Brentwood Borough School District passes 1st version of back to school plan

Earlier this month, Brentwood Borough School Board of Directors passed the first version of its health and safety plan for the 2021-22 school year.

Superintendent Amy Burch said the current plan is based entirely on CDC guidelines, but it will be tailored and amended according to parent and community feedback.

This fall, BBSD anticipates bringing students back to five days per week of in-person learning. While health and safety guidelines have been put in place for students’ return, Burch and the board anticipate the need for flexibility and adaptability.

“The plan will most likely be revised in August because Pennsylvania Dept. of Education has not yet released their guidelines for returning to school,” Burch said.

As the plan currently stands in terms of mask mandates, students will not be required to wear masks in classrooms. However, the district recommends that any unvaccinated student, faculty or staff member continue to wear a mask. Because the state mask mandate is still in effect on public transit, students will be expected to wear masks on buses — no matter their vaccination status.

While BBSD will not be fully enforcing widespread social distancing, they have assured parents in the latest Health and Safety Plan that six feet of social distancing will be enforced in all eating areas.

Vaccinations are not required for students and staff, but the district will host a vaccination clinic on July 22 from 5-8 p.m. at the Brentwood Middle-High School through a partnership with UPMC. The clinic is open to all district and community members over the age of 12. The second dose is slated to be administered in the same location on Aug. 12, also from 5 p.m.- 8 p.m.

To further prevent the spread of the virus, additional cleaning measures will continue to be implemented throughout the year.

“District custodial staff will continue to be trained on new equipment and proper techniques for cleaning classrooms and large spaces,” the plan states.

Brentwood Middle and High Schools are both undergoing extensive renovations, therefore, the first day of classes in the district is slated for Sept. 7.

Although most of these renovations involve window replacement and masonry work, the most recent Health and Safety Plan reports that as BBSD continues to replace its HVAC systems, they will be purchasing systems that are known for their air filtering abilities.

For students who are unable to attend in-person classes, BBSD will continue to offer fully remote learning through Brentwood Cyber Academy. Families who wish to opt into this program should contact the assistant principal of Brentwood Middle and High School, Jim Cassell.

And for parents who are concerned about gaps in their child’s learning, under Act 66, they can request that their child repeat a grade. The deadline to notify the school district was July 15.

More information will continue to be sent to families in the district as more decisions are made. The deadline to submit health and safety plans to the Pennsylvania Health Dept. is July 30.

“The district will continue to monitor the covid-19 transmission rates in Brentwood and Allegheny County and adjust the Health and Safety plan, as necessary,” Burch said.