School Closures Due to Coronavirus May Last More Than 2 Weeks

In a letter to parents Monday Saucon Valley School District superintendent Dr. Craig Butler acknowledged that a mandatory two-week closure of all K-12 school in Pennsylvania may be extended due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

“Saucon Valley School District is preparing for the possibility the closure may last more than two weeks,” Butler said.

He noted that the district is fortunate to have a program that provides all students in grades 3-12 with an iPad, which will be available to them for remote learning.

“These devices will provide an open line of communication between the teachers and their students for the duration of the school closure by providing instructional material/content,” Butler said. “The teachers and administration will use the next few days to work out technical details, test communication and prepare material and schedules so they can initiate the plan in earnest on Monday, March 23.”

He said additional details about how the devices will be used for distance education will be forthcoming.

Butler also noted in his letter that the district has applied for an exemption through the Pennsylvania Department of Education in order to continue to provide meals to Saucon Valley students who qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal program operated by the U.S Department of Agriculture.

“As soon as the exemption is approved the district will communicate the details with families that qualify,” he said.

“This is a trying time for all of us in this community,” Butler wrote. “Please know that first and foremost we are concerned about the health and well-being of the entire school community. There is of course, no recipe for the right course of action, and there will be difficulties along the way. We ask for your understanding and cooperation as we work to continue educating and caring for the students of Saucon Valley School District.”

The letter was also signed by Saucon Valley School Board president Shamim Pakzad, vice president Susan Baxter and treasurer Cedric Dettmar.