Dear BASD Families:
As you know, we had two traditional snow days last week. Therefore, we have to make up the days. The make up dates are scheduled for:
As a reminder, you can find a link to our one page calendar overview here: https://www.basdk12.org/Content2/1454
You can also see our interactive event calendar here: https://www.basdk12.org/calmonthview.aspx?schoolid=0&t=1:24:32:51:52:53:54:55:56:57:58:59:60
Thank you for your flexibility.
Sincerely, Brian J. White, Jr., Ed.D. Superintendent Butler Area School District
The data for the week is in and we are in the moderate range for COVID-19 community spread for the second week in a row. This means we can put the plan I shared on Wednesday into action.
Here is the plan for the week of February 22:
Elementary students (Grades K-6): Beginning on Monday, February 22, elementary students will be able to attend school in-person five days a week. No more voluntary closures on Friday.
Secondary Students (Grades 7-12): Beginning on Wednesday, February 24, Cohorts will end and students will be able to attend in-person instruction four days a week with Friday being the only remote learning day.
We are once again facing possible inclement weather.
Earlier this week we had two traditional snow days and did not engage in remote instruction. At the elementary level, we must distribute devices to all students who need them every time we move to remote instruction. That did not occur at all schools last Thursday. Therefore, we were not in a position for all of our students to engage in remote learning.
As students transition into the start of the second semester of the 2020-2021 school year, we want to remind students, parents, guardians and learning coaches of the expectations associated with digital distance learning, including cyber education, live-streamed (synchronous) courses, and recorded (asynchronous) instruction. The streaming of courses includes delivery of instruction from one classroom to another classroom within the district, and/ or streaming instruction from the classroom to BASD students who are learning remotely. In order for students to participate in digital distance learning, please review the following guidelines.
The Fine Arts and Beyond Showcase’s annual 50/50 and Basket Raffles have begun! BASD schools and community members donated 16 wonderful baskets. Visit the Foundation's website to see the baskets and virtually put your tickets in for your favorites! GoldenTornadoScholasticFoundation.org/fab-baskets
Try as I might to create a consistent plan for families, mother nature had other plans. Since today was a remote learning day, we will shift this Friday, February 5 to an in person day.
All students in grades K-6 should report to school in person for the rest of this week, including Friday, February 5.
All students in grades 7-12 should operate on their COHORT schedule for the remainder of the week. Since the White COHORT missed in person instruction today, they will report to school in person on Friday. Here is the COHORT schedule for the remainder of this week.
All BASD students are eligible to receive two meals a day, five days a week for free through the remainder of this school year. In addition, any child under the age of 18 who resides in the Butler Area School District may also receive free meals. Learn more.
Students who attend school in person will receive their meals at school. Students who are learning remotely may pick up their meals. Students who are in the secondary COHORT model will receive their meals at school on the days they are learning in person and may choose to pick up their meals for the days when they are learning remotely.
We are tentatively planning to start our voluntary shift to remote instruction/ school building closures in February on the following dates:
Friday, February 5 -- Remote instruction, school buildings closed
Friday, February 12 -- Scheduled Act 80/Professional Development Day, no school for students
Friday, February 19 -- Remote instruction, school buildings closed
Friday, February 26 -- Remote instruction, school buildings closed
COVID-19 relief packages recently passed by the United States Congress contain numerous benefits for families financially impacted by the pandemic. Some of these benefits are available to students who are eligible for free or reduced-priced school meals.
This week we will begin notifying parents/guardians of their child’s absence during the day through our automated phone system.
Parents and guardians of students who attend the Senior High School, Intermediate High School, Middle School and Center Avenue Community School should have received an automated phone call/ message around 11 am today if their child is absent from school. Moving forward, this call will go out at approximately 11 am on the day a student is absent.
Beginning on Friday, January 22, parents and guardians of students who attend Center Township Elementary, Connoquenessing Elementary, Emily Brittain Elementary, McQuistion Elementary, Northwest Elementary and Summit Elementary will receive a phone call/message from our automated system if their child is absent from school. This call will go out at approximately 11 am on the day a student is absent.
First grade students at McQuistion completed a fun snowman activity after reading "Snowmen at Night" with their teachers Mrs. Young and Mrs. Smith.
Many of our families have seen first hand how disruptive quick school closures can be for our students, staff and the community we serve. Connoquenssing Elementary School, McQuistion Elementary School, Center Avenue Community School, the Middle School and the Intermediate High School all had to quickly shift to remote learning this week, per the state’s most recent mandates for schools. Several other schools are only 1-2 positive COVID-19 cases away from having to do the same.
Butler Area School District