Leechburg Area to go forward with last spring’s musical next month; virtual learning Wednesdays continues
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The show will go on after all.
Leechburg Area High School students will perform their postponed spring musical “Godspell” after the school board unanimously gave their blessing Wednesday night.
The musical was canceled hours before opening night in March just as covid-19 pandemic restrictions and statewide school closures were imposed.
Now, it will be performed the first week in December. There will be limited seating for parents in the high school auditorium, but the show will be livestreamed.
Performances will start at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3-5.
Musical director Alyssa Walls said 45 theater students logged more than 275 hours rehearsing last spring.
All of those performers — including the seniors who graduated — are set to go.
“We are beyond thrilled to offer ‘Godspell’ in any capacity,” Walls said. “We are excited to give our graduated seniors a chance to perform their final musical.”
The graduates will obtain required Pennsylvania volunteer clearances now that they no longer are high school students.
Assistant director Nancy Tarella earned a “Safe Set Covid-19 Certification” that helped to produce the show safely.
Parent Tracy Schaeffer attended Wednesday night’s school board meeting, hopeful the performance would be approved.
“This is their ‘sport’ — performing,” Schaeffer said, “and if football and cheerleading can happen, then this can as long as it’s done as safely as possible.”
McKenna Pierce, part of Leechburg Area’s Class of 2020, is looking forward to returning to the stage.
“It’s exciting because we were unable to perform last March and it was, literally, hours before we were going to be onstage,” Pierce said.
Virtual Wednesdays to continue
The board approved continuing the current instruction plan of four days of in-person instruction, with at-home, virtual instruction on Wednesdays through 2020.
Students learn from home using Chromebooks and Google Classroom, and materials are sent home with students on Tuesdays.
Superintendent Tiffany Nix reported to date, no student has tested positive for covid-19 in the district.
One district staffer tested positive for covid-19 in October, the sole positive case reported on campus.
Nix said there are 117 students learning remotely in the district.
Maintenance Supervisor Gino Geminetti manages the weekly Wednesday deep cleanings.
He said the deep cleaning areas include: bleachers, the cafeteria, multipurpose hall, libraries, restrooms and high-traffic areas such as computer keyboards.
“It’s a complete advantage to keep the school buildings clean and sanitized,” Geminetti said.
In an email sent to district parents/guardians Thursday, Nix said the district must “do everything we can not to revert back to an all-virtual model.”
The Wednesday virtual dates are: Nov. 18, 25 (already scheduled off, Thanksgiving), Dec. 2, 9, 16 and 23.
Nix said the board will reevaluate covid-19 data going into January.
Nix said she realizes these are stressful times for all.
“I know these days are not convenient,” Nix wrote. “The purpose is to keep us all healthy. I thank you for your patience and support. We will get through this.”
Students and staffers who have covid-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with any positive case are advised to stay home and contact the school nurse immediately at 724-845-7701.