Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese changes reopening plans for schools, delaying start for some

The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh has made changes to its reopening plans for schools, delaying the start date for some students to give teachers more time to prepare for the year.

According to the release, diocese officials decided to move the start of school for elementary schools about two weeks: from Aug. 27 to Sept. 8. Officials said teachers requested more time to “implement all COVID-19 health and safety reopening protocols.”

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High schools in the diocese will remain on their original opening schedules, which will be staggered starting on Aug. 27.

According to officials, “teachers wanted more time to prepare their classrooms, practice the new protocols, test systems for distance learning and have in-service days for health and safety training to incorporate into their new daily routines.”

“We’ve had weekly communication with our principals, teachers, and regional boards throughout the summer preparing for this very different school year,” said Director of Catholic Schools, Michelle Peduto, in the release. “The reality is, we have been planning for something that nobody has all the answers for at the moment. We are aware that this is the time for us to be patient, open-minded and flexible to adapt to the needs of our teachers and school families. Reopening safely is truly a team effort.”

Each school within the diocese received guidelines for reopening, based on the state and federal recommendations for back-to-school plans.