Leechburg Area to resume in-person classes in August, offer online instruction to those who want it

Leechburg Area School District plans to reopen Aug. 26, and will offer online-only classes for students who aren’t comfortable going back to an in-person school setting.

Because the school buildings are in Armstrong County, the district will be following that county’s guidelines. The district is made up of students from Leechburg and Gilpin in Armstrong County and West Leechburg in Westmoreland County.

“We understand that there is a lot of fear regarding covid-19 and coming back to school with other students,” Superintendent Tiffany Nix said in a statement. “We want your children with us, but we also understand hesitation and worry.”

The district plans to return to full-time, in-person instruction, but families not comfortable with their children returning to the classroom will have the option of signing their children up for Leechburg Area Cyber Academy. The Cyber Academy is free.

Students will be required to wear masks on the bus and in the hallways during class changes. Masks are not required at any other times, but students can wear them if they wish.

Students who ride the bus will sit one to a seat, except for siblings or children who live in the same home.

Temperature checks will be performed before students and adults enter the buildings.

Three entrances will be used, including the high school lobby, the elementary school lobby and the cafeteria entrance.

The district said traffic in hallways will go in one direction. Common-area cleanings will take place throughout the school day, and handrails, door handles and tables will be cleaned every two hours.

Students will be separated in class to the district’s maximum capability.

Additionally, every student in grades K-12 will receive a Chromebook for online education purposes. Students and their parents will be trained on how to use Google Classroom.

Device pick-up and training sessions will be scheduled throughout August.

“We will have many sessions that hopefully will accommodate your schedule,” Nix said.

Should Armstrong County move from green to the yellow or red phase of the state’s reopening plan, teachers will provide students with online instruction. The district will help families without internet to acquire it. Work packets will no longer be supplied.

“Our teachers will be teaching to the students via online instruction in yellow and red,” Nix wrote. “We do not expect you to teach your child should we go yellow or red again.”

The reopening plan can be viewed here. Sports guidelines and recommendations can be found here.