with fever, or new loss of taste or smell)
  • Students and staff should not report to school if they have had close contact with a known positive case, including in your own household, or awaiting test results. When you have a positive case (tested or clinical) in your household, the positive case should self-isolate away from the rest of the family members and the family should remain in quarantine. If a family member/close contact (or anyone in the house) cannot isolate away from the positive person, the family member(s) quarantine period will begin the day of exposure and continue 10 days after the positive person quarantine ends. Click here for more information from the CDC on isolation and quarantine.
  • We ask families that have multiple children in P-H-M schools and one member of your family household is positive (tested or clinical), to please notify all P-H-M schools your children attend. 

 

Superintendent letter to PHM Community on Juneteenth